And so we reach the lurid 14 Juillet. To describe this siege of the Bastille passes the talent of mortals; how much more that of the frail fan!—Of the actual storming, therefore, not a word; we are given instead a view of the fortress with the white flag floating from the turret. M. de Launay’s house is in flames, he himself is led between Jamé and the clock-maker, Hemert, under arrest. Another fan gives us a view of the Bastille with the drawbridge down, De Launay wringing his hands, bemoaning his fate, led prisoner. On the right of the fan are soldiers headed by Élie with the paper of capitulation on the end of his sword, two Invalides imploring mercy. A third fan shows, in a large medallion, a view of the battlements, with an unfortunate soldier being flung from the height, as De Launay himself had been threatened. In the foreground De Launay dragged in custody. The fan (brisé) strung with a tricolour ribbon. In a fourth fan the Bastille is relegated to the distance, a company of soldiers drawn up at its gates. In the foreground Liberty is seated with cap in one hand, and in the other a scroll labelled ‘Époque de la Liberté.’ Above, a winged figure blowing a trumpet, on the drapery of which is inscribed ‘Prise a la Bastile le 14 Juilet 1789’; in the right hand a cockade: the subject forming a medallion mounted in the centre of an ivory fan cut in fretwork and decorated with trophies, etc., in gold and colour. An example of this fan was sold at the Walker sale in 1882. ‘Souvenir de la Bastille’ gives a view of the building with neighbouring street. ‘Imp et Fabrique d’Eventails Rabiet. J. Ganné Succ 63 Boul^d Ménilmontant, Paris. Degovrnay, Éditeur. 28 Rue Mazarine, Paris.’ On the back—fleurs de lys and Vive le Roy, 1789. A sixth shows the conquerors issuing from the drawbridge, De Launay and ‘Le lieutenant’ in great distress; on the reverse the fan sings ‘L’Époque de la Liberté’: ‘Vive Vive la liberté, C’est le cri de toute la France, Le Parisien est en gaîté, Il va combattre, en assurance Le bonheur désiré longtems Ne se voit plus en équilibre, Tous les cœurs se trouvent contens, Vive le roi d’un peuple libre. * * * * * ‘A Dieu Bastille, à dieu Cachots Séjour à jamais exécrable, Plus de victimes ni de maux Dans votre enceinte abominable, Bientôt à nos yeux éblouis Comme on en voit aux bords du Tibre La Colonne portant Louis Annoncera le peuple libre.’ The Bastille has vanished, the fan remaining as souvenir to be sold for a few sous, and fluttered by the cheek of some light-hearted grisette. ‘Tiens!’ she exclaims, ‘La prise de La Bastille! c’est belle, n’est-ce pas?’ as happily ignorant of the trend of events as majesty in its gilded chamber. ‘Mais,’ says the poor king, ‘c’est une révolte!’ ‘Sire, it is not a revolt,—it is a revolution.’