the achievement. But we are to consider it as the strength of the
parties brought man to man, and contending for the issue. The
Bastille was to be either the prize or the prison of the assailants.
The downfall of it included the idea of the downfall of despotism,
and this compounded image was become as figuratively united as
Bunyan's Doubting Castle and Giant Despair.

The National Assembly, before and at the time of taking the Bastille,
was sitting at Versailles, twelve miles distant from Paris. About a
week before the rising of the Partisans, and their taking the
Bastille, it was discovered that a plot was forming, at the head of
which was the Count D'Artois, the king's youngest brother, for
demolishing the National Assembly, seizing its members, and thereby
crushing, by a coup de main, all hopes and prospects of forming a
free government. For the sake of humanity, as well as freedom, it is
well this plan did not succeed. Examples are not wanting to show how
dreadfully vindictive and cruel are all old governments, when they
are successful against what they call a revolt.

This plan must have been some time in contemplation; because, in
order to carry it into execution, it was necessary to collect a large
military force round Paris, and cut off the communication between
that city and the National Assembly at Versailles. The troops
destined for this service were chiefly the foreign troops in the pay
of France, and who, for this particular purpose, were drawn from the
distant provinces where they were then stationed. When they were
collected to the amount of between twenty-five and thirty thousand,
it was judged time to put the plan into execution. The ministry who
were then in office, and who were friendly to the Revolution, were
instantly dismissed and a new ministry formed of those who had