Plain truth: or, An impartial account of the proceedings at Paris during the last nine months. Containing, among other interesting anecdotes, a particular statement of the memorable tenth of August, and third of September.

PLAIN TRUTH:

OR, AN

IMPARTIAL ACCOUNT

OF THE

PROCEEDINGS AT PARIS

During the last Nine Months.

CONTAINING,

Among other interesting Anecdotes,

A PARTICULAR STATEMENT

OF THE MEMORABLE

TENTH OF AUGUST,

AND

THIRD OF SEPTEMBER.

THE SECOND EDITION.

By an EYE WITNESS.

LONDON:

Printed for J. PARSONS, No. 21, Pater-Noflcr Row.

I793-

[price one shilling.]

/

TO THE READER.

On perilling thefe Sheets, thou wilt
eafily penetrate into my motives for dedi-
cating my work to honeft John Bull. As I
have no pretenfions to erudition myfelf, fo
he having little learning in his head, has ftill
lefs malice in his heart : And if my produc-
tions help him to pafs an entertaining or
inftructive hour, I have little to fear from
the lalh of his criticifm.

i

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PLAIN TRUTH,

SsV. Ssfc.

WE left Dover about one o’clock on Friday
the 1 6th of December 1791. Sky ferene
when we left the harbour, but in lefs than an
hour changed to a violent ftorm •, the wind, how«*
ever, was in our favour, and drove us direftly
for our port— but the exceflive motion of the
veffel made us all exceedingly fick. Unable to
aflift each other, we lay about the cabin in no
very comfortable (late. At length, to our great
joy, fome one on deck cried out, a Galais !
a Calais ! We crawled up, and were happy to
find ourfelves in the harbour. In half an hour
we landed* and were furrounded by as motley a
groupe as ever Hogarth drew. I thought of his
fong, when we came to the gate : On one fide
flood a cripple —on the other, his counterpart, a ^
B centinel.

[ 2 j

centinel, whofe appearance might put all that
paffed by in mind of their latter end :

Long figure, whifkers large, and vifage grim,

His firelock feem’a almofi: as fat as him.

We crofied the Grand Place, and entered Monf.
Maurice’s kitchen, where we found a comfortable
wood-fire on the hearth, and a fpacious chimney-
corner, like fome of ours in the farm-houfes in
England.

We foon procured a difh of tea, after which
my wife and child retired to reft, being fatigued
with the voyage. I ftaid to fupper, which was
an excellentone ; in fhorr, I cannot recommend a
traveller to a better houfe than Monf. Maurice’s,
at Calais, for good accommodations and reafon-
able charges. In the morning I took a walk on
the ramparts, which were once probably ftrong,
but at prefent much out of repair. The market
held in the Grand Place appears plentifully fup-
plied with provifions (and old clothes). We
went to the banker’s and changed what gold was
fufficient to defray our expences on the road* for
their national paper this was new money to me :
We then hired a cabriole of Mr. Grand fire
fa very obliging hotel-keeper), and taking poft-
horfes, left Calais about five in the evening,
in company with another cabriole, going to
Paris. We pafied through Boulogne, but it be-
ing dark, I could not make any obfervations on
the place. We llopt at the poft-houfe, half a

league

[ 3 ]

league on the other fide, and had a tolerable
iupper. We then proceeded to Montreal, a
fkctch of which I defer till my return, it being
Fill dark. The next morning, about eleven, we
reached

ABBEVILLE,

Our place of deftination for breakfafi : It is a
large town, or rather city, the fecond of note in
Picardy. It contains a great number of churches,
convents, and monafieries, from whence it derives
its name, Abbeville, or the Ciry of Abbeys.
Its principal trade is in tapeftry and fluffs. Many
^confiderable merchants refide here. It was alfo
firongly fortified, but is at prefent much out of re-
pair. It prcfents a beautiful view, from a hill
you defcend in entering the town. It is very
large, and has an ancient cathedral. From Abbe-
ville we pa(Ted through a fine country, and feve-
ral villages, to

AMIENS,

The capital of Picardy. This city is large, re-
puted to contain 60,000 inhabitants 3 it has a
noble cathedral, the fpire of which we faw at the
difiance of many miles j they tell you its height
is 500 feet from the ground to the top. This
city was once in the poffeffion of the Englifb ;
and is famous for being the place of interview be-
tween our Henry VIII. and the then reigning
B 2 king

[ 4 ]

king of France, Francis. Its principal trade is ‘
the fame with Abbeville. Its walls are almoft fur-
rounded by the river Somme, which turns feveral
mills. Here is alfo a very ingenious machine,
called the Chateau d’ Eau, or Water Caftle, be*-
ing an engine to fupply the town with water,
which is here thrown up to the height of 200
feet. The mechanift will find it worth his examin-
ation ; and the traveller may have a fine view of
the city and adjacent country from the balcony
at the top.

At Amiens we dined, and pufhed on for
Clermont, intending to fleep there ■, but the roads
being bad, and the night very dark, we werfr
obliged to (top at Bretevil. We entered a large,
but miferable, inn -y we afked for our room, and
were conducted along a dark gallery, which the
glimmering of the candle rendered ftill more
gloomy, till we came to a chamber, the door of
which creaked on its hinges, as if they had long
remained in peaceful ruft, fince its lad inhabitants
quitted it. The room reminded me of the Great
Hall in Windfor Caftle: The flooring was old
oak, the cieling enormous beams of the fame ; a
cold fweat feemed to hang upon the walls, and a
cold fhiver ftruck through me. I began to think
there was lbme truth in enchanted caftles, and
that we had ftumbled on one of their fubtertane-
ous apartments. However, the girl made us a
fire, and provided us a tolerable fupper; which,
With the convention of our companions, awhile

difljpatecl

[ 5 ]

difTipated the gloom of the place. But when
they retired, the appearance of our beds was not
very inviting ; on each fide the door was one,
which might have ferved Goliath of Gath : Nor
would he have rifqued any danger of hitting his
head againd the top, if he had rifen in a hurry,
for that wasdidaht from the bed full fifteen per-
pendicular feet. In fhort, it Teemed long fince
the beds had groaned beneath the weight of hu-
man frailty; however, we crept into one with all
our clothes on; and rifing with the fun, purfued
our journey, without (lopping, except to change
horfes, till we reached Chantilly, where we ate
like Englifhmen ; not having broke our fad that
day. After attacking, and entirely demoiifhing,
a road leg of mutton, with its out-pods, fuch as
harricoes, potatoes, &c. we departed, and in the
evening arrived at

PARIS.

As I cannot fay much in recommendation of
the inn we took up our quarters at, I will not
ipention the name, that I may do them no injury;
We had tolerable beds, but a mod miferable
table; they ferving fcarce enough for three to
fatisfy one : This gave us no very encouraging
fpecimen of French living. Here, however, we
exided a week, fcarcely daring to pop our heads
into the dreet, for fear of lofing our way ; at
length 1 took courage, and having the addrefs of

a young

{ 6 ]

a young man I knew, I took the Garmon
d’Ecurie, or liable- bov, with me to feek him;
and finding durable apartments for us in the fame
hot^fe, we removed thither. 1 (hall furprife my
reader, when 1 r ell him our houfe contained near
three hundred rooms ; but there are many fuch
in Paris; the homes being, many of them, fcven
dories high, and confiding of feveral ranges of
building; this was one : They are alfo built, for
the greater part, after the manner of Northum-
berland or Devonfhire houfes ; great gates, and
high walls, next the dreet ; large courts before,
and gardens behind the houles. Thefe vacancies
contribute much to the health of the inhabitants,
and in fome meafure balance the narrownefs of
the dreets, which are exceedingly inconvenient
for foot paflengers, there being no pavement as
in London, fo that an Englishman walks in per-
petual fear of being run over. But the beautiful
Promenades, in and about the environs of Paris,
are far beyond any we can boad ; the Boulevards
which furround the city, are one continued walk
for twenty-feven miles, embellifned with fine
high trees, at even didances, and ornamented
with the fuperb villas of the nobility, and their
beautiful gardens. If you are difpofed to ride, I
cannot point you out a tour more replete with
agreeable variety; if to walk, the Boulevards du
Temple will furnilh an 2mufing lounge. Here
you will find twelve or thirteen theatres, within
as many yards didance from each other; and the
2

various

C 7 ]

various fpecies of amufemenc prefent a lively
pidfure of the natural gaiety of the people; while
the amazi'ng crowds that are promenading here,
will give you an idea of the population. Every
coffee-houfe has its band of muficians and fingers;
fo that if you are fond of mufic, you may regale
your ears, while you are pleafing your palate with
fome of their nick-nacks, with which the coffee-
houfes abound.

THE CHAMP D’ELY SEES,
o a

ELYSIAN FIELDS,

Prefent another agreeable evening’s promenade.
The trees, which form a fhade impenetrable to the
rays of the fun, are planted, whichever* way you
turn, in diredt alleys; when thefe are filled with
the beau monde, who refort here every evening,
they indeed form a pidture adequate to the name
of the place. The favourite walk is at the back
of the magnificent hotels in the Pvue d’Honore ;
whofe gardens, laid out in all the vagaries of
fancy, vie with each ocher for the palm. Leaving
thefe, and eroding the high road, you enter that
part which extends along the fide of the riverSeinc:
This is the place allotted for games and recre-
ations ; thofe mod in vogue, are bowls (at which
they are very expert), fkirries, and tennis. This
place alfo abounds with Ginguetts, or little gar-
dens.

t & ]

dens, appropriated for drinking and dancing. To
the latter they are much devoted ; to the firft
very fparingly, it being by no means a common
thing to fee a Frenchman drunk — (Example to
Englifhmen !) But if you will dance the four and
twenty hours round, they will caper with you.
The very pooreft of the people have their evening
balls, and club together, by fubfcribing a half-
penny each, to pay a blind fiddler and his boy.
You may fee fifty of thefe affemblies at a time;
and the groupes are not, in general, unpleafantly
mixed ; barbers boys, with dirty faces, dirty fhirts,
and broad ruffles, handing with all the air of a
courtier, a red-fiffed, coarfe clad, homely wench,
who perhaps bawled ballads through half the
ftreets of Paris during the day; a Chevalier de
St. Louis, who, rather than difgrace the bit of
faded ribbon in his ‘ button-hole, by (looping to
work, lubmits to affate of daily ftarvation, exift-
ing on the pay of a foot foldier ; yet even he
will pinch a penny from his hungry belly, to give
his heels a treat in the evening, and with his rufty
filk hat under his arm, petition for the honour of
handing a Poiffard, orfifhwoman, down the dance,
configning the memory of his poverty till he creeps
to his folitary garret; — his withered mufcles
relax into fmiles, and he gives into all the gaiety
of the moment. Such is the character of this
volatile nation. Let us a moment digrefs, and
compare it with the difpofition of our own.

T H i

[ 9 3

The ENGLISHMAN,

Naturally thoughtful, indulges this turn of mind,
till he perfuades himfelf into a belief that he is
the mod rational being and founded philofopher
in the world. He furveys the manners of other
nations with a fovereign contempt for all their
cudoms that differ, forfooth, from thofe he has
been ufed to. This portrait appears to me to
refemble my countrymen, frefh from their own
fire-fide. But though their prejudices are drong,
they are not incurable* fince few of them, that
make any day abroad, but leave fome of that rud
behind, which they carried with them from home;
and though they dill retain (what I could wifh
every Englifhman fhouldj a preference for their
native country, they are not fo blind as to applaud
her very errors, nor fo uncandid as to condemn
other nations for their peculiarities.

For this reafon, I would wifh, if it were pofli-
ble, all Englifhmen to travel ; whether it is be-
caufe they poffefs fudkient good fenfe to reap
folid advantages from it, or that they dand more
in need of improvement than other nations, I
leave to better judges than myfelf to determine.

As the French exceed us in gaiety, fo they
excel us in every thing that contributes to amufe-
ment. Their plays are reprefented in a dyle far
fuperior to ours* the performers, generally fpeak-
ing, infinitely fu^pafs ours; in fhort. Mirth and
Pleafure were the tutelar deities of Paris. But
how is the fcene changed !

C

HAY-

[ 10 ]

HAVING thus given a very brief Iketch of
Paris and its inhabitants, I prepare to enter into
a detail of political events, as they occurred during
my refidence there.

At the time of our arrival (Chriftmas, 1791)
was tolerably tranquil ; the meafures to be taken
refpedling the war with the emigrant princes, were
then agitating in the National Afiembly. I was in
the Afiembly, when M. Brififot made his motion
for carrying the war into Germany, inftead of
makingFrance the theatre. However, it was deter-
mined to a£l only on the defcnfive. I could not
help then obferving the want of unanimity in their
council, fince the moll trivial exprefiions from one
party operated like a call to arms upon the other;
all was dilcord and confufion, refembling a fchool
when the mafler quits his place. Things pafiTed on
in this manner, without any material occurrence,
for fome time, during which I obtained a place,
which gained me the favour and patronage of
many of the nobility, efpecially luch as were about
the Queen, whom I had frequently the honour of
feeing. She has been a fine woman, indeed is fo
Hill, but forrow has left ravages on her perfon,
that time will not now repair, The King is a
very corpulent man, and as deficient in mental
abilities as in perfonal grace: The Dauphin is a
fine fprightly boy, about nine years old ; the
Princefs a delicate girl, not unlike the Queen in
perfon. The royal family were at that time little
better than prifoners in the Chateau of the
1 Thuilleries;

[ II ]

Thuilleries; every day at eleven, they went to
mafs in the royal chapel, where the public had
admittance to fee them, and in the apatments as
they patted. At noon, if the weather was tolera-
ble, the king* ufually took an airing, when the
garden gates were thrown open to the people, to
fee him mount his horfe. He rides in great jack-
boots, fuch as are worn by the poftillions, and
looks better on horfcback than on foot, as he
waddles very much in his gait. He was ufually
accompanied by two or three gentlemen, and a
detachment of his Garde du Corps, who, when he
mounted, would cry Vive le Roi ! but his fub-
jedts regarded him as he patted with a fallen
filence, that futticiently evinces how little he is
beloved by them. Indeed there is very little loft
between them, they regarding him as a tyrant,
aiming to reattain arbitrary power, and trample
them more than ever under his feet; and he con-
ttdering them as rebels, that have deprived him of
his rights, and infulted him by placing a limited
fceprre in his hand. But what a folecifm in politics
did they commit, in replacing a man on the throne,
who had deferted it by a fhameful flight; endea-
vouring, to efcape from the trammels of a confti-
tution he had fworn Co prote<5l. Was the man,
was the monarch, who could thus trifle with an
oath, again to be trufled with the care of the
people he had abandoned?

Unhappy France ! in every fenfe a Have :

Thy fenators were fools — thy king a knave.

C 2

How

[ la ]

How did the King exercife his new-acquired
power? — As common fenfe might have told them
he certainly would : He who had once forfeited
the facred faith he had lo folemnly pledged, found
no difficulty in fwearing new oaths, and commit-
ting freffi treacheries ; in employing every poffible
engine to forward the advances of the Aultrians
and Pruffians; figning with one hand a declara-
tion of war, and paying with the other the enemy's
troops. From this double-dealing of the French
king, we may juftly date the miferies that follow ;
all fuch as I was a fpedlator of, I will relate with
truth : cc Nothing extenuate, nor fet down aught
in malice.”

I will begin with the 20th of June lad, the
firft day in which popular difcontent began again
to fhew itfelf : In confequence of the King refufing
to put his veto , that is to fay, the ultimate deci-
fion of yes or no, from whence there is no appeal
— a power till then veiled in the monarch's bread
by the nation, and the fame that our king
defervedly enjoys, viz. that of deciding on the
fate of criminals before condemned to die, or
putting the afient or negative on bills that have
palled both houfes ; — in confequence of Louis-
refufing to fign two bills that had palled the
AlTembly, the one declaring his brothers traitors
to the realm, and their ellates confifcated, the
other banilhing the refractory priefts, who had
refufed to take the oath of fidelity to the new
form of government ; the people afifembled in

vaft

ft

[ 13 ]

vafl crowds, furrounding the palace, and loudly
demanding entrance. The King fent to the mayor
for a fufficient number of guards to protedl his
perfon. A vaft number came, and patrolled the
gardens in fmall divifions ; wherever they found
twenty or thirty perfons affembled, breaking
through and feparating them. They alfo drew up
feveral cannon on the terrace ; and planting
them ready, paraded with lighted matches.
Notwithftanding this appearance of danger, the
people in great crowds entered the palace, filling
all the royal apartments; and even went fo far as
to force open the door of the apartment where the
King was fitting. He prefentcd himfelf, and, as
a grenadier who was with him, told me, behaved
with great perfonal bravery ; defiring them, if it
was his life they fought, to take it: The Queen,
with the Dauphin in her hand, thinking they were
going to affaffinate him, rufhed between ; and,
falling at his feet, begged of them to kill her fir -ft.
They offered him a red cap — the emblem of the
Jacobin party ; he took it, put it on his head,
and, taking a bottle in his hand, drank to the
health of the nation. They then infilled on his
figning the two bills in queftion, and a deputation
from the Affembly waited on him for that purpofe :
He defired twenty-four hours to confider of it,
and with much difficulty carried his point ; the
people at lad evacuating the palace, and retiring
•peaceably home.

Having thus narrowly efcaped the fury of his
enraged fubjetts, when the palace was cleared, h 6

ordered

[ H ]

ordered all the gates to be (hut, doubled the
guards at every avenue, and formed a kind of
encampment in the garden; he alfo ififued peremp-
tory orders, that no one fhould have admittance,
but fuch as prefented a ticket, which were diftri-
buted to none but thofe who had particular
bufinefs with the court. Thefe proceedings gave
great umbrage to the people; who confidered the
(hutting up the royal gardens as an infringement
of their liberties, and occafioned many broils
between them and thecentinels at the gates.

On fome days they would open the terrace
which goes round the garden, and admit the
public : It was on one of thefe, that a Mr.
Dupremenil, formerly one of their minifters, and
known to be a (launch friend to the court, or, in
their own words, a ftrong arillocrat, was fo
imprudent as to walk there. He was foon recog-
nized by the people, and followed. Finding the
crowd prefs exceedingly upon him, he turned,
and afked the meaning of it. Some one called
him by name; he replied, Yes, gentlemen, I am
Dupremenil : what would you have ? He had no
fooner fpoke, than he received a blow from a
fabre, which was repeated till he fell. His fr end
wrho was w'ith him, called a guard to fave him,
if poiTiblc, from the fury of the mob : This how-
ever W2s not effected, till they had dragged him
from the place where he fell, to the Palais Royal,
nearly half a mile. Here I faw him in the hands
of the foldiers, who had refcued him, with not a
piece of his clothes to cover him ; and fo mangled

L l5 1

and bloody, it was icarcely poffible to believe it
'was a man : Notwithftanding this treatment, he
recovered, none of his wounds being mortal.

The news of thefe diffurbances in the capital,
induced Monf. La Fayette to leave his army, and
come unattended to town, to inform the AlTembly
of his fentiments on the infolent behaviour of
the people to their fovereign. This he bravely
performed ; reprobating, in a manly and fpirited
manner, the mayor and miniflers of the police to
their faces, for their negledt, in fuffering a
fhamelefs rabble to infult their king. Thefe fen-
timents turned againft himfelf the tide of popular
clamour •, and the Jacobin party, who fecretly
vowed his ruin, feized the prefent occafion, to
paint his conduct in the molt infamous light.
Not having, however, as yet entirely converted
their mailers, the mob, to their way of chinking,
Fayette efcaped back to his poft unhurt ; having
fir ft paid his refpedts to his royal mailer and
miflrefs, and allured them of his endeavours to
protect them from a repetition of fuch outrages.
His enemies, meanwhile, fet every engine to work
to accomplifh his ruin — reprefenting him as a
rebel, in leaving his poll: without orders from
the nation ; pointing out the marked preference
he paid the Queen, by waiting on her on his firfb
arrival, before he went to the AiTemblv ; and a
thoufand reports they circulated, to blacken his
charadler, and dtfpoil him of the public confi-
dence. At length they completed their purpofe.

What

[ '6 ]

"What is fo inconftant as that weather cock,
public opinion, or popular favour ? Fayette — the
great, the wife, the celebrated Fayette — experi-
enced this ! He who was looked upon as the
champion of liberty — the faviour of his country —
the Wafhington of France — was now declared a
traitor to the date ; a price fet upon his head j
and his name configntd to infamy. The news of
his countrymen's gratitude foon reaching him, he
withdrew with a part of his army, into the town
of Sedan. But here not thinking himfelf fecure,
among a people fo eafily feduced from their prin-
ciples j he, with his council of officers, left an
army, no longer worthy of their genera), and in
fpite of the diligent l’carch made after him,
had the good fortune to elude the vigilance of his
enemies.

Fayette’s accufation and flight caufing an
univerfal Air among the people, the Aflembly took
advantage of the moment ; and to increafe the
panic, caufed flandards to be eredled in every
part of the city, with this emphatical infcription —

v7 ‘he country is in danger !

Thus, as it were, putting the people on their
guard againft fome hidden treafon ready to
burft forth. Meanwhile, the progrefs cf the
Auflrian arms made it neceflary to reinforce
their armies on the frontiers ; for this purpofe,
Aages were ereflcd in ail the public places, for
tniifting recruits ; all flzes and all ages were

taken.

t 17 ']

taken, and volunteers offered themfelves in great
numbers.

Meanwhile, great preparations were making,
to celebrate the grand fere of the confederation.
As I had heard fo much of the preceding ones,

I was determined to fee this ; for which purpofe,

I went early to the Champ de Mars, a large plain,
in front of the Military School, where the youth
performed their evolutions. This building, one
of the mod fuperb in Paris, was the academy for
training the young nobility to arms-, and from
among them the King’s body-guard was ufually
chofen. Round the field were banks thrown up,
for the fpe&ators to view the ceremony, and
tents pitched, for the municipal officers of Paris*
alfo one, by way of ornament, for each of the
eighty-three departments of France. The trees
on each fide were decorated with ribands, and
the cap of liberty at top ; in the midd, was the
altar of the country, on which a tree of liberty was
alfo planted ; at the four corners were four beacons,
on which they burnt incenfe. About four o’clock
in the afternoon the royal family arrived and
appeared at the balcony of the Military School,
which was ornamented with rich canopies for
their reception-, the little Dauphin wore a
uniform, the fame as the national guards : The
way from the door of the fchool to the altar,
was lined with the King’s body-guard, who
formed an alley, through which he was to pafs.
The red of the plain was filled with the national

D guards.

C >5 I

guards, and detachments of troops from every
department of France. One of the King’s guard,.,
fearing fome accident might happen to the perfon
of the King, proposed to his comrades to bind
themfelves by a folemn oath, to defend him from
all pofifibility of an attack, by keeping the pafiage
impenetrable, permitting none but themfelves to
approach him. They inftantly, as one man, drew
their fwords, and fwore to preferve him, or perifh :
They kept their oath accordingly; and though
many attempts were made to get near him as he
paired, they were fruitlefs. His guard even afcend-
ed with him, contrary to cuftom, to the top of the
altar; where, when he had fworn, a fignal
announced it to the people, and a tremendous
difcharge of cannon proclaimed it to the world :
The Queen kept her opera-glafs ftedfaftly fixed
on the King, from the time he quitted the
balcony, till his return. They retired, followed
by a vaft number of troops; but thefe were not
fufficient to protect them from the hillings of
the people.

This behaviour of the King’s guard did not
efcape the notice of the Jacobins, who thought
it was time to apply a remedy : Accordingly they
were accuied of being corrupted, to ferve t^|e
king in oppofition to the nation ; and by a decree
from the Afiembly were diJbanded, and an equal
number of the national guards put in their place.

This perpetual mifunderftanding between the
King and the people, and the conftant bickerings

which

:[ i 9 ]

which happened in polit'cal difputes, were but lb
many preludes to a gathering ttorm, which burtt
forth in all its horrors, on the memorable ioth
of Auguft 1792. I will endeavour to be clear
and faithful in the relation.

ON the day of the 9th, vaft numbers of
carriages were obferved going to and from the
Thuilleries, and a more than ordinary number of
the nobility were at the levee. From this buttle,
it was conceived fome extraordinary bufinefs was
in agitation. Towards the evening the vifitors
increafed, confiding of the firtt people in rank,
rhen refiding at Paris. This intelligence reached
M. Petion the mayor, who ever keeping a jealous
eye on the King's proceeding, fufpe&ing fome
new fcheme, went in perfon to the palace at two
o’clock in the morning 5 he found it, as reported,
•unufually crowded ; and as it was told him,
•they talked , loudly of aflattinating him in the
.apartments, he contrived to let the Affembly
know of his fituation : They were then fitting-,
and commanded him inttantly to the bar of the
Houfe, to preferve his life. His report ef what
he had feen at the palace, foon fpread Over the
city, and the drums inttantly beat to arms ; the
Tocfin, or alarm-bell, which is never rung but
-in cafes of extremeft danger, founded in every
D % parifhj

[ 20 ]

parifh •, and at day-break the whole city was in
motion.

The court, in the mean time, were not idle:
The night was pafifed in council, wherein it was
determined the King fhould review the troops
at day-break in the garden, and found their
fen time nts : The Swifs they were already fure of,
as they had been kept in pay fome time, and had
each their departments allotted them in cafe of
fuccefs. Accordingly, at fix o’clock the troops
were affembled, to the number of ten thoufand,
and paffed in review before the King, who ex-
preffed much fatisfadlion at their appearance,
converfing familiarly with the men. When the
officers at length put the queftion to them, by
afking them to cry, Vive le Roi ! the Swifs
anfwered as they wilhed ; but the national guards
were filent : The demand was again repeated,
when thev filed off, and left the ground.

Notwithftanding this difcouraging appearance,
the court were determined to purfue the fcneme,
and venture the fuccefs of the day on the courage
of the Swifs alone. They were accordingly
planted at all the windows of the palace, in their
barracks, and at the cannon in the court; in this
order they waited the arrival of the people. The
King having thus laid the train, and applied the
match to it, inftead of putting himfelf, like a
brave man, at the head of thofe troops who wrere
to fight for his crown and life ; in conformity to

his

[ 21 1

his former conduCt, fled with his family to the
protection of that AflTembly, whofe ruin he hoped
he had effectually contrived.

The Marfeillois, who had come to Paris to
have the grand queffion decided, whether the
King had not, by his repeated treacheries, for-
feited his right to the throne? were the firth who
appeared in arms on the Place de Caroufel. They
were foon joined by numbers of the citizens,
whom the alarm had aflembled; fome with
mufquets, others with pikes, or fuch inffruments
as came to hand : They advanced in a body to
the gates, which were opened on their demand-
ing entrance j and the Swifs, holding up their
caps on their bayonets, in token of friend (hip,
invited them to advance, which they did within
ten yards of the palace. Having thus drawn
them into the middle, fo that they could take
them in every direction, they threw them
cartridges from the windows, which the un-
thinking mob were giddy enough to fcramble
for ; this was the fignal to fire — when a tremen-
dous crofs difcharge of mufquetry and cannon
took place at the fame moment, fweeping them
in every direction, and laid upwards of three
hundred in the duff. The reff, afton jibed for a
moment, gave back; but exalperated at the
treachery of their enemies, rallied and returned
the charge like furies rather than men. The
combat was fierce and bloody for near an hour,
during which time the people were three feverai

times

[ 22 ]

times in pofiefiion of the cannon of the Swifs, and
as often loft them, every man at the guns being
killed : In fhort, fuch was the conduft of the
Swifs, that at one time victory Teemed inclined to
declare for them; they drove the mob before
them in two diredtions ; one party took the route
of the Place Vendofme, where I met them,
(creaming as they ran, They fire the cannon on
the people ! I was not long left in doubt of this ;
the cannon were actually playing down the ftreet,
and the people fell on every fide. Let me not
omit mentioning that I alfo faw many of the
national guards ranged with the Swifs, and firing
©n the people — ihefe traitors thus joining which*
ever fide appeared to them the ftrongeft; for in
an hour afterwards, when the Swifs in their turn
ran, not a blue coat was to be feen among them,
being then mingled with the mob. The cavalry
arriving, turned the fortune of the day; thefe
brave fellows rode to the charge with a fury
that bore down all oppofition, and again recovered
the cannon. The Swifs now took to their heels:
I palled with difficulty through feveral ftreets,
till I gained the Rue St. Honore, at that end
near the Palais Royal, which was another fcene
of aflion ; where the Swifs were as yet vi&orious,
though the ground was obftinately difputed ; and
the numbers of dead and dying men they carried
by each moment, proved how much the people
fufrered: They were alfo particularly careful in
prcferving their dead ; while the bodies of the

Swifs

[ 2 3 ]

Swifs were left on the fpot, and afterwards cut m
fmall pieces by the enraged populace. The Gen-
darmerie again arrived to the affiftance of the
foot, and again brought victory with them *
the reft, fired by their example, feconded their
charge, and in lefs than ten minutes brought the
limbs and heads of the Swifs on the points
of their pikes. The Swifs, having exhaufted
all their ammunition, even to the laft button on
their jackets, took to flight; the people followed
them to the palace, and even the very women,
with fabres in their hands, joined the purfuit,
entering clofe at the heels of the others: A dread-
ful carnage enfued ; the great ftair-cafe leading
to the guard-chamber, the gallery, and all the
royal apartments, were filled with dead. In vain
they begged for quarter; none was given: The
domeftics, and all that were found in the palace,
were put to death ; fome leaping from the
windows, and others being thrown, were caught
on the points of the bayonets and pikes.
Numbers fled into the garden, but that being
furrounded on all fides, they were there maflacred §
the porters at each of the gates fhared the fame
fate. A regiment of Swifs, quartered two leagues
from Paris, hearing of the fltuation of their
comrades, haftened to their affiftance ; and had
reached the Place Louis XV. when they wenc
met by the people, who inftantly charged, and
cut moft of them to pieces ; fuch as efcaped were

fent

[ *4 ]

fern prisoners to the Palace de Bourbon, of whom
we fhall fjpeak further.

I was obliged to remain a fad fpedlator this
day, of more fcenes of horror than I wifhed ;
it being impofiible to pafsthe flreets to get home.
Two grenadiers coming up to talk with a lady
near the fpct, I enquired which way they were going;
and finding it was my road requefted them to let
me walk with them, as I was exceedingly incon-
venienced alone, being flopped every inflant to de-
mand what I did without arms. They politely
acquiefced ; and taking one of them by the arm,
we turned out of the Rue St.Honore, intending to
gain the Pont Neuf, paffing by the Old Louvre :
But when we had reached the corner, we met a
detachment of cannon and mufqueteers, who
began the attack on the Louvre. A detachment
of Swils was lodged in the apartments on that
fide, to form a diverfion and feparate the people ;
they returned the fire from the windows, and I
was obliged to (land the chance of the moment,
between my two comrades, who fired with the
icfl: The Swifs were foon di {lodged from their
pofc by the cannon. A few of the people fell
at this corner — one man almoft at our feet ; but
when the cannon advanced, fo that I CQuld pafs
them, that king my two friends for their civility,
I took my leave and purfued my way to the
Pont Neuf, which was full of wounded and dead
men lying on mattraffes, brought for the moment

out

2

Dut of the fiaughter. Thefe fights had no attrac-
tions to detain me there; I haffened to embrace
my family, to whom, thanks be to God! I re-
turned fafe : And they, Jiving in a retired quarter
of the Fauxbourg St. Germain (though they
knew, by the report of the guns, there was fome
commotion in the city), had not then learpt
how ferious the affair was; fo that, though they
were anxious for my fafety, they had not buffered
fo much as they would have done, had they
known the particulars. I cannot pretend to fay,
I faw the after-tranfadlions of that day ; fince I
afflire the reader, I had no inclination to rifqqe
the fame dangers I had efcaped from, for further
obfervation : But we heard the report of the
mufketry and cannon, all the evening. We alfo
faw, from the top of our houfe, the flames afeend-
ing from the Swifs barracks, in front of the
Thuiljeries.

Towards evening, a Mr. Clermont Tonnerrp,
who lived in our ffreet, a member of the National
Afifembly, was feized by the mob in the Rue de
Seve, at the back of our houfe, as he was going
home; and accufed of being in the fecret of the
intrigues of the Court. This was enough : They
beheaded him with a fabre, in the ffreet ; and
©early about the fame time his fon met the fame
fate, in the garden of the Thuilieries : He was
alfo a member off the Affernbly. The bodies
were in the evening conveyed to his houfe, and
this fpe&acle of horror preferred to his wife i

E The

t 26 ]

^The favages did not murder her with their hands,
but nature could not fuftain this barbarous ffiock
— fhe died the next morning of grief. Thus was
a whole family, in twelve hours, extindl.

The night at length covered with her fable
mantle, a day in which not lefs than feven or
eight thoufand people perilhed: Of the Swifs
regiment fcarcely a body was left not difmem-
bered. The mod diligent fearch was now made
after all fuch as were fuppofed to be privy to the
plot. The (hallow artifice of the King waseafiiy
feen through : And beginning with him, they de-
prived him of the exercife of all his functions, and
lent him prifoner, with his family, to the Tem-
ple. A tribunal was inftituted, to try thofe who
were taken up on fufpicion ; and a Guillotin, the
machine for beheading criminals, eredled in the
Place de Caroufel, oppofite the great gate of the
palace, for fuch as (hould be convidled. The
firft who differed by ir, was the Chevalier D’Aigre-
mont, accufed of having a principal (hare in the
management of his mailer’s defigns : He was
condemned at fix in the evening, and differed
between nine and ten, dying with great calmnefs
and intrepidity. With no lefs fortitude, followed
M. La Porte, intendant of the civil lift : He
was condemned for keeping fpies in pay, for the
purpofe of conveying intelligence to the enemy,
and of holding a correlpondence with the emi-
grants. He differed in three hours after his con-
demnation.—I faw him die.

2

Du

[ *7 ]

Du Rofoy, the editor of an aridocratic news-
paper, wasthe next: He had taken very great liber-
ties with the prefent heads of the nation; and, poor
fellow, paid for his wit the forfeit of his head. He
told the people, he was proud to die for his King,
on the day of St. Louis, which it happened to be.

About this time, the rapid progrefs of the
Pruffian arms alarmed the people; and the taking
of Longwi and Verdun not a little increafed the
panic. They were determined to muder an army
that fhould fwallow the Audrians ; and if num-
bers could effedt it, they were determined to (lop
their career. But before they went to encounter
the enemy, they were refblved to perform fome
exploits at home. The fird thing they fet about,
was defacing every thing that bore the ftamp,
or had the lead affinity to royalty. The noble
datues of Henry IV. on the Pont Neuf, Louis
XV. at the Place of that name, Louis XIII. at
the Place Vendofme, Louis XIV. at the Place
Vidtoire, and another at the Place Royal ; thefe
mader-pieces of art, the admiration of travellers,
and the ornament of the city, were in an indant
overturned ; and the metal which compofed them,
melted down for cannon. Many fine pieces of
fculpture, that were trophies of the greatnefs of
their former kings, were now become fo many
eye -fores to the people, who accordingly pulled
them down.

Had their fury flopped here, and their ven-
geance been only wreaked on done and datues,
E 2 it

c 28 3

it would have been well: But, grown arrcgan:
in deftru&ion, and infolent in the exercife of law-
lefs power ; they refolved on the commiffion of
crimes, that will be an everlailing blot in the
annals of France. Every prifon was by this time
filled with thofe apprehended on fufpicion of
being privy to the plot of the ioth of Auguft;
and the Guillotin did not appear to the mob to
make a fufficient difpatch : Wherefore thefe
gentry, who were at that time literally the rulers
of the nation, determined on a fpeedier courfe,
by taking the executive as well as judicial power
into their own hands.

They began with the refraftory priefts, who
had refufed taking the oath of fidelity to the new
conftitution : Thefe had been banilhed by a decree
of the Afleinbly, and fifteen days allowed them
to depart the kingdom in ; but a quicker pafiage
was now found them. As many as were in pri-
fon were brought out, and maflacred in cold
blood. This bloody work began on Sunday af-
ternoon, September 2, and fpread with molt un-
paralleled fury, in the convent of the Carme.%
within a quarter of a mile- from us: One hundred
and eighty were flaughtered in private houfes; in
the ftreets, wherever a pried was found, that was
known not to have taken the oath, he was led to
the place of butchery.

Thefe monfters had now waded fo far in blood,
that cruelty became familiar to them; and they
were determined to wreft the fword from the

hands

[ 29 J

hands of the law, and ere& a tribunal of their
own. Their manner of proceeding was this :
When a formidable band of thefe armed ruffians
had entered one of the prifons, one of them af-
fumed the office of judge ; and holding in his
hand a lift of the names of fuch as were confined
there, he called them bver, and the unhappy
culprits were obliged to appear when demanded :
When the criminal appeared, the judge, laying
his hand upon his head, demanded of his fellow-
lavages, if they might in honour releafe that man,
if his crime was for debt? They anfwered. No;
and he v/as ordered to pafs by fuch a door, where
the mob was ready to receive him. He, from the
fentence, expecting no other than immediate
death, v/as agreeably difappointed to find him-
felf ordered to cry, Vive la Nation ! and enlift
for the frontiers. On the other hand, fuch as
were confined on the bare fufpicion of creafon,
when it was demanded if the Nation might acquit
them? the jury anfwered, Yes: A fatal fign for
the criminal ! who, thinking he was going to be
let at liberty, was ordered to pafs by a different
door, where his executioners were ready to receive
him, and he was inftantly murdered.

This was all the form of the trials of the new
court ofjuftice : What claim it had to that facred
name, the fa£ts themfelvrs determine.

By this bloody procefs fell M. Montmorin,
ci-dcuant minifter of France, who had been tried
and acquitted of the crimes laid to his charge ;

buc

1 5° ]

but this not contenting the people, he was detain-
ed, till their farther pleafure was known. His
eorpfe was dragged through the ftreets, and treated
with indignities too (hocking to mention. Major
Bachman, the commander of the Swifs guards, an
aged and refpe&able officer, when they feized
him, and were going to behead him with their
fabres, begged of them to let him die by the
Guillotin : This grace was accorded him ; and he
was accordingly tried and executed, all in the
fpace of an hour.

But among their enormities, none exceeded
their treatment of the Princefs Lamballe: This
lady, the favourite and conftanc attendant of the
Queen, had accompanied her royal miftrefs to
the place of her confinement, to do the neccffary
offices of a menial fervant ; that others might not
be witnefs to royalty in diftrefs. The mercilefs
mob, ever ready to contribute to the forrows of
the Queen, knowing the friendfhip between her
and this lady, and thinking the diffolving it would
coft royalty a pang, entered the Temple, and be-
fore her miftrefs, commanded her to prifon. The
parting was truly interefting, and worthy of the
noble lufferers: The Queen has ever fince refufed
all other attendances and if (he is living at this
moment, makes her own bed. The Princefs
was condu&ed to the Hotel de Force *, and when
her crime was read to her, it was, O heinous
tranfgreffion ! an inviolable attachment to her
royal miftrefs. Her judges offered to fpare her

life.

. [ 3» ]

life, if Hie would cry, Vive la Nation ! But (he,
feeing their defign was only to mock her, difdain-
ed to proftitute her tongue ; and firmly anfwered,

“ I have lived as a Princefs, I will die as one :

I know nothing but my life will content you;
take it, it is but one more added to the enormous
lift of your crimes — they will one day be
avenged/* — They took her at her word; and on
the fpot feparated her head from her body, and
placing it on a pike, with her entrails on another,
they tied a rope round the feet of the naked body,
and began a fhameful proceflion through the
ftreets, flopping oppofite her houfe ; and to com-
plete their infamy, entering the Temple, com-
manded the King and Queen to the window,
where they prefented them the mangled remains
of their beloved and favourite friend. I muft
add, becaufe I had it from undoubted authority,
an inftance of human depravity, that the pen of
the hiftorian fhudders to relate — A. monfter, in
the fhape of a man, a&ually ate her heart !

Could a cannibal have done more ?

Univerfal Liberty, they call it; but Madnefs
is its proper name.

Were I to relate particular anecdotes of each
unfortunate vi<5tim of thefe commotions, it would
fill a volume: Suffice it to fay, that no doubt
fome culpable, but much more innocent, blood
was (bed. The number of people maflacred
in the city of Paris only, in the courfe of
forty-eight hours, was eftimared at leaft at ten

rhoufand 1

[ 32 ]

thoufand ! — Thus had thefe courageous volunteers
proved their valour to their countrymen, by
attacking and totally dedroying, in cold blood,
a number of unarmed men. After parting with
the laurels they had thus gained, they went to
meet the enemy ; Tinging in a triumphant man-
ner, as if they were returning from a vidtory,
Ca ira !

A proof of French courage, which may ferve
for an epitome of the whole nation, may be
gathered from the following fadt:

Being a Granger, I had been hitherto exempt
from mounting guard ; but in thefe diforderly
times, they hinted to me it would be taken well
by the Sedlion, if I made a patrol with them;
which I accordingly did : And the firft night,
the company I was in were ordered to mount
guard on the Swifs confined in the Palais de
Bourbon. This is an immenfe building, rather
like a town than a houfe ; confiding of many
fpacious courts, all which we had to crofs after
entering, to arrive at the part where the Swifs
were lodged : When the great gate which opened
to receive us, fhut again, the creaking of the
hinges eledtribed our party; who began to in-
quire, how many we were? Upon a mufter, we
found our number forty-eight ; they then very
naturally inquired the number of the Swifs;
which was near two hundred: But the confidera-
tion, that we had arms and they had. none, kept
up our fpirits, in eroding the large Tquare and

covered^

[ 33 ]

covered-ways, till we came to the garden which
runs by the river fide. Here we were Rationed,
oppofite the apartments in which the prifoners
were lodged : And here the converfation ran

high, on the fuppofition, if the Swifs fhould rife,
what was to be done ? Some few made a (how of
refinance; but the majority took the more pru-
dent precaution, of looking for the eafied place
to get over the wall.— Experienced generals' could
have done no more than fecuring a good retreat.
Frefh patrols arriving every half-hour, as ouf
numbers increafed our hearts gained courage ;
and fome of the mod hardy at length ventured
to peep into the prifoners apartments, to fee how
they were employed : When behold, thefe men,
whofe imaginary infurredtion had given fo much
uneafinefs to their guard, were, almod to a man,
fall afleep, on the rich fophas, chairs, and carpets :
For, by the bye, their prifon was no mean one,
being the richeft apartments of the Prince Conti,
brother to the King, who formerly kept three
thoufand domedics in livery and conflant pay;

“ Cowards are cruel ; but the brave

{< Love mercy, and delight to rave.’’

The latter is not the charadteridic of a French-
man : For the humble fituation of the Swifs pri-
foners could not fecure them from the taunts and
reproaches of their vain-glorious vidfors. To
fuch as talked reafonably, the men owned they
were betrayed 3 being promifed the fupport of all

F the

[ 34 1

the national guards: And the French nobility,
who had (worn to (land by them, when the mo-
ment of trial came, were not to be found ; being
each one concealed in fome corner for his perfonal
fafety ; and they were left alone to Hand the
chance of the day. How they behaved, thoufands
of widows and orphans have caufe to remember.

The fate of thefe unfortunate men, who had fold
their faith for a paltry bribe and a courtier’s
promife, was decided among the exploits of the
new police : The private men were fet at liberty,
and the officers put to the fword, their bodies
being fcattered on the new bridge, formerly called
the Pont de Louis XVI. now the Pont ae la
Liberte. Carts were employed all day long in
carrying the dead to pits dug in the fields, where
they were thrown in* I met feveral of thefe carts,
and the wretches capering and finging their
favourite air, while trampling on thecorpfes they
had made.

Another patriotic thought fired them at this
time, which proved fatal to many of them : This
was plundering the tombs and churches of the
leaden coffins, to melt down for calling bullets.
Upon opening them, a peftilential vapour flew
from the bodies, and fuffocated numbers; indeed
the contagion began to fpread fo much, that with
that, and the vapour from the numbers of dead
bodies, a plague was feared as the confequence.
A decree therefore was pafled, forbidding fuch
attempts in future.

I beg

t 35 1

I beg the reader’s permifilon, in this place* to
make forme corrections on our public papers ;
whofe ftatements of particular fadls, happening at
this period in Paris, are exceedingly inaccurate.
Their correfpcndents were certainly mifinformed,
or, what appears mod probable to me, they had
no correfpondent there ; but prefuming on the
public curiofity, have created fome anecdotes,
and exaggerated others, which were bad enough
before.

For the fatisfa&ion of the public at large, and
individuals who may be interefted, I beg leave
to infert the following:

Three men were condemned to fuffer at the
Place de Greve, one of them the Abbe Savade,
for forging aflignats. The pried requeded to be
taken before the mayor, as he had fomething of
importance to difcover: Accordingly his two
companions futfered, and he was conduced to
the Hotel de Villej where it appearing his inten-
tion was only to caufe a fruitlefs delay of time,
he was remanded for execution, which was imme-
diately performed on him. The executioner,
taking his head out of the fack in which it dropt,
as cruelty was become a fafhion, attempted to
fhew it with a more than ordinary air to the peo-
ple; and while turning carelefsly on his heel with
the head in his hand, a fudden convulfion didorted
the features, which fo terrified the man that he
loithis balance; and falling from the fcaffold on
f 2 the

✓

[ 36 ]

the bayonet of a foldier who Itood near, was fo
fbverely wounded that it occafioned his death.

It is with pleafure I allure the public, that the
following perfons, pofitively affirmed in many of
our prints to be maffacred, are not only alive,
but fome of them in England :

The Cardinal du Rochefoucault, — A guard was
ordered to his houfe, of which I with difficulty
avoided being one : My neighbour on the fame
ftage went. Theypalfed the night in his houfe,
and his papers were examined, but nothing ap-
peared to criminate him.

Both Madame and Mademoifelle Touzel were
alive when I left Paris *, long afcer they were
killed, in the Englifh papers.

Madame, the Princefs Tarrante, I am particu-
larly happy to fay, is fafe in England : She arrived
at the fame inn where I was, at Boulogne, two
hours after me, and crolfed fafely to Dover almoft
immediately.

The fhocking anecdotes related of the Countefs
de Chevre and children are equally untrue;
as I allure the public, on the faith of an honeft
man, no fuch circumftance ever happened.

The Parifian mob have fufficiently difgraced
human nature by their actions ; but let even thofe
a&ions be recorded with truth: Vulgarly fpeak-
ing, let us give the devil his due. Among their
modes of putting people to death, • burning them
alive was net one: Nor was there any property

committed^

[ 37 1

committed to the flames. I humbly conceive,
when the editors of thofe papers, who thus defcribe
thefe late events, were preparing them for the
prefs, they had recourfe to the riots in London
in the year 1780, to piece out their original intel-
ligence from France. For every man, refident in
Paris at that time, knows wich me, that all pro-
perty was carefully prefcrved ; even the lead
felony was punifhed wich inftant death : And this
conduct, in an otherwife ungovernable mob, was
matter of aftonifhment to me, fence they certainly
fought no-t plunder, but life.

In the convent of the Carmes, very near the
fpot where 1 lived, both the number and the
manner of the maffacre are erroneous : When the
mob arrived, a flrong party went into the gar-
den behind the convent; and fome entered,
ordering the unfortunate priefts (among whom
were many bifhops, and other dignitaries of the
church) to turn out into the garden : The mifera-
ble men demanded, if it was to kill them? but
received no other anfwcr from their furly butchers,
than to go; thus, driving them behind, while
the reft fell upon them, as they came our, in a
body : Yet from this terrible carnage, fourteen

efcaped over the walls, though moft of them
wounded : One of thefe men thus related it to me.

The Parilians determining to fettle all accounts
with the Swifs, a ftrong party of the mob -was,
as it were, di {patched from the main body, to
pay a yifit to a large Cafcrne or barracks be-
longing

. \

[ 38 ]

longing to them, two leagues from Paris : Here
they proceeded in their ufual manner, dettroying
all they found. Meantime, the dreadful example
at Paris had excited fome commotion at Orleans;
and heavy complaints were made, of the number
of prifoners confined there. They were accord-
ingly ordered under an efcort to Paris ; but their
executioners met them at Verfailles, and out of
fifty-four killed fifty-two: The two furviving
were faved, on proving that they were only
fervants attending their matters, and not impri-
foned for any crime imputed to them. Among
thefe, fell Monfieur le Due de Brifiac, formerly
governor of the city of Paris,

To give fome degree of colour to their pro-
ceedings, various realons were afiigned ; the fol-
lowing were the mott popular:

On the Sunday the maflacre began, a man
condemned for fome paltry crime was fitting in
a chair, on a fcaffold in the Place de Greve, with
his crime wrote over his head; which is the
punittiment of thofe convidted of petty offences
not amounting to felony, who are thus expofed
during an hour or two, according to the fentence:
This man’s time being nearly expired, on a
fudden he cried out, cc Vive le Roi ! Vive la
Reine 1 Vive La Fayette 1 Au diable la Nation !’*
This was enough to fire the populace, who feized
him, and would have torn him to pieces ; but
the municipal officers interfered, and begged he
might be examined as to what were his motives for

fuch

[ 39 ]

fuch behaviour. It was accordingly circulated,
that this frantic wretch confefied he was privy to
a plot, which was to be carried into execution as
foon as the troops ffiould be parted from Paris ;
in which all the prifoners were to have their
liberty, and arms given them to affift in ravaging
and plundering the city. How far this ftory
wore the air of probability, I leave to every man
to make his own comment : But the poor lunatic
was carried to the Guillotin, and beheaded for his
treafon. Among the new regulations, an order
was now iffued, for a general fearch to be made
for arms, in the apartments and private houfes of
the citizens : Such as concealed any, or refufed
parting with them, were to be punifhed with
death on the fpot, by the guard who made the
fearch. I did not efcape my (hare of this bufi-
nefs: Being alarmed one morning, between three
and four o’clock, with a violent knocking at
the door, which continued inceflantly till I opened
it, which I did in my Ihirtj when in ruffied a
band of ruffians, their behaviour meriting no
better term, armed with muikets, fabres, and
pikes. I demanded their bufinefs ; they an-
fwered, To fearch for arms ; which they inhantly
fet about, without ceremony. 1 requeued them
to have a moment’s patience, while my wife
(lipped on her clothes ; and I would give them a
fabre (which by the bye coft me thirty livres,
but three days before), being all the arms I had :
But thefe poliffied Frenchmen, or rather French

mongers.

✓

[ 4® ]

mongers, would not wait rulhing into our
chamber, and indecently turning my wife and
child out of bed, to learch that we had no arm3
concealed in the matraffes. Finding no more,
they took my fabre, promifing me I (hould be
fure to have it returned, on applying for it at the
Se&ion. I applied, and was (hewn into a room,
where were a few old fwords, which I iuppofe
nobody would own ; but mine was too handfome
to be returned : I never faw it again.

This fearch for arms was followed by another
for horfes ; and in one afternoon, all the (tables
of the great hotels and houfes of the nobility
were (tripped; they being obliged to facrifice ad
they kept, except two to draw the carriage, for
the defence of their country. Nay, they even
Hopped many of the fiacres> or hackney-coaches,
and took away the horfes, leaving the coach,
with its grumbling mailer, in the ftreet; he
fcarcely daring to complain, for fear of lofing
his life, for his want of patriotifm, as they would
term it.

Indeed, fo great was the terror of being taken
for an ariftocrat, that it was not fafe at this time
to walk the (Ireets in a round hat, except you
chofe to be pointed at for a pried.

Every Sedtion was now ordered to furnifh its
quota of recruits for the frontiers ; and they began
to draw every tenth man ; Many thus drawn were
obliged to leave their difconfolate families. But
they had nooccafion to continue this long ; for fueh
2 numbers

I

C 41 ]

numbers enrolled themfelves, that they could not
furnifh the half with arms : Regimentals were
out of the queflion, except each volunteer could
purchafe his own. Their appearance anfwered
to Falftaff’s defcription of his company — a fhirc
and a half among the whole. A lefTon or two
completed their military education, there being
no time to wafte : And their drilling was truly
laughable for the fpedlator ; for when ordered to
face about, they flood like fheep in a pen, fome
looking one way, fome another.

Thefe were the troops fent to reinforce M.
Luckner : And the old general very quaintly wrote
to the AfTembly to recall their volunteers, as men’
without arms or difcipline were no foldiers.

Paris was now pretty well exhaufled of fire-
arms; that is to fay, of mufkets : But their place
was fupplied by the pikes, or fharpened pieces of
iron on long poles, like a fergeant’s fpontoon. All
the blackfmiths were exempted from going to the
frontiers, th3t a fufficient quantity of thefe pikes
might be made, to arm the inhabitants.

Every place of amufement was now fhut up,
and religious rites turned out of the churches, to
make room for aflemblies of armed men ; each
Section holding their debates and council in the
church belonging to it: A tribune being ereded
oppofite the prefident’s chair, in imitation of the
National AfTembly,' which now began to give
place to the grand

NATIONAL CONVENTION.

G Many

*

[ 42 2

Many of the new deputies being arrived, they
took their place in the great hall of the Chateau
of the Thuilleries, whither the old Affembly
waited on them to congratulate them. Many of
the ancient members being chofen into the new
fenate* particularly the chiefs of the Jacobine
party, fuch as Petion, Talliard, Camus, Briffot,.
Thuriot, &c. &:c.-, the firft. decree they pafled,
was declaring France to be no longer a monarchic
government* but a

REPUBLIC.

Thus- is the gayeft and livdieft city in the
world — once the feat and fountain of pleafure —
changed into a dreary defolated place $ where
Murder {talks in all its horrors, and Anarchy lets
loofe her thoufand furies, to fcourge a miferable
people. Commerce is at a total flop; trade and
manufactures are no more ; Law and Juftice
are dead* and the wretched inhabitants ii>.
danger of falling a prey to an approaching
famine, to the enemy’s fword, or to the cruelty
of their far greater enemies, thofe within their
own walls.

Such a place could have few attractions to-
detain me longer! I therefore made application
for my paffport, to return to England, which
with much difficulty I obtained ; and difpofing.
of my little property as well as I could, I agreed
with a horfe-dealer for a horfe and cabriole, to
take us to Boulogne s and left Paris, where I had
, 2 fpeat

[ 43 ]

fpent formerly many a happy, but lately many
an uneafy hour.

The firft thing of note on the road, was the new
CAMP,

beginning to be formed round Paris, at the
diftance of about five Englifh miles : This is to
ferve as the laft flake. It is pretty much ad-
vanced on the fide of

ST. DENNIS,

A confiderable village or town, fix miles frorri
Paris ; celebrated for being the burial-place of
the French monarchs, who are interred in an
ancient but handfome cathedral here. We pur-
sued our journey without interruption, to

E C O E N,

A pleafant little village, twelve miles from Paris.
Here we were flopped by the town guard,
-who very magi Aerially demanded our paffportst
Having fatisfied thefe gentlemen, we were fuffer-
ed to proceed. At the next village, we were
ordered to turn out, that the guard might examine
the chaife, to fee that we had no arms con-
cealed: Having gone through this ceremony, we
arrived at

MENU AUBRY,

Where we dined. And I here beg leave to offer
^ hint, to fuch as would travel in France with
economy : — However Angular or awkward it
would appear, to fee a traveller enter the .kitchen
G 2 of

C 44 ]

of an Englifh inn, and begin bargaining with
the cook for a joint of meat roafting on the fpit j
it is no: only cuftomary, but very neceflary, in
France j as, fhould you omit agreeing for the
price of every individual article of your dinner be-
fore you eat it, you will find the landlord, confider-
ing you as a young traveller, will not forget to
make you pay fwingingly for experience.

After dinner, we jogged on at an orderly pace ;
till meeting a long train of powder-waggons
going to the camp, we were commanded by the
advanced guard to turn off the pave, and wait
patiently on one fide, tiii the laft waggon had
pafied, and the rear guard Ihculd permit us to
proceed : Thefe orders we obeyed j as alfo to
echo feveral times, Vive la Nation ! and without
moleftation reached

CHANTILLY,

DifUnt from Paris ten leagues. This was our firft
day's ftage : And putting up at a houfe kept by
an Englifh woman, we procured a comfortable
difh of tea with toaft in the Englifli ftyle. Hav-
ing fome day-light to fpare, we employed it in
viewing the magnificent palace of the Prince
Conde — a delcription of which I cannot under-
takes as inftead of an hour, which was all the
time we had, we might well have fpent a year in
contemplating its numerous beauties. The elegant
theatre in the garden is decorated with a vaft pro-
fufion of riches ; no expence being fpared to render
it a place adequate to the amufemenc of Kings and

Princes,

[ 45 ]

Princes. When they give any particular grand
piece, the dage is fo contrived that they can
lengthen it to an amazing perfpedtive, taking in a
large part of the garden, making nature combine
with art, to heighten the beauty of the fcene. To
enter the houfe, or chateau, which is furrounded
with water, you mud crofs a draw-bridge. The
apartments all befpeak the magnificence of the
owner: And it was with regret I faw a mufeum
of curiofities of all kinds, colledled at an immenfe
expence, celebrated by travellers and connoifieurs
as one of the mod complete feledtions in Europe,
now deferted by its owner, and left the prey of
an infolent and ignorant rabble, who had already
begun their depredations here, having dripped
the lead from the dables, and thrown down the
arms that graced the magnificent portal. Thefe
dables contain dalls for one thoufand horfes, with
an amphitheatre for leaping them, and balconies
for the fpedtators. Within them are alfo commo-
dious places for the dogs: And the architecture
of the whole building feems rather a royal palace.

Ear^ly next morning we left this charming fpor,
and reached

CLERMONT,

A village fituated on a high hill, to breakfad.
Here we met great numbers of young recruits go-
ing to the frontiers, which we did during the whole
day on the road ; fo that we were perpetually
taking off our hats, and bawling, Vive la Nation !
which is the tribute exacted from every paiTcnger
fay thefe gentry. In the evening we were not very

wel)

£ 46 ]

well pleafed to find ourfelves obliged to put up
with our old quarters, at

BRETEUIL

The reader may remember this place in the be-
ginning of our narrative-. I am fure if he had
oncefiept there, he never would forget it. How-
ever, I this time prevailed on the chamber- maid
to let us have a lefs apartment than we had before,
that we might at lead confole ourfelves by con-
ceiting we fiept in a room, and not in a dungeon.
We rofe at day-break, andpurfued our journey to

AMIENS.

Having given a (ketch of this city, I (hall only,
obferve, that unfortunately we arrived on a maigre
day : I fay unfortunately, for we had travelled
all that day, and it was then two o’clock, without
breaking our fall*, and when I inquired what we
could have for dinner, they told me milk, or foup
maigre, which is much the fame. It was with
much perfuafion we prevailed on the bigotted
Picards to. kill us a fowl and road it: They
would not have partaken of it, I fuppofe, on any
account. However, we got a dinner at lad, and
departed for

F L I X C O U E,

Where we dipped, and fiept at a very comfortable,
and what is not very common in France, a very
clean houfe. The next morning we reached
ABBEVILLE,

To breakfad : And pufhing on pretty much that
day, in the evening gained

-MONT*

[ 47 1

MONTREAL.

In the morning I took a walk on the ramparts,
to view the fortifications. Its fuuation on a hill^
renders it firong by nature, but they have lpared no
pains to give it the additional drength of art : And
it is efteemed one of the ftrongeft places in this
part of France. The town is neat, and exceedingly
clean j the houfes well built. The profpeft from
the ramparts is extenfive, and over a pleafant
country. A fmall river furrounds the place*
which is about two miles in circuit. We break-
faded here, having but feven leagues to Boulogne^
About the half-way, at

SAMMIE,

We were dopped and on my alighting from the
chaife, a file of mufqueteers furrounded me, whole
officer demanded our paffports, which he exa-
mined very minutely, regarding our perfons to
fee if the description tallied with them ; This
learned body being Satisfied, they returned them,
and differed us to proceed. When we arrived
within half a league of Boulogne, being on high
ground and the weather clear, we had a mod
charming view of the town and port: But what
crowned the profpefr, and afforded us the mod
pleafing fenfations, was the white cliffs of Eng-
land, which bounded the view.

We again paffed examination, before we were
permitted to enter

BOULOGNE;

Which, excepting its fituation on the French coaft,

might

r 48 ]

might without impropriety be called an Englifh
town ; the inhabitants being two-thirds Englifh,
and the houfes built of brick: We thought our-
feJves at home here. We flept at the Star, an
excellent inn, kept by Mr. Knowles, where I
would alfo recommend my countrymen who
travel that way.

The next morning we were conducted before a
little hump-backed Abbe, the municipal officer
of the town, who was to fign our paffiports* before
we could embark ; he received us very politely,
and figned them immediately. But we had yet
another ceremony, which was, to take them to the
corps de garde, to depofit them with the com-
manding officer : This gentleman chofe to embar-
rafs us a little, becaufe the Abbe had not figned all
the papers, which he faid was neceflary; he was
for detaining us, and fending us back to the Abbe,
to know the rcafon of it. The packet was then
ready to fail ; and if this gentleman’s obflinacy
had not been over-ruled by his colleagues in
office, we might probably have ftaid in France
another tide. However, his fcruples fubfiding,
we embarked, and with ^ a fair wind fleered out
of the harbour; leaving with joyful hearts a
country *n which we had, through divine Provi-
dence, efcaped many imminent dangers. We had
a pleafanc pafFage of five hours, and landed at
Dover about five o’clock in the afternoon of
Monday the 17th of September 1792, having
been abfent from England nine months.

T HE E N D.

Ml 8 raas

i