It was at this period that the Queen was first perceived to have gained a degree of influence in politics. Till then none of her ideas seemed to have inclined towards them, and the old plan of the ministers of that day was, that of uniformly cautioning the King against what they termed the Austrian ascendancy. But, having once become a mother, and fostering in her breast the hope, in which the hearts of the French participated, of seeing a Dauphin born to the throne, MARIA-ANTOINETTA felt herself more a Frenchwoman than at first, and formed her judgment accordingly. Sister to his Imperial Majesty, she exerted all the ingratiating influence of her fraternal love, to induce that Monarch, whom the enemies of France already had marked out as a powerful ally, to remain neuter. At the very instant in which the orators of the British senate were declaring, in the most lofty style, the Emperor to be their natural ally, and considered themselves as paying him a tribute of applause, whilst representing him as above the restraints of family connection, celebrating his virtues, and omitting nothing that might rouse his passion for glory, the sister of Joseph II. in the secret converse of familiar intercourse, turned the attention of her brother to the dying wishes of their common parent. These

wishes she herself fulfilled, and became the bond of peace between her husband and her brother, between France and Austria. And thus were those malevolent and basely prejudiced minds, who were not disposed to allow that nations have any other dependence for repose than national jealousies, completely disappointed; whence they became accustomed to talk of the monstrous alliance between Austria and France; yet thus did facts, more convincing than all the discussions in the world, demonstrate that such an alliance might be made productive of the most beneficial consequences, not only to the two powers thus allied, but to all Europe, which their quarrels had involved in trouble, and deluged with blood*.

* See Mr. Wraxall's famous speech in the English House of Commons, on the 25th of January, 1791.

"Providence, who watches over the welfare of Britain, "has recently called to heaven a great princess, who, in the "decline of her existence, became incapable of attending to "the government of her empire. Her advanced age, her "pious principles, and, above all other considerations, her "three daughters married to three Princes of the house of "Bourbon, all concurred to render her anxious for the pre"servation of pacific measures. Her death has at once "changed the cabinet system of Vienna. Joseph II. heir to "all her virtues, as well as her extensive domains, possessing

1781.

The moment at length arrived in which this Oct. 22, object of general hope, a Dauphin, was born. He entered the world amidst the triumphs of

" also every peculiar good quality of his sex, full of energy, "active, of an exalted mind, brave, and athirst for glory, well "acquainted not only with the genius of the people, whom ❝he governs, but with that of a great part of Europe, par"ticularly France, that restless neighbour whom he must ever "regard with a jealous eye; at the same time taking every " opportunity to demonstrate his attachment to the English; "always occupied in devising means of making his name il"lustrious, and of increasing the prosperity of the empire by "advancing its commercial interests; far above all consider"ations of family connections," &c. &c. And the triple temptation which this member was so anxious to hold out to this powerful ally, was to vote him a million sterling, to offer him in India the settlements of Malaca, Ceylon, Cochin, and Negapatam, and to open the port of Antwerp. And, at length, willing to express in one single phrase the incalculable advantages of such an alliance, he went on: "A noble Lord has, 66 upon a recent occasion in Parliament, made use, and that "repeatedly, of the celebrated expression Delenda est Car"thago. We must destroy the marine of France. It has "been asked by what means is this destruction to be ef"fected? I have this moment answered that question. En"ter into an alliance with the Emperor, and the navy of the "house of Bourbon is no more."

Had the government of France known how to preserve the monarchy, France might have had continual reason to extol the service which, during the American war, had been rendered her by a Queen, sprung from the race of Cæsars,

his father, and at a time when those numerous public benefits were every where seen and felt with which Louis XVI. notwithstanding he was engaged in a system of warfare of incalculable extent, never ceased to enrich his kingdombenefits of wise and humane laws, of noble and charitable establishments.

What an event was this for France; we may add, for all Europe! Three hours after the birth of this precious child, three hundred couriers set off from Versailles, to bear the news to every part of the kingdom, and to all foreign courts. The capital was very soon informed of it. Scarcely was the cry of a Dauphin, a Dauphin, a Dauphin, heard in the palace, ere it echoed through Versailles, made its way along the public roads, and resounded in every corner of Paris.

The shops were instantly shut up, every one rushed to the places of worship to offer up thanksgivings to Heaven; dances were formed in the open streets; alms were delivered to the poor; and prisoners were set at liberty. The King, transported with joy, gave the most ingenuous proofs of it to the Court and all his people. Like Henry IV. he appeared at the windows with the child in his arms, shewing

him to the croud that flocked in repeated multitudes to shower their blessings upon it and the father. He received the deputations of fove. reign courts, of municipalities, and of all the trading companies*. High and low, rich and poor, were all alike permitted to draw near to him with their felicitations; his happiness was the happiness of all, and the joy which he witnessed in others increased his own.

The Queen, in the mean while, had not lost sight of what might be termed her favourite deed of piety, she had already sent to give freedom to an hundred women, who were confined in consequence of not being able to defray the expense of nursing their children; she yet, how

* The King was very fond of mechanics, and his usual work of recreation was making of locks. The company of locksmiths, belonging to Versailles, came upon this happy occasion to pay their dutiful congratulations, presenting him at the same time with a production of their trade, which they denominated a master-piece: it was a secret lock; the King desired that he might be left to find out the secret himself. This he did; but at the instant that he touched the spring, there darted, from the centre of the lock, a Dauphin admirably worked in steel. The King was much delighted, and with a full heart declared, that the ingenious present of these worthy people gratified him much, and with his own hands he made them a handsome remuneration.