orary pamphleteers and journalists, his reader will not be
surprised at the difficulty of obtaining correct information of what
happens beneath our very window, as one of the great men of history
confessed upwards of two centuries since. In this respect, mankind has
scarcely progressed a jot, though men be more sceptical in not taking for
granted.
Our extract is, we hope, to the point:
"It is curious to what an extent opposite feelings and opinions will
colour even material scenes and objects to the eyes of different observers.
Count Tasistro was also present at the capture of the Tuileries; and gives
us in his narrative a description of what he witnessed of the conduct of
the people after they had established themselves within the palace. Before
presenting the reader, however, with what he says upon this subject, we
will transcribe part of his account of his adventures in the earlier part
of this day. 'The morning of the 29th,' he says, 'was ushered in by the
dismal ringing of bells, the groans of distant guns, and the savage shouts
of the populace; and I arose from a long train of dreams, which defied
recollection as well as interpretation. The rabble, headed by a few
beardless boys just let loose from the Polytechnic School and other
seminaries, had been pleased to fix their head-quarters in our street.
About half-past eleven, however, those of them who were collected here
having heard that the popular forces who were fighting before the Louvre
were nearly disabled by the cannon of the troops occupying that palace,
their Polytechnic chief called upon them to follow him to the assistance
of their brethren. Having entreated them to refrain from extravagant
excesses, he rushed forward, and soon arrived at the scene of action. Here
I saw him turn round and address his followers thus, 'Le cannon a deja
extermine plusieurs de vos comarades; dans un instant il est a vous;
suivez moi, et apprenez comme il faut mourir;' (_the cannon has already
destroyed numbers of your brethren; the next instant it will be directed
against you: follow me, and learn how to die_.) Having uttered these words,
he darted forward, just as the gun which was pointed at him was discharged,
and was blown into atoms. The people, however, following where he had led,
in the enthusiasm of the moment seized the gun, and turned it immediately
against the Swiss and the Guards that were stationed at the balconies of
the Louvre. Other guns were afterwards ta
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