less forbearance, and the interference of the national guards, at length, averted the danger with which the city was menaced by the fury of an intoxicated mob.

Paris was now occupied as a captured town. The British took possession of the heights of Montmartre-military posts were stationed at the bridges and at the squares, and loaded cannon were placed on the Pont Neuf, and Pont Royale, attended by soldiers with lighted matches. Many of the Prussians were quartered on the inhabitants -others encamped in the Champs Elysées. The whole of the British regiments were encamped under the walls or on the Boulevards, and such perfect order and discipline was maintained among them, that the inhabitants of Paris traversed their camp in perfect security, and soon began to regard them more as friends than conquerors. It was otherwise with the Prussians, who seemed determined to inflict on the French a dreadful retaliation for the sufferings of their country. Wherever they were quartered, they generally seized the best apartments, destroyed or injured the furniture, and voraciously consumed the provisions of every kind.* Prince Blucher rather encouraged than

* The following curious anecdote relative to this subject, was recorded in the journals of the day. A Prussian officer requested to be quartered on a noble lady in the Fauxbourg St. Germains. On entering her hotel, he demanded that the Countess should in

discountenanced these proceedings-he affirmed, that it was the only way to cure the French of that military mania which had been so long the dread and scourge of the world; and to many who complained, his reply was, "Let the French remember Prussia, and learn wisdom." The Duke of Wellington, at length, represented to the King of Prussia, how much the cause in which they were engaged was likely to be injured by the enormities of his troops. The political wisdom as well as the humanity of the Duke, was conspicuous upon this occasion; for it has been justly observed, that," the

stantly give up to him her first floor. He demanded the second floor for his aid-de-camp, and on the lady's complaining of the inhumanity of the requisition, he sent for a file of men to the guard-house. He now threw himself, with his dirty boots, on a superb sofa, and ordered the cook to provide an excellent dinner and the best wines, for a number of officers whom he had asked to dine with him. When the dinner was served, he complained that it was execrable, dashed the dishes on the floor, and spilled the wine on the rich carpet. Having thus indulged himself for several hours in the most frantic enormities, he ordered the Countess into his presence, and when she appeared, asked her, if she had not thought his conduct disgraceful and barbarous. With great timidity, she replied in the affirmative. The officer resumed, I am not the savage whom you imagine. Your son, Madam, was quartered at the house of my infirm mother. During three months he inflicted on her similar sufferings to those which you have endured for the last few hours. I swore to avenge her, and I have kept my oath!-but it was with inexpressible reluctance that I schooled myself to act the part I have done. You will resume your apartments, Madam, and I will seek a lodging elsewhere."

sack of Magdeburg gave a death-blow to the discipline of the veteran army of Marshal Tilly, while the destruction of the French army in the Russian campaign might be traced to the dreadful excesses which they had committed at Moscow."

The Chambers continued their sittings, even after the Allied forces had entered the capital; yet none ventured to name the individual to whom they were desirous to entrust the government, though Louis XVIII., the Duke of Orleans, and young Napoleon had their several partisans. The royalist party, however, appeared to be gaining strength, and a close and constant communication was kept up with the King, who had now arrived at St. Denis. Fouché advised his Majesty to temporize with the Chambers; but the Duke of Wellington gave it as his opinion, that the Allies having declared the government of Napoleon an usurpation, all authority emanating from it should be considered null and of no effect: and that it merely remained for the Chambers to give in their resignation, and declare that they had only taken on themselves their temporary authority to insure the public tranquillity, and the integrity of the kingdom of Louis XVIII. At a secret conference with Fouché, the Allied Ministers are said to have declared, that it was the anxious wish of their sovereigns to respect the national choice; but that the tranquillity of Europe was a still more important object: to secure this they should deem it

their duty, if Louis were not acknowledged, to demand from France those cessions of territory as guarantees, to which the country would not submit without a protracted and bloody war; but that if the King were restored to his throne, they should be contented with guarantees which he was already disposed to give, and which would not endanger the peace of France. If the nation persisted in refusing to receive the Bourbons, and if the attempt to re-establish them should appear likely to produce a considerable effusion of blood, they were willing to abandon the cause of the legitimate King; but being now in possession of the capital, and able to subdue without bloodshed every attempt at resistance there, and believing that the nation would peaceably follow the example of the metropolis; believing, likewise, that Louis had perceived his former errors, and was now disposed to devote himself to the real happiness of France; and regarding the peace of Europe as inseparably connected with his restoration, the Allies were resolved to use their best efforts to replace him on the throne.

Fouché is said to have acknowledged, that the only hope of lasting peace and the interest of France, depended on the restoration of the Bourbons; but he required that Louis should give his solemn assent to the Constitution which the Representatives were then engaged in framing— it was replied, that if Louis were restored, he

must be restored unconditionally, fettered only by his own declarations; and it was proposed, that Fouché should continue to fill, under his government, the same situation which he held under the usurpation of Bonaparte, to which the Minister consented, on condition, that the King would religiously respect the Charter, and steadily oppose the re-actionary spirit of his family and courtiers.

On the following day, the Provisional Government sent a message to the Chambers, that all the sovereigns had engaged to replace Louis XVIII. on the throne-that foreign troops had already occupied the Thuilleries, where the Government was sitting; and their deliberations being no longer free, they had thought it their duty to separate ; first charging Marshal Massena and the Prefect of the Seine with the maintenance of the public tranquillity. The Peers quickly followed the example of the Provisional Government: but the Representatives made a firmer shew of resistance, and declared, on the motion of Manuel, "We are here by the will of the people, and nothing but bayonets shall remove us." They accordingly continued their debates on the New Constitution till the usual hour of adjournment. In the evening, an order from the King was received by the national guard, charging them to place posts at the Luxembourgh at day-light on the following morning, to prevent the illegal assemblies which had been

VOL. XI.

5 F

CHAP. XLVIII.