s most extraordinary is, that I rose from being a private
person to the astonishing height of power I possessed, without having
committed a single crime to obtain it. If I were on my death-bed I could
make the same declaration."[15]

To these facts, of course, James Gillray (if indeed he knew them) closed
his eyes. In his sketch of the 12th of May, 1800, he shows us the young
lieutenant at the head of tattered legions directing the destruction of
the royal palaces. Blinded by the prejudice of his times, he seems
apparently ignorant of the fact that Napoleon although a _spectator_ of
the attack on the Tuileries, had no power; that if he had, he would (as
he himself expressed it at the time) have swept the sanguinary
_canaille_ into the gutters with his grape shot. Again, in his satires,
he connects him repeatedly with the guillotine, to all appearance
unconscious of the fact that between Napoleon and the guillotine no
possible sympathy existed.

* * * * *

[Illustration:
JAMES GILLRAY. _June 28th, 1791._

THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PETRIFIED, AND THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY REVIVIFIED.

1. BARBER--"De King is escape! de King is escape!"

2. COOK.--"Aha! be gar, de King is retaken!! Aha! Monsieur Lewis is
retaken, aha!!"

[_The French Revolution._]

_Face p. 26._]

ROBERT DIGHTON'S SKETCHES.

A good idea of the appearance and costume of "the general" and
notables of the early part of the century, is given by the sketches of
the last century artist, Robert Dighton. His etchings are not
caricatures, as may be supposed, but likenesses of the _oi polloi_--the
university dons--the prize-fighters--the butchers--the
singers--actors--actresses--the men about town ("Corinthians," as they
were termed in the slang of the Regency)--the "upper ten"; and what
amazingly queer folks were these last! The Duke of Grafton, with his
tremendous beak, wig, and cocked hat, his mahogany tops and spurs, his
long coat with the flapped pockets and his star; the Marquis of
Buckingham, with his red fat face and double chin, which told tales of
nightly good cheer, his cocked hat, military coatee, and terrific
paunch, which resisted all attempts to confine it within reasonable
military compass; John Bellingham--the murderer of Spencer
Perceval,--with his retreating forehead, long pointed nose, drab cloth
coat and exuberant shirt frill; "What? What? What?"--Great George
himself, as he appeared in 1810