were now the haunts of death, the abode of agony and despair.  The gardens, so late a paradise, were transformed into the seat of corruption and pestilential putridity.  A similar spectacle was exhibited by Grosbosch’s, Reichel’s, and all the other spacious gardens round the city, which the allies had been obliged to storm.—­The buildings which had suffered most were those at the outer gates of the city.  These were the habitations of the excise and other officers stationed at the gates.  Most of them were so perforated as rather to resemble large cages, which you may see through, than solid walls.  All this, however, though more than a thousand balls must have been fired at the city, bore no comparison to the mischiefs which might have ensued, and which we had every reason to apprehend.  We now look forward to a happier futurity; the commerce of Leipzig will revive; and the activity, industry, and good taste of its inhabitants, will, doubtless, ere long, call forth from these ruins a new and more beautiful creation.

I now summon your attention from these scenes of horror to others of a different kind, the delineation of which is absolutely necessary to complete the picture.  Those hosts which had so long been the scourge of Germany and Europe, and had left us this last hideous monument of their presence, perhaps never to return, were now in precipitate flight, as though hurried away by an impetuous torrent.  The terrors of the Most High had descended upon them.  The conqueror had appeared to them at Leipzig in the most terrific form, and with uplifted arm followed close at their heels.  About a league beyond the city the ardour of the pursuit somewhat abated; at Markranstaedt the routed army first stopped to take breath, and to form itself in some measure into a connected whole.  The booty taken by the allies was immense.  The suburbs were crowded with waggons and artillery, which the enemy had been obliged to abandon.  It was impossible for the most experienced eye to form any kind of estimate of their numbers.  The captors left them all just as they were, and merely examined here and there the contents of the waggons.  Many of them were laden with rice, which was partly given away, especially by the Prussians.  Many a Frenchman probably missed the usual supply of it for his scanty supper.  All the streets were thronged with the allied troops, who had fought dispersed, and now met to congratulate one another on the important victory.  Soon after the city was taken, their sovereigns made their entry.  The people pressed in crowds to behold their august and so long wished-for deliverers.  They appeared without any pomp in the simplest officers’ uniforms, attended by those heroes, a Bluecher, Buelow, Platow, Barklay de Tolly, Schwarzenberg, Repnin, Sanders, &c. &c., whom we had so long admired.  The acclamations of the people were unbounded.  Tens of thousands of voices greeted them with Huzzas and Vivats; and white handkerchiefs,—­symbols of peace,—­waved