(841) This fact is confirmed by M. Thiers.  “During the irruption of the populace into the Thuilleries, on the 20th of June, Madame Elizabeth,” he says, “followed the King from window to window, to share his danger.  The people, when they saw her, took her for the Queen.  Shouts of ‘There’s the Austrian!’ were raised in an alarming manner.  The national grenadiers, who had surrounded the Princess, endeavoured to set the people right.  ‘Leave them,’ said that generous sister, ’leave them in their error, and save the Queen!’ Vol. i. p. 306.-E.

(842) An allusion to the lively interest Miss More was taking in the abolition of the slave trade.-E.

(843) At the storming of the Thuilleries.  “The Marseillais,” says M. Thiers, “made themselves masters of the palace:  the rabble, with pikes, poured in after them, and the rest of the scene was soon but one general massacre; the unfortunate Swiss in vain begged for quarter, at the Same time throwing down their arms; they were butchered without mercy.”  Vol. i.  P. 380.-E.

Letter 399 To The Hon. H. S. Conway.  Strawberry Hill, August 31, 1792. (PAGE 533)

Your long letter and my short one crossed one another upon the road.  I knew I was in your debt; but I had nothing to say but what you know better than I; for you read all the French papers, and I read none, as they have long put me out of all patience:  and besides, I hear so much of their horrific proceedings, that they quite disturb me, and have given me what I call the French disease; that is, a barbarity that I abhor, for I cannot help wishing destruction to thousands of human creatures whom I never saw.  But when men have worked themselves up into tigers and hyenas, and labour to communicate their appetite for blood, what signifies whether they walk on two legs or four, or whether they dwell in cities, or in forests and dens?  Nay, the latter are the more harmless wild beasts; for they only cranch a poor traveller now and then, and when they are famished with hunger:  the others, though they have dined, cut the throats of some hundreds of poor Swiss for an afternoon’s luncheon.  Oh! the execrable nation!  I cannot tell you any new particulars, for Mesdames de Cambis and d’Hennin, my chief informers, are gone to Goodwood to the poor Duchesse de Biron, of whose recovery I am impatient to hear; and so I am of the cause of her very precipitate flight and panic.  She must, I think, have had strong motives; for two years ago I feared she was much too courageous, and displayed her intrepidity too publicly.  If I did not always condemn the calling bad people mad people, I should say all Paris had gone distracted:  they furnish provocation to every species of retaliation, by publishing rewards for assassination of Kings and generals, and cannot rest without incensing all Europe against them.