rse pathos, publish their
Farewell; 'wishing all Aristocrats the graves in Paris which to us are
denied.' (Hist. Parl. xiii. 73.) They depart, these first Soldiers of
the Revolution; they hover very dimly in the distance for about another
year; till they can be remodelled, new-named, and sent to fight the
Austrians; and then History beholds them no more. A most notable Corps
of men; which has its place in World-History;--though to us, so is
History written, they remain mere rubrics of men; nameless; a shaggy
Grenadier Mass, crossed with buff-belts. And yet might we not ask: What
Argonauts, what Leonidas' Spartans had done such a work? Think of
their destiny: since that May morning, some three years ago, when they,
unparticipating, trundled off d'Espremenil to the Calypso Isles; since
that July evening, some two years ago, when they, participating and
sacreing with knit brows, poured a volley into Besenval's Prince de
Lambesc! History waves them her mute adieu.

So that the Sovereign Power, these Sansculottic Watchdogs, more like
wolves, being leashed and led away from his Tuileries, breathes
freer. The Sovereign Power is guarded henceforth by a loyal Eighteen
hundred,--whom Contrivance, under various pretexts, may gradually swell
to Six thousand; who will hinder no Journey to Saint-Cloud. The sad
Varennes business has been soldered up; cemented, even in the blood of
the Champ-de-Mars, these two months and more; and indeed ever since,
as formerly, Majesty has had its privileges, its 'choice of residence,'
though, for good reasons, the royal mind 'prefers continuing in Paris.'
Poor royal mind, poor Paris; that have to go mumming; enveloped in
speciosities, in falsehood which knows itself false; and to enact
mutually your sorrowful farce-tragedy, being bound to it; and on the
whole, to hope always, in spite of hope!

Nay, now that his Majesty has accepted the Constitution, to the sound of
cannon-salvoes, who would not hope? Our good King was misguided but he
meant well. Lafayette has moved for an Amnesty, for universal forgiving
and forgetting of Revolutionary faults; and now surely the glorious
Revolution cleared of its rubbish, is complete! Strange enough, and
touching in several ways, the old cry of Vive le Roi once more rises
round King Louis the Hereditary Representative. Their Majesties went
to the Opera; gave money to the Poor: the Queen herself, now when the
Constitution is accepted, hears voice of cheering. Bygon