BASTILLE

(0. Fr. bastir, to build), name of Fr. castle; especially given to towers guarding city gates of Paris, and now only applied to that of St. Antoine, which in XVII. and XVIII. cent’s was used to detain political prisoners. A ociated with despotism, it was stormed by the populace, July 14, 1789, and destroyed with every accompaniment of violence and bloodshed; date since observed as Fete Nation ale; its deep underground dungeons have given rise to many stories of wretched captivities.