when La Fleur

ine,

that, after all, had gone down ftairs,

and I was quite

alone, that I could not bring down my mind to think of it otherwife than I had

then spoken of it to Eugenius?

-And as for the Baftile! the terror is in the word-Make the most of it you can, faid I to myself, the Baftile is but another word for a tower-and a tower is but another word for a house you can't get out of Mercy on the gouty! for they are in it twice a year -but with nine livres a day, and pen and ink and paper and patience, albeit a man can't get out, he may do very well within-At least for a month or fix weeks; at the end of which, if he is a harmless fellow, his innocence appears, and he comes out a better and wifer man than he went in.

!

I had fome occafion (I forget what) to ftep into the court-yard, as I fettled this account; and remember I walk'd down ftairs in no fmall triumph with the conceit of my reasoning-Beshrew the fombre pencil faid I vauntinglyfor I envy not its powers, which paints the evils of life with fo hard and deadly a colouring. The mind fits terrified at the objects fhe has magnified herself, and blackened: reduce them to their proper fize and hue, fhe overlooks them

'Tis true, faid I, correcting the propofition-the Baftile is not an evil to be defpifed-but ftrip it of its towers-fill

up

the foffé-unbarricade the doors-call it fimply a confinement, and suppose 'tis fome tyrant of a diftemper-and not of a man which holds you in it--the evilvanishes, and you bear the other half without complaint.

I was interrupted in the hey-day of this foliloquy, with a voice which I took to be of a child, which complained "it could not get out."-I look'd up and down the paffage, and feeing neither man, woman poor child, I went out without further attention.

1. In my return back through the paffage, I heard the fame words repeated twice over; and looking up, I faw it was a ftarling hung in a little cage."I can't get out I can't get out," faid the ftarling.

I-food looking at the bird and to every person who came through the paffage it ran fluttering to the fide towards which they approach'd it, with the fame lamentation of its captivity" I can't get out,' faid the ftarling-God help

thee! faid I, but I'll let thee out, coft

what

what it will; fo I turn'd, about the:

cage to get to the door; it was twisted and double twifted fo faft with wire,

there was no getting it open without pulling the cage to pieces-I took both hands to it.rab

The bird flew to the place where I was attempting his deliverance, and thrusting his head through the trellis, prefs'd his breast against it, as if im patient I fear, poor creature! faid I, I cannot fet thee at liberty-"No,” said the ftarling-"I can't get out I can't get "out," "faid the ftarling.

I vow, I never had my affections more tenderly awakened; or do I remember an incident in my life, where the diffipated fpirits, to which my rea fon had been a bubble, were fo fud, denly call'd home. Mechanical as the

notes were, yet so true in tune to nature were they chanted, that in one. moment they overthrew all my fyftematic reasonings upon the Baftile ; and I heavily walk'd up ftairs, unfaying every word I had faid in going down them.

Disguise thyself as thou wilt, ftill flavery! faid I-ftill thou art a bitter draught; and though thousands in all ages have been made to drink of thee, thou art no lefs bitter on that account. 'Tis thou, thrice fweet and gracious goddess, addreffing myself to LIBERTY, whom all in public or in private worship, whofe tafte is grateful, and ever wilt be fo, till NATURE herfelf fhall change -no tint of words can fpot thy fnowy mantle, or chymic power turn thy fceptre into iron-with thee to fimile upon him as he eats his cruft, the fwain is happier than his monarch, from