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Louis XVI, with print of the guillotine...



Item # 682565 THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, London, March, 1793 

* King Louis XVI of France execution w/ print (historic)

This issue contains the: "Minutes of the Proceedings of the National Convention of France" which takes 4 pages with considerable detail on the trial of Louis XVI with a subhead: "The Final Judgment of Louis XVI" which has text which includes: "...Is Louis guilty?...I hereby declare that the National Convention has found Louis Capet guilty of a conspiracy against the liberty of the Nation, and the safety of the state..." with much talk on what they should do with him including the votes of various individuals.
Ultimately they report: "...I vote for Death! Ah! could we but as easily dispose of all Tyrants!...the president took off his hat, and, lowering his voice, said 'In consequence of this, I declare, that the punishment, pronounced by the National Convention against Louis Capet, is Death!" followed by more discussion. This text is continued in a future issue.
But the most intriguing item in this issue is a print of the new "...instrument by which the unfortunate king of France lately suffered..." being the guillotine, with some details as to how it works. This is the only period engraving of the guillotine I have seen in any periodical.
This issue has much other news of the day but it pales in comparison to the reporting on Louis XVI and the print of the guillotine.
All four of the plates called for are present, one showing people from Madagascar.
Complete in 96 pages with full title/contents page, 5 1/2 by 8 3/4 inches with wide untrimmed margins, great condition.

A very nice and extremely popular magazine, the first periodical to use the word "magazine" in its title, having begun in 1731 and lasting until 1907.

Category: The 1600's and 1700's