The Frontispiece to A trip to Paris, in July and August, 1792. By Mr. Twiss.

This month’s TypeWright Featured Text is A trip to Paris, in July and August, 1792. By Mr. Twiss (1793).

In late summer 1792, Paris became a city of revolution and violence, and the world was fascinated and horrified by the events leading up to and including the September Massacres. Mr. Twiss, the author of the featured text, travelled from Calais to Paris, and recorded his observations of the atmosphere, sans-culottes, the storming of the Tuileries, and numerous beheadings to be published in London the following year. Twiss’ account is extremely detailed, containing records of exact dates, times, and observations of the political and emotional atmosphere of Paris (usually accompanied by citations to newspapers and pamphlets).

The frontispiece  shows a print depicting an execution using “la Guillotine or the Beheading Machine.” As the only image in this particular version of Twiss’ account, the framing, bodies, and written description provide a preview of the author’s rhetorical intent.

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