A perfect knowledge of these principles, and the intimacy that he had so kindly encouraged, emboldened me to speak frankly.  After a few minutes’ conversation, I laughingly inquired what he had done with the bonnet rouge.  The question was perfectly understood, and I was surprised to learn that, in the present instance, there was more foundation for the report than is usually the case with vulgar rumour.  He gave the following account of what occurred at la Place de la Bastille.

When the procession halted, and the funeral discourses were being delivered, the tumult commenced; in what manner, he was unable to say.  In the midst of the commotion, a man appeared on horseback wearing the dreaded bonnet rouge.  Some one approached him, and invited him to repair to the Hotel de Ville, in short, to put himself again at the head of the revolt, and offered him a bonnet rouge.  He took the cap, and threw it into the mud.  After this, he entered his carriage to return home, when a portion of the populace took out the horses and drew him to the Rue d’Anjou.  On reaching the hotel, the people peaceably withdrew.

You will readily suppose I was curious to learn the opinion of General Lafayette concerning the events of the week.  The journals of the opposition had not hesitated to ascribe the affair to the machinations of the police, which, justly or not, is openly accused of having recourse to expedients of this nature, with a view to alarm the timid, and to drive them to depend for the security of their persons, and the maintenance of order, on the arm of a strong government.  In the recent case it had also been said, that aware of the existence of plots, the ministry had thought it a favourable occasion to precipitate their explosion, taking the precaution to be in readiness with a force sufficient to secure the victory.

I have often alluded to that beautiful and gentleman-like feature in the character of Lafayette, which appears to render him incapable of entertaining a low prejudice against those to whom he is opposed in politics.  This is a trait that I conceive to be inseparable from the lofty feelings which are the attendant of high moral qualities, and it is one that I have, a hundred times, had occasion to admire in Lafayette.  I do not, now, allude to that perfect bon ton, which so admirably regulates all his words and deportment, but to a discriminating judgment that does not allow interest or passion to disarm his sense of right.  It certainly is a weakness in him not to distinguish sufficiently between the virtuous and the vicious,—­those who are actuated like himself by philanthropy and a desire to do good, and those who seek their own personal ends; but this is a sacrifice, perhaps, that all must make who aim at influencing men by the weight of personal popularity.  Jefferson has accused Lafayette of a too great desire to live in the esteem of others,[11] and perhaps the accusation is not altogether false;