ESSAYS HISTORICAL AND_ LITERARY. 2.07

when the‘ fortrefs of the Baftile was Ptormedand captured by the citizens; the King's troops re- fufing obedience to the commands of their olfi~ cers, and fome evenjoining the inlurgents. The Count D’Artois, and the other leaders of the ariftocratic party, fought for fafiety in flight; and the King was compelled to throw himlelf upon the protection of the National Ailiembly.» Neckar and Montmorin were reinfiated in their

olfices, and a new adrninifiration Formed. In‘

confequence of this revolution in ailairs, great excelTes were committed by the populace in all parts of the kingdom‘ upon the perlons and pro- perties of thole who were luppoled attached to the ariltocratic party; and, in numerous in- flanees, outrages {hocking to humanity perpe- trated.’ The National Ailembly, and the minil- ters of the crown, endeavoured in vain to re- Ptrain the fury of thele lawleifls plunderers and aflallins, who feemed rather to aim at the fubver=

lion 0F all government ‘than the mere reforma- _

tion 0F abufes. At length, however, the popu--

_ lar rage being apparently exhaulted by the vio-

lence of its own eflorts, the courfe of things feemed gradually tending to a regular and fettled Ptate. By the end of September the Allembly had agreed upon the primary and ‘ellential arti- cles of the new conititution, which were pre-

fented to the King; who did not, indeed, refute"

the