is hand to every one
present; and his happiness carried away his habitual reserve. Cheerful
and affable, he was incessantly taking occasion to introduce the words,
"my son," or "the Dauphin." As soon as the Queen was in bed, she wished
to see the long-looked-for infant. The Princesse de Guemenee brought him
to her. The Queen said there was no need for commending him to the
Princess, but in order to enable her to attend to him more freely, she
would herself share the care of the education of her daughter. When the
Dauphin was settled in his apartment, he received the customary homages
and visits. The Duc d'Angouleme, meeting his father at the entrance of
the Dauphin's apartment, said to him, "Oh, papa! how little my cousin
is!"--"The day will come when you will think him great enough, my dear,"
answered the Prince, almost involuntarily.--[Eldest son of the Comte
d'Artois, and till the birth of the Dauphin with near prospects of the
succession.]
The birth of the Dauphin appeared to give joy to all classes. Men stopped
one another in the streets, spoke without being acquainted, and those who
were acquainted embraced each other. In the birth of a legitimate heir to
the sovereign every man beholds a pledge of prosperity and tranquillity.
[M. Merard de Saint Just made a quatrain on the birth of the Dauphin to
the following effect:
"This infant Prince our hopes are centred in, will doubtless make us
happy, rich, and free; And since with somebody he must begin, My fervent
prayer is--that it may be me!"
--NOTE BY THE EDITOR.]
The rejoicings were splendid and ingenious. The artificers and tradesmen
of Paris spent considerable sums in order to go to Versailles in a body,
with their various insignia. Almost every troop had music with it. When
they arrived at the court of the palace, they there arranged themselves so
as to present a most interesting living picture. Chimney-sweepers, quite
as well dressed as those that appear upon the stage, carried an ornamented
chimney, at the top of which was perched one of the smallest of their
fraternity. The chairmen carried a sedan highly gilt, in which were to be
seen a handsome nurse and a little Dauphin. The butchers made their
appearance with their fat ox. Cooks, masons, blacksmiths, all trades were
on the alert. The smiths hammered away upon an anvil, the shoemakers
finished off a little pair of boots for the Dauphin, and the tailors a
little suit of the uniform
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