The foreign troops began to advance towards the city. The Prince
de Lambesc, who commanded a body of German cavalry, approached by
the Place of Louis XV., which connects itself with some of the
streets. In his march, he insulted and struck an old man with a sword.
The French are remarkable for their respect to old age; and the
insolence with which it appeared to be done, uniting with the
general fermentation they were in, produced a powerful effect, and a
cry of "To arms! to arms!" spread itself in a moment over the city.

  Arms they had none, nor scarcely anyone who knew the use of them;
but desperate resolution, when every hope is at stake, supplies, for a
while, the want of arms. Near where the Prince de Lambesc was drawn
up, were large piles of stones collected for building the new
bridge, and with these the people attacked the cavalry. A party of
French guards upon hearing the firing, rushed from their quarters
and joined the people; and night coming on, the cavalry retreated.

  The streets of Paris, being narrow, are favourable for defence,
and the loftiness of the houses, consisting of many stories, from
which great annoyance might be given, secured them against nocturnal
enterprises; and the night was spent in providing themselves with
every sort of weapon they could make or procure: guns, swords,
blacksmiths' hammers, carpenters' axes, iron crows, pikes, halberts,
pitchforks, spits, clubs, etc., etc. The incredible numbers in which
they assembled the next morning, and the still more incredible
resolution they exhibited, embarrassed and astonished their enemies.
Little did the new ministry expect such a salute. Accustomed to
slavery themselves, they had no idea that liberty was capable of
such inspiration, or that a body of unarmed citizens would dare to
face the military force of thirty thousand men. Every moment of this
day was employed in collecting arms, concerting plans, and arranging
themselves into the best order which such an instantaneous movement
could afford. Broglio continued lying round the city, but made no
further advances this day, and the succeeding night passed with as
much tranquility as such a scene could possibly produce.

  But defence only was not the object of the citizens. They had a
cause at stake, on which depended their freedom or their slavery. They
every moment expected an attack, or to hear of one made on the
National Assembly; and in such a situation, the most prompt measures
are sometimes the best. The object that now presented itself was the
Bastille; and the eclat of carrying such a fortress in the face of
such an army, could not fail to strike terror into the new ministry,
who had scarcely yet had time to meet. By some intercepted
correspondence this morning, it was discovered that the Mayor of
Paris, M. Defflesselles, who appeared to be in the interest of the
citizens, was betraying them; and from this discovery, there
remained no doubt that Broglio would reinforce the Bastille the
ensuing evening. It was therefore necessary to attack it that day; but
before this could be done, it was first necessary to procure a
better supply of arms than they were then possessed of.

  There was, adjoining to the city a large magazine of arms
deposited at the Hospital of the Invalids, which the citizens summoned
to surrender; and as the place was neither defensible, nor attempted
much defence, they soon succeeded. Thus supplied, they marched to
attack the Bastille; a vast mixed multitude of all ages, and of all
degrees, armed with all sorts of weapons. Imagination would fail in
describing to itself the appearance of such a procession, and of the
anxiety of the events which a few hours or a few minutes might
produce. What plans the ministry were forming, were as unknown to
the people within the city, as what the citizens were doing was
unknown to the ministry; and what movements Broglio might make for the
support or relief of the place, were to the citizens equally as
unknown. All was mystery and hazard.

  That the Bastille was attacked with an enthusiasm of heroism, such
only as the highest animation of liberty could inspire, and carried in
the space of a few hours, is an event which the world is fully
possessed of. I am not undertaking the detail of the attack, but
bringing into view the conspiracy against the nation which provoked
it, and which fell with the Bastille. The prison to which the new
ministry were dooming the National Assembly, in addition to its
being the high altar and castle of despotism, became the proper object
to begin with. This enterprise broke up the new ministry, who began
now to fly from the ruin they had prepared for others. The troops of
Broglio dispersed, and himself fled also.

  Mr. Burke has spoken a great deal about plots, but he has never once
spoken of this plot against the National Assembly, and the liberties
of the nation; and that he might not, he has passed over all the
circumstances that might throw it in his way. The exiles who have fled
from France, whose case he so much interests himself in, and from whom
he has had his lesson, fled in consequence of the miscarriage of
this plot. No plot was formed against them; they were plotting against
others; and those who fell, met, not unjustly, the punishment they
were preparing to execute. But will Mr. Burke say that if this plot,
contrived with the subtilty of an ambuscade, had succeeded, the
successful party would have restrained their wrath so soon? Let the
history of all governments answer the question.

  Whom has the National Assembly brought to the scaffold? None. They
were themselves the devoted victims of this plot, and they have not
retaliated; why, then, are they charged with revenge they have not
acted? In the tremendous breaking forth of a whole people, in which
all degrees, tempers and characters are confounded, delivering
themselves, by a miracle of exertion, from the destruction meditated
against them, is it to be expected that nothing will happen? When
men are sore with the sense of oppressions, and menaced with the