Bbteriage of 
the Dau- 
» phin, 
Death of 
Louis. 
His charac- 
ter. 
LouisX Vf. Was in personal danger 
A.D. LTT. poe % ~y 
FRANCE. 
the restoration of public credit and confidence, 
thority of the parliaments, Louis involved. him- 
self in disputes with them. As he had no idea of carrying 
In the midst of these disputes, which would scarcely 
sion, a dreadful nanos | sa the crowd hastening 
to be the spectators fireworks, pressed on one ano- 
ther in such a tumultuous manner, that several hundreds 
perished in the confusion. » 
As soon as Louis had freed himself from the oppo- 
sition of his parliaments ; ah ganapeingphcal page phd 
to debauchery ; but his health was not equal to the in- 
roads. made upon rece jay Wmran (patd required 
the constant stimulus of new beauty, and a succession of 
mistresses. One of these, who was infected with the 
small-pox, communicated the disorder to the king. The 
danger hourly increased ; and Louis, apprised of his ap- 
proaching dissolution, fondly hoped to atone for his past 
debaucheries, by his present penitence: He received the 
sacrament; and declared his intention, if he should sur- 
vive, of exerting himself in the cause of religion, and for 
the benefit of his subjects ; but in eight days after the first 
any he closed his reign of 59 years, and a life of 
been crushed, as 
far as he could crush it, by his tyrannical measures. He 
not seem to have been capable of any generous 
ing ;. his affections were confined within, the narrow 
its of his personal pleasures and security ; whoever 
administer the one, or accomplish the other, was 
a fayourite ; but, as soon as they ceased to be 
these they were neglected and forgot- 
the ioness of Pompadour, who had so 
his pa ay and shared his pir a 
without drawing a si igh of regret or affec- 
the breast Ba pong cain ny life, he 
and adored her ; and to the death of the Dau- 
parliaments would not have been made, though his 
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XVI. was twenty years of age, when, in the 
619 
year 1774, he succeeded to his grandfather. One of  Historys. 
his first measures was, to remove those from office, who, 
by their errors or misconduct, had become unpopular, 
and had contributed to the distresses of the kingdom ; 
and to replace them by men of talents and honesty. He 
likewise gave t satisfaction, by suppressing the new, 
and recalling the ancient parliament of Paris, though, at 
the same time, he limited their privileges, and declared 
his intention not to submit to any power in them, which 
could possibly circumscribe his own. Scarcely were the 
members returned, however, before they displayed their 
spirit and pretensions ; but Louis, in answer te one of 
their representations, peremptorily declared that he must- 
be obeyed. 
. The state of the finances was still. such as to require Turgot at 
hese’ A . =o, .the head of 
care in their management, and in their restoration. tholinsneen: 
was placed at 4/1775. 
or this purpose, the celebrated Turgot 
their head in the year 1775. His measures, in some 
respects, were undoubtedly wise and salutary ; but, in 
other respects, he seems to have suffered speculative opis, 
nions too much to influence him. | Even his wisest plan,. 
that of rendering the internal commerce of grain, as well 
as its exportation, free and unrestricted, gave rise to se- 
rious disturbances, in uence of a scarcity of corn 
happening at the very time of his regulations. . The State of: 
tranquillity of the country, as well as of Paris, was so France 
much disturbed, that Louis found it absolutely necessary 
to have recourse to very strong measures ; and the Ma 
rechausse, a military body dependant on the. police, were. 
ordered to disperse the multitude, and to execute sum- 
mary justice on the most guilty. After the suppression 
of these disorders, Louis, in order to draw. off the minds. 
of his subjects from the unpleasant recollection of them, 
and-of the harsh.means by. which they had been quelled,. 
resolved to celebrate his coronation with great magnifi- 
cence at Rheims; and,.to- prove that the measures he. 
had Jately been compelled to adopt were not the result 
of acruel or tyrannical disposition,, he. issued an edict, 
which in future sentenced deserters to work as:slaves on 
the-public roads, instead of punishing them, as former- 
ly, with death. He also suppressed the mousquetaires, 
and reduced part of the regular army. By the former 
measure, he relieved the citizens of Paris from an im- 
petuous and overbearing body of men, the suppression 
of whom no former sovereign had ventured to effect ; 
and, by the latter measure, he gave gratifying testimony 
to the nation at large, that he was.resolyed to introduce 
the strictest econom 
Still, however, the situation of the world rendered it 
prudent for Louis to direct his thoughts to the not im- 
probable renewal of hostilities. Great Britain was at 
this time involved in serious disputes with her colonies. 
France, however disposed to remain at peace, on account 
of the state of her finances, was too interested in the 
humiliation of Britain, not to regard with. satisfaction 
the progress of a dispute, which might afford-her a fair 
opportunity of weakening her ancient rival. This would 
be best effected by being able to meet. that»rival on her 
own element. The navy of France was therefore an ob- 
ject of great interest ; and the appointment of Monsieur 
Sartine to the superintendance of the marine, did honour 
to the penetration. of Louis. He was fruitful in his-re- 
sources, and unwearied in his application; and in a short 
time, the losses of the last war were nearly supplied. 
But the finances were not so easily managed. Tur, 
not possessing the public confidence, had resigned, and .. 
France in- 
creases her 
marine, 
