542 Account of Thomas Major's Confinement in the Bastille, [July ls 
imprisonment. ‘To. return to myself.— 
Monsieur Le Bas, (under whom I was 
studying,) waited on the governor at his 
house in the city, desiring that I might be 
permitted to engrave for him in my 
apartment, and he would furnish me with 
materials. The governor, upon enquiry, 
found the implements to be such, as, by 
the duty of his office, he could by no 
means entrust me with, lest I micht be 
tempted to do myself aninjury, tis not 
unlikely, the account the governer had 
received of me by the exempt, from 
my landlord, being strengthened by the 
recommendations, and good opinion of 
Monsieur Le Bas, might contribute 
greatly to the lenient manner in which I 
was treated. 
The noise of bolts, locks, keys, and 
bars, are terrible beyond description; [ 
could hear the prison-doors unlock, and 
lock, a great while before they came to 
ine, and a long time after; this made.ine 
conclude there were several others in my 
cendition. 
if there were many of my countrymen 
fellow-inhabitants with me; it was very 
natural for me to enquire. Ile stopped 
me short, by desiring me not to ask him 
any questions ; and said, he was not suf- 
fered to talk with the prisoners. From 
that time, I never held any conversation 
with him, but merely for necessaries. How- 
ever, I found him to be a very keen artful 
fellow ; for one day he accosted me in this 
manner; pray Sir! how is your money 
made in England ; is it like ours? Lim- 
mediately perceived what he aimed at. 
Money to me then was, like the diamond 
to the cock in the fable, of no kind of va-* 
lue. I gave a six livre piece (5s. 3d.) and 
some small pieces besides, telling him it 
was all the money I had, and as he be- 
haved civilly, he was welcome toit.. He 
took it, and was very thankful and 
obliging. ; 
This was a most insinuating and gen- 
teel way of making mesensible of recom- 
pensing him for his trouble. It istrue, he 
did not ask me for money, not being per-— 
initted to take any fromthe prisoners; and 
had this circumstance been known, he 
~would certainly have been discharged 
from his place, and perhaps punished, 
The French are very nice in these affairs, 
receiving no money in royal prisons, or 
palaces, which redounds much to their 
honour. The trifle I gave, was entirely 
at my option, and therefore cannot be 
deemed any other than as a gift. I did 
not think this money ill bestowed; (not 
that I thought a composition here could 
One day, Iasked the keeper, 
set a prisoner free,) for among other reflec- 
tions, that intruded themselves at times, 
[I had more than once this uneasiness oc- 
curred to me, that if I remained long 
here, I might perhaps be forgutten, and 
the impossibility of making my wants 
known, would have made starving an ad- 
ditional distress to imprisonment, and 
would have rendered my state truly de- 
plorable, and superlatively wretched.* 
As Thad occasion for linen, &c. the fol- 
lowing billet was sent to my landlord, by 
ordew of the governor: “ Monsieur Deu- 
nis will be so goud as to send to Mr. Ma- 
jor, a flannel waistcoat, a night-cap, and 
shirts, to the Bastille—To Monsieur 
Dennis, opposite St. Bennet’s Church, St. 
James’s Street, Paris.” 
In the evening, the keeper used to 
bring alighted candle. Being remarkably 
uneasy and fatigued, having racked my 
tortured mind to no purpose, closely 
scrutinizing into every circumstance and 
transaction, that J could recollect, to find 
out, if possible, the cause of my being 
thus shut up; for in uncertainties, the 
mind is abundantly employed in raising 
a thousand phantoms, more terrible in 
idea, than in reality. In this plight, I 
used to go to bed early, and put out ny 
candle, in hopes that sleep, which brings 
to a level the prince and the slave, would 
free me from reflection, — 
One night, the keeper not coming to 
me so soon as usual, and being in the 
dark, I endeavoured to light my candle, 
which by the following accident I was 
enabled to do; in the strict search of my 
room, I had left no corner unexamined, 
I had found upon the ledge of the chim- 
ney-piece, almost buried in dust, two or 
three matches, a steel, and a flint, but no 
tinder-box ;_ upon which I strock a light 
into the snuffers, and aecomplished my 
wish, When the keeper came, opening 
the door, and seeing me reading hy a cans 
dle, his astonishment was very great; he 
started, and gave a sudden spring back- 
wards, believing me the devil. He could 
not conceive how it was possible for me 
to ebtain a light, as he knew there was po 
tinder-box in the room. Isoon undeceied 
him, by shewing him the operation; other 
wise he might (knowing me to’ be at: he« 
retic,) have raised some strange reports of 
witchcraft, by no means to my advantage, 
among a bigoted and superstitious 
eople. ‘ 
When I had been here a few days, the 
* For of all the terrors of nature, that of 
dying by hunger is the greatest. 
iy | surgeon; 
