162 
which cannot fail to ensure her a deserved 
and lasting reputation. 
One of the most honest books that has 
appeared for several years relative to 
France, is Mr. IRELAND’s volume, enti- 
tled France for the last Seren Years, or 
the Bourbons. Mr. 1. dedicates his work 
in a noble spirit to the Cortes of Spain, 
and thereby proves that his feelings are 
of the true old British school, and that he 
is not one of those base panders of power 
who for years past have subsisted by as- 
cribing the crimes of their patrons to the 
principles of liberty. Mr. Ireland lived 
in Paris during the last seven years, in 
familiar intercourse with its citizens, and 
does not write upon reports or hear-says, 
but from his own personal observation. 
We quote as an example his account of the 
fensations created in Paris by the return 
of Napoleon from Elba, in consequence of 
the breach of all faith with him, and of 
the propositions to seize him and send him 
to St. Helena. 
At this momentons crisis, I resided in the fau- 
bourg St.Germain, when having business one morn- 
ing on the otherside of the water, I proceeded down 
the Rue dn Bae, but stopped inmy way at the caffe 
Guerraz in that street, which IT found extremely 
crowded, while a strange appearance of anxiety 
was depicted on every countenance, several persons 
surrounding each individual who bad been fortu- 
nate enough fo get a newspaper, the contents of 
which the lucky possessor was reading aloud to the 
bye-standers ; as the incessant buz prevented my 
gaining any information, I enquired of the Zimona- 
diere at the comptoir, the reason of the nove! scene 
I witnessed, upon which, she exclaimed with asto- 
nishment:—* Good heaven! is it possible, Sir, you 
should not have heard that the Emperor is landed 
in France?” Such being indeed the earliest infor- 
mation I had acquired of this wonderful event, all 
endeavours to convey a faithful picture of the ex- 
traordinary scene thit now presented itself, would 
be utterly impossible; people running in all direc- 
tions, seemed to have forgotten the avocations for 
which they left their homes; at every hundred 
paces you met a group in close conversation ; gens 
d@’armes on horse and foot, were proceeding with 
rapidity, in different directions ; at the Thuilleries, 
upon Change, along the Boulevards, all was hurry 
and confusion, while many old soldiers, hoping 
that the Emperor might arrive at the cap:tal in 
safety, forgot in theireagerness the prudence which 
should have guiced them, and in the exultation of 
the moment, cried out, ** Pive/’ Empereur,”’ two in- 
stances of which I witnessed in front of the Garde 
Meuble, Place Louis Quinze ; these men were fortl)- 
with seized, and hurried away to the corps de 
garde. In short, all regular routine of business 
was totally at a stand; a species of public fever 
was the consequence, and the national pulse defied 
all the efforts of reason to bring it back to a tone of 
sanity. In-this state of mental delirium, the day 
passed over, but with return of night, the sensation 
was, if possible, encreased ; the cafes were crowded 
to excess, while the vigilance of the police had re- 
doubled its precautions, by stationing additional 
gens d’armes in every quarter; addedto which, the 
gnouchards, under all disguises, mingled with the 
crowds to ascertain and report the state of public 
feeling, as wellas to stop all such whose conduct 
should render then amenable to the existing laws ; 
many arrestations in consequence took place, and 
actuated by various contending passions, the inha- 
bitants of Pans at length retired to their respective 
qrarters. awaiting with unparalleled anxiety, the 
aiiceut of news as to the failure or success of Napo- 
leoa’s hazardous undertaking. 
Ata very early hony the next morning, the city 
Was id moulin, when it was given out that if three 
Literary and Critical Proemium. 
[March 1, 
persons were seen stationary in the street they 
should immediately be dispersed; and by the mid- 
dle of the day numerons reports were afloat, most 
of which emanated from government, stating the 
complete failure of Napoleon, and his imprison- 
ment, immediately after landing ; others detai'cd 
his assassination by the indignant populace, whale 
another related that the soldiery baying forced him 
to surrender, he was shot as a traitor by military 
law, and his head chopped off in order to be sent 
to-Paris, end there publicly exposed. But as to 
any real statements, not a word transpired that 
could be relied upon, all letters from the south 
being inspected at the Post-office ; added to this, 
the diligences were searched on entering Parix, 
while at the barricrs, which were kept closed, 
guards were stationed, together with the most vi- 
gilant emissaries of the Police. 
While this information was gradnally made 
public in the capital, a thousand reports were 
spread; and certainly had Napoleon been a cat, his 
nine lives would not have sufficed him, as I am 
certain he was killed twenty times, and in as many 
different ways ; however, upon his arrival at Gre- 
noble, which is a large and populous city, the sen- 
sation at Paris became very apparent indeed, nor 
could all the vigilance and rigonrous measures of 
the police, and arrestations hourly made in all di- 
rections, prevent the ox pressions of joy, which 
arose from a conviction of his ullimate azival in 
safety at the capital. 
Those persons who were not witnesses of the 
fact, can form no idea of the incaleulable sale of 
Bonaparte’s proclamation dated from the Gulf of 
Juan, the first of March, wherein he stated, “ La 
Victoire marchera au pas de charge,—L’ Aigle arce 
les Couleurs Nalionales, volera de clocher en clocher , 
Jusqwaux tours de Notre Dame:” in short, the 
above words were in every one's mouth. 
On the evening of the 19th, between ten and ele- 
ven at night, I passsd through the Place Carousel 
in my way home; all was agit quiet at the 
Thuilleriés, where the only cireumstance that 
struck me was, there being more lights than usual 
in the windows of the long facade; nothing, how- 
ever, gave the least indicat‘on of the speedy depar- 
ture of the Royal Family, which took place about 
two hours after, of which I was not aware until 
the following morning at half past nine, when I 
observed, on gaining the Pont Royal, that no sen- 
tries were stationed there, and that all the windows 
of the palace were closed, while upon gaining the 
pedestal of the first colossal figure that intersects 
the iron-railing in the Place Carousel, 1 found a 
large placard posted upon it, whereon appeared the 
following Indicrous notice, in striking characters, 
** Chateau a louer bien meuble si ce n'est la Baterie 
de Cuisine que le dernier proprietaire a emporte 
avec lui.” “ Palace to let well furnished, exept the 
kitchen utensils, which have been carried away by 
the late proprietor.” And upon the second pedestal, 
“ Gros +t gras cochon a vendre pour un Napoicon.” 
"© A large fat hog to be sold for one Napoleon.” 
Such were the first intimations T had ero e 
departure of Louis and the family, of which Bona- 
arte was apprised at Fontainbleau by seven o'clock 
In the merning, when he immediately set off in a 
carriage for Paris, attended only by a few hussars 
and dragoons, driving with great rapidity. 
From. the moment that the departure of the 
Bourbons was made public, the arrival of the Em- 
peror was anxiously expected, and consequently on 
the 20th of March,at an early hour, no inconsidera- 
ble bustle was manifested throughout Paris. Nu- 
merous reports were in circulation as to the bar- 
rier ly which he would enter, as well as the pre- 
cise hour_when he might be expected. Thus, 
being misled by these contradjetory statements, I 
proceeded in various directions, and about mid-day 
was attracted with multitudes to the Boulevard 
Montmartre, where I arrived in time taseea body 
of about two thousand troops covered with dirt and 
dust, who were accompanying several pieces of 
heavy artillery, every man wearing the tri-coloured 
cockade; while at stated intervals of tive minutes, 
as they advanced shouts of ‘* Vive? Empsreur £’ rent 
the air, in which they were joined by vociferations 
of the populace who accompanied them, every sol- 
dier having a citizen linked to either arm demand- 
ing 
