J^p' 
 
 Cir^ljesll.ldi. 
 
 Class _JDL_l£LLi: 
 Book 
 
\ 
 
MEMOIRS 
 
 AND 
 
 T^ 
 
 OE 
 
 COUNT SEGUR, 
 
 I i 
 AMBASSADOR FROM FRANCE 
 
 TO THE COURTS OF RUSSIA AND PRUSSIA, 
 
 WRITTEN BY HIMSELF. 
 
 BOSTON: 
 
 WELLS AND LILLY— COURT-STREET, 
 
 AND 
 E. BLISS AND E. WHITE, NEW-ÏOBK. 
 
 1825. 
 
->' 
 
 \k 
 
 U 
 
 <^'^ 
 
 f^ 
 
 1 
 
 ?,.:*,-, 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 Apology for memoir-writers in the present day-r»Reasons of the author for 
 writing his—Brief account of his family-r-Sketch of his father's life— Chance 
 more influence over our fate than our calculations and inclinations, exem- 
 plified ia the author's career ...»• 1—11 
 
 Character of Louis XV. — Sketch of the manners, opinions and political sitAia- 
 tion of France during the end of his re^n— Seven years' war, and peace 
 of 1763 — Madame du Barry-^Disgrace and exile of the Duke de Choiseul 
 — A king abandoned by his court in favor of a Minister — Popularity of 
 Louis XiVL, then Dauphin, and Marie-Antoinette — The author presented 
 to Louis XV. — Stands behind his chair to serve him at supper — Royal gen- 
 erosity — Smart reply of a soldier to the King — Dreadful disaster at Paris 
 on the occasion of the marriage of Louis XVI. and Marie-Antoinette— 
 Death of Louis XV. — Grief of a court 12 — ^27 
 
 Character of Louis XVL and Marie-Antoinette— Choice of a prime minister 
 — Love of innovation and republicanism begins to manifest itself in France 
 — Gaieties of a court carnivai — Adventure at a masked ball^ — Rapidity of 
 military promotion — Countess Jules de Polignac favorite of Marie-Antoi- 
 nette — History of young Montfalcon — Trait of courage— inutility of merit 
 without rank and fortune — Advantage of preserving family parchments 
 
 28 — 43 
 
 l/itorary circles of Paris — State of the Public mind at that period — State of 
 the army — Duel — Residence at Spa — Description of that watering place 
 
 44—60 
 
 Commencement of the American revolution — Sensation it produced in France 
 and on the continent of Europe — Sentiments favorable to liberty and equa- 
 lity in France ; in an absolute raoharchy ! — Singular duel — Quarrel it oc- 
 casioned, and amicable duel that ensued — Prince Nassau — Originality of 
 his character .,.-.,. ... 61 — 174 
 
IV CONTENTS'. 
 
 fAG£ 
 
 State of the cabinet of Louis XVI., and political state of Europe — War be- 
 tween England and her American colonies — Conduct of France on this oc- 
 casion — Arrival at Paris of the American envoys Sileas Deane, Arthur 
 Lee and Benjamin Franklin — Their reception . 75 — 84 
 
 Character of La Fa3'^ette — His departure for America in defence of liberty — 
 Marriage of the author 85 — 90 
 
 Progressive improvement in the military tactics of Europe, and especially 
 France — Corporal punishment introduced into the French army — i-'iscus- 
 sions'tind ludicrous anecdotes connected with that circumstance — Amateur 
 flogging 91—101 
 
 Imitation of England in France — Forebodes a revolution — Originality of cha- 
 racter of the Count de Lautaguais — Royal correspondence — Reform in 
 theatres — Ennui a novel mode of assassination — Singular law suit — English 
 races at Paris — Rage for religious sects — Magnetism — Contradictions of the 
 times 102—113 
 
 Societies of eminent men at Paris — The advantage of the French and English 
 literacy and political characters over those of other nations, produced by 
 the same causes which establish the superiority of the historians of anti- 
 quity over the modern .4..... 114 — 119 
 
 Opinion strongly pronounced in France in favor of the American cause — Urges 
 the government to break out with England — Hesitation of Louis XVI. to 
 declare war, arising from the morality of his character — Insincere conduct 
 of the French government — State of affairs in America- — Tariff for human 
 lives and wounds — Surrender of an English army under General Burgoyne 
 to the Americans — Treaty of commerce and amity made by France with ^ 
 America— Consequent rupture with England- — Symptoms of a general war 
 in Europe — First act of hostility, engagement between la Belle-Poule and 
 
 • the Areihusa — Precognition of the independence of the United States by 
 France — Treaty of alliance, offensive and defensive, between France and 
 America — Naval action between French and English fleets — Its result and 
 consequences — Proceedings in the East Indies- — Lively preoccupation of the 
 minds of all classes in France by these events 120 — 128 
 
 Arrival of Voltaire at Paris after an exile of many years — Causes of that 
 exile — -Sensation produced in the capital by his return — Voltaire's visit to 
 the mother of the author — Description of his person — Effects of preposses- 
 sion — Extraordinary witticism — The author presented to Voltaire — Re- 
 ceives the poet's literary benediction — Enthusiasm of the public in favor of 
 
CONTENTS. V 
 
 ""page 
 
 Voltaire — His coronation at the Theatre Français — His reception by the 
 academy — His illness — Receives a priest and writes a profession of faith — 
 His death — Order to refuse him burial arrives three hours too late — Visit at 
 Paris of the Emperor Joseph H — His character — Death of Rousseau 
 
 128-^143 
 
 f iN'aval armaments of France — Action between Count d'Orvilliers and Admiral 
 Keppel — An army assembled on the French coast to effect a descent in 
 England — Warm and serious interest taken in the war by the youth of 
 France — Frivolity of the old prime minister — Description ef a naval en- 
 gagement — St. Lucie taken by Count d'Estaing — Retaken by Admiral By- 
 ron — Capture of St. Vincent and Grenada by the French, and of Savannah 
 by thé English — Fruitless attempt of the French to retake the latter 
 
 344—148 
 
 Political situation of Europe at that period — Disposition of the different pow- 
 ers towards England — Camps ii^ Normandy to threaten the English coasts — 
 Military opposition called la calotte — Appearance of the French and Spa- 
 nish fleets in the British Channel in spite of the efforts of Admiral Hardy — 
 Keturn of the two fleets to their ports without engagement — Dissatisfaction 
 this event produced in France — French levity vindicated — Its effectual re- 
 sistance to despotism — A song — Fortunate escape 149 — 158 
 
 Statement of the political situation of Europe in 1780 — Rupture between Eng- 
 land and Holland — Siege of Gibraltar — Naval action between Rodney and 
 Count d'Estaing — Junction of French and Spanish fleets — Operations of 
 war in America — Heroism of Women — Arrival of a French army in Ame- 
 rica — Effect this event produced — Subsequent military and naval opera- 
 tions — Treachery of Arnold — Imprudence of Major André — Condemned to 
 death as a spy — Mutiny of Washington's army — Embarrassed state of the 
 Americans — Demand further assistance from France — Naval engagement 
 between M. Destouches and Admiral Graves — Military operations 
 
 159—166 
 
 Appointment of the author"'s father as minister of war — Influence of the 
 Queen and Madame de Polignac in public affairs — Opposed to M. de Mau- 
 repas in the nomination and dismission of ministers — M. de Castries — M, 
 de Montbarrey — Character of the author's father — Circumstances attend- 
 ing his nomination as minister— ^M. de Puységui — State of the cabinet — 
 Death of M. de Maurepas — Novel administrative measures of M. Necker — 
 Effect they produced — Dismission of M. Necker 167 — 178 
 
VI CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Si'tijation of France and Europe previously to the campaign of 1781— Ripid 
 
 -sketch of the events of that campaign and effect they produced — Naval 
 
 engagement between M, de Grasse and Admirai Hood — Arnold — Reply of 
 
 a soldier to him — Siege and surrender of Yoiktown — Capture of Dutch 
 
 . islands— Skilful manœuvre of Admiral Hood— Capture of Balearic islands 
 —Battle of Doggersbank , . 178—194 
 
 Effjct produced by this campaign in France— Return of La Fayette to Paris 
 -^Signal mark of royal favor bestowed on bis wife — Defeat of M. de 
 Grasse by Admiral Rodney, 12th April, 1782 — State of the public mind in 
 Fi-ance,, at this period ; inconsistent conduct of the government — M. Necker 
 
 . — Histoire philosophique de Raynal — His persecution, measures of the 
 inquisition against that work — Olavivides thrown into prison for translating 
 it — Don Solano conqueror of Florida obliged to perform penance for hav- 
 ing read it 195—201 
 
 Difficult situation in which the minister of war is placed, — assailed by appli- 
 cations — Incurs the queen's displeasure by refusing to attend to a rccom- 
 nieiidation from her — Conversation of the author with that princess — The 
 Prince de Condé also complains of the minister, in an interview with the 
 author — Ordinance requiring certificates of nobility to obtain the rank of 
 officer in the army — The odium of that measure attaches to the minister — 
 His vindication — His administration 202 — ^217 
 
 Departure of the author for America — His travelling coiTipani<m3 — Exaltation 
 of the young French warriors in going to America — Letter from the author 
 at his departure expressing his sentiments on that subject — Sails from Brest 
 — Disastrous commencement of his passage — M. de la Touche commander 
 of the squadron — Love and duty reconciled, or a mistress in tow — Arrival 
 at the Azores — Description of those islands — Visit to the French consul at 
 Tercera. Visit to the English consul — Fandango danced by a bishop — 
 Visit to a convent — Love in a convent — AccommodatiBg abbess — Interrup- 
 tion — Separation — Departure — Observations on the manners and customs 
 of Tercera — Visit to the Governor — Strange costume of his son — His visit 
 on board TAigle — Musical propensities 218—240 
 
 Continuation of voyage — Erroneous course — A drowning man saved — Action 
 between the 2 French frigates, V^igle and la Gloire, and the Hector, an 
 English 74 — Striking instance of liaisons daniiereuscs, (dangerous connec- 
 tions) ; a prize and a reverse willîin sight of the port — Perplexing situa- 
 tion — Landing in America — First difliculties and adventures there — Journey 
 to Philadelphia with despatches — Arrival at Dover — Unexpected meeting*— 
 
CaNTENTS. VU 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Capture of VAigîe by the English — Continuation of journey to Philadel- 
 phia—Description of the cnirntry travelled over — Wilmington — Chester — 
 Arrival at Philadelphia— Description of that town — Quakers — Jesuiti':ai 
 subterfuge — Introduction to several personages at Philadelphia 241—269 
 
 Departure from Philadelphia— Description of the country— Politeness and 
 hospitality of the Americans — ColoneTs and Captains inn-keepers — Trenton 
 Primstown — Pompton — Wounded lieutenant — Insolent and servile con- 
 duct of a coraniissary — Stoney-point — Hudson nver-r— Arrival at the -Ame- 
 rican camp and afterwards at French head-quarters — The author's recep- 
 tion by the army — Reflections on the life of a camp— Agreeable surprise 
 by the soldiers — West-point fort — M. Duplessis Mauduit, originality and 
 intrepidity of his character — General Knox a bookseller — M. de Chastel- 
 lux 270—282 
 
 Introduction to General Washington — His person, character and manners — 
 Description of^n American army — General Gates — his triumph and defeat 
 —Judged by General Washington his rival — His noble conduct — Interview 
 and reconciliation between the two generals . 283 — 286 
 
 The French army commence their march to leave the United States — Hart- 
 ford — Newport, its inhabitants — Polly Leiton a quaker's daughter — Ball 
 to the ladies of Nevv^porf — Desoteux afterwards Comartin, leader of 
 Chouans — Departure from Newport — Providence^Savage tribe of Nara- 
 gansets— Interior of an American family — Causes of the prosperity, order 
 and liberty of the United States — M. de Rochambeau arrested at the head 
 of his army by a constable — Gratitude of the Americans — Departure of M, 
 de Rochambeau — Count Bozon de Talleyrand Perigord — Military enthu- 
 siasm — Disguise — Arrival of the army at Boston — Samuel Adams and 
 Hancock founders of the American republics — Dr. Cooper — Departure from 
 Boston — Embarcation . 287 — SIO 
 
 Departure from America — Letter, descriptive of American manners — Storm < 
 approaching destruction — Diversity of disposition displayed in that situa- 
 tion — Saved by miracle — Porto-Rico — Curaçoa — Loss of the ship la Bour- 
 gogne — Cowardice and inhumanity of her captain — Arrival at Porto Ca- 
 bello — Description of the South Continent of America — Cordilleras — St. 
 Martin — Valencia— Caracas — Gulph of Sadness-r-Destructive climate of 
 Porto Cabello — The Governor, Don Pedro de Nava — Disease amongst the 
 French troops — Singular method of curing the fever tried by the author 
 with success Sll— 324 
 
vin CONTENTS. 
 
 PAGE 
 
 Journey to the interior of South America — Description of the country — Valen- 
 cia — Guaraca — Indian Cacique — Maracay — A French innkeeper in a re- 
 tired spot of South America ! — Vittoria — Continuation of journey — Boa 
 Serpent — Vampires — Caracas, its situation — Residence there — Fêtes of a 
 carnival — Singular and innocent warfare — Seriously interrupted — Inquisi- 
 tion — Leprosy of Carthagena — Horrible disease — Simple method of th© 
 Indians for curing it — Eldorado country — Conversation with an inqui- 
 sitor 325—345 
 
 Return to Porto Cabello — Don Joseph d'Avalos — Two of the party taken by 
 Nelson — Generosity and politeness of Nelson — Remarkable instance of 
 calm intrepidity — Formidable preparations to attack Jamaica — Peace with 
 England — Departure from South America — The author visits his posses- 
 sions at St. Domingo with M. Berthier, afterwards Prince of Neufchatel — 
 Description of that island — Reflections on the state of slavery of the 
 negroes and its consequences — Departure from St. Domingo — Arrival oa 
 the coast of France — Narrow escape — Arrival at Brest . . . 346 — ^^359 
 
ME3I0IRS. 
 
 AND 
 
 Mtt0iittti0n^* 
 
 Youth wishes to know what age has seen and doncj 
 and age is fond of relating it. Nothing is more 
 natural ; and it would therefore be unreasonable to 
 feel surprised that, in the present day, so many 
 Memoirs are published, so many personages described^ 
 so many anecdotes related. 
 
 No period ever offered to public curiosity more 
 legitimate subjects of excitement than that in which 
 we live. It occurs after an age the most fertile in 
 storms, and during the course of which institutions, 
 politics, philosophy, opinions, laws, customs, fortunes, 
 fashions, and manners, have all undergone a total 
 change. 
 
 The existence of each State has been but a series 
 of revolutions ; the life of each man, like a novel, 
 has been full of adventures ; and the whole period 
 oflfers the aspect of a varied collection of paintings, 
 exhibiting numerous portraits, historical pictures, 
 representations of scenes of life, and sometimes of 
 ludicrous adventures and metamorphoses. 
 
 Escaped from the wreck, and safely arrived in 
 the port, we love to recollect calmly the storms 
 that have assailed us ; to retrace to ourselves and 
 1 
 
^ MEMOIRS 
 
 relate to our friends, and even to the public, the 
 share assigned to us by fate, in so many passions, 
 events and vicissitudes. 
 
 Thus to recal past sensations is to retrace our 
 steps towards youth, and almost to recommence Hfe 
 anew: it is a last pleasure, which we enjoy the 
 more from the consideration that our experience 
 may serve to instruct those who have none. 
 
 The last ray of light shed by the mind of a man 
 at the close of existence, may sometimes serve as a 
 useful beacon to guide the youth entering upon his 
 career. 
 
 Several of my friends have often urged me to 
 write what they had heard me relate, and 1 now 
 comply with their request. 
 
 In perusing these fragments of Memoirs, or rather 
 these Recollections and Anecdotes, it will be seen 
 that my object has not been to produce an historical 
 picture, but to trace a moral sketch of the times in 
 Vi^hich I have lived. 
 
 I have hoped to satisfy the curiosity of the reader, 
 but not to gratify his malignity. No food for scan- 
 dal or for the passions will be found in these pages ; 
 but I have wished that their perusal might prove 
 entertaining and interesting to the lovers of truth, 
 and to those who seek, with moderation, to trace 
 the true, though often slight causes of the great 
 events they have witnessed. 
 
 My position, my birth, the ties of friendship and 
 consanguinity, which connected me with all the 
 remarkable personages of the courts of Louis XV« 
 and Louis XVI., my father's administration, my 
 travels in America, my négociations in Russia and in 
 Prussia, the advantage of having been engaged in 
 intercourse of affairs and society with Catherine II., 
 Frederick the Great, Potemkin, Joseph II.,Gustavus 
 III., Washington, Kosciusko, La Fayette, Nassau, 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 3 
 
 Mirabeau, Napoleon, as well as with the chiefs of 
 the aristocratical and democratical parties, and the 
 most illustrious writers of mj times — all that 1 have 
 seen, done, experienced, and suffered during the 
 revolution — those strange alternations of prosperity 
 and misfortune, of credit atid disgrace, of enjoyments 
 and proscriptions, of opulence and poverty — all the 
 different occupations which I have been forced to 
 apply to, and the various conditions of life in which 
 fate has placed me — have induced me to believe 
 that this sketch of my life would prove entertaining 
 and interesting- — chance having made me successively 
 a Colonel, a General Officer, a Traveller, a JVavigator, 
 a Courtier, the son of a Minister, an Ambassador, a 
 JVegociator, a Prisoner, an Agriculturist, a Solditr, 
 an Elector, a Poet, a Dramatic Author, a Contributor 
 Î0 JVewspapers, an Essayist, an Historian, a Deputy, a 
 Councillor of State, a Senator, an Academician, and a 
 Peer of France, 
 
 I must have seen men and things under almost 
 every aspect, sometimes through the prism of hap- 
 piness, sometimes through the crape of adversity, 
 and at a later period by the light of a mild philo- 
 sophy. 
 
 I only intend to publish, for the present, that part 
 of mv Memoirs or Recollections and Anecdotes which 
 relates to my voyage to America and my mission to 
 fjRussia, and which I shall merely preface by a few 
 of the recollections of my youthful days ; and by a 
 sketch of the manners and opinions of the court and 
 of Paris, as 1 saw them at the period of my entrance 
 into the world 
 
 In writing history an author must so completely 
 keep himself out of view, that the reader may be 
 left in doubt as to the time in which he lived, the 
 part he acted, and the party to which he inclined» 
 But when a man writes his own memoirs and em- 
 
4 MEMOIRS 
 
 bodies the recollections of his life, he must necessa- 
 sarily speak of himself and of his family, for that 
 family is the first element in which he lived, and 
 the first horizon he discovered. However as this 
 is, in my opinion, the inconvenience of writings of 
 this nature, and the rock upon which their authors 
 split, since what is only interesting to ourselves is 
 likely to prove tedious for every body else, 1 shall 
 be as sober and sparing in that respect as possible. 
 
 Descended from a noble, ancient and military 
 family, I belong to a branch of that house long 
 since established in Perigord. My family professed 
 the protestant religion to which it remained for a 
 considerable time warmly attached; and it therefore 
 suffered severely during the civil wars, and was 
 excluded from all the favours which the court 
 bestowed upon the catholics. 
 
 One of my ancestors, who had been the companion 
 of Henry the IVth in his youthful days, and who 
 had been exposed to imminent danger on the day of 
 St. Barthélémy, was honoured by the friendship of 
 that prince, who appointed him to be his ambassador 
 at the court of several princes of Germany. But 
 after the death of that monarch, all royal favour 
 was withdrawn from us, and as my family was divid- 
 ed into several branches, they all became poor. 
 
 My great grand-father however restored our for- 
 tune. Having distinguished himself during the war, 
 he became a general officer, had one of his legs car- 
 ried off, and obtained the cordon rouge (order of Sto 
 Louis.) 
 
 His son the Count de Segur, my grand-father, was 
 a distinguished miHtary character. He commanded 
 the corps destined to support the elector of Bavaria, 
 Charles the VHth, and was taken prisoner at Lintz 
 by the Austrians. 
 
 Jle was at the time bitterly and unjustly accused 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 5 
 
 of having imprudently exposed himself to that disas-^ 
 ter. The king of Prussia, Frederick the Great, in 
 his Memoirs, addresses him some verj animated 
 reproaches on the subject, bee ause this adstbrtune 
 had increased the personai embarrassments of that 
 monarch. But my grandfather, abandoned by the 
 Bavarians, and obliged by superior orders to remain 
 in a position that was open and untenable, could he 
 with ten thousand men oppose all the forces of Aus- 
 tria ? The court of France more impartial and more 
 likely to be well informed on the subject, approved 
 of his conduct, and marshal de Belle-Isle, whose 
 opinion is of very great weight, passed the most 
 honourable encomiums upon him. 
 
 .He increased his reputation during the obstinate 
 defence of Prague, and covered himself with glory 
 by his skilful and celebrated retreat of Pfafenholien, 
 which he eiiected with ten thousand men over an 
 extent of fifty leagues, without ever suffering his 
 line to be broken, although he had to contend with 
 the whole army of the Emperor. He was rewarded 
 for this memorable action, which was, at the time, 
 compared with the retreat of the Ten Thousand, 
 by the command of the three bishoprics and by the 
 cordon bleu (order of the Holy-Ghost.) 
 
 His merit had given him reputation, favours an(} 
 places; but his only patrimony consisted in two small 
 estates in Perigord. The Duke of Orleans, regent 
 of France, had promised him the situation of first 
 equerry to the* King; but the Duke died of apo- 
 plexv as he was on his way to the apartment of the 
 young monarch, to lay the appointment before him 
 for his sign manual. 
 
 My father, the Marquis de Ségur, relied less upon 
 the favour of princes, and calculated more wisely» 
 Already distinguished at the age of twenty-two, a 
 colonel and decorated with two honourable woundsj 
 
6 MEMOIRS 
 
 he made himself agreeable to a young and hand- 
 some ladj Mile, de Vernon, a native of St. Domingo, 
 and married her. She had an estate producing one 
 hundred and twenty thousand livres a year, which 
 enabled ray father to hve at court and at the army 
 in a style suitable to the rank derived from his 
 birth, the services of his father and his own. 
 
 Louis XV. gave him the cordon bleu^ appointed 
 him governor of the province of Foix, and continu- 
 ed to him the situation of lieutenant-general of Brie 
 and Champagne, which the Regent had obtained for 
 his father. 
 
 I should have a great deal to say, if, in obedience 
 to the dictates of my heart, I were to enter into the 
 details of the glorious life of my father ; but the 
 preface would then be longer than the work. lam 
 writing my own Recollections, and I only disclose 
 those particularities concerning my family, which I 
 consider as indispensable preliminaries. With re- 
 spect to my father, therefore, 1 think it will be suf- 
 ficient to repeat here what I said of him in a rapid 
 sketch, which I published on the very day on which 
 I had the misfortune of losing him. 
 
 Philippe Henri de Segur distinguished himself 
 whilst yet very young in the wars of Bohemia and 
 Italy ; and was particularly remarked for the cou- 
 rage he displayed during the siege of Prague. At 
 the age of nineteen he was promoted to the rank of 
 colonel, and at the battle of Rocoux a musket ball 
 entered his chest and perforated it through and 
 through. At the battle of Lawfeld, whilst endea- 
 vouring to bring back to the charge his regiment 
 which had been three times repulsed, he had his 
 arm broken; and fearing lest his absence should 
 damp the courage of his soldiers, he continued to 
 advance, forced the intrenchments and did not leave 
 his post until after the victory. Louis XV., who was 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 7 
 
 an eye witness to this action, said to my grand-fa- 
 ther these words quoted by Voltaire : Men like your 
 son deserve to be invulnerable. 
 
 His advancement kept pace with his services, and 
 he was rapidly promoted to the ranks of maréchal- 
 de-camp and lieutenant-general. He saved a division 
 of the army at Varbourg, and brought back to the 
 Duke de Brissac, near Minden, ten thousand men of 
 infantry which the Duke considered as lost, and who 
 had fought against thirty thousand of the enemy 
 during five hours without being broken. 
 
 At Clostercamp he received a thrust from a bayo- 
 net in the neck, and three sabre cuts on the head, 
 and was taken prisoner after having opposed an ob- 
 stinate resistance to the grenadiers, by which he was 
 surrounded. After the conclusion of peace, he was 
 appointed inspector-general of infantry, and secured 
 to himself the confidence of ministers by his activity, 
 and the esteem of the army by his firmness. 
 
 He was afterwards intrusted with the command 
 of the Franche-Comté. This was a difficult post : 
 for the parliaments and the authorities, the citizens 
 and the military of that province, had always been 
 quarrelling together. My father's justice and wis- 
 dom, his conciliating spirit, and above all his frank- 
 ness restored harmony and tranquillity amongst them. 
 
 Louis XVI. placed him in the administration in 
 1780 as minister of war, and created him maréchal 
 de France^ in 1783. He was seven years minister, 
 during which period he re-established the discipline 
 of the army, and introduced order in its finances. 
 The soldiers were indebted to him for the comfort 
 of being no longer obliged to be crowded three to- 
 gether in one bed. His ordinance respecting the 
 hospitals, a perfect model of its kind, proves to what 
 extent he carried his endeavours to improve, in all 
 its details, that branch too much neglected of milita- 
 
^ MEMOillb 
 
 ry administration. It was he who conceived the 
 idea of a staff-corps in the army, an institution to 
 which we perhaps owe a great part of the talents 
 and exploits which have since shed such lustre over 
 France. 
 
 He retired from the administration when Cardi- 
 nal de Loménie and intrigue began to preside over 
 the councils, and from that period lived in modest 
 retirement in the bosom of his family. The storms 
 of the reFolution deprived him of all his fortune 
 which consisted in pensions, and in the titles and 
 marks of distinctions which he had purchased with 
 his blood. The convention, after having reduced 
 him to misery, carried rigorous injustice so far, as to 
 order his furniture to be publicly sold. This re- 
 spectable warrior then came and sought an asylum 
 in n\j arms, and in spite of my poverty, I considered 
 the happiness of supplying his wants as a favour of 
 fortune. 
 
 At the age of seventy, poor, infirm, tormented by 
 gout, and deprived of one of his arms, he was confin- 
 ed in the Force, I was also arrested, but without 
 being able to share his confinement, for neither his 
 children nor his servant could obtain permission to 
 remain in the same prison with him. The courage 
 he had displayed in dangers, did not forsake him, in 
 adversity, and the wisdom of his language, the sim- 
 plicity of his demeanor, the calm serenity of his mind 
 which had caused him to be respected, when at the 
 summit of grandeur, remained unchanged. 
 
 He fortunately escaped the fatal end to which all 
 were then consigned, tyranny spared him, because he 
 had nothing left which could tempt its avidity. The' 
 last days of his life were tranquil : the first consul 
 informed of the situation of this old and respectable 
 warrior, who, by placing him at the military school, 
 liad opened for him the career of glory, provided 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 9 
 
 for the comfort of the end of his existence. During 
 the last year of his life, his sufferings were great, but 
 he never uttered a single complaint, and died as he 
 had lived, master of himself, and struggling as calm- 
 ly against pain as against adversity. 
 
 He was powerful and never committed a single 
 act of injustice, the victim of oppression, and pre- 
 served the same attachment for his country. A good 
 father, a kind husband, a skilful general, a brave sol- 
 dier, a minister just and wise, an excellent citizen : 
 his memory must be cherished by the army and by 
 all Frenchmen. He died at Paris on the 8th of Oc- 
 tober 1801. 
 
 Chance almost always exercises a greater influence 
 over our fate than our calculations and propensities. 
 1 recollect, that the Maréchal de Castries, one of 
 the men the most known for having sought all his 
 life to fix fortune by deep and learned combinations, 
 told me, whilst I was with him in Britany as his aid- 
 de-camp, that, during the course of his brilliant ca- 
 reer, the caprice of fate had often defeated his most 
 prudent calculations ; and that he owed the greatest 
 part of his success and the accooiplishment of the 
 hopes of his ambition to unforeseen chances, to events 
 which it would have been out of his power to guess, 
 and sometimes, added he laughing, to faults. 
 
 Experience has proved to me the justness of this 
 observation which numerous facts have confirmed. 
 If this truth were maturely considered, it would dis- 
 pose men to be more indulgent towards one another, 
 and render them more modest in prosperity, more 
 patient in adversity ; for, in the labyrinth of this 
 world the road we follow, the circumstances which 
 direct our course, the issue we find, and the goal we 
 arrive at, depend upon an infinity of trifling causes, 
 • 2 - ' 
 
^0 BÎEMOIRS 
 
 oyer which neither our foresight, nor our wiii exer- 
 cise anj influence. 
 
 Born with a lively imagination, in the midst of a 
 court and an age which thought more of pleasures 
 than affairs, of literature than politics, of the intrigues 
 of society than of the interests of the people ; pas- 
 sionately fond of poetry, and of that new philosophy 
 which, upheld by the brilliant arms of the most acute 
 wits and the finest geniuses, seemed destined to se- 
 cure the triumph of reason ; hurried away bj the 
 vortex of a w^orld vain, frivolous, witty, and gallant, 
 I found myself suddenly compelled, by the elevation 
 of my father to the situation of minister of w^ar, to 
 make a very different use of my time ; to apply to 
 public business, to abandon the frivolity of the sa- 
 loons for the more serious affairs of the cabinet, and 
 to rectify, by a knowledge of men and by the evi- 
 dence of facts, the too frequent errors of a spirit of 
 system, and of theories not founded upon experience. 
 
 My family, for many centuries past, had always 
 embraced a military career, and military glory was 
 therefore the sole object of my ambition. As my 
 father, esteemed in the army and covered with ho- 
 norable wounds, w^as then minister of war, and be- 
 came some time afterwards maréchal de France, for- 
 tune, seconding my wishes, seemed to offer me, in 
 the possession of arms, an easy path, and brilliant 
 prospects. 
 
 It was, however, that very situation which, giving 
 in spite of myself another direction to my destmy, 
 changed my fate, and opposed my inclination, by re- 
 moving me from the army, and placing me in a di- 
 plomatic career, which was not congenial either to 
 my taste, or to the very lively frankness of my dispo- 
 sition. 
 
 The ardent desire I felt to be engaged in active 
 warfare induced me to proceed to America; and it 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. U 
 
 was precisely this military excursion, of which I shall 
 give some account, which became the cause of the 
 change that occurred in my destiny. Some letters, 
 which I wrote respecting the revolution operated in 
 the United States, and respecting that which the 
 <iisposition of minds in South America enabled me 
 to forsee and foretell, were read at Versailles, in 
 the King's council, by the Count de Vergennes, mi- 
 nister for foreign affairs. The Count, from that mo- 
 ment, resolved to take me into his department, and, 
 on my return from America, he advised the King to 
 appoint me minister plenipotentiary at the court of 
 Russia. 
 
 Before I relate what I have seen and done in that 
 empire, so recently known amongst the European 
 monarchies, and which has, in a short time, become 
 so formidable and so colossal, I think it right to 
 speak of my rapid excursion in Americ£i, having, in the 
 space of a few months, quickly passed from the most 
 burning zones to the coldest countries of the globe ; 
 and having successively seen the two opposite foci 
 of despotism and liberty, rival giants who are now 
 waging against each other a war of extermination, of 
 which the whole world is the theatre, and of which 
 nations will long be the victims, whatever its issue 
 may be. 
 
 Born in 1753, my infancy, and the early days of 
 my youth, passed under the reign of Louis XV. 
 This good, but weak monarch was, in his youth, the 
 object of an enthusiasm which was too little deserv- 
 ed ; and in his old age, of severe reproaches which 
 were equally exaggerated. Heir to the absolute 
 power of Louis XIV., he reigned sixty years without 
 having been accused of a single act of cruelty, a fact 
 very rare, and for that reason very remarkable in 
 the annals of arbitrary power. 
 
 The first years of his reign were distinguished by 
 
12 MEMOIRS 
 
 the victories of Rocoux, Lawfeld, and Fontenoy; 
 but he was merely present at these battles, which 
 w^ere decided, fought, and won by his generals. 
 
 Holding the reins of the state with a weak hand, he 
 was ever governed either by his ministers or his mis- 
 tresses. The Duke of Orleans, regent of France, 
 the Cardinal Dubois, the Duke de Bourbon, and the 
 Cardinal de Fleury, governed the state for a long 
 time in his name. 
 
 The disorder of the finances, caused by the ambi- 
 tion of Louis XIV., and increased by the follies into 
 which the Scotchman Law led the regent, cannot 
 reasonably be laid to his charge ; and his infancy 
 must equally shelter him from the blame due to the 
 excessive licentiousness which prevailed during the 
 time of the regency. 
 
 Indeed, that licentiousness may, in some degree, 
 explain or excuse his excessive passion for women, 
 and the shameful debaucheries which tarnished his 
 life; for there never did exist any prince who did 
 not participate more or less in the errors and weak- 
 nesses of his age. Besides, the French have always 
 shewn too little severity for failings of this description ; 
 but they require, at least, that these spots should dis- 
 appear in the brilliant rays of some redeeming glory, 
 and then they are too indulgent, and almost become 
 the panegyrists for the chevaleresque Francis I., the 
 brave Henry IV., and the majestic Louis XIV., of 
 those errors with which they bitterly reproach the 
 weak Louis XV. 
 
 The long and peaceful period of Cardinal Fleury's 
 administration, allowed France to enjoy that internal 
 repose of which she stood in need, healed some of 
 her wounds, and gained for the monarch the affec- 
 tion of the people. 
 
 The moderation of the government even gave 
 f'iome appearance of liberty to subjection. The thco- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 13 
 
 logical quarrels still preserved a kind of vivacity ; 
 the jansenists and the molinists still divided all minds ; 
 but by degrees these quarrels were attacked by the 
 invincible weapons of ridicule, wielded against them 
 by a philosophy whose march and progress the go- 
 vernment vainlv endeavoured to arrest or retard. 
 
 The facility of manners furnished numerous means 
 by which the severity of the laws might be eluded: 
 the acts of rigour of the parliaments against philoso- 
 phical writings, produced no other effect than to 
 cause them to be sought after and read with a 
 greater degree of avidity. Public opinion became a 
 power of opposition which triumphed over every 
 obstacle : the condemnation of a book was a title to 
 consideration for its author; and under the reign of 
 an absolute King, liberty having become a fashion in 
 the capital, exercised a greater sway in it than the 
 monarch himself. 
 
 The. warlike disposition of the French nation 
 found but a feeble diversion from that spirit of inno- 
 vation in the seven years' war; a war undertaken 
 without cause, conducted without skill, and terminat- 
 ed without success. The French, however, by their 
 personal courage, upheld the glory of our arms, and 
 several generals, such as Marshals d'Estrées and de 
 Broglie, acquired a just celebrity. M. de Castries, 
 M. de Rochambeau, and my father, who was alrea- 
 dy covered with wounds, distinguished themselves 
 by noble actions, and thus deserved, by anticipation, 
 the staff of Marshal, which was given to them in 
 the following reign. 
 
 The genius of Frederick the Great, and the su- 
 periority of the naval forces of Great Britain, se- 
 conded by the faults of the French administration, 
 triumphed at last over the united efforts of Russia, 
 Austria, and France. We were compelled, in 1763, 
 to conclude a disastrous peace, by which we lost 
 
i4 MEMOIRS 
 
 great and rich colonies, and to subnfiit to the humi- 
 liating* condition of allowing an English commissioner 
 to reside in Dunkirk to watch over the execution of 
 that clause of the treaty which forbade our rebuild- 
 ing the fortifications of that town. 
 
 The wound inflicted by these reverses upon our 
 national pride were deep and severe. The illusions 
 of hope had bestowed upon the King, in his youth, 
 the title of Beloved ; but being now beaten, he lost 
 it. Popular opinion changes with fortune, and this 
 ought not to excite surprise : men love, despise, or 
 hate power, according to the good or evil which 
 they receive from it; and they often lavish, without 
 measure, their admiration upon success, and their 
 contempt upon reverses. 
 
 The end of the reign of this monarch was obscur- 
 ed by inglorious idleness. His indolence and weak- 
 ness allowed all the springs of the state to unbend., 
 Power was still arbitrary, and yet authority lost its 
 influence; public opinion escaped despotism by rail- 
 ing against it : we did not possess liberty but licence. 
 
 The King preferring repose to dignity, and even 
 the most abject voluptuousness to love, languished 
 enslaved in the arms of a courtesan, a tie the more 
 disgraceful as, so far from being kept cencealed, it 
 was publicly acknowledged, and degraded the court 
 by the presentation of such a mistress. 
 
 The brilliant and high-minded Duke de Choiseui 
 was completely foiled by so worthless an adversary. 
 He had replied by a noble disdain to the advances 
 of the favourite, and she obtained hi^^ exile; but he 
 was consoled by public opinion, which, displaying for 
 the first time signs of existence and liberty, forsook 
 the palace of the prince, and formed a court in the 
 retreat of a disgraced minister. 
 
 All prohibition proved ineffectual ; and the King, 
 almost isolated in the apartment of his mistress, saw 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR, 15 
 
 with surprise all the nobility and ladies of the court, 
 who formerly surrounded him with their homages, 
 become, by a singular metamorphosis, the courtiers 
 of disgrace and misfortunes. 
 
 A pillar erected at Chanteloup, upon which were 
 inscribed the names of the numerous persons Avho 
 visited that place of banishment, served as a monu^ 
 ment to this new fionde,* The impressions of youth 
 are very strong ; and I never shall forget that which 
 Ï derived from the pleasure of seeing my father's 
 name and my own upon that pillar of opposition, the 
 forerunner of other acts of resistance, which after- 
 wards assumed a character of such serious impor- 
 tance. 
 
 The Duke d'Aiguillon, and the ministers named 
 according to the pleasure of the King's mistress, 
 were all men' of talent. Compelled, however, to 
 submit to the caprices of Madame du Barry, in order 
 to preserve their influence, they were lowered and 
 rendered ridiculous by such a protection ; so that, in 
 proportion as their power increased, they lost in 
 public estimation. 
 
 The King was ready to purchase tranquillity at 
 any price ; the courtiers to receive money at all 
 times. Any bold conceptions, vast projects, or noble 
 inspirations, would have disturbed and distressed the 
 old monarch and his young mistress ; and the natu- 
 ral consequence of such a state of things was, the 
 loss of all dignity in the government, of all order in 
 the finances, and of ail firmness in our political rela- 
 tions. France ceased to exercise any influence in 
 Europe ; England quietly commanded on the ocean, 
 and made an easy conquest of India ; the northern 
 powers divided Polands amongst them, and the ba- 
 
 * A party opposed to the court under the minority of Louis 
 XIV. 
 
16 MEMOIRS 
 
 lance of power, established by the peace of West- 
 phalia, was thus destroyed. 
 
 The French monarchy descended from the first 
 rank to make room for the Empress Catherine II, 
 sovereign of that Muscovy heretofore almost un- 
 known under the sway of its Czars. This empire, 
 recently emerged from barbarism, owing to the ge- 
 nius of Peter the Great, after having been so long 
 classed in public opinion amongst the uncivilised 
 tribes of Asia, became, in the space of half a cen- 
 tury, at first through our own indolence, and after- 
 wards through our own rashness, a colossal power, 
 whose weight now threatens the independence of 
 every nation throughout the whole world. 
 
 French pride was wounded and roused by the 
 shame attached to this royal lethargy, to this po- 
 litical decline, to this monarchical degradation. 
 From one extremity of the kingdom to the other, 
 it became a point of honour to belong to the oppo- 
 sition ; by exalted minds it was considered as a 
 duty ; by men of correct principles as a virtue ; 
 by philosophers as a useful weapon wherewith to 
 fight for the recovery of liberty ; it afforded, in 
 short, the means of shining, and was a fashion, as it 
 were, which young men eagerly adopted. 
 
 The [)arliaments made remonstrances; the cler- 
 gy preached sermons; philosophers wrote books; 
 young courtiers composed epigrams. Every one 
 felt that the helm was directed by unskilful hands, 
 and braved a government which had forfeited all 
 claims to confidence or respect; and as private 
 ambitions were no longer effectually restrained by 
 the exhausted energies of power, they each took 
 their flight, and, without any previous concert, direct-» 
 ed their courses to the saaie object with different 
 views. 
 
 The old nobility, ashamed of being enslaved by 
 
OF COUNT SEGtjR. 17 
 
 a mistress of an inferior class, and by an inglorious 
 administration, regretted the feudal times, and the 
 power they had lost since the days of Richelieu. 
 The clergy bitterly deplored the loss of that influ- 
 ence which they had exej-cised under the reign of 
 Madame de Maintenon. The higher magistracy 
 opposed to arbitrary power, and to the dilapidation 
 of the finances, a resistance which secured them 
 popularity. 
 
 Every thing seemed to breathe the spirit of the 
 league and of the fronde ; and as public opinion, 
 when it seeks to manifest itself, requires a rallying 
 point — a sort of standard, this was supplied by 
 the philosophers. The words liberty^ property^ equa^ 
 lity, were uttered. These magical sounds were re- 
 echoed in every direction, and enthusiastically so by 
 those who afterwards considered them as the origin 
 of all their misfortunes. 
 
 Nobody dreamed of a revolution, although it Avas 
 ra;pidly etfectiog itself in public opinion. Montes- 
 quieu had brought to light once more the titles of 
 nations to their original privileges, which had so 
 long remained involved in darkness. The laws of 
 England were studied and envied by men of a ma- 
 ture age ; English horses and jockeys, boots and 
 coats after the English fashion, could alone suit the 
 fancy of young men. 
 
 All prejudices wxre assailed at once by the keen 
 and sparkling wit of Voltaire, by the eloquent 
 logic of Rousseau, by the encyclopedian stores of 
 d'Alembert and of Diderot, by the violent declama- 
 tions of Raynal ; and whilst this splendid assemblage 
 of knowledge was operating a sudden change in the 
 manners, every class of the old social order, under- 
 mined without suspecting it, still preserved its native 
 pride, its apparent splendour, its antiquated distinc- 
 tions, and all the signs of power They resembled, 
 3 
 
iH MEMOIRS 
 
 in this respect, those brilliant paintings produced by 
 a multitude of colours, and delineated with sand up- 
 on the glasses of our banquets, in which we admire 
 magnificent castles, cheerful landscapes, and abun- 
 dant harvests : the slightest breath is sufficient to 
 efface every trace of their existence. 
 
 The government, exposed to so many attacks 
 from every quarter, began at last to >vake from its 
 slumbers; and, with the violence which always 
 characterises irritated weakness, it resorted to the 
 rash measure of exiling and dissolving all the parlia- 
 ments : this was actually laying the axe to the most 
 solid foundations of the old social edifice, and depriv- 
 ing itself, in so dangerous a crisis, of its firmest 
 support. 
 
 The hatred against authority was increased by 
 this proceeding : the expelled parliaments seemed 
 to be followed in their exile by the national feeling, 
 and no consideration attached to those which suc- 
 ceeded them. The throne ceased to be an object 
 of respect; that respect, together with the hopes of 
 the public, were henceforth directed to that part 
 only of the palace where the young Dauphin, after- 
 wards Louis XVI., and his consort, Marie- Antoinette 
 of Austria, resided in peaceable retirement. 
 
 Concentrating in themselves royal dignity, public 
 and private virtues, and the love of the people's 
 vrelfare, they presented, by the correctness of their 
 manners, an astonishing contrast with the licentious- 
 ness which an audacious courtesan had introduced 
 into the rest of the court ; the contagion of vice dar- 
 ed not approach that asylum of decency. 
 
 In them every one reposed the fondest hopes of a 
 happier destiny for our country. Alas ! who could 
 foresee that two beings, who seemed formed by 
 Providence to secure and enjoy our happiness, would 
 one day become victims of the caprice of fortune. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 19 
 
 and fall under the blows of the most violent and the 
 most sanguinary anarchy. 
 
 Having, at that time, been lately presented at 
 court, and favourably received by the Dauphin and 
 Dauphiness, I formed one of the brilliant and youth- 
 ful circle which surrounded them. Was it possible 
 then, to apprehend that the dawn of this smiling 
 day Avould so soon be obscured by such dreadful and 
 violent storms ! 
 
 The old social edifice was entirely undermined 
 in its deepest foundations, although the surface 
 shewed no symptoms which could indicate its ap- 
 proaching ruin. The change in manners was imper- 
 ceptible, for it had been gradual : the etiquette of 
 the court was unchanged ; it exhibited the same 
 throne, the same names, the same distinctions of 
 rank, and the same forms. 
 
 The town followed the example of the court. 
 Ancient usage had placed between the nobility and 
 the middling classes an immense interval, which was 
 only to be got over by talents of the highest or- 
 der, and even then more in appearance than in rea- 
 lity : the intercourse was rather familiar than upon 
 terms of equality. 
 
 The parliaments, by braving absolute power, 
 though adhering to respectful forms, had unsuspect- 
 ingly become almost republicans; they were giving 
 the signal for revolutions, whilst they conceived that 
 they were only following the example of their pre- 
 decessors, at the time of their opposition to the con- 
 cordate of Francis I., and to the fiscal despotism of 
 Cardinal Mazarin. 
 
 The heads of the ancient families of the nobility, 
 believing themselves aë firm as the monarchy itself, 
 slumbered in perfect security upon a volcano. The 
 discharge of the duties of their situations, promotions, 
 royal indifference or royal favours, the nomination 
 
20 BIEMOms 
 
 or dismissal of ministers, engrossed all their atten- 
 tion, and formed the sole motives of their actions, 
 and the only subjects of their conversation. As in- 
 different to the essential affairs of the state as to 
 their own, thej suffered the former to be governed 
 by intendants of provinces, and the latter by their 
 stewards ; and the only events that excited their 
 sorrow and contempt were the changes introduced 
 in the costumes, the discontinuance of liveries, and 
 the fancy for English coats and fashions. 
 
 The clergy, proud of their influence and wealth, 
 were far from apprehending any danger to their ex- 
 istence ; but they were exasperated at the boldness 
 of philosophers ; and, although some of the mem- 
 bers of that body, by mixing too much in the world, 
 participated, as it were, in the new customs, still, 
 not content with directing their attacks against licen- 
 tiousness, they vainly attempted to resist the intro- 
 duction of truths, which the removal of darkness 
 rendered evident to all; and persisted in upholding 
 certain antiquated and childish superstitions, which 
 had disappeared for ever before the light weapons 
 ©f ridicule and the torch of reason. 
 
 As, however, all must feel the effects of the moral 
 atmosphere of their age, the same clergy had re- 
 lented from those austerities which had thrown such 
 a gloom over the latter part of the reign of Louis 
 XIV.; they suffered the persecuting edicts against 
 protestants, which had occasioned so much disgrace, 
 and so much injury to France, as well as their fu- 
 rious debates respecting Molina and Jansenius, to 
 fall into disuse. 
 
 With respect to us, the young French nobility, we 
 felt no regret for the past, no anxiety for the future, 
 and gaily trod a soil bedecked with flowers, which 
 concealed a precipice from our sight. Merry cen- 
 surers of old fashions, of the fîeudal pride of our an- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 21 
 
 cestors, and of their grave etiquette, whatever par- 
 took of antiquity appeared to us ridiculous and trou- 
 blesome. The gravity of ancient doctrines was irk- 
 some to us. We were equally attracted and enter- 
 tained by the pleasing philosophy of Voltaire ; and, 
 without searching into that professed by graver 
 writers, we admired it as bearing the impress of 
 courage, and of resistance to arbitrary power. 
 
 We were delighted with the new fashion for gigs 
 and coats, and with the simplicity of English cus- 
 toms, which enabled us to discard all troublesome 
 display of the details of our private life. We de- 
 voted all our time to the society, fetes^ pleasures, 
 and easy duties of the court and the garrisons ; and, 
 free from all care, we enjoyed the advantages which 
 old institutions had handed down to us, together with 
 the liberty which new customs had introduced : thos 
 our vanity was gratified by one of these systems, 
 whilst our inclination for pleasures derived equal 
 gratification from the other. 
 
 At our country seats we discovered amongst our 
 peasantry, and the petty justices dependant upon us, 
 some traces of our ancient feudal power ; at court, 
 or in the world, we enjoyed the distinctions due to 
 our birth: promoted to superior rank in the army 
 by the sole influence of our name, and henceforward 
 at liberty to mix without ostentation or restraint 
 amongst our countrymen to taste the sweets of ple- 
 beian equality, the short years of our early life were 
 gliding before us in the midst of illusions, and of a 
 kind of happiness which had, I believe, never before 
 fallen to the lot of any but ourselves. Liberty, roy- 
 alty, aristocracy, democracy, prejudices, reason, no- 
 velty, philosophy, every thing concurred to render 
 our days prosperous, and never did calmer slumbers 
 or more engaging dreams, receive a more horrible 
 termination- 
 
22 MEMOIRS 
 
 The years of my infancy had elapsed during the 
 latter part of the reign of Louis XV. I was not 
 presented at court until three years before his death. 
 Chance, however, had afforded me the opportunity 
 of seeing and approaching him at a much earher pe- 
 riod. In 1767, the King had collected at Compiegne 
 a camp of ten thousand men, for the exercise of 
 great field manœuvres. My father commanded 
 those troops, and, although I was only fourteen years 
 of age, he permitted me to follow him as his aide- 
 de-camp. 
 
 After the reviews and manœuvres, the King did 
 my father the honour of coming to sup with him. 
 Usage required that the person, who received the 
 monarch at his table, should stand behind his chair 
 and serve him. My father was about to conform to 
 this etiquette ; but Louis XV. said to him : " You 
 have served me long enough in war to be entitled 
 to rest during peace; sit down near me; your son 
 will serve me." 
 
 I took the plate and napkin, as will be readily be- 
 lieved, and stationed myself behind the King with 
 the vivacity of a childish joy, which will certainly 
 astonish no one ; for, ever since the downfall of li- 
 berty in the Roman Empire, the private service of 
 the prince has been considered an honour in every 
 modern monarchy; it has been styled an officers, high 
 office, and princes of the royal family help the king 
 to put on his shirt. 
 
 The titles of gentleman of the horse, of master of 
 the horse, of steward, of keeper of the ward-robe, 
 bear testimony to the strength and duration of cus- 
 toms that have been, renewed from the ancient ori- 
 ental monarchies, and which have so effectually re- 
 sisted the encroachments of philosophy, as to be 
 still seen in full force in that proud and free coun- 
 try, England, where the personal service required 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 23 
 
 by the sovereign, whose hands have almost always 
 been fettered, is performed by attendants on their 
 knees. 
 
 The King often addressed himself to me during 
 this repast ; I recollect that he said to me amongst 
 other things : " You will be fortunate in war." I 
 replied, " That all I wished for, was to have it soon 
 in my power to prove the correctness of his predic- 
 tion." " It is quite certain," rejoined he, " you be- 
 long to a family which has always had alternate 
 chances of good and bad fortune. For many gene- 
 rations back it has always happened that one of your 
 ancestors has been wounded, and his son has come 
 safe and sound out of every engagement ; at a later 
 period, again, your great grandfather lost a leg in 
 war ; your grandfather fought all his life and escap- 
 ed unhurt ; your father is covered with wounds : so 
 that the fortunate chance falls upon you." 
 
 At the conclusion of dinner, he asked me the 
 hour ; I replied that I could not tell, as I had no 
 watch. " Segur," said he to my father, " give your 
 watch to your son instantly." It would, perhaps, 
 have been more natural that he should have given 
 me his own ; this Prince, however, sent me on the 
 following day two handsome horses out of his own 
 stables, and this was assuredly the most agreeable 
 present that could be received at my age. 
 
 I often recollect an expression that escaped a gre- 
 nadier during this repast, and which made a strong 
 impression on my mind. The table was laid out 
 under an immense tent ; it held about one hundred 
 covers : the dishes were brought in by grenadiers. 
 The delicacy of the Prince's organs was shocked by 
 the smell that proceeded from these soldiers, in a 
 warm and confined room. " These good people," 
 said he, rather loudly, " smell strongly of the socks." 
 " No doubt," bluntly replied a grenadier, " because 
 
24 MEMOIRS 
 
 we have none to wear." A deep silence followed 
 this reply. 
 
 Previously to the breaking up of the camp, a de- 
 serter, who had been brought before a council of 
 war, was condemned to death : such was the exist- 
 ing law. My mother hastened to throw herself at 
 the King's feet, and obtained a revocation of the 
 sentence. Sedaine told me it was on the occasion of 
 this event that he afterwards wrote the opera of the 
 Deserter, of which Monsigny composed the music. 
 
 A recollection of a very different kind, a fatal re- 
 collection, has remained deeply engraven in my me- 
 mory. At the time of the marriage of Louis XVI. 
 with Marie-Antoinette of Austria, my tutor took me 
 with my brother to the scaffolding erected in the 
 place Louis XV., in order that we might have a 
 view of the fireworks to be let off along the banks 
 of the river. 
 
 After the fireworks, the immense crowd that filled 
 the place Louis XV. and the Champs-Elysées, at- 
 tempted to go in a body towards the Boulevard, 
 where a brilliant illumination was displayed. Owing 
 to a strange concurrence of mistakes and neglect, 
 deep trenches had been left uncovered, in the rue 
 Royale, by the men who were working to complete 
 the colonnades. 
 
 Numberless lines of carriages, arriving from both 
 extremities of the rue Saint-Honoré, obstructed all 
 communication from the place Louis XV. to the 
 Boulevard. 
 
 No precaution had been taken to guard against 
 this confusion ; the police officers were not in suffi- 
 cient numbers to offer any resistance. The Mayor 
 of Paris, actuated by a parsimonious feeling, had re- 
 fused a thousand crowns which were demanded by 
 Marshal de Biron with the view of confiding public 
 safety to the French guards. A multitude of pick- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 25 
 
 pockets, ready to avail themselves of this circum*' 
 stance, collected together, and impeded the progress 
 of the people who were advancing in crowds along 
 the rue Royale. 
 
 In the midst of this confusion, which was rapidly 
 augmented by terror, many persons unavoidably fell 
 into the open trenches. Other victims fell upon 
 them ; as the multitude constantly increased in a 
 passage to which there w'as no egress, they were 
 soon crow^ded together, crushed, thrown down, and 
 smothered. 
 
 The first authors of this tumult, villains loaded 
 with plunder, perished, likewise, on the spot, after 
 having robbed the men of their purses and watches, 
 and the women of their diamonds, and of every oth- 
 er object of value. Six hundred persons died on 
 this sanguinary arena : a nearly equal number of 
 wounded and of dying, owed their preservation to 
 the tardy assistance aiForded to them. 
 
 Methinks I still hear the cries of women, of old 
 men, of children, who were perishing together 
 heaped upon each other : a horrid catastrophe \\ hich 
 cost the lives of so many victims, and winch would 
 have been held by a more superstitious age as a sure 
 forerunner of the dreadful misfortunes that awaited 
 the youthful couple whose hymen had just been 
 celebrated under such sanguinary auspices. 
 
 There are some extraordinary and casual coinci- 
 dences which seem to afford an excuse for weakness 
 and credulity : how can we avoid believing in pre- 
 sentiments, when it is recollected that the same place 
 Louis XV., where all Paris flocking in festive gSijeAy^ 
 had been suddenly thrown into mourning, became, a 
 few years afterwards, -the horrible theatre upon 
 w-hich fell the heads of thai august couple, and that 
 this atrocious crime was committed on the very spot 
 
 ~ . 4: 
 
26 MEMOIRS 
 
 where the rejoicings for their hymen had been dis- 
 turbed by so dreadful an occurrence ! 
 
 This disaster spread consternation throughout 
 Paris ; but it was the means, at the same time, of 
 augmenting the affections of the inhabitants for the 
 Dauphin and the Dauphiness, who evinced the 
 noblest sensibiUty, and the most active benevolence 
 on this occasion. 
 
 Another event shortly afterwards struck my youth- 
 ful mind, and furnished it with very serious reflections 
 in a court, and at an age when sensations created 
 but too many diversions from thinking. 
 
 In the month of April, 1774, as Louis XV. was 
 going to hunt, he met a funeral, and, being fond of 
 asking questions, he approached the coffin, and en- 
 quired who it was they were going to bury. He 
 was told it was a young girl who had died of the 
 smallpox. Seized with a sudden fear, he returned 
 to his palace, and was two days afterwards attacked 
 with that cruel malady, the very name of which had 
 alarmed him. The hand of death was upon him ; 
 his blood became corrupted ; mortification ensued, 
 and carried him off. His corpse, covered over with 
 lime, was conveyed to Saint-Denis without any kind 
 of ceremony ; and, forty days afterwards, his fune- 
 ral obsequies were performed, and he was placed 
 with due solemnity in the tomb of his ancestors. 
 
 Dazzled, from my infancy, by the splendour of 
 the throne, and the extent of the royal power, a 
 witness of the apparent zeal, the affected ardour, 
 the constant anxiety of courtiers, the perpetual 
 homages which resembled a kind of worship, I could 
 not refrain from shedding tears at the agony and 
 death of the sovereign. What was my surprise, 
 when, hastening to Versailles, I paced the palace, 
 now quite alone, and observed in the town as well 
 as in the gardens, a general indifference, and even a 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 27 
 
 sort of joy in every countenance. The setting sun 
 was forgotten ; the worship of all was directed to 
 the rising sun. The old monarch, though not yet in 
 his tomb, was already classed amongst his silent and 
 motionless predecessors. -His reign now belonged 
 to a history gone by ; the thoughts of men were 
 engaged upon the future : the old courtiers only 
 dreamed of maintaining their influence under the 
 new reign ; and the young courtiers of supplanting 
 them. 
 
 A change of reign is the best antidote to court 
 illusions ; they cease altogether : the heart loses its 
 disguise ; the deceased king is no longer more than 
 a man, and is often considered less than one. No 
 scenic representation conveys a stronger morality 
 with it, or one that gives rise to deeper reflection. 
 
 It falls to the lot of nations^ as well as of indivi- 
 duals, to live in an almost perpetual state of suffer- 
 ing : nations, therefore, as well as invalids, like to 
 vary their position ; they derive a hope of improve- 
 ment from the change. 
 
 Every thing now appeared to justify such a hope : 
 the throne was occupied by a young Prince who 
 was already universally known by the goodness of 
 his heart, the correctness of his mind, and the sim- 
 plicity of his manners. He appeared to feel no 
 other passion than that of discharging his duties, 
 and rendering his people happy. Averse to osten- 
 tation, to luxury, to pride, and to flattery, it seemed 
 as if heaven had modelled this King not for his court, 
 but for his subjects. 
 
 The Queen Marie-Antoinette, endowed with all 
 the charms of her sex, united to dignity of deport- 
 ment which commands respect, the grace that softens 
 the pride of majesty. The expression of her fea- 
 tures alone retained a degree of Austrian pride. 
 Her manners and conversation were amiable, engag- 
 
28 MEMOIRS 
 
 ing, and truly French. Too much wearied perhaps 
 with the etiquette to which her lady of honour, 
 Madame de Mouchy, endeavoured to induce her to 
 conform, she used too oiany efforts to free herself 
 from its troublesome restraint in order to enjoy the 
 sweets of private life ; she felt the want of an inter- 
 course of friendship, a want very seldom experienced 
 by persons in so elevated a station. 
 
 It was imprudent in her to listen too much to the 
 dictates of her heart. The French, notwithstanding 
 that levity of which they are accused, or perhaps as 
 a consequence of that levity, soon cease to respect 
 the authority which governs them, when they find it 
 divested of a certain degree of gravity. They re- 
 quire that its benevolence should be characterised 
 by a seriousness that will confine them within pro- 
 per bounds and discard familiarity. 
 
 A young King, whose chief defect consisted in 
 feeling too much diffidence in his own powers, and 
 in being almost ashamed of the careless education 
 he had received, and a Queen full of wit, but rather 
 thoughtless and inexperienced, could, with difficulty, 
 govern a nation, fickle, ardent and thirsting after 
 glory and novelty, at a time when disorder prevailed 
 in the finances, and agitation filled the public mind, 
 and all burned to avenge the disgrace of an unfor- 
 tunate war, and to recover from the shame resulting 
 from a voluptuous reign. A new philosophy disposed 
 the nation to break through all those bonds which, 
 owing to the weakness of an arbitrary government, 
 and to an habitual licentiousness of public morals, it 
 considered as antiquated and obsolete. 
 
 In a position so critical, the King felt that he 
 stood in need of a guide, a support, a prime minister ; 
 and he accordingly made a choice, but it was not a 
 happy one. The Queen, strongly urged by the 
 manv friends of the Duke de Choiseul, shewed her- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 29 
 
 self disposed to favour his recall ; but the King re- 
 tained against that minister very great prejudices, 
 which he had imbibed from his father and from 
 those who had the superintendence of his education. 
 
 Louis XVI. had, at first, determined to entrust 
 the reins of government to M. de Machault, an able 
 minister and an austere magistrate. The despatch 
 which communicated to him his nomination was 
 already written ; and had been delivered to the 
 messenger who was to carry it, when the King, on a 
 sudden, took it back ; he had altered his mind. 
 The clergy was alarmed at the austere character of 
 M. de Machault, who would have endeavoured to 
 confine that body within the limits of spiritual au- 
 thority. 
 
 Mesdames, the King's aunts, persuaded him to 
 appoint another prime minister; and this was the 
 Count de Maure pas, who had been, when almost still 
 a boy, a minister in the latter days of Louis XIV. 
 His easy disposition, his light and pleasing wit, had 
 gained him many friends. A tendency to raillery 
 had drawn upon him a disgrace of long duration, 
 which he endured with an indifference that was 
 mistaken for philosophy. His advanced age gave 
 him the credit of possessing a degree of experience, 
 that inspired confidence, and thus, by the caprice of 
 fortune, frivolity concealed under hoary locks, be- 
 came intrusted with the helm of the state in the 
 midst of surrounding rocks, and on the approach of 
 impending storms. 
 
 M. de Maurepas, an old man . bordering upon 
 eighty, named minister at the age of twenty, had 
 since fallen into disgrace in consequence of a song 
 composed against Madame dé Pompadour, the mis- 
 tress of Louis XV., which was falsely attributed to 
 him, and had been twenty-five years in exile. 
 
 This minister had lived and shone in the davs of 
 
30 MEMOIRS 
 
 the regency. The indifference and levity of the 
 period of his former success could still be discovered 
 in his character, in spite of the inroads of time, and 
 of the tediousness of a prolonged disgrace. His 
 natural egotism was increased by age ; and his admi- 
 nistration had no other object than to avoid all agi- 
 tation, and to abstain from all daring measures, by 
 vrhich his tranquillity might be endangered. His 
 only wish was quietly to retain his place and quietly 
 to end his days. All his policy consisted in taking 
 men and times as he found them, and in maintaining 
 peace at home and abroad ; this policy was neither 
 injurious nor beneficial ; it neither aggravated nor 
 repaired any mischief; it was rather a palliative 
 than a remedy for the evils of the state. 
 
 He therefore quietly suffered the old idols to re- 
 tain their worship, and innovators to propagate their 
 opinions ; every career was left free to rising pas- 
 sions, provided they worked their way without 
 noise. Under the guidance of so strange a mentor, 
 the King and his court slumbered in perfect confi- 
 dence on the brink of a precipice which this amiable 
 old man and a brilliant society contrived to deck 
 with flowers. 
 
 At the time of the nomination of M. de Maurepas, 
 the quarrel between the dismissed parliaments and 
 those that had succeeded them seemed to be the 
 only indication of an approaching storm. M. de 
 Maurepas hastened to extinguish a fire that gave 
 him some alarm, by recalling the banished parlia- 
 ments, their exile had been an act of tyranny ; their 
 recall ought not to have been a triumph to them; 
 yet such was the case. Their power was uncondi- 
 tionally restored to them ; and a spirit of resistance 
 and innovation was emboldened by this victory, of 
 the independence of the high magistracy over go- 
 vernment. An unjust severity had, as it were, creat- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 31 
 
 ed a spirit of freedom by restraining it ; an act of 
 justice performed with weakness, gave that spirit a 
 new life. 
 
 It is not my intention to describe in this place 
 the pohcy and administration of the first years of 
 the reign of Louis XVI, I was too young to act any 
 part in them, and I could not therefore be well ac- 
 quainted with their secret springs. At my age, I 
 could only follow and attend the court, the brilliant 
 circles of Paris, their superficial attractions and the 
 vortex of their pleasures. 
 
 All those who held places and appointments near 
 the throne belonged to an age anterior to our own. 
 We shewed an outward respect for the old remains 
 of an antiquated system whose manners, ignorance 
 and prejudices, were the theme of our humorous 
 censures : we had no ambition to share with them 
 the burthen of public affairs ; we only thought of 
 amusements ; and, led on by pleasure, we gaily ran 
 our course in the midst of balls, fêtes, field-sports, 
 plays and concerts, without foreseeing our future 
 destinies. 
 
 Impeded in this light career by the antiquated 
 pride of the old court, the irksome etiquette of the 
 old order of things, the severity of the old clergy, 
 the aversion of our parents to -our new fashions, and 
 our costumes which were favorable to the principle 
 of equality, we felt disposed to adopt with enthusi- 
 asm the philosophical doctrines professed by literary 
 men remarkable for their boldness and their wit. 
 Voltaire seduced our imagination ; Rousseau touch- 
 ed our hearts : we felt a secret pleasure in seeing 
 that their attacks were directed against an old fabric, 
 which presented to us a gothic and ridiculous appear- 
 ance. 
 
 We were thus pleased at this petty war although 
 it was undermining our own ranks and privileges, 
 
32 MEMOIRS 
 
 and the remains of our ancient power; but we felt 
 not these attacks personally; we merely w^itnessed 
 them. It was as yet but a war of words and paper, 
 which did not appear to us to threaten the superio- 
 rity of existence we enjoyed, consolidated as we 
 thought it, by a possession of many centuries. 
 
 As the outward forms of the edifice remained un- 
 touched, we did not perceive that the attacks were 
 directed against the interior, and we laughed at the 
 serious alarms of the old court and of the clergy 
 who thundered forth against this spirit of innovation. 
 We applauded the republican scenes represented up- 
 on our theatres, the philosophical speeches of our 
 academies, the bold productions of our literary men ; 
 and we were encouraged in this disposition by the 
 tendency in the parliaments to oppose the govern- 
 ment, and by the noble productions from the pen of 
 such men as Turgot and Malesherbes, who only de- 
 sired salutary and indispensable reforms, but whose 
 temporising wisdom we confounded with the temeri- 
 ty of those who rather endeavoured to change every 
 thing than to correct abuses. 
 
 We were pleased with the courage of liberty, 
 whatever language it assumed, and with the conve- 
 nience of equality. There is a satisfaction in de- 
 scending from a high rank, as long as the resumption 
 of it is thought to be free and unobstructed; and re- 
 gardless therefore of consequences we enjoyed our 
 patrician advantages together with the sweets of a 
 plebeian philosophy. 
 
 The manners of the old and of the new court 
 gradually presented, from these causes, the same ri- 
 valry and the same discordance that might be ob- 
 served in public opinion which was then giving a 
 prelude, by light skirmishes, to those dreadful con- 
 tests that have since changed the face of the whole 
 world. 
 
OF COUNT SEGÙR. 33 
 
 Reared up, however, from our childhood, in the 
 maxims of ancient chivalry, our imagination regretted 
 those heroic and almost fabulous days ; and the first 
 combat fought between the old and young courtiers 
 consisted in an attempt on our part to bring again 
 into fashion the dresses, customs and entertainments 
 of the courts of Francis I., Henry II., Henry III., and 
 Henry IV. 
 
 These ideas were soon adopted by the king's bro- 
 thers. Monsieur and the Count d'Artois, who second- 
 ed our views with as much warmth as activity. Our 
 first success was brilliant, and almost had the effect 
 of producing a complete revolution in the fashions. 
 But our triumph only had the duration of a carnival ; 
 no sooner was it ended, than the old nobility resum- 
 ed their ascendency, and the customs of Louis XIV. 
 and of Louis XV. th^ir empire ; and we returned to 
 our garrisons, there to forget under the regulations 
 of a new discipline the too transitory dreams of 
 knight-errantry. 
 
 This short success, this attempt at innovations had 
 commenced in the gayest manner by ballets and 
 quadrilles. The quadrilles were danced by Mes- 
 sieurs de Noailles, d'Havre, de Guémené, de Dur- 
 fort, de Coigny, the two Dillons, my brother, and my- 
 self, La Fayette, and a few select young ladies. 
 
 The necessity of rehearsals previous to perform- 
 ing the ballets had procured us a frequent and open 
 access to the Queen, the Princesses, and the interior 
 apartments of the Princes. The mirth prevailing 
 at these rehearsals and amusements caused their 
 number to be increased. The gravity of the old 
 courtiers, who held high offices, did not well admit 
 of their being invited to them. Our joy would have 
 been damped by their presence and their ceremo- 
 nious formalities. 
 
 The various costumes we assumed seemed to us^ 
 5 
 
34 MEMOIËS 
 
 âs graceful, as noble, and as picturesque as the mo- 
 dem French dress appeared to us ridiculous. We 
 searched for the costume most befitting a knightly, a 
 gallant, and a warlike court. The Princes selected 
 that of Henry IV. ; and after wearing it in some 
 quadrilles which were much applauded, we procur- 
 ed an order requiring that all gentlemen invited to 
 the Queen's ball, sliould be dressed in that ancient 
 costume. 
 
 It was extremely becoming to young men, but 
 quite the reverse to men of a mature age, and of a 
 short and corpulent stature. The silk mantles, the 
 plumed hats, the ribbonds of lively hues gave a ridi- 
 culous appearance to all those who wanted the fresh- 
 ness of youth or the grace of nature. 
 
 In the midst of our amusements, balls and rehear- 
 sals, politics were humourously introduced, under the 
 disguise of folly. The recall of the parliaments then 
 engaged the public attention. We parodied the sit- 
 tings of those grave assemblies. The part of first 
 president was performed by one of the princes ; oth- 
 ers acted the parts of advocates, attornies-general, 
 and counsellors; and, what may now appear rather 
 a singular coincidence. La Fayette in one of those 
 merry audiences fulfilled the functions of solicitor- 
 general. 
 
 The dissatisfaction felt by men in high office, and 
 by the representatives of the old court, at the inti- 
 macy allowed by the Princes to a few youthful cour- 
 tiers was frequently manifested ; they watched with 
 a peevish activity for an opportunity to remove this 
 young swarm of favorites. We soon learned that 
 they were endeavouring to take advantage of our 
 thoughtless levity, and that they had hinted to M. 
 de Maurepas the impropriety of suifering the Princes 
 to be surrounded by young and frivolous courtiers 
 who had thus presumed to parody the parliaments 
 and the magistracy. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR, 35 
 
 In order to avert the impending storm, I conceiv- 
 ed the idea of dexterously parrying the blow that 
 was levelled at us. Having assisted one night at the 
 King's coucher^ I came up to one of my friends, and 
 speaking to him of one of our joyous meetings, I af- 
 fected to laugh sufficiently loud to be remarked by 
 the King. 
 
 His majesty came up to me, and asked me the 
 cause of such noisy mirth. After hesitating for a 
 few minutes to confess it publicly, as he cesired me 
 to follow him, I drew near a window, and there re- 
 lated to him every thing that had taken place in our 
 parliamentary sittings, giving to my recital the 
 forms, the variety, and the coloring that might ren- 
 der it entertaining to his majesty. The King listen- 
 ed to me with pleasure, and laughed heartily. 
 
 I was informed the next day that, at the moment 
 when the Count de Maurepas was endeavouring to 
 draw down upon us the royal displeasure, and to 
 point out the consequences of a parody which expos- 
 ed the dignity of parliament to the ridicule of a 
 young court, the King interrupted him by saying : — 
 *' Enough; we will think aboutit for the future ; 
 but there is nothing to be done at present, for I 
 am, also, one of the guilty; I have heard all that 
 has occurred, and, so far from being angry, 1 have 
 laughed at it." 
 
 We did not, however, renew those amusements, 
 but our quadrilles continued ; and, in spite of the 
 discontent of the old court, our favor lasted during 
 the whole of the carnival. But no sooner had the 
 hours of pleasure made way for those of austerities, 
 than the severity of etiquette precluded all familiar 
 entrance to us, and serious occupations took the 
 place of amusements. The old court dress triumph- 
 ed over our chivalrous costumes ; and deriving, for 
 our benefit, a useful lesson upon the vicissitudes of 
 
36 MEMOIRS 
 
 fortune, we sank from the height of a favour which, 
 however short and trifling, had excited so many 
 jealousies, into the crowd of other courtiers ; thus 
 learning, at an early age, that favour is no less fleet- 
 ing than pleasure. 
 
 Chance presented to me, by a strange caprice, a 
 remarkable opportunity of recovering the favor of 
 one of our princes during the following winter. It 
 also occurred in those days of pleasure so propitious 
 to youth; and an imprudent act of vivacity then 
 procured for me that valuable favor which remained 
 unchanged for many years, and was only interrupted 
 by the wonderful events that brought about so many 
 extraordinary changes in the world.. 
 
 I was at the ball of the Opera, and unmasked; 
 and promenaded the ball room with a lady of the 
 first quality leaning upon my arm, whose features 
 were concealed by a mask. On a sudden a man, 
 wearing a mask and domino, came up to us, and un- 
 ceremoniously withdrew the lady's arm from mine, 
 and placed it on his own. Surprised at this liberty, 
 I hastily recovered the lady's arm, and expressed to 
 the stranger, in plain terms, my surprise and dis- 
 pleasure at his boldness. 
 
 He replied in the same tone ; and as I was about 
 to rejoin, he came up and whispered these words in 
 my ear : — " Let us make no noise in this place ; I 
 will give you satisfaction elsewhere." — " The terms 
 are not equal, answered I ; you know who I am, and 
 are a stranger to me ; give me your name."—" That 
 is unnecessary ; do you go to-morrow to the Queen's 
 ball ?"—" Yes." — "'Well, then, I will meet you 
 there :" so saying he walked away. 
 
 What astonished me the more was, to observe 
 that the lady, who had occasioned and witnessed our 
 quarrel, so far from appearing alarmed, was laughing 
 at it; and, without naming the stranger who had so 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 37 
 
 cavalierly taken her arm away from mine, seemed 
 to be acquainted with him. 
 
 It will easily be imagined that I was one of the 
 first to appear at the Queen's ball, at Versailles, on 
 the following day. I accosted each person that en- 
 tered, fancying he might be my man ; but their 
 friendly or careless manner of addressing me, quick- 
 ly dispelled that idea. At last the bail room be- 
 came quite full, and no one had come to afford me 
 the desired explanation. 
 
 The inner doors were soon thrown open ; the 
 court made its appearance; the members of the 
 royal family took their seats ; afterwards, before 
 the opening of the country dances, the princes ad- 
 vancea towards us, and addressed in succession those 
 persons w^hom they wished to honour with that mark 
 of favor. 
 
 One of them came up to me, and said : " M. de 
 Segur, where do you reside, at Versailles ?" — I re- 
 plied that I lived at the Hotel d'Orieans, and took 
 the liberty of asking the motive of this question. 
 *• I wish to know," said he, in a low tone of voice, 
 " in order to give you a brief explanation of what 
 took place yesterday, between you and a marked in- 
 dividual at the ball of the opera. I am ready to 
 give you satisfaction on the subject, and leave you 
 the choice of weapons, from a pin to a cannon, un- 
 less you prefer the title of my brother in arms^ which 
 will be the pledge of my friendship for you." I was 
 lost in apologies and thanks, and no less surprised 
 than pleased at so happy and so unexpected a ter- 
 mination of so singular an adventure. 
 
 The prince never ceased, from that moment, io 
 treat me with the utmost kindness; he often afford- 
 ed me the pleasure of his conversation, which w^as 
 distinguished by extensive information, and an amia- 
 ble wit. He allowed me to peruse some verses he 
 
38 MEMOmS 
 
 had compoised, and was pleased to read some of 
 mine. Alter my return from America, and when I 
 was on the eve of my departure for Russia, he be- 
 stowed upon me the royal order, of which he was 
 the ^rand master. 
 
 Whilst at St. Petersburgh I received many letters 
 from him, in which he always honored me with that 
 title which had inspired me with so much gratitude. 
 Unfortunately, however, at the expiration of the 
 five years of my mission, France was overturned ; 
 every thing had undergone a change. After my re- 
 turn to Paris, I seldom saw this august Prince, who 
 was soon compelled, by the troubles of the time, to 
 hasten his departure from his native country. 
 
 My position, my family, and my opinions, made 
 me determine upon placing myself amongst those 
 who hoped to save their country by remaining in it; 
 and I was thus separated from the Prince whose 
 goodness had raised such flattering hopes in my 
 mind, by those political storms which afterwards 
 shook every throne, created and destroyed so many 
 illusions, and were the origin of so many crimes and 
 virtues, and of so much glory. I did not see him 
 again until the restoration, and recollection and gra- 
 titude are all that now remain to me of this happy 
 tie. 
 
 If that Prince had still been alive, and had pe- 
 rused these pages, he would have smiled, and for- 
 given me the respectful homage I am now paying 
 to him, by presuming to recall one of the traits of 
 his youth, which does equal honour to the elegance 
 of bis mind, and to the suavity of his disposition. 
 
 In those early years of my life, it must be owned, 
 every thing smiled upon me. Fortune, like nature, 
 seems to reserve all her flowers for the spring. My 
 advancement in the army was rapid : appointed sub- 
 lieutenant in 1769, in the regiment of cavalry com* 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 39 
 
 manded by M. de Castries, an intimate friend of mj 
 father, I was promoted, two years afterwards, to 
 the rank of Captain ; and, in 1776, the King, at the 
 request of the Duke of Orleans, gave me the rank 
 of second colonel in the regiment of dragoons of Or- 
 leans, y 
 
 Chance procured me, about the same time, an 
 admission into the intimate society of the Countess 
 Jules de Polignac. Nothing, it would seem, could 
 be more contrary to the views of my young ambi- 
 tion than such an intimacy, however pleasing it might 
 be, with a family distinguished, it is true, by its birth, 
 but at that time removed from the sphere of great- 
 ness and favors. 
 
 The Countess Jules and her husband, together 
 with her sister-in-law, the Countess Diane de Polig- 
 nac, lived in modest retirement, far from court, 
 where they seldom made their appearance. Their 
 tastes and dispositions led them to prefer the sweets 
 of a private life to the storms of a public one. 
 
 It was impossible to find a person of a more mild 
 and prepossessing countenance than the Countess 
 Jules; and none exceeded her in the charm of her 
 voice, or in the amiable qualities of the heart and 
 mind. 
 
 Her relations, the Countesses de Chalons and 
 d'Andlaw, the Count de Vaudreuil, the Duke de 
 Coigny, M. Delille, a man distinguished by the ori- 
 ginality of his wit; — the Baron de Besenval, whose 
 agreeable levity, entirely French, made one forget 
 that he was born a Swiss, formed a delio^htful circle, 
 m which hours passed away like minutes. 
 
 The pleasure of these .meetings was encreased by 
 the accession of a man who, from an inferior rank, 
 was rapidly raised to a high fortune by the effect of 
 chance. He had long been known under the name 
 of Monfalcon ; and though merely a lieutenant and 
 
40 MEMOIRS 
 
 adjutant in a regiment of infantrj^, his fine person 
 and impetuous courage caused him to be noticed bj 
 my father and by M. de Castries in the affair of 
 Warbourg. 
 
 In this affair, in which ten thousand Frenchmen 
 fought with obstinacy against the whole army of the 
 Duke of Brunswick, some of our battahons were re- 
 tiring after having taken, lost, and re-taken, for the 
 third time, an important position. Young Monfal- 
 con, sword in hand, his eye full of fire, his hair in 
 disorder, and the comeliness of his person still 
 heightened by his courage, advanced, called, encou- 
 raged the soldiers, rallied them, rushed at their head 
 into the thickest of the engagement, triumphed, and 
 regained possession of the disputed eminence. 
 
 The two generals, who had witnessed his bravery, 
 solicited a reward for him ; but as his name was not 
 known, and he was without fortune or connections, 
 he only obtained the cross of Saint Louis, and the 
 rank of major in a small town. This was rather 
 putting him upon a retired pension than rewarding 
 his services. 
 
 All prospect of advancement seemed closed for 
 him, when, by a singular chance, he found in his re- 
 tirement, that fortune which he had vainly pursued 
 on the field of battle. He frequently went to pass 
 some time at the small country house of an old aunt, 
 and as the monotonous life she led could not afford 
 him any enjoyment, he amused himself by reading 
 over the many dusty old parchments deposited in 
 the archives of the château; and, to his great sur- 
 prise, he discovered, amongst them, some title deeds, 
 which evidently established his descent from the an- 
 cient house of Adhemar, which was generally thought 
 to be extinct. 
 
 Provided with these documents, he hastened to 
 Paris, and communicated to my father and to M. de 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 41 
 
 Castries, who were his protectors, the discovery he 
 had made. They, at first, laughed at it, and consi- 
 dered his hopes quite chimerical. He, however, 
 carried the deeds, by their advice, to Cherin, the 
 genealogist, a profound judge in these matters, and 
 perfectly incorruptible; had he, indeed, not been so, 
 a poor town major could not have found the means 
 of bribing him. 
 
 Cherin, after a long examination, pronounced the 
 titles to be authentic; and the new Count d'Adhe^ 
 mar, having been acknowledged, and having, through 
 the intervention of my father and of M. de Castries, 
 obtained the rank of colonel, commanding the regi*^ 
 ment of infantry of Chartres, was presented at court, 
 
 Madame de Valbelle, a widow possessing a for^ 
 tune of forty thousand livres a year, and a lady of 
 the Queen's palace, was charmed with the new co- 
 lonel, and, hoping to compensate for the disparity of 
 ages by the gift of her property, married him. M* 
 d'Adhemar joined to regularity of features, an amia= 
 ble mind, and a charming voice, and being intimate 
 with the Count de Vaudreuil, he was presented by 
 him to the Countess Jules and soon numbered 
 amongst her friends. 
 
 All this party sometimes met together at the 
 Dutchess de Bourbon's, who gave little concerts, 
 which displayed the talents of the Countess Jules, of 
 the Countess Amélie de Boufflers, of Messieurs d'Ad- 
 hemar and de Vaudreuil, and of the Duke de Guines, 
 who played the flute in a superior style. 
 
 In this circle public affairs were never thought of; 
 and it would have been difficult to foresee that, in a 
 short time afterwards, the family of the Polignacs, 
 and their friends, would- attain the summit of favoi-, 
 and rise above all those courtiers who were born in 
 the palace, and had grown old in courts. 
 
 T have said that the young Queen had a heart 
 6 
 
42 MEMOIRS 
 
 formed for aftection. She wished to have a friend 
 who would be captivated rather by her personal 
 endowments than by her power, and who would 
 love her for herself. Struck by the countenance of 
 the Countess Jules, by the soft expression of her 
 eyes, by the modest and open sensibility which her 
 engaging physiognomy disclosed, she conceived for 
 her an attachment which lasted all her life. Her 
 entreaties, at length, overcame the modesty of Ma- 
 dame de Polignac, who came to the court, and was 
 established there in the character of favorite. 
 
 The Queen appointed her husband master of the 
 horse ; the Countess Diane was placed near the per- 
 son of Madame Elizabeth, as her lady of honor ; M. 
 de Vaudreuil received the office of high falconer ; 
 and M. d'Adhemar named chevalier d'honneur to 
 Madame Elizabeth, obtained the appointment of 
 minister at the Court of Brussels, and, in a few years 
 afterwards, of ambassador to England. 
 
 It may well be supposed that these new favors, 
 at first, occasioned surprise, and afterwards created 
 envy ; but this envy was almost always disarmed by 
 the gentleness, the modesty, the disinterestedness of 
 the favorite. Never was a favorite seen with less 
 avidity or egotism ; and, in fact, so far from wishing 
 to monopolize favours, pensions, or appointments, 
 she preferred obtaining them for others to securing 
 them for herself. 
 
 A striking proof of this was exhibited at a later 
 period, when a great public scandal deprived the il- 
 lustrious house of Rohan of an exalted office ; the 
 Prince de Guémené became bankrupt for twenty 
 millions, and the Princess his wife, who was gover- 
 ness of the Children of France, found herself under 
 the necessity of resigning that important trust. 
 
 The Queen then became desirous of confiding to 
 her friend the education of her children : but it re- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 43 
 
 quired the greatest efforts to overcome her resist- 
 ance, and to compel her to accept such a signal 
 mark of rojal favor, in the appointment to an office 
 which was considered one of the highest in the king- 
 dom. 
 
 My great intimacy with the Countess Jules, who 
 became Dutchess de Pohgnac, and with her friends, 
 procured me a share in her good fortune. The 
 Queen, who often saw me in that circle, which she 
 frequently adorned by her presence, and where she 
 generally passed her evenings, gradually condescend- 
 ed to treat me v\'ith particular kindness ; and, in a 
 few years afterwards, her influence greatly contri- 
 buted to my father's appointment as minister of 
 war. 
 
 M. d'Adhemar, of whom I have already spoken, 
 was kind enough, at the request of my father, to 
 conduct me to Strasburgh, where I was going to fol- 
 low a course of jurisprudence. His regiment was 
 stationed there, and we applied together to the stu- 
 dy of diplomacy, which had hitherto been equally 
 unknown to both. 
 
 On my return to Paris, I found myself plunged in 
 the former vortex of Jetes^ circles, balls, and plea- 
 sures of every kind. My reception at court was 
 daily improving, and my father was inclined to exert 
 his influence to procure me a situation in one of the 
 royal households ; but a duty of that nature was dis- 
 agreeable to me, and I opposed his intention. 1 was 
 not yet tormented by the dreams of ambition. My 
 liberty was dearer to me than a brilliant, but an irk- 
 some dependence. Duty called me to Versailles, 
 but inclination made me a resident in Paris. 
 
 My time was not, however, chiefly engaged in the 
 amusements and gallantries of thoughtless young 
 men, to which my age might have pleaded an ex- 
 cuse ; I eagerly sought the company of persons at 
 
44 MEMOIRS 
 
 whose houses the most renowned literary characters, 
 and men of learning were in the habit of assembling, 
 and frequently visited Madame Geoffrin and Madame 
 du Deffant. I also found in some of the higher cir- 
 cles, such as those of the Princess de Beauvau, the 
 Dutchess de Choiseul, Madame la Maréchale de 
 Luxembourg, the Dutchess de Grammont, Madame 
 de Montesson, then secretly married to the Duke of 
 Orleans, the Dutchess d'Anville, the Countess de 
 Tesse, and my mother, the advantage of mixing in 
 conversations sometimes profound, and sometimes 
 light and trifling, always uniting instruction to amuse- 
 ment, and possessing a charm v\'hich is entirely ba- 
 nished in the present day. 
 
 They exhibited an indescribable mixture of sim- 
 plicity and elevation, of grace and reason, of criti- 
 cism and urbanity. From them the history and po- 
 licy of ancient and modern times, and a multitude of 
 court anecdotes, from the days of Louis XIV. down 
 to the then reigning King, might be imperceptibly 
 collected : thus, leading through a gallery as instruc- 
 tive, and varied in portraits and events, as that Avhich 
 is offered in the inimitable letters of Madame de 
 Sévigné. 
 
 Every new production of the men of transcendent 
 genius and brilliant wit, who were, at that time, an 
 ornament to France, was eagerly sought for. The 
 works of Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, Helvetius, Rous- 
 seau, Duclos, Voltaire, Diderot, and Marmontel, fur- 
 nished inexhaustible subjects to those conversa- 
 tions in which almost every judgment pronounced, 
 appeared to be dictated by reason and good taste. 
 
 The discussions which arose in the course of these 
 conversations, were carried on with the utmost tem- 
 per; disputes very seldom occurred; and, as a deli- 
 cate sense of propriety had carried the art of pleas- 
 ing to perfection, all tediousness was discarded by 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 45 
 
 carefully avoiding to insist too much upon any sub- 
 ject. The precept the most strictly observed was 
 that of Boileau, who teaches us to run perpetually, 
 '^ Du grave au doux, du plaisant au sévère.''^ It often 
 happened, therefore, that, jn the same evening, the 
 conversation turned upon the Esprit des Lois and 
 the tales of Voltaire, the philosophy of Helvetius 
 and the operas of Sedaine or Marmontel, the trage- 
 dies of La Harpe and the licentious tales of Abbé 
 de Voisenon, the discoveries in India by Abbé Ray- 
 nal and the songs of Collé, the politics of Mably and 
 the delightful poetry of Saint-Lambert or Abbé 
 Delille. 
 
 The most distinguished men of letters were re- 
 ceived in a flattering manner by the higher nobility; 
 and this mixture of courtiers with literary men, im- 
 parted to the former more knowledge, and to the 
 latter more taste. At no time did Paris present a 
 greater resemblance to the celebrated Athens. 
 
 To my ardent passion for literature I was indebt- 
 ed, young as I was, for the friendship of D'Alembert, 
 of Abbé Raynal, of the Count de Guibert, of Champ- 
 fort, Suard, Abbé Arnaud, Rulhiere, the Chevalier 
 de Boufflers, the Chevalier de Chastellux, Abbé 
 Barthélémy, and Abbé Delille ; for the kindness of 
 M. de Malesherbes, and the advice of the celebrat- 
 ed Count d'Aranda. La Harpe and Marmontel in- 
 structed me by their prudent counsels, and fostered 
 my earliest productions. 
 
 The slight, though rather brilliant success which 
 attended my first attempts, encouraged my self-love, 
 and inspired me with a persevering ambition to ac- 
 quire more solid and legitimate titles to literary 
 fame. By submitting my first productions to men 
 so well qualified to judge, I learned of them how 
 yery difficult is the art of writing. 
 
 The conversations of men who had acquired a 
 
46 MEMOIRS 
 
 well' deserved celebrity, are more instructive than 
 their works. We derive from them an acquaintance 
 with a variety of rules, in judgment and in taste, 
 and with a multitude of observations and shades, 
 which it would be very difficult to lay down in writ- 
 ing. 
 
 No book could have taught me what I learned in 
 a few conversations with Marmontel and La Harpe, 
 respecting the forms of style and the secret springs 
 of eloquence, with Boufflers upon the art of intro- 
 ducing without effort a pointed and happy expres- 
 sion, with M. de Beauvau and Suard upon the cor- 
 rectness of style, with the Duke de Nivernais upon 
 the shades of elegance and the delicacy of taste» 
 with Abbé Delille upon the means of grasping in 
 our minds that magic wand which gives animation to 
 every subject. 
 
 I will only quote to this purpose a single example, 
 already known, but never too often repeated It 
 was asserted, in the presence of Abbé Delille, that 
 the French language, not possessing, like the Greek 
 and Latin, long and short syllables, was not suscepti- 
 ble of conveying, like them, a descriptive picture by 
 accent or quantity ; in short, that it was deficient in 
 harmony. 
 
 The Abbé pretended, on the contrary, that our 
 happy language offered every resource to real talent, 
 and that its imitative harmony" was capable not only 
 of portraying the differences, but also the shades of 
 objects; in proof of which he quoted his own verses : 
 
 Peins-nous légèrement l'amant léger de Flore ; 
 
 Qu'un doux ruisseau murmure en vers plus doux encore. 
 
 Entend-on de la mer les ondes bouillonner ? 
 
 Le vers, comme un torrent, en roulant doit tonner. 
 
 Q,u' Ajax soulève un roc, et l'arrache avec peine, 
 
 Chaque syllabe est lourde et pesamment se traîne. 
 
 Mais vois d'un pied léger Camille effleurer l'eau : 
 
 Le vers vole et la suit, aussi prompt qu'un oiseau. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR, 47 
 
 Abbé Deiille united to the charm of his poetry 
 that of reading it with a perfection truly fascinating. 
 
 Nothing is more uncommon in France than the 
 talent of reading properly : the art of modulating 
 the inflections of ihe voice, in strict accordance with 
 the force of expression, with correctness, and with 
 nature, is there entirely unknown. This art, how- 
 ever, so familiar to the ancients, constitutes much of 
 the talent of the orator and the poet. Every one 
 knows that the finest scene will produce no effect if 
 ill recited; and yet, in the general habits of life, a 
 monotonous pronunciation is still adhered to, which 
 shortens every thing, clips half our words, is quite 
 devoid of character, stamps uniformity upon every 
 subject, and thus detracts from the grace of wit, and 
 the power of reason. 
 
 Impressed with these truths, I followed the ad- 
 vice of La Harpe and Deiille, and of my mother^ 
 whose judgment was always enlightened by a taste 
 no less correct than refined, and, for a long time, I 
 took lessons of Le Kain, the celebrated actor, in or- 
 der to learn to read well, and speak with proper 
 tone and emphasis. 
 
 The self-love of the most ambitious is generally 
 directed to one sole object, that which his position, 
 his faculties, his inclinations, and the manners of his 
 age will point out to him. Thus, amongst the an- 
 cients, the activity of all young men was excited by 
 ihe rostrum, the palms of eloquence, the laurels ga- 
 thered in the wars, and other laurels offered to talent 
 by the muses : these were the motives of their ar- 
 dor, these the rewards they aspired to obtain. 
 
 At a later period, the minds of the generality of 
 men were detached from earthly objects, and direct- 
 ed towards heaven. The glory of saints was pre- 
 ferred to that of heroes; camps were deserted for 
 monasteries, the rostrum for the pulpit, the purple 
 
48 MEMOIRS 
 
 for the sack-cloth. Literary or warHke passions 
 made way for reHgious enthusiasm. 
 
 The mask of piety was soon put on, with eager- 
 ness, by ambition, ever ready to follow any road 
 leading to consideration. Politics assumed the dis- 
 guise of religion ; each courtier affected a piety 
 which, by a pretended renouncement to earthly 
 goods and worldly pleasures, opened to him all the 
 sources of fortune and power. 
 
 Amongst modern nations there existed, for a long 
 time, a constant mixture of superstition and fanati- 
 cism, sad inheritance, transmitted by the corrupted 
 Romans, with the warlike ardour of the ancient 
 Franks and Germans, who acknowledged no law but 
 that derived from superiority of strength, whose 
 only pleasure was war, and who fancied that heaven 
 w^as closed against cowards, and open to the brave. 
 
 Amongst these new people, and with us more par- 
 ticularly, love was treated with indulgence by reli- 
 gion and glory, so that the French character, until 
 the 17th century, maintained itself at once devout, 
 warlike and gallant. 
 
 These manners Avere those of the feudal or chi- 
 valrous times : the threefold desire of serving his 
 God, fighting for his king, and pleasing his lady, 
 glowed alone in the breast of every young nobleman 
 from his childhood ; and, with the exception of that 
 class which is condemned by its poverty, to labour 
 and ignorance, the whole nation was more or less 
 animated with these chivalrous sentiments. 
 
 At the period, however, of my entering into the 
 world, these sentiments, of which some traces were 
 yet to be found, had already experienced considera- 
 ble alterations. The discovery of printing and the 
 reformation introduced by Luther, had produced a 
 wish to investigate and analyse every thing. The 
 mind, issuing from the darkness of ages, was dazzled 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 49 
 
 by this new light, and endeavoured, through the as- 
 sistance of its rajs, to discriminate between truth 
 and error, to know every thing, to introduce perfec- 
 tion in every thing. 
 
 Blushing at the ignorance of our forefathers, we 
 not only wished to appropriate to ourselves the 
 treasures of science possessed by the ancients, but 
 we even pretended to equal, and soon to surpass 
 them in the career of arts, legislation, literature and 
 philosophy. 
 
 This revolution, gradually brought about by the 
 discoveries of the 15th century, by the wars of reli- 
 gion, by the emancipation of some republic that had 
 thrown off the yoke of arbitrary power, and freed 
 themselves from the sway of Rome, in short, by the 
 glory of the great writers of the age of Louis XIV., 
 and afterwards by the epicurean philosophy of the 
 regency, had exercised so general an influence over 
 the rising youth of France, at the opening of the 
 reign of Louis XVI., that each of us might have pre-_ 
 sented to the attention of an enlightened observer, 
 the most singular medley of Greek, Roman, Gallic, 
 French, chivalrous and philosophical manners. 
 
 Brought up in the principles of a military monar- 
 chy, the pride of a privileged nobility, the fascina- 
 tions of the court and the maxims of religion ; car- 
 ried away, on the other hand, by the licentiousness 
 of the age, and by a gallantry of which we boasted ; 
 excited to aspire after liberty by the writings of the 
 philosophers, and by the speeches of the parlia- 
 ments ; instead of proceeding, with acknowledged 
 principles, towards a positive object, we wished to 
 enjoy, at one and the same time, the favours of the 
 court, the pleasures of the town, the approbation of 
 the clergy, the good will of the lower classes, the 
 applause of philosophers, the fame acquired by lite- 
 rary successes, the favor of the ladies and the e^- 
 7 
 
50 MEMOIRS 
 
 teem of virtuous men; so that a young French cour- 
 tier, animated by that desire of reputation which 
 keeps men of distinction separated from the vulgar, 
 thought, spoke, and acted by turns, as a citizen of 
 Athens, of Rome, or of Lutecia, as a knight errant, 
 a crusader, or a courtier, as a follower of Plato, of 
 Socrates, or of Epicurus. 
 
 This divergency of ideas necessarily created a 
 confusion, which extended even to the court. The 
 King's aunts revived the recollection of the pious 
 and austere customs of the latter days of Louis 
 XIV. ; M. de Maurepas of the soft epicurism of the 
 regency ; the Count du Muy, minister of w^ar, of the 
 courage, severity, and devotion of ancient knights; 
 M. de Miromenil, keeper of the seals, of the old 
 and almost servile dependency of some magistrates 
 under absolute reigns; M. Turgot of the spirit of 
 those wise philanthropists, citizens and not courtiers, 
 who, by the introduction of great reforms, were de- 
 sirous of delivering the people from oppression, of 
 giving the ascendency to the public welfare over 
 private interests, to justice over arbitrary law, and 
 to principles over prejudice. 
 
 The recollections of the league were still discove- 
 rable, in the forms of parliamentary parties, in the 
 opinions of a few peers, of several magistrates, and 
 even of a prince of the blood, the old Prince of Con- 
 ti. The party of religion and of despotism had, 
 likewise, its defenders in the Marsan's and d'Aiguil- 
 lon's, and the party of the Duke de Choiseul exhi- 
 bited at the same time, in its ranks what was most 
 brilliant in the system of the ancient monarchy, and 
 in that of the innovators. 
 
 In the midst of this general movement, and of this 
 conflict of opposite opinions, the good King Louis 
 XVI. and his young Queen, both sought after truth, 
 desired what was right, and formed dreams of pub- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR, 51 
 
 lie happiness without foreseeing their own fatal 
 destiny. 
 
 Louis XVI. was the most upright man in his king- 
 dom ; firmness alone was wanting to the rare quah- 
 ties he possessed; and in the midst of so many pas- 
 sions in a state of ferment, of so many projects of in- 
 novation, of a want so universal for a change, his 
 conciliating goodness drew him too rapidly towards 
 the numerous rocks rising out of this agitated sea, 
 and against which it was evident that our ancient 
 monarchy must inevitably come to pieces. 
 
 The object of every one was merely to repair this 
 old edifice ; and in this simultaneous attempt of all, 
 it was levelled with the ground. Too much light 
 was brought to the work by many, and a conflagra- 
 tion ensued. The consequence of all this has been 
 that the last fifty years of our harassed lives, have 
 been to each of us a dream alternatelv monarchical, 
 republican, warlike and philosophical. 
 
 Notwithstanding the friendship that bound me 
 to the society of the new favorites at court, I con- 
 tinued to prefer Paris to Versailles; the love of 
 literature and of pleasures had an invincible attrac- 
 tion for me ; summer alone and my duties took me 
 away from town. In the garrisons, however, I ha- 
 bitually devoted to study the hour of liberty which 
 the service allowed to me. 
 
 I there saw another picture, and other traces of 
 our ancient chivalrous customs. Chance placed me 
 in a situation in which agreeably to the manners of 
 the age, and in obedience to the old prejudices 
 which were mixed up with the new ideas, I was 
 obliged to have an affair of honor ; for the practice 
 of duelling, almost the only surviving gothic preju- 
 dice, had constantly stood its ground, as it still does, 
 in opposition to religion, common sense, philosophy, 
 and the laws. Thus, although our kings took an 
 
52 MEMOIRS 
 
 oath at their coronations not to pardon the guilty, 
 little pains were taken to conceal a duel ; and mine 
 which made a great noise at Lisle, so far from, 
 drawing down any disgrace upon me, brought me in- 
 to greater vogue and contributed to increase my suc- 
 cess at court and in town. 1 fulfil one of the objects 
 I have in view in relating it; for it will exhibit a 
 singular mixture of vivacity, courtesy, and levity 
 which characterised the French manners of that 
 period. 
 
 The army did not then resemble what it now is ; 
 it shewed the same desire of distinguishing itself, the 
 same zeal for the service of its king and country; 
 the officers paid the same attention to the military 
 exercises and military duties; but its composition 
 was different, and the bonds of subordination were 
 much looser than they are at the present day. 
 
 The regiments were completed by recruiting on- 
 ly ; so that instead of receiving under their colors 
 the sons of families out of every class, drawn by the 
 conscription, and in consequence of a general law, 
 they numbered only young men who, for the most 
 part, had determined to enlist either through idleness 
 or derangement in their affairs. No prospect of pro- 
 motion was presented to them; and nothing was 
 more uncommon than to see soldiers or petty offi- 
 cers, rise to the rank of officers. The few to whom 
 chance might procure this advancement, only ob- 
 tained it after many years service, and the name 
 they received sufficiently indicated the unfrequency 
 of those favorable chances; they were called officiers 
 de fortune. The nobility alone had a right to enter 
 the service with the rank of sub-lieutenants. 
 
 This ancient custom was founded on the feudal 
 system, and on the prejudice which excluded a 
 French gentleman from any other career than that 
 of arms, diplomacy, or the law. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 53 
 
 These remains of our old customs opposed consi- 
 derable difficulty to the maintenance of a perfect 
 subordination between officers separated, it is true, 
 by the gradations of rank, but who, as noblemen, 
 considered themselves on a footing of equality with 
 one another. 
 
 Each officer paid a respect to his superior in field 
 exercises, on the parade and in the hours of service ; 
 but few traces of subordination were to be found at 
 any other time or place. When returned to town 
 or to court, they would often necessarily meet in an 
 inverse order; and à country gentleman, the colonel 
 of a regiment, would find himself in a situation of in- 
 feriority, with his young captains, or sub-lieutenants, 
 who might hold appointments, or be graced with 
 illustrious names, such as Montmorency, Rohan, Gril- 
 lon, etc. . 
 
 The regiment to which 1 belonged offered a strik- 
 ing proof of this anomaly. The colonel, command- 
 ing it under the orders of M. de Castries, was a poor 
 gentleman from Gascony, named Dabeins, who had 
 grown old in the inferior ranks : he reckoned under 
 his colors, besides the officers on the strength of the 
 corps, seventeen supernumerary sub-lieutenants in 
 expectancy, such as the prince of Lambesc, of the 
 house of Lorraine, master of the horse of the court 
 of France ; the son of the Duke de Fleury, first 
 gentleman of the chamber ; the counts de Matignon, 
 de Roucheroles, de Balby ; in short, the most bril- 
 liant young noblemen of the court. 
 
 Mr. Dabeins well knew how to restrain our tur- 
 bulent spirit, and at times how to humble our pride ; 
 often, on great field days, and in presence of a rath- 
 er numerous assemblage, he felt a pleasure in treat- 
 ing us slightingly by such expressions as the follow- 
 ing : " M. Fleury, M. Lambesc, M. Segur, you ma- 
 nœuvre like giddy young men ; I shall put you under 
 
f)é MEMOIRS 
 
 m 
 
 arrest, in order to ripen your brains." Turning at 
 the same time to the officiers de Jortune, he would 
 say to them : " M. de Carré, M. de Créplot, M. de 
 Roger, you have very properly executed my orders; 
 you shew that you are as ht to command as to obey." 
 It generally happened that his praises and reproaches 
 were not very justly bestowed ; the result, however 
 was pretty fair, since he encouraged the humble, and 
 humbled the proud. 
 
 It will be easily understood, that, notwithstanding 
 the severity of some commanding officers, it became 
 very difficult, when away from the service, to main- 
 tain subordination amongst so many young noblemen 
 accustomed from their infancy to consider them- 
 selves on a par with each other, and who fancied 
 they were born to command. The middle classes of 
 society had often to complain of their pride when in 
 garrisons or in quarters. 
 
 For the last few years, however, the spirit of 
 equality, introduced by the increase of knowledge, 
 had begun to spread through the nation. In several 
 cities, such as Toulouse, Lyons, Besançon, Stras- 
 burgh, the bravery of many young students had, in 
 many duels compelled noblemen to admit that the 
 sword may restore the level, when honour claims it, 
 and justice refuses to acknowledge its existence. 
 
 it generally happened that there was less cause 
 of complaint against the higher nobility or persons 
 attached to the court than against the country nobi- 
 lity, who w^ere poor and unenlightened; and this 
 ought not to occasion surprise ; for the latter had 
 nothing but their titles, which they were continually 
 opposing to the real superiority of some of the mid- 
 dle classes whose knowledge and wealth embarrassed 
 and humbled them. 
 
 A courtier was generally known by his urbanity of 
 manners; whilst pride and a disposition to be easily 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. Ob 
 
 offended, were oftener to be met with amongst young 
 country gentlemen. These quarrelsome characters 
 were the most difficult to restrain ; shunned by the 
 circles of the middle classes, idle in their own apart- 
 ments, all their time, after the hours of exercise, was 
 wasted away at coffee-houses, the theatre and the 
 billiard table. 
 
 There was in Lisle a good company of actors; 
 the attendance of young lieutenants and sub-lieute- 
 nants of the garrison at the theatre was so constant, 
 and at so early an hour, that the captains and supe- 
 rior officers frequently found all the places taken 
 when they came to the first tier of boxes. 
 
 The commandant of Lisle, being informed of this 
 circumstance, adopted a hasty measure, a course 
 quite at variance with the usual tenor of his conduct ; 
 he strictly forbade the lieutenants and sub-lieutenants 
 from entering the first tier of boxes, until after the 
 first act of the performance. 
 
 Every one was surprised and dissatisfied at this 
 order, and it was agreed between all the captains of 
 the garrison, by way of consolation to their junior 
 comrades, that they should share their fate, and not 
 occupy the places from which the latter were 
 excluded. 
 
 Having been absent for some days in the country^ 
 I was quite ignorant of the order issued and of the 
 effect it had produced. Reaching Lisle when the 
 representation was about to begin, I went into one 
 of the dress-boxes, and to my great surprise found it 
 empty, as were all those of the same tier. My 
 surprise was not diminished at noticing that hats 
 were laid upon every chair of those boxes. They 
 belonged to the lieutenants and sub-lieutenants who, 
 to evade the order, had their places thus bespoken 
 for them. 
 
 As the box I had entered was spacious, I intro- 
 
MEMOIRS 
 
 duced a chair between two of those that were in 
 front, and sat down, as much astonished as ever at 
 finding that the first tier was so empty, when the 
 rest of the theatre was quite full. 
 
 I was still more surprised when I saw that, imme- 
 diately after the first act was over, every door of 
 the first tier was thrown open, and the boxes were 
 filled with officers. 
 
 One of them, M. de la Villeneuve, a lieutenant in 
 the regiment of infantry of the Dauphin, took his 
 seat by my side, and said to me : " Sir, you have 
 " thrown down my hat which was upon that chair." 
 I had, in fact, done so quite unintentionally on sitting 
 down. 1 made him a polite apology ; but he replied 
 with unaccountable ill-humour, that such an act of 
 impertinence could not be redressed by a bad excuse. 
 I answered that, after the performance, he should 
 receive a serious explanation, and one that might 
 not be quite so satisfactory to him. 
 
 This point being agreed upon between us, he 
 remained silent ; but as he was young and impatient, 
 he could not wait until the end of the performance. 
 When the first play was over, he rose from his seat, 
 mnd beckoned to me to follow him. At the moment 
 of my going away, a young lieutenant of my regi- 
 ment, the count d'Assas, who happened to be behind 
 me, and who wished to have my seat in case I should 
 not return, said to me, repeating this line of a comic 
 opera which was then being performed : " Segur. 
 you are going, 
 
 " Pour ne revenir jamais, pour ne revenir jamais." 
 
 To which I merely replied, " You are perhaps mis- 
 taken." 
 
 As soon as I had joined my boisterous lieutenant 
 at the foot of the staircase, we left the theatre 
 together, and having reached the parade, he, after 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 57 
 
 some moments of reflection, which proceeded from 
 a heart as good as his disposition was thoughtless 
 and hasty, said to me : " We are indeed very fool- 
 ish ; we are about to cut each other's throats for 
 a trifle which assuredly doe^s not call for it, for a hat 
 that had fallen down." — " This reflection," I replied, 
 " is very just ; but it comes too late ; I have not 
 the honor of knowing you ; the wine is drawn, and 
 we must drink it."* — " As you please then," rejoined 
 he, "let us leave the town." — " No," said I, " it is 
 very late ; and whichever of us may be wounded, 
 ought not to be left in afield without assistance ; 
 let us settle the matter upon a bastion." He ob- 
 served that this was forbidden under the severest 
 penalties. " What matters the prohibition," 1 re- 
 plied ; "the shortest follies are always the best, it 
 will be soon over; let us proceed." 
 
 Having reached the interior of a bastion, we took 
 our coats off, and drew our swords ; my adversary, 
 who was ardent and nimble, sprung towards me, 
 with such rapidity, that 1 had not time to parry the 
 thrust ; and I felt that he had struck me in the side. 
 As fortune would have it, he had missed my body 
 by his impetuosity ; and it was the hilt of his sword 
 that had touched me, " Faith," said I, to myself, 
 " d'Assas had nearly predicted right." 
 
 I charged my adversary in my turn, and made a 
 bold thrust at him with my sword ; the point entered 
 his body and rested upon a bone. He wished to go 
 on, but the pain prevented him from keeping firm 
 upon his legs ; this would have given me too great 
 an advantage over him ; and I therefore proposed 
 that we should not proceed any further ; he con- 
 
 * A French proverbial expression, meaning, " we have gone 
 too far to recede."^ — (Translator.) 
 
 8 
 
58 MEMOIRS 
 
 sented, and accepted the assistance of my arm to 
 help him on. 
 
 We re-entered the town ; by the h'ght of a lamp, 
 I observed that he was covered with blood, and sad 
 reflections occurred to my mind respecting the cruel- 
 ty of our prejudices. We soon found a coach, into 
 which I placed him with difficulty ; I wished to take 
 a seat in it by his side, but he absolutely refused it. 
 
 Ascribing this refusal to unabated resentment on 
 his part, I expressed to him my surprise at it. 
 " You do me injustice," said he ; " I am wild, rather 
 strange, and even tolerably headstrong ; but I am 
 far from retaining any ill-will against you ; I wish, 
 on the contrary, to inflict upon myself a severer 
 punishment even than you have done ; the wrong is 
 wholly on my side ; I provoked you without cause ; 
 and I beg, that were it only for ten minutes, you will 
 return to the theatre, and resume the seat which 
 has been the unfortunate cause of our quarrel. 
 You may afterwards return to take care of me if 
 you think proper ; in which case you will confer an 
 honor and a pleasure upon me ; otherwise, I have 
 resolved that we shall never meet again." I repre- 
 sented in vain that I could not leave him alone in the 
 condition in which he was, and in the uncertainty 
 whether the wound was mortal or not ; he closed 
 the coach door, and gave me his address. 
 
 In order to comply with his wishes, I went to the 
 theatre, and recovered my seat from d'Assas, to 
 whom I related my adventure ; reminding him of 
 the fine prediction he had heedlessly pronounced, at 
 which he appeared much grieved. 1 returned in 
 the course of a quarter of an hour to my wounded 
 lieutenant, and found him in great pain, although free 
 from danger. He recovered at the end of three 
 weeks ; and related this aftair to all his comrades. 
 It produced a singular result ; the order was with- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 59 
 
 drawn ; all quarrels for places ceased, and harmony 
 was restored between the officers of different ranks. 
 
 As I passed through Nantes five years after this 
 time, on mv way to embark for America, I found 
 there the regiment of the Dauphin. My lieutenant 
 of light dragoons being informed of my arrival, invit- 
 ed me to dine, with all the young men of the garri- 
 son. On this occasion there was only a clashing of 
 glasses : it was a scene of cordiality and lively mirth. 
 i have mentioned this anecdote, for no other reason 
 than that it appears to me calculated to portray the 
 spirit of the age, and the manners of our times. 
 
 My stay at Lisle closed with this adventure ; for 
 I received three weeks afterwards the neW'S of my 
 appointment to the rank of second colonel of the re- 
 giment of dragoons of Orleans, and at the same time 
 an order from my father to rejoin him in Franche- 
 Comté, of which province he was governor. 
 
 I felt a very gratifying pleasure in observing what 
 veneration w^as entertained for my father in his pro- 
 vince, and to how great a degree his noble frank- 
 ness, aided by the grace and wit of my mother, had 
 contributed, in a short time, to restore to tranquilli- 
 ty, a country until then ahvays agitated, to concili- 
 ate contending interests, and create, at least as far 
 as outward appearances went, the most satisfactory 
 harmony between the military bodies, the magistra- 
 cy, the administration, and the middle classes. 
 
 This and many other examples have proved to 
 me that notwithstanding our national levity, or per- 
 haps as a consequence of that levity, the qualities 
 the most necessary for governing us, are gravity, 
 justice, firmness and good faith. To these must be 
 added a certain politeness which, without being in- 
 jurious to digniiy. Conciliates the self-love of e\ery 
 class ; for the most irritable of all passions in France 
 is self-love, or vanity, if this word be preferred; 
 
60 MEMOIRS 
 
 whence it happens that, for the last thirty years, 
 equality has always been more warmly and more 
 constantly defended than liberty. In the eyes of 
 some people, indeed, a state of levelling servitude, 
 weighing equally upon all, would appear less insuf- 
 ferable than a solid liberty constructed upon a sys- 
 tem of gradations, and distinguished into various 
 classes and ranks. 
 
 I made this year an excursion to the waters of 
 Spa, which were then greatly frequented and much 
 in vogue. Spa was the coffee-house of Europe ; it 
 was resorted to from every country, under the pre- 
 tence of health, but in reality in search of pleasure. 
 A more unbounded liberty was enjoyed there than 
 in any other country in the world. The bishop of 
 Liege, the sovereign of this petty state, was too in- 
 signicant a prince to force his laws and customs up- 
 on foreigners. His example was set at nought ; and 
 about a hundred invalids in his pay presented no 
 very eflfectual check ; consequently the French, 
 English, Dutch, Germans, Russians, Swedes, Italians, 
 Spaniards, and Portuguese lived in this place, each 
 according to the manners of their country ; and there 
 was an extraordinary fascination in such a variety of 
 customs. 
 
 It was at Spa that I learned, for the first time, 
 the events which indicated an approaching and 
 mighty revolution in America. The town of Boston 
 was the first theatre of this sanguinary conflict be- 
 tween Great Britain and her colonies. The first 
 cannon shot, fired in that hemisphere, in defence of 
 the standard of liberty, resounded throughout Eu- 
 i^ope, with the rapidity of lightning. 
 
 I recollect that the Anjericans were then styled 
 insurgents, and Bostonians ; their daring courage 
 electrified every mind, and excited universal admira- 
 tion, more particularly amongst young people, who 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 61 
 
 always feel an inclination for novelties, and an eager- 
 ness for battles. In the small town of Spa, in which 
 were collected together so many travellers, or ca- 
 sual and voluntary deputies, as it were, from every 
 European monarchy, I was very much struck on ob- 
 serving the unanimous burst of so lively and general 
 an interest in the rebellion of a people against a 
 sovereign. 
 
 The American insurrection was every where ap- 
 plauded, and became, as it were, a fashion ; the sci- 
 entific English game of whist, made way, on a sud- 
 den, in every circle, for a game, equally serious, 
 which received the name of Boston. This impulse 
 of feeling, however trifling it may appear, was a re- 
 markable forerunner of the mighty convulsions that 
 were about to shake the whole world ; and 1 was 
 very far from being the only one w^hose heart then 
 beat at the sound of liberty just waking from its 
 slumbers, and struggling to throw off the yoke of 
 arbitrary power. 
 
 Those who blamed us afterwards, ought to recol- 
 lect that they then shared our enthusiasm, and felt 
 a pleasure in bringing back the old recollections of 
 the ligue dj\à of ihe fronde ; the times and the cause 
 were Avidely different ; but their censuring disposi- 
 tion was then unable to draw a distinction between 
 them. 
 
 Besides, how could the monarchical governments 
 of Europe wonder at the enthusiasm for liberty 
 which was manifested by young men of ardent minds, 
 who were every where instructed to admire the he- 
 roes of Greece and of Rome, before whom the most 
 enthusiastic praises were bestowed upon the release 
 of Switzerland and Holland from thraldom, and who 
 were taught to read and to reflect by constantly stu- 
 dying the works of the most celebrated republicans 
 of antiquity ? 
 
62 MEMOIRS 
 
 Such was, however, the blindness of princes and 
 of the great : they had favored the progress of 
 knowledge, and required a passive obedience, that 
 can only exist in a state of ignorance. They wished 
 to enjoy all the luxuries provided for them by civili- 
 zation and arts, and would not suffer learned men, 
 artists, or enlightened plebeians, to emerge from a 
 condition bordering upon slavery. They imagined, 
 in short, what was quite impossible, that the light of 
 reason could spread its brilliancy without dispelling 
 the clouds of prejudices originating in ages of bar- 
 barism. 
 
 Every doctrine in education, or progress in philo- 
 sophy, every literary success or theatrical applause, 
 ought to have served as a warning to the ruling pow- 
 ers that a great epoch had arrived, that it required 
 a different art to govern mankind, that the enjoy- 
 ment of their long lost rights, which such men as 
 the immortal Montesquieu had brought to their 
 knowledge, could not any further be withheld from 
 them. 
 
 On my return to Paris, I found the same agitation 
 prevaiiing also there in the public mind. Nobody 
 seemed favorable to the cause of England ; all open- 
 ly expressed their wishes for the success of the Bos- 
 tonians. 
 
 Notwithstanding this manifestation of the love of 
 liberty in France, inequality was still maintained by 
 all the influence of right, of privileges and the laws; 
 though, in reality, it was daily diminishing : the in- 
 stitutions were monarchical, but the manners were 
 republican. Public situations and offices continued 
 to be the portion of certain classes ; but, beyond the 
 exercise of these functions, equality began to prevail 
 in every circle. It often happened, indeed, that li- 
 terary titles took precedence of titles of nobility, 
 and homages, which removed every trace of inferio- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 63 
 
 rity, were not alone reserved for men of genius, but 
 literary men of the second and third order, were 
 often greeted in the world, and received with those 
 attentions which were not shewn to the provincial 
 nobility. 
 
 The court alone preserved ^ts habitual superiori- 
 ty ; but, as courtiers in France are even much more 
 the slaves of fashion than of the prince, they thought 
 it becoming to descend from their rank, and came to 
 pay their court to Marmontel, to D'Alembert, to 
 Raynal, hoping, by this intimacy, to rise in public 
 opinion. 
 
 This spirit of equality formed, at this time, the 
 charm of the circles of Paris, and drew crowds of 
 foreigners to it from every country. The enjoy- 
 ments of private life, of a society free from pride 
 or restraint, of a conversation without disguise or 
 restriction, were unknown every where else, except 
 in England. Elsewhere there existed an insurmount- 
 able and perpetual separation between the classes; 
 each lived with his equals ; there was no reciprocal 
 interchange between the minds and the interests of 
 the unconnected portions of the enlightened popula- 
 tion. 
 
 With us, on the contrary, these frequent commu- 
 nications between the various divisions of society, 
 these mutual intercourses and reciprocal attentions,, 
 this interchange of ideas augmented the rich stores 
 of our civilization ; and, by these newly established 
 relations, the nobility acquired information and know- 
 ledge of every kind, of which they were formerly 
 deprived, whilst enlightened men of the inferior 
 classes, culled, from' the intercourse, the light but 
 charming flowers of a refined taste, a delicate per- 
 ception of propriety and an elegant gracefulness^ 
 which are only to be found in the midst of a polish- 
 ed court. 
 
64 MEMOIRS 
 
 It must also be confessed, that this spirit of equaH- 
 ty, had taken deep root in the French nobihty long 
 before it extended itself to the third class of the 
 state. The feudal hierarchy was forgotten. Henry 
 IV. had been heard to say : " That he considered as 
 his noblest title of honour to be the first amongst 
 French gentlemen." The peers alone, it is true, 
 possessed the right of admission into parliament, and 
 the honours of the Louvre. The Dutchesses enjoy- 
 ed the prerogative ot" sitting upon a tabouret* in the 
 Queen's apartments. But, beyond these circumstan- 
 ces of rare occurrence, all the nobility considered 
 themselves on a footing of perfect equality with 
 each other. 
 
 At the marriage of Marie-Antoinette, the nobility 
 who would not acquiesce in the superiority of the 
 dukes, that is to say, of titled men, resisted, with 
 jsome warmth, the rights which the Queen wanted 
 to establish in favor of the house of Lorraine, and 
 threatened not to go to the dress ball, if the Prin- 
 cess Charlotte of Lorraine was to open the ball. As 
 the resistance was very obstinate, the negotiation 
 upon this trifling subject was of difficult adjustment. 
 At last it was decided that the Princess should en- 
 joy the favor which was intended for her, but with- 
 out establishing a precedent for the future, and only 
 because she was the Queen's relation. 
 
 The pride of the princes of Germany, of that last 
 temple of etiquette, of that last asylum of the an- 
 cient feudal system, was compelled, on coming to 
 France, to submit to this social levelling. All Ger- 
 man princes, though sovereigns at home, were treat- 
 ed in Paris, by French gentlemen, upon a footing of 
 equality. There existed, for instance, no difference 
 between the Prince Max de Deux-Ponts, now King 
 ®f Bavaria, and the French gentlemen who served 
 
 * A seat without a back. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 65 
 
 or lived in habits of social intercourse with him ; 
 this Prince was then in the service of France. 
 
 The Electors and many sovereigns, even of the 
 third order, such as the Duke de Deux-Ponts, who 
 would not have been dis.posed to recognise this 
 equality, but who were, nevertheless, desirous of 
 enjoying the pleasures ajQforded by a residence at Pa- 
 ris, avoided ail difficulty by travelling incognito : it 
 was for this reason that the Duke de Deux-Ponts as- 
 sumed, during his residence there, the title of Count 
 Sponheim. 
 
 The Electors, indeed, had higher pretensions : 
 they thought themselves entitled everywhere to the 
 honors due to royalty, and would not even yield pre- 
 cedence to princes of the blood. Accordingly, they 
 seldom visited France, and their occasional resi- 
 dence there led to serious altercations at court. 
 
 The remark I have just made, relative to the 
 German princes, reminds me of another adventure 
 that occurred to me in consequence of a quarrel, into 
 which the Prince de Nassau forced me with him 
 self, at a dinner given by the Duke de Deux- 
 Ponts, then modestly lodging at the Hôtel du Par- 
 lement d'Angleterre, rue Coq-Héron. 
 
 To explain the origin of this misunderstanding, it 
 will be necessary to go back a few steps in my nar- 
 rative. 
 
 About a year or two before the period of which 
 I am speaking, I met the Prince de Nassau one 
 morning upon the Terrasse des Feuillans, in the Tu- 
 ileries ; he was walking hastily, and I endeavoured 
 in vain to stop him. " 1 am in great haste," said 
 he, " the Prince F .... de S ... . has chosen me 
 for his second in a duel, about to take place imme- 
 diately, in the Champs-Elysées, between him and 
 the Chevalier de L • . . . If you would like to wit- 
 ness the conflict, come with me." 
 9 
 
66 MEMOIRS 
 
 I accepted his proposal, being rather curious to 
 see that Prince upon the ground, he having, by his 
 hesitation in affairs of this nature, contrived to ac- 
 quire a somewhat doubtful reputation in respect to 
 bravery, although there was, perhaps, no man of his 
 day who had fought more frequently than himself. 
 
 We proceeded, therefore, from the Tuileries to 
 the principal walk in the Champs-Elysées, where, at 
 some distance before us, we saw two carriages stop, 
 and our champions alight with their swords. We 
 made all haste to join them, but they were at a con- 
 siderable distance from us, and there happened to 
 be many persons w^alking that day; so that, before 
 we could reach the immediate scene of action, we 
 found ourselves separated from them by a numerous 
 crowd of spectators. 
 
 Hearing, presently, a great tumult, we ran, and 
 arrived in time to witness the singular termination of 
 the combat : one of the parties held in his hand a 
 fragment of his broken sword, whilst the other was 
 striking him with his. Each was accusing the other 
 of having violated the laws of duelling. One de- 
 clared that, having fallen in consequence of his foot 
 slipping, and his sword being broken by the accident, 
 his adversary had endeavored to wound him, al- 
 though disarmed ; and would have done so, if his 
 valet had not come to his assistance. The other 
 exclaimed that his antagonist, without giving him time 
 to place himself in a posture of defence, had slight» 
 ly wounded him in the loins, and that, immediately 
 afterwards, the valet of his said adversary had most 
 unwarrantably interfered in the affray. 
 
 The surrounding crowd was too much divided in 
 opinion to clear up the point. On all sides the cry 
 01 murder and assassination was raised, but the 
 guilty person was not named. The crowd was every 
 moment increasing, and those who had arrived last. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. ^7 
 
 and seen nothing, were not the least loud in their 
 exclamations. 
 
 Each of the seconds was defending, with a some- 
 what partial eagerness, the conduct of his friend ; 
 when, at length, some of the spectators, more pru- 
 dent than the rest, succeeded in persuading the com- 
 batants to put an end to the scandal occasioned by 
 this affair. They were both wounded : their se- 
 conds reconducted them to their carriages, and they 
 retired. 
 
 This adventure, as may be easily imagined, made 
 a great noise ; it became the common topic of con- 
 versation throughout Paris. In the evening, the fa- 
 ther of Prince F . . . . wrote to me, knowing I 
 had been a witness to the scene, to request that I 
 would give him my opinion upon the subject in writ- 
 ing, fully persuaded that it could not but be favora- 
 ble to the honor of his son. 
 
 Prince Nassau urged me strenuously to accede to 
 this request. I, however, declined doing so, alleg- 
 ing, as an excuse, that the seconds of the parties 
 were the only persons competent to describe that 
 extraordinary affair ; and that, mere accident having 
 made me a spectator of it, I was unwilling, especially 
 as I had arrived at the scene of action late, and in 
 the midst of a great tumult, to express upon what 
 I had imperfectly seen and vaguely heard, an 
 opinion disadvantageous to either party. This re- 
 ply was very unsatisfactory to Nassau, and, from 
 that time, a great coolness had subsisted between us. 
 
 We were still upon this footing with each other, 
 when one day we dined together, with about twenty 
 others, at the table of Prince Max de Deux-Ponts. 
 The dinner was already far advanced, when one of 
 the party invited, M. de S . . . . B . . . ., a young man 
 possessing a good heart and an excellent understand- 
 ing, but who had all the ardor and levity natural to 
 
68 MEMOIRS 
 
 his age, entered the dining-room, and, after excusing 
 himself to the master of the house for his late arri- 
 val seated himself by the side «of Prince Nassau. 
 
 The prince rallied him upon his want of punctu- 
 ality ; M. de S .... B ... . replied, in the same iro- 
 nical strain, that he had been detained by a dispute 
 he had just had with a German Prince, whom he 
 had been on the point of throwing out at the 
 window. 
 
 Nassau, who was naturally irascible, instead of 
 laughing at so strange a joke, addressed to one Ger- 
 man prince at the table of another, felt piqued, and 
 hastily retorted that, when such an assertion was 
 made, the name of the prince alluded to ought, at 
 least, to be stated. M. de S . . . . B . . . . replied, 
 that the misunderstanding had been between him- 
 self and the Prince F .... de S ... . 
 
 Perceiving, by the countenance of Nassau, that he 
 was much irritated, I endeavoured to appease the 
 incipient altercation by interposing. " M. de S . . . . 
 B . . . .," I observed, " you are deceived ; Prince 
 F . . . . would not have submitted to be treated in 
 the way you mention so readily as you suppose. I 
 saw him defend himself, some months ago, in the 
 Champs-Elysées, very ably." 
 
 This observation, instead of mitigating the anger 
 of Nassau, as I had hoped, had no other effect than 
 that of rendering me the object of it. " Sir," said 
 he to me, raising his voice, " as you refused to give 
 any opinion on that affair when your opinion was 
 requested, you would do w^ell now to be silent." I 
 replied, that it would never be by him that I should 
 submit to have silence dictated to me. The persons 
 between us hastily interrupted the conversation by 
 rendering our voices inaudible. 
 
 When dinner was concluded, I went, very unaffect- 
 edly, up to Nassau, and said to him, " You address- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 69 
 
 ed me, just now, in offensive language, because anger 
 had deprived you of reflection. You are ten years 
 older than I am : your reputation is firmly establish- 
 ed, but too firmly, indeed, by the fame of many an 
 afifair of honor; mine has- yet to be determined. 
 You must be conscious that I am entitled to satisfac- 
 tion, which it is in your power to give in two ways : 
 you can settle the affair in a moment, if so inclined, 
 by merely saying, in the presence of your friends 
 here assembled, that you regret your hastiness of 
 expression, and had no intention of giving me offence. 
 If 1 do not obtain that satisfaction, you are aware 
 that Ï must expect one of another kind." 
 
 "I have none to give you," answered* he bluntly. 
 ^' Very well," I replied, " to-morrow morning, at se- 
 ven o'clock, 1 shall proceed to your house, and call 
 you to account for your extraordinary conduct." 
 After these few words were exchanged we sepa- 
 rated. 
 
 To avoid any unforeseen impediment, I took the 
 precaution of not returning to the house of my rela- 
 tions, but wrote to them that I had occasion to set 
 off immediately for Saint Germain. Viscount Noail- 
 les having witnessed the scene I have just described^ 
 I requested him to be my second, and proceeded to 
 the residence of another of my friends, the Duke of 
 C . . . . , who made me sleep at his house. Viscount 
 Noailles called upon me the next morning, at half 
 after six, to accompany me to Prince de Nassau. 
 
 When we arrived at his house, every one in it 
 was asleep, master and servants ; and it was not 
 without difficulty that we succeeded in awaking the 
 porter, obtaining admission, and reaching the cham- 
 ber of the Prince, who started from his sleep as we 
 abruptly entered his apartment. 
 
 He had lost all recollection of what had occurred 
 the preceding day ; every trace of it had vanished 
 
70 MEMOIRS 
 
 with the fumes of the champaign he had drunk. 
 " To what accident, gentlemen," said he, " am I to 
 ascribe this very early visit ?" " You must know," I 
 replied, " since it was yourself who so desired it." 
 ^' The devil take me," said he, " if I know a word 
 about it." 
 
 I was, therefore, compelled to remind him, in a 
 few words, of his unbecoming behaviour. "You are 
 perfectly right," he then said, " 1 behaved like a 
 madman, the wine had disturbed my head ; but you 
 must think no more about it ; and, as Viscount No- 
 ailles is here, 1 declare, in his presence, that I am 
 your servant, and your friend, and that I had no in- 
 tention to éffer you the smallest offence." 
 
 " All that is very well," I replied in my turn, "but 
 it is mentioned too late ; I should have been delight- 
 ed to receive from you, yesterday, such an acknow- 
 ledgment ; but the twenty persons with whom we 
 dined, are not now present to hear it; it is, there- 
 fore, no longer sufficient." 
 
 " It is most true," added he, "you are right again : 
 let us fight ; but pray let no animosity enter into the 
 affair; let it be merely a sacrifice that we make to 
 prejudice, and to a point of honor." I pressed his 
 hand in a friendly manner, and he rose. 
 
 He proposed that we should breakfast ; but when 
 I replied that I should prefer breakfasting after the 
 affair should be decided, he appeared somewhat 
 piqued, and said, " The answer is tolerably presump- 
 tuous, I think ; we shall see which of us will be able 
 to breakfast after the affair." 
 
 As soon as he was dressed we went out, and I in- 
 quired where he proposed to go. "Oh," said he 
 ^' I have, not far from here, a very convenient spot 
 for this kind of exercise ;" to which I replied, that 
 it was easy to see he was accustomed to the busi- 
 nesSc 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 71 
 
 Stopping then, I observed to him, that I was ac- 
 companied by my second, whereas he had none, 
 which was contrary to rule. "<jood:" said hè, 
 " Noailles is our common friend, and a man of honor ; 
 I appoint him as mj second,, also : he is well worth 
 two." 
 
 We walked on till we came into a narrow lane, 
 between two garden walls, when each of us, in a 
 moment, took off his coat and waistcoat, and placed 
 himself on the defensive. Our blades were scarcely 
 crossed, when, casting his eyes upon a large knot of 
 pink ribband appended to the hilt of my sword, he 
 cried, " That, I suppose, is a recent favour from 
 some fair one ; I am afraid it portends you success." 
 "That we shall presently see," I replied; upon 
 which we commenced a vigorous attack. 
 
 The Prince fought like no other man: he observ- 
 ed none of the rules of fencing, but, being remarka- 
 ble for strength and agility, he, at one moment, 
 darted forward upon his adversary with the rapidity 
 of a deer, and, at the next, retired from him with 
 the same celerity ; so that it was equally difficult 
 either to parry his rapid strokes, or to reach him in 
 his sudden retreat. 
 
 By this method, which surprised me not a little^ 
 he had been successful in almost every affair of the 
 kind, in which his impetuosity had involved him; 
 and, notwithstanding my vigilance and coolness, he 
 several times pierced my shirt, though, fortunately, 
 without touching me, whilst I was vainly stretching 
 myself forward to reach him in my turn. 
 
 After a few seconds, however, my sword scratch- 
 ed his hand, and the blood flowed, upon which I in- 
 quired if he was satisfied, and disposed to leave mat- 
 ters as they were. " Satisfied !" said he eagerly, 
 " I was, a short time ago, but am far from being so 
 now ; let us go on," 
 
72 MEMOIRS 
 
 We then continued. His blade, too impetuously 
 urged, missed its aim, and passed my body several 
 times, when, at length, mine took effect on his arm, 
 and broke, at the moment I was about parrying a 
 thrust he made at me in return, " There !" said I, 
 "now we must send for another sword." 
 
 " You are both stark mad," cried Viscount Noail- 
 les ; " for a hasty expression, not injuriously offensive, 
 surely a couple of wounds, and a broken sword may 
 suffice. I vow that the first man of you that refuses 
 to desist shall have to do with me." 
 
 We laughed at this sally. "Upon my word," 
 said Nassau, " he is right, and I feel it the more 
 sensibly as my hand begins to refuse its office." 
 " Well," said I, " shall we embrace, and consider 
 the thing as settled?" " With all my heart," replied 
 he, " on condition that we engage, upon honor, hap- 
 pen what may, never to fight each other again, but 
 to remain brothers in arms for life." We then em- 
 braced, and the affair terminated. 
 
 I should not have related so much in detail an ad- 
 venture concerning only myself, were it not that it 
 afterwards became one of the causes of some re- 
 markable occurrences; but it will be seen in the se- 
 quel that Nassau, being in Poland when I was in 
 Russia, true to our sworn fraternity, I obtained for 
 him from the Empress, whom he had never seen 
 and who was even prejudiced against him, the gift 
 of an estate in the Crimea, and permission to trans- 
 port to the Black Sea under Russian colors the pro- 
 ducts of his dominions in Poland. Out of gratitude 
 for these faiors he offered to serve Her Majesty 
 against the Turks; and having been promoted by 
 her to the command of her fleets, he burned that of 
 the Capitan-Pacha in the Borysthenes,* and in the 
 
 * Or Dneiper. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 73 
 
 north defeated the squadrons of the King of Swe- 
 den ; so true it is that the greatest events, are fre- 
 quently produced by the most insignificant causes ! 
 
 From the originaHty of his character, Prince Nas- 
 sau might be truly regarded. as a kind of moral phe- 
 nomenon in an age and country in which long civili- 
 zation had established something like a general re- 
 semblance between all kinds of dispositions, at least 
 as far as regarded language and manners. 
 
 In gay society especially, by continual mixture and 
 collision, the native stamp of each individual charac- 
 ter had been effaced; as fashion was every thing, 
 every thing was uniform. Opinion and expressions 
 were brought down to the level of usage ; language, 
 conduct, all was according to rule ; and even though 
 internally different, every one wore outwardly the 
 same mask, assumed the same tone and the same 
 appearance. 
 
 Prince Nassau, on the contrary, presented to our 
 observation an incongruous mixture of the most op- 
 posite qualities, and resembled nothing human but 
 himself. His mind was but little cultivated, he was 
 deficient in imagination, spoke little, and, at the first 
 approach, seemed distinguished by the most chilling 
 coldness. Yet, was there perhaps no man better 
 calculated than himself to succeed in attaining the 
 objects of his desires ; for he desired energetically, 
 and observed an undeviating consistency in all his 
 measures and projects. 
 
 He was always in want of money, of which, heed- 
 less of the future, he w^as prodigal beyond measure. 
 Three times he ruined himself, and as often did fate 
 and his bravery retrieve his fortune. 
 
 This man, with all his external frigidity of de- 
 meanor, would take fire at a word ; his apparent 
 mildness was convertible in a moment into rage. 
 Devoted as he was to women, to gaming, to luxury, 
 10 
 
74 MEMOIRS 
 
 to all the pleasures of the capital, he could quit 
 them all without regret at the first sound of the 
 trumpet or of war. Preferring Paris to every other 
 residence, he was eternally quitting it to wander over 
 the four quarters of the world ; of which he made 
 the circuit with Bougainville. 
 
 Systematically and studiously voluptuous, he could 
 bear without difficulty the inclemencies of every cli- 
 mate, fatigue of everj^ description and privations of 
 every kind. Wherever amusement or fighting was 
 the object of pursuit, he was sure to be found. He 
 was the courtier of all courts, the warrior of every 
 camp, and the knight of all adventures. 
 
 He successively distinguished himself by hunting 
 tigers in another hemisphere, by attacking the Eng- 
 lish at Gibraltar, by swimming away from his float- 
 ing battery, when on fire, by destroying a Turkish 
 squadron near Oczakow, by engaging with various 
 success the Swedes in the Arctic Seas, and after- 
 wards by carrying his arms and his property into 
 Germany for the relief of the emigrants. 
 
 FinaHy, to complete the catalogue of moral con- 
 trarieties which distinguished him, this man, haughty 
 and adventurous as he was when instigated by the 
 purkuit of glory, or even by a simple point of honor, 
 became but too pliant, and yielding at court ; the 
 inflexible champion sinking at once ingloriously into 
 the crowd of mere sycophants, to obtain the favor 
 of princes. 
 
 The revolution prevented him from sustaining to 
 the end the character which nature had fitted him 
 to perform. The circumstances of that political 
 tempest were such as to make it impossible for him 
 to shine in connexion with either party. It placed 
 him indeed in a false position ; for his thirst for ad- 
 ventures and danger, as well as his ardent impetuo- 
 sity of disposition should have placed him in the first 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 75 
 
 rank of Frenchmen, of republicans and of imperial- 
 ists, whilst his name and rank, his habits and preju- 
 dices retained him in the midst of the coalition, 
 whose methodical slowness of proceeding was incom- 
 patible with his enterprising genius. 
 
 Two days after our meeting. Prince Nassau ap- 
 peared at the Queen's ball with his arm in a sling. 
 Our adventure became public, and that extraordina- 
 ry epoch being distinguished by a confused mixture 
 of gallantry, knight-errantry and philosophy, this lit- 
 tle affair procured for me, not only the regard of 
 that numerous class of men who were foremost in 
 boasting of combating established prejudices, but a 
 distinguished reception from the ladies. 
 
 The winter was passed in balls and sports and 
 pastimes of every description : all Frenchmen re- 
 sembled at that time those young Neapolitans who 
 lauçh, sing and sleep unconcernedly upon the lava 
 at the brink of a volcano. But who could be ex- 
 pected to foresee horrible calamities in the midst of 
 peace and prosperity ! How was it possible to an- 
 ticipate that tremendous overflow of passions and of 
 crimes that was soon to overwhelm us, at a time 
 when all that was written, all that was said, all that 
 was done, had no other object than the extirpation 
 of vice, the encouragement of virtue, the abolition 
 of arbitrary dominion, the relief of the people, the 
 advancement of commerce and agriculture ; in a 
 word, the general amelioration of human society ! 
 
 A King, young, virtuous and beneficent, who had 
 no other wish than the happiness of his subjects, 
 who desired no authority beyond that which the 
 exercise of justice might confer upon him, gave, by 
 his example, increased energy to all these generous 
 and philanthropic ideas. 
 
 He had selected, as his ministers, the very two 
 men whom the public voice designated as the best 
 
76 MEMOIRS 
 
 informed, the most disinterested, the most virtuous. 
 Every principle of toleration and rational liberty 
 was recognised and encouraged by them. Constant 
 friends of upright principles and equally courageous 
 enemies of abuses, they accomplished, in conjunction 
 with their monarch, the wishes of that sage of anti- 
 quity Avho predicted that real happiness would only 
 begin to exist upon earth, when true philosophy should 
 be seated on the throne. 
 
 The unjust persecution of the protestants had 
 every where ceased ; the fiscality of the corpora- 
 tions had been suppressed ; the system of forced la- 
 bor'* had been discontinued ; every trace of servi- 
 tude was disappearing ; humiliating privileges were 
 no longer claimed or exercised ; in short the anti- 
 quated feudal maxim had been voted obsolete which 
 declared : " That no nobleman is bound to pay any 
 tax, or to perform any degrading forced labor ; and 
 that no person is subject to forced labor unless he 
 be a plebeian and liable to taxation."! 
 
 With such ministers, a mild, gradual and salutary 
 reform might have saved us from the horrors of a 
 revolution ; but such a system of philosophy can 
 rarely be maintained with safety in opposition to the 
 powerful classes who live but upon privileges and 
 abuses, and who would be deprived of almost all 
 their enjoyments and their splendor, if merit alone 
 led to fortune, and if justice were substituted for ar- 
 bitrary power. 
 
 The court, almost always more powerful than roy- 
 alty itself, became alarmed at the projects of the 
 two ministers, and assailed them with all the wea- 
 pons that interest and intrigue could supply. 
 
 * Corvée^ labor which the vassal was obliged to perform for 
 his Lord. — Translator. 
 
 t (Qu'aucun noble n'est tenu de payer taille^ ni de faire de viles 
 corvées ; et que nul n''est corvéable^ $Hl n'^est vilain et taillable. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 77 
 
 The King was a worthy but a weak man ; though 
 fully coinciding with the views and sentiments of, 
 Turgot, he had not the firmness to support him, he 
 dismissed him, and lamented having done so. Male- 
 sherbes desirous of sharing the fate of a colleague 
 in every respect so worthy of him, tendered his re- 
 signation. Nevertheless, among the ministers, who 
 succeeded them, none but meritorious individuals 
 were to be found ; for none but such could be pro- 
 posed to Louis XVI. 
 
 The appointment of M. Necker to the head of 
 the finance department was a great and remarkable 
 innovation; it bore the stamp of the peculiar spirit 
 of the times ; and it was the first time since the 
 reign of Henri IV., that a protestant had been per- 
 mitted to occupy a seat in the councils of our Kings. 
 
 The most rancorous envy could not, with any sem- 
 blance of plausibility deny to M. Necker the posses- 
 sion of a truly noble character, an elevated mind and 
 brilliant eloquence ; but, on the other hand, he was, 
 as well as the King, stronger in principles than in 
 actions. 
 
 Both of them, judging of men as they ought to be, 
 and not as they are, persuaded themselves with too 
 much ease that, to wish to do good, is to effect it ; 
 and that, to deserve the love of the people, is to ob- 
 tain it. They were not acquainted with the logic of 
 the passions, and had yet to learn that, with regard 
 to the mass of mankind, nothing is more opposed to 
 their real interests than their self-love. 
 
 Admitted as I was, when still very young, to an 
 intimate acquaintance with M. Necker and his wife, 
 I can with truth assert, that it was impossible to list- 
 en to him without being-^impressedby his sentiments, 
 and inspired with respect for his character. In his 
 house was found a degree of simplicity and virtue 
 which presented a singular phenomenon in the midst 
 ©f a brilliant court and a corrupted metropolis. 
 
7? MEMOmS 
 
 At this epoch J so different from the present time, 
 long custom had excluded our youth from all man- 
 agement of public affairs. That maturity of age 
 which if it does not always bestow discretion, at 
 least confers the reputation of it, was a necessary 
 qualification in matters of politics and legislation. 
 For this reason it must not be expected that, in the 
 following reminiscences, I shall appear as an actor 
 in those events which Avere then in preparation, 
 which succeeded each other, and which, after hold- 
 ing out the prospect of so much happiness, plunged 
 us into so many misfortunes. 
 
 In the greater number of those political scenes, 
 which ended in the overthrow of Europe, I was 
 placed, not upon the theatre itself, but in the 
 lirst rank of the spectators, and was thus exposed 
 to all the illusion of the scene. I was delighted 
 with the enthusiasm excited by the new ideas of 
 reform, improvement, liberty, toleration, and legal 
 equality. 
 
 It was, however, more than once my fortune to 
 obtain a very near view of several of the principal 
 personages, and even to get behind the scenes; but 
 these fortuitous circumstances increased instead of 
 dissipating the fascination. It was indeed impossible 
 to pass evenings at the house of D'Alembert to fre- 
 quent the Hôtel de la Rochefoucauld, with the 
 friends of Turgot, to be admitted to the breakfasts 
 of the abbé Raynal, to enjoy the society of M. de 
 Malesherbes and his family ; in fine, to approach the 
 most amiable of Queens, and the most virtuous of 
 Kings, without being induced to believe that we 
 were about to enter on a kind of golden age, of 
 which preceding times could afford us no idea. 
 
 Yet, at this period, some circumstances, which 
 soon after occurred with greater frequency, would, 
 if more closely observed, have been sufficient to un- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 79 
 
 deceive the minds of more ef perienced spectators. 
 A rapid succession of events ought to have opened 
 our eyes, and we should then have seen too clearlj 
 on one side, the imminent crisis which was approach- 
 ing, the impetuosity of thos^e innovating passions 
 "which were every where propagated, the terrific 
 jealousy which animated the plebeian order against 
 the nobihty and clergy, and the irritation evinced by 
 the latter; and, on the other side, the inefficiency of 
 the pilots on whom the task devolved of directing 
 our course through so many dangers. 
 
 In point of fact, the ministers of Louis XV. had 
 already disgracefully acquiesced in the dismember- 
 ment of Poland by Russia, Prussia, and Austria ; an 
 unfortunate event of which the evil consequences 
 were two-fold. In the first place, it destroyed the 
 balance of power, established by the treaty of 
 Westphalia; it added considerably to the strength 
 of three states, already very formidable, whilst 
 England, on the other hand, had acquired a vast 
 preponderance by the conquest of India; and 
 France, which had hitherto stood in the first rank 
 of monarchies, was degraded to the second. In the 
 next place, it substituted the law of expediency for 
 the law of nations, since an unoffending state had 
 been thus dismembered without any kind of pre- 
 text, and by this injustice, a door had been opened 
 for the violations of ail engagements, of all rights 
 and of all moral duties. 
 
 The same incapacity seemed always to paralyse 
 our counsels both at home and abroad. Russia, 
 ever active and steady in her ambitious views, soon 
 seized upon the Crimea. In vain did Austria, for 
 the second time, attempt to engage France in the 
 task of opposing a barrier to such encroachments. 
 In vain did the Emperor Joseph, when he visited 
 Paris, redouble his solicitations, and announce the 
 
80 MEMOIRS 
 
 danger with which Europe was threatened by the 
 gigantic growth of the Russian colossus. The love 
 of repose, the disorder of our finances and the timi- 
 dity which prevented the adoption of the measure 
 of laying imposts on the clergy by which their re- 
 establishment would have been effected, overcame 
 all other considerations. 
 
 The result was, that Austria finding herself una- 
 ble alone to maintain a struggle with Russia, chang- 
 ed her system of politics, and connected herself 
 more closely with the cabinet of St. Petersburgh ; 
 and France, consequently, lost in a great degree her 
 preponderance in Germany, and the influence which 
 she had been there accustomed to exercise over 
 powers of the second and third order, which, until 
 this time, had relied upon her protection. 
 
 In the mean time, liberty, which throughout the 
 civilized world had slumbered for so many centuries, 
 awakened in another hemisphere, and combated 
 with glory against a long established domination, 
 supported by the most formidable power. 
 
 England, proud of her strength, of her numerous 
 fleets and her riches, had taken into her pay, and ^ 
 transported to America forty thousand men, in order 
 to stifle that liberty, whilst yet in its cradle ; but in 
 vain. An entire nation which resolves to be free, is 
 not easily vanquished. 
 
 The courage displayed by these new republicans 
 procured for them, throughout Europe, the esteem 
 and the good wishes of every friend of justice and 
 humanity. The rising generation, above all, taught, 
 by a singular contrast, in the midst of monarchies, to 
 admire the great writers and the heroes of Greece 
 and Rome, carried to an enthusiastic excess the in- 
 terest with which they were inspired by the Ame- 
 rican revolution. 
 
 The French government, which sought every 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 81 
 
 means of diminishing the power of England, was 
 insensibly induced to act in conformity with these 
 liberal opinions, which manifested themselves with 
 so much animation. It even secretly furnished suc- 
 cour of arms, ammunition and money to the Ameri- 
 cans, or allowed them to be furnished through the 
 medium of its commerce. But, in consequence of 
 its weakness, it did not venture to declare itself 
 openly ; affected on the contrary to maintain an im- 
 partial neutrality ; and deceived itself so far as to 
 believe that its secret intrigues could not be detect- 
 ed, and that it could ruin its rival without running the 
 risk of a conflict with her. Such a deception could 
 not long continue, and the English cabinet had too 
 much penetration to allow the French government 
 thus to reap all the advantages of war without in- 
 curring its dangers. 
 
 The system actually pursued by the French mi- 
 nisters, became every day more apparent. Ame- 
 rican deputies, Sileas Deane and Arthur Lee, arriv- 
 ed in Paris; and the celebrated Benjamin Franklin 
 was soon after added to their number. It would be 
 difficult to describe the eagerness and the delight 
 with which these men, the agents of a people in 
 a state of insurrection against their monarch, were 
 received in France, in the bosom of an ancient 
 monarchy. 
 
 Nothing: could be more striking than the contrast 
 between the luxury of our capital, the elegance of 
 our fashions, the magnificence of Versailles, the still 
 brilliant remains of the monarchical pride of Louis 
 XIV., and the polished and superb dignity of our 
 nobility, on the one hand; and, on the other hand, 
 the almost rustic apparel, the plain but firm demea- 
 nor, the free and direct language of the envoys, 
 whose antique simplicity of dress and appearance 
 seemed to have introduced within our walls, in the 
 11 
 
82 MEMOIRS 
 
 midst of the effeminate and servile refinement of 
 the 18th century, some sages contemporary with 
 Plato, or republicans of the age of Cato and of 
 Fabius. 
 
 This unexpected apparition produced upon us a 
 greater etl'ect, in consequence of its novelty, and 
 of its occurring precisely at the period when litera- 
 ture and philosophy had circulated amongst us an 
 universal desire for reforms, a disposition to encou- 
 rage innovations, and the seeds of an ardent attach- 
 ment to liberty. 
 
 The clash of arms, moreover, had given an addi- 
 tional stimulus to the warlike inclinations of our 
 5^outh. We were irritated at the tardy circum- 
 spection of our ministry; we had become weary of 
 an irksome peace, which had lasted more than 
 ten years, and every heart beat with the desire of 
 retrieving the disgrace of the last war, of taking the 
 field against England, and of flying to the aid of 
 America. 
 
 This impatience was further heightened by the 
 attempts of the government to repress it; for the 
 general effect of restraint is to give increased force 
 to the object of control. Sanctioned by the autho- 
 rity of long usage, and by the memory of our ances- 
 tors, who, whilst our kings maintained a national 
 peace, had often gone forth in search of adventures 
 and military employment, and had displayed their 
 valor, at one time in the Spanish and Italian service 
 against the Saracens, at another, in the armies of 
 Austria, against the invasions of the Turks, we now 
 eagerly sought the means of transporting ourselves, 
 individually, across the Atlantic, to be ranged under 
 the banners of American freedom. 
 
 The delegates from Congress had not yet been 
 officially recognised as diplomatic agents; an au- 
 dience had not been granted by the sovereign ; a^^ 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 83 
 
 the minister conducted his nesfotiations Avith them 
 through intermediate channels. But the most dis- 
 tinguished individuals of the capital and the court, 
 the most celebrated philosophers, scholars, and men 
 of letters, daily frequented their habitations. To 
 their own writings and influence they ascribed the 
 successful progress of liberal opinions in the New 
 World, and their secret aspirations were to see 
 themselves, at a future day, the legislators of Eu- 
 rope, as their rivals already were of America. 
 
 Influenced by a different motive, the young ofiicers 
 of the French army, who breathed only war, were 
 constant in their attendance on the American envoys, 
 and urged their inquiries on the situation of affairs, 
 the forces of Congress, the means of defence, and 
 the various intelligence regularly received from that 
 great theatre, on which liberty was maintaining so 
 valorous a combat against the tyranny of Great 
 Britain. 
 
 What added considerably to our esteem, our con- 
 fidence and our admiration, was the good faith and 
 the simplicity with which the deputies, disdaining 
 all diplomatic artifice, made us acquainted with the 
 frequent and successive reverses experienced by 
 their yet undisciplined troops ; for, at this early stage 
 of the contest, the numbers and tactics of the Eng- 
 lish gave them a temporary triumph ovier the bra- 
 very of the Americans, yet unskilled in the profes- 
 sion of arms. 
 
 It was not concealed from us, by Sileas Deane 
 and Arthur Lee, that the assistance of some well in- 
 formed oflicers would be at once acceptable and use- 
 ful to their country. They even went so far as to 
 say that they were authorized to promise to such as 
 were inclined to embrace their cause, military rank 
 proportioned to their services. 
 
 In the ranks of the American forces were already 
 
84 MEMOIRS 
 
 to be found several European volunteers, whom the 
 love of glory and of independence had invited thi- 
 ther. Amongst these, two Poles, whose names will 
 live in history, were particularly distinguished, one 
 was the brave Pulawski, and the other, the illustri- 
 ous Kosciusko, who subsequently succeeded in break- 
 ing, for a season, the chains of his native land, and 
 who was not subdued, until he had, by numerous en- 
 gagements and splendid victories, shaken the gigantic 
 power of the oppressor. Another eminent officer 
 was Major Fleury, who, by his talents and his enter- 
 prising genius, reflected credit on his country. 
 
 The three Frenchmen, distinguished by their rank 
 at court, who first offered their military services to 
 the Americans, were the Marquis de La Fayette, 
 the Viscount de Noailles, and myself. We had long 
 been intimate friends, and our connexion, which was 
 strengthened by a great conformity of opinions, was 
 soon after confirmed by the ties of blood. 
 
 La Fayette and the Viscount de Noailles had 
 married two daughters of the Duke de Noailles, then 
 bearing the title of Duke d'Ayen; their mother, the 
 Dutchess d'Ayen, was the daughter, by his first 
 marriage, of M. d'Aguesseau, Counsellor of State, 
 and son of the Chancellor of that name. M. d'Agu- 
 esseau had, by a second wife, twenty years after, 
 several children, one of whom was M. d'Aguesseau, 
 now a peer of France, a daughter, married to M. 
 de Saron, first President of the Parliament of Paris, 
 and another daughter, to w^hom I was united in the 
 spring of 1777; so that, by this alliance, Lbecame 
 the uncle of my two friends. 
 
 We all three entered into an engagement of secre- 
 cy, with respect to our arrangements with the Ame- 
 rican commissioners, in order to obtain time to ascer- 
 tain the disposition of our court, and to provide the 
 means requisite for the execution of our purpose. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 85 
 
 The conformity which prevailed in all our senti- 
 ments, opinions and desires, unlbrtunatelj, did not, at 
 that time, extend to our fortunes. The Viscount de 
 Noailles and myself were dependent upon our pa- 
 rents, and only possessed the income which they as- 
 signed to us. La Fayette, on the contrary, although 
 younger, and inferior in rank to ourselves, found 
 himself, by a singular chance, at the age of nineteen 
 years, sole master of his property, and of his person, 
 and the independent possessor of a hundred thou- 
 sand livres a year. 
 
 Our ardor was too great to be long confined with- 
 in the bounds of discretion. We imparted our de- 
 sign to some young men, whom we hoped to engage 
 in the same enterprise. It came to the knowledge 
 of the court, and the minister, apprehensive that the 
 departure to America of volunteers, distinguished by 
 their rank, and who, it could not be supposed, would 
 take that step without his permission, might open 
 the eyes of England to the views which he still 
 wished to conceal, gave us formal orders to abandon 
 our intention. 
 
 Our parents, to whom our design had been hither- 
 to a secret, now took the alarm, and warmly re- 
 proached us for our rash spirit of adventure. I was 
 particularly struck with the surprise manifested by 
 the relations of La Fayette. This circumstance 
 afforded me the more amusement, as it proved the 
 very imperfect knowledge of his character, which, 
 until that time, they possessed. 
 
 At every period of life, and, above all, in his youth, 
 La Fayette displayed a cold and grave exterior, 
 which sometimes gave to his demeanor an air of 
 timidity and embarrassment, which did not really 
 belong to him. His reserved manners, and his silent 
 disposition, presented a singular contrast to the pe- 
 tulance, the levity, and the ostentatious loquacity of 
 
86 MEMOIRS 
 
 persons of his own age ; but, under this exterior, to 
 all appearance so phlegmatic, he concealed the most 
 active mind, the most determined character, and the 
 most enthusiastic spirit. 
 
 Of this fact I was better enabled to judge than 
 others. During the preceding winter he had be- 
 come attached to a lady as amiable as she was beau- 
 tiful, and, having erroneously conceived an idea that 
 I was his rival, in a fit of jealousy he had put aside 
 all consideration of our friendship, and had passed 
 the greater part of the night with me, endeavouring 
 to prevail on me to decide by the sword which of 
 us should be the favoured suitor of a lady to whom 
 I made no pretensions. 
 
 Some days after our quarrel and reconciliation, I 
 could not refrain from laughing when I heard the 
 Marshal de Noailles, and other individuals of his fa- 
 mily, intreat me to use my influence with him to ani- 
 mate his torpidity, to rouse him from his inaction^ 
 and to communicate some animation to his character. 
 It may easily be conceived what was their astonish- 
 ment when they suddenly learned that this young 
 sage of nineteen, so cool and so indifferent, had been 
 so far carried away by the love of glory and of dan- 
 ger, as to intend to cross the ocean, and fight in the 
 cause of American freedom. 
 
 The order by which we were prohibited from 
 pursuing our great undertaking, naturally produced 
 upon us very different effects. The Viscount de JNo- 
 ailles and myself were filled with consternation, be- 
 cause we were, by this means, deprived of all liberty 
 and power of acting; but it only irritated La Fayette, 
 who, well aware that he possessed every thing ne- 
 cessary to the success of his design, resolved to dis- 
 regard the injunction. 
 
 He, however, at first disguised his sentiments, and 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 87 
 
 appeared, like us, to acquiesce ; but, after the lapse 
 of two months, he entered mj chamber, one morn- 
 ing at seven o'clock, in haste, carefully closed the 
 door, and seating himself at my bed-side, accosted 
 me thus: "I am going to. America; no one knows 
 it; but I love you too well to set off without entrust* 
 ing you with the secret." " And how have you been 
 able," I replied, "to secure your passage?" 
 
 He then informed me that having, under a plausi- 
 ble pretext, taken a journey out of France, he had 
 purchased a vessel, which was to wait for him in a 
 Spanish port; he had armed it, put on board an able 
 crew, and filled it not only with arms and ammuni- 
 tion, but with a considerable number of officers, who 
 had consented to share his fortunes. Amongst these 
 officers were found, M. de Ternan, a brave and well 
 informed soldier, and M. de Valfort, who enjoyed a 
 high reputation, founded on his long experience, his 
 strict probity, and his profound knowledge. At a 
 subsequent period my father confided to him the su- 
 perintendence of the Ecole-Militaire, by which he 
 became the principal instructor of Napoleon Bona- 
 parte. These two officers had been pointed out to 
 La Fayette by the Marshal de Broglie, to whom he 
 had iaiparted his design. 
 
 There was no necessity for me to explain, at great 
 length, to my friend the regret Î felt at not being 
 able to accompany him; his perception of it was as 
 keen as my own : but we indulged the hope that 
 war Would soon be declared between Great Britain 
 and France, and that all obstacles to our reunion 
 would then be removed. 
 
 After having admitted the Viscount de Noailles 
 also into his confidence. La Fayette speedily left 
 Paris. His departure was a source of great affliction 
 to his family, who were much grieved, not only by 
 his preparing to encounter so many dangers, but 
 
1 1 88 MEMOIRS 
 
 / also by his sacrificing, in the cause of a distant land, 
 
 a large portion of his fortune. His wife alone, 
 
 although she suffered most, loved him too well not 
 
 ' to partake his sentiments, and to approve his gellie- 
 
 rous resolution. 
 
 The court was quickly apprized of his disobe- 
 dience, and gave instant orders for his arrest, which 
 were carried into execution. Thus, my unfortunate 
 friend, after making so many sacrifices, saw himself 
 deprived of his liberty, at the very moment when 
 he was setting off to defend that of another hemi- 
 sphere. 
 
 By great good fortune, he succeeded, a few days 
 afterwards, m eluding the vigilance of his guards ; 
 he passed the Pyrenees, and joined, on the coast of 
 Spain, his vessel and his companions in arms, who 
 had given up all hopes of seeing him again. He 
 set sail, arrived, without any accident, in America, 
 and met with a reception which was justly due to 
 his noble and generous conduct. 
 
 As his modesty proved to be equal to his energy, 
 and his prudence to his intrepidity, he won the 
 esteem and the confidence of the Americans to such 
 a degree, that, forgetting his age, they dwelt only on 
 his excellent qualities; and Washington, who fully 
 appreciated his merit, entrusted him, a few years 
 afterwards, with the command of a division, and 
 with the task of carrying on, at the head of this 
 corps, a defensive war, an operation which, of all 
 others, requires the most experience, sagacity, and 
 skill. 
 
 Yet fortune, before she conferred these favors 
 upon him, had subjected him to severe trials; for, at 
 the commencement of his career, he met only with 
 disasters. The first engagement in which he distin- 
 guished himself, that of Brandy-Wine, was decided 
 in favor of the enemy. He there received a severe 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. B9 
 
 wound ; a ball passed through his leg ; an accident 
 which did not prevent him from persisting, for some 
 time, in his heroic efforts to rally the Americans. 
 
 Philadelphia soon fell into the hands of the British, 
 but La Fayette was endowed with those qualities 
 of mind which alone render celebrity permanent, 
 firmness in reverses, perseverance and confidence in 
 the future. Like his master, Washington, he might 
 be conquered, but he could not be discouraged. 
 
 I recoornised his true character in the letters 
 which he addressed to me after this ill-omened 
 commencement of so brilliant a career. But, under 
 the banners of liberty, in a republican camp, and 
 almost under the eyes of the Congress, he shewed^ 
 in a single instance, by an ebullition of courage truly 
 chivalric, that he had not entirely renounced the 
 feelings and manners of our young French heroes. 
 
 The Earl of Carlisle had published in America a 
 proclamation, which contained some expressions re- 
 flecting upon France. As the champion of French 
 honor, La Fayette sent a challenge to the Earl, and 
 defied him to single combat. Lord Carlisle replied 
 with much discretion, and refused the invitatioOj 
 observing ; " That the quarrels of nations would give 
 birth to too much disorder^if they were allowed to 
 excite individual animosities." 
 
 As soon as Paris rang with reports of the first 
 battles in which La Fayette and his companions in 
 arms had raised the reputation of the French name, 
 the approbation of his conduct became general. 
 The very persons who had most blamed his rash 
 adventure applauded him ; the court itself appeared 
 to be proud of his achievements, and he became the 
 great object of envy to our young men. Thus, 
 public opinion, declaring itself still more exclusively 
 in favor of war, rendered it inevitable, and drew 
 12 
 
90 MEMOIRS 
 
 after it, as a matter of course, a government which 
 had not strength enough to resist the impulse. 
 
 In conformity with this view, the old Count de 
 Maurepas, the first minister, said more than once to 
 my father, that it was the impetuous ardor of the 
 young courtiers and officers which had overcome the 
 wiser deHberations of the council of state, and, in a 
 manner, compelled the government to declare war. 
 
 However this may be, for a long time after, the 
 slow circumspection of the ministry deceived our 
 expectations, and they continued, according to their 
 custom, to communicate, in a pacific tone, with the 
 cabinet of London, whilst they secretly negotiated 
 with the American envoys. 
 
 This protracted indecision was a cause of great 
 vexation to me and to those who shared my senti- 
 ments. But, fortunately, at the age of twenty-three, 
 and in Paris, the vortex of the fashionable world, 
 military duties and occupations, varied as they are 
 numerous, present a young man with abundant means 
 of bearing disappointments. 
 
 In the spring time of life every adverse occur- 
 rence is cheerfully submitted to, because every thing 
 is seen through the medium of hope, which invests 
 the future with the most brilliant and smiling aspect* 
 
 I quitted Paris, in the course of the winter, to 
 enjoy a pleasure then new to me ; that of being in- 
 troduced to and commanding the regiment of dra- 
 goons of which I was the lieutenant colonel. 
 
 The sight of our arms, and our military exercises, 
 presented me with an image of war, and prepared 
 me to expect the reality. Another, and a more 
 attractive pursuit, soon absorbed all my attention. 
 On the 30th of April, 1777, 1 married Mademoiselle 
 d'Aguesseau, and my ideas of glory were easily 
 overpowered by impressions of a softer and not less 
 lively nature» 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 01 
 
 Notwithstanding the happiness I derived from this 
 union, I could not be induced to forget my military 
 duties, and, at the end of May, I repaired to Douai, 
 where the regiment of Orleans was then placed in 
 garrison. 
 
 For some years past, the spirit of innovation, of 
 reform, and of amelioration, had been gaining ground 
 in the army, its administration and its tactics, as^ it 
 had done in all other affairs. 
 
 This is not the proper place to introduce an his- 
 torical account of the successive revolutions of the 
 military system in modern Europe. I shall only 
 here observe, in a few words, that, for a long period, 
 our ancestors the Franks, who borrowed from the 
 vanquished Gauls a knowledge of the Roman tactics, 
 owed to this science, which gave regularity to their 
 manoeuvres, and a proper direction to their courage, 
 their first and great success at Tolbaic, and, subse- 
 quently, their numerous victories over the Germans, 
 the Saracens and the Saxons, who successively at- 
 tempted to make themselves masters of France. 
 
 We learn from the history of Charlemagne, that, 
 if he had not preserved some traces of this ancient 
 military system, all his genius would not have been 
 able to overcome the obstinate and ferocious valor 
 of the Saxons. He conquered almost all Europe, 
 not because he was the bravest warrior of his time, 
 but beause he was the most skilful. 
 
 The wealth possessed by the princes, the dukes, 
 the counts and other mihtary vassals, had, at this 
 time, introduced a remarkable change in the mode 
 of carrying on war ; the greater number disdained 
 to fight on foot ; and the cavalry had gained an ascen- 
 dency over the infantry in the general estimation. 
 The system of warfare was thus altered, and armies 
 lost, by degrees, their infantry, in which consisted 
 their principal force» 
 
OM MEMOIRS 
 
 Under the successors of Charlemagne, this con- 
 tempt of the infantry increased daily ; all the rules 
 of tactics were forgotten ; a few peasants and arti- 
 sans, badly equipped, alone composed the infantry, 
 whose contemptible force was hardly taken into the 
 account in the day of battle. The lords, their 
 vassals, and subvassals, the knights, their squires, 
 and their men at arms, composed a numerous, high- 
 spirited, and magnificent body of horse, which car- 
 ried on the war without plan, and fought without 
 regard to order. Every thing depended on personal 
 courage, and nothing upon skill. 
 
 A great battle might be properly described as 
 consisting, at this period, of ten thousand simultaneous 
 duels. The military operations might be called inva- 
 sions, or excursions, rather than campaigns. The 
 service exacted from the troops lasted only forty 
 days ; it was impossible to achieve any great con- 
 quest ; and, as long as this feudal chaos continued, 
 each nation, occupied with its internal wars, was 
 prevented from becoming formidable to others- 
 The power of fanaticism alone created, swelled, and 
 poured into the east a prodigious torrent of warriors, 
 which, from every country of Europe, spread itself 
 with fury over Asia. Several millions of men there 
 perished, and a small number of illustrious adventu- 
 rers alone, succeeded in acquiring a few principal- 
 ities, of which the Saracens, in the course of a short 
 time, dispossessed them. 
 
 Constantinople, lost by the weakness of a cowardly 
 despot, and taken by assault by our knights, remain- 
 ed only fifty years under the Latin empire, which 
 the irregular forces of the feudal lords were inade- 
 quate to defend. 
 
 At last our monarchs, weary of so many disorders, 
 and having become powerful in domains which were 
 laid waste by the attacks of banditti, the revolt of 
 
OF COUNT SEGUK. 93 
 
 cities, the discords of the great lords, and the inva- 
 sions of the English, began to levy and pay bands of 
 regular soldiers, since they could no longer depend 
 on the fidelity of their vassals. 
 
 The discovery of gun-powder, soon after, effected 
 a great change in tactics, and in the destiny of na-^ 
 tions. A formidable infantry re-appeared in our ar- 
 mies. Insurrections became almost impossible. For-?- 
 tified towns alone could present an effectual resistance 
 to authority, and the greater number of these were 
 in the possession of the sovereign. Those which 
 were held by the nobles, were, by degrees, wrested 
 from them. The power of the state was concen= 
 trated and united in the person of the monarch. 
 
 The exploits of the Lansquenets, and, above all, 
 those of the Swiss, gave demonstrative proof of the 
 innumerable advantages to be derived from the use 
 of infantry, which had been so long held in contempt. 
 At length, a great genius, Gustavus Adolphus, arose 
 in the North, who introduced a revolution in tactics. 
 At once ardent and profound, this celebrated cap- 
 tain succeeded, with fifteen thousand men only, by 
 the skilfulness of his manœuvres, and by the able 
 disposition of his force, in subduing almost all the 
 w^arlike states of Germany in the course of a short 
 time. The Swedish infantry then acquired the same 
 celebrity as was enjoyed in ancient times, by the 
 Macedonian phalanx. 
 
 After the death of Gustavus, all the princes of 
 Europe adopted his military system. During the glo- 
 rious reign of Louis XIV., the great men who were 
 the ornament of that age, brought the new tactics 
 to perfection. Vauban carried to its highest point 
 the science of sieges, and of the defence of fortified 
 towns. Gondé, Turenne, Luxembourg, and Villars, 
 excited as much admiration by the sagacity of theiv 
 plans, and by the excellence of their manoeuvres, as 
 by the boldness and rapidity of their movements. 
 
M MEMOIRS 
 
 Yet it was in vain that Foiard, Feuquiere, Vau- 
 ban, Montécuculi, and Pujségur, displayed their 
 learning, in laying down the rules which so many 
 great captains carried into execution with brilHant 
 effect; it was in vain that the arts and the sciences 
 contributed, on every side, by their discoveries, to 
 the methodical progress of the art of war and de^ 
 struction; our armies were still very far from equal- 
 ing those which, in the present age, astonish Europe. 
 
 There still remained too many traces of the man- 
 ners and disorders of ancient times. Notwithstand- 
 ing the armies were but small, the finances of the 
 monarch were still scarcely capable of supporting 
 them. When a great crisis occurred, it was yet ne^ 
 cessary to have recourse to the ban and the arrière- 
 ban^ the last relics of the feudal system. 
 
 During the early part of the reign of Louis XV, 
 the equipments of the troops were not uniform ; 
 and, even at a later period, we have seen marshals, 
 as, for instance, the Maréchal de Contades, appear 
 without his uniform, and wearing a large wig. The 
 strict regulations, with regard to uniform, were of 
 later date ; yet, in spite of them, we have known 
 the officers of the French guards to mount guard at 
 Versailles, dressed in black, with their gorget on 
 the breast. 
 
 It was difficult to establish a rigorous discipline^ 
 and a good system of instruction. The rank of offi- 
 cers belonged, of right, to the provincial nobility, 
 who were very proud, with a strong spirit of insub- 
 ordination, and, for the most part, destitute of infor- 
 mation. 
 
 The superior ranks in the army were reserved, 
 with few exceptions, for the sons of the great nobles 
 and courtiers, who were called men of quality. Far 
 from insisting that some degree of study and expe- 
 rience should form a necessary qualification for these 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 95 
 
 appointments, it was the custom to confer the rank 
 of colonel upon mere infants. 
 
 My father, then one of the least favored indivi- 
 duals of the court, was, at nineteen years of age, co- 
 lonel of the reg ment of Soissonnais, and was wound- 
 ed whiist commanding it, at the battle of Rocoux. 
 The Due de Fronsac, son of the Maréchal de Ri- 
 chelieu, was appointed, at the age of seven, colonel 
 of the regiment of Septimanie : the major was only 
 five years older than himself. 
 
 Yet, it must be confessed, that, generally speak- 
 ing, the places of lieutenant-colonel and major, were 
 conferred on officers of distinguished intelligence. 
 In point of fact, there existed no general adminis- 
 tration of the corps; each captain regulated his own 
 company, which he recruited, equipped and manag- 
 ed according to his ability. 
 
 By the misfortunes of the seven years' war, our 
 eyes were slowly opened; and the government felt 
 the necessity of adopting the rules of that adminis- 
 tration and those tactics, by which Frederic the 
 Great had been enabled to triumph over the three 
 principal powers of Europe. 
 
 The decrees of the Due de Choiseul abolished 
 the greater part of the old abuses. Our manœuvres 
 became regular ; more extensive information was re- 
 quired from the officers; the army was subjected to 
 the most severe discipline and the strictest subordi- 
 nation. A prudent military administration remedied 
 all disorders ; and established, in the equipments^ 
 recruitings, arming and remounting, a beneficial eco- 
 nomy, and in dress, the most perfect uniformity. 
 Such was the new order of things at the moment 
 when Ï entered the service. 
 
 The favor bestowed upon those colonels whose 
 regiments were best informed and disciplined, and 
 the promotion obtained by the officers, who distin- 
 
96 MEMOIRS 
 
 guished themselves in the theoretical schools and in 
 their exercises, excited throughout all France a ge- 
 neral emulation, and all eagerly contended for ^the 
 possession of this new prize. 
 
 The colonels of regiments exerted themselves to 
 surpass each other in the fine order of their troops, 
 as well as in the regularity, and the promptitude of 
 executing difficult manœuvres, the greater part of 
 which were, perhaps in reality, better calculated to 
 produce a shewy effect on the parade, than to con- 
 tribute to victory on the field. 
 
 Self-love exaggerates every thing, several com- 
 manders of corps, whom it was usual to denominate 
 faiseurs^ harassed their soldiers by minute details, 
 and their officers by a severity more rigid than just. 
 The lessons taken from the school of Frederic, were 
 in every respect, such as, whilst they were the least 
 essential, were the most easy, great care had been 
 taken to learn the trifling seqrets which improve 
 and regulate the movements of small bodies of men, 
 but the great principles which communicate a per- 
 vading identity and a sure direction to the move- 
 ments of an army, were still unknown. 
 
 The Comte de Muy, whose virtues and upright 
 i^igour, commanded respect, had confined himself to 
 the severe preservation of the order which he found 
 already established. His successor the Comte de 
 Saint-Germain, an enemy to abuses, to luxury and to 
 the caprices of favor, attacked the court, suppressed 
 the privileged corps, which drained the treasury 
 and were rarely serviceable in war, but were cher- 
 ished by the nobihty, who found in them their own 
 advantage. 
 
 Desirous of establishing in our camps the German 
 discipline which was incompatible with our manners, 
 the Comte de Saint-Germain subjected the French 
 soldier to the humiliating endurance of corporal pun- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUE. 97 
 
 ishment ; but the order was obeyed with repugnance 
 and inefficiently. I even recollect to have seen at 
 Lille, the grenadiers of a regiment of four battalions 
 shed tears of indignation at the foot of their colors, 
 and the Due de la Vauguyony their colonel, mingle 
 his tears with theirs. 
 
 This discontent became general ; and the minis- 
 ter was overthrown by public opinion which had 
 DOW acquired a formidable power. The Prince de 
 Montbarrey succeeded to the office, but effected no- 
 thing useful. His incapacity even allowed depreda- 
 tions to be committed, of the existence of which he 
 was perhaps ignorant* 
 
 My father, as will be presently seen, next assum- 
 ed the office ; but it was in the years which imme- 
 diately preceded his appointment, that those ideas 
 of reform, innovation and perfection, began to mani- 
 fest themselves, which seemed to have become in-* 
 dispensable to the happiness of the French people. 
 
 The Comte de Guibert, a soldier full of military 
 order, intelligence and knowledge, thirsting after 
 glory of every description, who had, whilst still 
 young, arrived at superior rank by his activity, and 
 attained a seat in the French academy by his ta- 
 lents, published an Essay on Tactics, which, from 
 the great and new ideas it contained, acquired a ra- 
 pid celebrity. 
 
 At the same time a Prussian major named the 
 Baron de Pyrch visited France, and proposed to 
 the minister to instruct the troops in the rules of 
 the Prussian exercise in all their developments, and 
 in the principles of the great manœuvres of Frede- 
 rick. 
 
 At the same period another officer named the Ba- 
 ron de Mesnil-Durand, professing a new theory, that 
 of deep ranks, attacked the system of extended lines, 
 13 
 
98 MEMOIRS 
 
 which had for a long time been universally adopted 
 by the European armies. 
 
 All these different systems gained ground by their 
 Hovelty and became the object of great curiosity and 
 even of bitter quarrels ; the government increased 
 this irritation by issuing orders to try to ascertain 
 the merits of each of these plans. 
 
 From what has been said it will be seen that a 
 great fermentation existed ; that animated disputes 
 sprung up on every side on philosophy, religion, 
 power, liberty and tactics ; even music itself gave 
 rise to an active war between the French and Ita- 
 lian schools, and Paris was at one time divided into 
 two factions, vehemently exasperated against each 
 other that of the Gluckistes and that of the Piccù 
 nistes. 
 
 There was nothing that was not brought into ques- 
 tion ; and this universal agitation served as a prelude 
 to those terrific shocks which convulsed and still 
 continue to convulse the whole world. 
 
 When, at certain periods, we behold a perfect 
 calm, approaching almost to lethargy, prevailing 
 amongst nations, whilst, at others, they seem to be 
 agitated and driven as it were into phrensy, we feel 
 inclined to adopt the belief that, in the moral as in 
 the physical world, there must exist paralysis and 
 accesses of violent fever above our power to explain 
 or to remedy. 
 
 France, at the close of the eighteenth century, 
 was manifestly laboring under such an attack of fe- 
 verish restlessness and anxiety, the usual signs and 
 precursors of a great moral, religious and political 
 crisis. 
 
 When I recall to mind the incredible activity that 
 prevailed on all sides, in provoking, in multiplying 
 and in resisting the most trifling innovations no less 
 than the greatest, and the amazing importance then 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 99 
 
 attached to them by every one, I must conclude 
 that in the eyes of calm spectators, before becoming 
 quite so dramatic, so tragic and terrible as we have 
 subsequently shewn ourselves, we must have appear- 
 ed sufficiently ridiculous. 
 
 This will perhaps be better exemplified by a 
 short anecdote. When there was issued an order 
 of M. de Saint-Germain to change the mode of dis- 
 cipline by inflicting upon French soldiers the corpo- 
 ral punishment of blows with the flat of a sabre, 
 the whole court, city and army disputed bitterly ei- 
 ther for or against such an innovation ; some ap- 
 plauded it, others as warmly reviled it ; but citizens, 
 soldiers, abbés and even the women all agreed in 
 talking and arguing eagerly upon the point. 
 
 All such as admired the German discipline with 
 as much enthusiasm as they had before displayed in 
 favor of the English fashions, now contended that, 
 with the strokes of the flat of a sabre, our army 
 would shortly arrive at as high a pitch of perfection 
 as that of the great Frederick ; while their oppo- 
 nents considered it only as a degrading humiliation, 
 altogether incompatible with French honor. A 
 third party expressed only surprise and doubt ; — 
 " Certainly," they said, " a stick would be a humili- 
 ating application, but the sabre is an honorable wea- 
 pon, and this military punishment has nothing de- 
 grading in it, it is merely necessary to determine 
 whether it is preferable to imprisonment and the 
 guard-house, so detrimental to health and morals." — 
 In short, it became a grave question to ascertain in 
 what precise degree physical punishment might in- 
 fluence a soldier's passions, and induce him to aban- 
 don his vices, his indolence and insubordination. 
 
 One morning, a young man belonging to one of 
 the first families at court, entered my room ; I had 
 been intimate with him from my infancy. Having 
 
wo MEMOIRS 
 
 iong renounced serious employment, he was wholly 
 occupied with pleasures, play and women. Of late, 
 however, a military ardor had seized him, he dream- 
 ed of nothing but arms and horses, the school of 
 theory, and German evolutions and discipline. 
 
 I observed as he came in, that he looked asto;^ 
 nishingly serious. He begged me to send away my 
 valet, which I did, when we were alone : — " What 
 am 1 to think," said I, " of so early a visit and so 
 grave a face, this morning, my dear Vicomte ? Is it 
 some new affair of honor or of love ?" 
 
 ^' Nothing of the kind," he replied ; ^' but still it 
 is a very important object, that I have in view, and 
 I am resolved to bring the matter to a proof. It 
 may possibly appear odd to you ; but I really must 
 pursue it in order to satisfy myself fully on the ques- 
 tion that seems to occupy us all. We can never 
 judge so well as from our own experience. You will 
 be aware, the moment I communicate my project to 
 you, that I could only confide it to a very particular 
 friend, and that he only can aid me in its execution. 
 In a word the case is this : — I am most anxious to 
 ascertain the impression produced upon the body of 
 a stout, courageous and well built man by the blows 
 of the flat end of a sabre, and how far his obstinacy 
 will support him under that species of chastisement. 
 Take your sabre then, my dear friend, and lay on, I 
 entreat you, until I cry out, 1 have enough,^^ 
 
 Bursting into a fit of laughter, I endeavored to 
 dissuade him from his extravagant design and to 
 convince him of the folly of his proposed experience, 
 but it was quite impossible. He intreated, he insist- 
 ed, upon my compliance with as much energy and 
 earnestness as if I were about to confer upon him 
 the most sio^nal favor in the world. 
 
 At length I consented, determined to inflict due 
 punishment upon his absurdity, and give him full 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 101 
 
 measure. 1 applied myself to the task, when, to my 
 great surprize, the patient, reflecting coolly after 
 every blow, and summoning his utmost fortitude, ut- 
 tered not a word and affected perfect indifference to 
 the operation. In fact, I was^ obliged to give him 
 some twenty severe blows, before he turned round 
 and said : " Enough, ray friend ; I am satisfied, and 
 am convinced that such an operation will prove an 
 eflicacious remedy for many faults." 
 
 Concluding that all was over, I was going to ring 
 for my valet to dress me, not a little amused at what 
 had passed, when stopping my hand, the Vicomte, 
 said : " Not yet, we have not quite done, it will be 
 proper that you should just try the experiment in 
 vour turn." 
 
 I assured him that I had not the least inclination, 
 and that nothing could change my opinion, which 
 was decidedly averse to such an innovation upon our 
 national feelings. 
 
 " True," he replied, " but it is not on your account, 
 it is on my own, that I make this request, I know 
 you well ; and though you are my best friend, you 
 are inclined to be somewhat sarcastic and merry. 
 You may perhaps amuse some of your fair listeners 
 at my expense, and make a pleasant anecdote out of 
 what has just passed." 
 
 " Cannot you take my word for it ?" replied I, 
 "Oh, certainly," he said ; " upon any serious sub- 
 ject ; but in such a case as this, even the fear of an 
 indiscretion would be too much, so I intreat you, for 
 the sake of our friendship, to make me quite easy 
 upon this head, by allowing me to return what you 
 have so politely bestowed upon me. Besides, I am 
 sure, that you will find your account in it, you will 
 have the satisfaction of judging by experience of the 
 effect of this new method, so much disputed on all 
 sides." 
 
102 MEMOIRS 
 
 Overpowered by his intreaties, I permitted him to 
 take the fatal weapon ; but after receiving a single 
 blow, instead of imitating his obstinacy, 1 cried out, 
 ^'Enough," and assured hira, that 1 had perfectly 
 made up oiy mind upon this grave question. Thus 
 ended this ludicrous adventure, we then took the 
 most affectionate leave of each other, and though I 
 was strongly tempted to relate the incident, I kept 
 my promise of secrecy as long as he desired. 
 
 Yet, frivolous as he then was, this young man 
 afterwards performed a task of rare and difficult 
 execution. At the age when education is generally 
 considered as completed, he had enjoyed few of its 
 advantages : yet, inspired by a wish of acquiring re- 
 putation, he undertook to supply all his deficiencies. 
 He abandoned {)leasure, and devoted himself eager- 
 ly to study. Within four years he made himself 
 master of mathematics, history, Latin and several 
 other languages, together with logic and rhetoric. 
 He subsequently distinguished himself, both as a 
 speaker and a warrior, and fell with honor in Ame^ 
 rica, at the moment when he had boarded and taken 
 an English vessel. 
 
 The summer was spent by our young men in mi- 
 litary exercises, in perpetual discussions upon the 
 new system of tactics, and in mock war and combats, 
 while all were ardently bent upon a rupture with 
 England, in order to exchange their fictitious battles 
 for the field of honor, bringing their cold theories 
 to a glorious proof, and compelling our pedants and 
 minute disciplinarians to give place to truly able and 
 military men. 
 
 As the war between England and America was one 
 of liberty, it held out to us, that liberty in all the 
 attractions of glory ; and whilst men of more reflect 
 tion, or of more philosophical views, looked upon this 
 great quarrel only as a favorable opportunity for 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 103 
 
 the adoption of their principles, for setting bounds to 
 arbitrary power, and giving freedom to France, in 
 bestowing upon the people, what they called their 
 invaluable rights ; we, more young and ardent, only 
 enrolled ourselves under the banners of philosophy, 
 in the hope of distinguishing ourselves in the field, 
 and of reaping honors and preferments ; in short, it 
 was in the character of heroes of chivalry that we 
 displayed our philosophy. 
 
 But it happened, as a natural consequence, that 
 after thus declaring ourselves, at first purely from 
 a military spirit, the armed champions of liberty, 
 we finally became sincerely attached to its princi- 
 ples. After having eagerly devoured all the worksj 
 and writings of every kind published in favor of the 
 new doctrines, we avowed ourselves zealous disciples 
 of their professors, and the adversaries of those who 
 advocated the old times, whose prejudices, pedan- 
 try and worn out customs, then appeared to us 
 ridiculous. 
 
 We were never weary indeed, of laughing at them 
 with Voltaire, or of lamenting them with Rousseau ; 
 the academical discourse of Thomas, of D'Alem- 
 bert, and of their disciples heated our imagifiation ; 
 we expressed our profound admiration of Montes- 
 quieu's Esprit des Lois, and if w^e supposed that we 
 had discovered in this work the long lost rights of 
 the people, it was not without sensations of shame, 
 that we perused his Persian Letters, which expose 
 the manners of our age, in those fine, spirited, 
 and satiric touches that characterize that eloquent 
 writer. 
 
 We were, moreover disgusted with listening to 
 the censorious lessons which our seniors bestowed 
 upon us as if we were ignorant of all that their early 
 or more mature life had seen, suffered, and even act- 
 ed, amidst the scandalous scenes that marked the 
 
104 MEMOIRS 
 
 epoch of the regency, and during the long, feeble 
 and Hcentious reign of Louis XV. 
 
 We were as little affected either with the ser- 
 mons, or with the alarms of a clergy which, how- 
 ever distinguished by some shining qualities, had 
 exhibited so many instances of preiatical ambition, 
 so many intriguing abbés, and more especially a mi- 
 nisterial premier in the Cardinal Dubois, whose name 
 and life reflected disgrace upon his order, upon the 
 government, and upon the nation. 
 
 So many superstitious errors had been interwoven 
 with the truths of religion; our daily writers unfold- 
 ed such scenes of civil strife, inhuman massacres, and 
 persecutions ; so many princes deposed ; persons 
 burnt alive for sorcery ; and nations groaning under 
 the ignorance, prejudice and tyranny of the feudal 
 system ; the spoliation and expulsion of a million of 
 Frenchmen on account of heresy, were events yet so 
 recent ; and the quarrels still subsisting between the 
 Jansénistes and Molinistes, with those respecting the 
 billets de confession, appeared so ridiculous, that it 
 became impossible not to indulge the hope, however 
 illusory, held out to us by men of genius, that a pe- 
 riod was approaching, in which reason, humanity, to- 
 leration and freedom would rise above the rum of 
 popular errors and prejudices, which had so long en- 
 slaved the world and deluged it with blood. 
 
 What tended still more to exasperate our impa- 
 tience, was the contrast of our present situation with 
 that of the English. Montesquieu had first opened 
 our eyes to the advantages of British institutions ; 
 the intercourse between the two nations had become 
 much more frequent; the brilliant but frivolous life 
 led by our nobility at court, and in the capital was 
 no longer sufficient to satisfy our self-love, when we 
 reflected upon the dignity, the independence, the 
 comparatively useful and important life of an English 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 105 
 
 peer, or of a member of the House of Commons; 
 as well as upon the liberty at once calm and lofty 
 enjoyed by the entire body of the citizens of Great 
 Britain. 
 
 It has always therefore been a subject of surprize 
 to me, that our government and statesmen, instead of 
 reproaching as frivolous and foreign to the national 
 spirit, that rage for English fashions, which suddenly 
 sprung up throughout France, did not perceive in it 
 the desire of another species of imitation, and the 
 germs of a mighty revolution in the public mind. 
 They were not in the least aware that, while we 
 •were destroying in our pleasure grounds, the straight 
 vî^alks and alleys, the symmetrical squares, the trees 
 cut in circles and the uniform hedges, in order to 
 transform them into English gardens, we were indi- 
 cating our wishes to resemble that nation, in other 
 and more essential points of nature and of reason. 
 
 They did not remark that the plain raiment, sub- 
 stituted instead of the ample and imposing dresses of 
 the old court, betrayed an unanimous desire of equa- 
 lity, and that, being yet unable to shine like English 
 Lords and Deputies in public assemblies, we were at 
 least desirous of distinguishing ourselves by equal 
 magnificence in our cirques, by the splendour of our 
 parks, and by the swiftness of our horses. 
 
 Yet, nothing could have been more easy to divine 
 than this simple truth : it was only necessary to con- 
 verse with the importers of some of these fashions, 
 with the Comte de Lauraguais, the Due de Lauzun, 
 the Due de Chartres, the Marquis de Conflans, and 
 many others, in order to learn that it was not to 
 superficial imitations that they intended to confine 
 their views. 
 
 However this may he, it is certain that all the 
 young men at court, not excepting even the Princes 
 of the blood, allowed themselves to be carried away 
 14 
 
106 MEMOIRS 
 
 by the torrent. The Queen evinced the most de- 
 cided dislike of the constraints of our etiquette, and 
 a decided fancy to EngHsh gardens, as well as to 
 horse races, at the latter of which she frequently 
 presided ; thus encouraging the madness of gam- 
 blers, bent upon their own ruin. 
 
 A few of the old nobles, it is true, presumed to 
 censure this mania ; but only on the ground of its 
 novelty. The good King (Louis XVI.) alone highly 
 disapproved of it, not as a dangerous system of in- 
 novation, but as being a shameful and ridiculous lux- 
 ury, exhibiting a humiliating preference for the cus- 
 toms of a foreign country over our own. 
 
 Whilst a spirit of gambling at these races, to an 
 enormous extent pervaded all, the King, being warm- 
 ly urged to bet, would never venture more than a 
 single crown, but the example was useless. Opinion 
 was already too strong to fear either authority or 
 example. Unhappily, on all sides, the violence and 
 agitation of the waves and the indecision of the pilot, 
 were but too sensibly felt. 
 
 An anecdote is enough to convince us of this : 
 the Count de Lauraguais, distinguished by his enthu- 
 siasm for English manners, customs and institutions, 
 by the reports of his amatory adventures, by his 
 somewhat cynical philosophy, and by an extrava- 
 gance that consumed his fortune, had drawn upon 
 himself by the boldness of his language and the au- 
 dacious originality of his writings, several lettres de 
 cachet^ which he one day humorously entitled in my 
 presence, his Correspondence with the King. 
 
 I recollect that, one day when 1 knew he had 
 been banished to. a distance from Paris, by virtue of 
 one of these letters, I met him walking quietly on 
 the race-course in the face of all the court : and 
 when Î wished to convince him of his imprudence, 
 his answer was merely a laugh. Such a bravado 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 107 
 
 could not possibly escape notice, yet it remained un- 
 punished. Arbitrary power was then rather tolerat- 
 ed than respected ; and if instead of winking at such 
 an act of insubordination, strong measures had been 
 employed, 1 am not sure that the public feeling, urg- 
 ed into a state of effervescence, might not have given 
 to this affair much greater importance and publicity 
 than it really deserved. 
 
 The Count de Lauraguais, subsequently Duke de 
 Brancas, and only just deceased at the age of ninety- 
 one years, was certainly among the most singular 
 personages of his time : uniting the most opposite 
 qualities and defects, the least of which might have 
 sufficed to bestow upon any individual a character of 
 great originality. 
 
 Abandoning himself to the vortex of fashionable 
 pleasures, even to excess, he, at the same time, de- 
 voted himself to science, and made several discove- 
 ries in chemistry, which obtained his admission into 
 the Academy of Sciences. To him, we are indebt- 
 ed for the perfection of the manufacture of porce- 
 lain. He tried experiments upon ether, and upon 
 its miscibility with water, and made some discoveries 
 of less utility, relative to the decomposition of dia- 
 monds. These last Droved beneficial to no one, and 
 contributed to his ruin. Original and enthusiastic in 
 all his pursuits, it would be difficult to estimate what 
 sums he lavished in diamonds, a part of which were 
 bestowed upon ungrateful beauties, while the rest 
 were dissolved in his porcelain crucibles. 
 
 He vv'as also one of the first to brave the pedan- 
 try of the magistracy and the bigotry of the Sor- 
 bonne, by promoting the use of inoculation through- 
 out France. 
 
 The celebrated grammarian Dumarsais, whose 
 science reflected honor upon his country, was then 
 languishing in poverty, because he was accused of 
 
308 MEMOIRS 
 
 being a Jansenist. M. de Lauraguais, by generously 
 bestowing upon him a pension, made some compen- 
 sation to this illustrious scholar for Romish persecu- 
 tions, and for the injustice of the court. 
 
 Long distinguished as the most splendid, magnifi- 
 cent and gallant amongst our great nobles, he was 
 seen, for a still longer period, in a mean dress, un- 
 combed, and affecting all the simplicity of a peasant 
 on the banks of the Danube. 
 
 I recollect him one day calling upon me in this 
 cynical garb, but with a countenance radiant with 
 pleasure. " What can possibly have given you this 
 unusual satisfaction?" I enquired. " My friend, I 
 am the happiest man in the world," was the answer, 
 " I am completely ruined." " Upon my honor," said 
 I, "you have been singularly happy-— such happiness 
 may tempt a man to hang himself." " You deceive 
 yourself," he replied, " as long as I was only embar- 
 rassed,, I found myself overwhelmed with business, 
 persecuted, distracted between hope and fear; but 
 now that I am ruined, I feel myself independent, ea- 
 sy, and freed from every source of inquietude and 
 care." ^ 
 
 At a period when the results of a refined civiliza- 
 tion appeared in the rules of what Avas then termed 
 bon ton and good company, and which exacted com- 
 plete submission to one uniform standard, in taste, 
 opinion, language and style of life, M. de Lauraguais, 
 shaking off the yoke, ventured to follow his own in- 
 clinations, and boldly professed the hardiest systems 
 of every kind. 
 
 Our theatres owe to him an important revolution : 
 he it was, w^ho first made us sensible, how absurd, 
 and how destructive of all scenic illusion it was, to 
 permit the select party of the court and city, to be 
 seated on the stage, on both sides of the theatre, in 
 front of the scenes. By his advice also, the actors 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 109 
 
 abandoned the custom of representing ancient cha- 
 racters in modern costume. Thanks to him, we no 
 longer beheld Nero, Brutus, and Theseus in coats 
 with long skirts, with scarfs and shoulder knots ; and 
 Phaedra and Mérope, with their hair curled and pow- 
 dered, and in hoop petticoats. 
 
 Smitten with the charms of Mademoiselle Arnoult, 
 a joung actress, and wearied with the assiduous atten- 
 tions of a certain courtier, the Prince D , by 
 
 no means of a lively turn; the Count de Lauraguais 
 applied very gravely to a physician, begging to be 
 informed if it were possible for a person to die of 
 ennui ? ^' Such a result," replied the doctor, " would 
 be considered extremely singular and very rare." — 
 " But I ask," continued the Count, " if it be possi- 
 ble ?" — The physician then said, " that certainly a 
 long continued state of ennui, might induce disease 
 such as a consumption, and thus cause the patient's 
 death." Upon which this consultation, at the 
 Count's request, was regularly signed and the fee 
 paid. He next proceeded to an advocate, and re- 
 quested to be informed, whether he could prefer a 
 legal complaint against another who had formed a 
 design, by whatsoever means, to deprive him of his 
 life. The advocate assured him there could not be 
 the least doubt of it, and immediately consented to 
 sign a declaration to that effect. Furnished with 
 these two documents, the Count de Lauraguais, caus- 
 ed a criminal process to be instituted against Prince 
 
 D , who, he declared, had formed the design 
 
 of killing him, as well as Mademoiselle Arnoult, with 
 ennui. Though this whimsical affair had no result, it 
 made no little noise, as will be easily imagined. 
 
 During the seven years' war, M. de Lauraguais 
 greatly distinguished himself, by the most calm and 
 brilliant intrepidity. In a sanguinary battle he had 
 thrice charged the enemy, at the head of his regi- 
 
110 MEMOIRS 
 
 ment, and when the contest was over, he assembled 
 his officers and bestowed due praise upon each. He 
 then enquired whether thej approved of his con- 
 duct ? which was answered only by a general accla- 
 mation. " i am very happy to find," said the Count, 
 " that you are satisfied WMth your colonel; for my 
 own part, I do not at all relish the sort of trade we 
 are engaged in, I shall quit it." And in fact he 
 threw up his commission at the close of the cam- 
 paign. 
 
 Upon this occasion he composed some verses, in 
 which, besides drawing his own character, he launch- 
 ed a pretty sharp epigram against one of his con- 
 temporaries, the Duke de la Valliere, who possessed 
 no kind of activity, but that of a courtier. 
 
 It was the same Count de Lauraguais who first 
 exhibited to the eyes of the Parisians, a horse race, 
 wâth English horses and English jockeys, in the plain 
 des Sablons. 
 
 When ideas of liberty were promulgated, the 
 Count de Lauraguais became one of the warmest 
 partizans of the grand innovations which were pre- 
 paring. He already beheld himself, in a French 
 parliament, playing the part of a Walpole, a Chat- 
 ham, and a Fox, but our revolutionary torrent 
 swept away his hopes, like those of so many others, 
 nor was it until after the restoration that he was 
 enabled to take his seat in the Chamber of Peers, 
 where his advanced age did not long permit him to 
 appear. 
 
 The moment, however, that the city and the 
 court, in spite of ancient customs, had abandoned 
 themselves with a sort of fury to the discussion of 
 public affairs, the signal for which had been given 
 by the unprecedented publication of the finance re- 
 port, rendered by M. Necker, a document to be met 
 with, not only in the hands of statesmen, but in the 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 1 1 Î 
 
 pockets of almost all our abbés, and on the toilettes 
 of all our ladies, M. de Lauraguais, giving the first 
 example of a bold opposition, wrote several pam- 
 phlets against the minister relative to the state of 
 the fiDances, all displaying talent, and a satirical ori- 
 ginality which drew down upon him fresh disgrace, 
 and a few supplements to his Correspondence with the 
 King, 
 
 If it be true that M. de Lauraguais permitted 
 himself to indulge strange license in the way of pa- 
 radox, irony and raillery, more especially in his writ- 
 ings, on the other hand, his company and conversa- 
 tion must be admitted to have been extremely live- 
 ly and agreeable. He never failed to please, except 
 when he spoke in a dogmatical tone on politics and 
 finance, amidst a volatile audience, and trespassed 
 upon their rules, which, in order to preserve the in- 
 terest of i\ie conversation, forbade any individual to 
 dwell too tediously on any one topic; for to please, 
 at that period, it was requisite to conceal one's 
 knowledge and to touch lightly upon every subject. 
 Occasionaily M. de Lauraguais would be a poet, 
 but he was not happy in a line that appears but too 
 easy to many people, that requires long study and 
 unremitting labour, without which nothing excellent 
 can be produced, yet which must be so artfully con- 
 cealed as to betray no traces of its existence. 
 
 One morning the Count entered my room in or- 
 der to read to me a tragedy he had written enti- 
 tled " Jocaste." As he afterwards insisted upon my 
 giving an opinion, I amused myself with replying in 
 jest, a thing much to his taste, that the piece certain- 
 ly contained some beauties, bqt that, unluckily, the 
 verses of the sphinx v/ere all that I had clearly 
 comprehended in it. , "That," replied he, "is be- 
 cause you have not properly listened to them." — " Î 
 will convince you of the contrary," answ^ered I ; " for 
 
112 MEMOIRS 
 
 there are some which I recollect," and I instantly 
 repeated to him the part I alluded to. 
 
 "You are a poor jester," replied the Count, "your 
 wit cannot reach high enough to measure my talent 
 nor that of the age; since you fail to perceive that, 
 in this work, I render to Europe the account of my 
 genius." — " I would have you beware," I retorted, 
 " of the word account it is a bad omen." 
 
 In reality, M. de Lauraguais, whose bitterness of 
 sarcasm, when he wrote, appeared the work of a 
 malignant spirit, was one of the best hearted men in 
 the world. Obliging, friendly, prodigal of every 
 thing he had, and content to dispense with every 
 thing he did not possess; no one better than he, 
 knew how to squander a fortune and support pover- 
 ty with perfect philosophy. 
 
 One of his mistresses declared that he used to 
 lodge her in his green-house, almost starving her to 
 death, and ^ allowing her scarcely any thing to eat 
 except foreign fruits. When she reproached him 
 with it, he replied: "Can you complain, ungrateful 
 girl, of wanting enough to eat — a trivial matter at 
 best — while you are thus abundantly supplied with 
 superfluities that every body longs for?" 
 
 For some time he made high pretensions to meta- 
 physics, and had one day an interview with the 
 Chevalier de Boufflers and myself, for the express 
 purpose of explaining to us the obscure doctrine 
 contained in a work entitled, " Des Erreurs et de la 
 Vèrité,^^ a book written by the celebrated Saint Mar- 
 tin, head of the sect of the Illuminés. 
 
 i^fter having patiently listened to a dissertation of 
 two hours on this subject, Boufflers and myself both 
 agreed in assuring him, that we had hitherto ima- 
 p-ined we sometimes caught the meaning of some 
 passages in that enigmatical work; but that, since 
 we had been favored with his learned commentary, 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 113 
 
 we comprehended nothing at all. He only joined us 
 in laughing at his own presumption, at ours, and at 
 the time that we had all lost. 
 
 Such, indeed, was the eccentricity of that age, 
 that, at the very moment when incredulity was in 
 fashion, and all the ties of society were regarded as 
 so many chains; when philosophy treated all ancient 
 religions and all old customs as so many prejudices, 
 a large portion of these young and new sages were 
 inflamed, some with a rage for the Illuminés^ or for 
 the doctrines of Swedenborg, and Saint Martin, re- 
 specting the possible communication between men 
 and celestial spirits ; while many others, ranging 
 themselves round the apparatus of Mesmer, confided 
 in the universal efficacy of magnetism, were per- 
 suaded of the infallibility of the oracles of sonambu- 
 lism, and never, for a moment, suspected the connec- 
 tion subsisting between this magical apparatus, of 
 which they were become so enamoured, and the 
 miraculous tomb of Paris, which thev had so often 
 turned into ridicule. 
 
 At no period did there appear a stronger contrast 
 in matters of opinion, taste, and manners : the max- 
 ims of philanthropy, declamations against vain glory, 
 and prayers for perpetual peace, were applauded in 
 the academies; but the same voices, after forsaking 
 these quiet precincts, joined in all the declamation 
 employed to urge the government into a war, and- 
 became as violent and intriguing as the rest. Each 
 was ambitious of eclipsing his acquaintance by the 
 display of luxury, at the same time that he was ad- 
 vocating the cause of republicanism, and preaching 
 up the doctrine of equality. At no time did the 
 court display more magnificence and vanity, and less 
 real power. We began to despise the power of 
 Versailles, and paid our court to that of the Ency- 
 clopédie. 
 
 f5 
 
114 MEMOIRS 
 
 A word in praise of D'Alembert and Diderot, was 
 better received than the most signal mark of favor 
 bestowed bj a prince. Gallantry, ambition, and 
 philosophy, were all intermixed and confounded to- 
 gether. Prelates left their dioceses to intrigue for 
 places, while our Abbés composed verses and ama- 
 tory tales. 
 
 The republican doctrines of Brutus began to be 
 applauded at court; even monarchs appeared about 
 to embrace the cause of a rebellious people against 
 their King; until, at length, independence became 
 the theme of camps, democracy was discussed at 
 noblemen's tables, philosophy at balls, and morality 
 in our boudoirs. What may most reasonably be re- 
 gretted, perhaps, belonging to an epoch like this, 
 that will never occur again, was the avowed tolera- 
 tion of all opinions in the midst of conflicting systems, 
 tastes, and wishes, and a moderation in the feelings 
 of society, which formed its great charm. 
 
 The terrific struggles between ancient and modern 
 doctrines were, as yet, confined to argument, and 
 were treated in the light of theories. The period had 
 not arrived in which their application was destined 
 to excite hatred and discord in our breasts; too hap- 
 py days when our opinions exercised no influence 
 over our feelings, and when we had sense enough 
 still to retain our afï'ection for those who thought 
 differently from ourselves ! 
 
 I shall never cease to dwell upon those frequent 
 and delightful parties, where financiers, magistrates, 
 courtiers, poets, with the most agreeable and cele- 
 brated sages, mingled together; nor upon those con- 
 versations an mont Parnasse at the house of Count 
 de Choiseul-Goufiier, in which alternately shone 
 Boufïîers, Delille. Rulhiere, Saint-Lambert, Champ- 
 fort, La Harpe, Marmontel, Panchaud, Raynal, the 
 Abbé de Périgord, since Prince de Talleyrand, my 
 brother, one of the most pleasing men of his time, 
 th^ Prince de.Lig^ne. the new Chevalier de Graipg- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUK. 115 
 
 mont of every country, the favorite of every mo- 
 narch, the courtier of all courts, intiuiate with all 
 philosophers, and the Duke de Lauzun, who, every 
 vï^here in search of glory, was rewarded only with 
 its illusions, and whose adventures, for the most part, 
 vvere more imaginary than real. 
 
 At some other places of general resort we listen- 
 ed, with mingled pleasure and respect, to the simple 
 and laborious, the eloquent and profound Abbé Bar- 
 thélémy; to Malesherhes, one of the most popular 
 of our celebrated characters, the most just minister, 
 incorruptible magistrate and least flattenrtg courtier; 
 that immortal Malesherhes, a philosopher in reason- 
 ing, in action wise and prudent, who delighted us 
 v^ith the treasures of his memory and the variety of 
 his anecdotes, as much as he improved, us by his 
 moral discourses and the extent of his acquirements; 
 and to the Due de Nivernais, as distinguished for his 
 delicacy of taste and urbanity of manners, as for his 
 penetration and agreeable talents. This nobleman 
 knew how to unite the dignity of the old court to 
 the philosophical tone of the new^ combining, in his 
 own person, the form and spirit of two different 
 ages. 
 
 At the mansion of the Princess de Beauvau, the 
 model of amenity, and of art in sustaining and vary- 
 ing the conversation, we beheld an assemblage, the 
 picture of all that was most delicate and best in the 
 court of Louis XV., unaccompanied by any thing that 
 could call forth the censures with which a just seve- 
 rity visited the licentious character of that period. 
 
 Traces of a former epoch might also be observed 
 at the parties of la Maréchale de Luxembourg, 
 where recollections of the period of the regency still 
 prevailed; but time, repentance, and the desire of 
 reputation, were fast effacing them, leaving us little 
 more than the importance and dignity attached to 
 
lltJ MEMOIRS 
 
 the names which recalled to mind the reign of Louis 
 XIV. 
 
 I eagerly renounced the companions of my early 
 days, and the amusements suited to my age, in order 
 to listen to the conversation of societies at once bet- 
 ter calculated to form my reason, my understanding 
 and my taste. 
 
 Destined, both from my position in society, and 
 my inclination for historical and political studies, to 
 assume a public station, I felt how important it was 
 for me to become connected with all those eminent 
 men, who, without flattery, might be considered as 
 the flower of human society. 
 
 It was, indeed, at the hôtel de la Rochefoucauld, 
 at the mansions of D'Alembert, and of Madame Ge- 
 oflrin, that the most distinguished literary and phi- 
 losophical characters assembled. There that spirit 
 of liberty was to be found which, w^hile it enlighten- 
 ed the world, was destined to change its aspect, 
 and, unhappily, also, to shake the old foundations of 
 society, in seeking to substitute new. 
 
 In the assemblies held at la Maréchale de Lux- 
 embourg's, de la Valliere's, and at the hotel de Choi- 
 seul, were to be seen all the most remarkable cha- 
 racters, whose accomplished manners, whose rank, 
 or whose gallantry had been conspicuous in the reign 
 of Louis XV. At the house of Madame du Defiant 
 there was always a number of distinguished foreign- 
 ers, attracted by the curiosity of knowing more of 
 the ancient and modern character of a nation, which 
 in their own countries, they, in their dulness, slan- 
 dered and accused of frivolity, a nation, nevertheless, 
 that has been, at all times, is, and will continue to be, 
 the object of their jealousy. 
 
 Although very young, 1 was naturally inclined to 
 reflection ; and I soon became aware, by frequenting 
 these brilliant schools of civili;?ation, of the real 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 117 
 
 causes which gave our political and literary charac- 
 ters such manifest and invariable advantages over 
 those of the rest of Europe, excepting, indeed, En- 
 gland, who may dispute this point of pre-eaiinence 
 with us. 
 
 These causes are the same as those which confer 
 upon the historians of antiquity an evident advantage 
 over the chief part of our modern historians. The 
 truth is, that, in order to treat with men, and to 
 describe them well, it is essential to study and to 
 know them ; and this knowledge can only be acquir- 
 ed in the midst of a highly civilized state of society, 
 and in a situation where long acquaintance with the 
 world has substituted realities in the place of appear- 
 ances, and experience in the place of systems. 
 Why, for instance, do we find the chief part of the 
 historians of modern Europe so cold in their narra- 
 tions ? Though possessing erudition, and often not 
 deficient in talent, they are, nevertheless, dry and 
 devoid of all dramatic interest, while their prolix 
 reflections present us with nothing beyond common 
 place morality, the often repeated dogmas of the 
 pulpit or of the college. 
 
 The interest, on the other hand, with which we 
 study the works of Xenophon, Livy, Polibius, Sallust 
 and Tacitus, which bid defiance to time, and which 
 are reperused with fresh avidity, appears to be 
 founded on the fact that they were always actors 
 in the scenes they described, or in such as nearly 
 resembled them. 
 
 They were no abbés, no professors, no scholars, 
 isolated from the world by virtue of their vows, by 
 their studies, or by their obscurity, who threw such 
 vivid lights upon the play of human passions; they 
 were more men who had felt and combated them. 
 These illustrious writers united the threefold merit 
 of men of letters, men of the world and statesmen. 
 
lis MEMOIRS 
 
 thus possessing a triple advantage, a pure literary 
 style, the delicacy of taste derived from high society, 
 and the abiHty of practical politicians. 
 
 In modern Europe we may accordingly remark, 
 that the men whose pohtical or historical writings 
 have excited the most constant degree of interest, 
 are such names as the President de Thou, the Duke 
 de Sully, and the Cardinal de Retz. 
 
 Had Montesquieu been nothing more than a mere 
 learned professor, his genius would have presented 
 us only with cold dissertations upon the laws. But 
 he gave us the sphit of them, because he knew the 
 w^orld and its affairs, men of all classes, and society 
 in all its gradations and shades. 
 
 What is it that constitutes the charm of memoirs, 
 written even with the most negligence, but the 
 appearance of the authors themselves rather as 
 actors than as narrators of the scenes described ? 
 But, however natural they may be, these productions 
 are too frequently deficient in art, as well as impar- 
 tiality. They exhibit only a corner of the picture, 
 destitute of ornament, whilst, m fact, of all kinds of 
 eloquence, history and politics, are those which most 
 essentially require a combination of elegance, simpli- 
 city and variety, united to depth of thought, know- 
 ledge of mankind, and a familiarity with affairs. 
 
 In England, the national institutions have been 
 more favorable to the growth of this species of 
 talent than those of other governments. Public 
 affairs are there really public, they belong to all ; 
 and every one knows them and takes an interest in 
 them. The theory is not kept distinct from the 
 practice ; cemented by liberty, the social bonds it 
 has there established embrace all classes and all 
 ranks ; insomuch, that a solid reputation is attached 
 to the names of the writers, statesmen and orators 
 of that country, such as Hume, Clarendon, Littleton^ 
 Robertson, Chesterfield, and others. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR, 119 
 
 When we, like them, have released ourselves 
 from the thraldom in which we have been held by 
 the feudal power, by arbitrary authority, by scholas* 
 tic prejudices, by superstition, by the compulsory 
 exclusion of almost all classes of society from the 
 conduct of public affairs, and by the long established 
 and ridiculous contempt for literature professed by 
 our privileged classes, then will the pursuit of history 
 and politics assume that elevated rank amongst us, 
 which is justly their due. 
 
 It is a most singular and remarkable circumstance, 
 that, at the court, as well as in the city, amongst the 
 nobles and the military, as well as amongst the citi- 
 zens and the financiers, in the very heart of a vast 
 monarchy, the ancient sanctuary of privileges reserv- 
 ed to the nobility, the parliaments and the priest- 
 hood, and, notwithstanding our habits of long obe- 
 dience to arbitrary power, the cause of the insur- 
 gent Americans should thus have attracted undivided 
 attention, and excited universal interest. 
 
 On all sides public opinion urged a regal govern- 
 ment to declare itself in favor of republican liberty, 
 and even murmured at its irresolution and delay. 
 The ministers, gradually yielding to the torrent, 
 were, at the same time, alarmed at the prospect of 
 a ruinous war, in case of a rupture with England, 
 and were, moreover, restrained by the rigid probity 
 of Louis XVI., the most moral character of his time. 
 
 That monarch considered neutrality as a duty, 
 inasmuch as no instance of aggression had occurred 
 on the side of the English, to justify, in his eyes, a 
 hostile measure against the crown of Great Britain. 
 It was no apprehension of expenditure, or even the 
 chances of war, that deterred him, but his conscience 
 led him to regard a violation of the treaties of 
 peace as actual perfidy, when undertaken with the 
 sole motive of humbling a powerful adversary. 
 
120 MEMOIRS 
 
 Accordingly, the government, wavering between 
 the will of the Prince and the general opinion, was 
 compelled, by its weakness, to commit one of the 
 greatest political errors ; it secretly encouraged the 
 people to assist the Americans, through commercial 
 channels, with arms and ammunition ; it gave a favor- 
 able, though mysterious reception to the American 
 envoys ; soothed with flattering hopes the warlike 
 spirit of our young soldiers, and permitted the circu- 
 lation of tracts favorable to American liberty ; while, 
 at the same time, it charged our ambassador at 
 London to calm the alarms of the English ministry 
 with renewed assurances, that peace would be pre- 
 served by the observation of the strictest neutrality. 
 
 By persisting in this insincere conduct, our govern- 
 ment sacrificed alike the advantages of a pacific 
 system, and of an avowed hostility, exposing itself to 
 all the inconveniences of both measures, because it 
 ventured to decide upon neither. 
 
 In the meanwhile the storm increased : the Ame- 
 ricans had hitherto experienced reverses, but fortune 
 was, at length, beginning to declare in their favor. 
 Enthusiasm for liberty and the love of their native 
 land, finally triumphed over every difficulty. The 
 tactics and discipline of an English army no longer 
 surprised the irregular courage of the new repub- 
 licans. The Congress, strong^ly resembling the an- 
 cient senate of Rome, deliberated with coolness, and 
 enacted wholesome laws in the midst of the tumult 
 of arms. 
 
 It was in vain that an Elector of the German 
 empire supplied the English army with auxiliaries, 
 and entered into a disgraceful treaty, by which he 
 established an exact tarif, specifying the several 
 sums to be paid in cases of death, mutilation or 
 w^ounds, either slight or severe, that might be suffer- 
 ed by or inflicted upon his subjects whom he sold. 
 
OF COtTNT SEGUR. 121 
 
 The American armies daily made a rapid progress ; 
 and, at length, we heard, that a whole English army, 
 commanded hj General Burgoyne, had been sur-- 
 rounded by the rebel militia, deprived of all commu- 
 nication, all provisions, and, that, unable either to 
 fight or to retreat, it had been compelled to lay 
 down its arras at Saratoga, at the feet of a poor but 
 haughty race of agriculturists, as inexperienced as 
 they were valiant, and whose simplicity, want of 
 discipline, wretched appointments, and ignorance of 
 military affairs, it had so long affected to despise. 
 
 This victory gave an inclination to the political 
 balance ; and its fame was quickly circulated 
 throughout Europe. Good fortune is every where 
 sure of attracting friends, and America, in a short 
 time, boasted of her allies. 
 
 . Tidings of this success, of course, redoubled our 
 ardor and impatience. Our ministers, warmly pressed 
 and somewhat encouraged by fortune, took less 
 pains to conceal their object, and persuaded the 
 King that it was practicable to consult the interest 
 of France by forming a commercial treaty with the 
 Americans, without breaking with the court of Eng- 
 land. 
 
 Our ministers, in consequence, received the Ame- 
 rican commissioners more openly, entered into nego- 
 tiations with them, and, in December, 1777, both 
 parties signed the preliminary articles of a treaty of 
 amity and commerce. 
 
 The result of this measure had not been antici- 
 pated by them, although it was one that ensued as 
 a necessary consequence. The English ministry 
 broke out into the most violent complaints against 
 us, considering our new treaty with their rebellious 
 colonists as an open declaration of war. 
 
 It was in vain that our ambassador alleged the 
 necessity of consulting our commercial interest, and 
 Î6 
 
122 MEMOIRS 
 
 f)rotested our earnest desire for peace. The Eng- 
 ish were resolved to go to war; and, at the same 
 time, conceiving themselves authorized by our con- 
 duct, which they regarded as an aggression, to break 
 through the law of nations, had dispatched secret 
 orders to their admirals. Thus, we soon received 
 intelligence, without any declaration of war on their 
 part, or any act of hostility on ours, that they had 
 seized upon several of our merchant vessels, and had 
 commenced their attacks upon our possessions in 
 India. 
 
 The definitive treaty with America was speedily 
 ratified; our ambassador left London; both nations 
 appealed to arms ; and the wishes of our warlike 
 youth were gratified, as war immediately burst forth 
 in the two hemispheres. 
 
 This event put an end to all designs of making in- 
 dividual efforts, and sailing as volunteers to America ; 
 the war called each of us to his proper standard, 
 and promised us approaching occasions of reaping 
 honors, while we fought in the service of our 
 country. 
 
 As we were too eager, however, to await the op- 
 portunities thus offered, and, as the war against Eng- 
 land promised to be almost exclusively maritime, it 
 was easy to foresee that there would be few expe- 
 ditions to employ our troops by land, and, that thèse 
 would consist of very limited numbers. 1 renewed, 
 therefore, my applications to be permitted to join 
 La Fayette in the camp of Washington. 
 
 The representations he made in his letters to me, 
 respecting the manners, the enthusiasm, and the he- 
 roic constancy and courage of the Americans, all 
 tended to increase ray desire of serving their cause. 
 
 1 intreated the Queen to support my application, 
 explaining to her that, as I was a colonel of dra- 
 goons, and. as most probably very few cavalry would 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 323 
 
 be employed during the war, I might absent myself 
 from my regiment without detriment to the public 
 service. 
 
 As every species of elevated sentiment had at- 
 tractions for this Princess, she approved my conduct ; 
 but, a few days afterwards, she informed me that, 
 should my request be granted, it was feared my ex- 
 ample would give rise to fresh applications of the 
 kind, which might prove very inconvenient, and that 
 the King objected to the absence of commanding 
 officers. 
 
 I had not the smallest hope of being assisted by 
 my father; a strong advocate for methodical pro- 
 ceedings and strict discipline, he would certainly 
 have been more active in opposing than in forward- 
 ing my views. I was compelled, therefore, to await 
 a more favorable turn of fortune ; but, in this affair, 
 she did not prove propitious to me. 
 
 In the mean while, from a variety of menacing 
 symptoms, we were prepared to expect a general 
 war throughout Europe, whose ravages threatened 
 to involve the whole civilized world. The ambi- 
 tious views of the Empress Catherine, and her re* 
 fusal to restore the Crimea, had armed the Turks 
 against her. The Elector Palatine was just de- 
 ceased ; and his testament, together with the pre- 
 tensions of Austria to his dominions, excited disputes 
 between the courts of Vienna and Berlin, which 
 were speedily followed by a rupture. 
 
 Spain, it is true, still sought to effect a reconcilia- 
 tion between us and the English, but all such at- 
 tempts proved abortive. It was, already, not diffi- 
 cult to foresee that that country would soon be in- 
 duced to make common cause with us, in order to 
 wrest the dominion of the seas from our ancient 
 rival. 
 
 Even Holland, at length, notwithstanding the 
 
124 .^ MEMOIRS 
 
 Statholder's predilection for England, attempted to 
 revive some degree ol' her former spirit in favor of 
 liberty, and a numerous party there evinced a de- 
 termination to urge the government to declare for 
 the cause of America. 
 
 In this juncture of affairs, so alarming to the 
 friends of humanity and peace, our young men, eager 
 for war, found wherewith to flatter their wishes 
 and nourish their boldest hopes. 
 
 The result, however, was precisely opposite to 
 what we had expected ; the ocean, America and 
 the Indies, became the sole theatre of actual and 
 vigorous warfare. The flame which threatened to 
 break out over the whole continent of Europe, was 
 suddenly extinguished. The Turks became resign- 
 ed to their fate. Prussia and Austria made only a 
 single campaign, without any result. The pacific 
 .^^^^pl^'ediation of France, united to the armed mediation 
 ^^-**^/^^_^pf Russia, appeased the diflerences that had arisen 
 jL>^/0 between the cabinets of Vienna and Berlin, and they 
 terminated in a speedy peace, which was ratified at 
 
 "Tiius, before the expiration of a year, England be- 
 held herself standing alone, with the exception of 
 the feeble alliance of Portugal, in arms against the 
 Americans, the French, the Spaniards and the Dutch. 
 In this manner the greater part of our visions of 
 glory vanished. It was only our seamen, some do- 
 zen of generals, and, perhaps, twenty of our regi- 
 ments that obtained the envied distinction of active 
 service upon the American continent in the Antilles,* 
 and in Asia in the East Indies. 
 
 The sole hope, then, that remained for us, was a 
 descent upon England, a vast undertaking, whose 
 execution we louçlly solicited, but one which the cir- 
 
 * The name given by the French to a portion of the West 
 Indian Islands. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 325 
 
 cumspectlon of our ministers long hesitated to adopt, 
 and prosecuted with all that delay and indecision 
 which renders success impossible. 
 
 Our naval equipments were numerous ; our sea- 
 men possessed equal information and intrepidity; 
 our land forces were animated with the best spirit, 
 and further inflamed with that love of glory which 
 promises the proudest exploits. 
 
 The ability of M. Necker had supplied the trea- 
 sury with ample means to carry on great enterprises. 
 France, at length, had found an opportunity of over- 
 throwing the power of her eternal rival. To attain 
 this object our forces were fully adequate ; our mi- 
 nisters were not destitute of talent, but they had no 
 genius. 
 
 Owing, nevertheless, to the force of circumstan- 
 ces, to the perseverance of the Americans, and to 
 the bravery of our troops, as well as to several for- 
 tunate combinations of the new ministry which di- 
 rected our last operations, the result of the war was 
 as glorious for us, as disastrous to the English, who 
 lost thirteen fine provinces in another hemisphere. 
 
 Our treaty with America embraced some offen- 
 sive stipulations, to be put in execution only in case 
 of a rupture with England. The integrity of our 
 monarch induced him, against the advice of his mi- 
 nisters, to avoid being the first to pronounce the ter- 
 rible word ^'war,^^ He did not think himself au- 
 thorized, by the frequent examples set by the Eng- 
 lish, to infringe upon the laws of nations with impu- 
 nity ; and, so far from taking advantage of the mo- 
 ment in which Great Britain found herself unpre- 
 pared for the defence of her coasts and the protec- 
 tion of her extensive commerce, he delayed until 
 she should commit the first acts of hostility ; thus 
 behoving himself less responsible for all the calami- 
 ties which such a war was sure to bring in its train. 
 
126 MEMOIRS 
 
 And, in fact, it was the English who first openly 
 broke the existing peace. One of their men of war, 
 named the Ârethusa, attacked la Belle-Poule^ a 
 French frigate, whose commander, M. de la Cloche- 
 terie, very brilliantly sustained the honor of th@ 
 French flag. The engagement was long, obstinate 
 and sanguinary. The Aréthusa^ being worsted, steer- 
 ed away, while the French captain brought into 
 port his frigate, completely riddled with bullets, and 
 a crew reduced to one half of its number by the 
 enemy's fire. He was received in triumph by an 
 immense crowd, who hailed with transport this first 
 instance of brilliant success, regarding it as a sure 
 presage of future glory and good fortune. 
 
 Louis XVL then no longer hesitated to employ all 
 the forces which his ministers had prepared. Count 
 d'Eataing, commanding a French squadron, dii'ected 
 his course towards the coast of America. His ap- 
 pearance in those quarters served to intimidate Ge- 
 Deral Clinton, at that time employed in investing the 
 city of Philadelphia. The English general retired 
 towards New- York, v/hile the Americans, resuming 
 the offensive, followed the enemy in his retreat, and 
 brought him to an action at Monmouth, in which 
 they had the advantage, though without obtaining 
 any decisive result. 
 
 A French plenipotentiary, M. Gerard de Ray ne- 
 val, who had sailed in the fleet of Count d'Estaing, 
 repaired to the American Congress, with powers to 
 acknowledge its independence, and to enter into sti- 
 pulations of an alliance, offensive and defensive. The 
 generals Washington, La Fayette and Sullivan, had 
 together concerted an able plan, the object of which 
 was the conquest of Rhode-Island. 
 
 It was towards this point that our admiral now 
 set sail ; but, instead of disembarking his troops ac- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. i27 
 
 cording to the entreaties of the Americans, his de- 
 sire of engaging, and hope of destroying the English 
 squadron, then approaching, induced him to rehn- 
 quish everj other object. He advanced, therefore, 
 to meet the enemy's fleet. 
 
 The engagement had already commenced, when 
 a terrific hurricane separated the two fleets. The 
 violence of the storm dispersed all their vessels, a 
 great number of which were considerably damaged. 
 Two of ours were wholly unrigged and dismasted, 
 and, by a singular fatality, were on the point of being 
 ta/en by vessels qf inferior force, when the Count 
 d'Estaing arrived in time for their rescue. The 
 English squadron, on its side, received reinforce- 
 ments, and the execution of the plan having thus 
 miscarried, the Count d'Estaing formed other de- 
 signs, and steered another course in order, by some 
 brilliant aflair, to atone for the want of success at- 
 tending his first expedition. 
 
 There arose out of this disaster, or this fault, 
 some causes of misunderstanding between the French 
 and American leaders. Washington contrived, ne- 
 vertheless, to draw this advantage from it ; he con- 
 vinced the soldiers under his command, that it was 
 principally to their own courage, fortitude and yigor, 
 that they were to look for success ; and, thai, too 
 much confidence should not be reposed in the assist- 
 ance, however useful, but still precarious, of distant 
 allies, that, in short, they must put themselves in a 
 situation to vanquish the enemy without assistance^ in 
 order to be sure of receiving it. 
 
 In the Indies, our want of vigor, and the timid 
 precautions of the French government, produced 
 very serious evils: a naval force, if earlier sent on 
 those stations, would have changed the aspect of 
 affairs, and given a fatal blow to the English ascend- 
 ency in that quarter 5 but want of foresight had pre- 
 
12B MEMOIRS 
 
 vented our ministers from making there, the neces- 
 sary preparations, either for defence or attack. 
 
 In one quarter, we had secretly suppHed the fa- 
 Inous Hyder-Aliy, an Indian prince, who attempted 
 to shake off the English yoke, with the aid of our 
 officers and our advice. When we thus encouraged 
 an enemy so formidable to the English, we ought to 
 have calculated upon their retaliating upon our colo- 
 nies and our commerce. 
 
 We soon began to suffer for our negligence. The 
 English attacked Pondicherry and Chandernagore, 
 and these rich factories were speedily lost to us, 
 without any other equivalent than the lustre with 
 which the heroic courage and the skill of our admi- 
 ral, the Count de Suffren, three years subsequently, 
 covered our arms. 
 
 During the period that these important events, 
 the forerunners of fresh storms, engaged the atten- 
 tion of all cabinets and of all classes of people, from 
 the highest personages of the court to the most bab- 
 bling loungers upon the terrace of the Tuileries, the 
 procpenade of the Palais-Royal and the coffee houses 
 of Paris, a new spectacle appeared to attract and to 
 fix the attention of the Parisians. 
 
 Voltaire, the prince of poets, the patriarch of phi- 
 losophers, the glory of his age and country, had, for 
 many years past, remained an exile from France. 
 While all Frenchmen perused his works with de- 
 Lght, scarcely any of them had yet beheld him : his 
 contemporaries Avere to him, if we may venture to 
 express it, a sort of posterity. Not a few carried 
 their admiration of his universal genius to a degree 
 of adoration ; his productions were the ornament of 
 the libraries, his name was familiar to all minds, but 
 his features were concealed from all regards. His 
 spirit seemed to govern, to direct and to modify all 
 the characters of his age ; but, if we except a small 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 129 
 
 number who had been admitted into his philosophi- 
 cal sanctuary at Ferney, he reigned over the rest of 
 his fellow citizens like some invisible power. 
 
 Perhaps no single writer ever produced such im- 
 portant changes as Voltaire, in the opinions and man- 
 ners of his times. No head of a party ever combat- 
 ed and vanquished at the same time, without ap- 
 pearing to mix in the controversy, a greater number 
 of enemies, till then supposed invincible, of errors 
 long consecrated by time and prejudices deeply root- 
 ed by ancient customs. 
 
 Destitute, nevertheless, of rank, birth, or authori- 
 ty, his power consisted only in the clearness of his 
 reasoning, in the varied eloquence of his style, and 
 in the captivating grace of his manner. In fact, in 
 order to level with the earth, the ancient and for- 
 midable colossus against which his efforts were di- 
 rected, he, for the most part employed, not the 
 heavy club, but the light arms of ridicule and irony. 
 It is certain that none ever made a more dexterous 
 use of them than he did, or inflicted with them more 
 deep and incurable wounds. 
 
 Availing themselves of some inexcusable impru- 
 dences, of some compositions militating against good 
 morals, of some spots, in short, that slightly tarnish- 
 ed the disk of this brilliant literary luminary, our 
 clergy, together with a few of our old parliamentary 
 censors, ancient courtiers, and the partizans of old 
 abuses, united for the purpose of obtaining, not an 
 actual condemnation, not even an official order for 
 his banishment, but intimations sufficiently explicit to 
 compel him to consult his peace and security in 
 exile. 
 
 His return, like his disgrace, was a proof of the 
 weakness of the reigning authority. At that period 
 philosophical opinions had gained such an ascendan- 
 cy over men's minds, and so far intimidated the pow- 
 17 
 
Î30 MEMOIRS 
 
 cr of government, that he was allowed to return 
 without any express permission. The court refused 
 to receive him, but the whole city hastened to wel- 
 come his return. He was refused even the slight- 
 est favor, while, at the same time, he was allowed 
 to enjoy a triumph of the most brilliant description. 
 
 The Queen, carried aivay by the torrent, made 
 ineffectual attempts to obtain the King's consent, to 
 receive at her parties this distinguished character, 
 the object of universal admiration. Louis XVI. ac- 
 tuated by scruples of conscience, did not think him- 
 self justified in permitting the approach of a writer 
 whose daring attacks, not confined only to abuses, 
 had frequently aimed at subverting long established 
 opinions and doctrines considered sacred. The pre- 
 cincts of the throne, therefore, continued closed 
 against a man, to whom the nation, in the excess of 
 its admiration offered a sort of worship. 
 
 This great man's return threw bis rivals into con- 
 sternation ; the clergy was indignant, but as well as 
 the parliament remained silent, and the philosophical 
 ascendancy acquired fresh strength from the presence 
 and from the triumph of its leading chief. 
 
 At this epoch it was necessary to have witnessed 
 the public exultation, the eager curiosity and enthu- 
 siasm of admiring crowds desirous of hearing and be- 
 holding this celebrated old man, contemporary with 
 two ages, who had inherited the fame of the one^ 
 and formed the glory of the other ; it required, I re- 
 peat, to be a living witness of this spectacle to form 
 a just idea of it. 
 
 It was the apotheosis of a demi-god, still living; 
 when he addressed the people, he said with as 
 much feeling as reason : " Do you wish to kill me 
 with pleasure ?" And, in fact, the delight he felt 
 at such numerous and affecting marks of their regard, 
 was too much for his strength ; he sank under his 
 
OF COUNT SEGUK. 131 
 
 emotions, and the altar, which they were decorating 
 to his honour, speedily became his tomb. 
 
 Equally desirous of obtaining a nearer view of this 
 illustrious man and more fortunate than the rest, I, 
 without having to force my way through the crowds 
 that sought to approach him, enjoyed the satisfac- 
 tion of contemplating him at leisure, several times at 
 the house of my parents, with whom he had been 
 rather intimately acquainted during the earlier part 
 of his life. 
 
 My mother, at that time, had been suffering during 
 two years, under a cruel disorder, which, amidst the 
 severest anguish, was fast preying upon her strength 
 and life. She was no longer able to rise from her 
 bed. Her extreme weakness may be estimated by 
 the fact that, within a month of the period here 
 mentioned, she breathed her last. 
 
 She had invariably been esteemed one of the most 
 distinguished women of Paris, for penetration, for the 
 soundness of her mind and taste, for the clearness oi 
 her understanding, and for the elegance of her lan- 
 guage and manners. She was remarkable, when 
 young, for her personal attractions, and was consi- 
 dered a model of the highest fashion, and the most 
 pleasing urbanity. 
 
 Voltaire had not forgotten her, he instantly in- 
 treated that he might see her, and although she had 
 hardly sufficient strength left to behold, to hear, 
 and to answer him, she did not hesitate to receive 
 him. 
 
 It often happens in respect to persons, places and 
 objects, that we have never seen, and of which we 
 have formed only a distant conception, that we find 
 them quite different from what we had expected. I 
 had experienced this repeatedly, but Avhen 1 saw 
 Voltaire, he appeared to me exactly as my fancy 
 had represented him. 
 
l'3!î ' MEMOIRS 
 
 His leanness bore witness to his long incessant 
 labors, his ancient and pecuHar dress reminded me 
 of the last remaining witness of the age of Louis 
 XIV.; the historian of that age, and the immortal 
 painter of Henry IV. His piercing eye sparkled 
 with genius and sarcasm, in it might be traced the 
 fire of the tragic poet, the author of Œdipus and of 
 Mahomet, the profound thinker, the ingenious and 
 satiric novelist, the severe and penetrating observer 
 of human nature, while his thin and bending form 
 seemed nothing more than a slight envelope, almost 
 transparent through which beamed his genius and 
 his soul. 
 
 I was transported with pleasure and admiration, 
 I felt like one suddenly permitted to be borne 
 back into distant times, — who might behold Homer, 
 Plato, Virgil, or Cicero face to face. Perhaps we 
 ean, with difficulty, comprehend, at this period, the 
 nature of such an impression; we have been witness 
 to so many events, — to such a succession of men and 
 things, that we are rendered almost indifferent to 
 every thing; and to conceive what I then felt, it 
 would be necessary to breathe the atmosphere in 
 which I lived :- — it was that of exaltation in a high 
 degree. 
 
 We had not then partaken of those bitter fruits 
 of a season of long, tempestuous, and discordant 
 pohtics; — envy, selfishness, want of repose, indiffe- 
 rence produced by lassitude, and the depression 
 that follows the wretched moment of awakening: 
 from illusions that have been destroyed. We 
 were dazzled with the light of novel doctrines 
 and ideas, we were radiant with hope, and filled 
 with ardour for every species of glory, with enthu- 
 siasm for all kind of talent, and enchanted with the 
 seducing dreams of a philosophy that aimed at se- 
 curing the happiness of the human race, by dispelling 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 133 
 
 with its strong light the long and mournful darkness 
 which, during so many ages, had held it bound in the 
 chains of superstition and despotism. So far from 
 predicting misfortunes, excesses, crimes, and the 
 overthrow of thrones and ot" principles, we only 
 looked forward to the future for all those blessings 
 that must accrue to humanity under the government 
 of reason. 
 
 From such dispositions, judge what must have 
 been the impression made upon our minds, by the 
 appearance, amongst us, of the celebrated man 
 whom all the first authors, and most distinguished 
 philosophers of our time regarded as their great 
 model and their master. 
 
 I was all ears and eyes when Ï approached Vol- 
 taire, and my whole attention was alive only to him, 
 as if I expected every moment some oracle to escape 
 his lips. Yet it was neither the time nor the [>lace 
 to pronounce them, if he had even been Apollo 
 himself; for he was standing by the bed-side of a 
 dying mortal — a sight calculated to inspire only with 
 mournful reflections. She appeared no longer sus- 
 ceptible of admiration — not even of consolation. 
 Nevertheless, she made one great effort to vanquish 
 nature ; her eyes recovered some portion of their 
 lustre, and her voice of its power. 
 
 Voltaire delicately sought to withdraw her atten- 
 tion from the present scene, by recurring to the 
 past; he inquired very briefly concerning her health, 
 only observing to her, that, having himself been 
 very frequently a sufferer, and as much exhausted 
 as she appeared to be, he had nevertheless, by ex- 
 lerting the same courage which she now shewed, 
 surmounted his con) plaint and been restored to 
 health. "Physicians," said he, "perform few mira- 
 cles, but nature often does wonders, more especially 
 in favour of those to whom she has given the vital 
 principle which still glows in your looks»" 
 
134 MEMOIRS 
 
 He then proceeded to remind her of a variet}^ of 
 anecdotes relating to the society in which they had 
 formerly moved, and this he did with so much viva- 
 city, freshness of memory, and abundance of sallies 
 and allusions, that we should assuredly have forgot- 
 ten his age, had not his voice and features still 
 reminded us of his having reached his eightieth 
 year. 
 
 Though he could not restore to health the pa- 
 tient who listened to him, he, at least, reanimated 
 her. For a little while, she appeared no longer sen- 
 sible of her weakness and suiierings, — she maintain- 
 ed the conversation with a degree of liveliness cal- 
 culated to deceive even me, and to flatter me. with 
 some faint hopes of her recovery. 
 
 A few days afterwards, Voltaire again came to 
 see her. Happening that day to find herself a little 
 stronger than usual, she took a more active part in 
 the conversation ; in the course of which she gently 
 but forcibly reproached the old philosopher for the 
 obstinacy with which he continued in all his writings 
 to attack and satirize the church, together with all 
 its members, not sparing religion itself, under the 
 pretext of combating established errors, absurd su- 
 perstitions, and dangerous fanatics. " Be generous 
 and moderate, then," she continued, " after your 
 victory. What have you at present to fear from 
 such adversaries ? Our fanatics are no more ; they 
 can do no further injury ; their reign is past." 
 
 "No, you deceive yourself," replied Voltaire with 
 warmth ; " the fire is smothered, but not extinguish^ 
 ed. These fanatics, these hypocrites, are like en- 
 raged dogs; we have muzzled them, but they have 
 not lost their teeth ; it is true, they no longer bite ; 
 but if we do not extract their teeth, you will see, 
 the moment they find an opportunity, whether they 
 will not bite." 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 135 
 
 As he said this his eyes flashed with anger, and 
 his passion, for the moment, made him forget that 
 propriety of expression, equally prescribed by reason 
 and good taste, of which he had habitually shewn 
 himself so inimitable a model. ^ 
 
 The same curiosity to behold this extraordinary 
 man had attracted fifty or sixty persons, who filled 
 the saloon at my mother's house. They ranged 
 themselves in ranks near her couch, stretching for- 
 ward, and raising themselves upon tiptoe, without 
 making the least noise, anxious to catch the least 
 accent that fell from Voltaire's lips, and to mark 
 the slightest variation of his countenance. It wb.s 
 there that I had an opportunity of observing how 
 closely prepossession and enthusiasm, even among 
 the most enlightened class, border upon ridicule and 
 superstition. My mother, being asked by Voltaire 
 more particularly respecting her health, told him, 
 that the most painful feeling she had, arose from the 
 decay of her stomach, and the difficulty of finding 
 any kind of aliment that it could bear. 
 
 Voltaire sympathized with her, and by way of 
 cansolation assured her that he was once for nearly 
 a year in the same state, and believed to be incura- 
 ble ; but that, nevertheless, a very simple remedy 
 had restored him. ît consisted in taking no other 
 noiu'ishment than yolks of eggs beaten up with the 
 flour of potatoes and water. 
 
 Ingenious sallies and brilliant observations were 
 clearly out of the question in such a conversation as 
 this, yet he had hardly pronounced the last words — . 
 yolks of eggs and the flour of potatoes^ when one of 
 my neighbours, well known indeed for his extreme 
 tendency to infatuation and his mediocrity of under- 
 standing, fixed hi^ eye upon me sparkling with plea- 
 sure, and exclaimed with admiration as he pressed 
 
136 MEMOIRS 
 
 my arm ; — What a man ! what a man ! 7iot a word 
 ivithout a trait ! 
 
 The redder will smile at such an absurdity which 
 is almost beyond probability ; but to be convinced 
 that it is not a solitary instance, let him remark, in 
 all times and in aii countries, how eagerly the crowd 
 press forward, not only round the seat of a man of 
 genius, or the throne of a great monarch, but the 
 pulpit of a ranting preacher, and the toys of a young 
 prince scarcely out of the cradle ; and he will find 
 that amidst all the servile homage dictated by flat- 
 tery, there is a great deal, and that not the least 
 absurd, which is perfectly sincere, springing from a 
 species of idolatry, which every kind of elevation is 
 so apt to impress upon the crowd; for it is not 
 always oiit of fear, but out of folly, that so many 
 demi-gods, as well actual as figurative, have been 
 made. 
 
 Until then, I had modestly kept myself, as I 
 ought, in the last rank of those who were contem- 
 plating Voltaire ; but at the close of his second visit, 
 as he was passing out of my mother's chamber into 
 another apartment, I was introduced to him. Seve- 
 ral of his friends, and, among others, the Count 
 d'Argental, the Chevalier de Chastellux, the Duke 
 de Nivernais, the Count de Guibers, the Chevalier 
 de Boufflers, Marmontel, D'Alembert, who had 
 doubtless formed too favourable an idea of me, had 
 already spoken of me to him with much commenda- 
 tion. 
 
 I was certainly indebted for it to their kindness, 
 being known only at that period by a few trifling 
 productions, such as tales, fables and songs, the success 
 of which depends upon the caprice of fashion, and 
 has frequently about as long a duration. 
 
 In truth, I had only rendered myself deserving of 
 their regard by my eagerness to form my taste and 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 137 
 
 understanding by their conversation, and bj assidu- 
 ously seeking to enlighten my ideas by a communi- 
 cation with theirs, in so much, that it was in me ^ 
 rather the zeal of a disciple than the rising talent 
 of an author, that they found occasion to commend. 
 
 However this may be, Voltaire flattered my 
 self-love by the delicacy with which he alluded to 
 my taste for letters, and to my first essays ; he en- 
 couraged me too, by giving me his advice. " Do not 
 forget," he said, " that you have deserved the praise 
 bestowed upon you, by carefully combining, in your 
 most trifling poetical effusions, some realities with 
 your images, a portion of morality with your senti- 
 ments, and with your liveliness, a few grains of philo- 
 sophy. At the same time, distrust your inclination 
 for poetry, you may venture to follow it, but do not 
 suffer yourself to be carried away by it. From all 
 1 have heard, and from the position you occupy, you 
 are destined for more serious pursuits. You ha'c 
 done well, however, to commence your career by 
 writing verse; for it is extremely difficult for those 
 who have never been sensible of its charms, who 
 are both ignorant of its art and its beauty, ever to 
 become excellent prose writers. Go, young man ; 
 accept the good wishes of an aged friend who pre- 
 dicts for you a happy fate ; but, fail not to recollect 
 that poetry, all divine as she is supposed, is at best a 
 siren." 
 
 I thanked him for his literary benediction, observ- 
 ing that it was with the liveliest pleasure, I recalled 
 to mind, on this occasion, that formerly the names 
 of a great poet and a prophet, (vates) were synony- 
 mous. 
 
 After this period, I never saw Voltaire again, 
 
 except once at the Théâtre-Français, on the day of 
 
 the representation of Irene ; a day of triumph to 
 
 the poet, if we consider the vast applause bestowed 
 
 18 
 
Î3B MEMOIRS 
 
 upon one of his poorest tragedies, a proof of the 
 excess of public enthusiasm which its author inspired. 
 
 It might, indeed, be asserted that during some 
 weeks, there were two courts held in France, at that 
 periodj that of the King, at Versailles, and that of 
 Voltaire at Paris. In the former, the eood King; 
 Louis preserved a simplicity free from all kind of 
 parade, reflecting only on the reform of abuses, and 
 the welfare of a people, too fond of glory to appre- 
 ciate his modest virtues. It appeared like the peace- 
 able retreat of a sage, when compared with the 
 Hôtel of the Quai des Théatins, where we daily 
 heard the cries and exclamations of an immense 
 crowd of admirers, all of whom were eager to pay 
 their homage at the feet of the greatest genius of 
 Europe. 
 
 Until that time we had seen triumphs decreed to 
 the great characters, with justice, by the govern- 
 ment of their country; that of Voltaire was of a 
 new description, it was decreed by public opinion, 
 which braved on this occasion if we may so express 
 it, the power of the magistracy, the fulminations of 
 the church and the authority of the monarch. 
 
 The avenger of Calas, the apostle of liberty, the 
 persevering foe, and the fortunate vanquisher of 
 prejudices and fanaticism, after a conflict of sixty 
 years returned triumphant to Paris. 
 
 The French academy, in the midst of which he 
 appeared, rose in a body and advanced towards him 
 as he entered, and after a public homage, never 
 accorded to any Prince, this sovereign of letters 
 presided over the literary senate of France, over the 
 assemblage of all those varied departments of talent, 
 in each of which his genius had exhibited master- 
 pieces to the world. 
 
 Returning to his residence, which appeared to 
 have been transformed into a palace by his presence. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 139 
 
 be took his seat amidst a sort of council composed 
 of philosophers, and all the boldest and most cele- 
 brated writers of the age ; his courtiers were the 
 most distinguished men of all classes, the most cele- 
 brated foreigners of every country. 
 
 Guards alone appeared wanting to complete this 
 kind of royalty, and, indeed, he almost stood in need 
 of them to secure himself ag^ainst the eao^erness of 
 the crowds, gathering on all sides to behold him, 
 besieging his door surrounding him as he went forth, 
 and hardly allowing room for his horses to pass 
 along. , 
 
 His coronation took place at the palace of the 
 Tuileries in the hail of the Theatre Français, and it 
 is impossible to convey an idea of the extravagant 
 joy with which the illustrious old man was received 
 by a public that filled all the seats, the boxes, the 
 galleries, and all the outlets of the place. At no 
 time, did the gratitude of a nation burst forth with 
 more lively marks of rapture. 
 
 Never shall I forget that scene ; and I cannot 
 conceive how Voltaire was enabled to summon suffi- 
 cient strength to bear it. The moment he appeared, 
 Brizard, the actor, placed upon his brows a laurel 
 crown, which he instantly attempted tojemove, but 
 which the people with loud cries intreated him to 
 wear. In the midst of the warmest acclamations, 
 the titles of all his works were repeated on all sides. 
 
 Long after the curtain had been drawn up, it 
 was impossible for the representation to go on; 
 each individual in the theatre was too much occupied 
 in contemplating Voltaire, and in offering him the 
 liveliest homage ; in fact, each spectator was him- 
 self too much an actor to attend to the actors on the 
 *stage. 
 
 Even when the general weariness permitted them 
 to come forward, they were continually interrupted 
 
140 MEMOIRS 
 
 bj the tumultuous feelings of the spectators. " INever,'' 
 observed M. Grimm with justice, in speaking of the 
 representation of Irène, " never was there a piece 
 worse played, more applauded, or that attracted less 
 attention." 
 
 It was no sooner over, than Voltaire's bust was 
 placed in the front of thé scene ; the different actors 
 in the tragedy gathered round it, dressed in the 
 costume of their parts, attended by the guards who 
 had appeared in the play, and by a crowd of specta- 
 tors, who had contrived to gain admittance to the 
 stage ; and, what w^as remarkable enough, the very 
 actor who approached to crown the bust of this 
 undaunted foe to superstition, was dressed in the 
 monkish habit, that of Léonce, a character of the 
 
 This bust remained upon the stage during the 
 whole of the performance of the after-piece. It 
 was JYanine^ which was as little listened to, and as 
 much applauded as Irene had already been. To 
 crown this triumphant day, Voltaire had the pleasure 
 of seeing a captain of the guards of one of our prin- 
 ces enter his box, commissioned to inform him, with 
 hov*' much satisfaction the prince shared in the well 
 merited homage paid to his genius by France. 
 
 Only a few days before, Voltaire had very nearly 
 been deprived by death of so brilliant a triumph, in 
 consequence of a violent hemorrhage, attended by the 
 greatest danger. 
 
 The clergy no longer venturing to oppose him, 
 now hoped to convert him. At first Voltaire yield- 
 ed ; he received the Abbé Gauthier, confessed him- 
 self, and wrote a profession of faith, which, without 
 fully satisfying the priests, greatly displeased the 
 philosophers. 
 
 After escaping the danger, he forgot his fears and 
 his prudence. A few weeks after, upon being taken 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 141 
 
 extremely ill, he refused to see a priest, and termi- 
 nated, with apparent indifference, a long life, agitat- 
 ed by such a variety of labors, by so many storms, 
 and radiant with so much glory. 
 
 Those who had not been able to oppose his tri- 
 umph, refused him a resting place amidst the tombs 
 of the Parisians. One of his relatives, a counsellor 
 of the parliament, carried ofl ^ corpse, and had it 
 speedily interred in the Abbey de Scelhéres, before 
 the curate of the place had received notice of the 
 order to refuse him burial, an order which arrived 
 just three hours too late. Had it not been for the 
 zeal of this friend, the remains of one of our most 
 distinguished men, of one whose reputation had 
 spread throughout the world, would have been left 
 without a^ few feet of earth to cover them. 
 
 In spite of the efforts of the clergy, of the magis- 
 trates, and of the public authorities, who, for a time, 
 prohibited the representation of Voltaire's plays at 
 the theatre, and the mention of his death in our 
 journals, Paris was inundated with showers of poet- 
 ry, pamphlets, and epigrams, the only weapons with 
 which public opinion could avenge itself upon this 
 outrage offered to the memory of a man who had 
 conferred lustre upon his age and country. 
 
 Among all those effusions, the one that most 
 struck me was some lines written by the Marquise 
 de Boufflers, mother of the chevalier of that name, 
 the Chaulieu and the Anacréon of our times, in 
 which, speaking of the Cassars, she made an allusion 
 to the Emperor Joseph II. 
 
 That monarch, only the year preceding, had visit- 
 ed France, under the assumed name of Count de 
 Falkenstein ; he had surprised the court by his sim- 
 plicity of manners, the philosophers and the scho- 
 lars by his information, and the people by his affabi- 
 lity. The less pride he shewed, the more real ele- 
 
142 MEMOIRS 
 
 Tation and dignity did they give him credit for. His 
 popular manners formed too striking a contrast with 
 the somewhat oriental etiquette of our own court, 
 to escape the public observation : he seemed to 
 countenance the new doctrines as much as he ex-. 
 pressed his dislike to the old systems, and to all kind 
 of superstition. 
 
 In him the character of the prince was so far lost 
 in that of the sage, travelhng to obtain new views of 
 life and government, as to persuade some of the zealous 
 friends of the American revolution that he partook 
 of their democratical feelings. A lady, warmly at- 
 tached to the cause, one day, very thoughtlessly, 
 entreated him to declare his opinion of the existing 
 struggle between the King of England, and her colo- 
 nies : " Madame," he replied, somewhat drily, " my 
 part is that of an aristocrat." 
 
 This monarch, whom, at that time, I very rarely 
 saw, but whom, at a later period, 1 had frequent 
 opportunities of observing when in Russia, united, in 
 his disposition, a whimsical mixture of warlike ambi- 
 tion, pretensions to philosophy, a turn for innovation, 
 and jealousy of his own authority. If our princes 
 were so ill advised, as to risk their throne by op- 
 posing themselves too strongly to the spirit of the 
 a^e, Joseph, hy his desire of anticipating it, found 
 himself deprived, for a time, of a portion of his do- 
 minions. 
 
 But the Emperor, who had attracted &o much ad- 
 miration and regard at Paris, by no means bore the 
 same character, and produced the same impression 
 in our provinces. The fine appearance of our ports, 
 the force of our marine, the wealth of our commer- 
 cial towns, and the activity of our manufactures, ex- 
 cited his jealousy, which he had not the art to dis- 
 guise ; and lastly, though passing near Ferney, he 
 disdained to call upon Voltaire. This indifference. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 14S 
 
 on the part of a sovereign, to the claims of genius^ 
 and the weakness of the great poet and philosopher, 
 whose self-love appeared, too evidently, wounded 
 by so slight a circumstance, were both equally and 
 justly ceiisured. 
 
 The same year in which Voltaire expired, wit- 
 nessed, likewise, the decease of Rousseau. These 
 two luminaries disappeared nearly at the same time, 
 and at a moment when their doctrines, falsely inter- 
 preted, alike by the passions of their disciples and 
 of their enemies, were upon the point of shaking 
 Europe to its very foundation. 
 
 Voltaire had beheld the celebrated Franklin re- 
 joicing in his triumph at Paris. The aged French- 
 man bestowed his benediction on the son of the old 
 American, The prayers of both were alike offered 
 up for the welfare of their respective countries, but 
 how different was the result ! The immense oceanj 
 the extent of the American continent, and the ab- 
 sence of the most formidable dangers that menace 
 all governments, namely, the privileged classes and 
 the classes destitute of all property, fostered the 
 seeds of freedom in America, whilst in France, on 
 the contrary, they could only strike a feeble root in 
 a soil inundated with blood, and torn by ail the ele- 
 ments of hatred and discord. 
 
 The death of Voltaire was attended with the 
 same splendid publicity as his life. The end of 
 Rousseau was sorrowful and silent. The friend of 
 nature, he avoided mankind, whom he believed to 
 be his enemies ; and the man who had poured such 
 light upon the world, disappeared amid the shades 
 of those woods, where he rejoiced to terminate in 
 peace a wretched existence. 
 
 The death of, these two chiefs of the modern phi- 
 losophy excited a very deceitful joy in the breasts 
 of their adversaries. They believed, for a moment» 
 
144 MEMOIRS 
 
 they had triumphed, forgetting, doubtless, that, 
 though men of genius may die, their thoughts are 
 immortal. 
 
 But, in France, our attention was speedily with- 
 drawn from events so important to the republic of 
 letters : the incidents of the war, that had just brok- 
 en out, occupied the speculations of all, inasmuch as 
 they involved all interests. 
 
 To the astonishment of Europe, which imagined 
 that our navy, destroyed during the late war, could 
 hardly be, in so short a time, restored, there appear- 
 ed, in addition to the fleet sent under the command 
 of M. d'Estaing, to America, a naval force, consist- 
 ing of thirty-two ships of the Hne, and fifteen fri- 
 gates, which sailed from the port of Brest, under the 
 orders of Count d'Orvilliers. Its three divisions 
 were commanded by the admirals de Guichen, Du- 
 chafaut, and Lamotte-Piquet. The latter, by the 
 prudence of his counsels, directed the ardor of the 
 Duke de Chartres, the first prince of the blood who 
 sailed on board his vessel. 
 
 The English admirai, Keppel, at the head of a 
 squadron, equally strong, advanced to meet the 
 French. He was aware of their bravery, but was 
 surprised to see the regular order of our line of bat- 
 tle, the skill of our manœuvres, and the rapid pro- 
 gress of our naval science. 
 
 The battle was fierce and sanguinary ; many ves- 
 sels suffered dreadfully in the loss of men, masts, and 
 rigging ; but as, on either side, not a single vessel 
 struck its colors, the battle ended without any deci- 
 sive result. England, too long accustomed to naval 
 triumphs, considered it a defeat, because we had not 
 been beaten; while France seemed to claim the 
 victory, because she had not received a check. 
 
 The Duke de Chartres, returning with the fleet 
 into port, appeared too sood in Paris. In the outset, 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 145 
 
 he was enthusiastically praised, laurel crowns Avere 
 thrown at his feet in the theatre, and songs of tri- 
 umph resounded on all sides. Both court and city 
 abandoned themselves to the illusion. 
 
 Soon, however, further details of the affair arriv- 
 ed ; the enthusiasm vanished, and eulogies gave 
 place to epigrams. The Count d'Orvilliers was ac- 
 cused of too great circumspection ; the Duke de 
 Chartres of neglecting an order, by the execution of 
 which he would have succeeded in breaking the ene- 
 my's line of battle. He was deprived of his com- 
 mand, and appointed colonel-general of the dragoons, 
 an unwelcome appointment, which irritated him, ap- 
 peared to him an affront, and subsequently, per- 
 haps, gave rise to such a number of faults and mis- 
 fortunes, ; 
 
 England, on her side, investigated the conduct of 
 Admirals Kepple and Palisser ; but this inquiry, like 
 the combat that had given rise to it, led to no re- 
 sult. 
 
 The Count d'Orvilliers and his enemy were again 
 opposed to each other at sea ; but whether it was 
 owing to the winds, or to the fault of the comman- 
 ders themselves, the two fleets appeared rather to 
 shun than to seek each other. 
 
 In the meanwhile, our commerce suffered, and, as 
 our ministers had neglected to take due precautions 
 for its protection, the English made a number of 
 prizes. Hence many bitter complaints were prefer- 
 red, and very generally diffused, against the royal 
 navy, by the mercantile interest ; only a prelude to 
 those violent quarrels soon destined to take place, 
 both by land and sea, between the democracy and 
 the aristocracy. ' 
 
 Our wounded vanity, nevertheless, was in some 
 measure soothed by the gallantry displayed by our 
 frigates, many of which signalized themselves in sin- 
 19 
 
146 BîEMOlRS 
 
 gîe engagements. An officer of marine, M. de Fa- 
 bry, took several English convoys. 
 
 About the same period a great number of regi- 
 ments were marched towards our coasts. These 
 movements were calculated to nourish our warmest 
 hopes ; but, on approaching nearer the ocean, we 
 trembled with impatience at the sight of this insur- 
 mountable barrier which impeded our steps. We 
 had flattered ourselves that our naval squadrons 
 would open us a passage, but their return to port 
 tended to discourage us. 
 
 It formed, altogether, a singular contrast at that 
 period, to observe, on one side, the grave deport- 
 ment of our young men, discussing with sages the 
 most important questions in philosophy, the serious 
 interest we attached to the most trifling incidents of 
 the war, and our passionate regard for every thing 
 that wore the semblance of glory or freedom ; and, 
 on the other hand, the carelessness and frivolity of 
 our first minister, a man of eighty, who then ruled 
 the state. 
 
 At a time when every individual, both in the city 
 and at court, was employed in blaming or defending 
 the conduct of our naval commanders, and while we 
 were deeply chagrined at the little success that at- 
 tended their efforts, M. de Maurepas, younger than 
 the rest of us, amused himself with all these grave 
 matters, by making them the inexhaustible subject 
 of his jests and witticisms. 
 
 "Do you know," he exclaimed, " what a naval 
 battle really is? I will tell you: two squadrons set 
 sail from two opposite ports; they manœuvre, they 
 engage, they fire a few cannon balls, they knock 
 down a few mastg and a few" men, and td,iter a few 
 of the sails ; a great deal of powder and shot is ex- 
 pended ; at length both fleets sheer off, each pre- 
 tending that it remained master of the field of bat- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 147 
 
 tie ; each claims the victory, and a Te Deum is sung 
 on both sides, while the sea remains just as salt as 
 before." Fortunately, the rest of the ministers were 
 accustomed to treat state affairs a little more seri- 
 ously. 
 
 All my endeavors to obtain employment in some 
 expedition were still unsuccessful, and I vented my 
 spite against my unlucky lot, which doomed me to 
 remain colonel of dragoons, during a war in which 
 the infantry only were embarked, and had a chance 
 of coming to action. 
 
 Several of my friends, some older, and some about 
 my own age, were more fortunate, and excited my 
 envy ; the Duke de Lauzun, having embarked with the 
 Marquis de Vaudreuil, made a descent in Africa, and 
 took Senegal. Arthur and Edward Dillon, the Mar- 
 quis de Coigny and the Viscount de Noailles, served 
 under the orders of M, de Bouille and M. d'Estaing. 
 The former took possession of Dominica, and, sub- 
 sequently, of the Island of St. Lucia, by surprise. 
 
 Admiral Byron, whom the Count d'Estaing had in 
 vain attempted to bring to action near Rhode-Island, 
 having reached the Antilles, suddenly changed our 
 fortune, by v/resting from us the very Island of St. 
 Lucia, of which we had just made ourselves masters. 
 In a little while, however, the Count d'Estaing, who, 
 at that period, had left the United States, notwith- 
 standing the entreaties of Washington and La Fay- 
 ette, and the more bitter reproaches of Genera! 
 Sullivan, arrived in the port of Martinique. 
 
 From that point, being strengthened by a squad- 
 ron and by troops dispatched from France, he made 
 an attack upon St. Lucia, though without being able 
 to force the harbour. Disembarking on the island, 
 his valiant efforts were equally unsuccessful ; and, 
 after great loss, he Avas repulsed. 
 
 At length, fortune, which had until then proved 
 
148 MEMOIRS 
 
 so unfavourable to him, offered an occasion of re- 
 pairing his reverses ; he resumed the offensive, pos- 
 sessed himself of St. Vincent, and made a descent 
 upon the Isle of Grenada with three thousand men. 
 It was defended by General Macartney with a thou- 
 sand select troops and a numerous militia. 
 
 The town of Grenada was situated upon a steep 
 hill. M. d'Estaing, marching in three columns, or- 
 dered an assault, and, in spite of the most vigorous 
 resistance, carried by storm the entrenchments, the 
 hill and the town. 
 
 The Viscount de Noaiiles and Arthur Dillon great- 
 ly distinguished themselves at the head of two of 
 our columns. Dillon was w^ounded, but did not re- 
 tire until after the action. M. d'Estaing, also, was 
 slightly wounded. 
 
 Admiral Byron had sailed with all expedition to 
 oppose our triumph, but arrived too late, Grenada 
 had already submitted. M. d'Estaing, having re- 
 embarked, engaged the English fleet, damaged three 
 of their vessels, and pursued the remainder, without 
 being able to reach them, as far as the port of the 
 Island of St. Christopher, where they took shelter. 
 
 In this way we became masters of the Antilles. 
 The Count Theodore de Lameth, who had distin- 
 guished himself in the attack, was the first to carry 
 tidings of the capture of Grenada to France ; and 
 thus our earliest exploit, magnified by report, pro- 
 duced as great a sensation at Paris as the most bril- 
 liant victories formerly would have done. 
 
 The English, in the meanwhile, carrying their 
 arms into the southern provinces of the United 
 States, had possessed themselves of Savannah in the 
 State of Georgia. The Count d'Estaing formed the 
 design of wresting from them this important acquis 
 sition. 
 
 His disembarkation was covered by the American 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 149 
 
 troops, and his forces, united to these, amounted to 
 eight thousand men; with which he marched rapidly 
 against Savannah, whose garrison he summoned to 
 surrender. 
 
 The Enghsh governor, who had not completed 
 his preparations for defence, pretended to capitu- 
 late, gained time, received succour, and succeeded in 
 fortifying his intrenchments. 
 
 D'Estaing, enraged to find himself the dupe of 
 such an artifice, determined to carry the place by 
 storm. In this desperate contest both the besiegers 
 and the besieged displayed the most obstinate eiforts 
 of valor. A number of brave French and Ame- 
 ricans twice succeeded in reaching the intrench- 
 ments, but the heavv fire of artillery mowed them 
 down. There fell Pulavvski, the intrepid Pole, who 
 died fighting for that liberty in another hemisphere, 
 which had been destroyed in his own country. 
 
 After many repeated but unsuccessful attacks, in 
 which the French and Americans lost nearly twelve 
 hundred men, the Count d'Estaing, himself wounded, 
 ordered a retreat. He then re-embarked, returned 
 to the Antilles, and thence to France in a single 
 \essel, leaving the others under the command of the 
 Count de Grasse and the generals Vaudreuil and 
 Lamotte-Piquet. 
 
 M. d'Estaing met with an honorable reception 
 in France ; public feeling was just towards him, and 
 the fame of his valor obliterated the faults commit- 
 ted by his impetuosity, insomuch, that, in spite of his 
 bad fortune, he failed not to preserve his reputation* 
 
 The Count de Vergennes, minister for foreign 
 affairs, obtained, during this year, no slight advan- 
 tages, by the skill and wisdom of his policy. Spain 
 and Holland entered into strict aHiance with us, and 
 the Empress of Russia, by a declaration of armed 
 neutrality, to which the Kings of Denmark and Swe- 
 
150 MEMOIRS 
 
 den likewise acceded, made the English sensible that 
 they were in danger of losing the dominion, or rather 
 the tyranny, of the seas. 
 
 So many military and political events kept the 
 public mind in a state of anxious activity ; for the 
 public spirit of that period certainly exhibited a 
 greater degree of ardor and independence than has 
 since appeared under institutions, liberal indeed in 
 name, but which the passions of each party, as it 
 prevailed in its turn, have hitherto rendered but too 
 illusory. 
 
 True it is, we could boast neither of elections nor 
 of national parliaments ; by old prescriptive customs 
 the prince was our sole legislator; but the royal au- 
 thority found, in the supreme courts and privileged 
 orders themselves, and in all classes of society, a feel- 
 ing of honor, and a freedom of opinion which re- 
 sisted even more efficaciously than laws, the yoke of 
 arbitrary power. In point of law, we were subjects; 
 in point of fact, we were citizens. 
 
 Every one took an interest in public matters, and 
 it was thus that, observing to wdiat a degree tho 
 national manners had become republican, under mo- 
 narchical forms of government, it was not difficult 
 for Rousseau to predict the approach of great revo- 
 lutions. That celebrated writer, by this prediction, 
 shewed himself more clear-sighted than the Em- 
 press of Russia and the monarchs of Spain and 
 France, who, in this war, contemplated only the hu« 
 miliation of England by her American colonies, 
 Without perceiving that the young eagle of liberty, 
 soaring over another hemisphere, would ere long, 
 also spread her wnngs over Europe. 
 
 Frederick himself, ventured in his writings to cen- 
 sure the arbitrary conduct of the Enghsh govern- 
 ment, and highly approved of the principles which 
 ied the American congress to proclaim the right 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 151 
 
 of a people to separate from its governiiaent, when 
 that government violates instead of protecting its 
 welfare and its liberties. 
 
 The year 1779 revived for a period our hope of 
 no longer remaining idle spectators of the contest. 
 The King assembled large bodies of troops upon the 
 sea-coast. Two camps \Yere formed ; one at Vaus- 
 sieux in Normandy, another at Paramé in Brittany. 
 The first was placed under the command of the 
 Marshal de Broglie, the second under that of M. de 
 Castries. The office of our minister was besieged 
 by crowds of young men, all eager to be enrolled in 
 the number of our troops destined for the service of 
 these camps. It was considered as the greatest mis- 
 fortune that could happen, to remain inactive in gar- 
 rison, while a descent upon England w^as in prepara- 
 tion. The avenues of Versailles were no longer 
 thronged by courtiers desirous of favor; crowds of 
 candidates were, indeed, there, but it was to solicit 
 posts of peril and of glory. 
 
 I was one of those unfortunate individuals w^ho 
 beheld their regiments condemned to remain inac- 
 tive. I had only one hope left, — that of joining the 
 armies of the coast, as a staif-officer ; but this ap- 
 pointment was not to be obtained without extreme 
 difficulty and great influence. 
 
 The minister was embarrassed in what manner to 
 refuse so many petitions, strongly supported by the 
 most influential persons, and even by the royal fa- 
 mily. It was impossible however, to oblige every 
 body. The number of vacant appointments was 
 soon filled up, only one or two remained which 
 were the objects of the most eager and most active 
 emulation. 
 
 At last I suc.ceeded, by dint of applications, and 
 the influence of the Queen, in obtaining leave to 
 serve in the camp of Paramé. in the capacity of 
 
152 MEMOIRS \ 
 
 Assistant Quarter-Master General ; but M. de Mau- 
 repas, at the same time, exacted my word of honor 
 to keep the matter secret, until I should have actu- 
 ally arrived at the head-quarters of M. de Castries, 
 a circumstance which proves the weakness of the 
 government against the complaints and the warlike 
 ardor of our young courtiers. 
 
 1 faithfully performed my promise, but on reach- 
 ing the camp of Paramé, I found that M. de Castries 
 was himself unacquainted with my appointment ; 
 and, as I had not brought the formal document of 
 my nomination, which had been promised to me, I 
 was greatly embarrassed how to act. M. de Cas- 
 tries relieved me from this embarrassment by per- 
 mitting me to assume the uniform of aide de camp, 
 and discharge its duties near his person. At the 
 end of a few days, I at last received the minister's 
 letter, and entered at once upon the dress and f une- 
 tions of an officer of the staff. 
 
 We spent our time in exercises and evolutions, in 
 feigned attacks and defence, disembarkments and 
 reconnoitring. These shadows and mockeries of 
 war made us sigh with redoubled earnestness for its 
 realities. In fact, our warlike games Avere real en- 
 tertainments ; people ran from all the towns to wit- 
 ness them, and even several of the fashionable 
 women of Paris came to enjoy this military spec- 
 tacle. 
 
 The ardor of our youth at that period partook 
 more of our characteristic vivacity than of subordi- 
 nation, as a single anecdote will exemplify. During 
 one of our grand manœuvres, a select number of 
 places had been reserved for the ladies upon a hill. 
 Two colonels of our army, conducting each a lady, 
 who had just arrived from court, made their way a 
 little hastily through the crowd, and in order to ob- 
 tain accommodation for the ladies under their care, 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 153 
 
 they possessed themselves of some seats belonging to 
 other ladies of Brittany, which gave rise to some 
 altercation. 
 
 The ensuing morning, the report of this quarrel 
 spread throughout the camp. - A singular abuse had 
 been suffered to prevail for a very long time back 
 amongst all our military ; it consisted of an association 
 of young lieutenants and sub-lieutenants, entitled la- 
 calotte ; which held its assemblies, had its officers, its 
 general, and its whimsical though severe police; and 
 affected to acknowledge no superiority, and no dis- 
 tinction of ranks. This ridiculous, and at the same 
 time turbulent and formidable body, submitted to 
 no authority except when under arms, and inflicted 
 without mercy ludicrous chastisements upon all those 
 whom it pleased to consider guilty of a fault against 
 its -".apricious laws, and the rules of propriety and 
 politeness. 
 
 In the interval between our exercises, all the 
 young men of the army were accustomed to assem- 
 ble for the purpose of playing at prison-bars, and at- 
 tracted avast cron'd of spectators. One day, as they 
 were all assembled to begin the game, two officers, 
 my friends, came to inform me that a shameful pro- 
 ceeding was upon the point of taking place, the 
 calotte having seriously resolved that the two colo- 
 nels, of whom I have spoken, should be publicly 
 tossed in a blanket, in order to reveng:e the insult 
 olTered to the ladies of Brittany. 
 
 There was not a moment to lose. The game was 
 about to begin, and the sentence was intended to be 
 put into immediate execution. Not having either 
 time or means of consultation with any one, I order- 
 ed the drums to beat to arms. In an instant the 
 games and the uproar ceased, disorder gave place 
 to discipline. Each ran to his standard, and the 
 next moment we were ranged in order of battle. 
 20 
 
154 MEMOIRS 
 
 In the mean while, I had hastened to inform M. de 
 Castries, whom I found not a little surprized, as may 
 readily be supposed, at this unexpected alarum. 
 Upon explaining to him the cause, he approved of 
 what I had done, ordered several manœuvres, and 
 when the retreat was sounded, every one imagined 
 it was the general who had wished to assure him- 
 self of the promptitude with which the troops could 
 take to their arms, form their ranks and return to 
 order. The next day our wiser officers began to 
 negotiate, our more fiery spirits became calm, and 
 some severe orders soon checked the license of the 
 tribunals of the calotte. 
 
 In the midst of our evolutions, and of our festivals, 
 and games, all insufficient to soothe our eager iui pa- 
 tience, one idea only seriously occupied our minds. 
 This was our anxiety to behold the moment, when 
 Vfc should embark to spring on the English coast ; 
 and appearances every where seemed to combine to 
 strengthen and justify our hopes. 
 
 General La Fayette, in the persuasion that the 
 descent would really take place, had quitted the 
 army of Washington, in order to serve under the 
 banners of his country. He had received the ap- 
 pointment of Major-General of the army command- 
 ed by the Marshall de Broglie. When on the point 
 of acting, both the cabinets of France and Spain 
 seemed to recollect, as if by chance, that they long 
 had been actively engaged in war, without having 
 yet declared it, and it was in this year that their 
 manifestoes first appeared. 
 
 On the third of June, 1779, thirty-two French 
 men of war issued . from the port of Brest, and 
 thirty-four Spanish ships, from Cadiz. 
 
 The English admiral Hardy, commanding a squad- 
 ron of thirty-eight vessels, hastened, with all sail to 
 oppose the junction of the allied fleets. But he was 
 
 s. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 15^ 
 
 too late, thej having united their forces on the 25th 
 day of June. Their combined strength thus com- 
 posed a fleet of sixty-six ships of war, besides a 
 great number of frigates, under the command of Ad- 
 miral d'Orviihers, and theSpj^nish General Don Gas- 
 ton. At the same time, our coasts were covered 
 with transports, the sight of which inspired us with 
 hope and ardour. 
 
 Never w^as there more reason to believe a grand 
 undertaking^ near its execution, and never was ex- 
 pectation more completely deceived. The combin- 
 ed squadrons gave chace to Admiral Hardy, without 
 being able to overtake him ; and afterwards appear- 
 ed before Plymouth, with the view of possessing 
 themselves of that port. An English sixty-four gun 
 ship, sailing out of it, was captured by some of our 
 vessels. 
 
 Orders had already been issued, and the attack 
 was about to commence, when a dreadful hurricane 
 suddenly dispersed our fleets. Admiral Hardy, who 
 had hitherto not ventured to make any effort to pro- 
 tect Plymouth, succeeded, during the gale, in eff*ect- 
 ing his entrance into the harbour. When the winds 
 became calm, our admirals vainly attempted to bring 
 Hardy to action; he succeeded in sheltering himself 
 from our attempts. 
 
 Contagious diseases soon after made their appear- 
 ance in our fleets, the crews of Avhich were greatly 
 discouraged. The admirals d'Orvilliers, Guichen, 
 Gaston and Cordova, confessing themselves v^anquish- 
 ed, not by their enemies, but by the elements, re- 
 turned to their respective ports, and their retreat 
 baflled all our fond hopes of battle and glory. 
 
 We were now indignant; the two camps resound- 
 ed with complaints and reproaches against the admi- 
 nistration, and more especially against- that of our 
 marine. The troops destined for embarcation were 
 
'^56 MEMOIRS 
 
 again ordered back into their respective garrisons. 
 I returned to Paris with the generals and the officers 
 of the staff, where we very soon communicated to 
 the whole capital the dissatisfaction which we our- 
 selves felt, and not without reason, at the wretched 
 conclusion of a scene which had been opened with 
 so much splendor. 
 
 For a long period, we had been accused by fo- 
 reigners of excessive levity, because we were accus- 
 tomed, under the most serious circumstances, to vent 
 our discontent against government, rather in epi- 
 grams, bons mots, and even songs, than by a manly 
 opposition. Our accusers ought, however, to have 
 reflected that this apparent levity was only the ine- 
 vitable result of the gradual destruction of our liber- 
 ties. Power having become absolute, had left us no 
 other weapons than those of ridicule, the influence 
 of which is greater than is generally supposed. 
 
 In other countries the people bow their necks 
 to the yoke of ministerial despotism without a 
 murujur, and not only do they cringe with abject 
 servility, but they observe a disgraceful silence under 
 their wrongs. In France, on the contrary, though 
 force had deprived us of the power of action, it was 
 never found practicable to enslave our minds and to 
 reduce them to silence, so, that, if the government 
 exercised a supreme authority of action, we knew 
 how to gain possession of the power of opinion, a 
 power so great and so strongly supported by a sense 
 of honour, that it frequently acted as a sufficient 
 counterpoise to arrest despotism in its career. 
 
 It is true that those who thus ventured to launch 
 their cutting epigrams against the supreme authori- 
 ty, were occasionally visited with punishment, and, 
 like the bee that leaves its ^sting in the wound it 
 inflicts, suffered, for a period, for the pain they had 
 occasioned. \ 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 157 
 
 M. de Maure pas had remained in exile during 
 twenty-five years, for writing a song. The saroe 
 cause long prevented the Chevalier de Boufflers 
 from obtaining the promotion he Avas justly enti- 
 tled to. 
 
 All these inconveniences were now, however, lost 
 sight of ^ and we defied them, in order to indulge 
 the pleasure of attacking the injustice, the imbecili- 
 ty or the folly of power, by the only means which 
 were at our command. In default of the tribune* 
 the drawing-room was our field of battle, and, de- 
 prived of the means of fighting pitched battles, it 
 was by light skirmishes that our repressed liberty 
 still shewed that its fire was rather concealed than 
 extinguished. 
 
 At the period when public opinion vented itself in 
 discontent at the conduct of the ministry in a cam- 
 paign, so imposing in its outset, and so burlesque at 
 its conclusion, pamphlets and epigrams were show- 
 ered down on every side. While, at the camp of 
 Paramé, I had myself ventured to launch a few 
 couplets against the minister of marine, which met 
 with tolerable success, not because they were good, 
 but because they were lively, satirical, and hit the 
 humor of the time. A remark of the Duke de 
 Choiseul's was much in vogue about this same pe- 
 riod ; he had said that the watches of ministers were 
 always six months too slow, and this observation I 
 took for the chorus of my song. 
 
 A few days after my return to Paris, happening 
 to be at the royal hunting party, the King called me 
 near his person. It is well known that the benevo- 
 lence, and we may add, thé good nature so remarka- 
 ble in the character of this monarch, were usually 
 
 * A kind of pulpit, which each member of a public assembly 
 ascends in his turn when he wishes to speak. — Translator, 
 
158 MEMOIRS 
 
 concealed under an exterior somewhat rude, a harsh 
 look and a verj abrupt address. " I am informed," 
 he said, with an air which to me appeared very se- 
 vere, '* that you have taken the hberty of writing 
 some very satiric and very hvely verses, but some- 
 what scandalous, and such as no one would very 
 readily avow." 
 
 Attempting to surmount my embarrassment, I re^ 
 plied, that the dislike I felt to remaining inactive in 
 the midst of a camp whence I had hoped we should 
 sally to carry the terror of his Majesty's arms into 
 England, had driven me to the necessity of seeking 
 some kind of alleviation for my ennui. "Well, 
 weli," replied he, "let us hear your song; repeat it 
 to me." 
 
 I was on the point of obeying, and of thus bring- 
 ing myself precisely into the dilemma I wished to 
 avoid, when happily a sudden thought came to my 
 relief. " Sire," I answered,"! have unfortunately 
 written many songs ; so that I hardly know to which 
 your Majesty is pleased to allude." " They are," 
 returned the King, "some rather free couplets upon 
 jealous people deceived." 
 
 I then began to breathe; 1 sang him ray verses in 
 a low voice, which assuredly contained nothing politi- 
 cal. He laughed heartily, and left me extremely, 
 happy in having thus, by mere chance, extricated 
 myself from a situation in which another step would 
 most probably have drawn upon me the vexation of 
 a compulsory sojourn of, at least, two or three 
 months in a garrison. 
 
 The year 1780 seemed to promise, from its com- 
 mencement, events of a more important and decisive 
 character. The Statholder in vain endeavored to 
 calm the irritation felt by the English government 
 towards the republican party ; England menaced 
 the Dutch possessions in India, a conquest which \ 
 
GF COUNT SEGUR. 159 
 
 she greatly coveted, and thus compelled Holland 
 soon to increase the number of her enemies. The 
 Spaniards and the French formed together the 
 siege of Gibraltar; but Admiral Rodney succeeded 
 in revictualling that fortress, in spite of the efforts 
 of the Spanish admiral, Don Juan de Langara, to 
 prevent him. 
 
 In the Antilles, the Count de Guichen, Avho had 
 replaced the Count d'Estaing, maintained the honor 
 of our arms. He had twenty-two vessels under his 
 command, while his adversary, Admiral Rodney, set 
 sail with twenty, to offer him battle. The engage- 
 ment was renewed in three different attacks, but 
 Rodney was unable to break our line. The loss on 
 both sides was nearly equal ; but the English, m 
 each of these engagements, found themselves com- 
 pelled to retire, and lost a man of war which had 
 been riddled with bullets. 
 
 We were afterwards joined by a Spanish squa- 
 dron, W'hich gave us an indisputable superiority. 
 The junction took place between Martinique and 
 Guadaloupe, notwithstanding all the manœuvres of 
 Rodney. 
 
 The Count de Guichen already believed himself 
 assured of the conquest of Jamaica and other islands ; 
 but he and Don Solano were never able to agree up- 
 on their plan of attack. 
 
 The English alone, at that period, were acquaint- 
 ed with those salutary precautions, prescribed by the 
 science of medicine, as necessary to preseive health 
 amongst the crews of a naval force. In this respect 
 our ministers were guilty of the most fatal careless- 
 ness. A contagious disease infected our fleets, and 
 rendered it an utter impossibility to undertake any 
 important operation. 
 
 During this period the Americans assailed us with 
 just reproaches upon the neglect of our promises, 
 
160 MEMOIRS 
 
 and our abandonment of their interest, at a crisis of 
 their aifairs which was becoming more and more 
 imminent. 
 
 The consequences of the check we received at 
 Savannah had been fatal. Lord CornwalHs had 
 possessed himself of Georgia and of the two Caro- 
 linas ; and shortly after, became master of Charles- 
 town. The rojal party, or, as they were called, the 
 Tories, appeared to gain fresh strength. 
 
 The patriots were in consternation. The levies 
 no longer supplied them with men. It was even to 
 be feared, at the time, that the southern provinces, 
 destitute of resources, would fall without an effort 
 into the hands of the English. 
 
 Fortunately, the heroic courage of the women 
 re-animated that of their husbands, their fathers and 
 their sons, whose patriotism they excited by their 
 prayers, by their reproaches, and even by their ex- 
 ample. 
 
 The inhabitants, on all sides, rushed to arms, and 
 the republicans, by renewed efforts of valor and re- 
 solution, shewed themselves so worthy of the assist- 
 ance they implored from France, that our ministry, 
 at length, surmounting their usual indolence, resol- 
 ved to send a force to their aid. 
 
 In the north, Washington, undismayed amidst re- 
 verses, still firm, when all around him seemed to 
 despair, quieted the alarms of the Congress, main- 
 tained the discipline of his army, and held in check, 
 without compromising himself, the formidable force 
 of General Clinton. His country incessantly found 
 in the resources of his lofty spirit, all the courage 
 and ardor necessary to overcome so many obstacles, 
 and to resist such formidable foes. 
 
 Fortune, at length, seconded his genius. He had 
 the pleasure of seeing M. de La Luzerne, the ac- 
 credited ambassador of France, arrive in America 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 161 
 
 with La Fayette. They were instrucfted by our 
 government to announce the speedy approach of a 
 French army, commanded by the Count de Rocham- 
 beau. 
 
 The news of this event, which did not happen till 
 three months after, changed the face of affairs, and 
 Lord Cornwallis, who received notice of it from Ge- 
 neral Clinton, was at once arrested in the career of 
 his great projects. 
 
 The Chevalier de Ternay, commanding a squa- 
 dron of seven men of war, and a great number of 
 merchant vessels, destined to transport the French 
 army to America, set sail from Brest in the month 
 of May. 
 
 But our maritime resources, which had been ex- 
 hausted in sending considerable forces, under M. do 
 Guichen, to the Antilles, were not sufficient to pro- 
 vide for the embarcation of the twelve thousand 
 men commanded by Rochambeau. That general, 
 therefore, set sail with only his first division, composed 
 of six thousand men. He was assured that the second 
 division should follow without delay, but this pro- 
 mise was never performed. 
 
 Our squadron under M. de Ternay was retarded 
 in its passage by a violent gale, which, for the space 
 of four days, dispersed his convoy ; but speedily re- 
 assembling it, he continued his voyage. 
 
 Near the south of the Bermudas he fell in with 
 six English men of war; a sharp action, which con- 
 tinued until night, ensued, when M. de Ternay, pre- 
 ferring the execution of his orders to the trifling ho- 
 nor of taking an English ship, which had comprom- 
 ised its ovvn safety, prosecuted his voyage, and ar- 
 rived upon the Virginian coasts. 
 
 There he learned that Charlestown had been 
 captured by the English, that Lord Cornwallis had 
 received a reinforcement of five thousand men, and 
 21 
 
162 MEMOIRS 
 
 that Admiral Arbuthnot cruised in those parts, ex- 
 pecting the arrival of Admiral Graves, who was to 
 join him. M. de Ternaj steered out of the bay of 
 the Chesapeake, and, on the 17th of July, entered 
 the port of Rhode-Island, after a navigation of se- 
 venty days. 
 
 Since the expedition of M. d'Estaing, the English 
 had evacuated the island. The French army dis- 
 embarked there, and encamped near New-Port, the 
 capital of the place. M. de Rochambeau speedily 
 caused all the points to be fortified upon which it 
 was possible for the English to effect a landing. 
 
 General Clinton, learning the arrival of the 
 French army, while shut up in New- York, immedi- 
 ately apprized Lord Cornwallis, and these tidings ar- 
 rested his march at a moment when that general 
 believed himself on the point of subduing the whole 
 of Virginia. 
 
 The disembarcation of our forces revived the 
 hopes of Washington, and of the Congress. The 
 period was critical ; the American notes were falling 
 rapidly ; the levies were slowly effected ; and a spi- 
 rit of insubordination appeared in Washington's ar- 
 my, who, having despatched a part of his troops in- 
 to the south, found himself compelled to act upon 
 the defensive, in the Jerseys. 
 
 In a short time, twenty English vessels were seen 
 to approach, with a view of attacking the French 
 squadron in its moorings. It was found, however, to 
 occupy so excellent a position, that they vi^ere com- 
 pelled to relinquish their object. General Clinton 
 had embarked with ten thousand men, to make a 
 descent upon Rhode-Isl-^îjd ; brt the French army, 
 reinforced by three tliousand Americans, led by ge- 
 nerals La Fayette and Heats, bad adopted such mea- 
 sures of defence, that General Clinton did not per- 
 sist in his project : from which he was further de- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 163 
 
 terred by learning the approach of General Wash- 
 ington towards New York. 
 
 Some disputes arose between M. de Rochambeau 
 and the American generals ; the latter being desir- 
 ous that the armj should evacuate Rhode-Island, in 
 order to unite with that of Washington, and under- 
 take the siege of New York. 
 
 It was with difficulty, M. de Rochambeau suc- 
 ceeded in dissuading Washington from so rash an en- 
 terprize, which would have rendered the loss of 
 Rhode-Island certain, and afforded no hopes of suc- 
 cess against a city so strongly fortified as New York, 
 and defended by fourteen thousand men. 
 
 At this period intelligence was received of the 
 total defeat of General Gates, at Campden, in the 
 south, by the army of Lord Cornwallis. 
 
 Admiral Rodney, shortly after, arrived at New 
 York, with the whole of his force, which tripled that 
 of Admiral Graves. Our Army thus remained block- 
 ed up in Rhode-Island. 
 
 At the same time w^e heard of the treason of Ge- 
 neral Arnold, who had hitherto covered himself with 
 glory, in the cause of America. Bartering his con- 
 science and his country for English lucre, he attempt- 
 ed to put the enemy in possession of the port of 
 West-Point, upon the river Hudson. That place 
 was the military dépôt of America, and considered 
 as the key of the United States. 
 
 The imprudence of a young English officer. Major 
 André, led to the discovery of the plot. He was 
 arrested, and condemned to death as a spy. The 
 traitor Arnold, unfortunately, receivmg timely no- 
 tice, fooLd means to effect his esca[)e to New York, 
 where he offered the aid of his perfidious arm to 
 the English. - 
 
 In the month of November, Admiral Rodney 
 again set sail for the islands. Arbuthnot, with twelve 
 
lt>4 MEMOIRS 
 
 vessels, continued the blockade of Rhode-Island, 
 during the winter. 
 
 General Washington despatched a force under 
 General Green^ into Virginia, for the purpose of col- 
 lecting the remnant of the Aroij of General Gates. 
 
 The Chevalier de Ternay dying at New-Port, the 
 command of the French squadron devolved upon the 
 Chevalier Destouches, the next officer in seniority. 
 
 Our compulsory inaction, together with the re- 
 verses met with by the Americans in the south, 
 damped the courage of a great part of Washington's 
 army. It rose into open mutiny ; and, in order to 
 restore discipline, the American hero displayed a 
 rare union of mildness and firmness, which contribut- 
 ed as much to his glory as his most brilliant military 
 exploits. 
 
 In the mean while, the traitor Arnold embarked 
 at the head of some EngHsh troops at New York. 
 He made a descent upon Virginia, at Chesapeake 
 h'ay^ and committed the greatest excesses throughout 
 that state. His military talents, which had been 
 more laudably employed elsewhere, found little op- 
 position from an irregular militia, too ill disciplined 
 to offer effectual resistance. 
 
 Under these embarrassments. Congress despatched 
 Colonel Lawrens, an aide-de-camp of Washington's, 
 to France. This officer's father, formerly president 
 of the Congress, had been captured and confined in 
 the Tower of London. The object of the colonel's 
 mission was to apprize the court of Versailles of the 
 critical situation of his country, and to solicit imme- 
 diate assistance. 
 
 Notwithstanding the disadvantageous position of 
 the French army, the Chevalier Destouches, in the 
 hope of checking the fatal progress of Arnold in 
 Virginia, collected a small squadron, composed of a 
 vessel of the line, and three frigates, which he des- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. " 165 
 
 patched under the command of M. de Tilly. He, 
 m part, succeeded in his object ; having secretly 
 made sail in the night, he arrived at the mouth of 
 river Elizabeth, and, pursuing his course up that 
 river, made several prizes, and captured the ship 
 Romulus of forty guns. A violent gî^le, which 
 sprung up at the same time, dismasted two English 
 vessels, and drove two more on shore. 
 
 The commanders, de Rochambeau and Des- 
 touches, inforroed of this disaster, took advantage 
 of it ; and, while General Washington sent La 
 Fayette with a thousand men, to unite with the 
 Virginians against Arnold, M. de Rochambeau de- 
 spatched M. Destouches, with a detachment, of the 
 same force, intended to co-operate with that oi La 
 Fayette, and attack Arnold on the side of Ports- 
 mouth. M. de Vioménil had the command of this 
 expedition. M. Destouches set sail with eight ves- 
 sels, and, near Chesapeake bay, he encountered the 
 British fleet, under the orders of Admiral Graves. 
 
 The two squadrons were of equal force, and the 
 combat was warm and sanguinary. M. de Marigny, 
 and M. de la Clocheterie greatly distinguished them- 
 selves. Three English and two French ships were 
 completely disabled. In this action the Marquis de 
 Laval was wounded. The Engjlish squadron was the 
 first to steer aw^ay, while M. Destouches and M. de 
 Vioménil returned to New-Port. 
 
 We were informed, some time afterwards, that 
 General Green, who had engaged Lords Rawsdon 
 and Cornwall is with great valor, still continued, by 
 the skill of his movements, to hold them in check, 
 though he had thrice been compelled to retreat, in 
 three battles, which conferred as much honor upon 
 the vanquished as the victors. 
 
 It was not long before M. de Rochambeau receiv- 
 ed tidings from France. There was a change in the 
 
165 MEMOIRS 
 
 ministry ; M. de Castries took the department of 
 the marine, and, shoitlj after, my father succeeded 
 to M. de Montbatrey as minister of war. 
 
 M. de ia Pey rouse conveyed, in a frigate, to M. de 
 Rochambeau, fifteen hundred thousand francs, with 
 the promise of fresh reinforcements. 
 
 In t'^.e south. La Fayette, having joined, in Vir- 
 ginia, the Baron de Steuben and the Virginian mili- 
 tia, continually harassed the enemy by his sudden 
 attacks, while, by his skilful retreats, he evaded the 
 attempts of his adversaries, and, by occupying strong 
 positions, found means to arrest their progress. 
 
 It was at this period that generals Washington 
 and Rochambeau conceived the design of uniting 
 their forces near the river Hudson, in order, by 
 menacing New-York, to be enabled, should circum- 
 stances permit, to march subsequently -to the aid of 
 Virginia. 
 
 Wiiile awaiting a favorable opportunity for the 
 execution of his purpose, Washington sent Genera! 
 Vaine vvith the Pennsylvanian regulars, to re-inforce 
 the army of La Fayette. 
 
 At the openiijg of this arduous campaign, La 
 Fayette's forces were in want of every thing, money, 
 clothing, linen and tents. The memorable patriotism 
 of the women of Baltimore, however, supplied all 
 these wants. 
 
 Soon after the chef-d^ escadre Barras, destined to 
 renJHce the Chevalier de Ternay arrived at Boston. 
 He informed M. de Rocliambeau of M. de SuiFren's 
 departure from France with a force, to India, and 
 that the Count do Grasse, with a strong squadron 
 was preparing to sail for the Antilles and subsequent- 
 ly for the coasts of America in order to disengage 
 our squadron, almost continually blockaded by the 
 English. 
 
 The French minister left the Count de Rocham- 
 
 JÈ' 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 167 
 
 beau at liberty to concert with Washington and 
 the Count de Grasse such expeditions as he should 
 deem advisable whether in the northern or southern ^ 
 states of America. In conformity, therefore, with 
 the despatches of M. de Castries and my father, a 
 conference was held at Wether-Field, between the 
 Generals Rochambeau, Washington, Knox and Chas- 
 tellux. The appearance of the English squadron 
 prevented the chef-(V escadre Barras from being pre- 
 sent at the meeting. 
 
 Washington either with a view of deceiving Gene- 
 ral Clinton, or with real designs upon the place, pre- 
 vailed upon the council to undertake the attack of 
 New- York, althou^^h M. de Rochambeau had at 
 first proposed to employ the allied forces upon the 
 Chesapeake. 
 
 Advice was sent to M. de Grasse of the plans 
 fixed upon for this purpose, in which he was request- 
 ed to co-operate with the whole of his force. It will 
 soon, however, appear, that the project relative to 
 the Virginian expedition at last prevr^iled. 
 
 Just at the period when M. de Rochambeau and 
 his army had received orders to sail for America, 
 my nephew, the Viscount de Noailles had found 
 means by his own influence and that of his family, 
 to attain the object he had in view, he received the 
 rank of lieutenant-colonel of the regiment of Sois- 
 sonnais, and embaiked at the head of this force for 
 the United States. Thus, out of the three friends 
 who had first conceived the desip-;j, in France, of 
 engaging in the American cause, I was the on'y one 
 whom fortune obstinately per&evered in chaming 
 down to our garrisons. I waf- in despair; but the 
 sudden change that took place in our government, 
 came to support my courage and to revive my hopes. 
 The general opinion had declared so unnnimously 
 against two of our ministers, that the court felt the 
 
168 MEMOIRS 
 
 necessity of choosing men of sufficient ability to con- 
 duct the war with the activity it required. It was 
 under these circumstances that the King confided 
 the mitiistrj of war to my father, and that of the 
 marine to the Marquis de Castries. 
 
 The nomination, however, of the latter preceded 
 my father^s by several months. It must be con- 
 fessed, that very general dissatisfaction then pre- 
 vailed at the conduct of the Prince de Montbarrey 
 and of M. de Sartines. 
 
 The latter, indeed, had displayed great ability in 
 the administration of police ; but this was no reason 
 why he should make a good minister of marine, and 
 assuredly it was the levity of M, de Maurepas alone, 
 that could account for such an appointment. 
 
 As he had promoted him, however, to the office, 
 he supported him, for a period, against public opinion. 
 But when M. Necker declared that the administra- 
 tion of this office was found burdened with a debt 
 of twenty millions, the King resolved to dismiss M. 
 de Sartines. 
 
 I cannot well assign the motive which has, almost 
 invariably, induced our monarchs to refuse the admi- 
 nistration of the marine to one of that profession ; 
 but facts demonstrate that this prejudice, or this 
 rule, has invariably prevailed. 
 
 At this period the Queen possessed great influence 
 over her royal consort, and conscientiously attempted 
 to direct it only to the public good, consulting, as far 
 as lay in her power, the feelings of the public; and, 
 notwithstanding all the calumnies forged by the 
 meanest envy, her friend, Madame de Polignac, in- 
 formed her of the truth, and advised her to exert 
 her interest only in favor of persons who were uni- 
 versally respected. 
 
 The reason of this was quite natural. Madame 
 (le Polignac resembled none of those favorites whose 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 169 
 
 portraits history has preserved. She had no ambi- 
 tion to aggrandize her family, no avarice of her own 
 to gratify ; and the honors which she had avoided 
 came to solicit her acceptance. It was necessary to 
 compel her to receive any favors. A sincere friend^ 
 it was not the Queen, it was Marie Antoinette, whom 
 she loved ; and, in all the advice which she gave 
 her, she had only the reputation and honor of her 
 mistress in view. 
 
 The men admitted to her most intimate society 
 were not exempt either from intrigue or ambition ; 
 but they would not have retained her favor had they 
 not been distinguished by elevation of sentiment, 
 and the most delicate honor. With such qualities 
 they seconded the honest and useful views of Ma- 
 dame de Polignac, while, on her part, she succeeded, 
 by her mildness and good sense, in moderating their 
 character, and in restraining their personal ambition 
 within due bounds. 
 
 The Queen's object was to oppose the credit of 
 M. de Maurepas, too much disposed, both from fri- 
 volity and inveterate habit, to be ii luenced in his 
 choice of persons by intrigue rather than by merit. 
 
 M. de Castries had merited and obtained general 
 esteem, by his integrity, his information, his activity, 
 and his courage. He was considered one of our 
 best general officers ; and, though he did not possess 
 a vast or brilliant genius, his understanding was strong, 
 cool, and enlightened, a quality better adapted for a 
 minister, than greater brilliancy, with a less regulated 
 mind. 
 
 The Queen, by the advice of her friend, proposed 
 the nomination of M. de Castries to the King. M. 
 Necker powerfully seconded her views, while M. de 
 Maurepas, on this occasion, opposed but a feeble 
 resistance. 
 
 It was otherwise, however, upon the nomination 
 22 
 
Î70 MEMOIRS 
 
 of my father. The first minister, not through firm- 
 ness, but rather from weakness, obstinately support- 
 ed the Prince de Montbarrey, who was indebted for 
 his elevation to the post of minister of war, only to 
 the friendship, the interest and the entreaties of 
 Madame de Maurepas. 
 
 A brave and intelligent officer, M. de Montbarrey 
 had no inclination for a life of business; he was una- 
 ble to resist the solicitations of women, and permit- 
 ted himself to be governed by his secretaries. There 
 were very general complaints made, with reason, 
 against the relaxation which his weakness suffered 
 to be introduced into our discipline. 
 
 He wished to act rightly, but he had not sufficient 
 firmness for that purpose. Yielding to the importu- 
 nities of the courtiers, he struck upon a rock, which 
 has been and will continue to be fatal to so many 
 ministers who forget, that justice, order and regula- 
 rity, form the surest rampart in defence of their in- 
 fluence and their places. They are not aware that 
 those very persons, who persuade or compel them 
 to sacrifice general views to private interests, will 
 speedily punish them, and ungratefully unite, under 
 the standard of public opinion, to assist in their 
 overthrow. 
 
 The weight of this opinion produced the fall of 
 M. de Montbarrey, in spite of all the efforts of M. 
 de Maurepas. But if the court was agreed upon his 
 dismissal, it was several months before it could come 
 to an understanding as to the appointment of his 
 successor. 
 
 The Queen had been informed, by persons whom 
 she had consulted, that my father enjoyed a well 
 merited reputation, throughout the whole army, for 
 his long services, the number of his Avounds, his ap- 
 plication to study, and his familiarity with all the 
 branches of the art of war and of military adminis- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 171 
 
 xration. They dwelt upon his inflexible justice, his 
 moderationj his zeal for discipline, and his disinter- 
 estedness. 
 
 He was destitute, indeed, of two qualities very 
 necessary to the attainment of great fortune ; he 
 had neither the adroitness of a courtier, nor versati- 
 lity in his principles. All self interest was lost, in 
 his estimation, the moment it seemed to be opposed 
 to his duty. His frankness was a little unceremoni- 
 ous ; he knew how to serve, but not how to please : 
 in a word, he was a perfectly good man, but a very 
 unskilful courtier. 
 
 Thus, though he was called into the field on all 
 perilous occasions, and consulted by the ministers in 
 all affairs that required prudence and information ; 
 he was tio longer thought of when favors were to be 
 conferred ; nor would his modesty ever have per- 
 mitted him to obtain, or even to dream of his ap- 
 pointment to a seat in the cabinet. 
 
 This was effected solely by the intense zeal of his 
 friends, who were found to be precisely those of 
 Madame de Polignac. The opinions of M. Necker 
 and of M. de Castries, seconded their efforts, and 
 all these springs were put into action long before he 
 l)ecame aware of the circumstance. 
 
 As the Queen had never heard a single voice 
 raised to contradict the good opinion she had been 
 led to entertain of my father, she felt assured that 
 she was about to promote an excellent choice, and 
 spoke warmly of him to the King, who only sought 
 to obtain men capable of realizing his wise and vir- 
 tuous intentions, for the welfare of France. 
 
 M. do Maure pas was at first greatly embarrassed 
 as to the conduct he ought to pursue, having been 
 the intimate friend of my grandmother, his contem- 
 porary, no one knew my father better than he did, 
 and he could not conscientiously object to him. 
 
172 MEMOIRS 
 
 Still, the more such a nomination appeared to 
 claim approbation, the more certain it rendered M. 
 de M ont bar re j's dismission, whom he had hoped, 
 until then, to be able to maintain in his post. 
 
 Chance assisted him better than his reflections : 
 my father, scarcely recovered from a long and vio- 
 lent attack of the gout, was too eager to return 
 thanks to the Queen for the kindness she had shewn 
 him. He appeared at the court, pale and feeble, 
 and could with difficulty support himself. 
 
 M. de Maurepas maliciously availed himself of 
 this circumstance to persuade the King that he had 
 been foolishly advised, in engaging to confide a branch 
 of the administration that required most labor and 
 activity, to a man worn out with wounds and con- 
 stant infirmities. 
 
 The King believed him, and mentioned the mat- 
 ter to the Queen with some acrimony; while that 
 Princess warmly reproached Madame de Polignac 
 for having thus involved her. 
 
 Madame de Polignac was mild, but high spirited ; 
 and, wounded by the tone and reproaches of the 
 Queen, she tendered her resignation. The Queen, 
 who was much attached to her, alarmed at the idea 
 of such a separation, appeased her by assurances of 
 her tenderest friendship, heard her explanations, 
 and, being satisfied with them, persisted in her ex- 
 ertions to serve my father. 
 
 The King, however, was still irresolute, and this 
 circumstance encouraged the hopes of M. de Maure- 
 pas, but M. de Montbarrey himself put an end to 
 this incertitude ; for, justly dissatisfied with the un- 
 becoming part which the ill-timed patronage of Ma- 
 dame de Maurepas obliged him to act, he adopted 
 a very laudable determination, in order to extricate 
 himself from so unpleasant a situation, and at the 
 moment when it was least expected, he entreated 
 the King to accept his resignation. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 173 
 
 This proceeding being unknown, no opportunity 
 was afforded to take advantage of it ; but M. de 
 Maurepas, who could not recant after what he had 
 said respecting my father, pointed out, I know not 
 bj whose advice, the Count (de Puységur as the suc- 
 cessor of M. de Montbarrey. 
 
 Nothing assuredly could be more honorable than 
 such a choice : M. de Puységur was a general offi- 
 cer, of distinguished merit, prudent and experienced. 
 He had long been on terms of intimacy with my fa- 
 ther. I recollect his coming on this very occasion 
 to see him, when both, little anxious about places, 
 though highly deserving to occupy them, promised 
 to leave the matter to fortune, and to use no kind of 
 interest against each other. 
 
 In the meanwhile, Madame de Polignac, being 
 apprized by the Queen, that the King was disposed 
 to decide in favour of M. de Puységur, suggested to 
 that Princess that her interest and dignity were con- 
 cerned in not permitting the influence of M. de Mau- 
 repas to triumph, Avithout any good reasons, over 
 her own. 
 
 The Queen, whose self-love was wounded, repair- 
 ed to the King, and, summoning M. de Maurepas 
 into his presence, reproached that minister with suf-- 
 fering himself to be deceived, or with himself de- 
 ceiving the King, by representing my father as infirm, 
 and unable, in consequence, of supporting the bur- 
 then of office. 
 
 She asked him, at the same time, whether he 
 had any other reasonable motive for objecting to the 
 advice she had given him. M. de Maurepas, em- 
 barrassed, could give no answer, he even spoke of 
 my father in terms of praise, and the King ordered 
 him to inforJii M. de Segur that he was appointed 
 minister of war. 
 
 Every thing now seemed to presage great events 
 
174 MEMOIRS 
 
 and certain success, since the direction of affairs was 
 entrusted to rnen possessing firmness, activity, skill 
 and experience, and who were animated with ardent 
 and sincere zeal for their King and country. 
 
 Besides, the greatest harmony prevailed between 
 M. Necker, M. de Castries, M. de Vergennes and 
 my father. One obstacle could alone retard their 
 progress and weaken their efforts, and that was the 
 indolence and levity of M. de Maurepas, who was 
 alarmed at any bold determination. 
 
 The sole object of this careless old man was to 
 pass quietly the short time he had yet to live ; and, 
 in order to be free from all agitation and uneasiness, 
 he wished the King to reign only, as it were, from 
 day to day. Averse to all idea of reform that might 
 excite complaints or intrigues, and to every plan of 
 campaign in which great success is only to be pur- 
 chased at the expense of great risk ; he wished to 
 play the terrible game of war without venturing 
 large stakes, to parade, in short, but not to fight. 
 
 His irresolution impeded the deliberations ; trifling 
 intrigues occupied his attention more than the im- 
 portant interests of the state. He jested in treating 
 even the most serious matters, and the sceptre, con- 
 fided to his hands, seemed to be merely a toy to 
 amuse his old childhood. 
 
 His wish was, however, accomplished: his last 
 days were exempt from storms ; and, tawards the 
 end of 1781, he died or rather quietly fell asleep, 
 leaving Louis XVI. free from guardianship, and at 
 liberty to adopt firmer and more useful counsels. 
 
 The King did not name any other prime minister, 
 and resolved to take the reins of government into 
 his own hands. 
 
 A few months before, M. Necker, who adminis- 
 tered the finances with great skill, had adopted a 
 measure which by some was considered great and 
 useful, and by others hurtful and dangerous. He 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 175 
 
 caused the account of the state of the finances, as be 
 had presented it to the King, to be printed and pub- 
 lished. 
 
 This innovation, unexampled in France, produced 
 a kind of revolution in the ^ubhc mind. Hitherto, 
 the nation, a stranger to its own affairs, had remain- 
 ed most completely ignorant as to the receipt and 
 expenditure of the public revenue, the debts of the 
 state, the extent of its wants and the resources it 
 possessed. All this was for every Frenchman, and 
 even for the better informed classes, the true ar- 
 canura imperiL 
 
 This appeal to public opinion was an appeal to 
 liberty ; and, as soon as the nation had satisfied their 
 curiosity, respecting these important objects, which 
 had always been kept concealed from their view^ 
 they began to discuss and to judge, to bestow praise 
 and to censure. Their eyes being thus opened on 
 this most essential point connected w'ith their inte- 
 rests, it was not long before they thought or recol- 
 lected that, in matters of accounts and taxation, they 
 were not to be reduced to the sole duty of paying, 
 and that they (had a right to examine, to grant, or 
 to refuse the burthens imposed upon them. 
 
 This opinion, which was rapidly formed, was ob- 
 served gradually to gain ground, until the moment 
 when it broke out with unforeseen violence. 
 
 The King, M. Necker and the other members of 
 the administration, were far from contemplating that 
 such would be the result of a measure dictated to 
 them by their regard for the public welfare. As 
 their minds only conceived views of general utility, 
 they imagined they had nothing to conceal : virtue^ 
 like truth, loves to appear without disguise. How 
 should they, in fact, have apprehended any thing 
 from a nation whose happiness was the only object 
 of their unceasing efforts ! 
 
 Guided by the same motives and by the same ad- 
 
176 MEMOIRS 
 
 rice, the King abolished the corvée^ or system of 
 forced labor, and that servitude of the glebe which 
 still offered us the sad remnant of ages of barba- 
 rism. 
 
 At last, M. Necker, who hoped to found a system 
 of credit, an inexhaustible source of riches, but which 
 can only be established by confidence, conceived the 
 plan of creating provincial administrations through- 
 out the kingdom. 
 
 This was the surest method to accustom proprie- 
 tors to gain a knowledge of public affairs, and take 
 an interest in them. It also delivered us from the 
 inconvenience of an administrative concentration, a 
 measure which is unjust when it is excessive, and 
 "which is the more fatal as it paralyses the national 
 will, isolates the government by separating it from 
 the nation, consigns the fate of the corammies to the 
 caprices of the bureaux^ and very seldom produces a 
 beneficial result any where, because it seeks to re- 
 strain and to direct every thing. 
 
 It may be positively affirmed that if this plan, 
 which has been so much attacked, and which was 
 so conformable to the paternal intentions of the 
 King, had triumphed over the obstacles opposed to 
 it by intrigue, instead of imprudently pursuing a chi- 
 merical liberty through the violent convulsions of a 
 stormy revolution, this national education w^ould 
 have been gradually acquired, salutary reforms 
 would have been produced by degrees, the throne 
 would have derived from the municipal and provin- 
 cial deliberations both information and assistance, 
 the government would have become accustomed to 
 consult an enlightened national feeling which would 
 have mcreased its strength hundred-fold, and true 
 liberty would have become naturalized amongst us 
 without effort, instead of appearing like a hostile 
 power which invaded, upset and levelled every 
 
Sc^fU/r /h /y 
 
 . ^ , ^'^ 
 
 ^./^^ 
 
 -i5 
 
 
 
 ^^tA-^rT /'.•■■<^î^2^Viri 
 
"-v; 
 
OF COU 1ST SEGUR. 177 
 
 thing, and before which the old powers^ the ancient 
 superiorities, the ancient laws and the old customs, 
 were obliged, after a short but obstinate contest, to 
 give way or to perish. 
 
 But, since it had been decreed by fate that the 
 plan proposed by the administration and adopted by 
 the King was not to be followed with firmness, it 
 would, perhaps, have been desirable that the idea of 
 such a plan had never been conceived and brought 
 to light; for, in the same proportion, as such a de- 
 sign was grand, just, useful and popular, did public 
 opinion become irritated against the private interests 
 which thwarted its success ; and this was, perhaps, 
 one of the principal causes of those fatal differences 
 w^hich since arose between the plebeian classes and 
 the first orders of the state. 
 
 M. Necker had, by simple means, supplied the 
 government with immense resources to bear the ex- 
 penses of the war not only without the necessity of 
 an increase of taxation, but with the advantage, on 
 the contrary, of a diminution of its burthen ; he had 
 filled the public coffers by the sale of annuities, 
 Vv^hich were to be paid by sums arising from reforms 
 to be introduced by means of sumptuary laws, and 
 economies which were to be effected in the expen- 
 diture of the court. 
 
 This line of conduct shewed great skill in the ma- 
 nagement of affairs, but argued little knowledge of 
 mankind. The minister was not aware of the num- 
 ber and power of all the personages, great as well 
 as subaltern, who were interested in the existence 
 of abuses ; but he learnt it too soon, at his own ex- 
 pense. Private interests gained the victory over 
 the public weal, the state was sacrificed to the court, 
 economy to luxury, prudence to vanity. 
 
 The storm now broke out on all sides; and the 
 enemies of M. Necker took advantage ol' a fault mUy 
 23 
 
17a MEMOIRS 
 
 which he had been betrayed by his vanity. Not 
 satisfied with the title of director-general of the 
 finances, he wished to become a minister, to be able 
 the better to defend his plans in the King's council. 
 
 The devout appeared scandalized at seeing a pro- 
 testant hold the helm of state, and the great felt 
 offended at the pretensions of a mere banker of Ge- 
 neva. Ail accused him of pride and ambition. 
 
 The confidence of the King was shaken by these 
 clamors ; and, as his principal defect consisted in too 
 much diffidence in his own judgment, he fancied he 
 heard the expression of public opinion whilst he was 
 listening to that of the greatest number of the cour- 
 tiers who surrounded his throne. He, therefore, 
 yielded, in opposition to his own wishes, and M. 
 Necker was removed from the administration, by 
 the same adversaries who had obtained from the 
 King the sacrifice of M. Turgot, and decided the re- 
 treat of M. de Malesherbes. 
 
 This disgrace, the date of which I have some- 
 what anticipated, led on by the current of my re- 
 flections, only occurred after the military success 
 which the skill of that minister had facilitated. His 
 dismission was long felt and remembered ; every 
 branch of the administration suffered from it. 
 
 However, if the good results that might have 
 been expected from the skill of M. Necker were 
 thus lost, considerable advantage was, for some time, 
 derived from the sources he had created ; and the 
 other ministers, who had vainly taken his defence, 
 made a very beneficial application of the pecuniary 
 means he had left at their disposal. 
 
 The campaign of 1781, in which so many seas 
 Were covered with our fleets, so many islands fell 
 into our power, and so many brilliant triumphs were 
 achieved by our arms in America and in India, will 
 ever remain a memorable and glorious epoch in the 
 annals of the French monarchv- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 1T9 
 
 The King, through the skill of M. de Vergennes, 
 had succeeded in forming a formidable naval coali- 
 tion aj^ainst England. The violence of the English, 
 who had insulted Holland in the Antilles, invaded 
 and laid waste the Islands o£ Saint-Eustatia, Saint- 
 Martin, and Saba, roused public opinion in the Unit- 
 ed Provinces, and that republic took up arms to unite 
 her strength to ours, and avenge the aifronts we had 
 sustained. 
 
 Spain powerfully assisted us, as soon as we held 
 out to her the prospect of regaining possession of 
 the Baléares,"^ Gibraltar, Florida and Jamaica. The 
 neutrality of the remainder of Europe, at all times 
 difficult to obtain, was secured, and the plan formed 
 by the northern powers for obliging British pride to 
 respect the neutral flag, and the liberty of the seas, 
 even inspired us with some hope that, if the war 
 were of long duration, these powers might, hereaf- 
 ter, be induced to take an active part in it with us. 
 
 Every political and financial obstacle being thus 
 removed by M. de Vergennes and M. Necker, no- 
 thing remained to be done by the ministers of war, 
 and of the navy but to triumph, by their united com- 
 binations, and their activity, over the other difficul- 
 ties opposed to us, arising from the faults already 
 committed by their predecessors, and the immense 
 resources of the power we had to engage. 
 
 The situation of our affairs every where presented 
 an alarming aspect. We have already spoken of 
 the distressed condition of the American armies in 
 the north and in the south, and of the awkward po- 
 sition in which M. de Rochambeau was placed at the 
 head of troops not sufficiently numerous, and con- 
 stantly blockaded in Newport» 
 
 The unexpected return of Count de Guichen to 
 
 * Or Balearic islands, viz., Majorca, Minorca, and Ivica. 
 
180 MEMOIRS 
 
 France left the Antilles at the mercy of the Enghsh, 
 who had ah'eady taken possession of the Dutch isl- 
 ands, as well as of the colonies of Surinam, Ticonde- 
 rago, and Demerara. 
 
 Admirai Rodney ranged the sea without a rival. 
 The iiitrepid Lamotte-Piquet,. commanding a small 
 squadron, alone proved to him that the French flag 
 was still in existence. This brave officer, by a for- 
 tunate and sudden attack, succeeded in capturing a 
 convoy, bearing part of the treasures wrested from 
 the Dutch by British avidity. 
 
 Spain was uselessly consuming great forces by sea 
 and land, in the siege of Gibraltar, an impregnable 
 fortress, and of which she might have obtained the 
 restitution by co-operating with us in the adoption 
 of more efficacious measures for attacking the coasts 
 of England, and destroying her naval power. 
 
 India, abandoned by us, was entirely falling into 
 the power of the English, who skilfully followed, in 
 that part of the world, the plans uselessly pointed 
 out to us by the prudent and daring genius of Du- 
 pleix, and by La Bourdonnaye. Hyder-Ali, left with- 
 out assistance, was desperately, but unsuccessfully, 
 defending his independence. 
 
 Such was, then, the melancholy picture of our mi- 
 litary situation in the two hemispheres. But the ac- 
 tivity of the effiDrts of the new ministers, the justness 
 of their combinations, the wisdom of their plans, the 
 precision of their instructions, and the intimate har- 
 mony that subsisted between them, together with 
 the intrepidity of the chiefs, and the courage of the 
 troops charged with the execution of their orders, 
 changed, in the space of a few months, our fears into 
 hopes, and our reverses into triumphs. 
 
 From the coasts of America to those of Africa, 
 and to the shores of India, glory accompanied our 
 arms. We liberated America, restored the Dutch 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 181 
 
 colonies, conquered several English colonies, as well 
 as Florida, and the Baléares islands, which were re- 
 stored to Spain, afforded assistance, to Hjder-Ali, 
 and regained possession of our territories in India. 
 Suffren immortalized his name, and the fame of our 
 arms. 
 
 The British administration, disheartened by our 
 success, suffiered the reins of government to escape 
 from its hands, and to pass into those of a victorious 
 opposition. The commanders of the English forces, 
 compelled to act on the defensive, shut themselves 
 up in the fortresses of Charlestown and New-York, 
 and, two years afterwards, in spite of a great naval 
 victory gained over us by the fortune of Rodney, 
 the British government, abandoning all hope of again 
 bringing America under its dominion, and, seeing 
 that we were on the point of taking the remainder 
 of its possessions in the Antilles, was reduced to ac- 
 knowledge, in 1783, the independence of the United 
 vStates, and to sign, with its enemies, the most glo- 
 rious peace that had been, for a long time, conclud- 
 ed by a King of France. 
 
 Such were the fortunate results of a war which 
 had begun so unfortunately, results which shed a 
 lustre over the reign of Louis XVI., and which must 
 justly perpetuate the memory of the ministers who 
 were honoured by the confidence of that virtuous 
 monarch. 
 
 But it is not enough thus to trace, in a few lines, 
 a rapid sketch of those brilliant achievements ; I 
 think it necessary to say, also, a few words respect- 
 ing the means that were adopted to obtain this glo- 
 rious result. 
 
 The principal object of the King's ministers was 
 to secure the independence of the United States, and 
 to deprive England of the possession of those thir- 
 teen rich provinces of America; and we have alrea- 
 
182 MEMOIRS 
 
 dy said, that the instructions given to Count de 
 Grasse were, that he should co-operate with his na- 
 val forces, and troops taken in the Antilles in any 
 expedition which the combined armies of Washing- 
 ton and Ruchambeau might undertake, either in the 
 north or in the south of America. These instruc- 
 tions, the perfect harmony that subsisted between 
 the two generals, the skill which dictated the final 
 plan they agreed upon, and the rapidity which at- 
 tended its execution, all combined to determine and 
 fix fortune in our favor. 
 
 It was a vast and noble idea to raise the blocus of 
 Rhode-Island, to deceive Clinton, and keep him thus 
 shut up m New-York, to keep Cornwallisin Virginia, 
 by deceiving him in the same manner, and to send, in 
 sufficient time, a large fleet from the port of Brest, 
 and afterwards from the Antilles, to the bay of 
 Chesapealœ, in order to leave Cornwallis no hope of 
 retreat or embarcation, at the precise moment when 
 the combined forces of Washington, Rochambeau, 
 and La Fayette, should attack and force him in his 
 last entrenchments. But the success of this vast 
 plan could only be ensured by an admirable con- 
 course of combinations, rapidity, and even fortunate 
 chances; for^, in an operation of that nature, planned 
 at such a distance from the scene of action, and the 
 execution of which was to be effected on so many 
 different points, all the calculations of prudence, and 
 all the efforts of courage, might have been easily de- 
 feated by the caprice of fate, and the inconstancy of 
 v^^inds. 
 
 In short, if this vast plan, which decided the fate 
 of the war, could oï»ly have been conceived by men 
 of superior talent, it required no less to conduct it to 
 a favorable issue than the enterprising spirit of the 
 Count de Grasse, and the consummate skill of Wash- 
 ington, aided by the activity of Barras, the valor of 
 
OF COUNT SEGUK, iB3 
 
 La Fayette, the wisdom and experience of Count Ro- 
 chambeau, the heroic intrepidity of our troops and 
 sailors, and the bravery of the American militia, 
 who fought, in that campaign, like old soldiers. 
 
 Whilst forty thousand men, stationed on our 
 coasts, and the French and Spanish fleets cruising 
 in the British Channel, occasioned the livchest 
 alarms in England, and obliged the English Go- 
 vernment to concentrate its naval forces, in order 
 to defend its own territory, the Count de Grasse, 
 who had sailed from Brest with twenty-one ships, 
 provided with troops of disembarcation, abundant 
 supplies, and able instructions, soon arrived in sight 
 of Martinique. 
 
 Admiral Hood was waiting for him on his passage, 
 and, although that admiral had not been able to col- 
 lect more than seventeen men of war, he coura- 
 geously attacked the French fleet, n the hope of 
 capturing the convoy that followed it ; but his ef- 
 forts were unavailing ; he was repulsed witîi loss, and 
 the whole of our convoy reached the port in safety, 
 
 M. de Bouille and M. de Blanchelande rapidly 
 took possession of the Island of Tobago. Rodney 
 vainly endeavoured to defend it ; he was forced to 
 retreat, and brought back his ships to England, the 
 greatest number of them considerably damaged. 
 
 M. de Grasse, having thus made himself master of 
 the sea, and having embarked in his fleet a corps of 
 three thousand men, commanded by the Marquis de 
 Saint-Simon, set sail for the United States, and enter- 
 ed the bay of Chesapeake without opposition. 
 
 The northern French army, in pursuance of the 
 resolutions adopted in the conference of Wethers- 
 field, had quitted Newport, advanced to the banks of 
 Hudson's river, and had thus rejoined the American 
 army. A strong detachment under the command of 
 M. de Choisy, had been left in Rhode-Island, where 
 the French fleet also remained. 
 
184 MEMOIRS 
 
 M. de Barras the admiral, by whom that fleet 
 ■\vas commanded, proved, on this occasion, that the 
 interest of his country was dearer to him than the 
 interest of his ambition. In a council of war held at 
 Newport, he declared, that although he was a se- 
 nior officer to the Count de Grasse, lately appointed 
 lieutenant-geneial, as soon as the latter should ap- 
 pear with his array within sight of the coasts, he 
 should set sail and place himself under his orders; 
 but that, the campaign over, he should not go 
 through another, being unwilling to find himself 
 again in a situation so unpleasant to his feelings. 
 
 Washington and Rochambeau having united their 
 forces, learnt that General Green had gained some 
 advantages over Lord Rawdon, but that Lord Corn- 
 wallis, at the head of eight thousand men, was close- 
 ly pursuing General La Fayette, who had no other 
 resource than to retire from river to river, to go and 
 join General Vaine, who was advancing towards him 
 with the Pennsylvanian line. This intelligence cori^ 
 firmed the propriety of the plan of Count de Ro- 
 chambeau, who had constantly given the preference 
 to an expedition in the south, over the operation al- 
 ready commenced against New-York. 
 
 The combined armies established their camps at 
 Philipsburg, three leagues from Kingsbridge, which 
 was the first post of the Enghsh in York Island. 
 This movement produced a very favorable result, 
 for Clinton had received instructions from London, 
 to embark and make a descent on the coasts of Penn- 
 sylvania ; but the approach of the American and 
 French armies, by preventing him from carrying 
 these instructions into effect, kept him at New-York. 
 
 Lord, Cornwallis, in the south, uneasy at not hear- 
 ing from Clinton, and having been unable to succeed 
 in preventing the junction of La Fayette with the 
 Pennsylvanian line, fell back upon Richmond, hv 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 1B5 
 
 James's river, and from thence upon Williamsburgh, 
 four miles from York-town. 
 
 General Washington in the mean time continued 
 his demonstrations of attack against New York. 
 General Lincoln, and the Chevalier de Chastellux, 
 at the head of five thousand men, dispersed several 
 corps of Torjs and protected a reconnaissance which 
 Washington and Rochambeau made of all the works 
 of New York. A long and brisk cannonade from 
 the English, produced little effect. In the course of 
 that reconnaissance, a few shots were exchanged by 
 the respective posts, and the Count Charles de Du- 
 mas, now first Gentleman of the Chamber, had a 
 horse killed under him. 
 
 After this operation, the American and French 
 generals received important intelligence. La Fay- 
 ette informed Washington, that Lord Cornwallis 
 continued his retreat, constantly harassed by the 
 American van-guard, and that, after having stopped 
 a short time at Plymouth, the English general had 
 established himself at York and Gloucester, with the 
 apparent intention of embarking from there as soon 
 as the arrival of an Eng^lish fleet should furnish him 
 with the means of so doing. 
 
 At the same time, three thousand English recruits 
 were seen to arrive at New York. M. de Rocham- 
 beau also received on the 5th of August, a letter 
 from the Count de Grasse, who wrote to him from 
 Martinique, that he should be in the bay of Chesa- 
 peake at the end of the month, but that he should 
 not be able to remain there beyond the 15th of Oc- 
 tober. This concourse of circumstances irrevocably 
 decided in favor of the southern expedition. 
 
 M. de Barras, who was to have effected his junc- 
 tion with M. de Grasse, received orders to take on 
 board his fleet the siege artillery, and the detach- 
 24 
 
186 MEMOIRS 
 
 ment of M. de Choisy, and transport thera to Chesa- 
 peake. 
 
 On the 19th of August, the French and Ameri- 
 can armies made a retrograde movement, marched 
 up the Hudson river, and crossed it at KingVferrj. 
 Washington left three thousand men under General 
 Heats on the left bank of the river, to defend West- 
 point and the northern states. 
 
 However, in order to continue to deceive Clin- 
 ton, a show of transporting supplies to Staten-island 
 ivas made, as if an attack were projected against 
 New York on that side, whilst the two armies con- 
 tinuing their march, crossed the Delaware, passed 
 through Pennsylvania, and defiled before the eyes 
 of the Congress. 
 
 Intelligence was then obtained, that Admiral 
 Hood, having arrived off New York, had joined Ad- 
 miral Graves, and was sailing towards the bay of 
 Chesapeake. Fortunately, information w^as also re- 
 ceived at the same moment, that the Count de 
 Grasse had got the start of him, and had entered 
 the bay with twenty-six ships of the line. 
 
 Generals Washington and Rochambeau, accele- 
 rating the march of their troops, went on before 
 them, and arrived on the 14th September, at Wil- 
 liamsbourg, where they found the divisions of La 
 Fayette and Saint-Simon, waiting for them intrench- 
 ed in a strong position. 
 
 On his side Lord Cornwallis had entrenched him- 
 self at Gloucester and York ; he had secured the 
 entrance of York river, by stationing ships across it, 
 and sinking others, fate having now deprived him of 
 all hope of embarcation and escape from the formi- 
 dable forces Avhich were advancing to attack him. 
 
 On the 14th, the English fleet, consisting of twen- 
 ty sail, appeared off Cape Charles ; M. de Grasse 
 sailed with twenty-four ships to attack it, and his 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 187 
 
 van-guard, comraanded by M. de Bougainville, en- 
 gaged the combat. After a resistance of some hours, 
 the French gained a complete victory ; the English 
 admiral fled, and was under the necessity of setting 
 fire to one of his ships ; four'others were dismasted. 
 
 During this action, M. de Barras had entered the 
 bay with his squadron, landed the siege artillery, 
 and the detachment of Choisy, and captured two 
 English frigates. M. de Grasse sent several ships 
 to Annapolis, from whence they conveyed to James- 
 town some French troops, commanded by M. de 
 Vioménil. 
 
 The whole of the (combined forces being thus 
 united, York was invested by the French without 
 the loss of a single man. On the 29th the Ameri- 
 can army having crossed some marshes, supported 
 its left against them, extending its right as far as 
 York river, by which means the place was complete- 
 ly surrounded. The corps of Lauzun and some 
 American militia, stationed themselves on the road 
 to Gloucester. Cornwallis leaving his camp of Pi- 
 geons-Isle, shut himself up within the intrenchments 
 of the town of York. M. de Lauzen, supported by 
 some American militia, made a brisk attack against 
 the dragoons of Tarleton, who Avere obliged to re- 
 tire within the town, and M. de Choisy pushed his 
 advanced posts as far as one mile from Gloucester. 
 
 Affairs were in this state, when information was 
 received that Arnold, having been obliged to aban- 
 don the south, had been sent to Connecticut; and 
 that abandoning that province, in which he was 
 born, to the most horrible devastations, he had burn- 
 ed New-London, pierced with his sword the brave 
 Colonel Lidger, who was in the act of presenting him 
 iiis to surrender, massacred the garrison of a fort he 
 had taken, and set fire to all the merchant vessels 
 that were in the port. 
 
1B8 MEMOrRS 
 
 This traitor deserved, by his atrocities, the con- 
 tempt and hatred with which he inspired his coun- 
 trymen. It is related, that being in Virginia, and 
 closely pursued, he asked an American soldier, who 
 was one of his prisoners what his countrymen would 
 have done with him if they had taken him. " We 
 should have separated from your body, your leg 
 w^ounded in the service of your country," answered 
 the soldier, " and should have hanged the remainder." 
 
 Clinton had in vain hoped that the news of this 
 diversion would arrest the march of the allied 
 troops ; and Admiral Digby with three ships of war, 
 land troops and the Prince William-Henry, son of 
 the King of England, who was appointed governor 
 of Virginia by his father, having arrived at the same 
 time at New York, he prepared to embark and con- 
 ceived the design of coming with his army and twen- 
 ty-six ships of war to the assistance of Cornwallis ; 
 but it will be seen that it was then too late. 
 
 York-town, almost entirely covered by a marsh, 
 was moreover protected by intrenchments and pali- 
 sades defended by a hornwork and two redoubts, in 
 advance of which were numerous abatis. 
 
 This memorable siege commenced at the begin- 
 ning of October ; the American forces amounted to 
 about nine thousand men, and the French to seven 
 thousand. The trenches were opened during the 
 night from the 6th to the 7th October, both above 
 and below York river. 
 
 The works of the siege were directed by the en- 
 gineers du Portail and de Queneret, and the French 
 and American artillery, by M. d'Aboville and Gene- 
 ral Knox. The army of Washington defended the 
 trenches to the right, and that of Rochambeau the 
 left and the centre. Their batteries set fire to a 
 British man of war and three transports, which had 
 anchored with a view to attack the reverse of the 
 trenches. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 189 
 
 The attack of the redoubts was ordered a few 
 days afterwards, and nothing could exceed the noble 
 ardor, the valor and discipline, displayed by the two 
 armies on this occasion, and the intimate harmony 
 entirely free from jealousy that prevailed between 
 them. 
 
 The Americans were led to the assault by gene- 
 rals La Fayette, Lincoln, Lawrens and Hamilton ; 
 the French advanced under the orders of Baron 
 Vioménil and Marquis de Saint-Simon. 
 
 In this affair fresh laurels were gathered by the 
 Duke de Lauzun, who had just achieved the conquest 
 of 'Senegal, by Viscount de Noailles and by Dillon, 
 already mentioned in the affair of Grenada, by Count 
 Charles de Lameth who, in this brilliant action, re- 
 ceived two severe and glorious wounds at the yery 
 moment when he first ascended the ramparts of 
 the English redoubt. Returned to France, Count 
 de Lameth distinguished himself some years af- 
 terwards in the tribune by his oralorial powers, and 
 in the war of Spain, by his noble defence of Saint- 
 Ogna. 
 
 The Colonels Count de Deux-Ponts, du Muy, de 
 Custines, entitled themselves to the most honorable 
 encomiums. The Marquis de Saint-Simon, already 
 ill at that period, forgetting his sufferings and listen- 
 ing only to the suggestions of his courage caused him- 
 self to be carried at the head of the columns. Count 
 Guillaume de Deux-Ponts was wounded. 
 
 Mention must also be made of the names of other 
 brave officers whom fortune has since placed in such 
 various circumstances; of the Duke de Castries, 
 now a peer of France, of Mathieu Dumas, the me- 
 mory of whose fame will be long preserved in the 
 annals of eloquence, history and war ; of Alexander 
 Berthier, who, at a later period became the He- 
 phsestion of another Alexander; and the son of the 
 
190 MEMOIRS 
 
 French gênerai Viscount de Rochambeau, who pe- 
 rished in another field of battle. 
 
 In the same ranks were also to be seen Count 
 Charles de Damas, now a peer and first gentleman 
 of the chamber. Lieutenant Colonel Anselme, who 
 afterwards conquered Nice, and MiolJis, who, having 
 become a general, conciliated the affection of the 
 nations conquered in our late wars. 
 
 The two redoubts were carried almostat the same 
 moment bj the columns of M. de Vioménil and M. 
 de La Fayette. The greatest number of those by 
 whom they were defended were killed or taken. 
 
 The generals made a lodgment by joining the two 
 redoubts together by a communication to the right 
 of the second parallel. Here fresh batteries were 
 placed which battered the whole of the interior of 
 the town by ricochet shots. 
 
 In the night from the 15th to the 16th, the En- 
 glish made a sortie with six hundred chosen men,, 
 and having in vain endeavored to overcome the re- 
 sistance of the troops who defended the redoubts, 
 they seized upon a battery of the second parallel 
 and spiked four of its guns. But the Chevalier de 
 Chastellux, having advanced at the head of a re- 
 serve, repulsed the assailants and obliged ihem to 
 retire in disorder. The next day the Marquis do 
 Saint-Simon was wounded in the trench, but would 
 not abandon his posf. 
 
 Cornwall is made another effort to pass the river 
 and escape ; but a storm dispersed part of his boats, 
 and General Choisy obliged the English to enter 
 the town a^ain. 
 
 On the 17th, the English began to parley. Vis- 
 count de Noailles, Colonel Lawrens and M. de Gran- 
 chain were appointed to settle the conditions of the 
 caDitulation with the superior officiers of the English 
 army, and that capitulation was signed on the iOth 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 191 
 
 October, bj General Washington, Count de Ro- 
 chambeau and M. de Barras, on behalf of the Count 
 de Grasse. 
 
 Eight thousand prisoners, two hundred and four- 
 teen pieces of canon and tw-enty-two flags were ta- 
 ken on this occasion. The EngHsh troops defiled 
 between the two allied armies, drums beating and 
 carrying their arms which they afterwards deposit- 
 ed with their flags. 
 
 As Lord Cornwaliis was ill, General O'Hara de- 
 filed at the head of the English troops and present- 
 ed his sword to Count de Rochambeau ; but the 
 French general pointing to Washington at the head 
 of the American army, told him that the French be- 
 ing only auxiliaries, it was for the American general 
 to receive his sword and give him his orders. The 
 Duke de Lauzun and the Count Guillaume de Deux- 
 Ponts were selected by M. de Rochambeau to be 
 the bearers of this capitulation to France. 
 
 On the 27th October, the English fleet, consisting 
 of twenty-seven sail appeared at the entrance of the 
 bay. General Clinton was on board with his army, 
 but finding that his assistance AVas now useless he put 
 to sea again. 
 
 On the 4th November, the Count de Grasse sail- 
 ed with the French fleet for the Antilles, taking with 
 him M. de Saint-Simon and the troops under his 
 command. General ¥/ashington proceeded again to 
 Hudson river, and the French remained some time 
 in winter quarters at York, Gloucester and Williams- 
 bourg. 
 
 The absence of our naval army had not slackened 
 the activity of M. de Bouille, who taking advantage 
 of the removal of theEnghsh forces to another quar- 
 ter, employed very successfully the small number of 
 inferior vessels which had been left at his disposal. 
 
 He formed the plan of recapturing the Dutch 
 
192 MEMOIRS 
 
 islands, which, seconded by fortune, he executed with 
 rapidity. Having, during the night, landed his 
 troops in the island of Saint-Eustatia, he advanced 
 at break of day to attack the principal fortress of 
 the island, whose garrison was then engaged in ma- 
 nœuvring in the plain. The van-guard of M. de 
 Bouille, was composed of an Irish regiment in the 
 service of France ; deceived by the sight of their 
 red coats, the English thought they saw a party of 
 their own countrymen and suffered themselves to be 
 approached without suspicion. Undeceived too late, 
 they vainly fought with courage, they were routed 
 on all sides, and pursued with so much ardor, that 
 French and English entered pell-mell into the for- 
 tress which remained in our possession. This con- 
 quest was quickly followed by the capture of the 
 small islands of Saint-Martin and Saba, and at the 
 same time Count de Kersaint took possession of the 
 important colonies of Surinam, Demerara and Esse- 
 quebo. 
 
 As soon as M. de Grasse reappeared in the An- 
 tilles, he took with M. de Bouille the resolution of 
 attacking the Island of Saint-Christopher, and in pur- 
 suance with this determination set sail for that island 
 where he landed M. de Bouille, who, invested with 
 all his troops the fortress of Brimstone-Hill. But, at 
 this moment, the indefatigable Admiral Hood, whom 
 no reverse could discourage, appeared with twenty- 
 two ships of the line, and offered battle to M. dc 
 Grasse. The French admiral quickly sailed out of 
 the harbour and advanced in the hope of obtaining 
 a fresh triumph, but the skilful Hood retired before 
 him with the appearance of alarm, and suddenly, by 
 an able manœuvre turning the French fleet, entered 
 without obstable, the harbour we had just left, 
 where having anchored and being protected by two 
 forts, he quietly braved our efforts. M. de Grasse 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 193 
 
 attacked him twice with intrepidity, but in vain, 
 he could not succeed in breaking the English line, 
 and having no fire ships he had no means of destroy- 
 ing it. 
 
 After this failure, M. de Grasse was obliged to re- 
 tire. M. de Bouille, however, abandoned to his own 
 resources, and deprived of the assistance of our ships, 
 did not lose courage ; leaving part of his troops be- 
 fore the fortress, he advanced with the remainder to 
 meet fifteen hundred English, which Admiral. Hood 
 had landed. At the first shock he routed and de- 
 stroyed them, and having returned to his lines, he 
 carried on the siege, obliged the garrison to capitu- 
 late, and remained master of the whole island. Ad- 
 miral Hood having thus no hope of being able to re- 
 capture this colony, was obliged to retire from a har- 
 bour which he had so courageously defended. 
 
 Fortune seemed to have declared in our favor, 
 but we experienced hereafter, by a great reverse, 
 the fatal consequences of the fault M. de Grasse 
 committed on this occasion by neglecting the oppor- 
 tunity of destroying this English fleet without which 
 Rodney could never have gained the disastrous vic- 
 tory reserved to him by fate. 
 
 This year terminated gloriously for us and our al- 
 lies. Barras took possession of the island of Mont- 
 ferrat ; Admiral don Solano and general donGalvez, 
 conquered Florida and made themselves masters of 
 Pensacola; the French and Spaniards united, attack- 
 ed the Baléares. The English general Murrav cou- 
 rageously defended Minorca and fort Saint-Philippe ; 
 our fleet was commanded by Guichen, Beausset, and 
 Lamotte-Piquet, and that of the Spaniards by don 
 Louis de Cordova. 
 
 The Dufce de Grillon worthy of his name was the 
 commander in chief of this expedition; when he 
 summoned Murray to surrender^ the latter rejected 
 
 25 
 
194 MEMOIRS 
 
 his proposal, and replied to him that he was deter- 
 mined to act as the brave Grillon, an ancestor of his 
 adversary, had done when a step was dictated to 
 him incompatible with honor. The valor displayed 
 by the besiegers and the besieged, rendered this 
 siege memorable ; Murray did not yield until he had 
 exhausted all his ammunition and obtained an honor- 
 able capitulation. 
 
 It was also at this period that the Dutch fought 
 the famous battle of Doggersbank, in the North 
 Sea, against the English, and disputed the victory 
 with so much courage that it remained undecided. 
 This was the last success obtained by the expiring 
 vigor of the Dutch navy, and of that republic which 
 once poor and oppressed, had at first conquered its 
 independence, and afterwards fought England and 
 France with equality of success, but which having 
 obtained opulence, fell through indolence to the 
 rank of a power of the third class. Formerly the 
 flag ship of Europe, she only appeared after this 
 like a frail boat, submissively obedient by terms to 
 the signals of the two great maritime powers. 
 
 This rapid sketch of the glorious events of this 
 campaign of 1781, will no doubt be sufficient to 
 justify the praises bestowed on all sides on the 
 ministers of Louis XVI.; and, notwithstanding the 
 check which, owing to the caprice of winds, or to 
 the faults committed by the Count de Grasse, we 
 received the following year, the discouragement of 
 the English, the little advantage they derived from 
 their victory, and the glorious peace we compelled 
 them to sign, prove quite enough how destitute of 
 foundation are the reproachec which a modern histo- 
 rian addresses to the ministry on the subject. This 
 writer pretends that, after the removal of M. Necker, 
 the ministers were quite disunited, the councils less 
 frequent, the action of the government slow, its plans 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 195 
 
 concerted with less skill, and that the nation, tired of 
 the war, expressed no joy at the birth of a Dauphin, 
 and received with indifference the news of the capi- 
 tulation of CornwaHis. 
 
 It is certain on the contrary that, at the period of 
 the birth of the Dauphin, the whole nation mani- 
 fested their affection for the King and Queen by the 
 liveliest and most sincere demonstrations. The gene- 
 rals who arrived in France after the capture of 
 York, cannot have forgotten the universal homage 
 paid to them, and the noble pride with which France 
 was inspired by their triumphs. 
 
 All those who lived at that time must still recollect 
 the enthusiasm excited by the return of La Fayette, 
 enthusiasm which was shared by the Queen herself. 
 He reached Paris during the celebration of a grand 
 feU at the hotel de ville^ on the occasion of the birth 
 of the heir to the throne, and madame de La Fay- 
 ette who was there, received a most signal mark of 
 royal favor ; for as soon as the arrival of the young 
 conqueror of CornwaHis became known, the Queen 
 insisted upon conducting her in person and in her 
 own carriage to the mansion of the Duke de Noailles 
 where her husband had just alighted. 
 
 It must however be admitted that, in the midst of 
 this public joy, the deep regret inspired by the 
 removal of M. Necker was not concealed ; his dis- 
 grace at court had redoubled the popular favor of 
 which he was the object. 
 
 M. de Castries and my father, who were the 
 friends of this minister, shared in this general feeling 
 of regret ; they deplored the loss of a colleague 
 virtuous, skilful, and fertile in resources; but they 
 remained constantly united with M. de Vergennes. 
 The same harmony and the same activity presided 
 over their operations ; the plans they formed were 
 as vast as those of the last campaign, and combined 
 
196 MEMOIRS 
 
 with as much ability and grandeur of conception ; 
 and if they were not crowned with the same fortu- 
 nate results, it would be extremely unjust, as will 
 hereafter be seen, to ascribe this A\^ant of success to 
 other causes than to the fault of the admiral entrust- 
 ed with their execution. 
 
 H?s forces, equal to those of the English, were to 
 join the naval army of don Solano, at Saint-Domingo, 
 where our already numerous troops were te receive 
 a reinforcement of sixteen thousand Spaniards. Our 
 naval superiority was thus incontestable, the infallible 
 results of which would have been the conquest of 
 Jamaica, and the total ruin of the English in the 
 Antilles. 
 
 This combination, which was as vast in its concep- 
 tion as that which had lately led to the junction of 
 our fleet and troops, with the armies of Rocham- 
 beau, Washington, and La Fayette, evidently offered 
 less doubtful chances of success. Nothing was want- 
 jng on the part of ministers, fortune alone proved 
 inconstant to a general who had hitherto displayed a 
 degree of skill calculated to secure her favor. A 
 simple narrative of the events that occurred will 
 prove better than any reflections the truth of this 
 assertion. 
 
 M. de Grasse, having under his command thirty- 
 three line of battle ships and numerous troops, re- 
 ceived from minister's instructions to proceed to 
 Saint-Domingo, where he Avould find the naval army 
 of Spain, amounting to sixteen thousand men. These 
 combined forces were to effect, without delay, a 
 descent in Jamaica. 
 
 Admiral Rodney, with thirty-five sail, endeavored 
 to oppose this junction, and met the French fleet 
 near Dominica on the 9th of April 1782; that fleet 
 was followed by a numerous convoy towards which 
 the English admiral speedily advanced in the hope 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 197 
 
 of capturing it ; but, after a sharp contest, his van- 
 guard was repulsed, with loss, bj the French van- 
 guard. 
 
 M. de Grasse having thus saved his convoy, con- 
 tinued his course, followed by Rodney, who could 
 Dot succeed in arresting his progress. He was 
 already near Guadaloupe, out of (he enemy's reach^ 
 and the junction was certain, when a grave error 
 defeated all these plans and prospects. 
 
 On the 12th of April, a French vessel, the Zélé, 
 having, by a false manœuvre, come athwart our flag 
 ship, the Ville-de-Paris, was unrigged, and, being 
 unable to hold the wind, drifted into the waters of 
 the English fleet. M. de Grasse, prompted by a 
 courage too impetuous, and by the fear of losiîjg a 
 ship, forgot, for a moment, that nothing should have 
 diverted his attention frotn the principal objeci he 
 had to fulfil, which was his junction with (he Spanish 
 army ; he advanced towards the En^^hsh, and suc- 
 ceeded in extricating the Zélé, But, from that 
 moment, an action was rendered inevitable and speed- 
 ily commenced. M. de Grasse was stationed in the 
 centre of the line, our van-guard was commanded by 
 M. de Vaudreuil, our rear by Bougainville. Never 
 had the sea been the theatre of a more important 
 conflict between forces of orreater maarnitude ! The 
 sceptre of the ocean, contended for by England and 
 France, was the prize offered to the victor. 
 
 The battle was long and terrible: on both sides 
 equal courage was directed by equal skill ; during 
 the greater part of the day Rodney tried in vain to 
 force our line ; fortune already seemed to declare in 
 our favor, when suddenly the wind changed. The 
 French van-guard was then near the coasts of an 
 island, the heights and capes of which sheltered it 
 from this wind, and, being thus in calm water, was 
 unable to continue its manœuvres and to obey the 
 signals made by the admiral 
 
198 MEMOIRS 
 
 Rodney, immediately availing himself of this cir- 
 cumstance, broke through our line and threw it into 
 confusion. Each of our ships had then to contend 
 against several of the enemy ; in vain did the obsti- 
 nate courage of our sailors struggle against superior- 
 ity of numbers and against fate ; two of our ships 
 sunk, and others totally dismasted and vainly towed 
 by frigates, fell into the hands of the enemy. The 
 deck of the Ville-de-Paris, exposed during several 
 hours to the fire of three English ships, was rased 
 like a pontoon; of all its company, the admiral alone 
 and two officers, were without wounds ; at last, un- 
 able to resist any longer, M. de Grasse surrendered. 
 
 By this defeat we lost eight of our ships, which 
 were taken by the English ; their loss in killed 
 amounted to one thousand men, and ours to three 
 thousand. Their fleet, though victorious, had been 
 so roughly treated, that it was unable, after the 
 engagement, to attempt any conquest, or to under- 
 take any important operation, and even to oppose the 
 retreat of the Count de Vaudreuil, who brought 
 back into our ports a naval army, still consisting of 
 twenty-five men of war. 
 
 This reverse did not, however, prevent us and our 
 allies from continuing to act on the offensive. The 
 illustrious La Pey rouse proceeded to Hudson's bay, 
 and levied large contributions in that quarter. In 
 the south of the United States the English were 
 obliged to evacuate Savannah, and remained timidly 
 shut up within the walls of Charlestown and New- 
 York. We generously restored to the Dutch all 
 the riches wrested from them by the cupidity of 
 Rodney, and which we had since captured from him. 
 
 Our ministers, far from being discouraged, re- 
 doubled the activity of their preparations, formed 
 other combinations to insure the conquest of Jamaica, 
 and resolved to send reinforcements to the army of 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 199 
 
 Rochambeau, which was either to take New Yorkj 
 or embark to join the Spanish army, in order tp 
 oblige England, by the fear of losing the remainder 
 of her possessions in the Antilles, to conclude a peace, 
 and acknowledge tlie indej/eiidence of America. 
 
 However, although the defeat of M. de Grasse 
 was not productive of any other loss to us, it had the 
 fatal result of depriving us of that naval superiority 
 which we had been on the point of wresting from 
 our eternal rival. 
 
 On this occasion the English nation proved that 
 they had formed ajuster estimate of facts than the 
 French : at Paris the beaten admiral was the object 
 of epigrams, satires and the most violent abuse : at 
 London his misfortune was pitied, his heroic courage 
 admired, and, either from a sense of justice, or a 
 feeling of pride, he was rendered the object of ho- 
 mages, which were probably exaggerated. 
 
 France, however, so far from accusing the minis- 
 ters of this disaster, hastened to second their efforts. 
 The capital offered the King a three decker, seve- 
 ral other towns followed this example, and innume- 
 rable subscriptions contributed to supply the means 
 of quickly repairing our losses and carrying on the 
 war with vigor. 
 
 Whilst France was exulting in the glory acquired 
 by her arms, in the spectacle of an English armv 
 passing under the yoke like the Romans at Caudi- 
 um, in the equally important and numerous conquests 
 she had made in the Antilles, in the reduction of 
 Senegal and Minorca, in a word, whilst these bril- 
 liant achievements maintained her in the first rank 
 of European powers, public opinion, agitated at 
 home, and irritated by the occurrence of great faults 
 in the internal administration, already announced by 
 murmurs, libels and songs, the approach of a great 
 explosion, and a desperate struggle between the old 
 
200 MEMOIRS 
 
 established social order and a new one then seeking 
 to usurp its place, between prejudices and princi- 
 ples, between power and liberty. 
 
 Such is the strange inconsistency of the human 
 miiid ; the rulers of a monarchy were arming against 
 a Kmg in favor of two republics; and supporting, 
 by the most violent efforts, the cause of a people in 
 a state of insurrection. All the youth of the nation 
 were excited by them to consider as objects worthy 
 of their admiration, such republicans as Franklin, 
 Washington, John Adams, Gates and Green. Our 
 flag guided the flag of independence to victory, and 
 all our young courtiers, the future pillars of the old 
 aristocracy, flew to the coasts of America, to imbibe 
 principles of equably, a contempt for ail privileges, 
 and a hatred against every kind of despotism, either 
 ministerial or sacerdotal. 
 
 The court, at the same time, by a singular contra*" 
 diction, uneasy at the spirit of opposition which was 
 manifesting itself, forbade all mention, in every pub- 
 lic journal, of the name of M. Necker, whose ad- 
 versaries were openly insulted by the people, whilst 
 his partisans were extolled to the skies. The Bailli 
 Darollet, the author of the opera of Iphigenia, was 
 exposed to the greatest affronts in the saloon of the 
 theatre, for having spoken disrespectfully of the 
 disgraced minister. At all the theatres, every word 
 or sentence that could apply as an illusion to arbi- 
 trary power and unjust banishments, was eagerly 
 and, as it were, with fury, caught up by the public. 
 
 D Histoire Philosophique of Abbé Raynal was then 
 the object of a general enthusiasm. The merit of 
 this important work was not alone the cause of this 
 admiration, it was excited also by those most violent 
 declamations a,:2:ainst priests, against monarchical 
 power a.id against the state of slayery of the negro 
 race, which its pages contained. The author did 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 201 
 
 not confine himself to the eloquent expression of the 
 indignation due to so unjust an oppression, to a traffic 
 so contrary to rehgion and humanity ; he, as it were, 
 provoked those unfortunate negroes to seek that 
 vengeance which afterwards burst forth so general- 
 ly, and in so cruel a manner. 
 
 The proper course would have been to take ad- 
 vantage of his advice and to refute his errors ; but 
 it was clearly wrong to proscribe a book that was to 
 be found in every library, and to which proscription 
 gave an additional value in public estimation. The 
 attorney general, M. de Séguier, issued a most vi- 
 rulent protest against the work, a warrant was ob- 
 tained to arrest the author, the book was condem- 
 ned to be burnt, and this condemnation became for 
 Abbé Raynal a sort of apotheosis. 
 
 At the same period, a work of one of our best 
 historians, Abbé Millot, a member of the French 
 academy, was condemned by the Inquisition in Spain. 
 The celebrated Olavides, who had just cultivated 
 and civilized the province of Sierra Morena, was 
 thrown into the prisons of that savage tribunal for 
 having translated the work of Raynal into Spanish. I 
 recollect hearing him say, after he bad escaped from 
 his dungeon, that one of the most intolerable afflic- 
 tions of his captivity, had been to be obliged to un- 
 dergo the penance to which he had been condem- 
 ned, of reading night and morning the works of 
 Frère Louis de Grenade, and of another monk equal- 
 ly stupid; to which 1 replied to him : " That is the 
 punishment of the ancients revived ; you have been 
 damnatus ad bestias,^^ 
 
 No services rendered, no rank, no authority form- 
 ed a sufficient protection against this monkish tyran- 
 ny. Admiral Solano, himself, the conqueror of Flo- 
 rida, was doomed to experience it : a copy of Ray- 
 naPs work being found in his possession, the almoner 
 26 
 
202 MEMOIRS 
 
 of his ship indignantly threw the book into the sea, 
 threatened the admiral with a sentence from the In- 
 quisition, and obliged him to expiate his fault by a 
 public penance. More palpable contradictions 
 could not well be fallen into than were thus exhibit- 
 ed by a line of conduct which rendered the people 
 more sensibly alive to the existence of arbitrary 
 power, at the very moment when its energies were 
 called into action in defence of another nation which 
 had just shaken off its yoke. 
 
 Although young at that period, and of course car- 
 ried along by the spirit of the times, the vortex did 
 not altogether render me blind to the singularity of 
 our inconsistent conduct ; I never can forget with 
 what astonishment I heard at the theatre of the pa- 
 lace of Versailles, the whole court enthusiastically 
 applauding Brutus^ a tragedy of Voltaire, and espe- 
 cially these two lines : 
 
 Je suis fils de Brutus, et je porte en mon cœur, 
 La liberté gravée et les rois en horreur. 
 
 When the first classes of a monarchy carry to such 
 an extent their fanaticism for the most violent re- 
 publican maxims, a revolution can neither be very 
 distant nor unforeseen ; those, however, who are, at 
 the present day, the staunchest enemies of every 
 kind of liberty, and the most zealous advocates of 
 the old social order, have entirely forgotten how 
 much they had contributed to drive the people into 
 a course from which it was soon no longer possible 
 to recal them. 
 
 Those inconsiderate measures had not the unani- 
 mous assent of the King's council ; the keeper of the 
 seals and the minister of Paris were the only advis- 
 ers of such ill-timed severity ; injudiciously strug- 
 gling against public opinion, they, by means of ordi- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 203 
 
 nances and decrees, combated the cause of liberty 
 which the government was supporting by force, of 
 arms ; and, resembling those torreadores, who, at the 
 sanguinary entertainments given in Spain, goad, for 
 a long time, by slrght wounds, the animal whose an- 
 ger is thus converted into rage, they imprudently in- 
 flamed the public opinion, instead of softening and 
 enlightening it. 
 
 The ministers of war and of the marine lamented 
 these errors without sharing in them, and with no 
 less wisdom than activity, gave all their attention to 
 a faithful discharge of the duties of their respective 
 stations. Our navy, beaten and annihilated in the 
 fatal seven years' war, suddenly appeared again, in 
 the presence of a world amazed at its numbers, 
 strength, science, and discipline. The giant, Albion, 
 was struck with astonishment and dismay at unex- 
 pectedly beholding this powerful rival, proudly pre- 
 paring to dispute with it the dominion of the seas. 
 
 M. De Castries, skilful in combining his plans, ac- 
 tive in ♦heir execution, firm in his resolutions, inac- 
 cessible to the manœuvres of intrigue, and endowed 
 with remarkable discernment, opposed with equal 
 courage the enemies of France and the intrigues of 
 the court. To him must, in a great measure, be as- 
 cribed the success of the campaign of 1781, and the 
 brilliancy of that last ray of glory which it shed over 
 the reign of the unfortunate Louis XVI. He was 
 cordially seconded by my father. Both united by 
 the most intimate ties of friendship, were animated 
 with the same spirit of order and justice, and with 
 the same anxiety for the public welfare. Indifferent 
 to the claims of favor, their duty was their sole 
 guide ; and their ambition consisted in conscientious- 
 ly serving their monarch, heedless of pleasing those 
 who considered his interests as secondary lo their 
 own. 
 
20é MEMOIRS 
 
 As the military career was at that time, whether 
 owing to habit or to prejudice, the only one adopted 
 by the French nobility, the minister of war was 
 more than any of his colleagues incessantly assailed 
 by manœuvres, intrigues, the importunate application 
 of the higher classes, and the caprices of favor. 
 Each prince w as desirous of accelerating the promo- 
 tion of those who were attached to his person; each 
 of the great officers of state endeavoured with the 
 utmost eagerness to forward the advancement of his 
 relatives and dependents. 
 
 The Queen herself, whose innate goodness could 
 seldom resist the pleasure of granting favors, was 
 constantly assailing the firmness of the minister who 
 wished to maintain the existing regulations. She 
 sometimes reproached my father with a want of 
 complaisance and gratitude tow^ards her, and vexed 
 at his refusals, she on one or two occasions availed 
 herself of the influence which she derived from the 
 King's affection for her, to force him into compliance 
 Avith her wishes. 
 
 The brother of a man holding one of the highest 
 dignities at court, whose weak and wavering conduct 
 had exposed him to almost universal censure, and 
 against whom public opinion had even raised much 
 heavier accusations, at the time he was commanding 
 a detachment during the Avar of Corsica, .was apply- 
 ing for the situation of inspector-general, which was 
 considered one of very great importance. 
 
 My father was, very properly, desirous of bestow- 
 ing it upon one of the general officers of the longest 
 standing and highest estimation in the service; but 
 the Queen, who protected this candidate, prevailed 
 upon the King to require that my father should 
 make this unjust nomination. He obeyed, but ten- 
 dered at the same time his resignation to the King, 
 who refused to accept it, and when the new inspec- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 205 
 
 tor came, according to custom, to return thanks to 
 the minister, the latter replied, " that he owed him 
 no obligation, since, on the contrary, he had used his 
 utmost exertions to prevent the grant of a favor so 
 ill-bestowed, and that he was indebted to the Queen 
 alone for this preference." 
 
 The displeasure of this Princess was unbounded ; 
 she desired me to wait upon her, and detailed at 
 great length, and with warmth, the many causes of 
 discontent which my father gave her. I took, this 
 opportunity of representing to her Majesty how un- 
 fortunate it was that princes should thus suffer them- 
 selves to be deceived and irritated by those who 
 surrounded them, and whose constant endeavors had 
 for object to induce them to sacrifice the public wel- 
 fare to private interest. " My father can never for- 
 get. Madam," I continued, "that he is indebted to 
 your Majesty for his elevation ; but he conceives 
 that he cannot give you a better proof of his grati- 
 tude, than by faithfully and conscientiously serving 
 the King. You have an army to defend you, and 
 not to obey your pleasure. This army will lose 
 every kind of emulation, if, as heretofore, interest 
 should continue to have the ascendency over merit, 
 and birth over services. Your majesty has witness- 
 ed the deplorable condition to which this army was 
 lately reduced, by the complaisance and weakness 
 of a minister, against whose conduct the public opi- 
 nion has been so loudly expressed. All the great 
 personages of your court wanted to obtain some 
 command ; there was not a bishop that did not aspire 
 to direct the appointment of some colonel, not a 
 pretty w^oman or an abbé that did not pretend to 
 bestow some captain's commission. Those abuses 
 are now at an end ; order has reappeared ; hope is 
 reviving, and you may perceive the happy effects of 
 this change in the ardor displayed by our troops, 
 
206 MEMOIRS 
 
 and the success which has crowned their efforts in 
 both hemispheres. Would jour Majesty permit so 
 great a blessing to be but illusory and of short dura- 
 tion f ' 
 
 "But," replied the Queen, "I am not asking for 
 what is unjust; I only think it not unfair to obtain a 
 preference for military men whose services are me- 
 ritorious, and whose name and attachment give them 
 a claim to some consideration. Your father has none 
 for me; he wnshes to deprive me of every means of 
 conferring favors; his punctihous regulations, which 
 he is incessantly opposing to my demands, give him 
 a character of pedantry and harshness; he is as un- 
 bending as an iron rod; the attachment of the King 
 and Queen are not adequate titles in his eyes. When 
 I caused him to be appointed minister, I little ex- 
 pected that he would incessantly thwart my views, 
 and deprive ms of the satisfaction which is dearest 
 to my heart, that of doing good, and of rendering 
 service to those whose attachment has given them a 
 claim upon our favor." 
 
 "But, Madam," I rejoined, "your Majesty has 
 too much penetration not to feel that, on every oc- 
 casion when my father is compelled to resist your 
 wishes, he inflicts a severe disappointment upon him- 
 self; allow me besides to observe that you are unac- 
 quainted with the barren details of military adminis- 
 tration ; it would be extremely irksome to you to 
 make yourself acquainted with all the ordinances and 
 regulations that have been enacted for the good of 
 the service, and with the view of introducing into 
 the army a rational and indeed an indispensable disci- 
 pline, so soon as regulations have been signed by the 
 King the duty of a minister consists in their faithful 
 execution; any departure from them on his part 
 would be culpable; all order would be at an end; 
 every thing would go by favor; old and faithful 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 207 
 
 services would lose their reward; emulation w^ould 
 be banished from the army, and discontent univer- 
 sallj prevail." 
 
 *' But who,'' quickly repHed the Queen, "pre- 
 tends to break through all ordinances and regula- 
 tions?" I smiled, and said nothing. " Come, be can- 
 did," continued the Queen ; " would you give me to 
 understand that your father receives unreasonable 
 recommendations from me?" 
 
 " Yes, Madam ; but you are not aware of it ; you 
 are deceived by those who solicit your protection; 
 they take care to conceal from you, some, that they 
 have not the requisite years of service; others, that 
 their neglect of their duty gives them no title to 
 promotion; in short, the greater part endeavor to 
 disguise that the claims of their competitors ar^ su- 
 perior to, and of longer standing than their own." 
 
 "I will grant," replied the Queen, "that this may 
 sometimes happen; but why does not your father, 
 instead of giving me a dry and unceremonious refu- 
 sal, come and explain to me the real motives on 
 which that refusal is founded ?" " This is assuredly, 
 Madam, what he would wish to do, but it seldom 
 happens that your occupations and his own will allow 
 him." 
 
 " Well then," said she, at last, with that graceful- 
 ness which was so natural to her, " I am willing to 
 believe that he has no intention of disobliging me; I 
 rely upon his gratitude; I even esteem him for that 
 severity which perhaps partakes a little too much of 
 harshness ; I allow that I am often too readily per- 
 suaded to grant recommendations in favor of persons 
 whose claims are but little known to me; I like that 
 no one should ever leave me dissatisfied : but, in arder 
 to avoid all these misunderstandings for the future, 
 I Wish that, whenever I shall attach some impor- 
 tance to a petition, and urge its being granted, your 
 
208 MEMOIRS 
 
 father would come and speak to me, or commissioH 
 you to explain to me the motives that may prevent 
 him from acceding to it ; tell him that we are re- 
 conciled together, that I am not angry with him, ex- 
 cept for the impatience with which he tendered his 
 resignation; neither the King nor I will consent to 
 accept of it ; for we are quiie satisfied that he only 
 desires the good of our service, and is more capable 
 than any one else of promoting it." 
 
 I was quite pleased at carrying back to my father 
 these obliging expressions. He followed the course 
 which the Queen had enjoined to him; and I may 
 declare, with perfect truth, that ever afterwards, 
 when similar discussions arose on the occasion of 
 some important appointments, the Queen heard 
 without displeasure, and approved without hesita- 
 tion, every refusal which my father opposed to in- 
 trigue, and of which I was often commissioned by 
 him to explain to her the motives. Thus, a circum- 
 stance which had at first appeared so unfavorable 
 to our interests, tended to raise my father in the es- 
 timation of that Princess, and to increase the favor 
 with which she had been pleased to honor me. 
 
 I recollect another circumstance, which will prove 
 the necessity there existed of maintaining an unceas- 
 ing struggle against court favor and power. The 
 rank of colonel-general of infantry had been recently 
 created in favor of the Prince de Condé. Nothing 
 was more natural than to bestow it upon a prince of 
 the blood, who had upheld, in all its brilliancy, at 
 the head of our armies, a name dear to France and 
 familiar with victory ; but, at the same time, policy 
 required that this should only be an honorary rank, 
 quite divested of that real power which had accom- 
 panied it, when held by such men as the Duke 
 d'Epernon, at a time when too many traces of the 
 ancient feudal anarchy were yet in existence. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 2Q9 
 
 As, however, we are never just and impartial in 
 our own cause, the Prince de Condé loudly called 
 for a restitution of some of the old privileges attach- 
 ed to this appointment, and bitterly complained of 
 the resistance of the minister who opposed his wish- 
 es. This prince invited me to call upon him, and 
 told me that he knew I had a orred.t influence over 
 my father's mind, and that 1 should render him a 
 very acceptable service, if Î exerted that influence 
 to obtain a restitution of those oreroo^atives which 
 could not, without injustice, be withheld from him. 
 
 I in vain assured him that he had been deceived ; 
 that I was too young and far too inexperienced to 
 possess any influence over a mind so firm and so en- 
 lightened as that of my father. "He must, besides," 
 I added, " have very strong motives for resisting 
 the Avish of your highness; but 1 know him too 
 well, not to inform your highness that if, after ma- 
 ture reflection, he finds that the restitution of the 
 privileges you claim would be attended with serious 
 inconvenience : nothing in the world, except a special 
 order from the King, will induce him to alter his 
 resolution." 
 
 " I request, however, you will sound him," repli- 
 ed the prince ; " whatever you may say to the con- 
 trary, I am well aware that your father reposes full 
 confidence in you ; 1 ofler you an opportunity of ob- 
 liging me ; do not neglect it ; you are now a colonel ; 
 I am destined, from my name and my services, to 
 the command of our armies, as soon as any important 
 war shall take place in Europe. I shall feel grate- 
 ful for the service you will have rendered me; and 
 you cannot be insensible to the advantage it would 
 then be for a young colonelto possess the good-will 
 of a chief who has it in his power to afford an ofli- 
 cer opportunities of distinguishing himself, and of 
 thus acquiring claim to rapid promotion." 
 27 
 
210 MEMOIRS 
 
 I confess that I felt very much hurt at finding that 
 the prince could suppose rae capable of endeavoring, 
 through motives of personal interest, to obtain from 
 my father a determination contrary to his opinion 
 and to his principles ; and I therefore confined my 
 answer to the prince to an assurance that I would 
 give my father a faithful account of the conversa- 
 tion with which his highness had just honored me. 
 He made rae a cold bow, much surprised, no doubt, 
 at a frankness and pride which he little expected 
 from a young courtier. 
 
 I withdrew, and returned to my father, who en- 
 tirely approved of my conduct. The prince did not 
 obtain what he asked for ; the King resisted the 
 demand as his minister had done ; and I form too 
 high an opinion of the noble and eminent qualities of 
 the prince de Condé to believe, notwithstanding the 
 coldness he afterwards evinced towards me, that he 
 felt any real resentment at a conduct which must 
 have merited his inward approbation. 
 
 I shall only mention one more anecdote relating to 
 my father's administration. In its results, it is more 
 important, as it gave rise to an erroneous opinion so 
 widely diffused at the present day that it is next to 
 impossible to alter it. Thus it is, that errors, when 
 relied upon as truths, assume an historical character. 
 I do not however, write this in the hope of entirely 
 removing the opinion I allude to; but in relating 
 facts precisely as they occurred, I consider that Ï 
 am fulfilling my duty. 
 
 It has been generally believed and reported in 
 France, than an ordinance, enacted by my father, 
 had excluded from the military profession, the whole 
 of the third class of the state, by requiring of those, 
 who wished to obtain the rank of officer, the pro- 
 duction of proofs of their nobility, which were to be 
 examined and certified by M. Chérin, the genealo- 
 gist of the court. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUK. 211 
 
 This ordinance gave rise at first to loud com- 
 plaints, and subsequently to violent outcries against 
 the aristocratic and unjust pride of the minister. It 
 was even generally considered, by the most mode- 
 rate men of all classes, as a harsh and ill-judged 
 measure, entirely at variance with the spirit of the 
 age, and in short as one of the principal causes of 
 that universal discontent, which prepared the pub- 
 lic mind to a revolution in the state. 
 
 If even these facts were as true as they are incor- 
 rect, nothing would be easier than to justify in this re- 
 spect the memory of my father, if such were my ob- 
 ject. I would first prove that nothing can be more un-» 
 just than to judge the laws and ordinances of an old 
 monarchical and aristocratical government according 
 to the principles of a representative and a popular 
 government. Laws must be enacted in conformity 
 with the nature of the institutions, which it is their 
 object to support, to defend, and to strengthen ; and 
 in a country where, during ten centuries, the aris- 
 tocracy, that is to say, the nobility had been in the 
 enjoyment of a great proportion of the rights of 
 sovereignty, it was quite natural that, after having 
 successively lost its most important privileges of feo- 
 dality and of seignorage, it should at least endeavor 
 to preserve the last of them, the military privileges 
 which it had always enjoyed unmolested. 
 
 But it is unnecessary to resort to this means of 
 defence ; few persons would give it its due weight ; 
 and it would ill become me, as it is in opposition with 
 my own opinion, which made me wish at that time, 
 for the good of the monarchy, that every reform 
 should be adopted which the progress of civilization 
 and of knowledge rendered necessary ; I was firmly 
 convinced^ that unless this wise course were pursued, 
 it was impossible to avoid the heaviest calamities 
 and the most dreadful convulsions. 
 
212 MEMOIRS 
 
 A faithful recital of facts will be sufficient to 
 prove that the justice, which I think due to the 
 memory of my father, is strictly impartial. It will 
 prove, first, that the famous ordinance, which is as- 
 cribed to him, has not made those great inroads 
 upon the rights of individuals that are attributed to 
 it ; and that it has only modified the power of ac- 
 tion, of a state of things previously in force. 
 
 It will, moreover, be clearly seen from my state- 
 ment, that the ordinance in question, after being the 
 subject of long debates, was issued upon the decision 
 of the majority, in the council, against the opinion of 
 my father, who strenuously opposed it, and who, in 
 yielding, as it was his duty to do, took care to insert, 
 in the framing of it, several amendments, which 
 tended to soften its severity. 
 
 These are facts which I should have brought to 
 light at a much earlier period ; but, as long as the 
 revolutionary storm continued to rage, I was bound 
 to conform to the express injunctions of my father, 
 who scorned to offer any explanation that might 
 have been ascribed to a feeling of apprehension of 
 the passions of the mob. Now, ^ however, that I 
 cannot be reasonably suspected of a wish to flatter 
 the democratical party, when I am justifying my fa- 
 ther from the odium of a measure so much in unison 
 with the aristocratic spirit which is, at present, re- 
 suming a part of its former ascendency, I think my- 
 self at liberty to reveal the whole truth. 
 
 It will be recollected that, at the time when my 
 father was minister, a spirit of innovation very gene- 
 rally prevailed; and that, whilst our citizens were 
 mad after the English institutions, our military men, 
 indignant at the check received during the seven 
 years' war, endeavored to assume the character of 
 Prussians, and, as far as was in their power, to imi^ 
 tate the troops of Frederick the great, their conr 
 ouero!% . 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 213 
 
 The suppression of abuses, new military tactics, 
 and reforms were the general topics of conversa- 
 tion. The King, who did not wish to oppose an im- 
 prudent resistance, nor to yield, without just grounds, 
 to this fermentation in the pubhc mind, had ap- 
 pointed a committee, composed of twenty-four in- 
 spectors of cavalry and of infantry, who were to 
 examine, with care, every branch of the miHtary ad- 
 ministration, and render, to the minister, an ac- 
 count of their labors, in a report which he was to 
 submit to the King in council, with his opinion 
 upon it. 
 
 This report, after a discussion of several months, 
 was given to my father, it contained the substance 
 of the many complaints which had been preferred, 
 from all quarters, respecting the organization of our 
 army, its tactics, and especially the abuses introduced 
 into the mode of appointment to vacancies. 
 
 The inspectors had favorably received the com- 
 plaints of several of the nobility, who pretended 
 that, being unable to embrace any other than the 
 military profession, without derogating from their 
 station, they saw it, henceforth, nearly closed against 
 them, as much from the effects of a peace of ten 
 years' duration, which rendered the vacancies to 
 places of more rare occurrence, as from the facility, 
 generating into abuse, with which those ordinances 
 were allowed to be evaded, which required, previ- 
 ously to the appointment of an officer, that certifi- 
 cates of nobility should be produced, bearing the 
 signatures of four noblemen. 
 
 " These certificates," they said, " are frequently 
 given to plebeians, by young noblemen in pecuniary 
 difficulties, who thus have it in their power to pay 
 their debts. This intolerable imposition deprives 
 the poor nobility of every means of obtaining ap-r 
 pointments, from which they are daily excluded by 
 
214 MEMOIRS 
 
 rich young men, chosen out of the third order in the 
 state." 
 
 When my father brought up this report to the 
 council, he warmly opposed the opinion of the in- 
 spectors, and the conclusions they had drawn favora- 
 ble to the pretensions of the nobility. " If the im- 
 position complained of," said he, " were of as fre- 
 quent occurrence as it is supposed to be, it would 
 only tend to prove the impossibility of maintaining 
 an order of things which every body endeavors to 
 elude, as being no longer in harmony with our man- 
 ners, and with the progress made in knowledge and 
 in wealth, by the third class which feels offended at 
 this degradation. How do you think it possible for 
 them to bear the idea that the son of a respectable 
 magistrate, of a merchant held in general esteem, of 
 an intendant of province, entrusted with one of the 
 most important branches of administration, should 
 be condemned to serve the state as a common sol- 
 dier, or to attain the rank of officer only at an ad- 
 vanced age, after having grown old in the lowest 
 ranks ? It were much better to attack the unrea- 
 sonable prejudice which ruins the whole of the no- 
 bility, by not permitting it to adopt any other than 
 the military profession ; the law, of which they de- 
 mand the execution, is falling into disuse, because it 
 is contrary to the manners of the age ; it would 
 neither be just nor reasonable to allow it to recover 
 fresh vigor. It is, in fact, quite unnecessary ; for, 
 whatever may be said to the contrary, the nobihty, 
 by its position and influence, will always be certain 
 of obtaining the preference for the greater number 
 of appointments ; and, moreover, this revived law, 
 without satisfying all the pretentions of the privi- 
 leged classes, would produce a general dissatisfaction 
 in all the other classes of the state." 
 
 This advice was assuredly dictated by the sound-» 
 
OF COUNT' SEGUR, 215 
 
 est reason, and the most equitable judgment. The 
 contrary opinion, however, prevailed, and it was de- 
 termined that, henceforth, M. Chérin, the genealo- 
 gist of the court, should deliver certificates of no- 
 bility, to which four nobletoen should have previ- 
 ously affixed their signatures. 
 
 My father was directed to draw up an ordinance 
 in conformity with this decision. He obeyed, but in 
 framing it, he excepted from the obligation of pro- 
 ducing the required proofs, the sons of knights of 
 Saint-Louis, and the appointments of officers in seve- 
 ral corps of light troops ; so that, independently of 
 the means of promotion secured to long services, 
 and offered by the chances of war, the third estate 
 possessed perhaps greater facility after this ordi- 
 nance than before, for embracing the profession of 
 arms. 
 
 Little attention, however, was paid to these mo- 
 difications ; the old order of things, and the proofs 
 of nobility formerly required, seemed to be entirely 
 lost sight of, and a general belief prevailed that my 
 father had inflicted a humiliating exclusion upon the 
 third class of the state, and his ordinance became the 
 principal object towards which the hatred and ill-will 
 of the plebeian class, against the nobility, already of 
 too bitter a character, w^ere henceforth directed. 
 Such are the facts in their naked truth; pubhc opin- 
 ion, hitherto deceived, will now judge them. 
 
 My father ought, I think, to have been less sub- 
 jected than any other man tt) such reproaches. Not* 
 withstanding the austerity of his outward appear- 
 ance and manners, he w^as generous and humane ; 
 he sought merit every where, afforded it encourage- 
 ment and protection against intrigue, and gave it its 
 due reward ; the justice of his principles ensured a 
 welcome to every well-founded claim ; his unwea- 
 ried activity never suffered that a becoming letter 
 
216 MEMOIRS 
 
 should remain unanswered ; he never turned a deaf 
 ear to good advice, nor to such as might open his 
 eyes to the errors into which he might have fallen. 
 
 Abilities, information, zeal for the profession and 
 in the discharge of its duties, services of long stand- 
 ing, numerous wounds, brilliant actions were the only 
 qualifications and claims which he considered valid. 
 Consequently the old officers and old soldiers were 
 sincerely aUacbed to him, and extolled iiis goodness, 
 while the warriors covered with Vi^ounds loved to 
 count those he had received. The young courtiers 
 also complained of his severity, and of his strict ad- 
 herence to rules and disciphne. 
 
 The order and economy of his administration af- 
 forded him more abundant means than any of his 
 predecessors had possessed of bestowing rewards 
 upon real services, and he was even enabled, through 
 the resources produced by this wise economy, to 
 provide a fund for the payment of pensions to the 
 oldest knights of the order of Saint-Louis. 
 
 Until then our soldiers had slept three in a bed ; 
 he it was that reduced that number to only two. 
 Disorder prevailed in our hospitals ; the expendi- 
 ture of that important branch of administration was 
 excessive and ill conducted, the measures he adopt- 
 ed had the effect of reducing that expenditure, and 
 of enabling our hospitals to receive a greater num- 
 ber of patients, and to take better care of them. 
 His ordinance, on that subject, met at the time with 
 universal approbation. 
 
 Under his directions the education given to offi- 
 cers was considerably improved. Crowds of spec- 
 tators came on all sides, to admire the fine condition 
 of our troops, their exact discipline, and the regu- 
 larity of their manœuvres. He always confided the 
 most important commissions to leaders recommend- 
 ed to his confidence by public estimation, and those 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 217 
 
 who so eminently distinguished themselves in the 
 American war, rendered full justice to the sagacitj 
 of his instructions. 
 
 He had been the first to conceive, and to present 
 to the notice of the King, - the idea of forming a 
 corps of light artillery, and a staff corps, to which 
 we were subsequently indebted for so large a por- 
 tion of our glory and renown. In short, notwith- 
 standing the difficult circumstances in which he was 
 placed, and all the exigencies of the court the mili- 
 tary pensions, which, under all preceding ministers 
 had been annually augmenting, received no further 
 increase, during his administration of seven years, 
 because he had the prudent firmness never to bestow 
 any new pensions except in exact proportion to the 
 extinction of those upon the list. Such was his mi- 
 nisterial life, as respectable at the court, as it had 
 formerly been in the camp. The details I have en- 
 tered into, will I trust be excused in favor of the 
 sentiment which has dictated them. If oblivion of 
 the wicked be a salutary maxim, let us be permitted 
 to add to it that all ought to unite in attempting to 
 rescue honest men from that fate. This will be 
 found one of the best means of augmenting their 
 number, unfortunately too small at all times, and 
 more particularly in those elevated situations which 
 are exposed to so many jealousies, and to such se- 
 ductive temptations, and are continually surrounded 
 by so many perils. 
 
 If my father, in spite of his love of justice, still 
 met with instances of ingratitude and discontent, it 
 must be confessed that I added, in some degree, to 
 the number. For, not wishing, in spite of my solici- 
 tations, to favor me, at the expense of the just pre- 
 tensions of others, he persisted in refusing me an op- 
 portunity of earning any of the laurels gathered by 
 several of my fellow soldiers in America. 
 28 
 
21B MEMOIRS 
 
 At length, however, this long delayed favor was 
 granted to me. The Viscount de Noailies, having 
 obtained, after the capture of Yorktown, the chief 
 command of a regiment which had remamed in 
 France, I was appointed lieutenant colonel to the 
 regiment of Soissonnais in his place ; and I quitted 
 without regret the dragoons of Orléans, notwith- 
 standing my attachment to them, having received 
 orders to depart and embark, in order to join my 
 new corps in the United States. 
 
 After having so long and vainly sighed to appear 
 in the field, 1 hoped to enter upon a warm and bril- 
 liant campaign, which might terminate the war by 
 the taking of New York, and subsequently, perhaps, 
 by the conquest of Jamaica, for such was, then, the 
 project of the ministers. 
 
 When I arrived at Brest, early in April, 1782, I 
 found several frigates waiting for us, as well as a 
 large convoy of merchant vessels, and transports, pre- 
 pared for our conveyance. At the same port there 
 were likewise, two batallions of recruits, which were 
 intended to reinforce the army of Rochambeau. 
 
 I received orders to assume the command of 
 these, and also to inspect and exercise them, until 
 the moment of setting sail. This minute part of my 
 duty I accomplished with great exactness. It was a 
 tedious occupation, and lasted much longer than I 
 had foreseen. 
 
 An English squadron, receiving intelligence of our 
 preparations, and favored by the winds, which were 
 contrary for us, succeeded in blockading us, and 
 cruised before the harbour, with the intent of at- 
 tacking us and taking our convoy. 
 
 Just at this period, we heard the unfortunate ti- 
 dings of the defeat of M. de Grasse; but this re^ 
 verse, far from discouraging us, only redoubled our 
 ardor- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 219 
 
 The wind at length changing, gave us hopes of 
 escaping from this port to which we had been con- 
 demned hke so many convicts. Orders were sent to 
 us, to leave our convoy at Brest, and embark on 
 board la Gloire^ a frigate of thirty-two guns, some of 
 which were twelve pounders. 
 
 At the time of this first embarcation, I had for 
 fellow passenger in the Gloire^ the Duke de Lauzun, 
 the Prince de Broglie, son of the Marshal of that 
 name, the Baron de Montesquieu, grandson of the 
 author of V Esprit des Lois, and the Count de Lo- 
 ménie, who afterwards perished in the revolution. 
 To these were added, an Irish officer, of the name 
 of Sheldon, Polawski a Polish gentleman, the Baron 
 de Liliehorn, aid de camp to the King of Sweden, 
 and the Chevalier Alexander de Lameth, who af- 
 terwards rendered such distinguished services to his 
 country. He there became celebrated by his talents^ 
 by his political ability, by his character, by his ncble 
 devotedness to his country, by his constitutional prin- 
 ciples, and by the persecutions which they brought 
 down upon him. 
 
 From the moment he joined me, may be dated 
 his love of liberty, and our mutual attachment ; feel- 
 ings, that for the space of forty years, have continu- 
 ed to preserve the same undiminished influence over 
 his mind and my own. 
 
 It would have been difficult to find a more plea- 
 sant travelling companion, than the Duke de Lauzun; \ / 
 to easy manners, and a social disposition, he united a ' 
 generous spirit, whilst the natural grace of his de- 
 portment was quite peculiar to himself. He showed 
 me a short letter from M. de Maure pas, to whom 
 he had warmly recommended some affair in which 
 he was much interested. This epistle, of hardly 
 four lines, conveyed a striking idea of the lively and 
 trifling character of that old minister :— " / have not 
 
'220 MEMOIRS 
 
 heen ahle^^'' he wrote, " to do any thing in the affair 
 you mentioned to me ; you had only the King and my- 
 self in your favor on this occasion ; such are the conse- 
 quences of keeping loio company."^^ 
 
 The sensations which, at that time, animated the 
 breasts of our warlike youth, who tore themselves 
 with enthusiasm from their homes, from their plea- 
 sures, and from their affections, to seek toils and 
 dangers in another hemisphere, deserved to attract 
 attention, and were sufficient to have announced, to 
 penetrating minds, those great approaching changes 
 which were destined to take place in Europe. 
 
 We no longer now, as formerly, went forth as va- 
 liant knights, seeking, like the Norman heroes, ad- 
 ventures and principalities at the point of the sword, 
 or w^arriors led, like the crusaders, by a pious fanati- 
 cism, or English and French adventurers, or grasp- 
 ing Spaniards, mad with the thirst of gold, who has- 
 tened to depopulate and cover with blood, a world 
 discovered by Columbus. We were not even solely 
 instigated by that desire of glory and of rank, which 
 had before caused the swords of Frenchmen to leap 
 from their scabbards in all the wars carried on by 
 the different powers of Europe against each other. 
 
 Some individuals, indeed, continued to be still ex- 
 clusively animated by this last motive; but tbegreatr 
 er number of us were influenced by other and better 
 sentiments ; — by a well judged and well grounded 
 desire of serving our king and country, and of cheer- 
 fully sacrificing every thing to these duties, and by a 
 yet more exalted principle, a sincere enthusiasm 
 for the cause of American liberty. 
 
 In fact, another age was rising — every thing was 
 changing its action and its object. It was extraordi- 
 nary enough, to behold young courtiers going to the 
 field of battle in the name of philanthropy, a senti- 
 ment which ouffht to lead us to detest war, and offi- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUE. 221 
 
 cers, who, by coramand of an absolute government, 
 rushed towards the coasts of America, whence ihey 
 were to bring back into France, the seeds of a hve- 
 Ij passion for the establishment of jjolitical Hberty, 
 and irKiependence. 
 
 I cannot better convey an idea of the exaltation 
 which then agitated our minds, than by citing some 
 passages from a letter which I wrote about this pe- 
 riod, and which J do not peruse after a lapse of two 
 and forty yeras, without feelings of pleasure. 
 
 " Brest Roads, on board la Glolr£. May 19, 1782. 
 
 " In the midst of an absolute governmeîit," I ob- 
 served, "every thing is sacrificed to vanity, to the 
 iove of fame, or what is called glory, but which 
 hardly deserves the name of patriotism in a country 
 where a select number of persons, raised to the first 
 employments of the state, by the will of a master, 
 and on the precarious tenure of that will, engross 
 the whole legislative and executive power; — in a 
 country where public rights are only considered as 
 private property, where the court is all in all, Snd 
 the nation nothing. 
 
 " A love of true glory cannot exi^ît without philo- 
 sophy and public maiiners ; with us, the desire of ce- 
 lebrity, which may be directed either to good or 
 evil, is the pi^evailing motive, while promotion de- 
 pends not upon talents, but upon favor. It is more 
 advantageous to become agreeable to power, than 
 useful to our country ; and thus, instead of wishing 
 to do honor to the land of our birth, by our virtues, 
 to enrich it with monuments, and to enlighten it with 
 information, we exert our activity only in enterprise. 
 Ambitious men neither dread a bad reputation, nor 
 aim at acquiring a good and solid one ; all they wish 
 is to obtain notoriety; all they fear is silence and 
 obscurity : strange egotists, who, ever living de pen- 
 
222 MEMOIRS 
 
 dent upon others, still believe they iive only for 
 themselves. 
 
 " If I appear to imitate them, that appearance is 
 only illusory, for I pursue an object quite different 
 from theirs. Although young, Ï have already had a 
 good deal of experience, not a few trials, and have 
 mastered many errors. Arbitrary power is irksome 
 to me, while liberty, for which I am preparing to 
 combat, inspires me with a warm enthusiasm. I 
 should rejoice to see my country enjoy as much of it 
 as is compatible with our monarchy, our situation, 
 and our manners ; even my affections serve to 
 strengthen my present opinions. 
 
 " United, by happy ties, to the grand-daughter of 
 the Chancellor d'Aguesseau, my most earnest wish, 
 in pursuing a different career from that illustrious 
 magistrate, is to raise myself to the standard of his 
 immortal principles of virtue, of justice, and of pa- 
 triotism. In perusing his discourses and his other 
 writings, we feel deeply sensible that this great mi- 
 nister of an absolute monarch never lost sight of the 
 puBlic good, the rights of his fellow citizens, and the 
 limits prescribed to power, by everlasting reason, 
 and by the fundamental laws of the state. That ex- 
 cellent magistrate, though so devoted to his King, 
 displayed, in the tribunal, and in his legislative and 
 administrative capacity, all the independence and all 
 the virtues of a republican. 
 
 " My admiration of so noble a model has fortified 
 my mind against the false attractions of a mad ambi- 
 tion, and against the desire of riches ; it has given 
 me strength to resist the allurements of the world. 
 The last idol I worshipped was the ill-informed opi- 
 nion of the vulgar; but this has, at length, appeared 
 to me in its proper colours, founded upon ignorance, 
 misled by fortune, and presenting us with deceitful 
 incense, which is employed only in flattering success- 
 ful vice, favored by the caprices of accident. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 223 
 
 " I indulge no other ambition than that of merit- 
 ing the suffrages of public opinion, not such as it is, 
 but such as it ought to be, namely, the opinion of a 
 free people, who possess a wise and prudent legisla- 
 tion. Thus, in separating af this time from all I hold 
 dear, I do not make so painful a sacrifice to preju- 
 dice, but to duty. If I were a magistrate, I would 
 willingly abandon the most delightful leisure to at- 
 tend at the courts as early as five in the morning, 
 for the purpose of struggling with injustice ; if a mi- 
 nister, I would expose myself to exile, and to the 
 fate reserved for truth in courts, in order to assert 
 the cause of the oppressed ; and, being a soldier, I 
 leave my family, my native place, and all the charms 
 of life, in order strictly to fulfil the duties of a pro- 
 fession, perhaps the noblest of any, when engaged in 
 a just cause. 
 
 " Such are the motives that direct me ; but there 
 is one far stronger than the rest ; it is that of wish- 
 ing to raise myself to the level of some gifted beings 
 whom I cannot hope to emulate without exerting 
 noble sentiments and virtues. At this time, their af- 
 fection is, at once, the source of my regret, and the 
 price of my sacrifices. The only consolation I feel 
 m my separation from them, is the hope of render- 
 ing myself more and more deserving of their regard 
 and esteem." 
 
 At length the signal for our departure was given; 
 a fresh passenger, the Viscount de Vaudreuil, came 
 to join us, and our frigate sailed on the 19th of May, 
 1782, with a breeze fresh enough to give us hopes 
 of escaping the vigilance of the English fleet. But 
 we had hardly steered three leagues when a violent 
 storm compelled us to change our course, and to 
 trust ourselves in the dangerous passage called the 
 Raz de Tulinguet^ a place notorious for its frequent 
 shipwrecks. 
 
224 MEMOIRS 
 
 Exerting our utmost skill against the winds and 
 waves, we succeeded in regaining the open sea, when 
 the approach of two-and-tvventy English ships oblig- 
 ed us, in order to avoid them, to steer close to the 
 shore; and, as the gale continued to encrease in 
 violence, we ran great risk of striking upon the 
 rocks called the Glenans, against which the frigate 
 Venus had been wrecked only a short time before. 
 
 A calm at length succeeded, but the rudder of, 
 our frigate had yielded to the strength of the gale, 
 and was broken. We thus found ourselves com- 
 pelled to enter the river Loire, and to cast anchor 
 at Paimbœuf. Thus fortune, having proved con- 
 trary to our hopes, seemed to take pleasure in con- 
 fining us to the coasts of France. 
 
 Until the 15th of July we received alternate orders 
 to put to sea, and to delay our departure, proceeding, 
 like a coasting vessel, only from port to port. Leav- 
 ing Brest, we arrived at Nantes, from Nantes we 
 sailed to Lorient, and from Lorient we finally reached 
 Rochefort, at which place we met with VAigle^ a 
 frigate of forty gjuns, carrying twenty-four pounders, 
 that was intended to proceed to America, in com- 
 pany with us. 
 
 The Baron de Vioménil, and the Duke de Lauzun, 
 who were on their return to America, went on board 
 V Aigle^ diuà the chevaliers de Vauban, de Melfort, 
 de Talleyrand, de Charapcenetz, de Fleury, with 
 many other officers, took advantage of the same 
 opportunity. The Chevalier de Vallongue was the 
 commander of our frigate, an old officer of the royal 
 marine, who, notwithstanding his reputation for skill 
 and bravery, and his. long services, had only attained 
 the rank of lieutenant. 
 
 The frjo^ate VAio-le. was under the orders of the 
 Chevalier de la ^'Touche ; a man of information, 
 brave, animated and pleasing, and who had lately 
 
OF COUNT SEGUJl. 225 
 
 entered the navy. His numerous friends, combined 
 with the influence of the Duke d'Orléans, had acee- 
 lerated his advancement. He had the rank of cap- 
 tain in the service, and it was not without feelings 
 of disappointment that M. de Vallongue thus found 
 himself compelled to serve under the orders of a 
 younger officer than himself, and who was, what 
 was then termed, an upstart in the navy, 
 
 M. de la Touche was attached to his new profes- 
 sion, and discharged its duties with as much intelli- 
 gence as honor. At the moment of his departure, 
 however, a passion, which had gained the ascenden- 
 cy over every other, led him to commit a very serious 
 fault, the results of which might have been much 
 more calamitous than they proved to be : which, at 
 first, was the cause of involving us in considerable 
 difficulty, and afterwards gave rise to a misfortune 
 which fell, principally, upon his own head. 
 
 A woman of whom he was deeply enamoured had 
 followed him from Paris to Rochelle. The rules 
 of discipline did not permit her to embark with him, 
 and yet he could not summon resolution enough to 
 separate from her. We shall presently see what 
 singular expedient he resorted to, in order to recon- 
 cile, as much as possible, his love and his duty. 
 We again hoisted sail on the 15th of July, at the 
 same time as a large convoy of merchant vessels. 
 escorted by the frigate Ceres. 
 
 A short period after our departure, during the 
 middle of the night, just as our company was engaged 
 in manoeuvring to resist a contrary wind, which blew 
 pretty briskly, the frigate Ceres by tacking unskil- 
 fully, ran against our vessel with such violence, that 
 we all imagined we had struck upon a rock. 
 
 We sustained no kind of injury from the accident, 
 but the Ceres suflfered so much as to be obliged to 
 re-enter with her convoy into port. The following 
 
 29 
 
226 MEMOIRS 
 
 days, we made little progress : and, indeed, the wind 
 was very slack. This tardiness, however, very justly 
 surprized us, as we knew that V Aigle was a much 
 better sailer than our vessel, and yet we were con- 
 tinually obliged to slacken sail and wait for her, in 
 order not to part company with each other. 
 
 We, at length, observed a merchant vessel that 
 was following in the track of VAigle. it being 
 impossible for such a vessel to sail like a man of 
 war, we soon perceived, after several messages and 
 boat parleys had been exchanged, that the comman- 
 der of V Aigle had decided to take the merchatns' 
 vessel in tow. 
 
 The mystery was then cleared up; and we were 
 convinced that it was M. de la Touche's mistress who 
 delayed his course, and that he was thus desirous of 
 bringing her with him. 
 
 It may well be supposed that our voyage, upon 
 this plan, was destined to be very slow ; we besides 
 met with frequent calms, so that we employed three 
 weeks in reaching the Azores, with a number of 
 sick on board, and in fear of a scarcity of water. 
 Thus situated, M. de la Touche adopted the resolu- 
 tion of casting anchor in some port of this little 
 Archipelago. 
 
 During this tedious passage we had no other 
 amusement than that of watching a succession of 
 vessels to which we gave chace, according to the 
 orders of M. de la Touci\e, in the hope of finding 
 an enemy to engage and to conquer; but, in this 
 expectation, we were uniformly disappointed, for on 
 approaching these vessels, we recognised either neu- 
 trals or allies. • 
 
 The Archipelago of the Azores belongs to the 
 Portuguese ; and Fayal is generally the port put into. 
 The wind, however, which was contrary, would 
 have detained us too long, and finding ourselves near 
 
OF COUNT SEGUK. 227 
 
 Tercera, the chief isle belonging to the Azores, of 
 which Angra is the capital ; we steered for it in the 
 hope of mooring there. Just as we were casting 
 anchor, we were suddenly informed that we were m 
 danger of utter destruction", owing to the current 
 which would infaUiblj drive us upon the coast. 
 
 The commander of the port refused us admittance, 
 though several merchant vessels were in it at the 
 time. This officer sent to inform us, that, the port 
 being exposed to sea-winds, our frigates would not 
 be in safety there ; that he could not answer for 
 them, and that it would be safer for them to cruise 
 in the roads, while they might send their boats to 
 provide all the provisions and refreshments which 
 might be wanted. This, in fact, was the plan we 
 adopted. 
 
 Judging, from the appearance of these islands, as 
 well as of those of Cape Verd, of the Canaries and 
 from those groups of amphitheatres and mountains, 
 ^vhose isolated tops rise above the surface of the 
 vast ocean, it is almost impossible to doubt of the 
 former existence of a continent, since swallowed up 
 in one of those great revolutions incident to the 
 globe. Without reference to the new observations 
 made on this head by our men of science, a single 
 view is enough to convince us, that those islands are 
 the summits of some chain of mountains belonging 
 to that ancient continent buried for so many thousand 
 years in the ocean. 
 
 The account given by the Egyptian priests, as it 
 has been handed down to us by Plato, is, perhaps, 
 exaggerated. It is difficult to believe that the 
 Atlantes should formerly have conquered a part of 
 Europe and Africa, and that the people of a single 
 city, like Athens, should have expelled and destroyed 
 those proud conquerors ; but, such an exaggeration 
 apart, no one can have seen the Azores and remain 
 
228 MEMOIRS 
 
 in doubt as to the existence and submersion of the 
 Atlantides. 
 
 Situated amidst the waves of an immense sea, this 
 lonely Archipelago, braving the tempests, the sub- 
 marine volcanoes and the earthquakes that often 
 seem to threaten it with a fresh revolution, raises its 
 verdant amphitheatres serenely into the clouds, adorn- 
 ed with perpetual spring. There are seen the 
 flowers, and there are gathered the fruits of Europe 
 and America, of Africa and Asia. The jasmine, the 
 orange tree, the laurel, the acacia and the rose 
 embalm the air with their perfume, and this air is 
 so pure that no noxious creature can exist in it. 
 
 When we beheld the isle of Tercera from a dis- 
 tance, it presented to us only the appearance of a 
 vast black mountain ; but on approaching Angra, we 
 were regaled with the most delicious view. The 
 sombre aspect of the mountain assumes a clearer 
 hue, the summit of its pike alone retaining its arid 
 appearance ; from this point or pike, the mountain 
 stretches in a gradual declivity until it reaches the 
 sea, and presents to the eye a magnificent amphi- 
 theatre covered with odoriferous woods, as diversi- 
 ied in their forms as in their colors. These woods 
 are grouped in a very picturesque manner, often 
 separated by opening glades, with fields and culti- 
 vated spots of all kinds, which at once bespeak 
 abundance and promise happiness. 
 
 At the iower part of a bay, in which the sea no 
 longer retains its violence, is seen the town of An^ 
 gra, which majestically rises on the side of the moun- 
 tain. It is of great extent and defended by two 
 forts, which present a cross fire at the entrance into 
 the port. Several pleasure houses, of a very ele- 
 gant and pleasing appearance, seem insensibly to con- 
 nect the town with the country, so that the eye is 
 Slot offended by any sudden transition in passing from 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 229 
 
 a view of the regular buildings to the rural aspect 
 of the valleys. 
 
 The Portuguese, like the Spaniards, possess trea- 
 sures of which they know not the value ; they even 
 diminish them by the vices of their administration ; 
 and, opposing themselves to nature who lays riches 
 at their feet, they refuse them from mere prejudice. 
 By false calculations, they pieter monopoly to liber- 
 ty, thus impoverishing themselves by denymg to 
 commerce that freedom which can alone inspire it 
 with vigor. The Portuguese are almost the only 
 people who are familiar with the Azores, and who 
 visit them. 
 
 The inhabitants of Tercera, partaking with asto- 
 nishment of the rare pleasure of receiving strangers, 
 assured me that, during sixty years, they had only 
 seen at Angra a few passengers in a French vessel 
 and two English ships, none of which had remained 
 there more than three or four davs, like ourselves» 
 The people of other nations are wholly unknown to 
 them ; so that in a'l kinds of information they are, 
 at least, two centuries behind us. Their wines, 
 their corn, their cattle and their oranges find no oth- 
 er market than Lisbon and the ports of the Brazils, 
 
 Fayal, whose coasts are more accessible, with a 
 more spacious port, affords a more frequent shelter 
 to navigators, who are borne by the winds into these 
 roads. They there purchase wines celebrated for 
 their flavor. It is said that Saint Michael presents 
 as delightful an aspect as Tercera; but the repose 
 of the inhabitants is there disturbed by strong vol- 
 canic explosions, as well as by frequent earthquakes. 
 The very names of the islands, Graziosa and Flores, 
 seem to shew that nature has, likewise, as richly 
 adorned them; but they are very small and no ships 
 cast anchor there. 
 
 Towards the beginning of the eighteenth century, 
 
230 MEMOIRS 
 
 there appeared a phenomenon in this Archipelago 
 that greatly alarmed the inhabitants. Near the isl- 
 and of Saint Michael, a dreadful volcanic eruption 
 was seen to launch into the sky an immense quanti- 
 ty of burning stone, and afterwards sent forth from 
 the bosom of the deep, a small island about three 
 leagues in extent ; which remained there during 
 three years, after which it gradually disappeared. 
 
 The town of Angra is the residence of the go- 
 vernment of this Archipelago. All the other isles 
 send deputies who constitute the governor's council. 
 The office of governor, at the period of our arrival, 
 was filled by a member of one of the first families in 
 Portugal. Though his troops were few and poorly 
 equipped, they were sufficient for the defence of an 
 island which no one is tempted to attack, and where 
 few convenient points are to be found for landing ; 
 while even these are tolerably well defended by 
 batteries. 
 
 The moment I had set my foot on shore, I hast- 
 ened to the house of the French Consul, whose name 
 was Peyrez. In his youth, possessing no fortune, he 
 went in search of it into Portugal, whence being led 
 by commercial affairs to Tercera, the charms of a 
 dark complexioned beauty, of the country, had fixed 
 him to the spot. 
 
 This Consul, the least oppressed with business of 
 any consul in the world, was delighted to receive 
 some fellow countrymen. He treated us in his best 
 style, in which he was assisted by the Senhora Pey- 
 rez, who did not seem much displeased to behold 
 men, for the first time, without being compelled to 
 obtain a glimpse of them through her lattice. 
 
 I took a lona; walk with my host through the 
 greater part of the vallies in the island. Our pro- 
 menade, however agreeable to the eye, was but lit- 
 tle interesting to the mind ; for nothing could be 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 231 
 
 less fertile than the mind of my good fellow country- 
 man. 
 
 He had nearly forgotten his country, was ignorant 
 of what was passing in others; was attached only to 
 his brown companion, and ctdmired nothing except 
 his httle pavillion, which he entitled his pleasure 
 house, and a walk of lejnon trees, about a hundred 
 paces long, which crossed his grounds. His farm 
 consisted of nine acres, which had cost him no more 
 than eight hundred livres. 
 
 When I returned on board the frigate, pretty 
 well tired with my expedition, I felt little inclination 
 to return to Tercera ; but the Duke de Lauzun, in- 
 duced me to alter my mind. — " I see," he said, "that 
 you have had very little amusement, and it is your 
 own fault. What could have possessed you to goto 
 the French Consul, a plain and honest citizen, who 
 can admire nothing but his row of lemon trees; is 
 only graced with a slight knowledge of cookery, — - 
 who offers you only water out of his well, too fresh, 
 and milk which is not fresh enough ; I have seen 
 him as well as you, but I took care not to sacrifice 
 my whole excursion to him. I found, elsewhere, far 
 better means of relieving my ennui, and gratifying 
 my curiosity. Come with me ; I will show you 
 what is best worth seeing at Tercera, good cheer, a 
 warm reception, a lively host, merry and eager to 
 please, women animated and pretty, devotees full 
 of complaisance, tender and coquetting novices, and 
 a bishop who dances the fandango admirably well.*' 
 
 " You are jesting," I replied ; *' who is this rare 
 being who has suddenly conceived for you so active 
 and obliging a friendship ?" " The English Consul," 
 was his reply. — "How," I exclaimed; — "surely 
 you do not think of it ! Are we not at war with 
 England ? and do you carouse with the Consul of 
 that nation ?" 
 
232 MEMOIRS 
 
 " Listen," he continued ; — " and do not pronounce 
 rash judgments ! My host, it is true, is Consul for 
 our enemy, England; — but he accumulates employ- 
 ments, for he is al the same time. Consul for Spain, 
 our ally ; and to crown the singularity of the thing, 
 he is neither an Englishman nor a Spaniard, but a 
 Frenchman, from Provence." 
 
 " He wants nothing, then," answered I, " in order 
 to unite all qualifications, but to become a familiar 
 of the Holy Inquisition." " Well, my friend," re- 
 turned Lauzun, " 1 believe he is not deficient in any 
 thing." " In that case, then," said 1, " I can make 
 no further objection. Come ! let us see this very 
 extraordinary fellow, who wears so many liveries, 
 and plays so many parts. Thrice blessed, surely, is 
 the pacific island of Tercera, which, in the midst of 
 all the terrific commotions raised by war in Europe, 
 Asia, Africa, and America, bears no uproar in its 
 tranquil seat, but the noise of its own waves, the 
 music of its guitars, and the song of its birds ; while 
 it affords a residence to the Consuls of two powerful 
 belligerent powers, not only living on terms of ami- 
 ty together, but consisting of one and the same per- 
 son, who probably despatches in a very satisfactory 
 "way the affairs of both." 
 
 We set out therefore, accompanied by the Prince 
 de Broglie, the Viscount de Fleury, and two or three 
 other of our companions in arms. We were intro- 
 duced to the English Consul, who fulfilled all our 
 expectations ; for he gave us some excellent tea, 
 good suppers, good porter, very agreeable female 
 society ; and as we expressed our curiosity to learn 
 the Jandango, so much celebrated on account of its 
 grave levity, and its air of sad voluptuousness, a 
 young Portuguese, Coadjutor to the Bishop of An- 
 gra, had the complaisance, with very little entreaty, 
 to dance it in our presence* 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 233 
 
 This was not all ; — the obliging Consul conducted 
 us the next morning to a convent, where we saw se- 
 veral indulgent nuns, and very pretty novices; their 
 complexion, a little sunburnt, did not weaken the 
 charm of their fine black eyes, of their w^hite teeth, 
 and of their elegant figures. Their sight consoled 
 us for the two formidable grates, that separated the 
 room in which we were, from the interior of the 
 convent. 
 
 The lady Abbess, folbw^ed by her young suit, pre- 
 sented herself very gravely behind the gr.^te, her 
 whole dress, mien and figure, strongly recalling to 
 mind, the portraits of Abbesses drawn in the thir- 
 teenth century. Nothing w^as wanting to complete 
 the likeness — not even the crosier which she held 
 with an air of majesty in her hand. 
 
 After paying the first compliments, the ladies be- 
 ing seated, our encouraging Consul informed us, that, 
 in compliance with the custom of Portugal, notwith- 
 standing the presence of the lady Abbess, with her 
 crosier, Ave might show ourselves as gallant as we 
 pleased towards heryoung flock, because in all times, 
 devotion and gallantry were known to reign togeth- 
 er in peace, within the cloisters of the chivalric land 
 of Portugal. 
 
 Each of us then selected the object that most at- 
 tracted his attention, and seemed most tenderly to 
 return his looks. We speedily entered upon the 
 subject of love, but awed by the presence of the la- 
 dy abbess and the two grates, we treated it in a very 
 innocent and platonic kind of way. 
 
 It may be difficult to surmise, how, when our 
 young companions were ignorant of the French lan- 
 guage, and we knew not a word of their Portuguese, 
 we were enabled to understand each other; but 
 nothing was impossible with the help of our officious 
 consul. He played the part of our interpreter, 
 30 
 
234 MEMOIRS 
 
 and thus removed the first obstacle to our con- 
 versation. 
 
 The signal of this gallant discussion was given hj 
 a young pensioner, the Senhora Donna Maria Erne- 
 gelina Francisca Genoveva de Marcellos de Conni- 
 cullo di Gar bo. This lady, struck with the hand- 
 some appearance, the animated countenance, and 
 the dress of Lauzun, who was in the uniform of an 
 hussar, threw him a rose through the grate, with a 
 fascinating smile, and asked him his name. She then 
 gave him a corner of her handkerchief, which he 
 seized, while she attempting to pull it back, the 
 sweet vibration, that ensued from the struggle, seem- 
 ed to pass from the hands to the heart. 
 
 We all availed ourselves with eagerness of this 
 example, and handkerchiefs flew rapidly about on 
 all sides, as well as flowers, and as our young Portu- 
 guese now shot glances that seemed to express a 
 wish of dispensing with the grate that intervened be- 
 tween us, we felt ourselves bound to reply to such a 
 challenge, by sending them kisses, though not with- 
 out a fear of appearing too daring to our lady Ab- 
 bess. This pleasantry however did not in the least 
 disturb her gravity, nor alarm her indulgent pru- 
 dence. We continued, therefore to imprint our 
 kisses on the corner of our ladies' handkerchiefs, 
 who very obligingly restored us those kisses in their 
 turn at the corner of the handkerchief which re- 
 mained in their hands. 
 
 We soon began to address them in a sort of Por- 
 tuguese, made out of the little Italian we knew. 
 This attempt succeeded, and our young mistresses 
 following our example, the conversation soon became 
 more lively and direct, though only half understood, 
 which atforded our consular interpreter a little 
 breathing time, and he took advantage of this to 
 converse with the lady Abbess. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 235 
 
 At length the good old ladj joined in our conver- 
 sation, and perceiving perhaps, that our pleasure 
 was a little mingled with surprize, she informed us, 
 through the medium of our consul, that pure lave 
 was extremely agreeable inthe eyes of the Lord. 
 " These young people," added she, " to whom I per- 
 mit you to offer your tender homage, will one day I 
 trust, appear more lovely in the eyes of their hus- 
 bands by this lesson in the art of pleasing, while 
 those who may consecrate themselves to a religious 
 life, having exercised the warmth of their imagina- 
 tions and the sensibilities of their souls, will become 
 more tenderly attached to the Divinity. On the 
 other side," she continued, " this specimen of ancient 
 gallantry, once so honored, cannot but prove highly 
 useful to young warriors like you. It will inspire 
 you with the spirit of chivalry ; it will excite you to 
 merit by noble actions, the heart of those whom you 
 love, and to do honor to their choice, by covering 
 yourselves with glory." 
 
 I am not sure whether the consul rendered the 
 speech correctly ; but the hre that sparkled in the 
 eyes of the lady Abbess, her dignity, her tone of 
 voice, and her crosier, while they raised my admira- 
 tion of her eloquence, seemed to transport me into 
 one of the old enchanted islands described by Arios- 
 to, and into the long famed ages of the Paladins. 
 
 Reanimated therefore by such advice, I redoubled 
 my ardor for our gallant sport, while the soft inter- 
 preter of my passion, the pretty handkerchief of the 
 sovereign lady of my thoughts, grew more volatile 
 and active than ever. She was not, to be sure, gift- 
 ed with such a list of baptismal names as her compa- 
 nions; for the Prince de Broglie's lady monopolized 
 the names of Eugenia Euphemia Athanasia Marcelli- 
 na d'Antonios de Mello. Mine was more modestlv 
 entitled Donna Mariana Isabella del Carmo, and, at 
 
236 MEMOIRS 
 
 that moment, I believe, I should have maintained 
 w^ith lance in rest, against every knight who ventur- 
 ed to question the fact, that she was the prettiest 
 of them all. 
 
 As variety is the soul of pleasure, we ventured 
 after long engagements of eyes, of handkerchiefs, 
 and kisses wafted through the air, and not much 
 cooled on their passage through the grating, to ha- 
 zard a few billets-doux. They were introduced by 
 the complaisant consul, while the good Abbess, hav- 
 ing perused them without laying down either her 
 dignity or her crosier, forwarded them with a smile, 
 giving free circulation to these tender epistles, and 
 to the answers they brought back. 
 
 I next hazarded a song, and the Prince de Brog- 
 îie follov^ed my example. I know not whether my 
 verses w^ere improved or injured by the consul's ver- 
 sion of them, but they seemed to meet with a very 
 favorable reception. 
 
 The day declined ; the lady Abbess gave the sig- 
 nal for our retreat, and a very tender farewell then 
 took place on both sides. A second meeting howev- 
 er was appointed for the next day, and it may be 
 easily believed that we were all of us pretty exact 
 to the hour. 
 
 Upon again reaching the convent, we found the 
 grate ornamented with flowers of every kind, while 
 the ladies appeared a thousand times more pleasing 
 than the day before. They regaled us with music, 
 the mistress of the Prince de Broglie and of the Duo 
 de Lauzun singing us duets of very tender airs, and 
 accompanying them upon the guitar. 
 
 At the same time the lady of the Viscount de 
 Fleury and my own joined us in a dance. We re- 
 presented as well as we could, upon opposite sides of 
 the grate, all those steps which this cruel grate pre- 
 sented us from executing as they ought to be ; but 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 237 
 
 what was perhaps, the most amusing of all, was to 
 see the lady Abbess, beating time with her crosier, 
 
 Donna Euphemia afterwards treated us with an 
 extemporaneous song, bearing a double sense, allud- 
 ing to the 'passion of our Saviour, and to that with 
 which Lauzun had inspired her. 
 
 To give an idea of the ready and inventive genius 
 of our Consul, it ought to be mentioned that, at the 
 moment when the distance and the closeness of the 
 bars had put a stop to the circulation of our billets, 
 our active interpreter, having discovered a little hol- 
 low shovel, embarked ©ur letters in it, which thus 
 gently reached their destination. 
 
 In love as in ambition, we all know that it is diffi- 
 cult to stop; and complaisance now rendered us pre- 
 sumptuous. We began to demand love tokens; our 
 vows were listened to ; for we received, along with 
 fresh billets, all very kind, locks of hair and scapu- 
 laries, which we placed upon our hearts. 
 
 We, too, made presents in our turn ; we sent back 
 rings and locks of hair. Lauzun and the Viscount de 
 Fleury happened to have their own portraits in their 
 pockets, which, by some chance or other, had been 
 returned to them just when they were on the point 
 of setting out from France. These tliey presented 
 to the ladies of their choice. From > my Marianna 
 Isabella I received a scapulary ; she assured me that 
 it would bring me luck, and that, as long as I wore 
 it round my neck, I had need not fear any kind of 
 accidents or disease. I promised that I would never 
 part with it; but her prophecy was certainly not 
 verified, as, in a few days after, I was seized with a 
 fever, and, as will appear hereafter, I was ship- 
 wrecked upon the coast of America, and lost all my 
 baggage. 
 
 We' were now told that our platonic loves at the 
 convent had given rise to some anxiety in the town; 
 
23» MEIVIOIRS 
 
 and that brothers, uncles and lovers began to be 
 alarn}ed. A report had got abroad that, in the 
 midst of our sports, we had been guilty of the teme- 
 rity of secretly soliciting the young pensioners to af- 
 ford us the means of conversing together without the 
 grate, and of scaling the garden walls durifig the 
 night, I know not, indeed, what might have ensu- 
 ed, nor whether our little romance might not have 
 terminated after the ancient Spanish and Portu- 
 guese fashion, by some serenades disturbed by some 
 exploits with the sword. It is, at least, certain, that, 
 on retiring, we observed several men in large cloaks 
 and great slouched hats, who appeared to be upon 
 the watch» 
 
 However this may be, either the wind that sprung 
 up, or the prudence of M. de la Touche, quickly dis- 
 sipated ail our hopes and all our anxiety. The sig- 
 nal for setting sail was given; the firing of three 
 guns recalled us on board, and we had only just 
 tiaie to return and say adieu to our fair friends, who 
 were quite inconsolable. 
 
 We found the grate hung mournfully with gar- 
 lands of the scabius, which our young beauties called 
 jlowers of regret^ or, in their language, saudades. 
 The good Abbess had tears in her eyes; and, I 
 believe that, for the first time in her life, she let her 
 crosier escape from her hands and fall to the ground. 
 Each of our young senhoras made us a present of a 
 pansy, which we attached to our cockades, and of a 
 handkerchief which they had steeped in tlieir tears. 
 At length we departed, with their images engraved 
 on our hearts. 
 
 Our delightful convent, which would not, perhaps, 
 have appeared out of place at the side of the ancient 
 temples of Amathontis and Gnidos, has hitherto a 
 little drawn my attention from the political ami 
 moral description of Tercera and of Angra ; but, in 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR, 239 
 
 fact, the subject is so slightly interesting, that a 
 sketch of a very few lines will suffice. 
 
 îf nature intended Tercera for a terrestrial para- 
 dise, the monks, an ignorant administration and des- 
 potic power, have, in spite of her, converted it into 
 an impoverished, wretched and wearisome residence. 
 
 Gut of a population of ten or twelve thousand, six 
 or seven hundred are found to consist of monks or 
 nuns. Devotion is mingled with licentiousness, in a 
 manner as indecent as it is ridiculous, and nothing is 
 more usual there, than to witness, in the evening, the 
 amorous oglings and conversations of courtesans, in- 
 terrupted by frequent genuflexions and signs of the 
 cross, at the moment the angelus is rung. There is 
 an establishment of inquisitors in the colony; though 
 I was assured that they burnt nobody, contenting 
 themselves with the incarceration of all sinners, and 
 the confiscation of their property. 
 
 I am not sure whether the Portuguese of Angra 
 support their old reputation, and whether there are 
 many jealous husbands there ; but blinds are to be 
 seen in all the windows, almost always in motion, as 
 if to announce that there are women behind them, 
 who are eager to see, and who would very w-illingly 
 be seen. • 
 
 All civil causes are carried before a tribunal that 
 is said to dispense equal justice ; and of which the 
 governor is president in the trial of all the most 
 important cases. We called at his house, but were 
 told we could not see him, on account of his being 
 too unwell. I may be excused for not recollecting 
 his names, since he had at least ten or a dozen. 
 His son, Don Joseph Mendoza, received us in his 
 place, with all the etiquette exhibited in the old 
 times, and in a palace of rather a gothic aspect. 
 
 The most remarkable cn-curastances accompanying 
 eur audience, were the frugality of the slight refresh- 
 
240 MEMOIRS 
 
 ments laid before us, the dryness of our host's con- 
 versation, the singular simplicitj of his questions, and 
 the whimsical cut of his dress. He was arrayed in 
 an ancient worn out scarlet coat, with gold fringe, 
 and an enormous hat no less magnificently lined. 
 His waistcoat with great skirts of a light blue color, 
 with yellow breeches, completed his toilet. He 
 bore a much stronger resemblance to an actor in an 
 opera buffa, than to the governor of a colony. 
 
 We did not think a second visit at all essential ; 
 but he was invited to dine with us, by M. de la 
 Touche. He accordingly came on board VAigle^ 
 and appeared to be a good deal amused ; he shewed 
 some information, expressed in an almost unintelli- 
 gible jargon, which he imagined was French. As 
 he was, moreover, young and jovial, he greatly 
 amused the ship's company, by performing the exer- 
 cise in a YGvy awkward style, and deafened us, by 
 beating a drum in the most unmerciful manner, 
 accompanied by two of his attendants, during a 
 whole half hour, assuring us that it was the instru- 
 ment he liked best. Yet the sequel of his little 
 maritime campaign was not fortunate ; for on taking 
 leave, being alarmed by a violent rolling of the ship, 
 he placed his hand, awkwardly upon the side of the 
 boat, which coming somewhat rudely in contact with 
 the frigate's ladder, crushed his thumb. 
 
 We did not bestow many thoughts upon our unfor- 
 tunate governor; for, on losing sight of the Archi- 
 pelago of the Azores, we found our imaginations 
 still occupied with the abbess and her lovely young 
 flock. 
 
 The gallant scenes at the convent of Angra, which 
 I have just faithfully described, and of which Î have 
 seen, also, a short account from tho pen of iho. 
 Prince de Brogjie, produced such an effect upon the 
 Duke de Lauzun as to awaken his poetical ardor, 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 241 
 
 and he made it the subject of a little heroi-comic 
 drama, which he entitled the Duke of Marlborough, 
 
 We reckoned upon continuing to sail towards the 
 south, in order to meet the trade winds, and it was 
 with no little surprise that we found M. de la Touche 
 directing our course to the north west ; we were 
 not long, however, in discovering the cause of this 
 sudden resolution. 
 
 In addition to the two millions five hundred thou- 
 sand livres which VAigle was conveying to America, 
 M. de la Touche carried despatches, which were 
 not to be opened until we were off the Azores. 
 How great must have been his regret and anxiety, 
 when on breaking the seal, he found an order to 
 employ the utmost diligence in his progress, to avoid 
 any engagement or pursuit likely to impede him, 
 because the despatches contained a plan of opera- 
 tions for a new campaign, and it was of importance 
 that it should reach the Count de Rochambeau, as 
 speedily as possible as well as the Marquis do Vau- 
 dreuil, who commanded our naval forces, and was 
 awaiting our arrival m one of the North Americaci 
 ports! 
 
 Regretting too late, the delay he had wilfully 
 occasioned in the voyage by taking in tow the mer- 
 chant Vessel bearing his mistress, and by unneces- 
 sarily giving chase to all the vessels he had seen, M. 
 de la Touche wished to repair his error by steering 
 in the shortest direction for the American shores. 
 But the event shewed how much he was deceived ; 
 for the merchant vessel which he now abandoned, 
 after having pursued its course to the Canaries, 
 where it encountered the trade winds, being favored 
 by them, arrived at the mouth of the Delaware, on 
 the same day as ourselves. 
 
 The frequent calms, prevailing at this season, 
 made us lose more than fifteen days. During the 
 31 
 
242 MEMOIRS 
 
 remainder of our voyage we cautiously avoided every 
 thing that could interrupt our progress. We only 
 made a single prize, which was passing so close to 
 us that we could not help taking advantage of the 
 occasion. It was an insignificant little English ves- 
 sel, carrying only a cargo of apples and other fruits ; 
 but during so tedious a navigation, and deprived as 
 we were of water and refreshments, such a prize 
 seemed a treasure. 
 
 Early every evening we were in the habit of 
 putting out our fires in order that no vessel might 
 perceive us ; for we had been informed that an 
 English squadron was prepared to oppose our pas- 
 sage, and possess itself of the two millions which we 
 were carrying. This precaution, however, was not 
 sufficient as will presently be seen to protect us from 
 a sharp engagement with a ship of war, a memorable 
 contest, which reflected the greatest honor both 
 upon the commanders of our frigates and upon our 
 crews. 
 
 We were now off the Bermudes, when in the 
 middle of the night of the 4th of Septeniber we 
 heard several plaintive cries at sea ; it was the 
 voice of a man swimming and struggling against the 
 waves. He belonged to the crew of VAmle : while 
 mounted upon the yards, a sudden launch of the 
 ship had thrown him into the sea unknown to his 
 companions. By great good fortune we found our- 
 selves just then so exactly in the track of Pj^igle, 
 that we passed close to the poor sailor, causing our 
 lanterns to be lighted, we sent out a boat, and suc- 
 ceeded in saving the drowning man. 
 
 The lights were again extinguished, and every 
 thing was as calm and obscure as before, when the 
 officer upon watch came to warn us that he had 
 perceived, through the dusk, a vessel approaching^ 
 and that it was already very near us. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 243 
 
 The signai was immediateiy made to prepare for 
 action ; we all rose and hastily armed ourselves, and 
 in less than three minutes the hammocks with all 
 the moveables were cleared awaj, the partitions 
 were removed, the batteries were put in order, each 
 man was at his post, and every thing was prepared 
 to sustain a combat. 
 
 This diligence was, in fact, extremely necessary, 
 for such was the darkness of the night, that there 
 was no possibility of distinguishing the vessel until it 
 was within musket shot. We had very little breeze ; 
 but this ship and our frigate running on opposite 
 tacks, the distance between us grew less every 
 moment. 
 
 Our night glasses on board la Gloire^ were only of 
 very indifferent quality; insomuch that forming a 
 wrong idea of the vessel's dimensions, we at first 
 took her for a merchant ship. L^Aigle^ however, 
 which sailed to windward of us, and which had bet- 
 ter glasses, approached and M. de la Touche called 
 out to us to steer away, the strange vessel being a 
 man of war; but the sound of the waves prevented 
 our hearing his words. 
 
 In the mean while, the ship coming down upon us, 
 fired a gun to bring us to; it was already too late 
 to take advantage of the wind and get away, besides 
 the unknown vessel being then ash wart of us, and 
 firing a second gun, prevented us from communicat- 
 ing with VAigle^ so that we were now occupied only 
 in returning the fire which we had received. 
 
 At the same time, VAigle supposing that we had 
 heard her instructions, bore away before the wind, 
 and was already at a considerable distance from us. 
 But perceiving, at length, that we did not follow, M. 
 de la Fouche ordered a discharge of ïi\e cannons, 
 the signal agreed upon, for rallying. At this time, 
 the vessel having lighted one of its batteries as it 
 
244 MEMOIRS 
 
 approached us, we then clearly saw that it was at 
 least a frigate. 
 
 Our commander found himself in a very critical 
 situation, in not obeying the order for rallying, he 
 exposed himself to the charge of having slighted M. 
 de la Touche's authority, out of jealousy to his com- 
 mander; but to execute this order, it was necessary 
 to turn our stern to the vessel which had hailed us, 
 and to expose ourselves to the fire of all its battery. 
 
 M. de Vallongue, however, prepared to obey, ob- 
 serving that this act of submission was likely to cost 
 us dear. Accordins^lv after having; first tacked, we 
 had scarcely presented our stern to the enemy than 
 we received the whole of his broadside from fore to 
 aft, which damaged us very considerably. 
 
 It was highly requisite to extricate ourselves from 
 the awkward position in which we we.ie placed, and 
 this we effected with much celerity, by a suggestion 
 of an officer in the mercantile marine, named M. 
 Gandeau who served as lieutenant on board our ship. 
 Remarking M. de la Vallongue's hesitation and em- 
 barrassment, he ordered a manœuvre which brought 
 us completely astern of the enemy, when we return- 
 ed him the broadside he had given us, and with such 
 good effect that, for a few moments, we saw that he 
 was on fire. 
 
 M. de Vallongue w^ith a degree of generosity that 
 delighted us, embraced the lieutenant, thanked him, 
 and declared that, during the whole of the combat, 
 he would not issue a single order without consulting 
 him. 
 
 As soon as the enemy's ship had received our gal- 
 lant reply, she tacked also to starboard, in such a 
 way that we found ourselves alongside, running in; 
 the same direction and within pistol-shot. 
 
 The fire continued ; and it was then that the ene- 
 |»y having unmasked his second battery, we found 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 24a 
 
 that we were engaged with a ship of seventy-four 
 guns; it was the Hector, taken from us in the defeat 
 of M. de Grasse. In fact, compared with this vessel 
 our little frigate appeared a mere skit] ; and already 
 her thirty-six pounders pierced our ship from side to 
 side. 
 
 M. de Valiongue, believing his destruction now in- 
 evitable, resolved, at least to cast a lustre over it by 
 an instance of daring intrepidity. Taking a trumpet, 
 he cried out to the captain of the ship, that it was 
 necessary, before cutting one another's throats, to 
 know whether we were friends or foes. 
 
 Accordingly he demanded whether the vessel was 
 English or French, to which the captain of the Hec- 
 tor having replied that it was English, M, de Val- 
 longue boldly cried out : " Strike your colors !" 
 "Yes, yes," replied the English captain ironically, 
 and a terrible broadside completed his reply."^ We 
 again returned the compliment and the action con- 
 tinued vigorously. 
 
 At the beginning of the engagement V Aigle had 
 determined to come to our assistance, and continued 
 to approach, thoug;h, at the same time, slowly for 
 want of a better breeze ; insomuch that before she 
 joined us, we had sustained for three quarters of an 
 hour the enemy's fire. 
 
 We were no sooner aware of this frio^ate's arrival 
 than we gave place to her, and stood off for the 
 purpose of trying to repair the damage of the ene- 
 my's fire, which had already caused us to leak in 
 many places. 
 
 U Aigle engaged valiantly in her turn, and so close 
 that the men at the guns on both sides fought with 
 
 * In the original, some English words, or words meant for 
 English are here introduced : the passage runs thus : " String 
 your colour, amenez votre paviîliony Yes, yes, I'll do, oui, oui') 
 répondit ironiquement le capitaine, '* /e vais le faire.'*'' 
 
246 MEMOIRS 
 
 their cannon rammers. The yards of the man of 
 war caught those of the frigate ; and at this crisis 
 the Baron de Vioménil, as well as all the officers 
 who were with him, cried out to board, in such a 
 tone of ardor and audacity, that the captain of the 
 enemy cut the ropes that kept him in contact with 
 P Aigle, 
 
 We were told that this captain had been wounded 
 by our fire, and his crew was not very strong. His 
 ship had many sick on board, besides a large number 
 of French prisoners. 
 
 UAigle^ being disengaged, fired so well that one 
 of her balls, a twenty-four pounder, broke the Hec- 
 tor^ s rudder. From this time, PAigle^ taking a some- 
 what more distant station, continued to cannonade 
 the enemy in her quarters. 
 
 In the meantime, returning to the combat and 
 passing athwart of the Hector, we received her 
 broadside, but as we saw that she could no longer 
 manoeuvre, we took a position in her stern, cannon- 
 admg her at our ease from poop to prow, while she 
 could only return it by two small stern chasers. 
 
 Thus favoured by fortune, we were in hopes of 
 becoming masters of the Hector ; but observing, to- 
 wards the dawn of day, a number of sails in the dis- 
 tance, we quickly hoisted our own, and steered away. 
 We afterwards learnt that the Hector being over- 
 taken by a storm, had foundered at sea, and that an 
 American vessel, which happened fortunately to be 
 w^ithin sail, had saved the captain and part of his 
 crew. 
 
 An account of this engagement is to be met with 
 in the Annales de la Marine ; and it is there cited 
 as one of the most honorable to the French flag. 
 M. de la Touche was highly applauded, and M. de 
 Vallongue received a commission of captain in the 
 service» 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 247 
 
 Our loss in the two frigates consisted of about 
 thirty or forty killed and one hundred wounded. 
 La Gloire was a good deal injured and leaked, so as 
 to keep the pump often employed, but luckily the 
 remainder of our voyage was short. 
 
 It was impossible to display greater ardor and 
 courage, or more discipline than were shewn by our 
 crews on this occasion. The Prince de Broglie 
 proved himself, by his intrepidity, worthy of his fa- 
 ther. There was nothing, also, more remarkable 
 than the coolness, the bravery, and the calm gaiety 
 of Alexandre de Lameth. 
 
 All the land officers present, contributed, by their 
 words and by their example, to sustain and animate 
 the courage of the gunners and the sailors, during 
 the most perilous moment of the battle. In the 
 midst of the confused alternation of fire and obscu- 
 rity of silence and cries, the rolling of the waves, 
 the thunder of the cannon, the whistling of the mus- 
 ket balls, the groans of the wounded, and the noise 
 occasioned by the sudden fall of the broken rigging, 
 ropes and pulleys, all the wonted gaiety of the French 
 character was still displayed. 
 
 Alexandre de Lameth and myself were standing 
 together on the quarter deck, during the warmest 
 fire of the enemy. In passing before us M. de Val- 
 longue happened to fall, as far as his waist, into the 
 hatchway, which, by mistake, had been left open. 
 Believing him to have been cut in two by the broad- 
 side of the English, we hastened down from the deck 
 to his assistance, and, after raising him up, mutually 
 congratulated one another on finding hnn perfectly 
 safe. 
 
 The Baron de Montesquieu was standing near us; 
 we had, of late, been amusing ourselves with rally- 
 ing him in regard to the words liaisons dangereuses^ 
 which he had heard us pronounce, and, in spite of all 
 
248 MEMOIRS 
 
 his inquiries, we had still evaded explaining to him 
 that such, was the title of a new novel, then much 
 in vogue in France. 
 
 While we were thus conversing together, our ship 
 received the fire of the Hector^ and a barshot, a mur- 
 derous junction of two balk united bj an iron bar, 
 struck a part of the quarter deck, from which we 
 had, just before, descended. The Count de Lomé- 
 nie, standing at the side of Montesquieu, and, point* 
 ing to the shot, said, very coolly, " You were wish- 
 ing to know what these '^ liaisons dangereuses were? 
 there, look, you have them !" 
 
 In proportion to our former regret at the length 
 and tediousness of our voyage, was the delight we 
 now felt at the happy result of our engagement, as 
 well as at the approaching termination of our voy- 
 age. On the 1 1th of September we discovered landj 
 and at no greater distance than five leagues. The 
 coast, in this place, was very low ; we could only, at 
 first, distinguish a few trees, which appeared to be 
 growing out of the water. 
 
 We, shortly after, recognfzed Cape James, which 
 forms the southern point of Delaware Bay, whither 
 we now, with difficulty, directed our course, on ac- 
 count of its position, to the north-west of us, from 
 which quarter the wind blew ; yet we imagined we 
 were just on the point of attaining our object, httle 
 thinking we were, at last, to sustain a reverse with- 
 in sight of the port. Upon nearing the bay, we per- 
 ceived a corvette coming out, and several larger 
 vessels, under sail, out at sea, which we judged to 
 be English men of war. 
 
 The corvette, which was also English, took us, to 
 all appearance, for frigates belonging to her own na- 
 tion, which she had quitted the day before. She 
 approached near us, with imprudent confidence, 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. ^49 
 
 without making her private signais, until she had got 
 very close to us. 
 
 She soon discovered, however, by ours, that we 
 were enemies, and set all sail to escape. But it was 
 too late ; for, in attempting to avoid the approach 
 of la Gloire in pursuit of her, she was compelled to 
 pass within cannon shot of VAigle^ who raked her 
 with a brisk fire. After a few shots, she struck her 
 colors»; but, on account of the sea running so high, 
 we were delayed two hours in taking possession of 
 her, a delay that proved fatal to us. 
 
 The enemy's squadron, which had put to sea, was 
 unable to assist the corvette, the wind proving con- 
 trary. In the mean while, after having manned our 
 prize, we continued our course, though slowly, to- 
 wards the bay ; for we had no pilot, and the river 
 being full of sand banks, which often shift, no ships 
 venture to enter, unless under the direction of sail- 
 ors daily experienced in the task. 
 
 These difficulties determined M. de la Touche to 
 moor, during the evening, on the outside of Cape 
 James, and to send a boat ashore, in order to find a 
 pilot. But fortune, which had hitherto continued in 
 our favor, now declared against us. The wind be- 
 came violent, the sky grew dark, and the waves 
 swallowed up our boat. The officer who command- 
 ed it, and two seamen gained the shore by swim- 
 ming ; the rest of the little crew perished. 
 
 Being ignorant of this misfortune, M. de la Touche, 
 fearing lest the cause that retarded the boat's re- 
 turn might be the great darkness of the night, and 
 the consequent difficulty of finding the frigate, light- 
 ed fires, and discharged several rockets. 
 
 This imprudent step did not escape the observa- 
 tion of the enemy's squadron, who saw that we had 
 not yet entered the Delaw^are. To complete our 
 calamity the wind changed ; it blew from the sea, 
 32 
 
^«■50 MEMOIRS 
 
 and was, consequently, extremely favorable to the 
 English for bearing down upon us. In fact, towards 
 dawn of day, we observed two men of war, and se- 
 veral frigates, approaching us in full sail ; when we 
 instantly cut our cables, fled, and were compelled to 
 enter the river without a pilot. 
 
 The sand banks divide the river into four or five 
 channels; and, in order to steer with safety, it would 
 have been necessary to keep to the south side, near 
 the shore ; afterwards to traverse the river diago- 
 nally from south to north west, between 'two banks, 
 and we should thus have found ourselves near the 
 north shore, in an excellent channel, in which we 
 might have navigated, without risk, as far as Phila- 
 delphia. But all this we were unacquainted with, 
 having no pilot, and not being able to distinguish the 
 banks which were hidden under water. 
 
 We drove directly, then, into the middle of the 
 river, in the hope of finding more water there than 
 elsewhere, and, unluckily, it was the wrong channel 
 that we chose. The fear we had of striking^ con- 
 strained us to steer closely with the sounding line in 
 hand, and with very little sail. 
 
 The English, on the contrary, who had pilots on 
 board, followed us rapidly, gaining upon us every 
 moment, and we observed their vessels still increas- 
 ing, and the distance which separated us growing 
 less. The sensations inspired bv our helpless condi- 
 tion were indeed like a real nightmare. 
 
 U Aigle was the first that touched upon a bank, 
 but after some exertions cleared off. Just at the 
 time we were passing close to her, M. de la Touche, 
 gave us orders, if we should happen to strike, to cut 
 our masts, to sink the frigate, and to save in our 
 boats, as many of our company as we could. 
 
 The English, in the mean while, had arrived with- 
 in two cannon shot of us. Jn this desperate situa- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 251 
 
 tion we had already resolved to drop anchor, and to 
 prepare ourselves for a very unequal combat, the 
 result of which could not long be doubtful, since we 
 had to engage seven or eight of the enemy's vessels, 
 and among others two ships of the line. On board 
 of one of them was Prince William of England. 
 
 We had now lighted our matches, consternation 
 had spread throughout our crew, when suddenly we 
 saw the English vessels, which until then had fol- 
 lowed us without fear of striking, since we had serv- 
 ed them as it were for pilots, tack, and steer away 
 from us. Two of their larger vessels, that drew 
 deeper water had touched the banks, and Admiral 
 Elphingston, their commander, did not venture to 
 advance further up this dangerous channel. 
 
 Reassured by the cessation of their pursuit, and 
 observing that the corvette which we had taken, 
 proceeded before us without meeting any obstacle, 
 we slowly continued our course. When however, 
 we found ourselves at the distance of six or seven 
 cannon shots from the English, we cast anchor, while 
 our enemies on their side, did the same. 
 
 Our commanders, both by sea and land, then met 
 to hold a council on board V Aigle ; some were of 
 opinion that we ought to have cast anchor and to 
 perish fighting, others ^wished us to continue our 
 course, in the hope that at least some one of our 
 vessels might succeed in surmounting the difficulties 
 that delayed us. 
 
 At this time M. Gandeau the intrepid officer, sent 
 Avith the boat that had been swamped, was seen 
 bringing us two American pilots from shore. But 
 the information of these Iwo men, which two hours 
 sooner would have filled our hearts with joy, now 
 deprived us of all hope. After having examined 
 our situation, they informed us that we were then 
 in a narrow channel that grew still more shallow 
 
252 MEMOIRS 
 
 upon advancing, and that we should be stopped a 
 little farther on by an impassable sand bank. They 
 added, that, in order to regain the right channel, it 
 would be necessary to descend the river precisely as 
 far as the spot where the English now lay moored. 
 
 It was then resolved that the land officers 'should 
 embark in boats with the despatches. At length, 
 M. de la Touche and M. de Vallongue determined 
 to push forward into the river as far as possible, and 
 when they could advance no further, to cast anchor, 
 and to sell tneir lives and their frigates to the ene- 
 my as dearly as they could. 
 
 They were yet deliberating when we saw the 
 English squadron suddenly covered with sails, audits 
 frigates approaching us pretty quickly. Upon this 
 we weighed anchor, and again resumed our course. 
 Half an hour afterwards, having seen the Baron de 
 Vioménil, the Marquis de Laval, the Duke de Lau- 
 zun, the Count Bozon de Talleyrand, MM. de Cha- 
 bannes, de Fleury, and de Melfort, with four sol- 
 diers, all disembark from l\/ligle in a boat, I followed 
 their example and went in another boat with MM. de 
 Broglie,de Lameih,de Montesquieu, de Vaudreuil,de 
 Loménie, and the rest of our passengers, so that in one 
 hour we had traversed the river, and landed upon 
 the right bank, little sensible of pleasure in finding 
 ourselves on land, such was our anxiety for the fate 
 of our frigates, which found themselves more and 
 more involved among the banks that must speedily 
 arrest their course, and the English who were ap- 
 proaching to destroy them. 
 
 We had, at the same time, other subjects of dis^ 
 appointment to contend with. We had gained the 
 shore, it is true, and trod the soil from which so 
 many accidents had separated us, but we found our- 
 selves destitute of baggage, of servants, of our trunks, 
 and even without any shirts but what we then wore. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 253 
 
 Wc had moreover, set foot on a coast unknown to 
 us, and inhabited by a great number of partisans of 
 the English cause, who were then called Tories, 
 
 The Ci)untry, that lay before us, ofFered nothing to 
 the view but thick woods and dangerous marshes. 
 We had no horses ; and for the last four-and-twenty 
 hours, chased by the English, and navigating pain- 
 fully aniorjg the rocks, we had not been able either 
 to cat or sleep. Yet, o[)presscd with weariness as 
 we were, we lost not an instant in preparing to de- 
 part, taking advantage of the first beaten track we 
 fell in with. 
 
 Alter wandering: for some time in the woods, we 
 remarked some inclosures, which seemed to nidicate 
 a human habitation, and we soon arrived .at the 
 house of an American, named Mr. Mandlaw. 
 
 The Baron de Viomcnil, with the other passen- 
 gers in l\âig!ej very shortly joined us there, when 
 we learned that we were in a small division of the 
 st.ate of Maryland. 
 
 Arrived there our first care was to send back the 
 boats with some provisions to our frigates. M. de 
 Vioménil wrote to M. do la Touche; he requested 
 him to forward, in a boat, during the night, the mo- 
 ney destined for the use of the army; assuring him 
 at the same time, as well as M. de Vallongue, that 
 we would make every exertion to despatch boats to 
 their assistance, that, in case of necessity, they might 
 have a chance of saving some portion of their crews 
 and of their effects. 
 
 MM. de Vioménil, de Laval, de Lauzun, with four 
 soldiers, awaited the reply of the commanders of our 
 frigates, in the house of Mr. Mandlaw ; in order to 
 be ready to receive our two millions û\e hundred 
 thousand livres when they should arrive. 
 
 MM. de Loménie, de Chabannes, de Melfort, de 
 Talleyrand, and de Fleury were despatched to dif- 
 
254 MEMOIRS 
 
 ferent points, with an order to gather information 
 along the coast, and to supply us with oxen as weli 
 as with carts. 
 
 MM. de Lameth, de Broglie and I, together with 
 the other passengers of la Gloire^ set out with a ne- 
 gro guide to seek and to detain some boats in a little 
 river, which fails into the Delaware, and which was 
 said to be situated about three miles from the place 
 w^here we had disembarked. 
 
 Our conductor took us a route, however, of at 
 least eight miles on foot, and at a quick pace, 
 through the woods and marshes ; and it was only at 
 the end of two hours, that we arrived at the tavern 
 of an American, named Mr. Pedikies, a short, way 
 distant from the little river. He received us very 
 coolly, seemed disposed to place little confidence in 
 us; audit was only by dint of repeated promises, 
 and by bribing him with money, and bills drawn 
 upon the commanders of our frigates, that we deter- 
 mined him to induce the masters of several boats to 
 execute our project. 
 
 They directly set out upon being paid, and de- 
 scended the river; when the sight of the English 
 frigates alarmed them, and they either would not, or 
 could not fulfil their promises. 
 
 After such a variety of sufferings, a morsel of 
 roast beef and a bowl of grog, a beverage made of 
 rum and water, appeared to me, with a hard couch, 
 as delightful as Mahomet's paradise. Our delight, 
 however, and our slumbers were of short duration ; 
 our anxiety awaked us; and we dispersed ourselves 
 abroad very early to seek for horses, in order to 
 rejoin our general. The greater our eagerness to 
 procure steeds, the less inclination did the owners 
 manifest in offering them, in order to make us pay a 
 still higher price. 
 
 The Prince de Brodie was the first to succeed; 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 255 
 
 he set out, and mistook, Ï believe, his road. Half 
 an hour afterwards, having at length purchased a 
 steed, 1 likewise, lost my way, and I arrived at the 
 banks of the Delaware, in a very marshy place, 
 where my horse sunk in up to the girths. 
 
 I hardly know how I should ever have extricated 
 myself, had I not met a young American on horse- 
 back, who offered me his services as guide. He in- 
 formed me that a body of English had just landed, 
 a circumstance that excited my utmost alarm for the 
 safety of the general and his companions. 
 
 My horse was a stout one, and I believed! should 
 be able with its assistance, to ascertain the truth of 
 these tidings, trusting to my spurs for escape, if the 
 report should be indeed true, and if 1 happened to 
 meet any companions in a red uniform. 
 
 Consequently my guide and I struck into the 
 wood, taking a direction towards the house of Mr. 
 Mandlaw. 
 
 About three miles from that place we heard the 
 sounds of marching and of arms, W'hen we concealed 
 ourselves behind some thick bushes in order to learn 
 the cause of this noise. We soon perceived the Ba- 
 ron de Vjoménil on foot, with his aide-de-camp and 
 four soldiers ; they advanced, following a cart laden 
 vv^ith the chests of gold which had been disembarked 
 from our frigates. 
 
 I immediately joined him ; and he informed me 
 that, at the daAvn of day, having arrived on the bor- 
 der of the river, he had seen the arrival of the boat 
 with the money ; but, at the same time, he had dis- 
 covered another boat filled with red coats and mus- 
 quets, which was hastening to prevent its landing. 
 
 He had despatched two soldiers to observe them 
 more narrowly, and had succeeded in disembarking 
 and getting possession of two chests of gold. Our 
 beat, by firing several shots from a swivel intimidât- 
 
256 MEMOIRS 
 
 eâ and stopped the enemy, but suddenly two other 
 English boats, full of armed men, advancing to at- 
 tack us, ours were compelled to throw the chests of 
 money into the w^ater, and save themselves by 
 flight. 
 
 The Baron de Vioménil having placed the gold 
 upon a little cart, instantly set out for the town of 
 Dover, where Lauzun, Laval, and the rest of the 
 passengers had orders to rejoin him by different 
 routes. Lauzun had been the first to set off, with 
 the view of collecting at Dover, and sending forward, 
 all the means of escort that he could find. 
 
 I followed the general till within a short distance 
 of Do\^er, and I again went back to look for my 
 companions, in order to inform them of the general's 
 proceedings, and of the probable landing of some 
 English soldiers. 
 
 In a short time, we found ourselves assembled and 
 our cavalcade being reinforced by MM. de Lange- 
 ron and de Talleyrand, resumed its route along with 
 us, to Dover. 
 
 We soon fell in with our precious cargo of gold 
 but the general was no longer with it, one of his 
 aide-de-camps informing me that M. de Vioménil 
 having learned from two officers, newly landed from 
 VAigle^ that the enemy's boats had disappeared, and 
 that we might possibly, at low water, recover our 
 money chests which had been thrown into a shallow 
 part, he had returned at full speed with Laval and 
 other officers, leaving with us an order to escort the 
 gold as far as Dover. 
 
 We arrived there at three in the afternoon, Lau- 
 zun had already despatched the cart, and assembled 
 some soldiery whom Montesquieu was directed to 
 conduct to the general. 
 
 About midnight, M. de Vioménil rejoined us with 
 the cart. In spite of the excessive heat and fatigue. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 257 
 
 he bad succeeded with M. de Laval, in recovering 
 the remainder of the gold. We thus again became 
 masters of our treasures, and though we were nearlj 
 naked, without equipments, and without valets, we 
 should have considered ourselves extremely happy^ 
 had it not been for the deplorable situation and great 
 peril of our frigates. 
 
 The next morning, it was vaguely reported, that 
 two of our vessels had escaped, but that V Aigle had 
 been compelled to strike her flag, after an hour's 
 combat with the English frigates, the firing of which, 
 we had heard during the whole of the night. 
 
 The general charged me with the instant convey-^ 
 ance of these tidings to M. de la Luzerne, then in the 
 city of Philadelphia, and of the despatches addresed 
 by the French court to this minister. Ï carried also my 
 father's despatches to M. de Rochambeau ; but M. 
 de Vioménil begged me to keep them, and aAvait at 
 Philadelphia, the arrival of the rest of the letters 
 intended for the army. 
 
 Before entering on the execution of this order, I 
 was permitted to enjoy a few hour's rest : a relaxa- 
 tion quite essential, after so many fatigues, so much 
 fasting, a shipwreck, and such long expeditions ; but 
 just as I was closing ray eyes, I happened to observe 
 the scapulary that I wore about my neck, and re- 
 called, with some degree of anger, the false predic- 
 tion of mv tender donna Mariana Isabella del Carmo, 
 nor did 1 fail to include in my reproaches the vene- 
 rable Abbess of Angra, with her crosier. 
 
 I set out early in the morning for Philadelphia, and 
 I could therefore only see Dover, in passing through 
 it. It was the first American town to which fortune 
 had conducted me. Its appearance struck me ; it was 
 surrounded with thick woods, because there, as in 
 other parts of the thirteen states, the population 
 
 - ' 33 
 
( 
 
 •^i 
 
 258 MEMOIRS 
 
 was still scattered over an immense territory, a small 
 portion of wliich was cultivated. 
 
 All the houses in Dover, offered a simple but ele- 
 gant appearance, they were built of wood, and paint- 
 ed with different colors. This variety in their as- 
 pect, the neatness which distinguished them, the 
 bright and polished brass knockers of the doors, 
 seemed all to announce the order and activity, the 
 intelligence and prosperity of the inhabitants. 
 
 To an eye familiar with the view of our mag- 
 nificent cities, the foppery of our young fashiona- 
 bles and the luxury of our higher classes, contrast- 
 ed with the coarse habiliments of our peasants, 
 and the tatters of the vast crowds of our pau- 
 pers, the difference exhibited on arriving in the 
 United States, where the extremes of splendor and 
 of misery are no where to be seen, is truly sur- 
 prising. 
 
 All the Americans whom we met were dressed in 
 well made clothes of excellent stuff, with boots well 
 cleaned ; — their deportment was free, frank, and 
 kind, equally removed from rudeness of manner, 
 and from studied politeness ; exhibiting an indepen- 
 dent character, subject only to the laws, proud of its 
 own rights, and respecting those of others. Their 
 aspect seemed to declare, that we were in a land of 
 reason, of order, and of liberty. 
 
 The road on which I travelled was very wide, 
 well marked out, and carefully kept in excellent 
 order. In all the places where I stopped, the in- 
 habitants received me with civility, and exerted 
 themselves in procuring horses, both for myself and 
 my guide. 
 
 Every one appearing to feel a lively interest in 
 public affairs, I found it necessary, before taking 
 my departure, to reply as well Ï could, to the nu- 
 merous questions respecting the cause of the firing 
 
OF COUNT SEGUIi. 259 
 
 of cannon which had been heard on the Delaware, 
 our landing, and the force of the enemy who had 
 pursued us. All these questions were interrupted 
 by offers of glass after glass of Madeira wine, which 
 I could not refuse without rudeness, nor accept so 
 Very often without inconvenience. 
 
 Continuing my journey through a path like a fine 
 garden alley, shaded by the oldest and most beauti- 
 ful trees in the world, I scarcely went a mile with- 
 out meeting with some habitation already old, and 
 some new plantation. Before arriving at Christian 
 bridge, situated about forty miles from Dover, f 
 passed through several little towns, very well peo- 
 pled. Christian bridge lies upon a height, at the 
 bottom of which runs a small river that falls into the 
 Delaware. 
 
 Upon entering a very cleanly inn that had been 
 pointed out to me, the master of the house, whom, 
 with much difficulty I succeeded in awaking, the 
 night being advanced, informed me, that he could 
 give me no lodging, his house being entirely occupi- 
 ed by French travellers. 
 
 Thinking it impossible that any of my ship- 
 wrecked companions should have thus got on before 
 me, I went straight into the room of these French- 
 men, roused them, and recognized with as much sur- 
 prise as pleasure, the Marquis de Champcenetz, 
 aide-de-camp to M. de Vioménil. 
 
 This officer, at the time we quitted our frigates, 
 had consented, at the urgent request of M. de la 
 Touche, to remain on board V Aigle, M. de Champ- 
 cenetz was perfectly acquainted with the English 
 language, and his assistance was of great impor- 
 tance to M. de la Touche, to communicate with the 
 American pilots during the remainder of this peri- 
 lous voyage. 
 
tl'oB MEMOIRS 
 
 From him Î learned all the details of the disaster, 
 i'jufFered by V Aigle, He informed me that, on the 
 evening of the 14th, just as our frigates found them- 
 selves far advanced in the river with only three of 
 the enemy's frigates in pursuit, the depth of the 
 water suddenly diminished, announcing the approach 
 of the insurmountable obstacle predicted by the 
 pilots. 
 
 M. de la Touche then declared his wish to cast 
 anchor; but, at this moment, the corvette, which we 
 had captured, having easily surmounted the fatal im- 
 pediment of the sand bank which shut up the chan- 
 nel, the captain gave orders for la Gloire to attempt 
 the same passage ; in which, after many efforts, she 
 also succeeded. 
 
 Such good fortune inspired M. de la Touche 
 with some hopes of escaping ; but as his ship 
 drew more water than la Gloire^ she came upon 
 the bank with more violence, and remained fast in 
 the sand, at the same time falling on her side so 
 as totally to deprive her of the use of her cannon, 
 which, from this moment, were discharged only into 
 the air. 
 
 It was then, that one of thé English frigates, 
 which was sailing in the right channel, took her 
 station athwart the stern of V Aigle and commenc- 
 ed a brisk cannonade, which was only answered 
 by two small guns from the stern, and these were 
 merely fired in order to maintain the honor of 
 our flag. 
 
 When the English frigates drew nigh, M. de la 
 Touche cut his masts away, and bored a hole in the 
 bottom of his vessel, sufficient to have sunk her in 
 deeper water. After this operation, during which 
 the enemy's fire redoubled, he ordered M. de 
 Champcenetz to throw himself, with the American 
 
 ots and some sailors, into the only boat that re- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUPt. 261 
 
 mained ; and, as soon as the boat had got clear o0 
 V Aigle struck her colours. ^ 
 
 The EngHsh frigate in the mean while obselrving 
 the boat rowing awaj, directed its whole fire at it^ 
 The pilot in the utmost alarm wished to surrender, 
 but M. de Champcenetz, with sword in hand, Com- 
 pelled them to sustain the shower of balls, and to 
 pass up the river. 
 
 In short, after innumerable dangers, he set foot 
 on land, and had taken up his quarters at the httle 
 town where 1 njet him. 
 
 He mentioned another misfortune sustained by M. 
 de la Touche ; for, having attempted, previously to 
 his disaster, to parley with the English vessels ; he 
 learnt from them that his mistress and his merchant- 
 man, that had been towed as far as the Azores, af- 
 ter having so unfortunately delayed our voyage, had 
 arrived the same day as ourselves in Delaware bay, 
 where the English had captured both the lady and 
 the vessel. 
 
 M. de Champcenetz expressed a wnsh to accom- 
 pany me as far as Philadelphia, to which I cheerful- 
 ly consented, and I resumed my journey with mj 
 new companion. After three hours' ride we found 
 ourselves beyond the limits where the Tories were 
 to be dreaded, and we arrived near Wilmington, 
 capital of the district of the Delaware, a well built, 
 commodious, and populous town, and which, from 
 the great number of its shops, appeared a place of 
 considerable commercial activity. I took up my 
 quarters with an American colonel who received us 
 very courteously, and supplied us w^ith good horses. 
 
 Thence we set out for Chester, where we arrived 
 in time for dinner, at an inn bearing the sign of 
 General Washington : for in all the towns of this 
 grateful republic, we, every where, met with the 
 Bame of Washington ; and it was engraven on all 
 
262 MEMOIRS 
 
 (] 
 fcearts. Our hostess being well disposed towards 
 the French, redoubled her attention and regard for 
 me, when she learned that Ï was the friend and un- 
 cle of M. de La Fajette. 
 
 Chester is a \ery rich and commercial town. 
 Its situation upon the Delaware commands a de- 
 lightful prospect, and the elegance of the houses 
 seems to announce the approach to a capital. All 
 vessels that navigate the river Delaware, touch at 
 the port of Chester, before they proceed to the city 
 of Philadelphia. 
 
 Having speedily resumed my route, I felt much 
 regret in passing near the scene of the battle of 
 Brandy-Wine without being able to visit it. But, 
 charged as I was with despatches from my father 
 to M. de Rochambeau, from M. de Castries to the 
 Marquis de Vaudreuil, and from M. de Vioménil for 
 M. de la Luzerne, it was impossible for me to delay 
 my journey. 
 
 In drawing near Philadelphia Ï could not help ad- 
 miring, upon passing over Chester bridge, the grand 
 horizon of which it forms the centre, as well as the 
 pleasing sites and varied perspectives which appear 
 along the course of the river. 
 
 A few minutes afterwards I was met by M. de la 
 Luzerne. This minister, being recently informed of 
 the arrival of our frigates in the Delaware^ was de- 
 sirous of reachini^ Dover, in order to find M. de Vio- 
 ménil ; he received me with the most cordial and 
 obliging politeness, sympathized in our misfortunes, 
 regretted the loss oïVAigle^ and was a little amused 
 at my wretched equipage, which was truly not a lit- 
 tle ridiculous. He gave me a seat in his carriage, 
 and returned with me to Philadelphia. 
 
 I arrived in that city with the hope of reposing 
 for at least a w^eek after my labors; but here, as 
 heretofore,! was again destined to suffer disappoint- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 283 
 
 ment. For fortune had apparently decided that, as 
 a soldier, I was to serve a long campaign without 
 battles; that, being a land officer, I should be present 
 only in a naval engagement; that, in going to meet 
 the enemy, I should find him retreating, and shut up 
 in the most inaccessible fortresses; and that, as a 
 traveller, I should be compelled to be always run- 
 ning from one place to anotlier, from north to south, 
 and from the frozen to the torrid zone, without ever 
 having it in my power to stay at any of the places 
 most calculated to excite my curiosity. 
 
 Thus I had hardly four-and-twenty hours to em- 
 ploy in observing the town, which was, at that time, 
 the capital of the United States, and the residence 
 of their government. At the sight of Philadelphia 
 it was not difficult to predict the great and prospe- 
 rous destinies of America. 
 
 The city, the name of which signifies the city of 
 brothers, is situated upon the east side of the river 
 Delaware, at the distance of two short leagues from 
 its confluence with the Schuylkill. It then contain- 
 ed one hundred thousand inhabitants; its streets are 
 sixty feet broad, and laid down with great precision; 
 while its commodious footways and the simple ele- 
 gance and neatness of its houses, agreeably strike 
 the eye, notwithstanding the irregularity of the diffe- 
 rent little quays which every merchant has con- 
 structed, after his own taste, upon the banks of the 
 river, at the door of his own store, with openings to 
 place his vessels out of the reach of the ice on the 
 breaking up of the river. This part is low, wet 
 and unwholesome. 
 
 William Penn, the founder of this city, had pro- 
 jected to build it on a regular and extensive plan. 
 The dreams of that excellent man had as short a 
 duration as those of many great politicians ; but his 
 Tiame will endure for ever, for he was the onlv Eu- 
 
g64 . MEMOIRS 
 
 ÇQpean who founded a government in America upon 
 n^ral principles, and who did not cement it with the 
 blood of the . unfortunate inhabitants of this hemi- 
 sphere. , .. 
 
 4 j.This, simple, moral and pacific sect, that of the 
 friends^ whom many have vainlj attempted to ridi- 
 cule, by denominating them quakers or shakers^ still 
 exists as a memorial of the only society which, per- 
 haps, ever professed or practised evangelical mora- 
 lity and christian charity in all their purity and sim- 
 plicity without any alloy, or any degree of prejudice, 
 ^yen the necessity of self-defence could not compel 
 tbem to shed blood, no.^, could their interest ever in- 
 duce them to profane the name of the Deity by an 
 path. ' , . .,. ^^v 
 
 "^ ,. /Othçrs.h^ve, at. aM|imes, had the language of phi- 
 
 r: îosophy in their ri^éûths; but these men only have 
 
 £ l|.yep\x^an^^cpj^tri;^u^Vto live like true sages. In spite, 
 
 ^^ ther.efofp,;Afilh§ ii'onical contempt with which they 
 
 are g§î)^ralJ[|/poken of, even in the country which 
 Qf ;;jght j^©«ged to them, and of whose government 
 < ihey^j-Vî^gre deprived, I have never either seen or 
 ■^'^^i^^^à to them without a feeling of respect. 
 ]^ ; ,,^ I am well aware that, attached to our own cus- 
 i'^v^ toms, we may at first, perhaps, be a little shocked 
 >^t^ ^ at theirs, and feel inclined to tax them with affecta- 
 tion, because they walk into a room with their hats 
 upon their heads, and never speak without thouing 
 us. Their apparel also, though neat, is apt to strike 
 us as too plain and rustic, while that of the women, 
 if it were black, would resemble, with their stoma- 
 chers, the dress of our sisters de la charité. These 
 severe forms, however, which are prescribed to 
 them, contribute, perhaps, more than is supposed, to 
 the preservation of their morals. 
 
 Very strict towards themselves, yet no persons 
 enrry toleration further than they do. Although 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 265 
 
 war is considered a great crime in their eyes, and 
 they detest the military profession, they know how 
 to confer great praises upon warriors who are spar- 
 ing of human blood, and unite virtue to valor. 
 
 Thus, one of the most famous of their sect came 
 to wait upon General the Count de Rocharabeau, 
 when upon his way to Philadelphia, and addressed 
 him in the following harangue : " Friend, thou dost 
 practise a vile trade ; but we are told that thou dost 
 conduct thyself with all the humanity and justice 
 that it will admit of : I am very glad of this ; I feel 
 indebted to thee for it, and I am come hither to see 
 thee and to assure thee of my esteem." 
 
 Another quaker of very general reputation, named 
 Mr. Benezet, said to General ^he Chevalier de Chas- 
 tellux : " I know thou art a man of letters, and a 
 member of the French academy. These literary 
 men have, of late, written many good things : they 
 have, in particular, attacked errors, prejudice and 
 intolerance; will they never attempt to give man- 
 kind a disgust for Avar, and teach them to live toge- 
 ther like friends and brethren?" 
 
 The detractors of this philanthropic sect being 
 unable to attack their charity or the simplicity of 
 their manners, were reduced to point their shafts at 
 their enthusiasm, and their pretended inspirations. 
 They likewise maintained that their interest occa- 
 sionally led them to sacrifice something of the seve- 
 rity of their doctrine. " The principles of the qua- 
 kers," they observed, " absolutely prohibit them 
 from taking any share, direct or indirect, in war, 
 which they assert is a great crime. Consequently, 
 they refuse to pay any of the taxes levied by Con- 
 gress, for the support of the American army; but 
 as they wish, at the same time, to avoid the penal- 
 ties to which they might expose themselves by such 
 ,an act of disobedience, every quaker takes care to 
 34 
 
266 MEM01I(S 
 
 e; 
 
 mt into a purse the exact sum that is required of 
 iim, and to place it openly upon a desk or in an 
 open drawer, in his house, in such a way that, when 
 the agents of authority call upon him, he does not, 
 indeed, give them the sum imposed by the war-tax, 
 but he permits them to take it." 
 
 One is here tempted, I must confess, to imagine 
 that some travelling Jesuit must have pointed out to 
 them this ingenious stratagem, in order to satisfy 
 their conscience without literally violating their sec- 
 tarian rule. 
 
 The aversion, moreover, expressed by the quakers 
 towards war, naturaliy inclining them not to partici- 
 pate in the spirit of insurrection against the mother 
 country, the greater part of them were tories, a cir- 
 cumstance that fully explains the unjust severity 
 with which they were judged the American patriots. 
 
 The city of Philadelphia, at the period of which 
 I speak, was remarkable only for its great extent, 
 for its regularity, and for the prosperity of its popu- 
 lation. There were neither public walks nor gardens; 
 and the most imposing edifices were the Hospital, 
 the Town-Hall, the Prison and Christ's Church. 
 The State House contains large hails, in which the 
 first Congress held its sittings and proclaimed Ame- 
 rican independence. 
 
 It is not, then, the architectural beauties of the 
 monuments belonging to this city, but the great re- 
 collections, connected with them, which attract curi- 
 osity and command respect. The whole town is one 
 noble temple, raised to the spirit of toleration; for 
 it is there we behold catholics, presbyterians, calvi- 
 nists, lutherans, unitarians, anabaptists, methodists 
 and quakers, all in great number, and each profess- 
 ing their form of worship at full liberty, and living 
 with each other in perfect amity. 
 
 Î examined, with care, the state of the fortifica- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 267 
 
 tions in this place, as well as the means that had 
 been adopted for the defence of the Delaware, a 
 river that will not admit even the smallest vessels of 
 war further than Trenton; but observations like 
 these, however important Eft a period when three 
 millions of Americans, divided among themselves, 
 were engaged in a struggle with the colossal forces 
 of Great Britain, have ceased to interest us now. 
 
 But America, in the possession of freedom for the 
 last forty years, flourishing under the protection of 
 wise laws, powerful in a population of ten millions 
 inhabitants, by all of whom it would be defended, in 
 time of need, and already exhibiting a respectable 
 naval force, to the astonishment of all Europe, is no 
 longer in a situation to dread a rash invasion of her 
 shores, the flag of an enemy upon her rivers, or an 
 army beleaguering her towns. 
 
 The Chevalier de la Luzerne, minister plenipo- 
 tentiary from our court, in whose house T resided, 
 gave me, in a few short conversations, a better in- 
 sight into the situation of affairs, the nature of the 
 institutions, the force of the parties, and the, future 
 prospects of America, than I could have acquired in 
 a long journey, or by the most painful research. M. 
 de la Luzerne, with much information and wit, unit- 
 ed the most unblemished integrity and uncommon 
 sagacity. 
 
 The world has not sufficiently appreciated the 
 services rendered by his steady wisdom and by the 
 ability and prudence of the Count de Rochambeau 
 to the noble cause which we then supported; at a 
 crisis when it required every effort to reanimate the 
 courage of the Americans, dispirited by a succession 
 of reverses, to allay their discontent, caused by the 
 delay of the aid we had promised them, to unite all 
 minds, to maintain concord, to obviate all misunder- 
 standing and jealousy between France and her allies, 
 
268 MEMOIRS 
 
 and, by an active co-operation, to promote the success 
 of those grand enterprizes so widely combined, and 
 whose happy results estabHshed the fortunes of the 
 new republic, by depriving the English of all hope 
 of destroying its independence. Posterity, doubtless, 
 more just, will render homage, as it ought, to two 
 characters so useful to their country, and thus indem- 
 nify them for the neglect of their contemporaries. 
 
 M. de Marbois, now a peer of France, was then 
 consul and counsellor to the embassy of M. de la 
 Luzerne, whom he assisted in his labors. He had 
 previously been chargé-d'affaires at Ratisbon, at 
 Dresden and at Munich. To him we are indebfed 
 for a curious tract on Arnold's conspiracy, an histo- 
 rical sketch, which bears the stamp of the best 
 writers of antiquity. 
 
 After the triumph of the United States, M. de 
 Marbois, being appointed agent at St. Domingo, 
 restored order to that colony. On his return to 
 France he was sent upon a mission to Vienna, by 
 Louis XVI. Escaping the tyranny of the conven- 
 tion, he was made a member of the Conseil des 
 anciens; and, being proscribed and exiled by the 
 directory, he languished, for many years, at Cayenne 
 upon an unwholesome soil where nearly all his com- 
 panions in misfortune perished. 
 
 Upon being recalled home, he became minister 
 to Napoleon ; was honored with the same degree of 
 confidence by Louis XVIII ; and, still active, at an 
 age when most men are worn out, he lives to adorn, 
 both by his intelligence and by his probity, the Cour 
 des comptes over which he presides, and the Cham- 
 ber of Peers in which he holds his seat. 
 
 On the very morning of my arrival, M. de la 
 Luzerne introduced me to the most distinguished 
 persons in the city ; to M. Morisse who, by his sole 
 credit, sustained the almost extinguished financial 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 269 
 
 credit of the state, restored the public prosperity 
 by his intelh'gence, and lost his own fortune by sub- 
 sequent speculations of an hazardous nature ; to M. 
 Lincoln, minister of war, who conferred great ser- 
 vices upon his country, both as a soldier and a 
 statesman ; and to M, Lewington, the minister for 
 foreign affairs, who enjoyed a high reputation. 
 
 I had likewise, the pleasure of seeing several 
 ladies, well worth admiration, no less for their vir- 
 tues as mothers of families, than for the social 
 charms of their conversation. Without pretending 
 to the grace of our countrywomen, they had a pecu- 
 liar grace of their own, which was by no means less 
 attractive on account of its simplicity. 
 
 Desire of rest, curiosity, and the obliging attention 
 of my host, all combined to invite me to a longer 
 stay at Philadelphia. Hardly, however, had I en- 
 joyed a few hours' repose, seduced by such flattering 
 hopes, than an officer, despatched by M. de Vio- 
 ménil, awaked me by bringing an order for my im- 
 mediate departure to the northern states, as bearer 
 of the despatches, from our own court, to the Gene- 
 rals Rochambeau and Washington who, at that time, 
 were encamped near the river Hudson. 
 
 I obeyed, disagreeable as it was to undertake so 
 long a journey alone, without servants, luggage, or 
 even change of linen. Just, however, as I was on 
 the point of setting out, one of my own valets, who 
 had just landed from la Gloire, came running to 
 inform me that the frigate, and a part of my effects, 
 had been saved. He, however, only brought me a 
 light portmanteau which I placed, as well as my 
 servant, upon my suki, and proceeded on my way, 
 mounted upon a pretty good horse. 
 
 It was not without much regret that I was com- 
 pelled to pass by the famous field of Germanstown 
 w{\GU the American army, under Washington, proved, 
 
270 MEMOIRS 
 
 by a spirited attack upon the English, with whom it 
 maintained an obstinate combat, that it had not been 
 dismayed by its defeat at Brandy-Wine, and that, 
 ah hough victories might be sometimes gained over 
 America, it was impossible to subdue her. 
 
 In all the towns and villages through which I 
 passed, and in all the private houses where I stopped, 
 I observed the same simplicity of manners, the same 
 politeness and hospitality, the same zeal for the 
 common cause, and the same degree of earnestness 
 in providing me with the means of arriving speedily 
 at my place of destination. 
 
 Almost every step upon my route I experienced 
 two opposite impressions; one produced by the 
 spectacle of the beauties of a wild and savage na- 
 ture ; and the other by the fertility and variety of 
 industrious cultivation and of a civilized world. Some- 
 times alone amidst vast forests of those magnificent 
 trees, yet sacred from the axe, and some of which, 
 falling only under the weight of ages, exhibit no 
 signs of their past existence except by little hillocks 
 formed by their crumbling trunks ; I was transported 
 back, in imagination, to the age of the first European 
 navigators who set foot upon an unknown world. 
 Sometimes I was lost in admiration of beautiful val- 
 lies cultivated with so much care, of meadows cover- 
 ed with numerous flocks, of houses at once neat, 
 elegant, diversified with different colors and embo- 
 somed in little gardens very prettily fenced in ; while 
 further on, beyond other large masses of wood, rose 
 populous villages and towns which brought back 
 ideas of civilization brought to perfection, with their 
 schools, their temples and their universities. Indi- 
 gence and brutality were no where to be seen ; 
 fertility, comfort and kindness were every where to 
 be found; and every individual displayed the modest 
 and tranquil pride of an independent man, who feels 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 271 
 
 that he has nothing above him but the laws, and 
 who is a stranger aiike to the vanity, to the preju- 
 dices and to the servility of European society. Such 
 is the picture that, during the whole of my route, 
 surprized and rivetted my attention. 
 
 There no useful profession is ever ridiculed or 
 despised, and though unequal in point of situation, 
 all men preserve equal right. Indolence alone would 
 be a subject of reproach. Military ranks and offices 
 prevent no one from following some profession. All 
 there are either merchants, agriculturists or artisans; 
 the most indigent are domestics, workmen, or sailors ; 
 far from resembling men of the inferior classes in 
 Europe, these fully deserve the regard that is shewn 
 to them, and which they exact by the decency of 
 their language and their conduct. 
 
 At first, I was rather surprised, on entering an 
 inn, to find that it belonged to a captain, a major, or 
 a colonel, who conversed equally well upon his cam- 
 paigns against the English, upon the clearing of his 
 lands, and the sale of his fruits and his provisions. 
 
 I was still more astonished, when upon replying 
 to some questions put to me respecting my family, 
 and informing them that my father was a general 
 and a minister, my interrogators inquired what was 
 his profession or trade ? 
 
 1 every where met with convenient apartments, 
 well supplied tables, abundant good cheer, but at the 
 same time simple and wholesome. The beverage, 
 to be sure, was a little too strong with rum and cin- 
 namon, and the coffee too weak, but the tea excel- 
 lent. There were only two things which shocked 
 me more than I can express, one a vile custom, the 
 moment a toast was given, of circulating an immense 
 bowl of punch round the table, out of which each 
 guest was successively compelled to drink ; and the 
 other was that, after being in bed, it was not unusual 
 
272 MEMOIRS 
 
 to see a fresh traveller walk into your room, and 
 without ceremony, stretch himself by your side, and 
 appropriate a part of your couch. I was somewhat 
 rebellious upon this latter point, and without much 
 difficulty, obtained an exemption from the general 
 rule. 
 
 I remained only a few hours at the pretty towns 
 of Trenton and of Princetown, which I would willing- 
 ly have examined more in detail. Both of them 
 recalled glorious recollections of the brilliant exploits 
 of Washington, of La Fayette and a great number 
 of heroic men who had compelled the English, in 
 spite of their tactics and their number, to respect the 
 rebel people whom they had so unjustly affected to 
 despise, and to acknowledge that an ardent love of 
 genuine liberty is of all species of power the most 
 formidable. 
 
 About three leagues from Porapton, 1 was very 
 nearly falling, by a strange mistake, with all my 
 despatches, into the hands of our enemies, which 
 would have been a singular and unlucky commence- 
 ment of my new career. The French army, only a 
 little before, had traversed the same route that I 
 was now pursuing, and this line of march w^as still 
 marked out with stakes, for the convenience of the 
 sick, the stragglers, and the baggage waggons, which 
 in so long a march had been left some way behind. 
 
 I had a single servant with me, and no guide ; at 
 a division of the roads, there were some stakes 
 placed in a direction to the east, either owing to 
 a mistake or perfidy, which had the effect of deceiv- 
 ing me, by leading me out of n. j right path. 
 
 After having travelled several hours, 1 began to be 
 surprized at not reaching Pompton ; at length I per- 
 ceived a solitary dwelling, at the gate of which I 
 observed an old woman sitting at her spinning wheel. 
 On approaching her, I inquired whether I was far 
 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. " 213 
 
 from Pompton. She laughed as she reph'ed : " You 
 are not in the right way ; and you are about six 
 leagues from Elizabeth-town, where you will find a 
 regiment of English dragoons." 
 
 On hearing these words, I turned round, as may 
 be supposed, pretty briskly, and retraced my steps, 
 happy at having thus avoided so serious a misfortune 
 and the English patroles ; but I was not able to 
 reach Pompton until very late at night. 
 
 At a short distance from it, I fell in with a poor 
 French lieutenant, belonging to the infantry, who 
 had been on the sick list, and was travelling on foot. 
 As he appeared quite worn down by fatigue, I invit- 
 ed him to take a seat upon my suki. 
 
 All the inns at Pompton were filled with travel- 
 lers ; and in the last where I applied I was inform- 
 ed that all the rooms were occupied by one of the 
 commissaries of our army. I determined to request 
 him to accommodate me with a part of them, but 
 the foolish vanity of this gentleman produced a some- 
 what ludicrous dialogue between us. 
 
 The officer whom I had brought along with me, 
 presented no very imposing appearance with his pale 
 face and his dress covered with dust. As to me, I 
 had only a plain white riding coat over my clothes, 
 which bore no mark of rank. 
 
 The commissary received us very uncivilly : he 
 did not even rise, while he answered, that we might 
 look out for accommodations elsewhere, as he had 
 no room for us. 
 
 As I was replying to him rather warmly, one end 
 of my epaulette happened to be seen through my 
 riding coat, and this seemed to soften his tone, 
 though without abating any thing of his haughtiness. 
 
 " I am sorry," he said, " that I cannot give you a 
 *l)etter reception, but my clerks and myself are only 
 barely supplied with what is necessarv. About a 
 ♦ 35 
 
274 MEMOIRS 
 
 mile out of town, you will find, 1 believe, a tavern 
 where you will meet with accommodations." 
 
 " This alternative," replied I, " would prove ra- 
 ther fatiguing after so long a journey, and particular- 
 ly to this poor sick officer, whom I, as a colonel, felt 
 bound to treat with a little more civility, than you 
 seem inclined to do." 
 
 The word colonel produced a sudden change in 
 our commissary's countenance, he stammered out 
 some excuses, but persisting in his obstinacy, he of- 
 fered to make room for me in his own apartments, 
 and to accompany my officer to the tavern at some 
 distance, which he had pointed out to me. 
 
 No longer repressing the anger I then felt : "Up- 
 on my word. Sir," I exclaimed, " this is not to be 
 borne. You have shewn yourself perfectly unfeel- 
 ing towards fellow countrymen whom you supposed 
 your inferiors, rather pert towards two officers, and 
 not very respectful before a colonel, you deserve 
 then to be punished. I, Sir, am a colonel, and son 
 to the minister of war. There is only one chance 
 left to you of preventing me from reporting the in- 
 solence of your conduct to M. de Rochambeau : I 
 only asked of you one of your rooms, but now I will 
 have them all. So march hence with your clerks 
 as fast as possible, and find another lodging." 
 
 As servile now, as he had before been haughty, 
 the commissary obeyed without a murmur. My 
 poor officer, in consequence, got into excellent quar- 
 ters and a good bed ; and thus ended this little co- 
 mic adventure. 
 
 Shortly after, I arrived on the banks of the river 
 Hudson, at Stoney-Point, a commanding and impor- 
 tant post, where the French major Fleury greatly 
 distinguished himself, when the Americans carried it 
 by assault. 
 
 We «an form no idea in Europe of a river so 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 275 
 
 broad and magnificent as river Hudson. It is navi- 
 gated by ships of war ; and is, in fact, a sea flowing 
 between two forests, the growth of ages whose im- 
 posing aspect inclines the mind of the traveller to 
 indulge in deep meditation. 
 
 Having crossed this river at a place called King's 
 Ferry, I beheld, a few hours afterwards with inde- 
 scribable pleasure, the tents of the American camp; 
 I traversed it ; and, alter proceeding some miles, I 
 arrived at Piskill on the 26th of September, in the 
 head quarters of General Rochambeau. I deliver- 
 ed to him my father's despatches, as well as those 
 of M. de Vioménil ; and this excellent man, receiv- 
 ing me with the utmost tenderness, treated me as if 
 I had been his own son. 
 
 After discharging this my first duty, I hastened to 
 the quarters of the regiment of Soissonnais under 
 the command of the Count de Saint-Maime, who 
 subsequently took the name of Count de Muy, made 
 many brilliant campaigns in the wars of the revolu- 
 tion, and upon the restoration, was appointed mem- 
 ber of the chamber of Peers. 
 
 The regiment being under arms, I was received, 
 according to military custom, as its Lieutenant-Co- 
 lonel, and I experienced a warmer greeting on ac- 
 count of my name which inspired the soldiers with 
 glorious recollections ; for by a singular chance the 
 regiment of Soissonnais, formerly called the regi- 
 ment of Segur, had essentially contributed to the 
 victories of Lawfeld and of Rocoux. Mv father, at 
 that time, commanded them, and it was, while march- 
 ing at their head, that he received a ball through 
 the breast, in one of those brilliant actions, and 
 another a musket shot that shattered his arm. 
 The same soldiers were not in existence ; but this 
 military story had become traditionary, and they re- 
 
276 MEMOIRS 
 
 ceived me less as an ordinary commander than as an 
 enfant du corps. 
 
 One of the old officers was even so obhging as to 
 repeat before all his comrades, the lines contained in 
 one of Voltaire's epistles addressed to the Duchess 
 du Maine, upon the victory of Lawfeld in 1747. 
 
 Having reciched the shore in the condition of a 
 shipwrecked man, bringing with me only my uniform 
 and my sword, the Count de Saint Maime, like a 
 true fellow soldier, frankly divided with me every 
 thing that he possessed. To him I was indebted for 
 my equipage and tent ; we had the same table, to 
 which we invited daily, during the rest of the cam- 
 paign, the different officers of our corps ; who, in 
 their long marches from north to south, and from 
 $outh to north, through the United States, had worn 
 out the whole of their simple equipments. 
 
 Having found the combined armies near New- 
 York, I had flattered myself that we were about to 
 midertake the siege of that important place ; but in 
 this hope I was disappointed. A few days after- 
 wards, we proceeded to occupy another position, — 
 that of Cram pent, between the river of the North,^ 
 and that of Croton. There I first entered upon my 
 own establishments ; my servants, and my equipage, 
 that had been landed from la Gloire^ arriving very 
 seasonably, to efface the remembrance of my unfor- 
 fuoate entrance into the Delaware. 
 
 The life we lead in a camp, when not in contact 
 with the enemy, is at once an active and idle one, 
 and very agreeable to many, who are thus enabled 
 >o kill time without employing it, and undergo much 
 fatigue, without doing any thing. Young soldiers, 
 '^i7o are previously well informed, there forget all 
 ihey have learned, and learn nothing of which they 
 were before ignorant. Accustomed to employment, 
 and far from having enough leisure for it, 1 was 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 277 
 
 obliged, after the duties of the field, to hasten to the 
 quarters of all our generals, in succession, at a considr 
 arable distance from each other, or to receive all 
 visitors at mj tent ; for we have no keys to the lat- 
 ter, and the importunity of idlers knows no bounds. 
 Indeed, I was never free until night, and it was then 
 only, that I enjoyed a few pleasant hours, in reading 
 and in thinking. 
 
 The grenadiers of the regiment of Soissonnais, 
 gave me a proof of their attachment as affecting as 
 it was new, and of which I still retain a pleasing re» 
 collection. Taking advantage of a day when I was 
 upon duty, being sent to reconnoitre, they exerted 
 themselves in concert with such activity, that, on my 
 return to the camp, about night-fall, I found the 
 round tent that served for my cabinet, illuminated, 
 and decorated with wreaths of flowers, while, in the 
 interior, there was fixed a small chimney, very neat- 
 ly constructed, a kind of inlaid floor equally well 
 made, with large shelves attached to the sides of 
 the tent, upon which all my books were arranged in 
 order. These brave fellows seemed to enjoy my 
 surprise, and when 1 turned to thank them, they re- 
 plied : " You always share our labors so cheerfully, 
 that it is a pleasure to us to contribute to yours, we 
 wish to express how highly we regard a leader who 
 consults our wants, and who loves us." 
 
 I took advantage of a few days leisure to visit 
 West-Point Fort, taking a single companion with 
 me, M. Duplessis-Mauduit, an oflicer of artillery, 
 who had distinguished himself by several intrepid ac- 
 tions, which the bravest among the Romans would 
 not have scrupled to avow. 
 
 The originality of his character was as remarka- 
 ble as his valor. Happening, when young, to engage 
 in a dispute, upon the actual position of the Atheni- 
 an and Persian armies at the battle of Plataea, on 
 
:^78 MEMOIRS 
 
 which the parties had bet a crown, and being at 
 once indigent and obstinate, he was desirous of as- 
 certaining the fact, without ruining himself, for which 
 purpose he undertook and actually accomplished a 
 journey to Greece, on foot ! 
 
 He was always observed to be foremost while in 
 America, in all attacks, — the first in every assault, 
 and the last during a retreat. Being one day charg- 
 ed to reconnoitre the entrenched camp of the ene- 
 my, he boldly ventured to approach alone, under 
 shelter of the night ; he crept upon his face to the 
 very foot of the palisades, of which he removed se- 
 veral, and only returned to the American camp, af- 
 ter having penetrated into the English entrench- 
 ments, which he was sent to reconnoitre. ^ 
 
 This officer carried his attachment to liberty and 
 equality to an excess; he was displeased when any 
 one called him Sir^ or Mr, and desired that he might 
 simply be named Thomas Duplessis-Mauduit. His 
 career was short, and his end an unhappy one ; for 
 being employed at St. Domingo, he threw himself 
 among a party of revolters, and was assassinated by 
 the negroes, whose fury he attempted to repress. 
 
 The fortress of West-Point, situated upon a steep 
 hill, at the foot of which ran the North, or Hudson 
 river, was doubly fortified by nature and by art, so 
 as to be consid» red impregnable. It was this im- 
 portant post, justly regarded as the key of the Unit- 
 ed States, which the traitor Arnold, attempted to 
 betray into the hands of the English. 
 
 After the discovery of his treason and his flight, , 
 the command of the place had been confided to Ge- 
 neral Knox, formerly a. bookseller, and who rose to 
 the highest distinction by his rare merit ; being one 
 of the most intelligent and brave among the Ameri- 
 can officers. He received me very cordially, and 
 explained to me all his means of defence. I met 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 279 
 
 with few men, during my travels, whose conversation 
 was at once more instructive and entertaining. 
 
 At West-Point, more than at any other place, we 
 are struck with the aspect of the North River, 
 which is a whole league in -breadth, and naviga- 
 ble as far as Albany, by ships ot" war. It flows 
 between two chains of mountains, at that time un- 
 inhabited, and covered with pine, ancient oaks and 
 black cypress. 
 
 This wild and savage prospect, awakened many 
 sad and solemn thoughts, such as might, in the 
 language of the present day, be termed romantic. 
 These feelings were heightened by the conversation 
 of Mauduit, who recalled to mind, the various 
 events of which this place had been the theatre, 
 and all the battles that had been fought there, dur* 
 ing the last five years, between liberty and her 
 formidable enemies. 
 
 I must confess that, in contemplating those gigan- 
 tic masses of rocks, unfat homed abysses, and im- 
 mense forests, I was at a loss to imagine how the 
 English had so long retained the chimerical hope 
 of subjugating a people defended by such insur- 
 mountable barriers, and inspired with the love of 
 independence. 
 
 After returning from this interesting journey, 1 
 went to the camp at Crampont. We continued, dur- 
 ing some weeks, occupied only in visiting the posts, 
 in reconnoitring, in repeated exercises, and in all the 
 regular duties of the profession. 
 
 The sole compensation I derived from this state 
 of inaction, was in the inieresting conversations I 
 held with all those who, in our own, or the Ameri- 
 can army, had most contributed to the success of 
 the war, and who could best inform me respecting 
 the institutions of the country, the causes of the re- 
 volutign, its progress, its difficulties, and, finally, eve- 
 
' 280 MEMOIRS 
 
 ry thing that my eager curiosity had so long impell- 
 ed me to study closely,- and examine with the utmost 
 attention. 
 
 I was very fortunately assisted in my researches 
 by the Chevalier de Chastellux, an amiable and en- 
 lightened character, my father's intimate friend, and 
 one of my near relations. The name of this intelli- 
 gent academician, this distinguished general officer, 
 whose learning was devoid of presumption, and who 
 united all the merit of sound erudition to the charm 
 of a pure and correct style, is still held in venera- 
 tion throughout America, whose independence he 
 defended with his sword. 
 
 Esteemed as his writings are in France, they are 
 still better appreciated elsewhere ; his work upon 
 Public Happiness bearing even a higher character, 
 and being more relished in foreign parts. This cu- 
 rious work is levelled against many ancient idols ; it » 
 contains nevv^ and important truths, and proves, with 
 equal wit and argument, how much the lot of mo- 
 dern nations, assisted by the light of philosophy, is 
 preferable to that of those heroic people whose bril- 
 liancy and grandeur only are held up to the imitation 
 of our deluded youth. 
 
 This author, not permitting himself to be dazzled 
 with the meteor of ancient glory, recalls to mind 
 the imperfection and injustice of their laws, which 
 held in bondage, and treated as so many cattle, nine- 
 teen-twentieths of the human race ; the barbarity of 
 their manners, the frequently cruel absurdity of 
 their religious rites, and their utter ignorance of a 
 number of sciences, geographical, physical, operative, 
 mathematical, theoretic, and practical; all which, 
 diffusing their utility from the extremities of Europe 
 to those of America, are continually carrying civili- 
 zation to a higher degree of perfection, produce 
 every where order, security, and prosperity, preside 
 
OF COUNT SEGUK. 2Î81 
 
 over the wonders performed by the arts, alleviate 
 our evils, multiply our enjoyments a hundred fold, 
 establish, among all people, a rapid communica- 
 tion of information, of ideas, and of the fruits of 
 their labors, and render their barren wastes pro- 
 ductive. 
 
 These are the sciences that command the ele- 
 ments, that direct and avert the lightening of hea- 
 ven. With the aid of these, we behold the men of 
 our own times braving the tempests of the ocean, 
 through which they steer their way by means of a 
 floating canvass^ the invisible power of the magnet, 
 and the magical force of a concentrated vapor. In 
 short, the author every where presents us with the 
 fortunes of man, dignified, adorned, and improved, 
 by a milder religion, juster laws, wiser institutions, 
 and more enlightened governments. 
 
 Let us, then, offer the tribute of a well merited 
 gratitude to the author of Public Happiness, who, 
 dissipating the prejudices of the school, has attri- 
 buted, as they deserve, a higher character to the 
 cities of Paris and of London, than to those of Rome 
 and Athens, which are worthy, indeed, of our admi- 
 ration under majv points of view ; but which, in 
 other respects, do not deserve the servile and en- 
 thusiastic worship which has, too long, been paid to 
 them. 
 
 One of my most anxious wishes was to see Wash- 
 ington, the hero of America. He was then encamp- 
 ed at a short distance from us, and the Count de Ro- 
 chambeau was kind enough to introduce me to him. 
 Too often reality disappoints the expectations our 
 imagination had raised, and admiration diminishes by 
 a too near view of the object upon which it had 
 been bestowed ; but, on seeing General Washington, 
 Ï found a perfect similarity between the impression 
 
 36 
 
282 MEMOIRS 
 
 produced upon me by his aspect, and the idea I had 
 formed of him. 
 
 His exterior disclosed, as it were, the history of 
 his life: simplicity, grandeur, dignity, calmness, 
 gpodness, firmness, the attributes of his character, 
 were also stamped upon his features, and in all his 
 person. His stature was noble and elevated; the 
 expression of his features mild and benevolent ; his 
 smile graceful and pleasing; his manners simple, 
 without familiarity. 
 
 He did not display the luxury of a monarchical 
 general ; every thing announced in him the hero of 
 a republic; he inspired with, rather than command- 
 ed respect, and the expression of all those that sur- 
 rounded his person manifested the existence in their 
 breasts of feelings of sincere affection, and of that 
 entire confidence in the chief upon whom they 
 seemed exclusively to found ail their hopes of safe- 
 ty. His quarters, at a little distance from the camp, 
 otTered the image of the order and regularity dis- 
 played in the whole tenor of his life, his manner, and 
 conduct. 
 
 I had expected to find, in this popular camp, sol- 
 diers ill equipped, otiicers without instruction, repub- 
 licans destitute of that urbanity so common in our 
 old civilized countries. I recollected the first mo- 
 ment of their revolution, when husbandmen, and ar- 
 tizans, who had never held a gun, had hastened, 
 without order, and in the name of their country, to 
 go and fight the British phalanxes, offering only to 
 the view of their astonished enemies an assemblage 
 of rough and unpolished beings, whose only military 
 insignia consisted of a cap, upon which the word 
 liberty was written. 
 
 It will, therefore, be easily imagined how much I 
 was surprised at finding" an army well disciplined, in 
 which every thing offered the aspect of order, rea- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 283 
 
 son, information, and experience. The manners and 
 language of the generals, their aids-de-camp, and the 
 other officers were noble and appropriate, and were 
 heightened bj that natural benevolence which ap- 
 pears to me as much preferable to politeness, as a 
 mild countenance is preferable to a mask upon which 
 the utmost labour has been bestowed to render its 
 features graceful. 
 
 The personal dignity of each individual, the noble 
 pride w^ith which all were inspired by the love of 
 liberty, and a sentiment of equality, had been no 
 slight obstacles to the elevation of a chief who was 
 to rise above them without exciting their jealousy, 
 and to subject their independent spirit to the rules 
 of discipline without promoting discontent. 
 
 Any other man but Washington would have failed 
 in the attempt ; but such were his genius and his 
 "wisdom, that, in the midst of the storms of a revo- 
 lution, he commanded, during seven years, the army 
 of a free nation, without exciting the alarms of his 
 countrymen, or the suspicions of the Congress. 
 
 Under every circumstance he united in his favor 
 the suffrages of rich and poor, magistrates and war- 
 riors ; in short, Washington is, perhaps, the only man 
 who ever conducted and terminated a civil war 
 without having drawn upon himself any deserved 
 censure. As it was known to all that he entirely 
 disregarded his own private interest, and consulted 
 solely the general welfare, he enjoyed, during his 
 life, those unanimous homages which the greatest 
 men generally fail to receive from their contempo- 
 raries, and which they must only expect from pos- 
 terity. It might have been said that envy, seeing 
 him so highly established in public estimation, had 
 become discouraged, and cast away her shafts in des- 
 pair of their ever being able to reach him. 
 
 Washington, when I saw him, was forty-nine years 
 
284 MEMOIRS 
 
 of age. He endeavored modestly to avoid the 
 marks of admiration and respect which were so anx- 
 iously offered to him, and yet no man ever knew bet- 
 ter how to receive and to acknowleda:e them. He hs- 
 tened, with an obliging attention, to aii those who 
 addressed him, and the expression of his countenance 
 had conveyed his answer before he spoke. 
 
 When very young he commenced his mihtary ca- 
 reer by fighting against the French on the frontiers 
 of Canada, at the head of the Virginian mihtia ; and, 
 after his return from this campaign, that man, who 
 was destined to act so prominent a part in his coun- 
 try, remained, for a considerable time, at home, in a 
 state of inactivity, appearing to prefer a quiet phi- 
 losophical life to the agitations of public affairs. 
 
 Exempt from ambition, he interfered but little in 
 the events that marked the first steps of the Ame- 
 rican insurrection ; but, as soon as war was irrevoca- 
 bly declared, as the state and the army were in 
 want of a chief, all eyes were turned upon Wash- 
 ington, who was universally esteemed for his wis- 
 dom. In a country, besides, in which peace had 
 subsisted for so long a period, he was then, perhaps, 
 the only man having some notion and some recollec- 
 tion of war. 
 
 Inspired with the purest and most disinterested 
 love for his country, he refused to receive the salary 
 assigned to him as general-in-chief, and it was almost 
 in spite of him that the state undertook to defray 
 the cost of his table. That table was, every day^ 
 prepared for thirty guests, and the dinner, which, 
 according to the custom of the English and of the 
 Americans, lasted several hours, was concluded by 
 numerous toasts. Those most generally given were 
 — " The independence of the United States" — '• The 
 JKing and Queen of France" — -" Success to the Allied 
 Arnjies." After these came private toasts, or^ as 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 285 
 
 they were called in America, "sentiments." In ge- 
 neral, after the table had been cleared, and nothing 
 was ieft but bottles and cheese, the company still 
 remained seated round it until night. Temperance 
 was, however, one of Washington's virtues ; and, in 
 thus protracting the duration of his repast, he had 
 only one object in view ; the pleasure of conversa- 
 tion, which aiforded a diversion from his cares, and 
 repose from his fatigues. 
 
 When I dined at the table of this illustrious gene- 
 ral, of all the warlike guests it assembled. General 
 Gates was most particularly to me an object of lively 
 curiosity. It is known that he the first had the 
 glory of defeating an English army, and of obliging 
 it to pass under the yoke. That army, as well as 
 its commander. General Burgoyne, defiled before 
 Gates, and laid down its arms at his feet. 
 
 Gates, by his virtues and his courage, had deserv- 
 ed that favor of fortune, but he was unable to fix 
 her ; in a short time afterAvards he was beaten at 
 Campden, not through his own fault, but owing to 
 the desertion of some American militia, who ran 
 away. Having been accused before the Congress, 
 the decision of his fate was submitted to Washing- 
 ton, his rival in glory, and between whom and him- 
 self some feelings of jealousy subsisted. 
 
 W^ashington, who had, at first, manifested some 
 sympathy in favor of Gates, showed himself severe 
 as a judge, at the moment when indulgence would 
 have contributed to heighten his glory ; but entire 
 perfection does not fall to the lot of humanity. 
 Gates was dismissed from the service, and the com- 
 mand of his army was given to the brave and cele- 
 brated General Green. 
 
 Men of an elevated turn of mind dignify their mis- 
 fortunes by the courage with which they bear them. 
 That displayed by Gates was heroic and worthy of 
 
286 MEMOIRS 
 
 him ; he declared that, although he was deprived of 
 the honor of commanding, his firm resolution was to 
 continue to shed his blood, in the capacity of a sol- 
 dier, for the defence of his country as long as the 
 war for its independence should last, and be repair- 
 ed, with a noble confidence, to the tent of Washing- 
 ton. Their first interview, which was public, was ex- 
 pected with anxious curiosity. The decorum, dic- 
 tated by a generous courtesy, marked the conduct 
 of both parties on this occasion ; and both, though 
 placed in situations widely different, preserved a 
 modest dignity of deportment. From that moment 
 their quarrels ceased, and Washington restored to 
 Gates the confidence and the honors he so justly de- 
 served. 
 
 General Washington received me with great kind- 
 ness. He spoke to me of the gratitude which his 
 country would ever retain for the King of France 
 and for his generous assistance ; highly extolled the 
 wisdom and skill of General Count de Rochambeau, 
 expressing himself honored by having deserved and 
 obtained bis friendship ; warmly commended the 
 bravery and discipline of our army ; and concluded 
 by speaking to me, in very obliging and handsome 
 terms, of my father whose long services and nume- 
 rous wounds were becoming ornaments, he said, to a 
 minister of war. 
 
 We were continually in hopes that the English, 
 ashamed of their inactivity, would cease to remain 
 shut up in their intrenchments of New York and 
 would leave them to come and engage us. But, dis- 
 heartened by their reverses, they did not move and 
 contented themselves with blockading the ports, as 
 much as they could, in order to intercept the rein- 
 forcements and the news we expected from Europe. 
 
 Our impatience, to measure our strength with the 
 enemy's, was seconded by the Baron de Vioménil 
 
OF COUNT SEGUK. 287 
 
 whose temper was impetuous and who possessed a 
 most daring courage. He strenuously urged an at- 
 tack upon New York by our combined armies, but 
 the strong and steep position of that place, its nu- 
 merous intrenchments defended by strong batteries, 
 the succour and supplies it constantly received by 
 sea, and lastly the impossibility oi' investing it on all 
 sides, would have been, of themselves, sufficient rea- 
 sons to deter General Washington and Count de 
 Rochambeau from hazarding an attempt which 
 would have cost so many lives without necessity at 
 a moment when the English, to all appearance, ac- 
 knowledging themselves beaten, evidently proved 
 that they had abandoned all hope of depriving the 
 United States of their independence. 
 
 Besides the orders Î had brought to Count de Ro- 
 chambeau had prescribed to him the adoption of 
 another plan which was to be carried into effect, 
 unless unforeseen circumstances should prevent its 
 execution; and, as will be seen hereafter, it was in 
 the Antilles that our government intended to strike 
 the decisiv^e blows, which were to compel England 
 to put an end to the sanguinary contest and conclude 
 peace. * 
 
 The French camp, at Crampont, was situated fif- 
 teen miles or five leagues from the American camp. 
 We remained there three weeks, at the end of 
 which a report began to prevail in the army, that 
 we should soon leave the United States and embark, 
 at Boston, upon a squadron commanded by M. de 
 Vaudreuil. This separation chagrined extremely 
 Washington and the American army ; but the re- 
 sults of this measure, and the speedy peace it led to, 
 fully manifested, the following year, the wisdom of 
 the plan conceived by the French ministers. 
 
 On the 22d of October we commenced our march, 
 and, at the end of a week, arrived in the plain of 
 
288 MEMOIRS 
 
 Hartford, one of the largest towns of Connecticut. 
 We remained there four dajs, and there M. de Ro- 
 chambeau communicated to us officially, that, unless 
 an unexpected movement of the Engh'sh should coun- 
 teract his design, he intended to return immediately 
 to France with a part of his staflf, and that we should 
 be, henceforth, under the orders of the Baron de 
 Vioméniî. 
 
 We also heard, at the same time, that the squad- 
 ron of M. Vaudreuil was not yet ready to receive us, 
 and that this officer only washed us to arrive at Bos- 
 ton when he should have completed his prepara- 
 tions. We thus found ourselves compelled to re- 
 main a long while encamped, and afterwards to per- 
 form laborious marches during a season the incle- 
 mency of which already begun prematurely and 
 rather sharply to manifest itself, as the snow was 
 falling in abundance like in winter. 
 
 On the 4th of November the army set out for 
 Providence, and, as we were at some distance from 
 the camp and our presence was not indispensable, 
 the Prince de Broglie and myself asked M. de Ro- 
 chambeau's permission to make an excursion to New 
 London, a spot rendered memorable by the perfidi- 
 ous and sanguinary acts of vengeance committed by 
 Arnold, and to visit also Rhode-Island where our 
 troops had so long been stationed before they be- 
 gan their glorious campaign. MM. de Vauban, de 
 Champcenetz, de Chabannes, and Bozon de Talley- 
 rand-Perigord accompanied us in this little trip. 
 
 The country we passed through offered, to our 
 view, varied and rich prospects, a population nume- 
 rous, active, industrious and finding the reward of 
 its labors in the prosperity it enjoyed ; every where 
 a soil well cultivated, streets regular and clean 
 houses, lowns that were soon to become cities, and 
 villages which already resembled small towns. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 289 
 
 Tfee position of New-London upon the Thames, 
 at about a quarter of a mile from the mouth of that 
 river, where it flows into the sea, had rendered it, 
 we were told, a place of considerable trade and 
 yevy rich; but, when we saw 'it, the traitor Arnold 
 had burnt and destroyed it, and we walked upon the 
 remainino^ fragments of its stores and houses which 
 the fire had consumed. The two banks of the 
 Thames were defended bj two forts, one of which 
 still appeared in tolerably good condition and con- 
 tained a sufficient quantity of artillery. 
 
 We afterwards set off for Newport and journey- 
 ed fifty miles upon a road in a shocking condition. 
 This was the first bad road I had met with in the 
 United States. After having passed two ferries, of 
 which the second separates Rhode-Island from the 
 continent, we arrived in that Island. I was destin- 
 ed, on every occasion, to meet with perils by water 
 Avhilst I vainly sought to encounter them by land : 
 our boat struck violently and was on the point of 
 being upset ; prompt assistance, however, soon ex- 
 tricated us from our perilous situation. 
 
 On seeing Newport it was easy to understand the 
 regret felt by the French army on quitting that pret- 
 ty town where it had so long sojourned. Other 
 parts of America w^ere only beautiful by anticipa- 
 tion, but the prosperity of Rhode-Island was already 
 complete ; industry, cultivation, activity of trade 
 were all carried to great perfection. 
 
 Newport, well and regularly built, contained a 
 numerous population whose happiness was indicated 
 by its prosperity. It offered delightful circles com- 
 posed of enlightened and modest men and of hand- 
 some women, whose talents heightened their per- 
 sonal attractions. All the French officers, who knew 
 them, recollect the names and beautv of Mi?s 
 37 
 
290 MEMOIRS 
 
 Champlain, the two Misses Hunters and of several 
 others. 
 
 Like the remainder of my companions, I render- 
 ed them the homage to which thej were justlj en- 
 titled ; but my longest visits were paid to an old 
 man very silent, who very seldom bared his thoughts 
 and never bared his head. His gravity and mono- 
 syllabic conversation announced, at first sight, that 
 he was a quaker. It must however be confessed 
 that, in spite of all the veneration I felt for his vir- 
 tue, our first interview would probably have been 
 our last, had I not seen the door of the drawing;- 
 room suddenly opened, and a being, which resem- 
 bled a nymph rather than a woman, enter the apart» 
 ment. So much beauty, so much simplicity, so much 
 elegance and so much modesty were perhaps never 
 before combined in the same person. It was Polly 
 Leiton, the daughter of my grave quaker. Her 
 gown was white, like herself, Avhilst her ample mus- 
 lin neckerchief and the envious cambric of her cap, 
 which scarcely allowed me to see her light-colored 
 hair, and the modest attire in short, of a pious vir- 
 gin, seemed vainly to endeavour to conceal the most 
 graceful figure and the most beautiful forms ima- 
 ginable. 
 
 Her eyes seemed to reflect, as in a mirror, the 
 meekness and purity of her mind and the goodness 
 of her heart ; she received us with an open ingenui- 
 ty which delighted me, and the use of the familiar 
 word thou^ which the rules of her sect prescribed, 
 gave to our new acquaintance the appearance of an 
 old friendship. 
 
 In our conversations she excited my surprise by 
 the candor full of originality of her questions : " Thou 
 hast then," she said, " neither wife nor children in 
 Europe, since thou leavest thy country and comes! 
 so far to engage in that cruel occupation war?'* 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. ' 291 
 
 "But it is for your welfare," I replied, "that f 
 quit all 1 hold dear, and it is to defend jour liberty 
 that I come to fight the English." 
 
 " The EngHsh," she rejoined, " have done thee 
 no harnj, and wherefore shouldst thou care about 
 our liberty ? We ought never to interfere in other 
 people's business unless it be to reconcile them to- 
 gether and prevent the effusion of blood." 
 
 " But," said I, " my King has ordered me to come 
 here and engage his enemies and your own." — "Thy 
 King then, orders thee to do a thing which is unjust, 
 inhuman, and contrary to what thy God orderetb. 
 Thou shouldst obey thy God and disobey thy King, 
 for he is a King to preserve and not to destroy. I 
 am sure that thy wife, if she have a good heart, is 
 of my opinion." 
 
 What could I reply to that angel? For, in truth, 
 I was tempted to believe that she was a celestial 
 being. Certain it is that, if I had not then been 
 married and happy, I should, whilst coming to de- 
 fend the liberty of the Americans, have lost my own 
 at the feet of Polly Leiton. 
 
 The impression produced upon me by this charm- 
 ing girl was so different from what is experienced in 
 the gay vortex of the world that, as a natural con- 
 sequence, it diverted my mind, at least for a lime, 
 from all idea of concerts^ fetes and balls. 
 
 However, as the ladies of Newport had acquired 
 strong claims upon our gratitude by the kind recep- 
 tion they had honored us with, and by the favora- 
 ble opinion they expressed of our companions in 
 arms, whose absence they deeply regretted, we re^- 
 solved to give them a magnificent ball and supper, a 
 step not dictated by absolute prudence, since we 
 were only seven or eight officers ten leagues distant 
 from our army. 
 
 Long-Island, which was occupied by our enemies, 
 
292 MEMOIRS 
 
 was not far from Newport; and we were told that 
 English pirates sometimes made their appearance on 
 the coast; such being the case and the report of 
 onvfete having got abroad, they might have paid us 
 a visit and rather strangely disturbed our jovial par- 
 ty. This apprehension, however, appeared to us 
 quite unfounded, and I quickly sent for some musi- 
 cians belonging to the regiment of Soissonnais. Dés- 
 oteux, who since acquired some celebrity during our 
 revolution, as a leader of chouans^ under the name of 
 Comartin, took upon himself, assisted by Vauban, to 
 make the necessary preparations for the ball and 
 supper, whilst we went about the town distributing 
 our invitations. 
 
 This little fête was one of the prettiest I have 
 eyer witnessed; it was adorned by beauty, and cor- 
 diality presided over the reception and entertain- 
 ment of the guests ; but Polly Leiton could not be 
 present, and I cannot deny that this circumstance 
 occasionally cast a gloom over my spirits. 
 
 Time glided on so agreeably at Newport, that we 
 were not anxious to hasten our return to our tents, 
 and relying upon the indulgence of our general, we 
 exceeded by a few days the leave of absence he had 
 given us. But M. de Rochambeau, who knew all 
 the importance of a strict adherence to discipline, 
 despatched positive orders for us to join immediately 
 our respective regiments; we therefore reluctantly 
 quitted Newport, and quickly proceeded to our head- 
 quarters which were then at Providence. 
 
 Providence must now be a large city, and might 
 already, at that time, have been considered a pretty 
 little town. It then only contained three thousand 
 inhabitants ; but all were in easy circumstances which 
 they owed to assiduous labor and active industry. 
 It is situated in the midst of a valley watered by the 
 river Naraganset, which is tolerably wide and navi- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 293 
 
 gable. The name of Naraganset recalls to my mind, 
 that, previously to reaching Providence, I had passed 
 through a village or rather an irregular assemblage 
 of miserable huts bearing that name. It contained 
 the last remnants of the savage tribe of the Naragan- 
 sets who, during several centuries, had enjoyed the 
 undisturbed possession of this province. 
 
 Man, in his savage state, shuns the presence of 
 man in a state of civilization, and soon disappears 
 from the soil where the latter begins to appear. 
 Civilization, so far from oiFering any attractions to 
 the savage, is an intolerable yoke which he abhors. 
 In vain have some children of savage tribes, which 
 had been abandoned by their parents, been carefully 
 brought up and educated in English and American 
 colleges, instructed in the elements of sciences and 
 arts, dressed and fed like Europeans, and made 
 acquainted with all the advantages and comforts of 
 social life ; no sooner had they attained age and 
 strength sufficient, than they have invariably seized 
 an opportunity to escape, and returned with impa- 
 tient ardor (o their forests and to the cabins of their 
 fathers, there to enjoy the sweets of a turbulent 
 liberty and of a wandering life which they prefer to 
 every thing. No liberty appears to them deserving 
 of that name, if it is shackled by any kind of re- 
 straint. 
 
 A few individuals of the Naragansets tribe, had, 
 however, from some cause which I do not know, 
 remained in the place of their birth, when their 
 fellov/ countrymen quitted it. By degrees their 
 village, formerly situated in the midst of thick 
 forests, had been surrounded by cultivated fields, 
 well peopled towns and trading cities, and in the 
 centre of a rich and industrious American province, 
 this poor Indian tribe appeared like a savage oasis, 
 placed in the midst of the richest prospect of civil- 
 ization. 
 
294 MEMOIRS 
 
 These Indians, isolated by their manners in this 
 magnificent frame which surrounded the wretched 
 picture they formed, had preserved an inviolate 
 attachment to the manners, worship, and mode of 
 living of their countrymen. They had made no 
 advances towards improvement, nothing was altered 
 in the miserable construction of their huts and in the 
 shape of their clothes or rather covering; their 
 manners resembled those of their forefathers and 
 they spoke the same language : but their population 
 diminished every year and perhaps no trace of it is 
 left at the present day. 
 
 Our army was encamped on the road to Boston, 
 three miles from Providence. The autumn was like 
 the winter, the cold was sharp and the snow fell in 
 abundance. As we were not yet certain as to the 
 time of our departure which might still be very 
 much protracted, M. de Rochambeau caused bar- 
 racks to be built for the soldiers, and allowed colo- 
 nels to lodge in private houses where every one 
 eagerly offered us an asylum. 
 
 This permission afforded me the agreeable oppor- 
 tunity of observing, more in detail, the interior of 
 an American family and their mode of living. I 
 was delighted with the simplicity and frank cordiality 
 of my hosts, and with the purity of their morals. 
 Their politeness was the more pleasing, as it was 
 entii'ely free from cereraoniousness ; they were at the 
 same time well informed, and devoid of all affecta- 
 tion; every thing in them was natural, and their plea- 
 sures appeared to consist in the discharge of their 
 duties. Wit, with them, was good sense, and reason 
 dictated their language, and presided over their 
 actions. In short, it really must be admitted, that 
 truth and happiness, so far from being totally banish- 
 ed from the earth, as certain morose philosophers 
 pretend, are every where to be met with in America. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 295 
 
 Although the instructions received by M. de 
 Rochambeaulel't him a considerable latitude iniheir 
 execution, to enable hina to meet the exigences of 
 circumstances that could not be forseen at such a 
 distance from the field of their operation, every 
 thing tended more and more to confirm him in the 
 resolution of following the plan pointed out by 
 ministers. The intelligence he received on all sides, 
 concurred to prove, that the English, abandoning all 
 hopes of being able to subdue the United States, 
 intended to evacuate Charlestovvn, to leave a corps 
 of Hessians in New York, and to transport all their 
 forces to the Antilles, in order to defend their own 
 islands and attack ours. 
 
 Information previously received, might indeed 
 have induced a belief that general Clinton would 
 attempt some great stroke before he left North 
 America, and would issue from his intrenchments to 
 attack the allied armies. This expectation had 
 caused us to retard our march, in the hopes of 
 giving the English general reason to repent his 
 temerity ; but whether he did, or did not form such 
 a plan, the fact is, that he remained prudently shut 
 up within his lines. Nothing, therefore could detain 
 lis any longer, and we impatiently awaited the mo- 
 ment when the squadron of M. de Vaudreuil should 
 be ready to receive us on board. 
 
 M. de Rochambeau, desirous of proving to the 
 last moment, by his private conduct, as he had done 
 by the great services he had rendered, how anxious 
 he was to secure the affection of the Americans, and 
 be regretted by them, gave several balls and assem- 
 blies at Providence, which were attended by all the 
 neighbourhood within ten leagues of that city. 
 
 1 do not recollect to have seen any where else an 
 assemblage, in which a greater dcgiee of mirth 
 prevailed without confusion, in which there was a 
 
296 . MEMOIRS 
 
 greater number of pretty wornen, and married peo- 
 ple living happily together, a greater proportion of 
 beauty free from coquetry, a more complete mixture 
 of persons of all classes, whose conduct and manners 
 presented an equal degree of decorum, which obli- 
 terated all appearance of unpleasant contrast or 
 distinctions. This decorum, and the order and wise 
 liberty which characterised the New Republic, 
 whose happiness was so firmly established from its 
 cradle, were the constant topics of my frequent con* 
 versations with the Chevalier de Chastellux. 
 
 Every thing in the foundation of these rich colo- 
 nies, in their revolution and their legislation, exhi- 
 bited a kind of phenomenon, of which history offers 
 no precedent, and which must be explained by causes 
 widely different from those which have presided 
 over the origin, formation and progressive advance- 
 ment of every known government. 
 
 Without speaking of the nations of antiquity, 
 whose origin is "involved in darkness, and whose 
 history in its earliest periods is mixed up with fables 
 and prodigies, it will be sufficient to remark, that 
 almost every modern government has owed its estab- 
 lishment to conquest, its police to military force, its 
 aggrandizement to fortune. 
 
 The conquerors, the barbarous destroyers of the 
 Roman empire, whose manners were slowly softened 
 by the adoption of the evangelical worship, created 
 governments, or rather military associations vv^hich 
 divided the land amongst them, and offered, for a 
 considerable period of time, the image of a military 
 aristocracy encamped on the field of its victories. 
 
 The higher classes or officers of this aristocracy, 
 oppressing the conquered, and shewing but little 
 respect for their chiefs became great personages, 
 mayors of the palaces, governors and commanders 
 of provinces ; judges and magistrates not over sub* 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 2Ô7 
 
 missive, at a later period, dukes, earls, lords, nobles, 
 knights. They assumed all the power attached to 
 royalty, and the bishops, and abbés followed their 
 example, there were as many laws and customs as 
 there were seignories. 
 
 In order, however, to put an end to anarchy, this 
 chaos became organized, and gave rise to feudal 
 power. By degrees, in consequence of the hierar- 
 chy established by this system, kings seconded by 
 their people, increased and strengthened their power, 
 at the expence of the power of their nobles. 
 
 Hence, at last, emerged the monarchical order, 
 such as we now see it established in most of the 
 European states, an order imposing in itself, but 
 necessarily compounded in its composition of the 
 ruins of feudality, and the remains of sacerdotal 
 powxr. 
 
 In this state of things, liberty is ever struggîing 
 against regal authority, which concentrates in itself 
 all the power possessed by the ancient seignories ; 
 equality is consequently discarded by the recollec- 
 tions or the prejudices of a nobility stripped of its 
 power, but not of its old pretensions, and of its pride ; 
 and lastly, tolerance meets almost every where with 
 opposition, from a religion which is more or less ex- 
 clusively acknowledged. 
 
 In almost every republic of Europe, traces more 
 or less strongly defined of ancient feudal institu- 
 tions are to be found, and in England aristocracy is 
 still the basis of the legislature. It might even be 
 said, that the aristocracy of England has preserved 
 a greater number of ancient privileges than that of 
 other countries, because it has had the fortunate 
 wisdom of becoming the patron of public liberty, 
 and of uniting with the people against arbitrary- 
 power. 
 
 This rapid sketch, and a perusal of the history of 
 38 
 
298 MEMOIRS 
 
 every country, will be sufficient to demonstrate how 
 impossible it has been, and how difficult it would 
 still be at the present day, to establish there a legis- 
 lature uniform, simple, equal for all, and to prevent 
 it from wearing the livery, and assuming the motly 
 appearance of ancient manners. 
 
 By a surprising effect of chance, the new republic 
 of North America, founded in its origin, not by con- 
 quest, but by the transactions of the pacific Penn; 
 has not had to encounter and to overcome any of 
 these obstacles. Its legislators prosecuting their la- 
 bors in an enlightened age, without being obliged to 
 triumph over a military power ; to limit an absolute 
 authority, to strip the clergy of a preponderating re- 
 ligion of its power, a nobility of its privileges, nume- 
 rous families of their fortunes, and to erect their 
 new edifice over ruins cemented with blood, have 
 been enabled to found their institutions upon the 
 principles of reason, of complete liberty, and of poli- 
 tical equality ; no ancient prejudice, no antiquated 
 chimera came to place itself between them and the 
 light of truth. One single effort, a single war, to 
 shake off the yoke of the mother country, has been 
 sufficient to free them from all restraint ; and their 
 laws, enacted solely with a view to the general inte- 
 rest, have been engraven on minds free from all 
 previous impressions, without having to encounter à 
 spirit of opposition from any class, sect, or party, or 
 from any private interests. 
 
 The result of this position, and of all these cir- 
 cumstances, until then unexampled and unheard of, 
 has been the establishment of a form of government 
 as perfect as can issue from the hands of man, of a 
 government whose wisdom is proved by its unceas- 
 ing and ever increasing prosperity, during half a 
 century. 
 
 Already have the advantages of their institutions. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 299 
 
 been widely disseminated, and they will more and 
 more diffuse a light that will every where assist 
 mankind, in emerging from either the chaos of anar- 
 chy, or the darkness in which it is enveloped by des- 
 potism ; the benefit derived from their lessons and 
 their experience will, doubtless, have its due opera- 
 tion, and every day proves that it has not been be- 
 stowed in vain. 
 
 It would however be rash and imprudent, if, in- 
 stead of culling from these institutions, what may be 
 applicable to each country according to its position, 
 attempts were made to select them as models in an- 
 cient civilized countries, where they could only be 
 established upon wrecks and ruins, and after having 
 overcome an almost invincible degree of resistance- 
 
 The European States, besides, surrounded by 
 powerful neighbours, are obliged to be constantly 
 armed, and to maintain numerous troops, a necessity 
 incompatible with the nature and unrestrained liber- 
 ty of a government like that of the United States. 
 
 Every thing concurred, as by miracle, to favor that 
 new legislation, and advantage and assistance were 
 even derived by it, from circumstances which, at the 
 outset, wore an unfavorable aspect. In the first 
 place, the immensity of that part of the American 
 Continent, so far from embarrassing the founders of 
 the republic, marvellously seconded their views; for 
 that land, the only limits of which, to the west, were 
 the Pacific Ocean, and whose only neighbour was 
 Kamschatka, being inhabited by weak Indian tribes. 
 the civilized Americans could easily secure to them- 
 selves, the occupation of an almost unbounded terri- 
 tory. 
 
 This circumstance was most favorable to the mo- 
 rals of this new people: a great danger in every 
 country arises from the misery and compulsory inac- 
 tivity of a numerous class, entirely destitute of all 
 
300 MEMOIllS 
 
 share in the property of the soil ; but in the United 
 States, this evil cannot exist, since there is every 
 where a greater proportion of land than of men, and 
 that all those who can and will work, find means of 
 existence, and even of becoming rich, without ever 
 being tempted to have recourse to swindling, theft, 
 murder, or revolt. 
 
 It might also have been apprehended, that, as this 
 country had then been inhabited dunng a century 
 by Europeans of all nations, and who had all brought 
 W'ith them different religions, manners, and habits, it 
 would be found almost impossible, not only to subject 
 them to an uniform system of legislation, but even 
 to induce them to live in peace and concord . toge- 
 ther. 
 
 Experience, however, proved that this apprehen- 
 sion was totally unfounded, for all those who had 
 abandoned their country, to inhabit America, were 
 men persecuted and proscribed in their native land, 
 either on account of their religion, or because they 
 had found themselves implicated in political distur- 
 bances, and oppressed by the tyranny of the party 
 hy which they had been defeated. 
 
 Such were the motives which induced a great 
 number of Dutch to carry their commercial activity 
 to New York in Mew England, and of Swedes to go 
 and dig the ground in New Jersey and Delaware. 
 The presbyterians of Great Britain sought a refuge 
 against religious persecution at Boston ; the German 
 anabaptists and the Irish catholics, stripped of their 
 property, hastened to Pennsylvania, there to seek 
 repose and protection ; lastly, a great number of 
 French protestants fled to Carolina. For so many 
 victims of oppression liberty was not only a want but 
 a passion. 
 
 Notwithstanding a few arbitrary acts on the part 
 of the English government, the American colonists 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 30Ï 
 
 found, under the protection of the English laws, a 
 great proportion of that liberty and of those rights 
 which they would vainly have claimed in their na- 
 tive land ; all, therefore, cheerfully submitted to the 
 laws by which the colonies Were governed. 
 
 Moreover, the multiplicity of religions rendered 
 toleration indispensable amongst them, and, what 
 will, perhaps, appear singular, the example of this 
 toleration was set by the catholics. No church, 
 therefore, was privileged or considered the estab- 
 lished church; the ministers of each religion were 
 paid by those who professed it, and there existed 
 between them, not a fatal spirit of jealousy, a source 
 of discord, but a laudable emulation of charity, be- 
 nevolence and virtue. 
 
 It was thus that the minds of a nation who had 
 nothing to fear, either from religious fanaticism, from 
 the pride of a privileged class, or from the turbu- 
 lence of an unemployed and unfortunate mob, were 
 formed to principles of justice, reason, toleration and 
 true liberty ; and who, all enjoying the same rights, 
 no longer made any distinction between their private 
 interests and the interest of the public and general 
 welfare. 
 
 In this fortunate situation, the waste lands soon 
 became cultivated, the comforts of life were more 
 generally diffused, and the population increased so 
 rapidly that the British government took umbrage 
 at this growing prosperity, and unjustly used their 
 power to arrest its progress. They forbade the in- 
 crease of establishments at a distance from the coasts, 
 they shackled trade by fiscal restrictions, and, in se- 
 veral provinces, the governors even began to perse- 
 cute some of the sects inimical to the anglican church. 
 The Americans complained loudly at London, and 
 were ill received, the burthen of fiscality became 
 every day more and more intolerable. The proud 
 
302 MEMOIRS 
 
 spirit of this independent race was also continually 
 humbled by seeing America made the land of trans- 
 portation for vagabonds and culprits condemned by 
 the courts of justice, and the acts of parliament, re- 
 specting tea and stamps, carried the irritation of the 
 pubhc mind to the highest pitch. Under these cir- 
 cumstances, several inhabitants of this colony, distin- 
 guished by their merit, were sent to London, not to 
 present humble petitions, but to speak the language 
 of free men who knew their rights and felt their 
 power. 
 
 In spite of the wise counsels of a well informed 
 opposition, the English ministry only replied to the 
 Americans by threats and violent measures. . They 
 then rose and fled to arms, the cry of liberty re- 
 sounded on all sides, the revolution broke out, and 
 they declared their independence. 
 
 It now became necessary to determine, in the 
 midst of the agitation of war, whether a monarchy 
 should be established, or several republics should be 
 formed, or whether these should all be united by a 
 common tie. Then it was that the happy results of 
 all the causes of prosperity and harmony, which I 
 have before alluded to, was obtained. Each of 
 these thirteen states, whilst fighting against a superb 
 and powerful enemy, quietly framed its constitution, 
 and appointed wise deputies who met together in 
 Congress. These assemblies were pacific, and their 
 deliberations wise and prudent ; a common tie ren- 
 dered the confederation powerful, whilst the indivi- 
 dual legislation of each state secured its local indepen- 
 dence. 
 
 Few alterations were introduced into the manners 
 and civil laws, the government alone was altered. A 
 president, chosen for a limited number of years, hav- 
 ing neither guards nor privileges, subject to the law 
 like every other citizen, and responsible as well as 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 303 
 
 the ministers he named, was entrusted with the ex- 
 ecutive power, but only for objects relative to ex- 
 ternal policy, trade and the general defence of the 
 federated republics. This authority, the duration 
 of which was hmited to a small number of years, 
 was, moreover, watched by a senate and by a cham- 
 ber of deputies representing the thirteen states by 
 which they were elected. Thus was every precau- 
 tion required by public order, by unshackled liberty, 
 and by the safety of the confederation, established 
 by a marvellous prudence which foresaw and even 
 regulated bv anticipation the alterations in the con- 
 stitution which time and experience might render 
 necessary. 
 
 At last, to the great surprise of every nation, and 
 even of the most enlightened men of every country, 
 that America, until then so little known, produced a 
 phenomenon, a political edifice superior to any that 
 had yet appeared in even the most ingenious sys- 
 tems of Utopia. The only danger to be apprehend- 
 ed hereafter for this happy republic, which then 
 consisted of three millions of inhabitants, and which 
 has now a population of ten millions, is the state of 
 excessive opulence of which its exclusive commerce 
 seems to hold out the promise, and which may bring 
 luxury and corruption in its train. 
 
 The southern provinces should also anticipate and 
 avoid another danger, arising from the circumstance 
 of their containing; a grreat number of poor inhabit- 
 ants, and of extensive landholders possessing immense 
 fortunes. These fortunes are constantly increasing^ 
 and seem only capable of being maintained by the 
 labors of a population of negroes and slaves, a po- 
 pulation which is becoming more numerous every 
 day, and which may be frequently driven to despair 
 and revolt, by observing the contrast of their state 
 of bondage with the entire liberty enjoyed by men 
 
304 MEMOIRS 
 
 of the same color in the other provinces of the con- 
 federation. 
 
 Is not that difference which is observable between 
 the manners and situation of the north and of the 
 south, calculated, in fact, to create an apprehension 
 for the future of a political separation, which would 
 weaken, and, perhaps, even dissolve this happy 
 union, which can onlj retain its strength whilst it 
 remains firm and intimate ? Such was the melancho- 
 ly reflection which closed the last conversation I had 
 / with the Chevalier de Chastellux, at the time he 
 
 * took his departure from the army. 
 
 Before I conclude these observations respecting 
 the causes of the prosperity of the United States, I 
 cannot avoid observing that the choice made by the 
 King, in appointing Count de Rochambeau to the 
 command of the French army, was also a most for- 
 tunate circumstance in favor of the new republic, for 
 it would have been impossible to find a man uniting, 
 in a greater degree, skill, experience, sagacity, firm- 
 ness, and popularity. 
 
 He was most admirably calculated to agree with 
 Washington, and to serve with republicans. A 
 friend to order, laws and liberty, we were all con- 
 strained, even more by his example than by his au- 
 thority, most scrupulously to respect the rights, pro- 
 perty, customs, and morals of our allies. The con- 
 sequence of this conduct was, that discipline was so 
 well observed during the protracted residence of 
 our army in America, and in the course of our seve- 
 ral campaigns, that not a dispute occurred, not a 
 blow was given between the Americans and the 
 French. 
 
 A trait related in the memoirs of this general, of 
 which honorable mention was afterwards made in 
 one of the meetings of our first national assembly, 
 and which we all witnessed, will suffice to show, on 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 305 
 
 one side, the prudence and affability of M. de Ro- 
 chatnbeau, and, on the other, the idea which each 
 American entertained of the inviolable power of the 
 law. 
 
 At the moment of our quitting the camp of Cram- 
 
 Eont, as M. de Rochambeau was proceeding, at the 
 ead of our columns, surrounded by his brilliant staff, 
 an American approached him, tapped him slightly 
 on the shoulder, and, shewing him a paper he held 
 in his hand, said to him : " In the name of the law 
 you are my prisoner !" Several young officers were 
 indignant at this insult offered to their general, but 
 he restrained their impatience by a sign, smiled, and 
 said to the American ; " Take me away with you if 
 you can." " No," replied the American, " I have 
 done my duty, and your excellency may proceed on 
 your march if you wish to set justice at defiance ; in 
 that case I only ask to be allowed to withdraw un- 
 molested. Some soldiers, of the division of Soisson- 
 nais, have cut down several trees, and burnt them to 
 light their fires ; the owner of them claims an in- 
 demnity, and has obtained a warrant against you, 
 which 1 come to execute." 
 
 M. de Rochambeau, having heard this explana- 
 tion, which was translated to him by one of his aids- 
 de-camp, called M. de Villemanzy, now a peer of 
 France, and then intendant of the army, appointed 
 him to be his bail, and ordered him to settle this af- 
 fair, and to pay what should be considered fair, if 
 the indemnity he had already offered was not thought 
 sufficient. The American then withdrew; and the 
 general and his army, who had thus been arrested 
 by a constable, continued their march. A judgment 
 of arbitration was afterwards pronounced, fixing two 
 thousand francs, that is to say, a sura less than the 
 general had offered, as the amount of damages due 
 39 
 
306 MEMOIRS 
 
 to this unjust proprietor, who had claimed fifteen 
 thousand, and he was even condemned to pay costs. 
 
 Not only has the American repubhc been distin- 
 guished, above all others, by the wisdom of its insti- 
 tutions, and by the internal repose it has enjoyed for 
 the last ûHty years, but it has also steered clear of 
 the reproach of ingratitude, which history has con- 
 stantly addressed to almost all republican states. In 
 all solemnities, in cwevy fete the toasts to Louis XVI. 
 and France are never forgotten ; and again, on a re- 
 cent occasion, when unanimously decerning to Gene- 
 ral La Fayette the most splendid triumph ever en- 
 joyed by any man, ten millions of Americans have 
 proved that the services rendered to them, the dan- 
 gers braved, and the efforts made to secure their in- 
 dependence, remained indelibly engraved in their 
 memory. I cannot well conceive how some morose 
 beings have refused to feel and to understand that 
 such eminent honors, paid to a Frenchman, were an 
 homage rendered to France, and to her monarch. 
 
 The moment of our departure at last arrived, and 
 all uncertainty with respect to General Clinton be- 
 ing at an end, and M. de Vaudreuil having written 
 that his squadron was ready to reçoive us, M. de 
 Rochambeau, accompanied by the Chevalier de 
 Chastellux, and a part of his staff, left us, after hav- 
 ing delivered the command of the army to Baron de 
 Vioménil, who ordered us to break up our camp at 
 Providence, on the first of December, and march to 
 Boston. 
 
 The Count Bozon de Talleyrand-Périgord, broth- 
 er of Prince Talleyrand, and then very young, was 
 aide-de-camp to M. de Chastellux, who now wished to 
 take him back to France, as he had been confided 
 to him by his parents, and he didnotv;ish, by chang- 
 ing the young man's destination, to become responsi- 
 ble with them for the accidents and chances of the 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 307 
 
 war. Bozon Avas, with reason, much grieved that a 
 
 his first step in the career of arms should thus be a / 
 
 mere momentary apparition at the army ; he vainly 
 entreated all our generals to take him with them, 
 and, in his despair, he came to me. I pitied him, 
 but declined giving him any advice. " It is not your 
 advice that I come to ask," said he, " but secrecy 
 and assistance. I have resolved not to return to 
 France with M. de Chastellux, and, as no general 
 will take me, either as officer or aide-de-camp, I turn 
 soldier, and choose you for my chief: the only favor 
 I ask of you is to give me an uniform, and to hide 
 me in the ranks of your regiment." 
 
 This resolution of a young warrior, eighteen years 
 old, pleased me. M. de Saint-Maime, the colonel 
 commanding the regiment, was gone to Boston, and 
 the command had devolved upon me ; I, therefore, 
 dressed Bozon in one of my uniforms, to which I at^ 
 tached woollen epaulettes, gave him a grenadier's 
 cap, and christened him Va-de-bon-cœur.^ 
 
 At the moment, however, when M. de Rocham- 
 beau was going to leave us, 1 confidentially disclosed 
 to him what 1 had done. He replied that as he 
 could not, as general, approve of our conduct, he 
 should say nothing, and should wink at an act which, 
 as a soldier, he looked upon as noble and praise- 
 worthy. Thus Bozon, or rather Va-de-hon-cœur^ vo- 
 lunteer grenadier, marched away with his haversac 
 on his back, and his gun on his shoulder. 
 
 The severity of the cold rendered our march 
 painful. I was, moreover, obliged to keep, night 
 and day, a strict watch. The prospect of happiness 
 which liberty presented to the soldiers in this coun- 
 try, had created in many of them a desire of quit- ^ 
 ting their colors, and of remaining in America, in 
 
 '^ Va-de-bon-cœur^ go willing'ly. 
 
308 MExMOIRS 
 
 several corps, therefore, the desertion was conside- 
 rable; thanks however, to our watchfulness and 
 good fortune, the regiment of Soissonnais lost but a 
 few men. 
 
 Before we entered Boston, our troops changed 
 their dress in the open air, and appeared in a 
 short time in such excellent attire, that it seemed 
 incredible, that this army, coming from York 
 Town, could have travelled over many hundred 
 leagues of country, and been exposed to all the in- 
 clemency of a rainy autumn, and of a premature 
 winter. 
 
 No review or parade ever displayed troops in 
 better order, offering an appearance, at once more 
 neat and brilliant. A great part of the population 
 of the town came out to meet us. The ladies stood 
 at their windows, and welcomed us with the liveliest 
 applause ; our stay was marked by continued rejoic- 
 ings, by feasts and balls, which succeeded each oth- 
 er, day after day ; they displayed with equal since- 
 rity, the contending sentiments of joy at the triumphs 
 of the allied armies, and of sorrow at our approach- 
 ing departure. 
 
 At the first review our generals soon discovered 
 Bozon, under the dress of Va-de-bon-cœur^ and pre- 
 tended not to recognize him; soon, however, the 
 warlike zeal of my young soldier became the ge- 
 neral topic of conversation in the whole town ; and 
 Va-de-bon-cœur had the honor of being invited to all 
 the solemn feasts, given by the magistrates and the 
 authorities of Boston, to the generals and superior 
 officers of the arniy. It was decided at last, that 
 Bozon should not leave me, and should do the duties 
 of my aide-de-camp during the whole of this cam- 
 paign, until one of our general officers should have it 
 in his power to receive him in the same capacity. 
 Boston was the first of the American towns that 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 309 
 
 gave the signal of independence to the United States, 
 and its inhabitants were the first to cement the ris- 
 ing liberty with their blood. Liberty strikes a deep- 
 er root in these northern regions, where the climate 
 is more rigorous, the religion toore austere, the sj:)irit 
 of equality more generally prevalent, instruction of 
 a stronger cast, and where the manners and courage 
 of men display a more unbending energy. 
 
 In this town I became acquainted with Samuel 
 Adams, and with Hancock, the first and immortal 
 founders of the American republics; I also formed 
 with Doctor Cooper, celebrated for his profound 
 writings, an intimacy which we kept up for a long 
 time, through the means of an epistolary correspon- 
 dence. 
 
 Bold in his sermons. Doctor Cooper delivered 
 from the pulpit discourses of a political as well as a 
 religious tendency ; and in order to excite the public 
 mind, and to defend the liberty of his country, he 
 wielded the weapons of the fathers of the church at 
 the same time as those of Voltaire and Rousseau. 
 His great talents procured him zealous partisans and 
 ardent enemies. Who can gain elevation without 
 exciting envy ? and so blind was the envy that pur- 
 sued him, as to accuse him, however contradictory 
 the charges, of too great an exaltation in his maxims, 
 and of too much pliancy in his conduct. 
 
 Boston which, owing to its commercial relations, 
 has long been in a flourishing state, appears like the 
 ancestor of the other American cities, and at the pe- 
 riod of my residence there, bore a perfect resem- 
 blance to a large and ancient English town. 
 
 Boston affords a proof that democracy and luxury 
 are not incompatible, for in no part of the United 
 States, is so much comfort, or a more agreeable so- 
 ciety to be found. Europe does not offer to our 
 admiration women adorned with greater beauty. 
 
310 MEMOIRS 
 
 elegance, education, or more brilliant accomplish- 
 ments than the ladies of Boston, such as Mesdames 
 Jervis, vSmith, Tudor, and Morton. Mrs. Tudor, 
 who was afterwards seen in France, has become 
 known by her writings full of wit, one of which 
 was addressed to the Queen of France, and was 
 brought over by M. de Chasteilux, and presented to 
 that Princess. 
 
 I lodged at the extremity of the town, in a pret- 
 ty dwelling house belonging to Captain Philips. 
 This officer, who had been greatly ill-used by the 
 English, probably thought that one way of being 
 revenged of them was to give a heartj welcome to 
 a Frenchman. I was therefore received as a mem- 
 ber of the family, and shall never forget his obliging 
 hospitality. 
 
 The fleet commanded by M. de Vaudreuil consist- 
 ed of three eighty-gun ships, seven of seventy- four 
 guns, and two frigates, bearing thirty-two guns. 
 They were called le Triomphant^ la Couronne^ le 
 DuC'de-Bourgogne^ PHercule, le Souverain, le JVeptune, 
 la Bourgogne, le JVorthiimberland, le Brave, le Cito- 
 yen, r Amazone et la JVéréide. 
 
 I embarked on board le Souverain, commanded 
 by the commander Glandevez, an officer equally 
 respectable for his age, his talents, and his bravery. 
 His intelligence, his mild piety, and the calm 
 gentleness of his disposition had ensured him the 
 affection of his chiefs, of his equals, and of his in- 
 feriors. 
 
 We were forty-two officers on board of this ship; 
 but, as I was the only colonel amongst them, 1 en- 
 joyed the advantage of being lodged in the council 
 chamber, of having a comfortable bed, and room 
 enough to apply to study. 
 
 The faithful Bozon had his hammock near me ; 
 and a fortunate chance, brought on board the same 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 311 
 
 âhip, two of mj intimate friends, Alexander de La- 
 me th, and Mr. Liuch, an officer on the staff. 
 
 We set sail on the 24th of December; and I did 
 not quit North America without expressing the most 
 painful feelings. 
 
 1 cannot better describe the impression I felt, 
 than by quoting the expressions of a letter 1 wrote 
 at the moment of leaving that happy land: "This is 
 the day," I said, " on which I set sail ; I am quitting 
 with infinite regret a country where, without obstacle 
 or difficulty, we are, what every where else we ought 
 to be, sincere and free. Here all private interests 
 meige into the general welfare; every one lives for 
 himself, dresses as he pleases, and not as it pleases 
 fashion. People here think, say, and do what they 
 like; nothing compels them to submit to the caprices 
 of fortune or of power. The law protects individu- | 
 al will against the will of all ; and nothing obliges 1 
 any one to be deceitful, humble, or cringing. Every ^ 
 body may, at pleasure, be plain or singular, court so- 
 litude or society ; live as traveller, politician, litera- 
 ry character, or as merchant, without being either 
 disturbed in his occupations, or molested in his idle- 
 ness. Singularity of manners or of taste, gives of- 
 fence to no one. There exists no restraint beyond 
 that of a very limited number of just laws which 
 are equally dispensed to all, and all enjoy peace, 
 happiness and consideration, as long as they respect 
 those laws and the public morals, whereas in other 
 countries, fashion and fortune are often attained by a 
 defiance of the laws and of public morals. I have 
 never found, in short, any thing else in this political 
 Eldorado, but public confidence, frank hospitality, 
 and open cordiality. Young girls here are innocent- 
 ly coquettish in search of husbands, whilst married 
 women act with propriety, in order to preserve 
 theirs; and the gross irregularity which, under the 
 
312 MEMOIRS 
 
 name of gallantry, Avould in Paris only raise a 
 smile, is here shuddered at, under the name of 
 adultery." 
 
 '" Although beset by the storms of a civil war, the 
 Americans so little suspect mankind of an immorali- 
 ty which their own minds cannot conceive, that in 
 their small dwelling houses, isolated in the midst of 
 immense forests, the doors have no bolts, and are 
 kept shut by latchets only. The strangers whom 
 they admit to lodge with them, together with the 
 servants, find all their presses and wardrobes left 
 open, though filled with their money and apparel. 
 Far from suspecting any possible violation of the 
 rights of hospitality, they allow their guests to walk 
 about for Avhole days alone with their daughters of 
 sixteen years of age, who have no other protection 
 than their modesty, and whose ingenuous familiarity 
 bespeaks their innocence, and commands respect 
 from the most depraved hearts. I shall, perhaps, 
 be told that America will not always preserve such 
 simple virtues, and such purity of morals ; but were 
 she to retain them no longer than a century, is a 
 century of happiness so inconsiderable a blessing?" 
 
 The season was beginning to be so severe, that 
 the thermometer marked 26°. The navigation along 
 the coast of North America, at this time of the year, 
 is exceediiigly dangerous ; and, to avoid accidents, 
 we ought, as we had started with a favorable wind, 
 to have availed ourselves of it, to hasten out of the 
 gulph and get out to sea. 
 
 Unfortunately however our admiral, the Marquis 
 de Vaudreuil, cruised for some time in sight of the 
 harbor, because he expected his brother, who was 
 to come out of Portsmouth to join us with his ship. 
 V Auguste of eighty guns, and le Pluton of seventy- 
 four guns. 
 
 This delay nearly proved fatal to us ; the wind 
 
OF COUNT SEGtTR. 313 
 
 became contrary, and soon began to blow with such 
 violence, that some of our sails were rent asunder. 
 After having furled those that remained, which is 
 called bj sailors, to bring to, we felt ourselves rapid- 
 Ij carried, in the midst of a dark night, towards a 
 shore thick set with rocks, against which we were, 
 to all appearance, destined to strike, without any 
 chance of escape. 
 
 A tremendous sea appeared at every moment, 
 ready to swallow us up; at one moment the waves 
 nearly upset our ship, and inundated the deck ; 
 whilst at the next, the same waves, after having 
 raised us as it Avere to the top of a high mountain, 
 lowered us into an abyss, and returning again with 
 increased rage, carried off a part of our quarter gal- 
 lery, broke our windows, and filled all our rooms 
 and batteries. 
 
 The danger was increasing every moment, and 
 was the more imminent for us, as le Souverain was 
 old, and experienced a greater deflection than the 
 rest. No nautical manœuvring could resist the 
 storm. Our crew, struck with dismay, remained 
 motionless. 
 
 Our captain, almost the only individual who pre- 
 served his presence of mind, displayed a calm and 
 pious resignation. I asked him if he saw no hope. 
 " None," said he, " for during the many years I have 
 been at sea, I never have found myself in a more 
 critical position ; we are almost surrounded by rocks, 
 and the sea is too unmanageable for any boat or ca- 
 noe to be able to resist its violence." 
 
 " But quietly," replied Bozon, " nothing is more 
 variable than the wind, and that which now assails 
 us, may change suddenly." "That hope is chime- 
 rical," said the captain ; " this violent wind blows 
 from the south-east, and we are so far engaged in 
 the gulph, that it would be necessary, in order to 
 40 
 
314 MEMOIRS 
 
 extricate us, that the wind by a sudden changé, 
 should run half round the compass, and jump to the 
 north-west, a thing unexampled. I am surprised we 
 have not yet struck upon some rock ; but, at the 
 first shock you will feel, it will be all over with us." 
 
 These words pronounced by a man so courageous, 
 so calm, and so well experienced, bereft us of all 
 hope ; and terror, the gloomy forerunner of death, 
 now pervaded every breast. 
 
 I admired on this occasion, the calm and lofty 
 courage of Lameth, who seemed to brave his fate, 
 and coolly conversed with me upon the immortality 
 of the soul ; Bozon, a Frenchman, to the last, mani- 
 fested an unalterable gaiety, and seemed resolved to 
 bid the world farewell with a laugh. We were pre- 
 pared for the worst, and expected the shock that was 
 to destroy us. 
 
 Suddenly we felt a dreadful concussion ; our ship 
 inclined to starboard in such a way, as to make us 
 suppose, that it was going to upset. We bade each 
 other farewell, but, at that moment, the lieutenant 
 of the watch swiftly entered the room, exclaiming, 
 " Captain, a miracle, the wind has just veered to 
 the north-west." " Not a moment is to be lost," 
 answered M. de Glandevez, crossing himself; "we 
 must put up all our canvass, and get out to sea im- 
 mediately, for this extraordinary change of the wind, 
 cannot last long." 
 
 He was quickly obeyed. Soon afterwards, the 
 whole squadron got out of the gulph with all sails 
 set, and reached the open sea. Two hours had 
 scarcely elapsed, before the gale from the south-east 
 again began to blow with the same fury as before, 
 but we were then out of danger. This gale com- 
 pelled us again to bring to, and lasted three days, af- 
 ter which the weather grew more favorable, and M. 
 de Vaudreuil, not thinking it advisable to wait any 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 315 
 
 longer for his brother, we directed our course to the 
 southward. 
 
 A convoy of twenty-nine merchant vessels had 
 followed us out of the harbor ; we never saw^ it 
 again, a part was lost on the coast ; a few reentered 
 the harbor ; several fell into the hands of the English. 
 
 All the elements seemed leagued against us ; for 
 in the latitude of Bermuda, our ship caught fire ; 
 our terror was great, but of short duration ; the ac- 
 tivity of the pumps soon relieved us from our 
 anxiety. 
 
 Favored by the wind, we soon reached another 
 climate, and after having so recently left a station, 
 where we had experienced, in spite of our furs, the 
 cold of the frozen zone, we now passed into a burn- 
 ing zone ; and this contrast rendered the heat more 
 intolerable. A few weeks afterwards, we descried 
 the shores of the island of Porto Rico ; the approach 
 to which had been previously announced to us, by 
 the fragrant perfume which their orange and lemon 
 trees wafted to us through the air. 
 
 M. de Vaudreuil, wishing to procure intelligence, 
 sent a boat ashore. On its return, we were inform- 
 ed, that Admiral Hood had been cruisins: to leeward 
 of us for the last three months, with sixteen sail, 
 before Cape Français, at Saint Domingo, and that 
 Admiral Pigot was cruising to windward before Mar- 
 tinique, with a fleet of twenty-five sail. 
 
 It w^ill thereby be seen, that we were expected in 
 the Antilles by a numerous and formidable compa- 
 ny, with whom it would have been imprudent to 
 confer too closely. 
 
 One of our sloops, that had been on the look out, 
 came at night to inform us, that she had discovered, 
 at a distance, some small vessels belonging to Hood's 
 squadron. 
 
 We passed at night between Porto Rico and Saint 
 Domingo, always supposing that the latter island was 
 
316 MEMOIRS 
 
 the place of our destination, that we were there to 
 form a junction with the Spanish squadron, and that 
 M. de Vaudreuil, to avoid Hood who was waiting 
 for him before the Cape, wished to run along the 
 southern coast of the island, and to get into one of 
 its harbors. The admiral, however, whose instruc- 
 tions were different, had assigned to Admiral don 
 Solano, another rendezvous which was unknown to 
 every individual in the squadron. 
 
 With no small astonishment therefore, we observ- 
 ed that he was directing our course more and more 
 to the southward. Our progress was but slow, as 
 we had several vessels in tow, that formed part of a 
 convoj of nineteen vessels which had left Porto Ri- 
 co, to sail in company with us. 
 
 On coming within sight of Curaçao, a Dutch co- 
 lony, only fifteen leagues distant from the southern 
 continent of America, we all imagined that the har- 
 bor of Curaçao would be the end of our voyage, but 
 we were again mistaken, and we saw, with great sur- 
 prise, that the admiral beating against the easterly 
 wind in order to bear up to the eastward, kept 
 cruising between the shores of the continent and of 
 Curaçao, without touching at either. 
 
 The currents which are very rapid in this quar- 
 ter, combined with the wind to oppose our efforts ; 
 and soon dispersed our fleet ; our convoy unable to 
 keep up with us, and which we could no longer tow, 
 also left us. 
 
 Three of our ships that had suffered most from 
 the hurricane, were allowed to put into the harbor 
 of Curaçao. The remainder of the squadron, be- 
 ing in good condition, and excellent sailors, succeed- 
 ed 'in resisting the currents, and disappeared altoge- 
 ther from our sight. We deflected more and more, 
 and la Bourgogne, alone kept company with us. 
 Thus separated from the fleet, our captains open- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. SlU 
 
 ed the instructions which thej were only to unseal 
 in the event q1" a separation. These instructions in- 
 formed us, that our destination was the harbor of 
 Porto-Cabello on the coast of Caracas, which was 
 thirty leagues to windward of us. 
 
 We were to wait there for the Count d'Estaing, 
 who was to sail from Cadiz with a French naval ar- 
 my, and the Spanish Admiral don Solano, who would 
 leave the port of Havanna, and form his junction 
 with us. After this junction, the combined armies 
 were to set sail together, and attack Jamaica. 
 
 No better rendezvous could have been chosen to 
 deceive the English, who were waiting for us at 
 Saint Domingo : but it had been too mysteriously 
 concealed from us, as by some unaccountable neg- 
 lect, none of our captains had been provided with 
 charts for their guidance in this quarter, and hardly 
 any one in our army, was well acquainted with the 
 position of Porto-Cabello. 
 
 It happened however, that the pilot of le Souve- 
 rain^ had an old imperfect chart, which, such as it 
 was, proved of great service to us ; as it pointed 
 out with sufficient accuracy the distance from Cura- 
 cao to the continental coast, and saved us from the 
 unfortunate error which was committed by the cap- 
 tain OÏ la Bourgogne, 
 
 This officer continued to cruise during the night, 
 and fancying that the coast of the continent was at 
 a greater distance than it actually was, kept too long 
 upon the same tack, and struck against a sand bank. 
 We soon heard the report of her guns, and the uni- 
 form interval between each, soon informed us that 
 they were not signals of engagement but of distress. 
 
 M. de Glandevez wished to go to her assistance; 
 hut as the current caused us to deflect greatly, we 
 could not succeed, and consequently only learnt the 
 fate of this ship, at a much later period. Her 
 
3ia MEMOIRS 
 
 captain, M. de C , lost his presence of mind 
 
 on feeling the severe shocks experienced by the 
 ship ; he might have backed at once, by bracing his 
 sails aback, and thus extricated himself; but he, on 
 the contrary, put up more sail, in the hope of forc- 
 ing his way through the bank, and got deeper into 
 the sand. 
 
 A boat which was hastily let down from the ship, 
 was dashed to pieces ; a canoe sent on shore with 
 M. Désendroin, an otficer of engineers, to seek for 
 assistance, did not return again ; for this officer was 
 compelled to walk a distance of twenty leagues in 
 the forest before he could discover any habitation. 
 Another boat was stolen by the captain's servants 
 who carried away his plate. 
 
 The leak increased every moment, and they 
 neglected to remove the provisions from the hold 
 to the deck ; terror prevented the adoption of any 
 measure of prudence. A first raft had been con- 
 structed ; but so many persons eagerly jumped upon 
 it that they sank it and were drowned. 
 
 This accident created so much alarm, that, after 
 a second had been constructed, all hesitated to trust 
 themselves to it. M. de C . . . ., set the example, 
 and got upon it with several of his officers. Others 
 followed them ; but when the raft was sufficiently 
 loaded, the captain, unmindful of his duty and forget- 
 ting the law which enjoined him to return on board 
 his ship and be the last to leave it, ordered the cable 
 to be cut, and shoved off. 
 
 Some of the soldiers and of the crew, thrown into 
 despair by this desertion, swam off to reach the raft ; 
 but those who were upon it had the inhumanity to 
 chop off, with their swords, the hands of these un- 
 fortunate men who vamly implored their compassion. 
 Independently of the cowardice of this act, the 
 event shewed that it had been dictated by an ill- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 319 
 
 judged terror ; since, three days afterwards, a frigate 
 sent from Porto-Cabello, arrived in time to save the 
 remainder of the crew of la Bourgogne, and the 
 soldiers of the regiment of Bourbonnais who had 
 been left to perish in it. They were exhausted with 
 hunger and thirst ; yet the greater part of them 
 survived the accident. The captain of la Bourgogne 
 met with a most unwelcome reception at Porto- 
 Cabello, and was sent back to France. 
 
 The wind having abated, we forced our way 
 through the currents, and after a difficult navigation 
 of eleven days, with the sounding lead constantly in 
 hand on account of being in an unknown quarter, we 
 reached the gulph named Triste, in sight of Porto- 
 Cabello, where we found all our squadron again 
 united. This voyage from Boston had lasted fifty- 
 six days. 
 
 My colonel commandant, M. de Saint-Maime, had 
 remained at Curaçao with his ship Avhich had lost 
 its masts and rudder, so that the remainder of the 
 regiment was left under my orders. 
 
 The southern continent of America presents to 
 travellers as they approach its shores, a very differ- 
 ent appearance from that of the coasts of the north- 
 ern continent. On approaching the Delaware the 
 eye discovers a low and flat country ; from a distance 
 the trees seem to grow out of the sea, and on land- 
 ing, the climate, the plants, the cultivation, the style 
 of buildings, the costume, the manners of the inha- 
 bitants, the activity of the farmers, the mercantile 
 industry, the beauty of the roads, the elegance of 
 the towns and the neatness of the villages, are cal- 
 culated to induce the traveFler to fancy himself still 
 in Europe, and in the heart of an English county. 
 
 But on landing on the southern continent, a very 
 different prospect presents itself; the land is seen 
 from a considerable distance ; but to perceive it 
 
320 MEMOIRS 
 
 we must look up to the skies. The branches of the 
 Cordilleras, the gigantic mountains of Santa-Martha, 
 of Valencia, of Caracas, are nearly half a league in 
 elevation. 
 
 • Those cragged rocks, those formidable mountains 
 seem to be a kind of barrier with which fate had 
 intended to fence this immense continent, in order 
 to' forbid its approach to the avarice of Europe, 
 and to conceal its inexhaustible mines of gold, silver 
 and diamonds, those fatal treasures which inflamed 
 the cupidity of so many adventurers, the rivality of 
 so many powers, and turned America into a sangui- 
 nary arena, where whole nations swept away became 
 the victims of a savage hypocrisy. 
 
 There fanaticism and a thirst after gold destroyed 
 to convert, spread desolation to acquire riches, exter- 
 minated to fix their dominion, and with the gospel 
 of a God of peace in their hand, lighted up in every 
 direction the piles upon which, in spite of the vir- 
 tuous efforts of Las Casas, heaps of human victims 
 "Were sacrificed, as in the days of paganism. 
 
 The revolutions of ancient times, were mere trifles 
 when compared with the revolutions that overthrew 
 the pacific empire of the Incas ; in the latter, whole 
 nations perished and disappeared altogether. 
 
 The nearer we approach the shores of this conti- 
 nent, the greater is the shadow which the sombre 
 mass of those lofty mountains seems to cast upon 
 the sea, and the more melancholy are the thoughts 
 with which they inspire the -mind. At those points 
 in particular, where they recede the gulphs they 
 form, present so gloomy a space to the eye, that, in 
 entering them one appears to be penetrating into 
 the kingdom of shades ; no name therefore was ever 
 more appropriately applied than that of gulph of 
 sadness, (golfe Triste) which is given to the gulph 
 of Porto-Cabello. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 321 
 
 It was not until we were quite close to the coast, 
 that those mountains and the shore became gradually 
 more clear and distinct, and that we were enabled 
 to see trees and fields, roads and houses, every thing 
 in short, which indicates an inhabited land. 
 
 The harbour we entered is extensive, safe, and 
 commodious; ships ride close to the shore ; we were 
 cautioned to beware of eating any of the fish that 
 may be caught here in great abundance ; and which 
 is sometimes dangerous food from the bottom of the 
 sea being in some places coppery. 
 
 The great advantages which this harbor and 
 roadstead presented to commerce, could alone deter- 
 mine the Spaniards to form an establishment on this 
 spot ; for, close to Porto-Cabello there are salt 
 marshes, the pestilential vapors of which are con- 
 tinually carried over the town by the wind, which, 
 in this quarter, constantly blows from the eastward ; 
 and which vapors being neated by the refraction of 
 mountains distant ten degrees from the line, and by 
 the powerful rays of the sun which no cloud ever 
 intercepts, render this shore even more destructive 
 than Cayenne. 
 
 Few persons are bold enough to brave the danger, 
 and to fix their residence in Porto-Cabello, the popu- 
 lation of which is renewed every seven years. The 
 inhabitants of the plain come there merely for com- 
 mercial affairs, and stay in it but a short time. 
 Many are very soon carried off, and the greater part 
 of the remainder take the fever back to their homes. 
 Mortality is most frequent in the months of June, 
 July, August and September; diseases then become 
 very violent, are accompanied by buboes, and assume 
 a character truly pestilential. 
 
 Nature however would require of man but little 
 labor, in order to present him with inexhaustible 
 riches upon this shore, free from fear or danger ; 
 41 
 
322 MEMOIRS 
 
 the land beyond the marshes possesses a rare and 
 wonderful fecundity ; indigo, cocoa, cotton, Indian 
 corn, are there of easy cultivation and abundant pro- 
 duce ; the trees bear excellent fruit ; the banana and 
 orange trees are of spontaneous growth, as well as 
 the pine-apple and potatpe, so that, by drying up the 
 marshes, Porto-Cabello would become the centre of 
 one of the finest and wealthiest establishments in 
 the world. 
 
 This town is built on the banks of a small river, 
 the water of which is both pure and healthy. Its 
 houses few in number and ill-built, rise in amphithea- 
 tre by a gentle ascent to the foot of a very elevated 
 mountain. 
 
 We all felt much regret at being detained upon 
 these semi-barbarous shores. The intolerable heat 
 of the climate, the infectious air we were breathing, 
 the filth of the houses, or rather of the huts, where- 
 in we lodged; and lastly, fhe repulsive manner, the 
 inhospitable and silent gravity of the inhabitants, 
 would have made us consider this abode as a per- 
 fect prison ; but our exile was fortunately softened 
 by the attentions of a Spaniard of the highest merit. 
 Colonel Don Pedro de Nava, governor of the pro- 
 vince of Caracas. 
 
 He had come to Porto-Cabello on purpose to 
 receive us, and his obliging activity supplied, in 
 abundance, all the wants of the fleet and of the 
 army ; an intelligent administrator seconded his ef- 
 forts ; so that, notwithstanding the long distances, 
 the difficulty of communications, and the want of 
 almost every means of transport, in a country where 
 mules were the only mode of conveyance, and ra- 
 vines the only roads, every thing arrived in time, 
 and our soldiers and sailors were at no time more 
 completely supplied with whatsoever was necessary 
 to them. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUK. 323 
 
 Independently of this liberal conduct, Don Pedro 
 de Nava opened his house to us, and did the honors 
 of it with becoming dignity ; he was well informed, 
 amiable, and obliging ; his mind seemed neither ob- 
 scured nor confined by any of the prejudices of his 
 nation ; he was tolerant in his opinions, correct in 
 his ideas, elevated in his sentiments. He lamented 
 the deplorable condition of that part of the world 
 upon which nature had bestowed her riches, but 
 which ignorance, despotism, and the inquisition bad 
 succeeded in rendering; poor and unproductive. 
 
 Such a man as Don Pedro de Nava, if it had been 
 in his power, would have rendered those magnificent 
 provinces as happy and as populous as, and richer 
 than, the United States ; but he could do no more 
 than passively obey ; imprisonment or death would 
 have been the only result of the smallest attempt to 
 dispel the clouds of darkness, and promote civiliza- 
 tion. We had just beheld civilization carried to the 
 highest pitch in the North, and we found it in its 
 infancy, in à country conquered by Spain nearly 
 three centuries ago, and which had remained under 
 her sway ever since. 
 
 Notwithstanding the delicate and obliging atten- 
 tions of Don Pedro de Nava, we felt much regret at 
 finding our stay prolonged in this gloomy abode, 
 where health could not escape from contagion, nor 
 the mind from ennui ; for the excessive heat would 
 seldom allow us to indulge in bodily exercises, or in 
 study. 
 
 I only went out at six o'clock in the morning, to 
 go into the woods, in the hope of killing some tiger- 
 cats ', but I only saw a few', and at a great distance. 
 I succeeded, however, in killing many serpents, some 
 monkeys, and a considerable number of parrots. 
 
 An extraordinary monkey had been given to me ; 
 h was of the largest size, about ï\\e feet in height ; 
 
324 MEMOIRS 
 
 its brown hair bordered upon red, a color the more 
 remarkable from its contrast with a very thick black 
 beard that fell upon its breast. I had hoped to 
 bring it back to France, but could not succeed in 
 taniing it. This animal was tied to a tree, close to 
 my house, and Avas so ferocious as to attempt to de- 
 vour one of my men, who brought it some food. 
 Bozon and I were, at last, compelled to shoot it. 
 
 1 was obliged to return in doors as early as nine 
 in the morning, at which hour the excessive heat of 
 the sun compelled every one to seek rest and shade. 
 The evenings alone, by their pleasant freshness, 
 tempted us to go out; but this freshness was dan- 
 gerous, being combined with a considerable degree 
 of humidity, which is the chief cause of those dis- 
 orders that carry off so many Europeans in the 
 torrid zone. 
 
 We awaited, with the utmost impatience, at Por- 
 to-Cabello the arrival of the naval army of M. 
 d'Estaing, who was to come out of Cadiz, and of 
 Don Solano, whom we had thought ready to set sail 
 from Havannah. But time was passing, and, from 
 neither the one nor the other, did we receive any 
 kind of intelligence. 
 
 The gulph Triste was admirably selected for a 
 mysterious rendez-vous ; as, generally speaking, it 
 was little known; consequently the English, after 
 finding that we had escaped them by passing 
 through their fleet near the island of Saint-Do- 
 mingo, and Porto-Rico, were at a loss for some 
 time to guess in what direction we had disap- 
 peared, and in what bay of the continent we had 
 anchored. 
 
 Our troops, however, were beginning to feel the 
 effects of disease. Some officers, and a great num- 
 ber of soldiers, fell victims to this destructive 
 scourge. Our commanding officer, the Baron de 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 325 
 
 Vioménlî, was seized with a fever, and his legs 
 were covered with buboes. Alexander de Lameth, 
 and Champcenetz, also paid a similar tribute to this 
 formidable climate. 
 
 I was, in my turn, attacked with a violent fever, 
 and, having but little confidence in the treatment 
 prescribed by our European surgeons, whose prac- 
 tice was rather at fault in this burning zone, I made 
 an attempt to cure myself; and, for that purpose, 
 got up to the neck into a tub full of cold water, and 
 remained twenty-four hours in it. This rash expe- 
 dient proved successful ; the fever left me. 
 
 In the meanwhile our attentive commandant, 
 Don Pedro, advised us to go beyond the mountains, 
 to seek a purer air in the plains, and to take advan- 
 tage of our inactivity to visit Caracas, a fine wealthy 
 town, the capital of the province. " I would not re- 
 commend to you," said he with a smile, " to ask the 
 Governor General's permission to perform the jour- 
 ney ; he would be equally at a loss to grant or to re- 
 fuse your request ; and his answer might be delayed 
 for a considerable time. The Spanish Cabinet is 
 not pleased at strangers becoming acquainted with 
 the interior of this country. Proceed, then, without 
 such formalities ; the governor is a very amiable 
 man ; he will give you a welcome reception, and the 
 inhabitants, as well as the ladies of Caracas, will 
 greet you with enthusiasm." 
 
 We followed his advice. Alexander de Lameth 
 was the most expeditious and the most daring of 
 the party ; for, instead of following the beaten track 
 to Valencia, or of going by sea to La Guayra, he 
 crossed from west to east, in the midst of the moun- 
 tains, by almost impracticable paths, braving dangers 
 of every kind, which but even few of the inhabitants 
 of the country dared to face. 
 
 The Prince deBroglie embarked with the captain 
 
326 MEMOIRS 
 
 of his ship, M. d'Ethis, reached Caracas in this man- 
 lier, through La Guajra, and afterwards returned to 
 Porto-Cabeilo bj the road of Valencia. 
 
 Mathieu Dumas, Bozon, Champcenetz, Désoteux, 
 and myself, hired mules for our own party, and en- 
 tered the mountains by a path which was, by a great 
 misnomer, called a road, being an almost impractica- 
 ble track ; in fact, it was only owing to our having 
 mules as light and as dexterous as goats, that we es- 
 caped the most disastrous falls. 
 
 This path, which was not more than two feet 
 wide, held us suspended over precipices. Being cut 
 in the rock, it resembled a stair case of unequal 
 steps ; some times it turned round so suddenly that 
 the hind feet of the mules were yet in one direction, 
 whilst their fore feet were stepping into another. 
 The mule was bent, as it were, and we had before 
 us a precipice of eight hundred feet, into which the 
 slightest stumble might have hurled us. 
 
 Small wooden crosses, fixed on these dangerous 
 spots, served also as a charitable memento to warn 
 the traveller of the misfortunes of those who had 
 preceded him. 
 
 After a painful day's journey, we reached, at last, 
 hj nightfai!, that immense and magnificent platform 
 which extends to the Oronoco, a country upon which 
 îieaven has bestowed all its gifts, and nature all her 
 treasures. 
 
 These treasures were entirely lost in the hands of 
 an ignorant administration, which arrested the pro- 
 gress of prosperity, diminished the population by 
 shackles of every kind, through an apprehension 
 that independence might follow in the train of rich- 
 es, aftd which has attempted in vain to retain those 
 fertile countries in a state of languor and oppression. 
 Events have greater power than men ; liberty, as 
 every thing then led us to foresee it, has sprung out 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 327 
 
 of the very efforts made to stifle it ; it has assumed 
 a hostile attitude, and has conquered; and, in half a 
 century hence, these fine provinces which, with the 
 exception of a few cities and country towns, I had 
 found quite deserted, will, probably, vie in cultiva- 
 tion, in industry, and in power, with the most flou- 
 rishing monarchies or repubhcs of Old Europe. 
 
 The city of Valencia is buïlt in a fertile, delightful, 
 and level plain ; the regular breezes refresh the at- 
 mosphere, and render the excessive heat tolerable. 
 Valencia reckoned about twelve thousand inhabi- 
 tants; it had a garrison of ûve hundred men ; a 
 bishop and a governor also resided in it ; convents, 
 and a multitude of monks were to be seen in every 
 direction ; it had scarcely any trade ; its streets were 
 dirty, its houses ill built, but its churches most splen- 
 did. The inhabitants were generally poor; the 
 church dignitaries, the canons, and the convents 
 wealthy. 
 
 It was with a view of getting rid of such a state 
 of things, that the people, after useless complaints 
 for redress of grievances, at last flew to arnjs, and 
 that the revolution broke out. A traveller, who 
 has lately seen in the province of Santa-Fe, the 
 traces of that deplorable administration, which have 
 not vet been entirelv effaced, founds aro^uments upon 
 them for condemnmg the insurrection of these pro- 
 vinces, whose ingratitude towards the mother coun- 
 try, he professes himself unable to understand. 
 
 Had he bestowed more reflection upon the sub- 
 ject, he would, on the contrary, have discovered in 
 that deplorable state, the real motives that impelled 
 the colonies to shake off the yoke of an administra- 
 tion which inflicted so much distress upon them, and 
 he would not have been surprized that the catholic 
 Creoles, or native priests, should declare themselves 
 for independence, had he known and observed that 
 
328 MEMOIRS 
 
 the bishoprics, the curacies, and canonries, which 
 are so rich in this country, were exclusively given to 
 Spaniards, and constantly refused to the clergy of 
 American birth. 
 
 So far indeed from deploring the condition of 
 those brave soldiers whom he finds so ill clothed 
 and so ill paid, and from prophecying their defeat 
 from these causes, he would, on the contrary, have 
 felt convinced of the warmth and disinterestedness 
 of their patriotism ; he might have learnt besides 
 that but little clothing is necessary in this climate, 
 and that a very moderate pay is sufficient since the 
 ground every where supplies food which costs no- 
 thing, and a bullock is either given for a sum of 
 twelve francs, or for the mere trouble of skinning it, 
 and of returning its skin to the vender. 
 
 We stopped but a short time at Valencia. The 
 bishop avoided us, taking us, I suppose, for heretics; 
 the governor gave us a ceremonious, though a cold 
 reception ; and the inhabitants were silent and mo- 
 rose. As nothing therefore attracted our attention 
 or curiosity, we proceeded on our journey. 
 
 The road was excellent ; on both sides we met 
 with some habitations, and indigo plantations. The 
 freshness of some thick forests often sheltered us 
 from the rays of the sun. 
 
 As it was our intention to travel slowly, and the 
 villages and towns in this country are at considerable 
 distances from each other, we passed many nights in 
 the forests. We suspended to the trees, the wide 
 nets or hammocks, which served us as beds, and 
 large fires were lighted near us in order to keep off 
 the ferocious animals, whose dreadful bowlings re- 
 sounded through the woods. 
 
 Having been compelled to stop before we reached 
 Guacara, an Indian village, and finding myself sepa- 
 rated from my companions and my servants, I saw 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 329 
 
 four Indians approaching me. Three of them were 
 armed with bows and arrows ; they strung their 
 bows, and imagining for a moment they were about 
 to attack me, I ran to meet them sword in hand, but 
 the chaplets round their neck«, their signs, and ges- 
 ticulations, soon satisfied me that they were christian 
 and tributary Indians. 
 
 My comrades had purchased a bow and arrows of 
 one of them, and they were exhibiting their own. 
 thinking perhaps that I might have the same fanry ; 
 I gave them however to understand that I merely 
 wished to witness their dexterity in wielding them. 
 
 They discovered what Ï meant, waited one or 
 two minutes, and on perceiving over our heads a large 
 bird of the arras kind, one of those Indians shot his 
 arrow at it, and brought it down dead at my feet. 
 I gave them a few dollars, and rejoined my compa- 
 nions at the moment of their entering Guacara, whose 
 inhabitants received us with much cordiality, but 
 supplied us with very bad provisions. 
 
 At night, having stroHed out of the house of my 
 landlord, to walk upon a spacious grass plot, Î sat 
 down at the foot of a tree, to enjoy the cool breeze, 
 when an Indian ran gently up to me with a dark 
 ianthorn, took me by the hand, and hurried me 
 away with him. x\t the distance of about fifty paces 
 from the tree, he stopped, and turning his Ianthorn, 
 shewed me the danger I had been exposed to ; for, 
 at the foot of the tree, near which i had been, 
 a young tiger, recently caught, was fastened by a 
 chain, and he might have punished me rather se- 
 verely, for disturbing his rest. 
 
 By the assistance of an interpreter, I inquired of 
 my Indian landlord, why no cultivation except a few 
 Indian corn plants, was to be seen near his village. 
 "Wherefore should we labour?" answered lie, "a 
 hut made of the stumps of trees, and some banana 
 42 
 
330 MEMOIRS 
 
 leaves are sufficient to give us shelter, furniture, and 
 beds. The heat renders evçry kind of dress super- 
 fluous ; the earth provides us with abundance of fruit 
 and grain. If we were to cultivate the fields, we 
 could not find purchasers for our produce ; and yet 
 the Spanish government would in that case, impose 
 a tax upon us; and as we should be unable to pay it, 
 thej would condemn us to labour in the mines, or to 
 fish for gold in the streams." 
 
 The Prince de Broglie told me, on his return, 
 that, in a larger country town, named Cumana, where 
 i had not stopped, he had conversed, through an in- 
 terpreter, with the Cacique, or Chief of the Free 
 Indians of this province. They lived, said he, en- 
 tirely according to their old customs, governed by 
 their own chief, whose authority is, at the same time, 
 military, civil, and religious. This chief regulates 
 their marriages, and settles all disputes that arise 
 between them. 
 
 This Cacique pretended that the Spanish govern- 
 ment had, for some time, shewn him much conside- 
 ration ; but, that he had since lost his influence with 
 them; and that, notwithstanding his remonstrances 
 and those of his tribes, the Spaniards were daily en- 
 croaching upon the lands granted to his subjects, so 
 that the population of these poor native Indians 
 was gradually decreasing. It is probable, from these 
 facts, that what remained of that population, which, 
 forty years ago, was already diminishing, will have 
 since become totally extinct, or have fled from this 
 abode of oppression. 
 
 We continued our journey, sometimes through 
 wildernesses and forests, which recalled to the mind, 
 the period of the discovery of America, sometimes 
 across plains where some scattered habitations and 
 cultivated fields, marked a dawn of civilization, and 
 reached Maracay, a small neat town. Its inhabi- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 33 i 
 
 tants gave us a very friendly reception, and a captain 
 of militia, named Don Felix, gave us an excellent 
 supper, which was graced with the company of se- 
 veral ladies of remarkable beauty. ^ 
 
 Don Felix, the king's lieutenant at Maracay, was 
 a well informed, amiable man; he spoke French 
 fluently, and freely confided to us the grief he expe- 
 rienced at the unjust and oppressive conduct of the 
 administration; he more particularly inveighed against 
 the cruelty and avarice of the fiscality and the harsh 
 severity of the intendant of the province. " This 
 man," said he, "deprives commerce and agriculture 
 of all activity, the landed proprietors of all security; 
 employments are given to none but Spaniards; the 
 Creoles are distressed and ruined. Beheve me, 
 therefore, the silent fermentation so universally pre- 
 valent will soon break out. Nothing is wanting to 
 produce an explosion, but a man of energy as a lea- 
 der; and I foresee that my country will unavoidably 
 fall a prey to all the horrors of a civil war. Some 
 years ago, a Cacique^ named Tupac Amarou, of the 
 race of the Incas, had revolted ; and had collected 
 in Peru an army of twenty thousand men. It was 
 found very difficult to quell this insurrection. It is 
 said that in many other places disturbances are at 
 this moment fomented bv the créoles. The rulinp" 
 authorities, however, prevent the circulation of all 
 alarming intelligence." 
 
 We quitted with regret a guest, whose conversa- 
 tion was both interesting and instructive, and took 
 the road to Vittoria. At a short distance from Ma- 
 racay, is the lake of Valencia, one of the most ex- 
 tensive perhaps in the whole world. Handsome 
 dwellings and variegated cuhivations already adorn- 
 ed its shores. I am persuaded, that at a future day, 
 under the protecting shield of liberty, that lake and 
 its borders will become one of the wonders of this 
 hemisphere. 
 
^3^ ^MEMOIRS 
 
 We crossed the most fertile district of the pro- 
 vince ; no where else had we seen so great a num- 
 ber of habitations, of plantations of coffee, of cocoa 
 nuts, and of indigo. The spacious intervals that se- 
 parated them, were filled up with wood rather wild 
 but which sheltered us from the sun, and delighted 
 us, by the variety of the trees, the lively colors of 
 their fruits, the perfume of their flowers, and the 
 varied warbling of every species of birds, by which 
 they were peopled. This beautiful country was 
 watered by a small river, whose numerous windings 
 obliged us to cross it seven or eight times. 
 
 In the middle of the day, and during the greatest 
 heat, we passed by af) isolated house, surrounded 
 v/ith plantations of various kinds, and cultivated with 
 much care. I was not a little astonished at being 
 accosted bv a man who stood on the threshold of the 
 door, and who very politely invited us, in very good 
 French, to walk in. 
 
 Who could have expected to find a countryman 
 in this place? But such was the case; born at 
 Bayonne, he had embarked on board a merchant 
 vessel, which had been wrecked upon the coast of 
 Caracas; and having, by good fortune, saved his 
 money and part of his effects, he had resolved to 
 travel into the interior of these provinces. 
 
 Having arrived on the spot w^here we now found 
 him he had become enamoured of an Indian girl and 
 had married her. Acting at once in the capacity 
 of husbandman, bricklayer and architect, he had 
 raised to himself a pretty habitation and a numerous 
 family, and by way of preserving a recollection of 
 the customs of his country and of the trade of his 
 father, he had put up a sign to his house and called 
 himself an innkeeper, although he did not perhaps 
 see, during the whole year as many as four travellers 
 comingj to claim his hospitality. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 333 
 
 His wife was still handsome, notwithstanding her 
 very marked coppery complexion. This color of 
 the Indians which forms a contrast with their long 
 black hair, is the less disagreeable as their features 
 are regular, and tliey have neither the flatted nose 
 nor the thick lips of the negroes. 
 
 After having made a tolerably good dinner, accord- 
 ing to the French fashion, and finding but little 
 resource in the conversation of our host, whose 
 mind had imbibed all the indolence of the native 
 Indians, we mounted our mules once more and 
 arrived in the evenrng at Vittoria, one of the prettiest 
 towns of this country, and which is about twelve 
 leagues from Maracay. Its population consisted of 
 three thousand inhabitants, and it displayed an acti- 
 vity of commerce, then very uncommon in that part 
 of the world. 
 
 The King's lieutenant who commanded in that 
 town was a M. Prudon. As he was very fond of 
 talking, and had but few opportunities of indulging 
 that propensity, our arrival was a treat for him, and 
 he accordingly very obligingly took us about to visit 
 the town. He possessed no inconsiderable share of 
 instruction, his disposition was open and unreserved 
 and rather given to censure. In a few hours, he 
 gave us more information respecting the state of his 
 country than we could have learned by a long j ou r- 
 
 ney. 
 
 He formed a perfect contrast with Don Felix, 
 whom we had just left : the latter, like Heraclitus, 
 deplored the darkness and ignorance, resulting from 
 the existence of the Inquisition, the oppression under 
 which his country groaned, and the future storms 
 which threatened it. M. Prudon, on the contrary, 
 in the true spirit of a Democritus, laughed at super- 
 stition, ridiculed the imbecility of the ruling powers, 
 and gaily assured us that a revolution, similar to that 
 
334 MEMOIRS 
 
 which had broken out in the United States, was 
 inevitable at no very distant period. 
 
 " Here," said he, " the Inquisition does not, it is 
 true, order any auto-da-fe^ nor light any fires, but it 
 endeavors to extinguish every ray of iight. It is 
 protected by the intendant-general, and the least 
 suspicion of impiety, thai attaches to an individual, 
 is sufficient to cause him to be arrested and fined, 
 and even confiscation often ensues. I am obliged to 
 assume a mask to appear blind like the rest and to 
 follow like them the most puerile practices. I, as 
 well as several of my friends, .burn to read the 
 works of the celebrated writers of France ; but the 
 intendant forbids their importation under the severest 
 penalties, as if they were infected with the plague. 
 In short, added M. Prudon, already the indignant 
 Creoles begin to call the Spaniards^breshère^, that is, 
 strangers, a circumstance undoubtedly quite sufficient 
 to prove that the mother country and her colonies 
 will not long live in peace and harmony together." 
 
 In this town we also saw a physician, who was 
 quite as dissatisfied with his government as M. Pru- 
 don ; having conducted us to the most retired part 
 of his house, he shewed us with infinite satisfaction 
 the works of J,-J. Rousseau and Raynal, which he 
 kept concealed as his most precious treasure in a 
 beam curiously scooped out for that purpose. 
 
 We here witnessed on the large square a bull- 
 fight, a cruel and melancholy game, and one calcu- 
 lated to perpetuate barbarism of manners. At the 
 house of the governor, we enjoyed a more agreeable 
 diversion, that of a party composed of an assemblage 
 of the best educated men, and the prettiest women 
 of the town. 
 
 Having remained twenty-four hours at Vittoria, 
 we left it to repair to Caracas, which is about four- 
 teen leagues distant from it. We performed this 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 33§ 
 
 journey in two days. On approaching the capital 
 of a country, the traveller naturally expects to find 
 nature at every step embellished by art, a greater 
 number of habitations, a higher degree of cultivation, 
 more activity of trade, more 'life, in short, and civil- 
 ization ; but we found quite the reverse of all this. 
 
 After having travelled through some plains fertile 
 in plantations of indigo, coffee, &c. and through 
 fields of Indian corn, we entered upon a road leading 
 through mountains much more steep, and through 
 forests much more savage than those we had had 
 to pass on our way from Porto-Cabello to Valencia. 
 The road was, however, better marked out and less 
 dangerous. 
 
 In the valleys we were exhausted with the exces- 
 sive heat, and on the summits of the mountains we 
 were exposed to a cold so intense that our cloaks 
 were insufficient to protect us against it. During 
 the night such was the dampness of the atmosphere 
 that, by wringing our coverings, water issued from 
 them in abundance. These mountains are only a 
 very little less elevated than the Cordilleras, of 
 which they form a branch. 
 
 During the night the howling of tigers and of 
 lions cast a gloom over our spirits, and in the morn- 
 ing we were stunned by the sharp and piercing cries 
 of an innumerable host of aras and parrots, who 
 hailed the rising sun, and rendered him a savage 
 homage by the most discordant concerts. 
 
 During our journey we were surprised to hear 
 the ferocious cries of an animal which seemed rapidly 
 to approach us, and our guide informed us, with the 
 utmost consternation, that it was a tiger. We had 
 no sooner heard this intelligence than, disregarding 
 the advice of our guide, we bent our steps towards 
 that part of the wood whence the noise proceeded. 
 
 Désoteux, who was the only one armed with 
 
336 MEMOIRS 
 
 pistols, struck into the thickest of the forest, but the 
 tiger had fled. He then vented his rage by dis- 
 charging his pistol at a large monkey, which he 
 missed. 
 
 I met. nothing further in these forests except an 
 enormous serpent of the boa kind, which was basking 
 in the sun upon some bushes. I had, at first, taken 
 it for an immense trunk of a tree that had been 
 thrown down, and Ï could not, I confess, guard against 
 an involuntary shudder when at the moment when 
 my muie was so near as ahuost to touch it, this 
 apparent tree rose, bent its body, exhibiting a most 
 hideous head, and with a most terrific hissing fled 
 before me. 
 
 There is another species of animal in this country 
 of a most horrible aspect, and that is a gigantic bat, 
 larger than a Spanish hat, and whose infernal coun- 
 tenance resembles the most strange and terrific 
 masks of our devils at the opera. They are called 
 vampires, and the comoion people believe that, when 
 they find a man asleep, they suck his blood with so 
 much dexterity that they do not even wake him. 
 
 Having had a most fatiguing day's journey, and 
 being far from all habitations, we asked an old 
 Indian woman to give us shelter, which she agreed 
 to, and conducted us to her hut, which truly resem- 
 bled the abode of a savage or of a witch. 
 
 This woman did all she could to treat us well ; 
 but she offered us parrots boiled in a horrible kind 
 of chocolate, and other dishes so very disgusting, 
 that we found ourselves unable to overcome our 
 repugnance. 
 
 After having slept but little, like people with an 
 empty stomach, we continued our journey. We had 
 to pass a very high mountain, called San-Pedro, 
 which we accomplished with difficulty, then to go 
 down into a deep valley, after that to ford several 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 337 
 
 iorrents, and, at last, after having climbed another 
 mountain, we descended by a gentle declivity into 
 the delightful valley of Caracas. 
 
 This valley, which is protected by high mountains 
 from the burning south win3, is open to the cool 
 easterly breezes which continually refresh its tem- 
 perature. The thermometer seldom rises above 
 twenty-four degrees, and often marks only twenty ; 
 consequently, fruits and flowers succeed each other, 
 without interruption, in this beautiful spot, which of- 
 fers all the productions of the torrid and temperate 
 zones. The fields where the indigo plant, the sugar 
 cane and the lemon tree grow, are bordered with 
 gardens, in some of which corn, pear trees and apple 
 trees are to be found. 
 
 The valley is watered by a pretty and limpid ri- 
 ver, which gives to the fields and trees everlasting 
 freshness and verdure. These trees are adorned by 
 a host of colibris, whose beautiful plumage unites all 
 the colors of the rainbow, they offer the appearance 
 of innumerable flov^^ers floating in the air. 
 
 A great number of elegant houses are scattered 
 in the midst of these fields, some singly, others dis- 
 tributed in groups : the ground around them is care- 
 fully cultivated and inclosed with odoriferous hedges. 
 The air is there constantly embalmed, and their ex- 
 istence seems to acquire a fresh activity to enable 
 man to enjoy the purest sensations life can dispense. 
 In short, were it not for some inquisitorial monks, 
 some savage alguazils, a few tigers, and some agents 
 of a covetous intendant-general, I should have almost 
 fancied that the valley of Caracas formed part of 
 the terrestrial paradise, and that the angel who 
 guards the gates of that abode with his flaming 
 sword, had, in a moment of obliging forgetfulness, 
 allowed us to enter it. 
 
 The city of Caracas presents itself with a degree 
 43 
 
338 MEMOIRS 
 
 of majesty quite in harmony with this noble picture; 
 it appeared to us large, clean, elegant and well built. 
 Its population was then, I believe, estimated to 
 amount to twenty thousand inhabitants, but it has 
 been asserted that, since that period, a disastrous 
 earthquake and the fury of civil wars, have destroy- 
 ed that prosperity which a wise liberty and an en- 
 lightened administration can alone restore. 
 
 Desoteux had arrived there before us, as well as 
 several officers of our army. We were, therefore, 
 expected, and experienced from Spanish courtesy a 
 most flattering reception : everyone eagerly oflfered 
 us his house, the ladies opened their lattices to bow 
 to us from their balconies, in short, we were greet- 
 ed, as romance writers pretend, that paladins were 
 formerly greeted in the castles in which they went 
 to seek repose during their rambles in search of ad- 
 ventures. 
 
 The governor-general of the province, Don Fer- 
 nand Gonsalez, having heard that I was the son of 
 the minister of war of the King of France, had the 
 kindness to offer me an apartment in his palace, 
 and duriiig our residence he received, morning and 
 night, all our companions in arms with the greatest 
 urbanity, and a degree of magnificence quite Castil- 
 lian. 
 
 He also introduced me to the most distinguished 
 circles of the town. We saw in these parties, men 
 rather too grave and silent ; but the ladies made 
 ample amends, being as remarkable for the beauty 
 of their features, the richness of their dresses, the 
 elegance of their manners, and their talents for mu- 
 sic and dancing, as for the vivacity of their coquet- 
 ry, which displayed an amiable gaiety without of- 
 fence to decency. 
 
 My travelling companions have long remembered 
 the beauty and accomplishments of Bellina Ariste- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 339 
 
 guitta and of the sisters Panschitta, Rossa, Theresa. 
 For my part, I was particularly struck with the ex- 
 act resemblance a lady named Raphaellita Ermene= 
 gilde, bore to the Countess Jules de Polignac. 
 
 The too famous General Miranda, whom the Ge- 
 neral Count de Valence has since accused of having 
 been the cause of our losing the battle of Nerwinde, 
 which was already nearly won by the valor of the 
 Duke de Chartres, now Duke d'Oi learis, belonged to 
 the family of the Aristeguittas. Having been pro- 
 scribed by the Spanish government, he sought, lor a 
 long time, throughout Europe, to raise enemies 
 against it, and was in secret and intimate intelligence 
 wnth some Englishmen, who assisted him in fostering 
 the seeds of a revolution in America. 
 
 We had arrived at Caracas towards the end of 
 the carnival ; so that the week we spent there was 
 a continued series oï fetes ^ balls and concerts. We 
 found a singular and whimsical kind of pastime in 
 fashion at this season; it was this: ladies and gen- 
 tlemen, girls and boys, old and young, did not leave 
 their houses, during the carnival, without filling their 
 pockets with sugar plumbs containing annis-seed in 
 them, which they threw, by handfuls, at each other. 
 Nobody could escape this volley which only occa- 
 sioned bursts of laughter amongst those who were 
 engaged in the conflict. 
 
 This was assuredly the sweetest and most inno- 
 cent of wars ; however, as no state of warfare can 
 exist without some striking event, I will relate one 
 to which this gave rise and which I witnessed. We 
 were one day invited to a grand dinner at the Trea- 
 surer General's, which was graced by the presence 
 of several reverend fathers inquisitors, who did ho^ 
 nor to the wines and very cordially joined in the 
 mirth prevailing amongst all the guests. During the 
 dessert the lady of the house gave the signal for 
 
340 MEMOIRS 
 
 action and the sugar plumbs flew in all directions, 
 and bursts of laughter resounded on all sides ; sud- 
 denly one of the inquisitors, carrying his clumsy 
 mirth rather too far, and finding the sugar plumbs 
 too light, mixed a large almond with one of the 
 handfuls he was throwing:. 
 
 Ihîs canoon ball went straight up to the nose of 
 the Duke de Lavai which it slightly hit, and the 
 Duke, who was no great admirer of monks or of 
 jokes, returned the compliment with a twenty-four 
 pounder, that is, with a large orange which most dis- 
 respectfully flew plump into the face of the reverend 
 father. The Spaniards, struck with dismay and 
 consternation, iiistantly rose from the table, the la- 
 dies crossed themselves, all playing was interrupted 
 and the dinner at an end ; but the reverend father, 
 aflecting a gaiety which the expression of his face 
 belied, quieted all apprehensions by recommencing 
 the game which had been so seriously interrupted. 
 Ï verily believe that, if we had not had in a neigh- 
 boring port, on this coast, five thousand friends well 
 armed, the father inquisitor would not have shewn 
 himself so indulgent, and would have oflered Laval 
 to .occupy, for a time, one of those dark gloomy and 
 cool apartments of which he had a great number at 
 his disposal. 
 
 The governor, Don Fernand Gomez, frequently 
 mixed in our dances and concerts, but without, for a 
 moment, forgetting his dignity ; his manners were 
 noble, his mind well informed, his disposition hu- 
 mane, aflable and generous. He gave audience to 
 all who asked him, kindly listened to their com- 
 plaints, and redressed their grievances as far as it 
 was in his power. He was perfectly well acquaint- 
 ed with the vices of the colonial administration, and 
 if his authority had been greater, every thing would 
 have soon assumed a new and prosperous aspect in 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 341 
 
 these provinces ; but he was not at liberty, either to 
 oppose the intendant in his fiscal operations, or to, 
 disturb the inquisition in the severe measures^which 
 it adopted to extinguish every dawn of light, and ar- 
 rest all progress in civilization.' 
 
 I asked him whether the power, possessed by 
 the inquisition, was as formidable as it was said to 
 be. " Most assuredly," was his reply, " and to give 
 you an idea of it, it will be sufficient to mention, 
 that I am obliged, by my instructions, to afford as- 
 sistance to this tribunal, and to place the troops, 
 which 1 command, at its disposal as often as they 
 are required, and without being allowed to enquire 
 into the motive or object for which they are thus 
 demanded. It must, however, be admitted, that this 
 far-famed tribunal, so greatly dreaded, does not shed 
 so much blood as formerly ; it even punishes consid- 
 erably less than it is thought to do, but it threatens 
 and alarms, and, if it does not do much harm, it pre- 
 vents, at least, the accomplishment of a great deal 
 of good." 
 
 In the sequel of our conversations the Governor 
 informed me, that Spanish America had just been 
 delivered from a very dreadful scourge by a very 
 singular chance. A cruel, contagious disease, call- 
 ed the leprosy of Carthagena^ and supposed to be 
 incurable, had ravaged this continent from time im- 
 memorial. As soon as an individual was attacked 
 with this horrible disease, which covered the skin 
 with ulcers, destroyed the sense of feeling and led 
 to a slow death amidst intolerable sufferings ; the 
 unfortunate being Avas shunned by all, every body, 
 with horror, avoided his approach, all pity ceased 
 for him, friendship forsook him, and terror even 
 stifled the voice of nature ; he had no asylum left 
 but in the leprous institutions, infectious hospitals, 
 where his sufferings were heightened by the specta- 
 
342 MEMOIRS 
 
 cle of those endured by the companions of his mis- 
 fortunes. 
 
 Don Fernand told rae that, recently in the pro- 
 vince of Guatimala, an old negro woman having been 
 inhumanely driven from an habitation on account of 
 being affected with this leprosy, and wandering in 
 the woods, had met a savage tribe who, to her great 
 surprise, approached her without fear and took her 
 with them. Having reached their huts they treated 
 her and cured her, but they detained her in bondage 
 in order that she might not teach the secret of her 
 cure to the Europeans. 
 
 That tribe, however, being one day attacked by a 
 neighboring tribe, the poor negro woman, having es- 
 caped during the tumult, had found means to regain 
 her habitation throuo^h the woods. 
 
 The greatest surprise was excited by her return 
 and by her cure which was attributed to a miracle : 
 but she informed her masters that the savages had 
 cured her by obliging her to swallow every day, 
 during three weeks, a lizard raw and cut in pieces. 
 " This lizard," she added, " was very common every 
 where." 
 
 The news of this adventure, having been quickly 
 circulated through all the provinces of the Spanish 
 continent, the cure, by means of the lizard, was tried, 
 and so successfully resorted to, that leprosies had by 
 degrees become less frequent, and the contagion had, 
 in fact, almost entirely disappeared. The governor 
 shewed me two lizards of this species, and I ate part 
 of one of them. The property of this animal, is to 
 cause at the end of a few days, such abundant per- 
 spiration and salivation, as to carry off the disease 
 in a very short time. 
 
 After my return to France, I communicated this 
 fact to several physicians, and I grieve to state, that 
 they received this information with indifference, and 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 343 
 
 neglected to make the necessary perquisitions re- 
 specting a remedy so efficacious, and which the go- 
 vernor assured me, he had seen employed with con- 
 siderable success in curing soldiers who had the 
 dropsy. 
 
 When visits ov fetes allowed me some leisure mo- 
 ments, I often conversed with a French officer, es- 
 tablished many years since at Caracas. He confirm- 
 ed all that the King's lieutenants had told me at 
 Maracay and at Vittoria, respecting the dissatisfac- 
 tion which prevailed in the country, the oppression 
 under which the créoles labored, and the insatiable 
 avarice of the intendant. 
 
 Ignorance is ever credulous, and I was much en- 
 tertained by being informed by this officer, that two 
 years, before he had been sent at the head of a de- 
 tachment of militia, to the banks of the Rio-Negro, 
 where the Spaniards persisted in believing that they 
 should find the land of Eldorado, so faithfully pro- 
 mised to them, by their chimerical imagination, and 
 hitherto concealed from their view by impenetra- 
 ble forests. 
 
 Strange infatuation of an administration, which 
 strives to discover a fabulous Eldorado, whilst it can 
 so easily create a real one in this beautiful country, 
 by giving a little activity to labor, and a little liberty 
 to trade. 
 
 I at last became acquainted with the famous in- 
 tendant — General don Joseph d'Avalos, the tyrant 
 of this colony. He purchased, in the name of the 
 King, all goods coming from Europe ; fixed the price 
 he thought proper to them, and confiscated those 
 that their owners refused to sell through his medi- 
 um; he, in like manner, fixed by a rigorous tariff, 
 the duties of exportation of colonial produce, requir- 
 ed ten per cent, for permission to enter the port, 
 besides a duty of five per cent, upon their growth. 
 
344 MEMOIRS 
 
 In addition to this, every ship laden with cacao, go- 
 ing to Spain, was compelled to carry a certain num- 
 ber 0Î Janegas^ for the King, or rather for the in- 
 tendant, who thus realized a most enormous profit 
 without disbursing any thing. 
 
 The adoption of such means, to increase rapidly 
 his fortune was odious, yet comprehensible : but what 
 w^as inexplicable, was the absurd fancy of this inten- 
 dant, who forbade the cultivation of cotton, in a 
 country where it grows almost naturally. By the 
 same caprice, whilst bullocks were so common, that 
 a landholder without being very rich, might count 
 thousands of them on his estates, Don Joseph for- 
 bade their exportation under the severest penalties. 
 The result of such conduct, had been to unite all 
 opinions respecting this governor into one, and to 
 create an unanimous sentiment of detestation of his 
 person. 
 
 I wished before I left Caracas, to have the satis- 
 faction of conversing with one of the Inquisitors, 
 who spoke a little French, and appeared less reserv- 
 ed than his brethren. I spoke to him of the flour- 
 ishing state of the northern nations of America, which 
 I had just witnessed; "How can you suffer," said I, 
 " that your provinces, which have been discovered 
 so long ago, should be so far behind hand with the 
 English colonies in point of civih'zation ? Deserts in- 
 tervene between your towns, and there wild beasts 
 increase and multiply more quietly than men; here 
 nature lavishes all her treasures upon you, where- 
 fore burv them?" 
 
 " You have yourself replied to these questions," 
 said the monk, " by citing the American republics: 
 Our provinces give us riches enough, and remain un- 
 
 * A Spanish measure equal to 1| bushel English, but, applied 
 to cacao, it is a weight equal to 1 cwt. avoirdupois, very near- 
 ly.— ■( Trnnslator.) 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 345^ 
 
 der our dominion; if we were so simple as to allow 
 their riches and population to increase, our colon ies 
 would soon become independent and be lost to us." 
 
 " Admirably well calculated, most reverend fa- 
 ther," I replied with indignation, " I have nov/ only 
 one advice to give you, and that is, to cause one half 
 of the children to be killed at their birth; you hav«, 
 I believe, no other means of opposing nature, which, 
 sooner or later will triumph over you." There, as 
 it may well be supposed, our conversation! ended. 
 
 After having passed a week in this delightful tow^n 
 and valley, in favour of which nature has shewn her- 
 self so prodigal, and the administration so illiberal, 
 and my imagination being tilled with, the charms of 
 the beautiful Spanish women, the noise of their cas- 
 tanets, the sound of their guitars, and of their sweet 
 voices, I started to proceed to the port of la Guayra, 
 where I found a canoe from my vessel le Souverain, 
 which was waiting for me, to conduct me along the 
 coast to Porto-Cabello. 
 
 Bozon and Champcenetz proceeded in the same 
 manner, as well as Matthew Dumas, who had oblig- 
 ingly traced out for me a detailed plan of our very 
 curious route from Porto-Cabello to Caracas. 
 
 The port of Guayra, and that of Porto-Cabello, 
 were, at that time, the only two into which the colo- 
 nists were permitted by the formidable d'Avalos, to 
 carry their merchandize. But the inhabitants evad- 
 ed this tyrannical regulation, by proceeding at night 
 to various little inlets, where they were met by the 
 smugglers of Curaçao. 
 
 These smugglers were Dutchmen, and well arm- 
 ed ; against w^hom the intendant used to send out a 
 number of small vessels called bélandres and soldiers. 
 It was a system of continual warfare, in which cun- 
 ning and dexterity commonly triumphed over force. 
 
 This illicit traffic made the fortune of the Dutch 
 44 
 
346 - MEMOIRS 
 
 €olony of Curacao, and afforded to the créoles of the 
 continent the means of securing a part of their pro- 
 perty against the insatiable cupidity of Don Joseph 
 d'Aval OS. 
 
 The roadstead of Guayra is safe and commodious, 
 and the town is defended by well constructed forts ; 
 the road to it from Caracas is rough, steep and diffi- 
 cult, but nevertheless much more practicable than 
 any of the roads by which we had previously travel- 
 led in those mountains. 
 
 The canoe in which we embarked was followed 
 by another in which were M. Linch, an officer of 
 our statF, and Count Christern de Deux-Ponts, colo- 
 nel of a regiment of four battalions which bore his 
 name. 
 
 A fresh and favorable breeze gave us hopes of a 
 short navigation, when, at ten leagues from Guayra, 
 we descried a frigate bearing down upon us, with- 
 out, however, being able to discover whether she 
 was English or French. In consequence of our un- 
 certainty on this point, we deemed it most prudent 
 to avoid encountering her; we therefore, notwith- 
 standing she hailed us, kept close along shore, care- 
 fully avoiding the breakers, and soon got beyond 
 her reach. 
 
 The canoe which was astern of us did not follow 
 our example ; the officer commanding it held his 
 course without fear, believing the frigate to be a 
 friendly vessel. He was strangely surprised there- 
 fore when a ball or two, which passed close to the 
 canoe, imperatively invited our unfortunate comrades 
 tojgo on board. 
 
 It was an English frigate commanded by a young 
 captain of the name of Nelson, who subsequently 
 became but too celebrated by the destruction of our 
 naval forces on the coast of Egypt, and various other 
 brilliant victories. 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 347 
 
 Mj friend Linch felt peculiarly uneasy at this 
 critical moment, knowing that, by the English law 
 every man born in England, is punishable with death, 
 if taken bearing arms against her. He, therefore, 
 earnestly entreated Count de Deux-Ponts, not to 
 allow a syllable to escape him, which might give the 
 officers of the fri2:ate to understand that he had 
 been born within the British dominions. 
 
 Nelson received these two officers with so much 
 politeness, treated them so well and gave them such 
 excellent cheer, that, notwithstanding their regret 
 at being captured, they presently began to resign 
 themselves w^ith good grace to their fate. 
 
 It happened that, remaining long at table and 
 finding the wine good, they drank a little more of it 
 than was desirable ; hoping doubtlessly to dispel the 
 gloom on their spirits. The remedy produced its 
 effect ; their conversation became animated, and 
 their gaiety confiding. 
 
 Various subiects were discussed and amonsf them 
 England and London being mentioned. Nelson com- 
 mitted, I know not by what accident, one or two 
 mistakes, relative to the names of some streets and 
 the locality of certain buildings. Linch undertook 
 to correct him, and a debate ensued. Suddenly 
 Nelson said to Linch, with an archly significant 
 look, " What amazes me. Sir, is that you speak 
 English and seem to know London quite as w^ell as 
 I do." 
 
 " That is not at all surprising ;" cried Count de 
 Deux-Ponts, a little excited by the dinner, " for 
 my friend was born in London." Linch shuddered 
 from head to foot, but Nelson, appearing not to have 
 heard the indiscreet remark, changed the conversa- 
 tion and continued to treat his guests as graciously 
 as before. 
 
 On the following day, taking his two prisoners 
 
348 MEMOIRS 
 
 aside, he said to them in the most obhging manner : 
 " I cannot but feel how mortifying it must be for a 
 colonel of a regiment, and an officer of the staff of 
 the French army, to be deprived of their liberty; 
 perhaps on the very eve of an expedition, through 
 an unforeseen occurrence. On the other hand, much 
 as I should feel honored by having captured you in 
 the course of an engagement, it is but little flattering 
 to my vanity to have taken possession of a canoe, 
 with two officers not actually on duty. My intention, 
 therefore is this : 1 have received orders to recon- 
 noitre, as closely as possible, your squadron anchored 
 in the roads of Porto-Cabello, and I am about to 
 execute those orders. If I am chased, and the 
 vessel pursuing me should be la Couronne^ I shall be 
 obliged to carry you away Avith me without loss of 
 time, because that vessel is so good a sailer that 1 
 should be unable to escape from her : any other 
 would give me but little uneasiness, and in the latter 
 case, I promise to put at your disposal a little 
 Spanish bilander, which I have recently taken, with 
 two men who will conduct you into port, and restore 
 you to your colors." 
 
 We shortly afterwards entered the roads; and 
 such a visit being quite unexpected, and a part of 
 the crews as well as officers of our fleet on shore, 
 Nelson had time to examine and count our vessels 
 at his leisure, and more than two hours elapsed 
 before the frigate Ceres, which M. de Vaudreuil sent 
 in pursuit of him, could get under weigh. 
 
 Nelson kept his word : Count de Deux-Ponts and 
 Linch got quietly on board the Spanish skiff*, and 
 joined us, to our great surprise and their great joy. 
 
 On my arrival at Porto-Cabello, I had apprised 
 our generals of the circumstance of our having seen 
 an unknown frigate ; and as soon as that frigate came 
 in sight of the port I obtained permission to go on 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 349 
 
 board the Ceres that was to chase and engage her. 
 Alexander de Lameth and Bozon embarked also 
 with me. 
 
 But before I speak of our run, I will relate an 
 anecdote concerning mj friend Linch, that will give 
 an idea both of his singular bravery and of the 
 originality of his disposition. Linch, after beino? 
 engaged in the campaigns of India, served, beforl^ 
 he was employed in the army of Rochambeau, unoer 
 the orders of Count d'Estaing, and distinq^uished 
 himself particularly at the too memorable siege of 
 Savannah. M. d'Estaing, at the most critical mo- 
 ment of that sanguinary affair, being at the head of 
 the right column, directed Linch to carry an urgent 
 order to the third column, which was on the left. 
 These columns were then within grape shot of the 
 enemy's entrenchments ; and on both sides a tremen- 
 duous firing was kept up. Linch, instead of passing, 
 through the centre or in the rear of the columns, 
 proceeded coolly through the shower of balls and 
 grape shot^ which the French and English were 
 discharging at each other. It was in vain that M. 
 d'Estaing and those who surrounded him, cried to 
 Linch to take another direction, he went on, executed 
 his order, and returned by the same way ; that is to 
 say, under a vault of flying shot, and where every 
 one expected to witness his instant destruction. 
 
 " Zounds !" said the general on seeing him return 
 unhurt, " the devil must be in you, surely : why did 
 you choose such a road as that, in which you might 
 have expected to perish a thousand times over ?" 
 " Because it was the shoxtest" answered Linch. 
 Having uttered these few words, he went with equal 
 coolness and joined the group that was most ardently 
 engaged in storming the place. 
 
 He was afterwards promoted to the rank of lieu- 
 tenant-general, and commanded our infantry in the 
 
350 MEMOIRS 
 
 first engagement we had with the Prussians on the 
 heights of* Val my. 
 
 To return to the Ceres : it was in vain that we 
 made all sail in chase of Nelson; he eluded our 
 pursuit. Being compelled to relinquish our fruitless 
 attempt and finding ourselves close to Curaçao, we 
 were desirous of refreshing ourselves there ; but 
 ^jeing carried away by a rapid current, we struck on 
 a sand-bank at the entrance of the harbor. Some 
 Dutch vessels however came to our assistance and 
 got us off. 
 
 We remained two days on the island. I shall say 
 but little of it, as it offers nothing that can satisfy 
 curiosity. It is by nature a barren rock, but Dutch 
 industry has rendered it a rich colony. The illicit 
 traffic carried on between it and the continent, had 
 the effect of conveying to it as much of their trea- 
 sures as the Spanish colonists could contrive to save 
 from the rapacious vigilance of their tyrannical ad- 
 ministration. 
 
 There we learned that our wishes were about to 
 be fulfilled, and that the naval forces of M. d'Eslaing 
 were at length going to leave Cadiz and join us as 
 well as the Spanish fleet from Havannah. We 
 hastened therefore to return to Porto-Cabello. 
 
 I found there letters from France : my father 
 announced to me that the King had appointed me 
 colonel commanding the regiment of Belzunce-dra- 
 goons, which, from that moment, assumed the name 
 of SègU7\ At any other time this intelligence would 
 have given me the liveliest satisfaction, but on the 
 eve of an expedition for the conquest of Jamaica 1 
 could not endure the idea of quitting the service I 
 was engaged in, and therefore resolved to remain 
 %vith the army to which I was then attached. 
 
 The apprehension entertained by the English 
 ministry of the consequences of the speedy junction 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 351 
 
 of such formidable forces, and of the effect of a vast 
 combination which was about to expose the British 
 possessions in the Antilies to the aiost imminent risk, 
 was indubitably one of the most powerful motives 
 that induced them to concfude the peace, and ac- 
 knowledge the independence of America. 
 
 A few days after our return to Porto-Cabello, 
 the frigate Andromaque brought us from France 
 the intelligence that this glorious peace was ratified- 
 Shortly afterwards we sailed for Cape Français in 
 St. Domingo, M. de Vaudreuil taking me with him 
 on board the flag ship Northumberland. 
 
 We sailed on the od of April, 1783. On quitting 
 that fine continent I was impressed with the belief 
 that the oppression of which it was the victim 
 would not be lasting, but that the season of its eman- 
 cipation and prosperity would arrive. The event 
 has justified my anticipation ; the republic of Colum- 
 bia has established itself in the midst of storms : 
 courage has triumphed over force, and patience has 
 surmounted every obstacle. 
 
 May this infant republic enjoy internally, after its 
 successes, the happiness that can only arise from 
 order and respect for laws ! May she, while follow- 
 ing the example of the United States, always remem- 
 ber that liberty has every where more to fear from 
 the passions of its votaries, than from i\ie attacks 
 of its enemies ! 
 
 After we had passed Curaçao, happening to men- 
 tion, in conversation with M. de Vaudreuil, the re- 
 gret I should experience at visiting the northern 
 coast of St. Domingo without having had an oppor- 
 tunity of seeing my own habitation, which was situ- 
 ated in the western part of the island, near Port-au- 
 Prince, he most obligingly placed at my disposal the 
 frigate Amazone^ commanded by M. de Gaston, who 
 received orders to put me ashore in the port of 
 
352^ MEMOIRS 
 
 Jacquemel, and afterwards, doubling Cape Tiburon, 
 to join hitn again. 
 
 I immediately got on board that vessel, with M. 
 Berthier, afterwards Prince de Neufchatel, who 
 wished to accompany me : and, with the assistance 
 of a favorable wind, we made the southern coast of 
 Saint-Domingo in eleven days. 
 
 As we sailed along the shore of the Spanish part 
 of the island, it appeared as wild and uncultivated 
 as when discovered by Columbus. We could barely 
 discern, at immense intervals from each other, some 
 miserable villages, and a few sugar plantations; the 
 rest consisted of nothing but thick forests and de- 
 serted savannas. 
 
 On a sudden the scene changed : perceiving fine 
 cities, rich villages, good roads, elegant houses, culti- 
 vated fields; in short, the whole face of nature 
 embellished by the various improvements derivable 
 from art and an able administration ; we had no oc- 
 casion to consult the map, in order to know that we 
 had got beyond the Spanish frontiers, and that, on 
 entering the French territory, we had, as it were, 
 in an instant overleaped the two or three centuries 
 by which light is separated from darkness, and civi- 
 lization from barbarism. 
 
 We soon reached the port of Jacquemel, when 
 the captain of the Amazone bid me adieu, and sailed 
 for the Cape to join M. de Vaudreuil. 
 
 Without stopping at Jacquemel, M. Berthier and 
 I purchased horses, and, travelling night and day, 
 did not rest till we reached Leogane ; from thence 
 we proceeded to Port-au-Prince, where we remain- 
 ed but a single day, which I devoted to the purpose 
 of examining that fine city, then one of the richest 
 of the new world. 
 
 The port was full of vessels, commerce was in the 
 highest state of activity, and it would be difficult to 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 353 
 
 describe the luxury that prevailed there. It was 
 the last brilliant a;ra of that opulent colony, or father 
 of that kingdom which, by its valuable productions, 
 gave annually to France an advantage of sixty mil- 
 lions of francs in the balancé of her trade. 
 
 I was far from anticipating, while I admired that 
 flourishing city, one of the ornaments of our trium- 
 phant monarchy, that, in a few years, it would, after 
 having been made the grave of many thousands of 
 Frenchmen, become the capital of a republic of ne- 
 groes. 
 
 At a short distance from Port-au-Prince, being in- 
 vited to breakfast at the habitation of M. Blanchard, 
 the uncle of a commissary of the army of M. de Ro- 
 chambeau, who had accompanied me in this excur- 
 sion, I met the superintendant of my plantation, M. 
 Seigneuret, who was not a little surprised to find, 
 seated by his side, his principal, whom he believed 
 to be then in France. 
 
 His carriage and horses, or rather mine, conveyed 
 me, in less than two hours, to my own habitation, 
 situated in the middle of the plaiiie du cul-de-sac^ at 
 a place called la Croix des bouquets. 
 
 A servant had proceeded in all haste to announce 
 my arrival: so that, as soon as 1 entered my planta- 
 tion, I found myself surrounded by a population of 
 slaves of both sexes, of all ages, and of every possi- 
 ble diversity of cast and color. 
 
 These poor people threw themselves on their 
 knees before me, and vociferously proclaimed their 
 surprise and satisfaction on beholding their master. 
 Those oppressed, degraded, and suffering beings 
 somewhat resemble, in this respect, the subjects of 
 the absolute monarchies of Asia : they do not, how« 
 ever, say " if the king,'^^ but " if thé master knew 
 it!" hoping that their grievances, which arise from 
 45 
 
354 MEMOIRS 
 
 an inferior source, would find a remedy in a higher 
 quarter. 
 
 Fate had decreed that, in the course of two short 
 campaigns, the most varied and contrasting scenes 
 should be presented to my obseivation. In the 
 Azores I had seen the wreck of the Atlantis, traces 
 of the middle ages, monastic ignorance, the chival- 
 rous manners and religious gallantry of the thirteenth 
 century. In the United States, reason, simplicity, 
 bravery, activity, and the republican virtues. With- 
 in the torrid zone and in the Spanish settlements, 
 the inexhaustible riches of all-bountiful nature, with 
 all the miseries attendant on an ignorant, rapacious, 
 arbitrary and intolerant government. Lastly, being 
 arrived at Saint-Domingo, where all things felt the 
 influence of the well directed efforts of a fostering 
 government, as well as of popular activity and intel- 
 ligence, I, nevertheless, found myself in my large 
 house like a pacha in his harem ; surrounded by 
 slaves who only waited for a sign to obey all my ca- 
 prices, and whose life or death, happiness or misery, 
 depended upon an act of my will. 
 
 I still shudder when I recollect, that two days be- 
 fore my arrival, an old negress had been confined in 
 an oven, and committed to the flames. It is true, 
 she had had the atrocity to poison several children ; 
 but still, she perished without a trial. Yet it is true 
 that laws existed; but where slavery prevails, com- 
 plaint is unheard, and the law powerless. 
 
 St. Domingo presented at that time, to the eye of 
 an observer, two very opposite spectacles : the island, 
 every where cultivated with care, resembled a mag- 
 nificent garden, intersected by well kept roads and 
 numerous foot-paths, bounded by hedges of lemon 
 and orange-trees. At every step, round the fields 
 of sugar-canes and the savannas, in which numerous 
 flocks were feeding, were to be seen in various forms 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 355 
 
 the elegant residences of the rich proprietors o£ 
 those plantations. The roads were constantly cover- 
 ed with vehicles, transporting merchandize to the 
 ports, and with a multitude of elegant carriages con- 
 veying the voluptuous colonists from one habitation 
 to another. 
 
 All were continually engaged in visiting and mak- 
 ing parties. It was an endless succession oi fetes, balls, 
 concerts and gaming; by which gaming it frequently 
 happened, that the largest fortunes were lost in a 
 few hours. The rich plains of this colony resem- 
 bled in some sort by the luxury and ever varying 
 scenes they exhibited, those great capitals composed 
 of numerous districts, which commerce and general 
 business, intrigues and pleasures, keep in a perpetual 
 state of agitation. 
 
 Such was the picture exhibited to my observation 
 by the activity, the voluptuous habits and the pros- 
 perity of the white population. But quitting this 
 vortex of a seductive world, and entering the fields 
 of my habitation, what a melancholy and different 
 prospect presented itself! There I beheld my un- 
 fortunate negroes, with no other dress than a pair of 
 drawers, constantly exposed to a scorching sun, and 
 a temperature of 28° or 30' of Reaumur, stooping 
 from morning till night over the indurated soil, 
 forced to dis: it without intermission, admonished if 
 they discontinued their work for a moment, by the / 
 whip of the superintendents, who lacerated their 
 skin with an unsparing hand, and almost envying the 
 condition of the oxen and horses, whose only labor 
 consisted m carrying the canes to the mill. 
 
 Bat let us dismiss these melancholy reflections ; 
 the wise demanded in vain that so intolerable an or- 
 der of things should be gradually reformed, and that 
 the prevailing abuses should be mitigated, in order 
 
 I 
 
 1 
 
356 MEMOIRS 
 
 to avoid the danger of commotions ; reason will al- 
 ways speak too feebly, and the passions too loudly. 
 At the moment when the cry of liberty, raised in 
 America, was re-echoed in Europe, our first assem- 
 bly caught an indistinct view of the proper course 
 pointed out by circumstances, but failed to pursue it. 
 
 Vainly did Barnave, Alexander de Lameth, Du- 
 port and other deputies, propose to effect salutary 
 reforms, and to connect the interests of the free 
 population of color with our own, by conceding to 
 them their civil rights; their suggestions were un- 
 heeded. The other assemblies, yielding impetuous- 
 ly to the most immoderate passion, suddenly, and in 
 an unguarded and unqualified manner, proclaimed 
 the emancipation of the blacks; the colonists taking 
 the alarm, put themselves in a state of defence ; the 
 negroes, thirstingfor vengeance, flew to arms, and St. 
 Domingo, the land so long watered by their tears 
 was, through their ferocious resentment, deluged 
 wnth French blood. St. Domingo no longer exists 
 for us; black Hayti has taken its place; in vain did 
 Napoleon attempt its reconquest. 
 
 May those governments who still possess islands 
 in this quarter of the globe, become persuaded of 
 this truth, that a judicious reform can alone avert or 
 retard revolutions ! The colonial system must be 
 changed ; and perhaps the period may arrive when, 
 like ancient Rome and Greece, Europe will perceive 
 that colonies cannot be long retained otherwise than 
 as allies; as the offspring of the mother country, and 
 not as her servants. 
 
 After having made myself completely acquainted 
 with the state of my plantation and the nature of 
 the labor performed upon it, I made some regula- 
 tions with the view of ameliorating the condition of 
 my slaves. I extended their hours of rest, augment- 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR, 257 
 
 ed the portion of ground they were permitted to 
 cultivate for their own account, and enjoined mode- 
 ration on the part of the superintendents in their 
 chastisements. In return, I received the blessings 
 of all ; and this recollection is still a source of satis- 
 faction and pleasure. 
 
 M. Berthier presented me with four pleasing pic- 
 tures, in which he had represented different views 
 of my plantation, with the various kinds of labor per- 
 formed there, my reception by the negroes, their 
 dances and other pastimes; these are the only ves- 
 tiges Î now retain of that valuable property. 
 
 At length, having received intimation from M. de 
 Vaudreuil that he was about to return immediately 
 to France, 1 forthwith proceeded to the Cape, 
 travelling very agreeably from one plantation to 
 another. 
 
 At each habitation I experienced, according to 
 custom, the most obliging hospitality, every where 
 meeting with agreeable conversation, commodious 
 lodging, an excellent table, carriage and slaves at my 
 disposal. 
 
 I perceived with pleasure that many of the colo- 
 nists were entitled, by their humanity, to the praises 
 bestowed perhaps too exclusively upon two or three 
 planters ; and that it might therefore be said of their 
 slaves, that they were as happy as the negroes of 
 Biin or GalifFet. 
 
 I shall enter into no details respecting the town of 
 the Cape ; few of our great cities equal it in pros- 
 perity and magnificence. Our fleet sailed on the 30th 
 April, 1783. The only contrariety we experienced 
 was that of being occasiojially becalmed in the lati- 
 tude of the Azores. At the end of forty-nine days 
 we found ourselves close to the shores of France, 
 und there we narrowly escaped being lost. 
 
368 MEMOIRS 
 
 The wind was so fresh that we were running at 
 the rate of twelve knots an hour, that is to saj, 
 four leagues. Our mariners were deceived in their 
 calculations, and, as the lead did not indicate the 
 proximity of the coast they were expecting to ap- 
 proach, they concluded that the currents had carried 
 us into the channel. 
 
 M. de Vaudreuil, however, prudently directed us 
 to stand off to sea during the night, and the event 
 proved that he was right, for one morning, at break 
 of day, I heard M. de Medine, the captain of our 
 ship exclaim: "I see breakers through the mist." 
 
 M. de l'Aiguille, an officer of superior merit, but 
 who displayed sometimes too much of the confidence 
 of youth, replied with a smile :" Those breakers 
 are no where but in your glass." 
 
 " Young man," said our old 'captain with a tone of 
 anger, "you are major-general to the squadron and 
 may give it the orders you think proper; but, for 
 my part, I know what I have to do, and although the 
 Marquis de Vaudreuil is on board, it is I who an- 
 swer for the safety of my ship. I shall, therefore, 
 give orders to tack, for there is not a moment to be 
 lost." 
 
 He accordingly gave that order and, during the 
 manœuvre, the fog having suddenly cleared away, 
 We perceived, at about two hundred yards from us, 
 the rocks des Saintes against which the waves dash- 
 ing with fury, threw up columns of foaming waters 
 to a prodigious height. Against those rocks the 
 whole of our fleet would inevitably have perished. 
 Fortunately the whole squadron imitated the move- 
 ment of our vessel, and all danger being then over, 
 we arrived in three hours in Brest harbor. 
 
 Having landed, I received the intelhgence of the 
 nomination of my father to the dignity of Maréchal 
 
OF COUNT SEGUR. 359 
 
 de France, I also learned that I should still find 
 him a minister, at which I could not help feeling 
 rather surprised, for he had then been upwards of 
 two years in that post, and I was well aware that, of 
 all human careers, that of a minister is the shortest, 
 the most precarious, and the most uncertain. 
 
 as