Page:Works of Thomas Carlyle - Volume 04.djvu/347

 [Drawn-up by 'Philo,' for Edition 1857.]

(May 10th,1774–October 5th, 1789.)

1774. . dies, at Versailles, May 10th, 1774; of small-pox, after a short illness: Great-grandson of Louis .; age then 64; in the 59th year of his nominal 'reign.' Retrospect to 1774: sad decay of 'Realised Ideals,' secular and sacred. Scenes about Louis .'s deathbed. Scene of the Noblesse entering, 'with a noise like thunder,' to do homage to the New King and Queen. New King, Louis ., was his Predecessor's Grandson; age then near 20,—born August 23d, 1754. New Queen was Marie-Antoinette, Daughter (8th daughter, 12th child) of the great Empress Maria-Theresa and her Emperor Francis (originally 'Duke of Lorraine,' but with no territory there); her age at this time was under 19 (born November 2d, 1755). Louis and she were wedded four years ago (May 16th, 1770); but had as yet no children;—none till 1778, when their first was born; a Daughter known long afterwards as Duchess d'Angoulême. Two Sons followed, who were successively called 'Dauphin'; but died both, the second in very miserable circumstances, while still in boyhood. Their fourth and last child, a Daughter (1786), lived only 11 months. These two were now King and Queen, piously reckoning themselves 'too young to reign.'

December 16th, 1773, Tea, a celebrated cargo of it, had been flung out in the harbour of Boston, Massachusetts: June 7th, 1776, Battle of Bunker's Hill, first of the American War, is fought in the same neighbourhood,—far over seas.

1774–1783.

Change of Administration. Maurepas, a man now 73 years old and of great levity, is appointed Prime-Minister; Vergennes favourably known for his correct habits, for his embassies in Turkey, in Sweden, gets the 4em