Evening star., 1941-07-14
BustiIIe Duv

IOday is tne one nundreQ ana
ffty-second anniversary of the capit-
ulation of the Bastille. Few events
have been more grotesquely obscured
by the growth of legend. Not even
the name of the famous Symbol of
deSpotism" is its own. Its proper
title was the Castle of st. Antoine.
Originally, the building was part Of
gate in the eastern wall of Paris.
About 1869 Hughes Aubriot, at the
request Of Charles V, enlarged the
structure by the addition Of six
towers. Its general form thereafter
was that of quadrangle. A ditch
crossed by a draWbridge surrounded
the whole edifice. The opponents
Of Charles VII held the fort in 1896,
the Duke of Guise shut the parlia-
ment within its walls in 1888, Henry
Nv used the vaults for the safe
keeping of his treasures about 1894,
the forces of the Fronde were in
possession of the grounds in 1851.
One of the traditions associated
with the Bastille suggests that Au-
briot. its builder, was the first pris-
oner confined in it. Not until the
reign OF Louis XIII, however, did it
become regular place of detention.
Especially under Louis XIV and Louis
XIV, all conditions of men and women
were held In the ancient fortress.
Many were kept without trial on
lettreS de cachet. Some were the
victims of personal animostities.
Others, perhaps larger number. had
criticized the government or COM
planned about its officers. The mys-
terlous Man in the Iron Mask, the
marshal Richelieu, Voltaire and the
cardinal de Rohan were among the
distinguished guests" Concerning
these and other less noted inmates,
modern historian writes: 1T is un.
necessary to believe all the tales Of
horror which found currency during
the Revolution, and which evil
dence tends to modify and even in
many cases to refute."
But there can be no question about
the hatred which the Paris mob felt
toward the Bastille on the eve of its
destruction. The old castle was sur
rounded by slums of the Faubourg
st. Antoine, and to the people of that
teeming quarter of the capital it rep
resented a frightful danger. When
1t was reported that the regiments
from st. Denis were marching on the
city, the populace jumped to the con-
cluslon that the cannon mounted on
the galleries Of the fortress would be
employed to lombard the purlieus in
which they made their miserable
homes. The governor, Delaunay. had
a garrison of 80 men. He resisted the
attack with spirit for several hours.
then surrendered when his soldiers
had been promised protection by Ellie
and Hullin, leaders Of the citizens.
The pledge was violated and De-
launay was murdered in the street
by unknown "savages." Meanwhile.
the seven prisoners who had been in
his charge were liberated. Two of
them were imbeciles who had no.
where to 60, five were criminals who
had been arrested for ordinary fell
onies.
Nothing remains of Bastille in the
twentieth century save only line of
white stones between the Rue St.
Antoine and the Boulevard Henri w.
Much more important to France and
to the world is the prison of circum-
stance In which a majority of the
French people unfortunately lam
guish today. The anniversary of the
beginning Of the Revolution of 1889
is celebrated with mourning for q
democracy which has been lost
through weakness and which can be
regained only by the cultivation of
new strength of spirit.