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his own fortune; and it might be easily proved, that not in one single instance the favourable circumstances which have attended his late political career have been such as he provided for, and expected to ensue. Running his blind circle, he does not catch, but is caught by success, which treads upon his heels; and I never think of this spoilt child of chance without calling to mind one of Dryden's bad lines:

"I follow fate, which does too fast pursue."

LETTER XXVIII.

Paris, Saturday, July 1.

No disturbance took place in the city last night; and the wounded and the peasants' carts being removed from the square Vendome, this quarter of the town appears more in its usual state than it did yesterday. The number of national guards on duty amount to 12,000. The steps of the palace of the representatives are covered with troops, who are on duty all night. The grenadiers of the eleventh legion petitioned the chamber to-day to order that such of the guard as wished to serve might have the requisite posts assigned them: the chamber referred this petition to the government. The popular journals complain, that no measures are taken to arm the federates; and, indeed, Count Thibaudeau, in the house of peers, two days ago, hinted that this measure was advisable, and would be adopted, were it not for certain pusillanimous inclinations which had crept into the government and the chambers. Could it be ascertained

that the first victims of these irregular levies would not be the royalists whom the events of the last fifteen months have but too well designated, one might be allowed to wonder that this extremity has not been adopted. M. Bory de St. Vincent made, this morning, a report of his visit to the army yesterday, and concluded a long speech, containing the most assuring details of the state and dispositions of the troops, by moving that the national guards should be called upon to serve with their brothers in arms upon the heights, and that their efforts should not be paralysed; also that five representatives should be in constant attendance upon the army. In his speech he declared, that if the federates were armed, the capital might be saved. He disclaimed all wish of seeing a battle fought in the streets, but said, that Paris should take a menacing, not a suppliant attitude. The speech is to be printed, sent to the departments, and placarded; but no step is taken as to the project itself. The chamber has adopted an address to the nation similar to M. Manuel's, but in which are the words, his son (of Napoleon) is called "to the empire." It has also heard a report from the hospitals, by which it appears that 2838 wounded soldiers have been already received in, nine different receptacles, and that preparations

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are making for nine or ten thousand more. The gift of 30,650 francs from the chamber, and an immense quantity of presents of all kinds from the inhabitants, have been put into employ. The army has replied to the address of the chambers in a letter, which begins thus: "Representatives "of the people-We are in the presence of our "enemies: we swear to you, and in the face of "the world, to defend to our last sigh the cause of our independence and of the national "honour. They would impose upon us the "Bourbons, and these princes are rejected by "the immense majority of the French." And it concludes in these terms. "The inexorable

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"voice of history will one day recount what the "Bourbons have done to reinstate themselves on "the throne of France. It will recount, also, "the conduct of the army, of this army, essen

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tially national, and posterity will decide which "of the two has the better claim to the esteem "of the world." The letter was read, and read twice with unmixed applause. No message has yet been sent from the government to the chambers; and so great is the anxiety which prevails on that account, that a M. Saussey has accused the executive of a criminal delay in forbearing to tell them one word of the operations of the armies, or of the success of their nego.

VOL. II.

I

tiators at the allied camp," I have this instant," said M. Saussey," met a lieutenant-colonel who "has been just wounded, and I can contain my"self no longer." In truth, nothing is known but that the movement to the left of the enemies' line continues, and that some partial affairs have taken place in the neighbourhood of Versailles, and the course of the Seine, so that the great attack may be expected from the left bank of the river. Marshal the Prince of Eckmülh, commander in chief of the army, has written a letter to Lord Wellington, demanding a cessation of hostilities until the decision of congress shall be known, and inclosing the armistice concluded between Marshal Suchet and General Bubna*. No cannonading has been heard in the neighbourhood of Paris, but wounded men and horses continue to arrive.

In the chamber of peers, this day, Marshal Grouchy vindicated himself from the charge of having given too dispiriting an account of the corps under his command, and begged his colleagues to appreciate the merit of having brought 40,000 men twenty-eight leagues in thirty hours, from the Dyle to the Seine, with his flank exposed for eighteen hours to a victori

*See Appendix-No. 32.

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