54 PROFESSOR OWEN ch. n. 



Tuileries, brilliantly illuminated and traversed by- 

 thousands of Parisians in their gayest attire. 

 Here I wandered slowly about, now gazing at the 

 sculptured deities, now stopping to smell at rare 

 plants in full flower, till at length I found myself 

 on a terrace and looked down upon an immense 

 place bounded by illuminated houses. I then 

 approached a large building, the windows of which 

 were filled with officers and ladies, and at one end, 

 where the rooms appeared to be most brilliantly 

 lighted, and towards which I had strolled, I heard 

 a window suddenly thrown open and a fine form 

 in the national uniform leant forwards gracefully, 

 waving welcome with his hand to the crowds 

 below, whose responsive shouts left me in no 

 doubt that it was the King. A gun fired and a 

 rocket shot up from the front of the palace, which 

 was answered by an immense flight of rockets, 

 red, blue, and green balls from the Pont de la 

 Revolution, which were followed by others in 

 rapid succession, crossing each other and blending 

 their different coloured balls in a beautiful manner. 

 I should think altogether double the number of 

 those expended during a whole season at Vauxhall. 

 Then came a shower of lights which made it 

 brilliant daylight in that quarter. 



' The King then again came forward with his 

 sons and his wife leaning over his shoulder, 

 and a crowd of ladies and officers behind him. 

 1 C'est magnifique, c'est superbe ! ' how often I 



