The History of France ...

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Harper & bros., 1869

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Seite 87 - In this state he was carried in his chair to the promenade, •where the envious courtiers cruelly rallied, and paid him ironical compliments on his appearance. Cards were the amusement of his death-bed, his hand being held by others ; and they were only interrupted by the visit of the papal nuncio, who came to give the cardinal that plenary indulgence to which the prelates of the sacred college are officially entitled.
Seite 128 - ... the state of things. It was proposed to appoint deputies to visit the provinces, buy corn, and watch over the public peace. It was a bold attempt under Louis XIV., whose choler was extreme on the occasion.
Seite 51 - He summoned the king to his dying bed, recapitulated the great and successful acts of his administration, and recommended Mazarin as the person to continue its spirit, and to be his successor. Louis promised obsequiousness. Richelieu then received the last consolations of religion, and went through these pious and touching ceremonies with an apparently firm and undisturbed conscience. The man of blood knew no remorse. His acts had all been, he asserted, for his country's good : and the same unbending...
Seite 219 - ... hitherto been to sail between the two shoals of bankruptcy on one hand and the states-general on the other. Brienne struck the vessel of the state on the latter sand-bank. In more favourable circumstances, with more skilful pilots, it might have righted, and floated into port ; but, the wind now menacing, the popular tempest soon broke loose, and the monarchy went to pieces. Such were the events of the year 1787, in which the Revolution advanced with an awful stride. The high orders retreated...
Seite 247 - Petion, on the contrary, a man of few ideas, held rigid in those which he professed, and piqued by being obliged to play an inferior part, merely murmured that he cared for naught save a republic. Previous to the return of the king to Paris, it was placarded, that whoever insulted him should be beaten ; whoever applauded him should be hanged. He was received, then, with that silence which Mirabeau called
Seite 193 - The glory of the war chiefly remained with Frederick, who, through an unexampled course of victories and reverses, still preserved the character of great. Perhaps the most astonishing reflection is, that the Prussian monarch ruled over not more than four millions of subjects, a population that constitutes but a very secondary state. Yet out of this he raised armies and funds to combat at once France, Germany, Poland, and Russia. Bonaparte effected wonders with ample means ; but when reduced to play...
Seite 217 - He had fought in behalf of privilege, although, in common with the assembly which he led, he affected to be merely actuated by indignation against the profligate Calonne. The notables dispersed, and left Brienne to enjoy the vanity and the difficulties of his pre-eminent station. The archbishop of Toulouse had now to keep his tacit promise of respecting the exemption of the privileged orders from general taxation ; and yet, in order to gain the popular voice, he was obliged to affect...
Seite 243 - Towards the end of 1789 he began to rein in the zeal which hitherto had borne him headlong in the path of revolution. His ardour cooled, and he could not but disapprove of that constitution which he had contributed to form. " He thought it too democratic for a monarchy ; for a democracy there was a king too much." His sagacity saw the impracticability of the existing system. He, consequently, leagued secretly with the court to support the crown, and recover for it a portion of strength requisite...
Seite 87 - Look at that Correggio ! this Venus of Titian ! that incomparable Deluge of Caracci ! Ah ! my friend, I must quit all these. Farewell, dear pictures, that I love so dearly, and that cost me so much ! " A few days before his death he caused himself to be dressed, shaved, rouged and painted.
Seite 255 - The republicans dreaded their stubbornness and interference. Here was the blunder and the crime of the Girondists, both of which they dearly expiated. Although enlightened, educated, professional men, they called in large reinforcements of the rabble to crush the middle ranks, which were their own, although they differed from them in degree. This formed another crisis in the reign of Louis ; had he seized it, the supremacy of the rabble might at least have been prevented. Many thousand national guards,...

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