1830.] The French Revolution of July, 1830. 257 



But the most effectual effort of the night, or rather the morning, was 

 the seizure of the arsenal. By that fatuity which characterised the con- 

 duct of the government from the beginning, a large magazine of arms 

 had been left exposed to the first attack. At two in the morning of 

 Wednesday the 28th, a body of the people rushed to this building, easily 

 overpowered the feeble guard, seized the arms and distributed them 

 through the city. But they were soon attacked in the arsenal by an over- 

 powering force, and after a long defence, which is calculated to have 

 cost five hundred killed and wounded on both sides, the troops became 

 masters of the arsenal. But their victory was too late. The arms were 

 already in the hands of the thousands of daring men, who were, before 

 that day was done, to use them with deadly success for the overthrow 

 of their masters. The H6tel-de-Ville had also been taken possession of 

 in the night, and filled with armed men. In this busy night, too, the 

 National Guard, which had been disbanded two years ago by the king, 

 gathered its remnants together, put on its faded habiliments, burnished 

 its rusty muskets, and showed itself boldly at the head of the people. 



Part of the forenoon was quiet, and was said to be spent in an ineffec- 

 tual attempt by Lafitte and others, who had now come forward openly 

 in the popular cause, to negociate with Marmont at the Louvre. His 

 answer was, that, as a soldier, he must do his duty, but that he would 

 see Polignac on the subject. On referring the matter to Polignac, the 

 answer was peremptory, " That it was impossible to withdraw the or- 

 donnances !" Then replied Lafitte, " You proclaim civil war !" and 

 retired. The last interposition between these madmen and their fate 

 was done ; and the military immediately marched to force the H6tel-de- 

 Ville. The building is one of those huge and massive fabrics of stone 

 which are so common in Paris, and which a few hours' labour could con- 

 vert into a tolerable fortress. The Swiss troops were chiefly engaged here^ 

 andt he attack cost a great many lives. The H6tel-de-Ville was taken and 

 re-taken, but the Swiss remained masters of it during the night. However 

 the success was of little value, for the soldiery dared not pursue the 

 people into the surrounding streets. The barricades were formidable, 

 the roofs were covered with the inhabitants ready to throw down stones, 

 and every thing that could do injury, even aquafortis, by which some 

 of the troops were severely burnt; and a heavy firing was kept up from 

 the windows. The nature of the streets themselves in this quarter makes 

 them hazardous even in the quietest times. This narrowness, crooked- 

 ness, and darkness, the roughness of the pavement, the total want of 

 footway, and the perpetual filth, make them frightful to the English 

 eye. But nothing can be better contrived for an insurrection, and the 

 traveller can scarcely look round on the squalid and wild looking po- 

 pulace, and the gloomy and enormous houses of blackened stone, 

 without imagining that he treads in the very birth-place of popular 

 insurrection. 



But the encounters on all the principal points were severe, and ge- 

 nerally to the disadvantage of the troops. Old Lafayette was now an- 

 nounced as the commandant of the people, and General Gerard, an 

 officer of great distinction, served under him, and directed the chief 

 attacks. The firing continued heavily for some hours during the middle 

 of the day, but towards evening it again slackened. The result, how- 

 ever, was different from that of the dubious success of Tuesday. The 

 troops were worsted on almost every point, and they spent the night 

 MM. New Series. VOL. X. No. 57- 2 K 



