[199] So says Des Ferrieres, and pretends that Madame Roland's pretensions to be presented at the ministerial parties being rejected, was the first breach to the amicable understanding of the ministers. But nothing of this sort is to be found in her Memoirs, and we are confident she would have recorded it, had the fact been accurate.--S. [200] The court nicknamed the new ministry, "Le Ministère sans culottes." [201] When Roland, whose dress was somewhat like that of a Quaker, appeared at court in shoestrings, the usher approached him with a severe look, and addressed him, "How, sir, no buckles?"--"Ah," said Dumouriez, who laughed at all and every thing, "all is lost."--S.--ROLAND, part ii., p. 8; MIGNET, tom. i., p. 166. [202] Lacretelle, tom. ix., p. 109. [203] Prudhomme, tom. ii., p. 271. [204] Bouillé's Memoirs, p. 215. [205] Mignet, tom. i., p. 172; Lacretelle, tom. ix., p. 114; Dumouriez, vol. ii., p. 350. [206] Dumouriez, vol. ii., p. 353. [207] Lacretelle, tom. ix., p. 116; Mignet, tom. i., p. 173; Dumouriez, vol. ii., p. 360. [208] "Je sais que le langage austère de la vérité est rarement accueillé près du trone."--See the Letter in Prudhomme, tom. iii., p. 82. [209] Prudhomme, tom. iii., p. 92. [210] Dumouriez, tom. ii., p. 392; Mignet, tom. i., p. 173; Lacretelle, tom. i., p. 240. [211] Lacretelle, tom. ix., p. 136. [212] Lacretelle, tom. ix., p. 131. [213] The passage of the procession lasted three hours.--See Lacretelle, tom. ix., p. 135; Thiers, tom. ii., p. 133 [214] It may be alleged in excuse, that the Assembly had no resource but submission. Yet, brave men in similar circumstances have, by a timely exertion of spirit, averted similar insolencies. When the furious Anti-Catholic mob was in possession of the avenues to, and even the lobbies of, the House of Commons, in 1780, General Cosmo Gordon, a member of the House, went up to the unfortunate nobleman under whose guidance they were supposed to act, and addressed him thus: "My lord, is it your purpose to bring your rascally adherents into the House of Commons? for if so, I apprise you, that the instant one of them enters, I pass my sword, not through his body, but your lordship's." The hint was sufficient, and the mob was directed to another quarter. Undoubtedly there were, in the French Legislative Assembly, men capable of conjuring down the storm they had raised, and who might have been moved to do so, had any man of courage made them directly and personally responsible for the consequences.--See Wraxall, vol. i., p. 247, for the story of Lord George Gordon and General Gordon; but the Editor is informed, that the person who really threatened Lord George in the manner described, was Colonel Holroyd, now Lord Sheffield. [215] Dryden has expanded these magnificent lines, without expressing entirely either their literal meaning or their spirit. But he has added, as usual, beautiful ideas of his own, equally applicable to the scene described in the text:--