is announced that several
regiments have fraternized with the people; another, that the royal
family have fled to Belgium; the next, that Paris is to be fired by the
insurgents; but it would be impossible to repeat one-half the wild
rumours in circulation.

There is a mixture of the sublime and of the ridiculous in the scenes
now passing before my eyes that is quite extraordinary. Looking from my
window, twenty minutes ago, I saw a troop of boys, amounting to about
fifty, the eldest of whom could not be more than ten or eleven years
old, and some who appeared under that age, march through our streets,
with wooden swords, and lances pointed with sharp nails, flags flying,
and crying, "_Vive la charte! Vive la liberte_!" The gravity and
intrepidity of these _gamins de Paris_ would, at any other period, have
elicited a smile; but now, this demonstration on the part of mere
children creates the reflection of how profound and general must be the
sympathy enlisted against the government and the sovereign in the
hearts of the people.

Many are those who, like their children, shout "_Vive la charte!_" and
"_Vive, la liberte!_" who are as ignorant of the true sense and value
of both as they are. Well might the victim, when being led to execution
in the days of the past revolution in France, exclaim, "O Liberty, what
crimes are committed in thy name!"

One of our servants has this moment informal me that the children,
whose warlike demeanour I was disposed to smile at an hour ago, have
rendered (_not_ the state, but the popular cause) some service. The
troops, more amused than surprised at the appearance of these mimic
soldiers, suffered them to approach closer than prudence warranted, and
the urchins, rushing among the horses, wounded several of the poor
animals severely, and effected their retreat before the soldiers were
aware of what had occurred.

A fatality seems to prevail in the preset crisis that is little less
than marvellous. A want of provisions for the troops is now added to
the catalogue of excitements against the cause of royalty. Harassed by
the repeated attacks of the populace, and exhausted by long exposure to
the intense heat of a burning sun, they are little prone to consider as
enemies those who approach them with food to allay the pangs of hunger,
and drink to cool their scorching thirst. ----, and others who have
mingled with the crowd, tell me that they have beheld repeated examples
of soldiers throwi