D'ARGENSON." La Sievr Prince de Monaco.
When tyranny was• at its height, the lettres de cachet were subscribed by the king and given to the minister, with spaces left for the names of those who were so unhappy as to incur the displeasure of either : And the minister, thus unwisely put in pos session of absolute authority, became, in many in stances, the terror and the aversion of all who were sufficiently eminent to attract his notice. In allusion to this absolute authority, it was sarcastically said by one of the wits of France, " you must hold the pot de chambre to the minister when he is in office, but you may pour its contents on his head when he goes out.." . The registers of the Bastile are three in number. 1. A book containing the names of the prisoners, the dates of their arrival and dismission, the number of the apartment which each of them occupied, with remarks on their circumstance and behaviour. 2. A book of inventories, or lists of the articles found upon searching the prisoners, as they arrived: the name of each prisoner was likewise set down in this book, op posite the catalogue of the articles belonging to him. 3. A discharge-book : This contained the receipts granted by the prisoners after the period of confine ment had elapsed, when their effects were restored to them: It contained also the subscription of each pri soner, by which he bound himself under the obliga tion of an oath, to maintain an inviolable secrecy with respect to all that be had seen or heard in the Bastile.
The manner of arresting thOse whose incarcera tion was decreed varied, according to circumstances, but their treatment after their arrival had, in most instances, a great similarity : " La Bastile," says Linguet, comme la snort, egalize tous crux qu'elle engfoutit." A short examination before the lieute nant du roi being over, the prisoner was commanded to give up his money, watch, and jewels; and the reason was assigned, lest he should corrupt the turn keys, or inferior servants of the place. He was next ordered to part with his scissars and pen-knife ; and here, too, the reason was given with unfeeling plain ness, lest he should either cut his own throat, or as sassinate those whose business it was to visit and in spect bim. At this ceremony, the officers who were
present, utterly regardless of the terror and appre hension often appearing in every look and motion of the prisoner, commonly indulged themselves in a brutal pleasantry as the different articles were pro duced. It was then enquired what room was empty; and on receiving a proper answer, the wretched in dividual was conducted to his apartment. Here he sometimes remained for a long time, even for several months, before he was allowed to be shaved. This indulgence was never granted till the prisoner. had been examined a second time, or till all the informa tion which was wished for had been obtained:* and in no instance could it be granted without permis sion iu writing from the minister of Paris, through the medium of his deputy the lieutenant of the police. The operation was performed twice a week by the surgeon of the house • always, however, in presence of a turnkey, who had strict orders to prevent the captive from touching the razors : The surgeon likewise pared the nails of the prisoner, under simi lar precautions. As the governor supplied the pri soners with clothes, furniture, and faggots, out of an allowance made to him by the king for that purpose, the provision of these articles was often exceedingly scanty. Hence the wretches intrusted to his care were subjected without remedy to all the severities and changes of the climate ; to the intolerable cold of large apartments, with high ceilings, in winter, and to the heats of summer in rooms not capable of ven tilation ; a grievance rendered yet more distressing by the steams issuing from the water that putrified in the ditch. When upon a certain occasion a pri soner made application to the governor for more comfortable clothing, or leave to purchase it with his own money, the answer of that inhuman monster was, " If Taut ne se pas mettre dans le cas d'C'tre la Bastille, ou savoir souffrir quand on y est." At this reply the very Porte-clefs were obliged to turn aside their heads.