434 Account of Thomas Major's Confinement in the Bastille. [June ~~ 
from the vaulted roof, returned the dole- 
ful sound, enough to make the most re- 
solute mind tremble, leaving me to my- 
self and reflection. 
‘In this deplorable. situation, the first 
_ thing I did was to look round the room, 
which was about fifteen feet high, and 
twenty feet wide. Here [| found large 
crosses drawn upon the walls, (before 
which my predecessors ased to pay their 
devotions) and adorned hy several in- 
scriptions written with charcoal; such as 
‘* dreadful place,” “never hape to escape 
from hence,” and other things of hke 
nature, written by persons whose supe- 
rior sorrows and black thoughts preyed 
on their dejected spirits, desponding at 
their wretched state and long confine- 
ment; besides, they might expect to 
meet death in every dish, or might con- 
clude the opening of every lock, to be 
the forerunner of their destruction, and 
the signal of the arrival of their execu- 
tioner, as their lives are in no greater 
security than their liberty. These un- 
common and hideous manuscripts, had 
such av effect upon me, and rendered 
my new lodging so disgusting, that I next 
examined whether it might not be pos- 
sible for me to escape. I surveyed and 
felt the small window, it was barred with 
iron about the size of my wrist, within 
and without, consequently there were no 
hopes of getting out that way. A thought 
came into my head (rash and imprudent 
as it might be), that being a slun little 
fellow, perhaps I might be able to get up 
the chimney. Had this been practi- 
cable, I verily believe, in the agony and 
state of mind [I then was, that I should 
have attempted it, whatever had ensued, 
50 sweet is hberty.* On examination, I 
found it barred about three feet up, so 
that I was as effectually secured from 
the rest of mankind, as if I had been an 
outcast from all society, and in the pro- 
foundest oblivion buried in the innermost 
bowels of the earth. I never heard of 
any one, whose unhappy lot it was to be 
secured in this place, of having made an 
escape (though some strange tales of 
this sort are related), as every vigilance 
aud precaution possible is taken, to 
render a scheme of that kind abortive. 
It. was now my grandfather’s words 
struck most forcibly. upon my troubled 
* << Give me again my hollow tree, 
A crust of bread.and liberty.”’- Pope. 
——- *€ nec 
 Otia divitiis Arabum liberrima muto.” 
Kor. Epis. vii. 
imagination ; for he had affectionately 
urged many arguments, to dissuade me 
from going to France in time of war, 
poluting out to me, In strong colours, the 
Inconveniencies and risk I might run, in 
going to an enemy’s country, and that in 
all probability I might be imprisoned. 
The earnest desire that I had to perfect 
myself in my profession, over-balanced 
ail these difhculties: I was determined, 
at all events, to risk every thing for my 
sanguine hopes of improvement. As 
his words were now become true, they 
made the deepest impression on my 
mind, reflecting, that having slighted bis 
advice, I had now only my own folly and 
imprudence to blame, for my present 
unhappy situation, and all the disagree- 
able consequences attending it. All 
hopes of getting from hence vanishing, L 
next in sorrowful mood, measured my 
apartment by unequal strides, walking 
backwards and forwards, with folded 
arms, lost in thought; till at length fiad- 
ing myself cold, the place being damp, 
and the windows broke, admitting the 
cold air, | made my bed, put the candle 
in the chimney, and, recommending my- 
self to Providence, lay down in my 
cloaths. A variety of thoughts crouding 
into my mind, sleep fled trom my eyes. 
till near seven o’clock in the morning: 
Iwas awaked by the keeper's unlocking 
the door about nine. f ) 
** Qn a sudden open fly, 
‘With impetuous recoil and jarring sound, 
The infernal doors, and on their hinges grate 
Harsh thunder,” Milton's Par. Lost. 
It is scarcely possible for words, in 
any degree, to express the anguish I fele 
at this instant. Forlorn like an exile 
from my native country; far from my re- 
lations and friends, amidst my enemies 
in time of war, and imprisoned, without 
the least shadow of hope or possibility of 
redress. Recollection coming to my as- 
sistance, by degrees dispelled the torture 
of my mind, and mitigated the excess of 
despair. 
I found by woeful experience, that no 
vain effort of imagination can sweeten 
the dark vapour of a dungeon. 
The waiter broucht me a bottle of 
wine and a loaf, the usual French break- 
fast. After I had refreshed myself, T 
took another view of my chamber, which 
was one of the round towers, and within 
side it was octagon. All the furniture 
was a chair, a table, atruckle flock bed 
without a tup to it, and an utensil dedi- 
cated to Cloacina. Upon the table lay 
two books, the Otfice of the Virgin Mary, 
an 
