It is said, that whilst the king, queen, &c. were on their journey from Versailles, nothing but the watchful eye of the Marquis de la Fayette, and the confidential guards around the royal coaches, prevented the mob from committing the most violent outrages. The queen's name was handed about in very gross terms: One barbarian asked his companion, "Whether he thought her head would not make a very pretty tennis-ball?" In short, her majesty must be in the most imminent danger.
The harmless spectators were in a dangerous condition at this tumultuous scene. An English gentleman, dressed in white clothes, on a riotous day, was seized by a mob, when one cried out, "That is the miller of——, who secreted so many bags of flour:" He told them he was an Englishman, and was innocent: but all was in vain: they insisted he was the man; and he was so much affrighted that he spake nothing but French.
They dragged him to the place of execution, he protesting all the way that he was an Englishman: at last one of the mob cried out, "D——n you, if you are an Englishman, speak English." He then spake in his own language, and was released.
Besides these insurrections, I understand that two happened in May last: one was at Montpellier, and the other at Saumur, where several lives were lost.
I was told in Paris, that the king would have lost his kingdom, if he had not been a wise and prudent man; that had he opposed the National Assembly, he would have been no longer king. And it was reported that the representatives of the nation, are able to raise an army of seventeen hundred thousand men, in the defence of liberty.
CHAP. XX.
Of the Birth, Marriage, and Character of the King of France—Of the Birth and Character of the Queen.—An Account of the Dauphin, and of the Princess Royal.—Where the Royal Family may be seen.
His most Christian Majesty, Lewis XVI. king of France and Navarre, was born August 23, 1753. He was married May 16, 1770; to Marie Antoinette, sister to the late Emperor of Germany. The king began to reign, May 10, 1774; and was crowned June 11, 1775. He is of a middling stature, something corpulent, and of a light complexion. His majesty is good humoured, very humane, kind, and affable; and as he is easy of access, and possesses the most amiable virtues, he is much beloved by his people.
The queen was born November 2, 1755. She is very handsome, and of a civil, mild, complaisant, and obliging deportment. And although the public clamour was violent againt her for a time, on a supposition that she wished the king absolute; yet I was informed, that the spirit of discontent has subsided.