HISTORY; QF EUROPE, 
| him in advifing the king to refufe 
his fanftion. 
It. would feem idle to offer any 
comments on the juftice or the po- 
‘licy of this decree: it {peaks for 
“itfelf. The language held by the 
democratic writers, of the abfurdity 
and folly of being angry at the lofs 
of fuch baubles and trifles as titles 
and friyolous diftin€tions, would 
-, rather to corre{pond with the 
ideas which we might fuppofe be- 
~ ings juit dropped from another pla- 
net to conceive, than thofe of men, 
who, it might be fuppofed, mutt of 
neceility know fomething of the af- 
_fairsof this world. = _ 
_ A grand confederation “had for 
fome time been announced by the 
national affembly, which was to take 
place on the celebrated 14th of Ju- 
ly, the anniverfary of the memora- 
ble taking of the Baftile in the pre- 
ceding year, and which was now 
. deftined ‘to be rendered  facred 
' ugh ail fucceeding ages. The 
? objects of this grand, national meet- 
ing were Pare edie andthe de- 
fign well calculated for its purpofes, 
Tt was in no. fmall degree, by this 
appearance of the general fulitage 
of the people, to legalize, as well as 
to conirm the revolution, It was 
_ to bind the king, the affembly, and 
the -people together, by new, fo- 
an,- and public oaths, And, 
: what was pot the leaft in confidera- 
tion, it was hoped; that it might be 
.zpeaas af reforming the, licentious 
“mutinous difpofition, of the 
toops, which was every day break- 
“Mg, out into acts of the utmoft dif- 
o: ane violence, to. the no tal 
i finels, and even. apprehenfion 
» ia aflerbly. ag their 
own. favourites, the national aie 
much more to be commended for 
their order, On thigaccount, every 
[1sx. 
regiment throughout the kingdone 
Was obliged to fend a delegation 
of their foldiers' and officers, who 
were to {wear in behalf of the whole 
regiment; and the battalions of na+ 
tional guards were obliged to cont 
form to the fame regulation. : 
The duke of Orleans, who now 
found the frft fruits of his crooked 
politics, to be a degradation from 
the higheft rank and title of princes 
to the humble ftation of a common 
citizen, had Jong felt with impa- 
tience and grief, that_exile in Eng- 
land, which fo painfully withheld 
him from partaking in the factions 
and turbulence of the grand fcene 
of action at the Palais Royale and 
in Paris. He accordingly applied 
to the affembly for Jeave to: return, 
in order to affift, and to be fworn at 
the confederation; this was granted, 
notwithitanding the jealoufy of La 
Fayette, who ufed every poffible 
means to prevent his return, 
The preparations, for this’ new 
and extraordinary {peétacle were at- 
tended with’ immenfe labour. No 
lefs. than 12,000 hired’ workmen 
were employed, and the work would 
not have been finifhed any thing 
nearly within the time, if it had not 
been for the extraordinary exertions 
of the Parifians, who, with their 
wives and children, were to be feen 
from morning to night in the hots 
teft weather, with fpades, fhovels, 
pick-axes, and barrows, labouring in 
digging and removing the mould 
frem the great field of the Chainp 
de Mars, which was deftined ever 
more to be diftinguifhed by the 
name of the Field of the Confede- 
ration. It was neceflary to remove 
fevefal feet of earth from the fur- 
face of this field, which was about 
half an Englith mile in length, and 
wide in proportion, in erder to fur- 
See Uh wound 
