"Live and Be Free", 1793
by
—
last modified
2020-05-25T10:36:39+01:00
Institute for european History
Institute for european History
"Seit frey und lebet", etching, Germany, 1793, unknown artist with reference to Thomas Spilsbury; source: Linguet, Henri Simon: Denkwürdigkeiten der Bastille und die Gefangenschaft des Verfassers in diesem königlichen Schlosse vom 27. September 1780 bis zum 19. May 1782, Berlin 1783 [frontispiece].
The controversial journalist Linguet could only blame his own activity for his imprisonment. His eloquent, extremely exaggerated "suffering report" was the most effective indictment of the "Bastille despotism" before the Revolution; it was repeatedly published and translated throughout Europe.
"Seit frey und lebet", etching, Germany, 1793, unknown artist with reference to Thomas Spilsbury; source: Linguet, Henri Simon: Denkwürdigkeiten der Bastille und die Gefangenschaft des Verfassers in diesem königlichen Schlosse vom 27. September 1780 bis zum 19. May 1782, Berlin 1783 [frontispiece].