268 11 AMBLES OF A NATURALIST. 



Guiton, but the existing government refused to 

 ratify this vote of the municipal council of La 

 Rochelle. 



It is difficult to explain the motives of this refusal, 

 for if it were from the apprehension of seeming to 

 sanction a revolt, the fear was entirely unfounded, 

 for Guiton and his fellow-citizens cannot in any 

 respect be regarded as rebels. They demanded 

 nothing more than the execution of a contract that 

 had been ratified by many successive kings, and 

 sanctioned by the authority of ages, and which more- 

 over they had always faithfully observed. During 

 the whole of the siege the fleurs de Us were respect- 

 fully preserved on the city gates, and every day 

 through the sorest times of the famine they prayed 

 to God for the life of the king. But their fidelity 

 was subordinate to their attachment to their ancient 

 privileges, and the latter being irreconcilable with 

 the progress of society, and with that spirit of fusion 

 or amalgamation of different parties in the state 

 which was accelerated by the powerful hand of 

 Richelieu, they were necessarily doomed to perish. 

 La Rochelle had incontestably ancient rights on her 

 side, whilst the Cardinal might invoke the aid of the 

 new order of things ; and perhaps we may be per- 

 mitted to say that in this sanguinary conflict the 

 attack and the defence were equally legitimate. 



La Rochelle has never entirely recovered from 

 the terrible blow inflicted by the hand of Richelieu. 

 At different times its relations with Canada, the 

 coasts of Africa, or Saint Domingo, have restored 

 commerce and riches to her walls, and in our own 



