r was
all tears and rage, followed Danton, the man he had worshiped, to the
block. Robespierre was his old friend, he had written his praises upon
many a page, yet now he stood aloof, and raised not a hand to save the
poor editor, though he besought his aid with passionate eloquence.

Three months later, and the Place de la Concorde witnessed the closing
scene of the revolution. On the 28th of the following July, Robespierre
and St. Just perished together on the scaffold. He whose very name,
articulated in whispers, had made households tremble as with a
death-ague, had lost his power, and was a feeble, helpless being. Cruel,
stern, without a feeling of mercy in his heart, awful to contemplate in
his steel severity, he was, after all, almost the only man of the
revolution who was strictly, sternly, rigidly honest. No one can doubt
his integrity. He might have been dictator if he would, and saved his
life, but the principles which were a part of his very nature, would not
allow him to accept such power, even from the people. His friends plead
with streaming eyes; it was a case of life or death; but he said,
"Death, rather than belie my principles!" and he perished.

As I looked down upon the very spot where stood the scaffold, and saw
that all around was so peaceful, I could hardly realize that within half
a century such a terrible drama had been enacted there--a drama whose
closing acts illustrate the truth of that scripture which saith, "Whoso
taketh the sword shall perish by the sword."

Louis XVI. first ascends the scaffold, looking mournfully at Danton, but
saying never a word; and then Vergniaud, the pure of heart, executed by
his friend Danton; then Danton, thinking remorsefully of Vergniaud and
cursing Robepierre; and last, Robespierre!

The Place de la Concorde was originally an open spot, where were
collected heaps of rubbish, but in 1763 the authorities of the city of
Paris determined to clear it up and erect upon it a statue in honor of
Louis XV. The statue was destroyed by the populace in 1792, and the
place named _Place de la Revolution_. In 1800 it took the name it at
present retains. In 1816 Louis XVIII. caused the statue of Louis XV. to
be replaced, though still later that of Louis XVI. was erected here, and
the former placed in the Champs Elysees.

The obelisk of Luxor is perhaps the most prominent feature of the place.
It is a magnificent relic of Egypt, and is one of two obelisks which
stood in fr