France, ser 



senses and passions of every beholder. It is indeed impossible not to 

 participate in the exultation which a capital and a country, so long 

 oppressed, must have experienced at the extinction of this detesta- 

 ble and justly-dreaded prison of state. 



With the Bastile expired the despotism of the French princes 3 

 which long prescription, submission, and military strength, seemed 

 to render equally sacred and unassailable ; which neither the cala- 

 mities of the close of Lewis XIV. 5 s reign, the profligacy and enormi- 

 ties of the succeeding regency, nor the state of degradation into 

 which the monarchy sunk under Lewis XV., had ever shaken: that 

 power which appeared to derive its support almost as much from 

 the loyalty and veneration as from the dread and terrors of the sub- 

 ject, fell prostrate in the dust, and never betrayed any symptom of 

 returning life. 



The next morning after the capture of the Bastile, the monarch 

 appeared in the national assembly, but without the pomp and parade 

 of despotism. His address was affectionate and consolatory. He 

 lamented the disturbances at Paris ; disavowed all consciousness of 

 any meditated attack on the persons of the deputies ; and added; that 

 he had issued orders for the immediate removal of the troops from, 

 the vicinity of the metropolis. The tear of sympathy started into 

 almost every eye. An expressive silence first pervaded the assembly, 

 which presently was succeeded by a burst of applause and acclama- 

 tion. On the 16th, the king having intimated to the national assem- 

 bly his intention of visiting Paris the following day, he accordingly, 

 on the morning of the 17th, left Versailles in a plain dress, and with 

 no other equipage than two carriages with eight horses each, in the 

 first of which he rode himself. A part of the national assembly in 

 in their robes accompanied him on foot ; and the militia of Versailles 

 composed his only guard till the procession arrived at the Seve, 

 where they were relieved by the Paris militia, with the marquis de 

 la Fayette at their head : and from this place the suite of the monarch 

 amounted to about 20,000 men. Their progress was remai'kably slow ; 

 and no shout was to be heard but Five la nation J Mr. Bailly, on pre- 

 senting the keys of the city, addressed his majesty in a short speech, 

 the exordium of which was. — "These, sir, are the keys which were 

 presented to Henry IV. He came to reconquer his people ; it is our 

 happiness to have re-conquered our king." On receiving the com- 

 plimentary address of the mayor, 8cc. the king exclaimed, with an 

 air of pathetic emotion which scarcely allowed him utterance, " My 

 people may always rely upon my affection." He received from the 

 hands of the mayor the national cockade ; and when he showed him- 

 self at the window with this badge of patriotism, the joy of the peo- 

 ple could no longer be restrained ; the shout of Vive le Roil which 

 had scarcely been heard in the former part of the day, filled the 

 whole atmosphere, and resounded from one extremity of the city to 

 the other. The return of the king to Versailles was a real triumph. 

 The citizens, almost intoxicated with joy, surrounded his carriage : 

 his countenance, which in the morning bore the aspect of melan- 

 choly, was now cheerful and smiling ; and he appeared sincerely to 

 partake in the general satisfaction. 



The events which followed, are, by the candid of all parties, allow- 

 ed to be enveloped in an almost impenetrable veil of obscurity. An 

 incident which occurred at Versailles contributed to excite a most 

 unhappy commotion. On the 1st of October an entertainment was 



