and for his head made him curry favour with
the mob in a manner most deplorable. He caused the destruction by fire
of many and many a superb tapestry at the Gobelins, giving as his
reason that they contained emblems of royalty, reminders of the hated
race of kings. The amateur can almost weep in thinking of this
ruthless waste of beauty.

It was a celebrated bonfire that was built in the courtyard of the
Gobelins when, by order of the Committee on Selection, all things
offensive to an over-sensitive republican irritability were heaped for
the holocaust. As the Gobelins was instituted by a king, patronised by
kings, its works made in the main for palaces and pageants after the
taste of kings, it was only too easy to find tapestries meet for a
fire that had as object the destruction of articles displaying
monarchical power.

During the four horrid years when terror reigned, the workers at the
Gobelins continued under a constant threat of a cessation of work. Not
only was their pay irregular, but it was often given in paper that had
sadly depreciated in value. Then the decision was made to sell certain
valuable tapestries and pay expenses from this source of revenue. But,
alas, in those troublous times, who had heart or purse to acquire
works of art. A whole skin and food to sustain it, were the serious
objects of life.

Under the Directory, funds were scarce in bleeding France, and all
sorts of ways were used to raise them. In the past times when Louis
XIV had by relentless extravagance and wars depleted the purse, he
caused the patiently wrought precious metals to be melted into
bullion. Why not now resort to a similar method? So thought a minister
of one of the Two Chambers, and suggested the burning of certain
tapestries of the royal collection in order that the gold and silver
used in their weaving might be converted into metal.

Sixty pieces, the most superb specimens of a king's collection, were
transported to the court of La Monnaie, and there burned to the last
thread the wondrous work of hundreds of talented artists and artisans.
The very smoke must have rolled out in pictures. The money gained was
considerable, 60,000 livres, showing how richly endowed with metal
threads were these sumptuous hangings. The commission sitting by,
judicial, dispassionate, presided with cold dignity over the
sacrifice, and pronounced it good.

A hundred workers only remained at the Gobelins which had once been a
happy hive of