Page:Life of Louis Philippe, late king of the French.pdf/24

24 for vengeance arose, and the people began to creet barricades. Count Molé having failed to form a ministry, the duty was assigned to Thiers and Barrot, on the 24th; but the time for concession was now past, the national guard having already joined the people. In the terror of the moment, the king abdicated in favour of the Count of Paris,-a child ten years old and proposed his mother as regent; but this proposal was rejected-a republic was proclaimed, and a provisional government appointed. The monarchy was thus swept away, and Louis Philippe, with his chief minister, Guizot, fled from the country. The former, afraid of falling into the hands of the enraged populace, had to assume various disguises in his attempt to escape-thus adding new adventures to his strange career.

On the third of March he and his faithful wife reached England, where the scattered members of his family had already taken refuge, and were received in this country with that kindness and respect which is never withheld from the unfortunate.

This remarkable man died at Richmond, on Monday morning, 26th August, 1850. He had been in a declining state of health for some time previous, but nothing serious was apprehended till the day before his death, when a change for the worse was perceptible, and he never ralied after. Towards 7 o'clock in the evening the debility from which he had been suffering appeared to have passed over, and fever came on, which continued with much violence during the night. He gradually sunk under his illness, and expired in presence of his lady and the other members of his family, at 8 o'clock on the day above mentioned.