File:The French revolution and first empire - an historical sketch (1901) (14779842654).jpg

Identifier: frenchrevolution00morr (find matches)
Title: The French revolution and first empire : an historical sketch
Year: 1901 (1900s)
Authors: Morris, William O'Connor, 1824-1904. (from old catalog)
Subjects:
Publisher: New York : C. Scribner's sons
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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t community of France hadblended in happy and auspicious union through therepresentatives of its different Orders. A great hall hadbeen laid out in the palace, and prepared in stately andmagnificent pomp ; and royalty welcomed the NationalEstates, composed of more than twelve hundred depu-ties, with a splendor worthy of the solemn occasion.The King, with the ministers of State, in front, and theQueen and Princes of the blood at his side, sate on athrone brilliant with purple and gold j below, arrayedin separate processions, spread the ranks of the Nobles,all plumes and lace; of the Commons, in homely andsimple garb ; of the Clergy, the superb robes of the pre-lates mingling strangely with the cassocks of the villagepriests ; and from galleries above a throng of courtiers,of jewelled dames, and of foreign envoys, contemplatedcuriously the interesting scene. Outside, crowds ofeager spectators filled the balconies and covered theroofs of Versailles, decked out gaily for a brilliant holi-
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20 States-General and National Assembly. CH. li. day; and the groups extended as far as the capital,already stirring with passionate excitement. All seemeddeference, good-will, and hope, when the King an-nounced that he had called together the wisdom ofFrance to assist at his counsels ; and even a declarationthat his chief object was to provide for the pressingwants of the State did not weaken the prevailing senti-ment. Yet it was observed with regret that the face ofthe Queen seemed overclouded with settled care ; andjealousy had been aroused in more than one breast bythe distinctions drawn by the officials of the Court, andby the contrast between the feudal magnificence of thenobility and the lordly hierarchy, and the plebeian as-pect of the meanly-attired Commons. On the following day the Estates were The Com- .., ,._.. .. mons declare invited, thcu first sittmg havmg been themselves the , ^ , , . . ^ . , National merely formal, to meet agam for the de- Assembly, spatch of business

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