at his requeft, propofed to him that his family fhould be brought into his apartments. His wife, his children, and his sister accordingly came to him; and they conferred together in the room, in which he was accustomed to dine. This interview lafted two hours and a half. Their convèrfation was very earneft.

Ruinour fays, that the queen had been for some days in a ftate of distraction, that at times her mind was totally abfent, and she was to be roufed from lethargy to a fenfe of her forrows.

When M. de Malefherbes, one of his counsel, announced to Louis the fatal fentence of death, "Ah!" exclaimed he, "I fhall then at length be delivered from this cruel fufpenfe."

ད་

The king wifhed to cut off his hair. Sciffars were refufed him ;-they took away his knife."Fools," faid he, " to think I would bafely turn my hand against my own life!"

His family asked, whether they might not fee him again in the morning? To this he made no anfwer, and madame Elizabeth faw him no more.

Addreffing herself to the fon, Maria Antoinette faid, "Learn by the misfortunes of your father not to avenge his death."

The body of Louis was carried to the buryingground of St. Magdalen's church. To accelerate K 3

its

its diffolution, lime was thrown into the grave, which was dug twelve feet deep. Guards were placed to prevent his being taken away in the night.

The king's hair was cut off, diftributed, and fold to the crowd.

Louis XVI. afcended the throne on the 10th of May, 1774; was driven from the Thuilleries on the 10th of August, 1772; thrown into prison on the 14th of September, and dethroned on the 228 of the fame month.

On the night of that day, on which the head of the unfortunate Louis was cut off, all the playhoufes were open as ufual. In the Theatre de la Nation, the tragedy of Brutus was acted; and the audience teftified their approbation of the following line, by long and uninterrupted plaudits:

"Dieux! donnez nous la mort plutot que l'esclavage!"

Immediately before leaving the Temple, Louis XVI. confided to the care of Clery, his valet de chambre, the following articles. 1. A gold ring, with the letters M. A. A, A. (Maria Antoinetta, Archduchefs of Auftria) with the date, April 19, 1770. 2. A curious filver feal, which formed three diftinct ones at pleasure; one with the arms

of

of France, another with L. L. and a third with an engraving of Mars. This was to be delivered to his fon. 3. The hair of Maria Antoinette, which was to be returned to her, with this meffage, "That her hufband had refrained from taking leave of her, in order to avoid the horrors. of a feparation."

At the particular requeft of the ci-devant queen, the commune ordered mourning for her and her family.

The twenty-first day of the month was fingular, eminous, and fatal to Louis XVI..

On the 21st of April, 1770, he was married. On the 21st of June, 1770, the Fete took place on account of his marriage, when about 1500 perfons foft their lives.The grand Fete, on account of the birth of the dauphin, was given on the 21ft of January, 1782. His flight to Varennes happened on the 21st of June, 1791.-The 21ft of September, 1792, was remarkable for the abolition of royalty; and the 21st of January, 1793, will ever be memo vable for Louis's execution

CHAP. LXXXIIF.

AN ASSASSINATION.

PELLETIER St. Fargeau, one of the members

of the convention, was affaffinated by Paris, a royal guard du corps, for voting the death of the king. As St. Fargeau was going out of a house where he was accustomed to dine, Paris followed him, and told him he was a villain. St. Fargeau answered that he was not. You are," retorted

Paris," you voted for the king's death."

to my

(( I voted," replied St. Fargeau," according confcience." Immediately on this, Paris drew a fabre, and stabbed him. in the abdomen. St. Fargeau died within two hours...

It was decreed that the whole corivention fhould accompany the funeral of the deceased in a body, that his name fhould be infcribed in the Pantheon, and his murderer profecuted. It was also decreed, that the laft words of Pelletier should be engraven on his tomb. "I am content to die. As I have fhed my blood for my country, I hope it will tend to confolidate liberty, and make known its enemies."

M. de St. Fargeau was prefident of the parliament of Paris. He was a very rich man, and during the conftituent affembly, was an aristocrat. CHAP.

ΟΝ

CHAP. LXXXIV.

A DECLARATION. OF WAR.

N the 1ft of February, a declaration of war against this country and Holland was decreed by the national convention, in the following

terms:

1. In the name of the French nation, the national convention declares, that it is at war with the king of England, and the ftadtholder of Hol land.

2. The national convention charges the execu tive council, immediately to put in action all the forces of the republic.

3. The national convention authorizes the executive council to difpofe, of the naval forces of the republic, as the interest of the state may seem to require, and revokes all previous laws to a con-trary effect.

"The court of London," faid Briffot, is dedermined on war. You can no longer entertain any doubt of it. Our ambaffador is difiniffed,, armaments are raised against us, and all French citizens, refiding in or coming to England, are fubjected to the most inquifitorial, vexatious, and dan-