r _ y/r .u/\ fi^yr '-o- K/- J|.'-V!\ ^^mw h ( l)?ht/&ijiUt/ir/larifrJ„.y,iliviM/)liHrm/Kui [SiMlm/ \ 'i ) n,A'uui^(iiuu,ljMu*rtJJ^,},, l/.ilSir*^ < tj ! /Mr/I ■t-iJimMl.lJir/hmjMt \ . ijf)/l,imrr iimlu.UwmifilAmilff/ifA'iuuCH n-/ ' /l ■v.. bVrltOHJ.m/M Ibn/Uf {,1^ /Mioii ,1./ /'M/lir \ :.t6) Amii ' ^ ^1 JaluMi' i IW) j:jmimtv.Xv.ir. / / BIO GRAPHICAL A N E C D O TJE S ' FO UND E~Ts OF THE OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC, AND OF OTHER EMINENT CHARACTERS, WHO HAVE DISTINGUISHED THEMSELVES IN THE PROGRESS OF THE REFOLUTIOK LO NDO N: PPvINTED FOR R. PHILLIPS, AND SOLDEY MR. JOHNSON, ST.PAUl's CHURCH-YARDf AND MR. DEBREIT, PICCADILLY. 1797, ERRATA, Which the readtr is requefred to correal with the pen» Page 7 line 4 from the bottom, for fatyr xtzAfatlre. 20 and following, for Revelh'ere Le^aux re^d Reveillsre Lepaux> 63 — — — 8 for y afpr.que?!. read appi^^'^^ y* 82 - 5 for the Aijlrians read Morcau. ibid ■ 6 for b'lm read Latour, ibid -— 8 for Lat'nr read him. S3 — — laft, for i'er.nultvzs.di'enr.uie. 86 — 4 for d rEurope read ^f V Europe* 92 ■ 24 for Uh-Jioire de read Ubifio'ire du» J 44. ..I, 23 for rei;a5 read rega* 148 ' 1 1 for j'tt/v read May. 356 — — 20 for Tar.ijfaire read yanijaire, J 60 .' . 17 for 'uor/1? read coarje. ibid — — — 22 for frame xtd.d fame, J 78 14 {or Seplwi rtiATcpllnl. 389 — — 15 for ^'(-72 wettre read ^'c« «?mr. ibid — 18 for mon ail rtzA mon ceiL [ms grlffoner, 3^0 — — 12 for <^V» cont.ai meugiiffoner read i'a;j contrat^ 357 ■ ,. laft for Blxi read JyV. 158 — . — 9 for nomnie read ncm. ■zij • 25 for Norman nclle[je read r.cb'ejje Normar,de% 264 - - «; from bottom, deU., pendant ^ ._266 • 6 for Jatr'tcal itzdfatirual. :ji5 . I for FraJJini read GraJJins. •'25 — — — 19 for «o:/i vcudrcns read nctfi *L'cudr'ioris. -.72 - I ■■ il for i796 read 1795. ;i)i(i — — . 15 for patrican read /arr.v/.w. PREFACE. ± HE Editor of this volume of Biogra- phical Anecdotes, prefents it to the pub- lic with fome degree of confl.deance. Whatever may be its literary merit, it at lead poiTelTes, with refpe61: to materials, the recommendation of Novelty. No Work, embracing the fame object, has yet appeared either in this country, or on the Continent : it is therefore obvious, that the collector can have been little indebted to the labours of contemporaries, and may, without prefumption, lay claim to public attention on account of the originality of his information. It may, perhaps, excite fome furprife, that the Editor ihould have been enabled to form a Work, not contemptible in fize, wholly conlifting of original fketches of cha- racters, v/hich have, in the courfe of the French Revolution, ftarted in fuch vaft num- bers, from obfcurity into eminence; and fome account will reafonably be required of the authenticity of the fources from wliich a 2 fuch lY PREFACE. fnch minute details have been fuppIiecL Though various circumftances, which it is nnnecelTary to fpecify, prevent the particu- lar mention of the perfons to whom he has been indebted for information, he has the fatisfa£lion to afTure his readers, that he has received ample communications from various well-informed foreigners, fome of whom have been perfonally ccnneded with the events v/hich tbey relate, and from Englifh- uien, who have refidcd in France nearly through the whole period of the Revolu< tion. V\'ere he permitted to add their names, they would refle61 no fmall degree of refpe^labili'ty upon his Work. For its authenticity, however, he can confidently vouch J as he has relied, not upon vague rumour, but upon direct information from, perf ns intimately converfant with the fa6is,. and well acquainted with the chara^lers, "which are the fubjecl of thefe Memoirs. After the Editor's utmoit care, it is pro- bar le, that many inaccuracies may have ef- caped corre8:ion. In colle^ing fugitive in- formation, and recording the events of the j-adhig day, fome indulgence for trivial over- fights may be claimed. If Galiicifms fuould fometimes be detected, the reader will PREFACE. V will have the candour to recolIeiEl, that a great part of the materials for this Work ■was furniflied by Frenchmen. Should any material errors in point of fa61:, have efcaped the Editor, he earneftly folicits fpeedy cor- rection, and more complete information. In exhibiting chara6?rers now, or lately living, it was impracticable to attempt any diftin6l clalfification, or chronological ar- rangement ; but an attempt has been made to fupply, in lorae meafure, this defe6i:, by means of an Alphabetical Table of Con- tents, and a Chart of the Profcriptions of Parties, prefixed as a frontifpiece, to the Volume. It may be necefTary to obferve, that a few of the Anecdotes which have appeared in the Monthly Magazine, have been inferted in this Volume. Without the republica- tion of the'fe, the prefent Work would have been incomplete. The greater part of thefe articles have, however, been en- larged and improved ; and about two-thirds of the characters in the Volume are entirely original, and have never appeared before the public in any form. Upon the interefling nature of this pub- lication, it is wholly unneceflary to expa- ^ 3 tiate. vi PREFACE. tiate. Memorials of men who have borne an aftive, and many of them a principal part in one of the greateft events in the mo- ral and political hiftOry of the world, muft intereft every one who wiilies well to his fpecles. It is impollible to recoIle6l with- out horr -r, that about one-half of the per- fons mentioned in this Volum.e, have fallen vi6lims to political phrenzy under the guil- lotine. The fudden and aftonifhing viciffi- tudes cf fortune, exhibited in the condi- tion of individaals, afford a moft inilruclive moral leffon. The dreadful wafte of human talents and virtues, and even of human exiftence, which has accompanied this grand effort for the recovery of political freedom, mufl fill every benevolent mind with infinite regret. Nor can anything relieve the painful feelings excited by the firfl part of this diftrefTmg drama, but the *' trembling hope" of- a happy termina- tion, in which the vast price which has been paid for the purchafe of liberty, will be abundantly recompenfed in the happi- nefs of COUNTLESS MILLIONS yet unborn, No» 71, S,. Paul's Church-Tard, Sept, 2^th, 1797, INDEX TO TH2 C H A R A C T E R ^^ FAGEV AlBITTE - - . ^ . '. 378- ANARCHASrS CLOOTS AMAR BABCEUF 94. ANGEREAU (GENERAL), - - - ^ 17^ AUBERT DU BAYET - - - - laS *35 BARRERE - . ^ - 427 BUONAROTTI - 365 BOURBON^ DUG D£ » - - - ' 77 BOISSY D'ANGLAS - - - - iii BUZOT - . - ^ . ,25 BOUNAPARTE - - . - - 163 203 BARRAS - - - . - • - I X)A1L.L< 1 " - » » «, ^'tO BARNAVE - - - - - 361 BRISSOT - - . . - 26 BARTHELEMY - . - . . 3^ CHAUMETTE - - - - - 73 CHABOT - - - - ' joz CONDE, PRINCE LOUIS JOSEPH DE BOURBON - 80 CALONNE, M. DE - - - - J17 , ABBE DE - - - - 216 CLAVIERE - - - . , CERr^TTI - « . - . . CONDORCET - - - . . 185 CORDEY, CHARLOTTE • - . . 193 COUNT J27 140 v'lii INDEX. COUNT , (ci-devant) - - - 203 CHAM^AGNEUX 205 CAMUS - - - - - 2o5 CARNOT - - - - - - 12 COUTHON - . ... - 50a CHAMFORT - - - - - 312 COLLOT D'lIERBOlS - - - - 31S CHENIER - - - - - 398 CAMBON - - ■ - , - - 416 CHAPELIER - - - . - 390 CAMILLE DESMOULINS - - - 357 DAMPIERRE - - • « . 334 DAVID ... - 337 D'ARTOIS, COMTE - - - - 82 DE LA TUDE . - - 1-86 D'lVERNOlS, SIR FRANCIS - - - - J03 DUMONT - - - - - 305 DEGRAVE ------ 106 DEP.TORA.NDE - - - - - 131 DROUET - « - - - 147 DE LA TOUCHE - - - -275 DANTON - - - - - 6x DUMOLARD - - - - - 381 DUBOIS CRANCE - - - - 355 DUMOURIER - - - - 4' 5 FERNIGS MADEMOISELLES - - - 87 FOUt^UIER TINVILLE - - - *3G8 FRA>90IS DE NEUFCHATEAU - - - 18 FABRE D'EGLAKTINE - - - - 25S FRERON - - - - • - 4C9 FERRAND - . - - yz GREGOIRE - - - . - 119 CUILLON, L'ABBE - - - - 21S GARAT - - . - - - 369 HOCHE, GENERAL - . - - 430 HARCOURT, Due dc ^ 3 - JJJ HERAULT INDEX. IX HERAULT DE SECHELLES - • - - a49 ISNARD - - - _ - 420 JOURDAN, General - - - 415 LEBON - - - 375 LOUVET ^ - • - - *:7t LA FAYETTE, Marquis de - ► - 383 , MADAME - - - - 19S LOUtS XVI (Particulars of his laft iraprifonmcn) 277 LOUIS XVIII (le foi-dfant) - - - . 81 LACLOS - - - - -105 LE FEBVRE (GENERAL) - - - 114 LEBRUN . - - « - 126 LINDET, ROBERT - - - - 130 LEQUINIO - - ... 144 LILLE, ABBE DE - - - '- - iSS LAHARPE - - . - - - 240 LAMBALLE, PRINCESS DE - - - 275 LEGENDRE - - - - - 348 LETOURNEUR - - - - - 23 LANJUINAIS - - - - . 83 LACROIX - . - - - - 407 MOREAU, General - - - - 53 MANUEL -.---- 341 MALLET DU PAN - - - - 88 MIRABEAU, COUNT DE - - - - 287 MIRANDA ' - - - - 137 MONGE - - - - - 13s MASSENA, GENERAL . . - i8a MERLIN DE THIONVILLE . - - 405 MFSDAMES - - - - •^95 MARAT . - - « - - 207 MALESHERBES - - - - 227 MERLIN DH DOUAY - - - - 8 MIR .BEAU - - - - - 287 MIRABEAU, Juii. . - , - - 300 MAilCEAU, - - - - - 32» NECKER X INDEX. KECKER ^ - . - - 19& PICHEGRU , . - , - 66 PERIGORDDETAYLERAND - - - •364 PASIORET - - - . - 9S- POLIGNAC, 1>UCHE£S DE - - - 1 34. PERCY, D'aBBE DE - - - - 215 PHILIP EGALITE - - - - 414 PETRE - - - - - -234 PUISSAYE ... - - - 3C5 PETION - - - - - 5^ ROCHEFOUCAULT-LIANCOURT, DUG DE - loS RUSCA (GENERAL) - - - - i8t ROLAND, MADAME - - - - - 219 ROBESPIERRE - - • - . 260 REVEILLIERE LEPAUX - • • ao REWBELL - - - . - 4S ROCKEFOUCAULT, DUG DE - - - 37^ RABAULT ST, ETIENNE - . • - - 4^3 SALICETTI - - - . - ai3 SYEYES - - - - - 31 SANTERRE - - - • - 395 ST. ANDRE - - - - - 3^7 ST. KURUGE - - - - - 100 ST. JUST - - - - - 107 TREILLARD • - - - ' 3i5 TRES.ME3, LE DUG DE - - - - i97 THIEVRI -- - -- -a 34 TALLIEN - - - - "-4a THURIOT - - - - , - 403 VALADI (MARQUIS DE) - '- - - 150 VOLTAIRE - " ^ - - 194 VALENCE, GENERAL - - - - 205 VERGNIAUX _ - - - - ic6 VALAZE - " - - - -54 VICTOR HUGUES - ^ - - - 393 WALLOT - - - - ' H4 CHART of the'otms in BRISSOTINS. Deputies arrefted, by etccreesof the 31ft of May> ift and 2d of June, 1793, condemn- ed to death the gth, and executed the loth Brumaire, ad year. =■0 o.? BrifTot. Vergniaud. Gecfonne. Ducos. Fonfrede. Lacaze. Duperret. Carra. Gardien. Valaze, killed hinafelf in court ifter icntence. Duprat. Silicry. Fauchet. La source. Beauvais. Puchaftel. Mainviel's. Le Hardy, of Morbifeao. Boileau. ADtiboul. Vigee. BRIS JA( Deputies outhi RACY and R Deputies outlaned, far oppofing the 3 [ft of May, ift acd id of June, 1793, executed or died in prifon. Gorfas. Couftard. Kerfiinr. Manue!. Rabaut-St.-Eticnr.e. NoeJ. Cut?.. MaZ'jjer. Bernard. Rebecqui. Andreyof Corfica. Lidon. Valady. Birotteau. Grangeneuve. Barbaroux. Guadet. Siilej. Duchezeau. Found dead in a field in the Gironde. Condorcet, died in pri- fon, unknown. Chambon, killed at his arreft, Perrin, died in irons. J^^^f^'^ilbnmenr .,, the Bergoinf T^^e^re Fra«- ChilTer. Defermr yj.._.„ Lc sage i^E'^T"' Meillan.«""^^<*- l.aplaigr<^t"°'»'^ Bouyer. Ifnard. Deyerite"^** Breflbn. ;)oulcet,« Gamon.' Mollevar'* Vailee •''• Bonnet. Savary. St-Venanr. La-Rivie Hardy, c ^''^''^^' I Editors of the I ,"_ I CourierRtp'.ib. . . }' ] Editors of Deputies impri L f^e for proteftits. f Qyotidieane ceedings otilt, J ^ Recalled intied-Bondyi jun. Frimaire, 3<. U. ont, el. To impri- fonment. cazeneuve. Roualt. GirauJt. Chaftellin. Dugue-Daflfe. dSx"- SPIRACY and Couppe, of ti the 2 North. Buzoc. Petion. Individuals put to death Roland, Ex-Miaift. kill- led himfelf. Le Brun, Fx-Minifter. Cla/iere, Ex-Minifter, killed hirofe!f. Bailiy, Ex-Mayor of Pa- ris, executed. Pelletier-St.-Fargeauaf- faff.nated by Par^s. CHART of the ^rofcriptlOtt0 of Parties in France, from that of the Brijfotms in fcine 1793, to that of the Royal'ijls in September 797. BRISSOTINS. BRI5S0T1NS. JACOBINS. JACOBINS f. 5H tt,j'S';.s CnNspiRACy and I buted to the Deputies of the E ONSPiRACY againft the National Repre- fentation, the i ft, 2d, and 3d Prairial, third Year, and attributed to part of the :S]"^;i, JACOfcNS AND ROYALISTS. , in the Scaions of Paris, agaioft thfB2th, 13th, and 14th Vendemaire. SS^S; J «■"«*''« •IS" |h=- m < IMPMSONMUIT JACOBINS. I vert the Conflitu. tion,andde[lroythe lawful authorities, atlributed to the Jacobins, difcovcr- ed theaift Floreal, » TRANSPORTATION. ONsriRAcv to reftore Royally, fiuf. trattd the i8th Fructidor, 5th year, Sept. 4, 1 797. leputles of the Con- vention, condemn'd to death, &c. at fun- wait"' INDIVIDUALS. 'A FOUNDERS OF THE FRENCH REPUBLIC. BARRAS. It is worthy of remark, that the Nobles who, at the'^eglnning of the French Revolution, Tided with the popular party, and made a voluntary furreiider of their titles, belonged, in general, to the oldeft and moft illuftrious houfes, while the Nobility of mufh- room growth were, almoft to a man, highly in- dignant at finding themfelves confounded anew with the plebeian herd from which they had been fo recently fet apart. Paul-Fran^ois-Jean-Nicolas Barras is one of the former clafs. When in the South of P'rancc the hotiour of fpringing from an illuftrious rrce was afcribed to any individual, it was cuftomary to fay that he was as noble as a Barras ; and of the family of Barras, that It was as old as the rocks of Provence. The cl'devant Vifcomte de Barras was born at Foxemphoux, in the department of the \'ar, on the 30th of June, 1755. He commenced his military career at an early age, in the regiment of Dragoons of Languedoc ; and was foon after promoted to the rank of Sub-Lieutf nant in the fame corps, in which B ' hs 2 -BARRAS. he remained till the year 1775. Having at that epoch made a voyage to the I fie of France, of which one of his relations v/as Governor, and finding that there were ftrong appearances of a war breaking out in India, he folicited and obtained his exchange into the regiment of Pondicherry, and, in the courfe of the following year, embarked for the coaft of Coromandel. In his way thither, the fhip he was on board of, was overtaken by a tremendous ftorm, and driven, in the midft of midnight darknefs, upon funken rocks, at no great diftance from the Maldive Iflands, In that dreadful fituation, when the crew had abandoned themfelves to defpair, Barras flill prefer ved his prefence of mind, roufed them from their ftupor, and revived their hopes. The con- .• ilruclion of a raft was unanimoufly refolved upon. A raft was conftru(!^ed; and while ei^ery body elfe was hurrying out of the fhip, which feemed to be going to pieces, Barras flood looking coolly on, and was one of the laft who fet his foot upon the float- ing bridge. It conveyed them in {^fety to a fmall ifland inhabited by favages, whofe menacing de- meanour kept them in conftant dread of having only efcaped from death in one fnape to meet with it in another, till, at the end of a month's mi- lerable exigence, they v/ere fuccoured and conveyed to Pondicherry. After the furrender of that place, Barras and many other prifoners embarked for Europe, and in their paflage home, fell in with an Englilh fhip of 4 war, BARRAS. J war, which miftook the v/hite flag, meant to de- fignate a cartel, for the ufual French colours. The confequence was a heavy cannonade, which was kept up for a long time, though only returned by the cries of the defencelefs French. Every body ran below ; the water flowed faft through the fliot- holes J and it is probable that the Sartine would foon have been fent to the bottom, if Barras had not walked through a Ihower of balls with ad- mirable fang-froid^ and hauled down the fuppofed fignal of refiftance from the enfign-ftafF. He next embarked on board SuflFrein's fquadron ; was prefent at the action in Port Praya Bay ; and ferved afterwards under Gen. Conway, at the Cape of Good Hope. After his return to Paris, the feduc- tions of that capital were too pov/erful for a man of his fouthern temperament, and profellional educa- tion, to refift. Amorous intrigues and gaming, the almoft exclufive occupations of the French military under the old government, by turns engaged his at- tention. His good fortune in the one way, and his bad fuccefs in the other, had an equal tendency to empty his purfe ; and are faid to have elevated him to the fourth ftorv in an obfcure hotel. At length, the Revolution came, and gave his energies, both oF body and mind, a more profitable direction. On the ever-memorable 14th of July, and loth of Auguff, he was an a-5ii'ue Citizen in the attack of the King's Cajlles ; and fliortly after the latter a^ra, was ap- pointed a Juror of the High National Court ; but from that duty he was difcliarged by the inter- E 9. fereace 4 iJ ARRAS. ference of aliafllns, wiio murdered the prlfoners at Verfailles, in their way from Orleans to Paris. Sent as a reprci'ejitative of the people to the Na- tional Convention, Barras voted for the death of the King, though it does not appear that he was parti- cularly attached to the mountain party, till after the profcription of the Girondifts ©n the 31ft of May. The events of that day being reported to ^im, by the triiunphant faction, during his abfence on a publick niillion, he was induced by decep- tion, by v/eaknefs, or by neceinty, to acquiefce, if not to join, In the violent plans they purfued. Se- veral portions of the Republic faw the; attack upon the national reprefentation In a different light, and refufed to fubmit to the authority of Robefpierre. Among thefe was Toulon, which not only re- volted, but delivered up its port and {hipping to the enemy. Barras was fent thither as National Com- miffioner. Upon his arrival he found that acorref- pondence was eftabliilied between the traitors In the fleet, and thofe in the army affembling at Nice ; and that General Brunet v/as preparing to follow Admiral TrogofF's example, by admitting the Eng- liili into his camp. He immediately left it in fearch of means to defeat the treacherous project. His pur- pofe was fufpe<5ted by the confpirators j he was pur- sued ; the tocfm was rung in order to raife the coun- try upon him ; his eftate was ravaged 5 a price was fet upon his head ; and at Pignans an attack was made upon his carriage, but with the affiftance of his trufty fabre, and two faithful dragoons, he found means BARRAS. 5 means to get on horfeback, and to eicape to St. Tropez. There he procured a boat> fet off for Nice in the dead of night, landed unexpedledly, and ventured to arreft General Brunet in the midil of his army His exhortations revived the patriotifm of the foldiers, he led them againft Toulon, organ- ized the columns that gathered under it's walls, headed that of the left at the affault of Fort Pharon, and after two nights fighting and fatigue reftored the port, and part of the (iiipping, to the. Republic. It was at this fiege that he difcovered the hitherto latent genius of Buonaparte, and by placing him at the head of the artillery, gave France a General, whole exploits in a few fhort months have gone " beyond all Greek, beyond ail Roman fame." On entering the town, Barras informed the Con- vention, " that the only patriots he had found at Toulon^ were the galley -JlavesJ*^ This obfervatioj> would leave little doubt of his having been princi- pally concerned in the cruel executions that enfued, if his fubfequent condudl at Marfeilles did not fur- nifti a contrary prefumption. A plan having been laid in that place to malTacre the prifoners, Barras gave orders to arreft the authors of it, and (^r^t them before the revolutionary tribunal at Paris. This was a high crime and mifdemeanour in the eyes of the men of blood, who then domineered over the Republic. They recalled him,, and three times ii*- fued a warrant for his arreft, but as often counter- manded it's execution, fo much did they dread the effedl of his impetuous defpair and well-tried cou- I B J • rage* 6 BARRAS. rage. Notwithftanding the intimation lie received of his danger, he refufed to quit his houfe even dur- ing the night. He only provided for his defence, and let his enemies know that he was prepared to infli6l death on any of their fatellites who fhould at- tempt to take him into cuftody. In order to get rid of him they then propofed to fend him to the army of the Rhine, but he refufed to go, faying that his pre- fence was necefiary in the Convention. He proved it to their forrow— He was the laft fpeaker in the de- bate that preceded their puniiliment on the gth of Thermidor, as well as commander of the armed force which overcame the popularity of the DIftator Robefpierre, and the formidable cannoneers led on by the ferocious Henrlot and Coffinhall. On two other occafions he rendered a like fervice to the Convention ; when the Fauxbourg St. Jntoincy by the in ligation of the remaining terror! lis, broke into their hall, and murdered Ferraud, a reprefenta- tive of the people ; and when fome of the fe^lionsof Paris oppofed the decrees by which it was determin- ed that two thirds of the old legiflature fhould enter into the compofition of the new. However this may be, the value of his aflift- ance on that day, the 13th of Vendemiaire, was fo great in the eyes of the legiflative body, that it was the immediate caufe of his obtaining a feat in the Diredlory, which he is faid to fill, as he did his former employments, in defiance of a law, excluding the relations of emigrants from all plaqes BARRAS. 7 places of trufl.* His public conduct fince his elevation to the firft poft in the Republic, has been To implicated in that of his colleagues, that it is difficult to fepa-rate the due portion of praife or reproach, that belongs to him. From his de- cifive character, however, it may be affirmed without hazard, that he had a large fhare in the meafures, which have recently occafioned the expul- fion of two of thoie colleagues, and their tranf- portation, along with a number of members of t-he legiflative body. The fuccefs that has crowned Barras in To many enterprizes, and his efcape from fo many dangers, will naturally be attributed to an uncomm.on {hare of good fortune -, but a great part of both is no doubt due to that ftrength of nerve, that found- nefs of judgment, and that fpeed of decision, which renders a man, in a manner, the mailer of events. This vigour of mind is accompanied, probably produced by great vigour of body, Barras is tal), robuft, and handfome, and when at a public hf- tival he is adorned by the Dired^orial robe of pur- ple, the fcarlet mantle, and a plume of tricolour- ed feathers, his figure is altogether noble and commanding; his fkin, however, is of a yellow hue, a circumftance which has not efcaped the obfervation, and fatyr of the Royalift faction. Abufed by one party and panegyrifed by ano- * His brother, a knight of Malta, is now ferving in the Prince of Conde's amiy. ther, 8 MERLIN DE DOUAY. ther, Barras is allowed on ail hands to pofTefs more genius than learning, and more a6tivity than ittformation. His manners, without having the dazzling polifli of the old court, are kind and pre- pofleffing. Though fpeaking little himfelf, he excels in the art of making other people betray their fecrets, and communicate their knowledge. Nature, in a word, has made him a great man without the aid of artificial acquirements. MERLIN DE DOUAY, From a poor cottage, has attained the fifth fhare of a throne, in the moft powerful nation on the globe. His father was a cottager at Ancheim, a village about feven miles from Douay. In the Abbey of Ancheim, Merlin, when a boy, was placed as a fervant. He attended the Monks when performing mafs, and was alfo an Enfant de ChosuTy or ChorijUr, He, however, refided among the fervants, and on extraordinary occafions, waited on company in the dining room. Being 3 fmait, ready boy, a Monk kindly under- took to teach him to read ; and foon perceiving that he had a great inclination to improve himfelf, the Monk perfuaded the Brotherhood to fend him to the College at Douay. In this feminary he fooa diftinguifhed himfelf in the moft honourable man- ner, among his fellow fti^dents. The Monks of Ancheim wifhed to make a prieft of him ; he however intreated that they would per- mit him to ftudy law. The Brotherhood allowed him MERLIN DE DOUAY. 9 him to follow his inclination ; and fupported him during the period of his ftudies, fljpplying him with whatever money he wanted. As foon as he was admitted a Counfellor in the Parliament of Douay, his old benefactors intrufled to him the conduct of the affairs of their Abbey; and obtained the fame office for him from the Chap- ter of Cambray, whofe revenues, being very con- fiderable, produced him a handfome income. — - Notwithilanding, however, thefe multiplied kind- neffes, fo well were the Monks fatisfied with his conduit, that they procured him a union with a lady of a great property, who was a fifter to one of the Brotherhood. After having fettled him in this comfortable manner, they procured him, partly by purchafe, and partly by intereft, an oiHce of Se- cretary to the King ; a charge which however was attended with no other advantages than that of ren- dering his family noble, after twenty years retention. At the decision of the States General, he was ele<5ted Deputy for the Tiers Etat of French Flanders ; a circumftance that roufed the envy of his colleagues, who were accuftomed to call him VEcervele Merlin. When he nrll: arrived at Paris, he took a fecond floor for himfelf and his wife, in one of the flrccts which are near the Palace Roval Though retired in appearance, he often received vilits from Mirabeau, and other members. He foon found means, however, to diftinguifli himfelf; and adted a very brilliant part in the Committee of Feo'Jality. It was he, indeed, who iirft propofed th 10 MERLIN DE DOUAY. th3 equal divlfion of the paternal inheritance among all the children, in oppofition to the barbarous pradlice adopted by vanity and* fandlioned by cuftom, in confequence of which, the whole patri- mony was fquandered on the eldeil fon^ Merlin, like Camus, is indebted for all he pof- fefles to the Church ; and, like Camus, he became one of its greateft enemies. Having a complete knowledge of ecclefiaftical airairs, he was the better enabled to denounce its corruptions and abufes. At the end of the firfr aflembly, the Department of Paris offered him a chair in its tribunal, but he accepted a fimilar fituation in that of Douay, ob- ferving " that the place of his nativity, demanded, and had a right to the preference." When the Convention was convoked. Merlin was once more ele6led a deputy, by his former conftitu- ents; but he was little heard of during the reign of the Girondifls. When the revolutionary govern* ment took place, he moved the famous decree of the 17th September relative to fufpeded perfons^ and the no lefs famous law of the 7th Nivofe^ concern- ing the equal fucceflion of fons to the inheritance of their parents. When the faction of Robefplerre was overthrown. Merlin became a member of the Committee of Publick Safety, and fuperintended the important de- partment of foreign affairs. It was he who fuper- vifed the correfpondence betv/een the committee and M. Barthelemy, lately one of the Diredors, and then a depiomatic agent in Switzerland, relative to fome MERLIN DE DOUAY. II fome negoclations for a partial peace ; it was he alfo who prefented the foreign minifters to the Conven- tion. His fpeech on introducing Quirini the Vene- tian ambaflador is much celebrated. When the French were defeated by Marechal de Clairfait on the right bank of the Rhine, during the autumn of 1795, Merlin accufed Carnot, as the original caufe of that difafter, the latter having iflued orders in exprefs oppofition to the general opi- nion of the committee, that Pichegru fhould pafs that river, without calculating the dangers he might be expofed to from the want of provifions. He had alfo a difpute with BoifTy d'Anglas, another mem- ber of the fame committee, on his oppofition to the union of Belgium, with the French Republick^ On the organization of the new conftitution, Merlin was elected Minifter of Juflice; on this, the Royalifts gave him che nickname of le chanceller d' Aguejfeau. Being- placed foon after in another department, they obferved " that the author of the law againft fufpe£led perfons, was alone worthy of being entrufled with the police of the Republic !" In fliort, every thing done by him, is termed in derifion by the Royalifts, a merlhiade ! On the 8th. of September, he was choien a Dire6lor in the room of Earthelemy who had been banifhed. Merlin is of a fhort ftature, and dark com- plexion. His drefs is plain, and his exterior be- fpeaks much mode:';/. He is about 45 years of age. CARNOT. ( 12 ) CARNOT. In a defpotlc country, the flow pace of any proud and pampered animal is fufficient to drag along the pompous carriage of the ftate ; but in the revolutionary and republican race the prize is fure to be conferred on fpeed and bottom. Thus it was that the deftinies of France, which un- der the old government were ruled by Iplendid ignorance, were committed after it's deftru6tion to the hands of Carnot, who before was no- thing, and who would have remained fo for ages, provided the frail human form, and a decrepit Monarchy, could have lafted during {o long a lapfe of time. Louis-Nicolas-Margueritte Carnot was born at Noias in the ci-devant Burgundy on the 13th, of May 1753. His family was confidered as one of the moil ancient in the place ; but it was neither rich nor illuftrlous, as appears by the profefHon of his father, who was an advocate, and who is ftill alive. The fon at an early pe- riod of life entered into the corps of Engineers, and devoted his time alternately to the fciences and belles-lettres. He was fuccefsful In both. The mathematical efTays that he pubiifhed, pro- cured him his aggregation to feveral learned fo- cieties ; his panegyric of Marihal Vauban, which obtained the prize at the academy of Dijon, was remarkable for the force and purity of the ftyle; while feveral of his fugitive pieces of poetry were CARNOT. 13 were written with a fpirit and delicacy that would not have difhonoured the pen of Tibuiius or Anacreon. The title of a hel-efpr'it^ and the rank of a Captain of Engineers, would probably have been the only reward of thefe verfatile talents, if the Revolution had not happened, and carried him fuc- ceflively into the Legiflative AfTembly, the Natio- nal Convention^ and the famous Committee of Public Welfaije. When he was elecled a Mem- ber of the latter, the Republican armies were grown familiar w^ith difgrace, and the iron fron- tier of France was pierced to it's centre. The war foon after afllimed a very different arpe(5t. It was nothing n?w to fee the veterans of Auftria fly before raw levies of national guards. Of that an example had been afforded by the fuccefsful attacks of Dumourier, as irrefiftible and as ill-contriv^ed for permanent conqueft as the furious incurfions of the ancient Gauls. But in the campaigns of 1793, and 1794, the vaft and profound plans in which the French armies^ acted, the regularity of their progrefs, and the art with which their movements were combined, aftonifhed all the nations of Europe, They wondered v/hat foul it was that infpired thefe mighty maffes of men with an uniform fpirit, and urged them on to confentaneous ac- tion. It was Carnot, who, in a Committee Room at Paris, broke the franks and the league of ^he confederate powers, juft as Archimedes, from C his 14 CARNOT. his clofet in Syracufe, fcattered death and deftrue- tion among the Roman legions, and let all their boafted tactics and difcipline at nought. Though this is a fa6l which his enemies do not deny, they have endeavoured to detra6l from his merit, by aflerting that the ground work of his cam- paigns, was borrowed from the plans of the great captains who lived in the age of Louis XIV. But as the papers of thofe illuftrious generals have been depofited at the War Office during the whole of the prefent century, how happens it that they have never before produced the like fplendid effects ? — Nor was Carnot merely the guide of the FreiKh commanders.— He fometimes vied in intrepidity v^ith the braveft foldiers, and more than once contributed by his prefence to turn the fcale of viclorv\ He was at the bat- tle of Maubeuge ; and commanded one of the columns which carried the poft of Wattignies by ftorm- The champions of Royalty, who are anxious to involve all the friends of freedom im the blame refulting from the mifcondu^l of pfeudo- patriots, have endeavoured to afTociajte Carnot with the infamy of Robefpierre. But it cannot be doubted that two diftindt powers were employ- ed to put the guillotine, and the French armies in motion, though the primum mobile of both was in the Committee of Public Welfare. While Robefpierre was organizing his revolutionary af- ialTins, Carnot was employed in organizing vic- tory. CARKOT. 15 lory, Robefplerre fhed a torrent of French blood : Carnot is only accountable for that of the enemy. Robefpierre was the terror of his country : Car- not was known by the appellation of the terror of the Auflrians. Thefe truths were arlirmcd by the tyrant himfelf in one of his fpeeches, when. he formally accufed Carnot of negle^liiig the public weal; of taking no part in civil opera- tions; and of direenetrating eyes. Flis principal offence v/as a paper called le CroinwelUsme^ publifhed in the Chronique de Paris^ and figned with his name, in which he very happily compared the Parifian dema- gogues to Cromweii's levellers, and fliewed how well he jiad divined tJieir ambitious and tyrannical defigns. A few months after, when they were completely triumphant, he refigned his feat; and knov/Lng 22 REVEILLERE LEPAUX. knowing well that he had finned beyond thcmeafure of forglvenefs, fled from Paris, though he was not cne of the Members formally profcribed. During the reft of Robefpierre's reign, he wandered about from hiding place to hiding place, with not only his own head under the axe of the guillotine, but thofe of the friends who kindly afforded him an afylum» * As foon as Robefpierre was dead, Reveillere re- appeared among the living, and relumed his feat in the Convention : where he was greatly inftrumentai in completing the Conftitutibn, and in carrying it into efFecl. An ambitious faction, making a pre- tence of the commotions that took place on the 13th Vendemiaire, propofed to ftop the elections, and to poftpone the new fyftem of Government. Reveillere turned towards them; "What! faid he, do \vretches like you want to reign ? '■^ Do I not fee in the midft of you, a man, who after ordering a female to be ftripped naked, had her fhot in cold blood ?" His threat to name the perfon he alluded to reduced them to filence. The high confideration he enjoys among his countrymen was fully proved when he was elected a Member of the Directory. In the Council 0/ Ancients, out of two hundred and eighteen votes, he had two hundred and fixteen. Since his ele- vation to the high digi.ity he now enjoys, he has been remarkable for his induftry, moit of the pro- clamations ifllied by the Directory, in critical cir- cuinltanccs, being the produdion of his pen. In LETOURNEUR. 23 In private life, Reveillere Le*paux has always been irreproachable. In his public chara6lcr he has never given room to calumny to attach itfelf to his name. To a conliderable knowledge of botany, he joins a tafte for the fciences, literary talents of no mean account, and a certain portion of eloquence. His conflitui-ion is weak ; his complexion fallow ; and his perfon diminutive. In confequence of the laft of thofe defedls, a ftool was offered him to ftand upon at fome public feftival. No I faid he, alluding to his elevated ftation in the Republic, and to his want of ambition ; No ! ^e ne veux pas itre plus grand que je ne Juis *. LETOURNEUR. When a man has pafled through a great portion of life without exciting much attention, it is fair to conclude, that if he does not polTefs very diflin- gulfhed talents, he is alfo free from any remarka- ble vice. This refpeclable mediocrity feems to be th^ ftation of Letourneur de la Manche. It was the ftation alfo in which he was born ; his parents could not boaft of nobility, and their fortune was fmall ; but they were in poffeilion of a fpotlefs re- putation. Letourneur was born at Granville in the year 175 1. In the courfe of an excellent education he made a great progrefs in the mathematics, which pro- * It is impoffible to give to the word grand, in a tranf- lation, the double fenfe of great and tall, on v-kich all ihe delicacy of the allufion depends, cured 24 LETOURNEUR. cured him his admiffion into the corps of Engineers at the age of feventeen, and at a time when it was not neceflfary to procure a pafsport from the Herald's Office, in order to arrive at military rank. His ufual place of refidence, in his profeffional capacity, was Cherburg, where he ferved under the orders of his uncle M. de Caux, Commandant of Engi- neers, and where he gained much applaufe by his ingenious conftru6lion of a pov/der magazine. The revolution found him in no higher rank tharuthat of Captain. In the Legiflatlve AfTembly, of which he was a member, he feldom fpoke upon the fpur of the occa- iion, though he made feveral excellent reports in the name of the Committee of Marine. Appointed' at the fame time to fuperintend the entrenchments throwing up in the vicinity of Paris, he found it far more eafy to reduce the rude elements of the foil to obedience, than the immenfe number of workmen he had under his direclion — a ferocious, brutal, and dangerous fet, the worthy difclples of Marat, the friend of the People. Upon the dlflblution of the Leglfiative AfTembly, he was eledled a member of the National Conven- tion, and was foon after fent on a public miffion to the South of France. While he was there, war was declared againfl the Spaniards, who foon made a rapid progrefs in the department of the eafteni Pyreneans. Letourneur repaired to the French army, and found the troops in fo deplorable a ftate, that they would have been utterly incapable of re- fiftance, LETOURKEUR. 25 fitlance, if by .racing out the camp of the Union,* he had not favoured their defence. This gave the Spaniards paufe, and time to the French to flrengthen their fouthern frontier. Though Letourneur was thought a mountaineer^ in confequence of the fupport he gave to energetic meafures, all his activity ceafed at the fall of the Girondifts. He no longer fpoke in the debate 3 he denounced no confpiracy ; he took no part m the popularity of the demagogues, nor in the fpoil. — For fifteen months it feemed as if he were not in exiftence. But when liberty came again to en- lighten the horizon, Letourneur again became vi- fible, and was fucceffively Prefident of the Conven- tion, and National Commiilioner with the Fleet in the Mediterranean, before he was raifed to the fummit of republican ambition — a feat in the Exe- cutive Directory. It has been liiid that Letourneur had a fifhincr eilablifliment on the banks of Nev/foundland during the American warj that it was deftroyed by the Knglifhj and that he planned Richery's tranfatlan- tu: expedition in revenge ; but nothing of this kind is to be drawn from the more authentic fources of information. Letourneur is a man of a referved dlfpofition, though the irritability of his temper fometimes bor- ders upon petulance ) though upright in his own dealings he is apt to fufpecl the good faith of others : hi^ mode of life is fimple, and his morals pure. — rhe flrongcft proof that can be given of his Inof- D fenfive 26 BRI330T. fenfive nature is to be found in the publication of a furious royalift, who makes it his fpecial bufinefs to abule the Directory*. All that he fays of Letour- neur is, that he has nothing to fay about him. BRISSOT. * Jean Pierre Briflbt was born the 14th of Janu- 2ivy 1754, in a village joining to Chartres, the capital town of the territory of the Chartrain and Beauce, upon the river Eure. His father carried on the bufinefs of a Traiteur, or as we Ihould fay in Englifh, kept a cook's (hop. His profits however enabled hioi to give this fon (v/ho was one among many brothers and fillers) a good education. Briflbt tells the readers of his life that the Bar opening a career to talents, determined his father to give the preference to that profefiion. His gym- nafium was an Attorney's OiEce, and in it he ftrug- gled for years without expeftations of being crown- ed. Ke took an averfion to the ftudy of chicane^ and applied himfelf v/holly to the purfuits of literature. He acquired the Englifh language by a lucky acci- dent, and as his vanity had prompted him to take iYicfurname of the village Ouarville^ where his father had acquired fome fmall property, fo his predilec- tion for the Englifh found or air, induced him to exchange the diphthong ou for W. Thus he deno- minated him.felf " Briflbt de Warville," and fo he' was called 'till the abolition of every fort of feoda- * General Danican, lite BRISSOT, 27 lite was decreed, and the de was dropped from ne- ceffity, as it had been taken up through vanity. His ovv'n narrative differs widely from the account Mr. Burke has given of him in his late memorials. While the former defcribes him to have been aiHdu- oufly occupied in the fciences, and enlarging the flock of human knowledge, the latter fays, in his animadverfions upon the Revolutionifts of France, ''This Brifibt had been in the lo weft and bafefl employ under the depofed monarchy; a fort of thief- taker, or Spy of Police, in which charafter he afted after the manner of perfons in that defcription. He had h^Qu. employed by his m.after, the Lieutenant de Police, for a confiderable time in London in the fame, or fome fuch honourable occupation.*' But the French Revolution is too recent, and it'a operators too near our view to be fpoken oi with temper and moderation by thofe whofe intereft or pride are wounded through its effecls. It is not likely the courfe Mr. Burke afiigns to BiilTot, could have allowed himleifure to compofe and print thofe books which we know nre the productions of his pen. Nor is it probable that the firft men in France, fach as Condorcet, he, woul4 have been eager to make acquaintance, with and cultivate tha friendfnip of a perfon who had follov/ed (o mean and difrepiitabl.:; a trade, whatever might have been the greatnefs or ftrength of his natural genius. He aflifted in conducting the Courier de P Europe, when printed both in England and in France, and hence began his acquaintance with M, Demorande. D 2 The i8 BRis6ur. The paper v/as fupprefTed, as far as the printing of it at Bologncj by order of the French Miniftry j and hence his animofity againfl the arbitrary proceedings of that defpotic government. He now applied himfelf to the compofmg works of a lefs tranfient rature than a newfpaper, and there are to be found under his name, bendes his two volumes on America and her commerce \ " Theory on the criminal lav/s," 2 vols. Two diicourfes, one on ** the reform of the criminal code," the other upon " the reparation due to innocent perfons un- juftly ac<:ufed." He publifhed a more elaborate performance of the fame nature, under the title of *^ The philofophical library of the criminal laws," in ten vols, and lalHy, " Thought^ on the means of attainiiig truth in all the branches of human know- ledge." But that which contributed more than any thing elfe to intereft his fellow-citizens in his welfare, and more efpecially the literary* part of them, was his imprlfonment in the Bajlille^ July 1784, at the infiance of the then minifter, for v/ri- ting^ lihel on the government. Although he was releafed in a few months, he neverthelefs felt moft feverely this attack upon hisJiberty, for only utter- ing a truth ^ and he refolved to refent it by writing " Two letters upon the right of the people to re- volt if opprefled." When the feeds of the Revolution began to ger- minate, he devoted his whole time, and applied all the knowledge he had gained in America, during his refidence there, to render the harveil of liberty pro- BRISSOT. 29 productive. Upon the convocation of the States- General, he difperfed all over France " a plan of conduct to be obferved by the deputies of the peo- ple," and in this way he may be faid to have paffed no part of his time in idlenefs. Garat fays, and perhaps with truth, that " BrifTot wrote more than he meditated." Garat was, notwithftanding, the friend of Briflbt, and confefTes that he owed his ap- pointment to the miniftry chieHy to him and Con- dorcet. He paints BriiFot in colours very diffimilar to thofe which Mr. Burke employed. He fays " Amidft extraordinary activity and extreme poverty it appeared that his morals were always pure and fim- pie, and that his views had no other bounds than the liberty and welfare of the people," he adds "Thefe fentiments, and his turn of mind, were in him rather religion than philofophy,^^ He does not deny however that he viz.% pajftonately fond cf glory ^ and to this thirit after, diftin6lion, without looking to any more latent caufe, may be afcribed his premature fall. If not a graceful orator he was a correct fpeaker, and thi^j advantage alone could not fail to infpire attention; and refpecl whenever he afcended the tribune.' He was fully converfant with the diplomacy of' Europe, and therefore his opinion refpedting the- «onne(Slion of the feveral courts aiwavs prevailed* While in the Legiflative Afiembly he gave the firll warlike movement to the nation, which he placed in an attitude of defence both as to foreign and do- meftic enemies. Upon the treachery of M. Delef- fart, on the notification of the Emperor through the D 3 Prince 30 BRISSOT. Prince Kaunltz, he aroufcd the afTcMnbly, and the whole nation to a fenfe of their fituation. " We ai^ (laid he) iurrounded wich treafon, and\he trai- tors are at no great diftance from us." He moved a decree on the iith of Auguft, 1792, that the fix Minifters had loft the confidence of the nation ; it pafled the Legiflature, the minifters were difmiflTed, and replaced by M. M. Roland> Lebrun, Clavierre, Servan, Monge, and Dan- ton, five of thefe v/ere his intimate friends. Such a prodigious difplay of influence muft necef- farily create much jealoufy and many enemies. Now it was that a regular fyftem appea.'-ed for flopping the progrefs of the Revolution at a certairi given point. His connexions in England were to aid him in this defign, and numerous writings were difperfed all over France and Holland for accom- pliihing it. Thus we fee in Roland's account of the fervices of the interior that very large fums were expended. The party of the people — the Jacobins or the mountaineers, for the terms were fynonimous, cr the views of the leaders were fimilar, refolved XO roll on the revolutionary orb till it found its per-- feci level. This was the contention — this was the war : the force fo unequally divided, renders it in no degree farprifing, that the Brifibtins fell ; the Sans-culottes v^^ere all againft them, and they had not the fupport of the Royalifts. For although Briflbt did not vote for the death of the King, yet he drew up the declaration relative to his fufpenfion, and caufed it to be accepted by the legiflature, and ■^oaimunicated to all the foreign powers. 4 The SYEYES. 3l The fj/flem of BriiTot and his adherents was now iligmatized as the diplomatic intrigues of the Brijfotins^ rometinies alio called Girondi?is -, becaufe the majority of his partizans were deputies for the department of the Gironde. The time of the Con- vention was almoft wholly confumed in the ftruggle for afcendancy by the two great parties, 'till by an ill judged and unfuccefsful profecution of Marat^ as a counter-revolutionill, the fcale was fudden- ly turned againft Briilot. Couthon moved the arreft of the BrilTotins : the mountain menaced the whole ■plain ^ and compelled it to give up its favou- rites. Twenty-one of the fubalterns fhared the fate of their chief, whofe barbarous and lamented execu- tion took place qi\ the 31ft of October, 1793. BrifTot, in perfon, was of a middle height, ra- ther delicate in frame, of a pale complexion, and remarkable for plainnefs of drefs. While in America he had imbibed the manners of a Quaker, and was not difpleafed at being conlidered as one of that perfuafion. His warmeft panegyrift declares^ that his heart was fo benevolent, that he would have facrificed his own life ten times to have beea thought a fecond Fetin^ and confented to have been forgotten for ever, if he could have made Paris a fe^ cond Philadelphia, SYEYES Was born at Frejus^ in the eaftern part of Provence, in the year 1748. He was, gradually a Clergyman, a Vicar General, a Canon, and Chan- 32 SYEYES, Chancellor of the Church of Chartres ; and laftly had the permanent adminiftrative employment in Paris of Counfellor CommifTary, nominated by the Diocefe of Chartres to the fuperior Clergy of France. He was efteemed a learned Civilian and Canonift, and poflefled a confiderable fhare of know- ledge in the Belles-Lettres ; his favourite ftudies however, were metaphyfics, politics, and cecono- mics. He fpent the greateft part of every year in Paris, where he aflbciated with D'Alembert, Di- derot, Condorcet, See, He was at this time a member of the CEconomical Society, which held its fittings in the Hotel of the Chancellier Segnier, Notwithftanding thefe excellent qualifications and connecStions, it is more than probable that Syeyes would have continued in obfcurity through life, if the accident of the Revolution had not brought him into a fituation to difplay his talents. Being appointed a Deputy to the States General, he began his career by the publication of a judici- ■ ous pamphlet entitled " What is the tiers etat ?'* This work became, at that time, the moft fafhion- able book in Paris» After the meeting of the tiers etat at Verfailles, he was the firft perron who propofed that they fhould call themfelves '* the AJfemhly of the Repre^ fentatlvcs of the French People^^ and he fupported his proje(Sl with confiderable metaphyfical ingenuity. Mirabeau, who was the better ftatefman, feeing his prediledlion for metaphyfics, took this occafion to warn him of the inconveniences which might arife SYEYE?. 33 arife from applying abftra6l deductions to the prac- tice of government and leglflation. When the mifunderftanding between the orders in the States General alTumed a ferious afpe6t, great numbers of troops were drawn about the capi- tal, and the Deputies in the popular interefl had reafon to be apprehenfive for their fafety. It was Syeyes, who, in the fitting of the 8th of July, ftated to the alicmbly the maxim in the province of Britanny, that no troops fhould be allowed to approach nearer than ten leagues to the place in which the States General were fitting ; he propofed therefore an Addrefs to the King to defire that he would order the troops to withdraw from the neigh- bourhood of Verfailles. Sometime previoufly to the month of 0£lober, when the King was attacked in his palace by the Parifian mob, a Secret Committee, confifting of the Duke of Orleans, Mirabeau, La-Clos, and the Abbe Syeyes, was formed in the village of Mourouge, near Paris. They had agreed upon a fcheme for placing the Duke of Orleans in fo diflin- guifhed a fituation in the government, that, w^ith the aliiftance of his fortune, and under the influence of his irame, they could not fail, to have the com- mand of the populace, and confequcntly pclTefs a dscifive v/eio-ht in the National AiTemblv'. Whe- ther their defign was to render Orleans an ufeful - inftrument in furthering the Revolution, or to open to him an eafy path to the throne^ hiftory has yet to unravel : the fa6l is brought forward in this place 34 S YE YES. place to fhew how far Syeyes came under the de- nomuiatlon of an Orleanijl, Certain it is, that he was a zealous royallft. In the year iJQi, when it was thought that the King, by attempting his efcape, had .tbdicated the crown, a combination was formed, confifting of Condorcet and BrifTot in France, and of Paine in England, for the publication of a periodical paper under the title of - The Republican. Syeyes actually publiflied fome anfwers to papers which appeared in this publica« tion, and declared his intentions to fupport a Mo- narchy againjl a Republic by every means in his power ! It is not known whether the fucceeding events of the Revolution, or what ftronger reafons have fince operated to render him fo ftrenuous a pro- felyte to the Republican fyilem. Syeyes was the author of the famous declaratioQ of the rights of man^ which was decreed by the National Aflembly. It was written in his ufual metaphyfical manner, and excited very different fenfations in every country of Europe. Mr. Burke was amongft the moil furious of his affailants, and flated that he wanted to reduce the art of g:overn- ing to the rules of architCvfture, and to meafure the paffions of men with a geometrical compafs; His indifference about dignities or eminent fitua- tions, which might draw upon him the attention of the public, and a confequ^nt refponfibility, was ftrikingly exemplified after the diffolution of the Conftituent Aflembly. He v/as defigned hy his friends as a candidate for the metropolirun church of Paris, SYEYES. 35 Paris, but declined the propofal. He was then apr pointed a member of the department, which he nei- ther accepted nor refufed ; and his condu6l favoured fo much of arrogance as to difguft even his moit partial admirers. In 1792 Syeyes was appointed a member of the National Convention. Nothing remarkable diftin- gui(hed his conduct in the firft period of that tu- multuous aflembly. When, however, the Conven- tion voted the punifnment of Louis, fuch was the influence of Syeyes that a great number of mem- bers referved themfelves till they had heard his opi- nion. It was confequently underftood, that upon that opinion would depend the fate of the King. — Syeyes at length mounted the tribune, an awful filence pervaded the anxious aflembly ; eloquence combined with philofophy was expected 5 he, how- ever, interrupted the folemn paufe. with only five emphatic monofyllables ** Je fuis pour la mort !"* and inftantiy withdrew. From this time he was fo far concealed from the public eye, that it was a£hially made a queftion whe- ther he was dead or alive. It has, however, been thought by the Parifians, that he dire<5led, from his philofophical den, many of the atrocities v^^hich were committed under the reign of Robefpierre. Syeyes took no part in the re-action of the Ther^ midorians. From the death of Robefpierre, till Fe- bruary, 1795, he ftill remained behind the curtain, * ♦* I ara for Death." and 36 SYEYES. and did not appear upon the ftage until he was cer- tain there was jio danger of the inountahuen regain- ing their afccndancy. In order to make his apology for having thus abfented himfelf from bufinefs dur- ing two years, he publifhed memoirs of his own life, the fubftance of which publication was to la- ment that the mountain party had abufed his defi- nitions of the rights of man ; and to ftate that his fyftem had been intended only as the fkeleton of civil fociety, a fkeleton which, according to fitua- tion, was fufceptible of numberlefs modifications. From this period began the mofl: brilliant career of Syeyes's public life. Having obtained the un- bounded efteem and confidence of his colleagues, he was fixed upon to regulate the external relations of the Republic. He it was who fuggefted the fcheme of concluding feparate treaties with the coalefced powers, with the view to create fuch a mifunder- Handing as would prove fatal to the royal confede- racy. The fubfequent conduct of the European cabi^ nets has evinced that Syeyes was right in his con- jectures, and proves that a Vicar of Chartres has out-manoeuvred all the experienced Statefmen in Europe. The plans of Syeyes, for the aggrandifement of the FrerK:h Republic, were developed fo early as April, 1795. He advifed his colleagues to retain the Aufi:rian Netherlands, and was the firft proiec- for of the alliance with Holland. He, himfelf, Went to the Hague as French Plenipotentiary, for - . the SYEYES. 37 the purpofe of concluding that famous treaty.' — • Thofe who did not comprehend the dcfigns of Syeyes, highly dlfapproved of a treaty with a petty power, not geographically united to France, and whofe democratic conflitution had not been ac- knowledged by the King of Pruilia, brother-in-law to t\\Q ci-devant Stadtholder. Even the greater part of his colleagues in the Committee of Public Safety were of opinion, that the Netherlands iliould be re- ftored to Auftria; and as late as the month of Auguft in that year, BoifTy d'Anglas gave his opinion in the Committee, that the Emperor would rather en- danger his crown than relinquifh thofe important pofTeiHons. The opinions of Syeyes had, however, been underftood and adopted, when the National Convention decreed the union of Belgium to the. French Republic. So fignal :\yere the fervices thus performed by Syeyes to his country, that at the time of the adop- tion of the new conflitution^ he was elected one of the five members of the Executive Dire£lory. — He a6led, however, on that occafion as he did in iht year 1791, when he declined the Archbifhop- rick of Paris. In February, 1796, he was appointed a member of the National Inftitute, in the clafs of Metaphyfics and Morals ; and, by an unaccountable fingularity of choice, the very fame man who had declined a place in the Diredory, accepted of a chair of Lite- rature in the central fchool at the College de Maza- rin ! It was reported in May, 1796, that Syeyes was E the BARTHELEMY. the author of the peace between the French Repub- lic and the King of Sardinia. This report is highly probable, becauic he continues to dire6t the exter- nal policy of the Dire61ory, nearly in the fame manner as he formerly direcled that of the Com- mittee of Public Safety. A treaty fodifgraceful to an independent Sovereign, could fcarcely have been wiihed for, even by the mod inveterate Jacobins. — The writer of this article, who was then in Paris, recolle6ts,that when the Englifh newfpapers reached that city, which contained the frantic fpeech of Lord Fitzwilliam, propofnig a helium internecinutn^ a great many intelligent Frenchmen avowed that his Lordflilp's idea was fully juflified by the revo- lutionary dlplom.atics of Syeyes. This Deputy, on account of the inferfibility of his heart, and of his Camelion-like condu^, is lit- tle beloved in France. In the fpring 1797, he very narrowly efcaped affaffination with a piftol, by the Abbe Poulle. During the laft half year he has been abufed by fuch a number of lampoons and paf- quinades, that he was obliged to quit Paris upon the entrance of the new third into the Legiflature -, and did not dare to come out of his retreats, till the violent crifis of the 4th of September ; ilnce which period he has been one of the molt active members of the Legiflature. BARTHELEMY Is the nephew of the Abbe of the fame name, who obtained fuch deferved celebrity by his learned labours, particularly his " Voyage du jeitne Ana^ BARTHELEAIY. 3^ charfe.''* The uncle was patronized by M. Choireul, Prime Minifler of France, whom he had accompa- nied, while Comte de Stainviile, in his diplomatic miflion to Italy. After their return, young Bar- thelemy was placed in one of the public offices at Verfailles, and became initiated at an early period of life in the foreign correfpoudence oi the then Miniftry. His patron was a nobleman, who united very diffimilar, and apparently incompatible purfuits, in his own perfon. An accomplifhed courtier, he cultivated a tafte for the fine arts, intrigued in every cabinet of Europe, and efpoufed the interefts of literature and learned men. To his agency has been attributed, two of the moft remarkable and portentous evenls of our time, the family compai£l between France and Spain, and the union of the houfes of Auflria and Bourbon, by the marriage of Marie Antoinette, with Louis xvi. No fooner had M. Barthelemy attained the age of manhood, than his powerful intereft procured him a foreign miffion. He accordingly accompanied the Baron de Bretcuii to Switzerland, and refided v/ith him fome time at Soleure. Thence he repaired with the fame Minifter to Sweden, witnefled, and as is probable, ailiftcd in that memorable revo- lution, the event of which has demonllrated, how eafy it is for a Sovereign, aided by a {landing army, a parafitical noblefTe, and a few foldiers of fortune, to overthrow the liberties of a nation. . When Count d'Adhcimar was fcnt Ambaffadorto E 2 this 40 BARTHELEMY. this country, he was accompanied by M. Barthe- kmy ; and on his return to Paris, the latter, who had been before Secretary of Legation, became Minifter Plenipotentiary, He alfo refided here for a confiderabie time, during the Embafly of M. de la Lucerne. Li the mean time, an important revolution was infenfibly preparing in his native country ; and it was his fingular good fortune, notwithftanding his notorious averfion to it, to be benefited by the event. His family had been protected by the nohlejfe^ and both himfelf and his uncle had received many teftimonies of attachment from Louis x vi. It was accordingly imagined, that he would have openly joined the emigrants \ one of thcie two things^ however, muft have occurred : either he became a iincere convert to the principles of the Republicans, and ailed from a convi£iion of the goodnefs of their caufej or he concealed his real fentiments, and, profefRng open enmity to the RoyalifPs, facrificed his opinion to his ambition. It was Switzerland, the diplomatic fchool of his juvenile years, that was deftined to become the theatre of his glory. There he firfl opened the powers entrufted to him as Minifter of the new Republic ; and it is but juftice to add, that he con- ducted himfelf through the labyrinth of his political agency, with equal addrefs and fuccefs. When firft he m.ade his appearance in the political hem.ifphere, he was treated with contempt, and Tven infult j but fuch is the magic of fuccefs, that fame BARTHELEMY. 4I fame no fooner began to trumpet the gigantic fi.ic- cefs of the French armies, than he found means firft to get himfelf acknowledged ivliniiler of the Republic, and foon afterwards to ent?er Into pro-- fitable alliances with the very flates which had been the bittereft enemies of his country. WhenLetourneur went out of the Direclory by lot; Barthelemy was chofen to fucceed him, by the almxoft unanimous voice of the two Councils. On his firft oi^cial interview with his colleagues, he is faid to have differed with them in opinion on feveral leading points, and in conjuncSlion with Carnot, to have formed a minority in the Directorial Cabinet. This difference of opinion appears, however, to have increafed in fo high a degree as to occafioii open hoftilities to break out between them, and has fince led to the expulfion of Barthelemy and Carnot from the Dire^Slory, and even their exile from France. It is fuppofed that Barthelemiy has been fo £i\r v^rought upon by the lurements of the Agents of Royalty, who had eafy accefs to him at Bafle, as to engage himfelf to a certain deo;ree in their in- tereft. Thofe who knew him when he refided In London, defcribe him as profeffing attachment to the firft Conftitutlon j and he appears a6lually to have dined at the London Tavern on the famous com- memoratiori of the 14th of July, in the year 1790. Though inclined however to a limited Monarchy, he might not entertain Republican fentiments in the degree which his fituation, as one of the firfl_ Magiftrates of his country, required. E 3 TALLIEN, ( 42 ; TALLIEK. No man has had a more weighty part to fuftain in the French Revolution than Talllen. Although a young man, he may be faid to be one of the oldeft Republicans, for he was among the firft who declared for a government wholly repre- fentative. He makes it no fecret that he was of the clajje roturiere^ as it was called, during the ex- igence of privileged orders. Nor indeed can any Republican be afhamed to acknowlege himfelf one cf the people^ however the term plebeian may be retained as an invidious diftin6lion in other coun- tries. He was indeed the fon of a valet de chamkrey who refided in a branch of the family of Choifeul, and was educated as a Bourfier in one of the col- leges at Paris. The beft educations in France, as in Scotland, were not fo expenfive as they are in England ; had they been fo, Tallien muft have followed a different occupation from that of a writer to one of the beft conducted journals in France. In the beginning of the Revolution he occupied himfelf in diffeminating the principles of political and religious freedom, and was a(Si:ually called from an engagement in the Moniteur^ at ^vhy livres per week, to be Secretary to the Commune of Paris. To whom could the people fo readily look for the ereiSling of that column of liberty which they had refolved upon, as to thofe who, in the public newf- papers, had delineated it in fuch fafcinating forms ? 4 It TALLIEN. 43 It is on this ground that the Convention counted among its Members (o many writers and editors of periodical papers. Tallien not only aiTifted in the conflruction of the Republican fiiip, but he was launched in her, and has been always on board with- out intermiffion, even to this hour. During all the ftorms he has been feen on deck, has been fhot at^ and feveral times almoft fatally wounded. His poft at the Commune was not the leaft toilibme, nor tlie leaft perilous. Paris for more than two years exhibited a fcene of tumult night and day. New dangers every hour, in one fhape or other, gave rife to violent motions and turbulent debates. While, on the one hand, it was dangerous for a public functionary to exhibit too much eagernefs to check the intemperance of inflamed imaginations, on the other, he faw himfelf expofed to the hazard oi being accufed, at a future day, as -an acceilary to all the outrages committed, whether with or without his knowledge, or againft his confent. To whom can the humane man denounce the exceiTes of an enraged populace in the hour of anarchy ? In transferring the power from one hand to another, there muft be a precife point of time in which neither can exercife it. The lefs difcernable that point of time, the more confoling to humanity. The mafTacres of September 1792, ap- pear to be the anarchical point of the French Re- volution ; for, although unqueftionably, there v/ere Magiftrates appointed for prefervevng the peace and the lives of the citizens in and out of prifon, yet they remained 44- T ALLIEN. remained Ina£llvc for the two days of thofc enor- mities, as if without fufficient means to enforce their authority; nor have the efforts of the various parties in the different re-a£lions fucceeded in bringing to condemnation, or to light, the perfons reproached with fo great a negle6l of duty. Com- mittees of Infurreclion were held in almoft every fection of the metropolis, and in many of them open propofals were made for a6ls of fummary vengeance upon obnoxious perfons. It may be afked, was magiftracy afleep ? Was juftice more than blind ? Or were the people more than mad ? Danton was Minifter of Juftice, Petion was Mayor of Paris at this period, and Tallien was at the Com- mune every day. They have all three been charged as participators in the crimes of the firft days of September, and none have been convidted. Tallien ably and fatisfa6torily vindicated his cha- racter from the afperfion in the Council of Five flun- dred, on the 30th of Auguft laft, when the perfonal altercations ran fo high on the fubjecl of BailleuPs publication. Nay more, Debonnieres, a Member of the fame Council, attefted Tallien's humanity and interference to fave the prifoners, among whom he was onehimfelf. But the beft proof Tallien can offer for his averfion to cruelty is the decided, the dangerous, hoftility he waged againft Robefpierre, v/hcn the latter made no other ufe of his vaft popu- larity than to fatiate his perfonal vengeance. Ro- befpierre had marked him down for an early vidimj fo that in all prgbabilityj had the tyrant not TALLIEN. 45 not fallen hlmfelfas he did, Talllen, with Legen- (dre, Barras, Syeyes, and half a dozen more of that ftanding^ v/ould have made up, in a few day after, a convenient confpiracy-lift, as many of their un- fortunate colleagues had done before. Robefpierre ufed to fay " / cannot fee that ^ Tallien without fhudderlng j" aware, no doubt, of the intrepidity of his character. The iffue proved that his antici- pations were juft. On xhe famous 9th Thermidor, when Robefpierre rufhed to the Tribune to reply to the denunciation of Billaud Varrenes, and was prevented from fpeaking by the almoft unanimous cry of, *' Down with the Tyranty^ Tallien, having obtained a hearing, exclaimed " The veil is rent, every tiling announces the downfal of the ty- rant ! I have armed myfelf with a poinard to flab him to the heart, if the Convention fhould hefitate to decree his accufation." He then demanded a decree, which was inftantly pafTed, for the arreft of Henriot, and the Etat Major^ of the Parifian armed force, and of Dumas, the Prefident of the Revolutionary Tribunal. Before the clofe of the fitting, it is well known that Robefpierre and his creatures expiated their crimes upon the fame fcaffold to which they had fent fo many unfortunate vi6hms. - TalHen, it is true, purfued the virtuous Girondifts, to the fcafFold, with an animofity that will ever difgrace his political integrity. He however con- feifes and laments, that he has been at times hur- ried away by the ardour of that principle which honeft 40 TALLIEN. honeft men nevcrthelefs approve. " I may have concurred (fays he) in the death of fome real pa- triots, but fuch was our fate, that Republicans were doomed to die by the hands of Republicans, a circumflance much to be deplored, but always attendant on great Revolutions !" The outrageous Hebert, the foi-difant Pere Duchefne, when on bis trial, made an obfervation on this fubje61: not unciaffical nor a little llriking, <« 1 fee (fays he) the French Revolution is become a fccond Saturn) it is devouring its own children.'* Tallien is now particularly the obje£!: of the inveterate hatred of the Royalifts. They accufehim of having enriched himfelf when on acommiffion at Boiirdeaux \ this charge he refutes with a defiance of a every fimilar invention ; and it ought to be recoilecled, that no corrupt acl of this nature has ever been brought home to any one of thofe De- puties fent into the Departments at the period alluded to ; though, from the unlimited powers with which they were invefted, they have been deno- minated Pro-Confuls^ It is fcarcely polTible that difcoveries fnould not have been made, had the alledged tranfadions really taken place. Tal- lien married Mademoifelle Cabbaras, the daughter of a rich Spanifh banker of that name, foon after his return from Bourdcaux. Her fortune was verycon- fiderable, probably as great as that of the late Mifs Scott, now Lady Titchfield. How far the confi- deration of being protected by a hufband, and at the fame time a Deputy of the National Convention, might TALLIES'. 47 might have gained an afcendancy over the lady's mind when the Revolution fpared the heads of neither Tex, and was particularly inimical to the rich, we will not take upon us to lay : but certainly this is not an influence which the moft difcontented of a neigh- bouring people will ever dream of bringing againfl the moft obnoxious perfon among them, as a crime for impeachment. The French Reprefentative Tallien is remark- able for the elegance of his perfon. He is about thirty-one years of age, of the height of five feet eight or nine inches ; thin, and of a complexion inclining to fallow. As an orator, he does not ftrike his auditors by variety of new ideas, nor by the vividnefs of his language j he is rather to be commended for pro- priety of expreflion, and a chaftenefs of grammatical purity. His voice is neither fonorous nor com- manding ; but he attracts confiderable attention, ne- verthefs, by a modeft deportment and benign counte- nance. His denunciations are not bitter j ajid if he can fucceed in replying to the invecflives of his enemies, he generally puts an end to the conteft. On the v/hole, he doubtlefs has many errors, and perhaps fome crimes to expiate, but the Republic certainly ov/esmuchtohim for the conilancyand the zeal with which he has uniformly fupported its eftabliihment, and with v/hich he ftill labours for its confolidation. HEWBELt, ( 4« ; REWBELL. Rewbell was born at Col mar, in 1746; was bred to the bar, and arrived at confiderable emi- nence as an Advocate in the Sovereign Court of Alface. Long before the Revolution, he difcovered his attachment to the eternal principles of juftice, by giving his profeflional afliflance to the indivi- duals and villages that were aggrieved by the pri- vileged orders ; rather than to the Noble Chapters^ to the Sovereign Council, and to the German Princes, who retained pofTeflions in France, although they often afked the aid of his pen, and of his elo- quence, in fupport of their arbitrary pretenfions. On no occafion did he gain greater credit than by pleading fuccefsfully at Paris, againfl the Duke of Wirtemberg, who was defirous of increafmg the burthen of Corvees *, which his wretched peafants were already obliged to bear. This difpofition of Rewbell was not overlooked by the people when the government, in its dotage, blind, and decrepit, was obliged to beg the na- tion, fo often mal-treated, to lead it along. He was eleded a Member of the Slates General, and diftin- guifhed himfelf in that brilliant AlTembly, where great talents were fo common, and where he acquired the reputation of an enlightened friend of liberty. Soon after its difTolution he was ap- * Work done for the Lord of the Soil without any remuneration, pointed REWBELL. 4,^ pointed Proctirator-General-Syndic of the De- partment of the Upper Rhine, and while in that ftation, was of great fervice in allaying the ferment that manifefted itfelfupon the depofition of the King. Nor were his talents lefs ufeful in the National Convention, He was appointed a Member of the Diplomatic Committeei and fent as a Commiflioner to the Army that was fhut up within the walls of Mentz. The event of that fiege is well known. Not all the courage of the intrepid Merlin of Thionville, nor the wifdom and a6livity of Rew- bell, nor his fuccefsful efforts to harmonize the difcordant minds of the foldiery and citizens, could prevent a capitulation. He was the companion of the fame brave garrifon in its march againft the rebels of La Vendee, and the witnefs of it*s almoft entire deftru<9:ion, in a country, and in a kind of warfare, in which valour and difcipline were of little avail. But of all the merits of Rewbell, there i,-^ none fo dear in the eye of the philanthropift, as the pious fraud by which he contrived to protedl his native country from the revolutionary horrors that defolated the reft of France. Contrary to the real faft, he and his col- leagues found means to perfuade the men of blood, that in the ci-devant Alface, their perfons, as well as their decrees, were held in the higheft reverence. After the fall of the principal tyrants, Rewbell was appointed a Member of the Committee of Public Safety, and was one of thofe who gave the fevereft blow^' to the fa6tion emphatically ftyled the tail of F Robtffitrre ; 50 PET ION. Rohejpierre ; efpecially by advifing, and by being the firft to fign the decree that authorized the fup- preflion of the Jacobins. It is to Rewbell, alfo, that France is indebted for the peace with PrulHa, and for reviving the ancient jealoufy between the houfes of Auftria and Brandenburgh. In conclud- ing the treaty of the Hague, which fecured to his country a naval ally, and a powerful influence in the Batavian Republic, the Abbe Syeyes was his fellow-labourer. Such a fucceffion of meritorious fervices, placed him, defervedly, in the Executive Dire6tory of France. Born in a country which once made part of the Germanic Empire, and which is not yet affimilated to the reft of the Republic, Rewbell has little of that polifh for which Frenchmen are famed. Suf- picious, harfh, and laconic, he does a favour with as great an appearance of ill-humour, as other men infli6l an injury. But this rough fhell inclofes a found judgement, and an honeft heart, PETION. The French Revolution has been well compared to a troubled ocean, and the various factions fuc- ceedihg each other, affimilated to the waves 'till their force is exhaufted on the beach, or their form broken againft the rocks. Petlon was of the party of BrifTot, and fo much approved his fyftem of a Republican Conftitution .and Government, that he took upon himfelf the part of an Envoy to Eng- land, to confult, with fome of our leading Re- formers, how the mutual dcfigns oi the patriots 2 of fETION. '51 et both coaiitries could be bed carried into execution. He dined in public at the London Yjl~ vern, and returned to France, well fatisfied with the fpirit of freedom which he had i^ccn manifeitcd, and carried with him good wifhes for the fuccefs of the French Revolution. He was bornat Chartre$, in the year 1759, and was chofen .Mayor of Paris after Bailly, in 1791 ; and in that chief municipal ofHce had great dangers to encounter, and great fcrvices to perform. He was a man of confiderable ebfervation and probity; had been bred to the lav/, at Chartres ; and pofleinng the pov/ers of oratory in aa eminent degree, he much diilinguiihed himfelf, both in the Conflituent Adembly, and in the Con- vention. He uniformly v/as guided by principle, and when Dumeunier, in the firft of thefe AfTem- blies, propofed to choofe a Governor for the young Prince from amongfl: its Members, he oppofcd him by faying, " We arc deputed to form the Confti- tution i we have fworn not to feparate till we have accomplifhed that work, and we cannot, without violating that oath, without deceiving our confti- tuents, accept of a place which would oblige us to quit our pofl:." He became the admiration and leader of the pa- triots i and BrifTot, Condorcet, and Guadet, imme- diately entered into a friendly connection with him. On the memorable 2ifl of June, when the King was affailed in the Thuilieries by the cries of the populace, vociferating a has Ic Veto^ Petion had a delicate part to a6V, as Mayor, and as an adverfary of that Veto, Qi\ the iOth of Auguil he v/as detained Fa' foe 52 MOREAU. for a fhort time in that palaee as an hoftage for the fafety of the Royal Family ; a circumftance which accelerated its deftruclion. He voted for an appeal to the nation upon the condemnation of Louis XVI. and this gave xh^ fierce Republicans occafibn to fufpeft him, fo that v^^hen the crifis of the 31ft of May arrived, he was ranked among the profcribed de- puties, and committed to prifon. On the following morning, however, he made his efcape; but not being able to quit the French territory, he lan- guifned for a time in great diflrefs, and at length died a miferable death. He was found afTaffinated with his friend Buzot, in a field in the department of Gironde. Thus fell, in wretched obfcurity, the diftinguifh- ed, the virtuous, the incorruptible Petion — he who but a fev7 months before had been the idol of the French nation, and one of the main pillars of its hopes. He was one of the many victims to a Revo- lution which he was a leading inftrument in bringing about ; but the fpirit of which its well-meaning au- thors had not fufficient energy and atrocity of cha- ra£ler to control. Petion was a handfome man, thirty-four years of age -, of a florid complexion, and might have been compared in perfon to the prefent Marquis of Lanf- downe, at the fame period of life. GENERAL MOREAU. This young Hero has lately been brought before the public, in confequence of his fuppofed friendfhip and conne61:ion with Pichegru. Confidering his fet- ting out in life, it is difficult to fay whether his rife or MOREAU. 58 or his fall, had the fulpicions of jiis fidelity beqn well founded, would have been moft furprifing. He was born at Morlaix, in Baffe Bretagne. His father was a man of great refpeclability, and on ac- count of hisiiitegrity, difmtcreftednefs, and various private virtues, was commonly called ihQ father of the poor. On the breaking out of the Revolution, fuch was the general confidence in his honelly, that he was feledled by the gentry and nobility of Morlaix and its neighbourhood, principally thofe who propofed to emigrate, as the propereft perfon to be intrufted with the management of their affairs. The great number of commifHons and depofits which he received on this occailon from the nobles and emigrants, contributed not a little^ to bring him afterwards to the guillotine, under the government of Robefpierre. He was put to death at Breftj and eye-witnefles declare, that the people prefent at his execution, fhed torrents of tears, exclaiming fcveral times, " They are taking our bcfl: father away from us !" — Such a worthy father could not be difappointed in the liberal education which he gave his fon, on account of the excellent example which he conftantly fet before him. Young Moreau had from his early youth a ftrong prepoflefiion for a military life, and at the age of 1 8, he ealifted himfelf as a foldier. His fa- ther, however, who confidered this conduct as the efFe6l of imprudence, bought his conge^ and feiit him back to refume his ftudics. Whether the ^\i^ ^y of law was an unpleafant tafk to him, or whether F3 his 54 MOREAU: his propenfity for arms got the better of every other inclination, it is certain that he foon enlifted again. His father, hurt at this fecond a6l of ra{hnefs, with a view that he might feel the hardfhips of the life he had chofen, fuiFered him to ferve as a private, during four months or thereabouts, after which he was pre- vailed upon, by his friends, not to let the young man continue any longer in that low condition, as it would occafion hina to lofe the benefit of his early education. Before the Revolution, a man who was not of the caji of the Nohlejfe^ had little hope of advancement in the army, whatever might have been his condutS or merit. Moreau v/as there- fore, almoft in fpite of himfelf, compelled again to return to the dry ftudy of the law, and to follow the profellion of his father, who was, as we have al- ready noticed, an eminent lawyer. When the Revolution broke out, Moreau was Prevot de Droit at Rennes, a mark of fuperiority ' .among the ftudents in law. In that office he ac- quitted himfelf to the complete fatisfacftion of his fellow-ftudents. It is faid that, when M. le Che- valier de Bremieres brought fhe Edits of May, 1788, to the Parliament of Rennes, to be regift^red, Mo- reau, then a fupporter of the privileged order, againft the Court, went to the Literary Chamber, and offer- ed the ftudents, together with a great number of other young people,.tothe Parliament, as volunteers, to fupport it againfl the meafures of the Court. Obferving, however, the ftubbornnefs and want of principle among the privileged orders, he foon re* lii^uiflied MOREAV. SS llnquiflied his concern for their interefl, and efpoufed the party of the people. In the month of October, 1788, the States of Britanny afiembled at Rennes : but the Tiers Etat were not then willing to nt with the two other orders, compofed of Nobles and Priefts. The latter, therefore, fummoned the Syndics of all the Corporations to appear among them, but were conftantly oppofed ; and the fummons, inflead of quieting, increafed the diffatisfadlion of the people againft the two orders. At length, with a view to force them to put an end to their fittings, the people alTembled on the place called Le Champ Montmoriny and at the fame time, about tv/elve hundred young men of Nantes, zealous fupporters of the new order of things, arrived armed at Rennes. The City Magiftrates were unwilling at firft to let them enter the city j upon farther confideration, however, they received them and lodged them in the houfes of the bourgeois. Thefe young men loft no time in joining the people, who continued afTembled on the Champ le Montmorin, and who were preparing to befiege the hall of the States. In thefe circumftances, the States fent out a de- putation to requeft the people to fend delegates into the hail, to examine the regifter of the deliberations, and to make their report to the people. Young Moreau, who enjoyed not only the confidence of the people of Rennes, but that of the young men of Nantes, was the firft perfon chofen, and was fcnt with three others into the hail, where the States were 56 MOREAU. were fitting. He there condu61:ed himfelf with fo much ability, that the lefult of this conference was the complete triumph of the people. It was agreed on both fides, that the States fhould diflblve, and that the young men of Nantes fhould return home peaceably. Such was his moderation on this oc- cafion, that even the mod inveterate enemies to the popular caufe, bellowed on him the greateft praifes. From that time his reputation daily increafed j and upon the formation of the National Guards, in 1789, he was made Colonel of one of the batallions. This honourable fituation furnifhed Moreau with the opportunity of indulging his inclination for a military life. He accordingly foon abandoned the dry and tortuous ftudy of the lav/, and applied himfelf to military affairs and tallies, with fuch fteadinefs, that in lefs than three months he was perfectly mafter of the command which had been entrufted to him. Expert military men have af- fured the writer, that Moreau became fo great a proficient in his new ftudy, that he was better ac- quainted with the management of a battalion, and knew better how to execute all the evolutions and manoeuvres, than many old officers. Such, at that time, was the perfuanon of Mo- jrpau, of his capacity for military affairs', that he was heard feveral times to exclaim, " I fhall foon become a General in the army !"' He indeed laboured fo fuccefsfuliy to attain his object, that his Ikilfulnefs MOREAU. $J fkilfulnefs and courage were not long unnoticed, efpecially when fervlng under Pichegru. Moreau was not difappointed in his expectations; for in June, 1794, he was promoted to the rank of General in Chief, and condu6led the fiege of Ypres, which he took, in twelve days after the opening of the trenches. Thegarrlfon, confifting of 6000 men, were made prifoners ; and 100 pieces of cannon, and 29 flaiidards were taken. This event oc- curred on the 29th Prairial, 2d year. (17th June, 1794.) In the following Augufl, he took the Fort VEchife^ containing 152 pieces of artillery. If, however, this young General diftinguiftied himfelf in a flriking manner in all the different commands with which he was entruRed, in 1794 and 1795, the campaign of 1796 was deflined to eclipfe all his other atchievements. In June he commanded three columns of the army of the Rhine and Mofelle : with one of thefe he attacked the Fort of Kchl, which foon after furrendered ; with the fecond, he crofled the Rhine at Vv'atzenau 5 and with the third, at Selt. On the 28th of June, the great battle of Kenchen was fought 5 in which General Moreau, after having been joined by his cavalry and artillery, forced the the Auftrians to retreat in great diforder, with the lofs of 1200 men, prifoners, ten pieces of cannon, all their artillery, &c. The field of battle Vv^as covered with the flain. Ju!/ 5thj another general engagement took place betweea 58 MOREAV. between General Moreau and the Archduke Charles, when the Auftrians were again completely defeated. From this victory he flew to a third, equally glo- rious, and more profitable to the French Republic. Upon the Upper Rhine he forced the Duke of Wir- temberg to folicit a fufpenfion of arms, on con- ilitions which were at once honourable and ufeful to the Republic : and while the army of the Sambre and Meufe were retreating under Jourdan, that of the Rhine and Mofelle, under Moreau, was pur- fuing its vi£torious career, even to the gates of Ra- tiibon, thus fhaking the Germanic Empire to its centre. It would occupy too much fpace in this volume, to give a detail of all thofe military operations in this campaign, which contributed to crown the brow of Moreau with unfading; laurels. The moft glorious epoch of his military hiftory was his maf- terly retreat out of Bavaria, which, in the judge- ment of his moft inveterate enemies, and of all mi- litary men, was far more honourable to his talents, than any of the victories which he has gained. Like Turenne, Moreau ferved the interefts of his country, more by that retreat, than by the mojft dazzling conqueft; and if we accouat , Turenne a confummate General, rather for his having kept in check fuperior bodies of the enemy, by his well- concerted marches and counter-marches, than for any fplendid vi6tories obtained by him, we (houid in like manner, attribute to Moreau the chara6ter ©f MOREAU. 5*5 of a great General, for his memorable reti-eat of 1796. About the middle of September, affairs began to take an unfavourable turn; and Moreau, till now vi^lorious, was forced to quit his pofition on the left bank of the Yfer. He was purfued by.jthe Auf- trian General Latour, and on the sgth, the enemy- having made themfelves mafters of the highell parts of the mountains of the Black Foreft, and of the rivulets, which, running weftwardto the Rhine, form the only paffes v/hereby an army can defcend from thefe mountains to the Brifgau ; Moreau had no other alternative than either to attack the Auf- trians, in order to gain the f^ah d'Enfer^ which defcend into the Brifgau by the town of Fribourg, or to make his retreat by the territory of Switzer- land. Finding himfelf clofely purfued by Latour, Moreau attacked him, but was repulfed with great lofs, while, on another fide, the Auftrian General, Petrafch, pofted betv/een the fources of the Necker and of the Danube, inceflantly harraffed the rear of the French. At this critical moment it was re- ported and believed that General Moreau was com- pleatly furrounded by the Auflrians ; that his army, in eonfequence, could not efcape ; that they muft capitulate ; that no pollible art nor exertion could prevent their total defeat ; and that not one of his foldiers would ever reach France to bring the news of the misfortune, Europe, however, foon wit- nefled the inexhjtuftible means and refources which are in the power of a truly great General. Farly Co MOREAU. Early on the 2d of October the left wing of tlie army crofTed the Danube at Reidlingen, and repaf- fing it at Murdurkingen, turned and defeated the Corps which General Latour had pofted be- twixt the Federfee and the river. Moreau then attacked Latour in front, and after an acStion of fix hours, maintained with great obftinacy, forced him to abandon his ground and retire behind the Rothambach. Thus a retreating army, by the unex- pcdled audacity of its General, took more than 5000 of its purfuers prifoners, together with 20 pieces of cannon. General Moreau, having thus far fuccecded in his defign, recommenced his march by the route of Stockach, and on the i8th of October reached Fribourg, and eftablifhed his head quarters at Furg. This retreat will always be a memorable epoch in the annals of the Republic; and the name of Moreau will ftand confpicuous among the Buona- partes, the Turennes, the Marlboroughs, the Eugenes, the Villarses, the Fredericks, and others the moft celebrated of modern Generals. We ihall finifh this article by recounting an anecdote, which does no lefs honour to the charac- ter of Moreau,. than his various military exploits atchieved within the compafs of fo (hort a pe- riod. His unfortunate and virtuous father, before he was guillotined, made a will, in which he advifed, with paternal afFedion, that his fon fhould marry a lady whom he named to him. Moreau, alike the dutiful 15 A N'T ON*. -61 dutiful Ton and able General, quitted the army as Toon as its duty would permit> caa^e to Morlaix^ Ihed tears upon the grave of his father, and nuarried the amiable Lady who had been reommended in his father's will : Filial obedience is in common men a duty 5 in great men heroifm. DANTON. George- Jacques Danton was born at Jrds fuy Jube^ and is confidcred as the Ajax of the Revo- lution. His extraordinary vigour of mind and perfonal courage left him no equal in his political career. The frame of his body was athletic, and his conceptions gigantic ; he was that kind of pilot which in a dreadful ftorm keeps the frightened fea- man to his poft and duty, and prevents the bark from being abandoned to its fate. In all nt\v dangers, and great or unexpected (hocks, his colleagues were eager to learn his opinion of the meafures to be purfued. Thus it was that In the trying crifis of the Revolution, when Valenciennes, Conde', and Quefnoy, v/ere in the hands of the Auftrians and Englifh; Mayence in thofe of the Pruflians, Lyons in rebellion, and the Vetidee throughout ia infurreiflion 5 Bourdeaux, Marfeille?, Breil, and many other ports and ca^jital towns in a ftate of dlfaffe^lion, the Men of highefi: confideration v.'ith the legiflature and the people not only folicited iiim to become a member of the committee of public wclfirc, but offered to piopofe the erek5li]ig it into a permanent govcrnnient or dire(flory, provided they could affure themfelves of his continued aliill- * G 2^^ 62 DANTON. ance, and count upon the benefits arlfing from his per- fonal influence. Danton had fagacity enough to fee the danger of the propofition, which he never- thelefs rejected with an air of complacency. This is the precife moment when the hatred and jealoufy of Robefpierre became implacable, and from v.'hence Danton's certain ruin is dated. The great fhare of popularity which the latter enjoyed rendered him odious in the eyes of the former, who was playing, though with lefs eclat, a deeper game. Robefpierre confidered Danton as a luminary of greater magni- tude capable of eclipfmg his own brightnefs ; and the difcerning among the partisans of both thefe men regarded them as two funs which could not Ihine together in one hemifphere. Neverthelefs it required all the art and all the hypocrify Robefpierre was mafter of to pull down fo mighty a ColoiTus : he therefore managed his hatred and concealed his deadly defign till a proper moment fnould offer when its accomplifnment could fcarcely be doubted. In the mean while thoLjgh Danton refufed to a^^ he never fhewed himfelf backward to adv'ije upon what ought to be done in occafions of exigency. Thus when it was apprehended that the armies could no longer maintain their ground, or continue under arms for want of necelTaries, he recommended the meafure of putting every article required for the fervice under requifttion. " The country has need (faid he) of all its refources, to fave itfelf from the ravages of external enemies ; why do we h^fitate therefore a moment about the propriety of impref- D An TON. 63, imprefling thole refources ? Every bulhel of corn, every grain of gold to purchafe it if needful, may lawfully be forced into the fervice to free us as a people from compleat fubjagation ;" and then with the voice of a Stentor he added, *^ The revolu- tionary wheel appears to move v/iih languor, apply a new rounce to it, and it will go I'll warrant you, (y^appliquez unc nouvelle manlvelle i^ ^a tra 'fen fe- ponds.y Thefe words refembling thunder in found, and lightning in efFecl, electrified the whole aiTem- bly, and efpeciaily the energetic part of it which was denominated the ?7iountain» The faving the country declared to be in danger^ they confidered an imperious duty, and therefore from this moment they were lefs fcrupulous about the means, than they were determined as to the end. Upon this followed the 7naxi?num^ the ar?nee revolutionalre^ the decree for remunerating the citizens for the lofs of time while attending the feclional committees ; with all the other extraordinary revolutionary proceedings which, when the danger was over, were called ultra-revolutionary. Danton therefore, beyond all contraditSlion, did more for the Revolution than any one of the a£lors in it. Of the ?7ierit of what he did, where, or in what author, fliall we look for its appreciation ? Prejudice is ftili in vigour. V/hile it. is the fafhion to deCry the Revolution of P'rance in totOy it cannot be an encouraging tafk for any pen to applaud thole who have brought it about, or contributed to carry it forward. ' There is fcarcely a writer who has ventured to fpealc favourably of any * G 2 • one 64' DAN TON. oiie prominent characler which this furprifing Tceiie has exhibited to view. But time, time alone drags on flow-creeping juftice, when throughi the clear medium of impartiality we may unprepofieiTedlook upon and admire the great men (for fuch their ene- mies mufl -confider them,) who have loft all they had tolole in the ftruggle, for what they maintained was above ali things worth preferving. Danton was a commifiloner with Lacroix to the Low Countries, when the army of Dumourier had €ver-run it^ and 2.bout the end of the year 1792, ru- mours were circulated that he had enriched him- felf in that expedition to the difhonour of his coun- try. But where are thofe riches which thefe ac- cufed m^u have been fufpe^fted of amafhng ? Every thinp^ he had Vv'as confifcated to the nation, but no wealth was found. It was notfo with the Farmers- general when the decree (the cruel decree every one mufl allov/) took away their lives ; their vaft pof- fefiions v/cre expofed. The enemies of thefe laft men W'ere not more mercilefs than thofe of th? for^ men If there had been any reality in the. charge of peculation, the proof would have been brought fori- ward without doubt. Danton after all was an ambitious man. He was at the head of a faction, and had almofl: a whole foctery under his dictation. The Cordeliers ranged under his banner as the Jakclnns did under that of Robefpierre. Thefe clubs had b'oth been purified agaio iand again, which means nothing more nor lefs than that they were fafhioncd to the defigns gf thcrir DANTON. 65 their leaders, whom they were implicitly to obey and follow. The jealoufy or rivaily of thefc two clubs furnifhed their champions with fufficient wea- pons of deflru6^ion. The finefTe of Robefpierre prevailed over the franknefs of his adverfary, atid through the trick (now grown quite ftale) of aa Orleans faftion, Danton, Herault, Fabre, and five others of that clafs, were configned to the deadly tribunal. Through their demurring to the hgallty of the proceedings, they were all put out of the law (hors la hi) and executed the very day their trial was expected only to commence. Ey this contrived precipitancy the Cordeliers both m.en and women were anticipated in their refolve to refcue Danton, the favourite of the populace, at the place of execution. His laft words accorded with the laft actions of his life : indeed he never fpoke but his language, though very different from the mag^ num loqu'i of Horace, gave his hearers an idea of fomethingmore than common. WhenFouquicrTin- velle, the public accufer, interrogated him accord- ing to the cuftom of the court, as to his name, occupation, and refidence, " / am Danton (an- fwered he) well hiown as a deputy to the National Cynvention ; my refidence in a feiv hours will be in th/ grave : hut my name will live in the Pantheon of hiftoryr Thus fell one of the moft enei;;getic Revolu- tionifts of France, to the grief of the San-cuhites^ the joy of the Ariftocrats^ and to the aftonifhment of all who had not confidered whatferocious paffions are brought into activity by a great Revolution. * G 3 Dantoa 66 PICHEGRU. Danton was but 35 years of age, tall and cor- pulent, of ftrong and hard features, with a powerful voice, and a manner peculiarly impreffive. By his mien, taken all together, it appeared that nature in- tended him more for the turbulent than the calmer walks of life. He was bred to the law, and as is fuppofed was exprefsly chofen minifter of juftice at the eventful period of the arreilations in Auguft and September 1792, on account of his morofe dif- pofition, and the vengeance he had uniformly fwoni againft the partlzans of the court. He was charged (and we fear but too juftly) with connivance, while in office, at the maiTacres of the prifoners on the 3d and 4th of September 1792. This is however a tranfaclion covered with almoft as much obfcurity as atrocity, and which perhaps may never be fully cxpofed to light. He compleated his 35th year the day before his death, being born on the 4th of April 1759, and guillotined on the 5th of April 1794. PICHEGRU. When hoftilitics v/ith the Emperor were immi- nent, the want of Generals in France was matter of triumph to the arijiocrats^ and ofdefpair to the patriotic party. The lofs of Maillebois, de Brog- lio, and de Caftries, was thought irreparable, and the fortune of the ftate entrufted to the driveller Rochambeau, to. La Fayette, a partizan in the petite guerre of America, and to the flupid Luckner, who, iifter 30 years fervice in the French army, knew not enough PICHEGRU: 67 enough of the language to return thanks for a com- pliment paid him by the Jacobins. It was natural, however, to fuppolc, that v/hen the qualification of General was extended to the whole army, more would be found than when it was confined to a few individuals. And fo upon experiment it proved. In every campaign we have feen private foldiers and even private citizens giving proofs of the highcfl mi- litary talents ; and have often been aftonifhcd at re- ceiving the news of a fplcndid vi6i:ory along with the firft mention of the fuccefsful General's name. Of thefe Generals, except perhaps Buonaparte, no one has gained greater renown than Pichegru, General Pichegru was born in 1761, at Arbois, in P>anche-Comte. His parentage was mean, but he received a good education, under the tuition of the monks belonging to a convent in his native town. Having made great progrefs in the ab- ftrufe fciences, he was fent by the good friars to teach philofophy, and the mathematicks, in a college belonging to their order at Brienne. This cir- cumftance it was which gave rife to the ill-founded report of his having been a monk. He afterwards enlifled in the artillery, and foon rofe to the rank of ferjeant, the higheft to which a plebeian could afpire ; but when the Revolution came, and opened a road for untitled merit, he v/as promoted ftep by fl:ep to the command of an amiy. He had not been long in that eminent flation, when in conjun»5lion with Hoche, he marched to attempt the relief of Landau. Though it was in the midft 4. of 68 PICHEGRU. of a fevere winter, the attack on the Auflrian po- fitions v/as renewed day after day, with doubtful fuccefs. On the fifth Pichegru was feen in the front of the line, in the midft of a tremendous fire, waving his hand and exclaiming, point de retraite aujcurd^hui ?nes enfans /* That day there was no retreat; and very fhortly after Landau was relieved. At the beginning of the enfuing campaign, he was appointed to oppofe Cobourg in the north ; and ordered by Robefpierre's committee to conqucr.-^^ This imperious command, which plainly implied that the guillotine would be the reward of ill fuc- cefs, was accompanied by directions to prefs the Auftrians in the centre, and to content himfelf with harraffir«g them upon the flanks. Finding that the blood of his foldiers flowed to no purpofe as long as he did fo, he left Landrecies to its fate, and boldly advanced into the enemy's country upon Co- bourg's left. The victories of xvleucron, Courtray, and Hoogleden, juftified this movement. Jourdan who commanded the Sambre and Meufe army, un- der Pichegru's orders, being ultimately fuccefsful upon the right, Prince Cobourg was obliged to fall back with his centre, and abandon his conquers in French Flanders, as well as the whole of the Auf- trian Netherlands. This campaign would have been ftill more decifive, if a plan devifed by Pichegru and Carnot could have been put in execution. While * No retreat, my lads, to-day. a fufH-« PICHEGRU. 6g H fufficisnt force was a(Sling upon the front of the allies, and while fifty thoufand men were guarding the paiTiige of the Rhine, to prevent their receiving reinforcements, the army of the Mofelle was to have fallen upon their rear. This plan, by placing Prince Cobourg between two fires, would have in- fured his total ruin, and have broken the finews of the v/ar at a fingle blow j but its execution was pre- vented by the necefnty of incorporating the army of the Mofelle with that of the north. Having thus rid himfelf of the Auftrians, Piche* gru turned to Holland, and availing himfelf of a feafonable froft, which gave his troops a free pallage acrofs the rivers and canals, pufhed the Britifh and Dutch army before him, and entirely over-ran a country, unconquerable perhaps in any other cir- cumftances. In this long courfe of conquefl, Pichegru made great innovations in the art of war. Contrary to the pradlice of other Generals, he never laid fiege to a fortified place that was not necefiary to fecure his pofition. Inftead of filling the enemy's ditches with the dead bodies of his bed troops, he very wifely preferred driving their armies out of the field at much lefs cxpcnce of blood, and confident that the fortrc'fTes v/ould afterwards fall of themfclves.- Picheeru was alfo the inventor of that fvftem of in- ccfi*ant attack, which is fo congenial to the t-empe/ of the Fiencii nation, and which fo completely baf- fled all the deliberate plans of the coalefced powers. Of this Aftera the value was well underftood by the Kiiig of PrufTiaj-who, in, a letter to the Empe- rofj 70 FlCHEGRl. ror, exprelTed himfelf in the following words :—« ^' The French Generals purfue incomparable plans of operations, which difconcert and defeat all our projeds.'* The official accounts that Pichegru gave of his vicStorles, in which he feldom mentioned more than the refult, formed a fmguiar contraft with the rodo- montade of the National CommiHioners, who never failed to call the enemy {laves and cowards ; and to make thoufands of them bite the duj}^ with the lofs of fome half-dozen republicans. A great part of Pichegru's modefty, is however, fuppofed to have' originated in a fear of exciting the jealoufy of Robefpierre and his ailbciates. In fpite of all this caution, a member of the mountain party reproached himat BrufTels with the greatnefs of his reputation. Citizen Rcprefentativey anfwered the General, / perceive that arijiocracy has only changed hands Gtnong us. Pichegru's humanity is no lefs honourable to him than his noble atchievements in the field. He con- ftantly refified the. barbarous decree which forbad t^e giving. of quarter to Englifh or Hanoverians, as well as that which directed the execution of the Auilrian garrifons cf Valenciennes, Conde, Le Quefnpy, and Landrecies, if they did not furrender upon the firft fummons. This latter decree he meant to elude. by not .fummoning them till they (liould be reduced to the laft extremity ; but he was over-ruled by the National Commiffioners, to whom the brave Commandant of Le Qucfnoy made jinfwer, that he knew of no ri2;ht one nation had to order anothex PICHEGRU. 71 another to diflionour itfelf. The mercy of the French Generals in fparing the lives of thele de- voted men, nearly coft them their own. — The ruffian Robefpierre denounced Pichegru, Moreau, and fome others the very day before his fall, and would certainly have purfued them to the guillo- tine, if he had not been brought to it himfelf. Holland being fubdueJ, Pichegru took the com- mand of the armies upon the Rhine ; and made confiderable progrefs in Germany in the following campaign ; but at the end of it, the tide of war turned and drove him back upon the French fron- tier. This was the end of his military career.-— He was removed from his command, and offered the embaffy to Sweden as a compenfation. He thought proper however, to refufe it, and retired to his native town in fuch narrow circumftances that he was obliged to fell his horfes and camp equipage for his fupport. From this poverty, negle6l, and privacy, he was refcued by his fellow Citizens, by whofm he was elected a member of the Legiflative Body in the prefent year 1797. When he took his Teat, the whole Council of Five Hundred rofe, as a* mark of refped, and unanimoufly appointed him their firfl Prefident. In the fenate Pichegru was invariably in oppofi- tiontothe Executive Dire<5^oryj and continued to abet all the plans that were brought forward to fa- vour the return of the emigrants and priefts, till he was arreted as a principal confpirator in a fuppofed plot to produce a counter-revolution, and ordered by 72 FERRAND. -by the Legiflative Body to be tranfported without a trial ! Pichegru is flout, athletic, and well fitted by nature to encounter the fatigues of war. Upon a firft acquaintance there is fomething auftere about him; but this roughnefs wears ofFwith a little in- tercourfe. Though by no means of a phlegmatic difpofition, he is always cool and deliberate in his condu£l. The extent and verfatility of his talents were fully fhewn by his taking the lead in the fe- nate as well as in the field. In a word, though Pichegru may be a great traitor, it cannot be de- nied that he is a very great man. "• FERRAND. A man of talents and virtues. In the Pr atrial infurred^ion, he prefented his breaft, fcarred with l»onourable wounds, to the populace that broke into the Convention, requefting them to fpare the fandu- ary of the laws. In this pofture he received a deadly wound, and fell at the foot of the tribune, pierced with fabres and bayonets. His bleeding head being cut off, was •carried on a pike and placed before the Prefident. This truly patriotic and courageous deputy was born in the valley of Aure, at the foot of the Pyre- nees, where he had left an aged father v/hom he dearly loved, and a young maiden to whom he was betrothed. ■ •• The affafiin of Ferrand was refcued on his way to the place of executiou, but he was afterwards re- token and put to death. CHAUMETTE. ( 7J r- CHAUMETTE. Pierre Gafparln Chauinette, the Ref olutlonary Recorder of Paris, was a native of the town of Ncvers^ in the Orleanois. Few men ex- cited more attention in France for a time, or had a more hateful tafk to perform, during the tra- gical part of the Revolution, than Chaumette. He hdd been bred to the fea ; but not relifhing that kind of life, and failing to obtain preferment, he quitted it, and lived by his poi^ which he cer- tainly knev/ how to manage more to his profit, than the compafs. He could, however, fpeak bet- ter, and more fluently, than he could write. He had alfo been employed as a librarian and amanuenfis to a dignitary of the church, in the diocefe of Nivernois; but, at the commencement of the troubles in France, was avflually a clerk to an attorney, and occafionally wrote efiays for the newfpapers, as well as trifles for the llage. He was one of the chief difclples of Camiile Def- moulins, and among the firfl: who put the tri- coloured cockade in his hat, jufi; before the 'taking of the Baftille. He greatly out-ran the apoflle hlmfelf in zeal for the new faith; for when Camiile was com- pofing the firft number of his Fieux Cordelier^ with the hope of tranquilifing the overheated imagina- tions of the leaders of democracy, and tempering the public rage againft the real or fuppofed enemies of the new order of things, Chaumette was ft ill G further 74- ' CHAUMETTE. further Inflaming and direiling their vengeance againft particular individuals. It w^as Chaumette who inftigated the Commune of Paris to demand the trial of the Queen ; and he became one of the committee which prepared the charges, and regulated the evidence, againft that ill-fated woman. He was a witnefs too againft her, at the Revolutionary Tribunal, and under- took to reprimand M. La Tour Dupin, late war minifter under Louis XVI. for notexpofmg thofe parts of Antoinette's condu6l, which, it v/as in- filled on, he was privy to. The moll odious part of this man's character, as to his charge againft this imprudent Qiieen, was a pretended inceftuous penchant towards her infant fon, till then confined with her in the Temple.This infmuation, for it could be called no more, fhocked the v/hole court and auditory, efpecially the fe- male part of it, and immediately funk the accufer in the popular opinion. Even Robefpierre himfelf, under whofe aufpices he v/as believed to a6t, grew outrageous when he v/as told of this article of ac- cufation, more abfurd than all the reft; and it is not denied, even by her fevereft enemies, that that culpable and loft Princefs was murdered, under the -form of a Revolutionary trial. Whatever might have been the amount of her crimes, had they been fairly enum.erated or weighed, and what- ever punifhment might have been pronounced on them, it is not lefs afavft, that nothing like juftice was dozie h^i" ia that mock -ceremony. CHAUMETT?. 75 No fooner was Robefpierre informed that the procureur of the Commune had exhibited a charge or fo unnatural a complexion againft the miferable priibner, than he exclaimed — " The fool ! was ic not enough that he had proved her a MeJJalina but he mufl make an Jgrippina of her too?'* Robefpierre inftantly perceived, that this abomi- nable condu61: of Chaumette would hurt the credit of the caufe j on which account he never foroave him, thoure flill faid to exift — exiil only in mif^ry ! The generous heart will forgive a proflrate enemy, and even the advocates for democracy muft weep — not over the fallen grandeur — but the unparalleled misfortunes of profcribed race ! Leaving it to the philofopher to demonftratc, that all privileged orders are detrimental to the hap- pinefs of fociety, let us tike a furvey of that caji^ which occupied, or rather inherited,, ail the high offices in France. The French nobles entertained a lofty fc^nfe of honour. They were addicled to arms, and de- lighted in warfare. Attached equally by interefi: 3 G and: ^3 DUC DE BOUREON. and Inclination to. the throne, they refpeded, or more properly fpeaking, adored their princes — . V/ho, in return, Tupported them in all thofe feudal claims at once vexatious and opprefTivc to the people. Deeming their native country fuperior to all other nations, they learned early in life to defpife them : it is but juilice, however, to obferve, that they were taught to refpeit the Englifh, whom they imitated even in their follies. To them their houfes were always open j and, being of a gener- ous difpofition, they conrtantly treated them with a degree of munificent hofpitality, which they in their turn did not always experience on their vifiting their guefts here. Let it alfo be mentioned to their honour, that if they did not in general cultivate, they ail pa- tronifed literature. Unlike the peerage of this country, they afFefted to entertain men of lettera at their tables, and even lodged them in. their pa- laces 5 fupplying their v/ants by adequ.v5e penfions, and claiming no other remuneration, than the con- fcious pride of protedling genius. The Vau- drieuls, the Choifeuls, the Montmerencies, the Condes, the Contis, the Rochcfaucaulds, and a long lift of names illuftrious, fo far as wealth and diftinclions can add luftre, were proud of fup- porting and cherifhing the Mablys, the Raynalls, the RouiTeaus, and the Voltaires of their day. Even the Baron de Breteuil, the Lieutenant de Fdlce-i and M. Le Noir, the Infpeclorj apeing the fafhion DUC DE BOURDON. y^<^ fafhion of the Great, afFedled to pay their court and do homage to literature. In this point of view, the French nobility merit no common fhare of praife and efteem. But a harder and a more ungracious office falls to the lot of the hiftorian, and even of the biographer. It is their duty to point out the errors and the faults of every clafs, regardlefs of factitious dif- tin6tions; yet, like parents, they ought to endea- vour to mingle their chaftifements and their tears- together. The Due DE Bourbon is defcended from, the moft ancient family in Europe, and one which was uniformly reckoned the mdft eminently confpicuous during an age, when dignity and. birth, and not virtue, conferred a claim to im- mortality. Being of the branch of Bourbon-Conde, and fon of Prince Louis Jofeph de Bourbon, and of Charlotte Godefride-Elizabeth de Rohan- Soubefe, he is nearly related not only to the late King of France, but alfo to the King of Spain, the Sove- reign of the two Sicilies, and many of the princes of the empire. The hiilory of this nobleman carries a moral along with it, and ought to teach humility to ariftocracy. To thofe who are zealous afTertors of the rights of humanity, his misfortunes, how- ever, will fcarccly afford a tranfitory pang, v/hen it is recolle- geons of Vincennes, and the Bicetre, by order of Madame de Pompadour, the miftrefs of Louis XV, whom, unluckily, he had offended. By means of a rope-ladaer, four hundred -feet in length, with two hundred fleps or crofs bands, all conftruiSled out of fhirts and {lockings, carefully unravelled for that purpofe, he and his companion, d'Alegre, found merins to efcape from one of the towers of the Baftille., At Amfterdam, he v/as claimed by the French Ambaflador, condu6led in chains to Paris, and indulged, or rather punifiied, with the fight of his former companion, whom he found raving-mad in the hofpital for lunatics at Charenton ! After remaining forty months in his old apart- ment in the Baftille, he learned, by means of a piece of paper pafted on a window in la rue de St. Antoine^ that the Marchionefs was no more; bur siS he rcfufed to difclofe how he came by this in- telligence^ 1 D2 FERN'lGJ'i (H telligence, he was remanded by M. de Saftines, then Lieutenant de Police^ to the dungeon at Vin- cennes, whence he eicaped, by knocking down- two centinels. Being again taken, he was com* mitted to a gloomy cell in the Bicdre\ whence h« w^as at length extricated by the kindnefs of a cha- ritable lady, called Madame le Gros, who be- came furetyfor his good behaviour, and a(£lually maintained him out of her little income. The memoirs of Henry Mafers de la Tude, containing an account of his confinement during thirty-five years in the ftate prifons of France^ were publillied in 1788^ and made a great noife throughout all Europe, as they verified every- thing aflferted reU:ive to the horrid defpotifm that had prevailed, and might at any future time b« renewed in that kingdom. MESDEMOISELLES DE FERNIGS. These two young heroines were the daughw ters of a quarter-mafter of cavalry; and by ac- companying the troops in their excurfions, at the beginning of the war, attained a certain de- gree of attachment to military exploits, and event an enthufiafm againft the common enemy. Unlike the " Maid of Orleans," they were drelTed in fe- male atiire, and pretended neither to prophecy nor to revelation; but they headed the French troops in 1791, with the fame boldnefs that the H 2 martiski %a MALLET DU PAN. martial female alluded to, was accuflomed to do, two centuries before. Dumourlez, who never let ilip anyoccalion oi infpiring his army with confidence, invited thefe ladies to the camp at Maulde; and made fuch a flattering report to the Convention of their mo- defty, intrepidity, and good conduct, that they received ahoufe, and an adjoining piece of land, as a prefent from the Republic, On the defedtlon of this General, preferring gratitude to duty, and perfonal attachment to the love of their country, they both took part with him, and were outlawed. It is not a little remarkable, that this hoary- headed warrior, although old enough to be the grandfather of moll of our generals^ has yet found means to attach a great number of ladies to him ; fome young and handfome, fuch as Mefdemoifelles Orleans 5 Sercy, and Fernigs ; and fome old, but accom.pl Ifhed, fuch as Madame de Genlis — Sil- lery- — Erulart. Madame de Beauvert has been his miflrefs for many years: he became acquainted with her in Normandy, MALLET DU PAN Is a native and a citizen of Geneva. This in- terefting little Republic, which is not more ex- tenfive than fome of the manors of our own no- bility, has produced an aftonifhing number of il- luftrious men, moft of whom have been at once the MALLET DU PAN". S9 the zealous defenders and enlightened propagators of human liberty. To this, as to every other rule, there are exceptions ; for we know that Necker, D'lvernois, and Mallet da Pan, although they^ have each by turns boafted of having been born in the commomvcalth which produced Rouffeau, yet have evinced no common enmity to France, from the moment (he abjured monarchy. This feeming problem can, however, be very eaiily folved, when it is recolle£ted, that one has beenE lately dubbed a Knight by the fword of a King ; that a fecond was the Prime Minilter; and the laft, the Penfioner of a fovereign Prince ! Mallet du Pan was the editor of the political de- partment of the " Merc we de Frame. '^ This journal was pubiiflied once a week, and had a moft aftonifliing fale, as it was calculated to gratify all parties; for v/hile a citizen of Geneva preachecJ up tyranny in one part, M. de la Harpe, although born within the very clutches of French defpotifcn, adorned the literary department, which had beea confided to his charge, with the moft animated and brilliant pafTages in favour of libert}% After the Revolution, it was not likely that 1-^^ du Pan fhould find a very fecure afylum in France —no; he himfelfboails that his papers were twice fealed up ; that he was thrice affaulted; had three decrees ifTued againft him ; and, during four years, never went to bed with the hope of finding him-* felf alive in the morning I H 3 Having, so MALLET DU PAN. Having at length efFedled his efcape from Paris, he retired to Bruilels ; and in 1793 publiftied his celebrated pamphlet, called " Confiderations fur la Nature de la Revolution de France^ ^ fur les Caufes qui en prolo'ngent la Duree^ ^r." In this tra6l he loudly laments, that the feparate views of the combined powers had rendered the fcheme for fubjugating France ineffectual; and recommends to themj if they are yet capable of union in the common caife of fovereigns^ to fubftitute fraud in the place of force, and coax and v/needle that na- tion into flavery, which they were unable to drive into bondasie. It is not a little remarkable, that this publica- tion made a momentary impreffion on the com- bined courts; and that Lord Hood at Toulon, in exprefs oppofition to the condufl of the com- mander in chief before Dunkirk, foon after dei- clared, that Great Britain was fighting for the re- lloration of Louis XVII. and the conftitution of 1789. " Five hundred thoufand valiant foldlers, and eighty fail of the line," exclaims the enraged au- thor, " although aided and fuftained by an inteftine war, have not hitherto been able to conquer ten leagues of territory from this federation of crime s^ which has entitled itfelf the French Republic ! The duration' of fuch a flruggle begins to enno- ble it — mankind, already aftonifhed, appear to forget the enormities of the Jacobins, by contem- plating their rehitance. But ar i^^N months more, and MALLET DU PAN'.* Ql and a generation, already bajiardized by egotifrriy will pais from furprize to admiration !" On being driven from the Auftrian Nether- lands, M. Du Pan took refuge in Holland; and in May, i794j publiflied at Leyden his " Dangers qui menaient V Europe''' In this he recommends *' une guerre amort \'* a wiih in which he has been fmce imitated by Earl Fitzwilliam* and Mr. Burke,, who have both enforced the neceflity of a helium internecinum. In this trar, a fingle cold bullet be direand breathed through- out a fpirit ot"libertyand inveftigation. Such works as thele taught the people to think alfo, and they began to be publifhed in great plenty. Even iit 1787, M. Mathon de la Cour, a member of the Academy of Lyons and Viliefranche, obtained the prize from the Academy of Chalons-iur-Marne, by his " DiJiQurs fur les meilleurs Adoyens de faire naitre^et d'encaurager le Patriotifnie dans une Mo^ narchie 'i' in which he difcriminates between pa- triotifm and the love of one's country. — '' Pa- triotifm, more rare," fays he, " becaule it is mora diiinterefted, than the love of our country, is a!> ardent defire of ferving our compatriots, and of contributing to their welfare, happinefs, and fe- curity. This defire, difmtereftcd in itlelf, is fuch as is felt by the noble and virtuous mindj while the molt defpicably felfifh wretch loves his coun- try only as it concerns his own welfare, the true patriot is always ready to facrifice to it, not only his deareft interefts, but even his life.'* This magical word patrlotijm^ which began to be known and proclaimed throughout France, con- tained within it the embrio of liberty ; and Paftoret, Condorcet, and BriiTot, but developed the germ^ planted indeed by the hand of Nature in the hu- man heart, and only watered by RoulTeauand Vol- taire. On the diflblution of the States General, which had aiuirned the more modern name of the Na- X 2 tional loo ST. HURUGE. . tlonal AfTembly, Paftoret was elected a deputy to the Convention, from which he afterward retired in difguft. He is a member of the prefent legif- lature, and has lately propofed feme falutary regu- lations refpecting the trial by jury, fo far as the in- ieniion^ or what we technically term the quo anim^y js concerned. During the dlfputes with the fe(flions, about the rc-ele6tion of the two-thirds^ Paftoret was returned a deputy for Paris. He is confidered in general as zn Jrijiocrat^ and his reproaches againfl Con- dorcet for writing in a newfpaper dedicated to li- berty (le yournal de Paris) will never be forgot- ten by the patriots of 1789. It is but juftice, how- ever, to obferve, that he has been a conftant advo- cate for /«^?Wj, which he juftly coniiders as the beft fupport of every government, and more efpe- ciallya republican one. He alfo contends for a ftri(5l adminiftration of the conftitution, and is prepared to withftand the encroachments of a Dire6lory with as much jea- Joufy as thofe of a King. .;' ST. HURUGE Was a Marquis, and a man oT fortune j but neither his title nor eflates exempted him from the mofb cruel perfecution under the old government of France. He was unlucky enough to have a handfome v/ife, who happened to be admired by the Baron de Ereteuil; then Minifter of Police: - this ST. HURUGE. 101 this was more than fufficient to ruin one of the provincial nohhjje^ diflipated and difTolute as he was, and, what was infinitely worfe, unprotested 2X court! The procefs was fhort ; Madame la Marqu'ife isfaid to have been ieduced into the arms of the opulent, powerful, and amorous mini fter; and her hufband, under pretence of infanity, confined at Charenton 1 On being liberated, he inftantly repaired to Eng- land, and lived in London during 1777, 1778, and 1779, in great diftrefs. He is ftill remembered at the Stratford Coffee-houfe, on account of his bad Englifh, his amazingly good appetite, and his rooted averfion to a government that bad connived at fuch flagrant oppreffion. On the Revolution, he returned to Paris, and; glutted his revenge at the execution of the King-^ Queen, andmoft of the powerful nobles,, whom he confidered as his perfecutors. He is «ven faid to have been a£tive in the maflacres of the pri^ foners, both in the capital and .at Verfailles: this; procured him the appellation, of L& Petit Septem^ brifeur. During the 'monarchy of Robefpierre, he was one of his creatures; on his condemnation, one of his revilers; on his execution, the bittereljt of his; enemies. All the Englifh, imprifoned b- the orders of the diciator^ were well acquainted with him \, for he vifited them daily, and was accuftomed to affright the timid, and appal the bold, by his malig- nant predictions. After the thsrmidarmrt re vol u- J ;^, tion» 102 CHABOT. tion, they in their turn threatened him with veni geance. It was the perfecution experienced by the talka- tive, lafcivious, infignificant Marquis^ that con* verted him into a favage. Injuftice generally be- gets hypocrify, and not unfrequently cruelty; wrong is urged in retaliation for wrong. Thus, too, while Delpotifm is knotting her whips, arranging her chains, and (harpening her axes, Anarchy^ the' daughter of Licentioufnefs, but often alfo the mo- ther of Liberty, hovers around, bufied in prepar- ing the fcorpion of revenge, and whetting the fword of defojation ! CHABOT Was born at St. Deniez-Dol, in 1759; ap- pointed a deputy to the Convention in 1793; and executed at Paris on the 5i:h of April, 1794, in confequence of being implicated in a confpiracy withDanton. He was a friar in his youth; a hy- pocrite in his manhood; but, like the French in general, who die, perhaps, better than they live- he fuiFered like a hero. In alluilon to his drefs, he was here termed, by a familiar alliteration, the Jhahhy Chahot. One of the heft judges in Europe!- fpeaks of him thus — " Chabot 7ie dernentit point la la poltronnerie d\m pretre^ ni Vhypocrifie d'un ca^ pucin,'''' Injuftice to the f/-^^^'^«^capuchin, it is, how- ever, neceffary to obferve, that although he periflied unlamented, he died wholly innocent of the ridicu- lous charges exhibited againfl: him. ( 103 ) SIR FRANCIS d'IVERNOIS Is not only a native, but a citizen of Geneva; terms not hitherto fynonimous, but which have become the Tame fince the laft revolution in this little but interefting republic; vi^hich, during its^ troubles, has been likened, with more wit than liberality, to a puddle in a Jlorm ! After one of thofe convulfionary ftruggles, to which it has at times been fubje<£l, M. D'lvernols refolved to expatriate himfelf, and was one of the many Genevefe who determined to fettle in Ire- land; a fcheme which, unluckily for that coun- try, perhaps, proved abortive. Soon after this difappointment, he went abroad with Lord Eardley's fon> and, after travelling through the principal dates of the continent, re- turned to Great Britain. On the breaking out of the Revolution, he com- menced politician, and wrote in favour of, if not exprefsly for^ the miniftry. On his exile from Geneva, he ranked himfelf among the number of cpprejfed patriots^ who Iiad fuffered from their at- tachment to the caufe of liberty: fmce that period, however, he feems to have altered his political creed, and tahave leagued his efforts with thofe of the zealots of defpoti fm. The following is a lift of his late publications—* I. La Revolution Frangois a Geneve 3 T'ableaii Hijhrique i^ Politique. 2. A 104 SIR FRANCIS D'iVERNOIS. 2. A Curfory View of the Afiignats, and re- maining Refources of French Finance, drawn from the Debates of the Convention. 3. Hijioire de V Adminijlration des Finances ds la Republique Francois ^pendant Vannee 1796. The-foil of thefe treats of the late revolution at Geneva : the misfortunes accompanying it, as in all fimilar cafes, were numerous 5 but a candid man will be inclined to think they are rather exag- gerated here. In the fecond, publifhed in 1795, he pretends to demonftrate, that the refources of France, and all her future military exertions, depend on the cjfignats', whofe depreciation he proclaims, and whofe extinction he announces. In the third, publifhed in 1 796, although none of his prediiflions had been fulfilled, he yet ex- claims'with the Minifter — " On the verge, nay, in the very gulph of bankruptcy !'* and once more cries out — " The reign of paper money is gone for ever !" Unfortunately for his prognoftications, paper money is not yet annihilated in France; and, fa far from their armies being palfied at its difcredit, they have proved vivftorious in almofi: an equal ratio with its depreciation ! It was {aid of old, that a praphet has no honour in his own country \ but this does not preclude him from refpeft abroad. In Geneva, that land of primeval equality, M» D'lvernois would have itill have remained a fimple> undiC- LACLOS. 105 undiftinguifhed citizen; but here, after decorating himfelf with the feudal title of Efquirey he has been admitted into the order of chivalry, the citizen hav- ing actually been dubbed a Knight by the fword of a King! DUMONT, A native of Geneva alfo, and confequently a re- publican by birth, was the editor of a newfpaper, termed *' Le Rcpublicain." It was publifhed on the King's flight to Varennes; and confidered, on account of the title, 2lss. phenomenon. At that pe- riod there were but eight republicans in France — I mean eight native citizens ! Here follow the names of four of them: Petion, Mayor of Parrs; Con- dorcet, fo celebrated for his attainments in the fci- ences; BrifTot, who died in an honourable poverty, a martyr to his principles; and Du Chatelet, whom Louis XVI. in vain endeavoured to' convert by all the blandifhments of royal favour. Robefpierre, on being entruftcd with their fecret defign, afked, with a fneer — " Ce quec^etoit qu^une republique?^* LACLOS, A man of extraordinary talents, great vices, and the author of Les Liaifons dangereufes^ was the bofom friend, and conilant companion, of IvI. d'Egalite, the ci-devant Duke of Orleans. On the flight of the King, he repaired to the fociety of Jacobins, and endeavoured to procure a petition from 106 M. DEGRAVE. from them, requefting the National Aflembly to dethrone Louis, and declare Philip conjiittitional Monarch of Frajice. Being defeated in this at- tempt, by Brilfot, he tried to gain over the people^ whom he had afiembled for that purpofe: and it was this circumilance that induced Bailly, then Mayor of Paris, to proclaim martial law, and La Fayette to give orders for v/hat has ever fmce been termed the malfacre of the Champ de Mars* The misfortunes of the houfe of Orleans may be traced to the crooked politics of this man. M. DEGRAVE Was the Minifter at War, when Roland pre- ilded over the home department. The moil ac- complifhed woman that France has, perhaps, ever produced, defcribes him " as a little man in every fenfe of the word; for Nature having formed him gentle and timid, his prejudices tempting him to be lofty, and his heart infpiring him with the defire of being amiable, by an endeavour to recon- cile all thefe, he became, in reality, nothing !" I have heard a very different character of the ex-minifter, from a good j«dge of mankind; and how^ever much I may be inclined to defer to the difcrimination of the amiable and unfortunate Madame Roland, there is fome reafon to fuppofe, that her opinion refpe6ling this gentleman was fomewhat tinctured by party prejudice. M. Degrave SAINT-JUST. 107 M. Degrave lives in the neighbourhood of Ken- fmgton; and confoles himfelfj amidft his misfor- tunes, by means of his books. — It is but juflice to fiy, that the French bear calamity with a forti- tude truly heroic: if they afe apt to triumph, per- haps, a little too much, in profperity, they evince a noble conflancy in adverfity, that would have refledled honour on the iloics of ancient times ! SAINT-JUST Was firft a Deputy for the department of L' Aifne, and afterwards a Reprefentati ve of Nie vre. He was one of the moft violent of the Mountaixi- party; and, during the trial of Louis XVI, made a very celebrated fpeech on the 13th of November, 1792; in the courfe of which, he inculcated the extraordinary maxim, that it was criminal to be a king — " On ne peut point regner innocement.''* Hitherto, St. Jull had maintained the reputation of virtue; but his conduct towards the GircTidey and during his miffion into the fouth, rendered his name at once odious and terrible. After this pe- riod, he was ufually termed I'^arne damnee de Rohef- pierre. When the Thermidoreans overcame the terror ijis^ St. Juft, who had of courfe taken part with the latter, was outlawed, arrefted, and put to death, in the Place de la Revolution^ on the 1 0th Thcrmidor (28th July) 1794, as one of the accom- plices of the tyrant. So odious was his name, that no party lamented his fate. M. DE ( lOS ) M. DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD LIANCOURT. This nobleman, acknowledged formerly by the title of Due de Liancourt, although he does not now claim it, even by courtefy, for he is a modefl:, as well as a good man, was one of the members of the States-General, and joined the majority of the clergy, and the minority of the nobles, when they met — they never united with the tiers etat or Commons. Notwithftanding this, the Duke was perfonally attached to the King; and it was he who, at one o'clock of the morning, of the 15th of July 1789, firft informed Louis XVI. of the capture of the Baftille! His Majefty was ahfolutely ignorant of the event, when his minifters left him, at eleven o'clock on the preceding evening; they carefully concealed it (for it is ridiculous to fuppofe them unacquainted with fo important a tranfatftion) from the deluded Monarch. The Duke having learned the particulars, by means of two deputies, wh© had been prefent, inftantly flew from the Aflembly to the palace; and, entering the privy-chamber, dif- clofed the fatal fecret to the king. « ^*ai-je done fait pour que le peuple s'^eleve contre moif' dit'ilavec une doideurprofonde mais calme. '' ^y-il life Gvec moi dans ?na confcience^ ^ il verra ft ja:nais il a eu un meilleur ami^ fi depuis que fai le drcit de rrCoccuper de fon bonheur^ mon cceur a jamais eu une autre penjee*^* This M. DE LA ROCHEFOUCfAULD LIANCOURT. 10^ This would have done great honour to his ma- Jefty's heart, were it not one of the beft afcer- tained facts in hiftory, that he had prepared an army, at this very moment, under M. de Broglio, on purpofe to chaftife the Parifians, and flifle the infant cry of Liberty. On being brought back prifoner, after his flight to V^arennes, he exclaimed, in the fame flrain, to the duke — " Ah I ft 'feus att'eint le hut de mon voy^ age^ le peuple auroit vufije meritois fes foupgons i^ fon Injufiice!^^ Now, it feems evident that le but de voyage was to throw himfelf into the hands of the Auftrians and Emigrants, as his brother Mon^ fieur did, who fled at the fame time, and efcaped by taking a different road. M. de la Rochefoucauld Liancourt foon after left France, and was lucky enough to arrive fafe in England. Preferring the country to the capital, he took up his refidence at Bury St. Edmund's, in Suffolk ; but he has fince repaired to America', whence a publication of his has appeared, on the improvement of the Criminal Code in PennfyU vania. In this trad, he points out the difference be- tween mild and fanguinary laws, by a reference to the a6lual practice of Pennfylvania, in confe- quence of which the number of offenders has been leffened full one half No whips, or chains, are to be feen there. Great crimes are punifhed with a falutary feverity; but petty political mifde- Hieanours are not expiated by means of three years K fclufan 110 M. DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD LIAKCOURTr Jeclufion from fociety! Hard labour becomes the jufi: portion of the malefactor or the vagabond; but the difxipUne of the houfe of correSlion is not ad- niiniflered to bookfeIlersconvi<5led of felling a libel ! When Louis XVI, like our Charles I, was doomed to undergo a public trial, the Duke ad- drefTed a letter to Barrere, then Prefident of the Affembly, dated November 19th, in which he offered to become his defender, at the bar of the National Tribunal. On the 20th of December, 1792, he alfo wrote a letter to M. Malefherbes, who had been chofen, by Louis, as his advocate, in which he endeavoured to depicft his character as that of an amiable and philanthropic fovereign; exclaiming at the fame time — " Ah! fi la facrifice (le ma vie^ eji utile au bonheur de la France^ fy fu'is prepare!'^ The truth is, that Henrietta Maria, confort of Charles I, and Maria Antoinette, the partner, not only of the bed, but the occupier of the throne of Louis XVI, occafioned the cataf- trophe of both. Louis was not unacquainted v/ith his foibles; for the Due de Liancourt has feen a MS. in his Majefty's hand-writing, in which he freely depicfbed his own chara(fl:er, and particularifed his good qualities, and even his faults; in which he recounted the obftacles he had met with, and endeavoured to furmount, in his own difpofition; the views with which he afcended the throne J the plans he had refifted; thofe he was enabled execute, and thofe he did not dare to un- deruke. To fuch a difpofition, had he either added ^ BOissv d'angias; Hi added fortitude, or been lucky enough to have been furrounded by a prudent confort and virtu- ous counfellors, he might have rivalled the only two good Princes of his family, Henry IV and Louis XII; while all the crimes of the other Bourbons would have been effaced by his glory I BOISSY D'ANGLAS. The Reprefentatlve, Boifly d'Anglas, was of the- order of the ci-devant noblefle, and voted uni- formly with that patriotic minority of the nobles,, which a The rights of equal order to revere ; T'enjoy, and hope the bleffings Freedom brings. And vindicate a world, opprefs'd by Kings."" The fame thing was a6lually faid and done III this country, during the laft century ; when, after the execution of Charles I. his ftatues were pulled down, and the following infcription placed on the pedeftals : — <* EXIT TYRANNUS, REGUM ULTIMUS !'* And yet there was not a Prince in all Europe, who owned his feelings to be hurt by the pointed declamation of our anceftors againft the kingly office ; nor did a lingle fword " leap out of its fcabbard" to vindicate regal dignity ! ABBE DE CALONNE. The Abbe, who enjoyed great influence while his brother held the high office of Comptroller- General of the Finances of France, is at prefent the Editor of the Courier de Londres, formerly the Courier de I'Europe. He poiTefTes a portion cf the talents fo confpicuous in his family. ( in ) M. DE CALONNE. This ci-devant Comptroller-General, who ftlll terms himfelf " Miiiijfre d'Etat^'' acquired much celebrity, both before and fmce the Revolution. His talents railed him from a fubordinate fituation in Lorraine, to a place of high truft and confi- dence under the Monarchy. He was a great fa- vourite with the Qi^ieen; and is accufed by his ene- mies of having adminiftered to the dillipation of her Majefty, and the King's brothers, particularly the Count d'Artois, who now alTumes the title of Monfieur^ or firft Prince of the Blood. The deficit^ firft publicly pointed out by Neckar, fprung from frequent hoirilities without, and a con- taminating and debafmg corruption within, the kiiig- dom*. Calonne's expenfive peace adminiftration, and Neckar's war z(;/M(;z^^ ^<^.v^j, neceflarily led to the afTembling of the Notables: the Notables begat the States General; the States General begat the National AlTembly; the National AiTembiy begat the Conftituting Aflembly ; and that, in its turn, begat the Republic ! After felling a moft fuperb colle£lIon of pi(5tures for the common caufe^ M. De Calonne ftill fupports it and his brother, by means of his writings in the Courier de Londres. " Monfrere^'' fays he, in his laft admirable pamphlet, " ejl du nofnbre des emigres qui travaillent pour fubfi/ier. Ils'ejllivrea une corvee fajiidieiife^ afin de ti'etre charge a per fonne. Loin ds rouger d'en etre reduit Id, on doit s'en glorifier.'* Among a number of important (fome, perhaps, majr Its M. DE CALONNE, may be inclined to think them paradoxical) afler- lions, he infills, that France ftill pojfTefles nearljr three times the quantity of circulating fpecie in Great Britain ; that ihe raifes, communibus annisy one eighth corn more than fuificient for the main- tenance of her own inhabitants ; and that the whole public debt, contra6ted by the emiflion of the ajftg^ jiats^ now converted into mandats territoriaux^ might be cancelled for about one third of what the laft campaign coft this country ! M. De Calonne confiders the proclamation of I.ouls XVIII. on his acccjfton to the throne^ as highly impolitic; for it pledges him to a perf^- verance in the ancient order of things ^ and thus di- vides and diminilTies his adherents. He even declares himfelf attached to a limited form of government; and infifts, " that the mo- narchical power ought to be regulated and tem- pered by fundamental laws, fixed and eftablifhed ccnftitutionally, configned in a folemn code, and protejfted from that mutability to which they were fubje6led, when it depended on the v/ill of the King to maintain them or not*." Neither he, nor the Emigrants, have been very anxious for the fuccefs of the combined powers, fmce the difclofure of their projects of partition \ and to this they all feem in a great meafure to at- tribute the victories of France, and the misfortunes of the Allies. See «' Tableau de I'Europej en Novembre, 1795," &c. M. De GREQOIKE. U5 M. De Calonne pledged himfelf fome time fmce to pubiifh a v/ork on the ancient conflitutlon ; but we apprehend he will be prevented from fulfilling his promife, as he has been both publicly and pri- vately denounced to Louis XVIII. as a Modere^ and, indeed, as almofl a Republican ! The talents of the Ex-Co7nptr oiler are allowed on all fides to be of the firft order. He pofTefles a great facility at compofitionj and has contrived to render the dry details of finance not only interelt- ing, but even entertaining. It is apprehended, that he is in dl^race at this moment with the fugitive court of the Prince whom he acknowledges ; to the Republicans his very name is odious ; and yet he has fo conducted himfelf, that he is faid to be powerfully fup- ported by a member of the Britifh Cabinet. M. De Calonne refides in the neighbourhood of Sioanc-ftreet. CREGOIRE, The Conflltutional Bifhop of Blois, is cele- brated for his various and profound literature, no lefs than for the urbanity of his manners: he is, in fhort, allowed to be one of the moft accompliflied men who fit in the circle of French legifiators. The firfi: notices of him are traced to a village, near Nanci, in Lorraine, of which he was the cure\ and where, in fpite of the obfcurity of his ftation, the fame of his learning and probity had already procured him an uncommon refpect, and extenfiv^ j)ubiicity of character. At 120 GREGOIRE. At the time of the convocation of the Etats Generaux^ in 1789, Gregoire v/as deflined to re- main no longer in retirement : — his talents, and the. publicTavour, obtained for him a place in that auguft and honourable aflembly. Since his debut' on the ftage of public life, he has always difplajed the greateft moderation, and uniformity of charac- ter — evrr deported himfelf as an ornament of his order — ever been confidered as an honour to his country. His rare talents, i^ncorruptible integrity, difmterefted patriotifm, and found piety, have conflantly (hone in the full blaze of meridian glory. He alfo concurred with thofe virtuous clergy- men in the fitting of the Etats Generaux^ who united themfelves with the Tiers Etat^ in opposi- tion to the defign of alloting feparate chambers for the two fuperior orders. In the fiift National AfTembly, he appeared as a champion for the rights of the people, againft the excefTive authority exercifed by the church ; and is thought to have contributed more than any other man to the reformation of clerical abufes, which afterwards took place: — in the article relating to the abolition of tythes, however, he conflantly voted with the minority — confidering the inftitu- tion to be of Divine original ' His philanthropy was particularly diflinguifhed by his fervid and eloquent fpeeches and motions in favour of the emancipation of the African flaves ; and, generally, by the active part which he took in all GREGOIRE. 121 all the druggies of the Legiflative Body on- that head. His talents alfo appeared to advantage, on an- other extraordinary occafion. The reform intro- duced into the civil conftitution of the French church, heing difrelilhed by many of the clergy, thefe refraclories began to foHcit the church of Rome to difpatch a ?nonitory^ prohibiting all at- tempts on their order — then it was that M. Gi"€- goire publiflied his celebrated brochure^ entitled, " APrefervailve agalnji Schlfm.'' Whatever fuc- cefs this work met v/ith among his own country- men, its reception was not fo favourable in fom<- of the ftates of Italy : at Naples, where an ever- tailing jarring of interefts fubfifts between the civil and prieftly authorities; and a,t Rome, where the flighted: appearance of innovation, in matters pertaining to ecclefiaftical difcipline, is looked up- on as Atheifm. The tranflation of his work at Rome, gave rife to the publication of another curious and pleafant rracl, entitled, " A Qiieilion, Whether a Janjenljl he net' a Jacobin f In the firft fitting of the National Convention, September 2iil:5 1792, Gregoire concurred in the vote (on the motion of Collot d'Herbois) for the abolition of Royalty in France. At a fubfequent fitting, November 6th, 1793, when Gobet, con- fiitutional Bifhop of Paris, attended by his Vicar General, renounced his clerical fun61:ion at the Bar of the Convention, (under the notion of ap- L pealing; '^22 ^OUEGOIREr pealing to the worfiiip of Reafon alone) Gregoire, in a declaration full of zeal, aflerted his Chrifli- anity, and fcrupulous adherence to the faith of his forefathers. The Reprefentatives fentjQn miflion to the ar- mies and departments of France, have (it is well known) been generally guilty of great outrages, and have incurred, in confequence, a great degree of popular odium. Gregoire, however, in every department which he has vifited, has conduced himfelf in fuch a manner, as to carry back with him the gratulations of his fellow-citizens. The inhabitants of Savoy, and of all the dif- trids conquered from the King of Sardinia, were remarkably averfe to an union with the French Republic : the amicable difpofition they now fhow towards France, has been chiefly excited by the greatvirtues of this popular Reprefentative. The highefc eulogy that can be pronounced on bis cbara"6ter, is the fingular obfervation, that fince the commencement of the Revolution, he has daimed tlie admiration, and won the confidence, of all the different factions that have, by turns, prevailed in the French Governm.ent. Under the bloody regimen of Robefpierre, a fyflem of pro- fcription had been commenced againft all men of letters, and profefTed religionifls.-— Such, however, ivas the veneration with which M. Gregoire was regarded, although eminent in both thefe charac- ters, that no one was found hardy enough to at- tack him. A flranger to perfonalities, and di- vefted GREGOIRE^ 125 vefted of private paflions and ambition, his facaU ties were wholly abforbed by his concern for the public welfare. As a member of the Committee of Public In- ftruclion, M. Gregoire has laboured more abun- antly than all his aflbciates, in foftering the growth of the arts and fciences, and in encourag- ing their profelTors, He has already add refied, in the name of the Committee, fome valuable reports to the National Convention; which, if collected and printed, with due regard to fyftematical ar- rangement, would furnifh the public with an ex- cellent mifcellaneous compofition, or melange. The boWeil ilep taken by M. Gregoire, fmce his commencing a public functionary, was his ad-i drefiing an encycUe (circular letter) lafl winter to the Bifhops of France, requiring their aid in th^f convocation of a National Council, for the pur- pi^fe of reftoring the clergyj agreeably to the de- crees of the Council of Trent, the Synod of Bor- romeo, and the liberties and independence of thf^ Galiican Church. It was taken for granted at that time, that M. Gregoire v/ould have incurred a profecution, on this account, from the exifting Government ! — He was allowed, however, to pafs with impunity. The following y^/zs:;?, fele^ted from his Report on the Bounties to be conferred by the Nation on Men of Genius, may enable the reader to acquire fome infight into the character of this celebrated man — " A great man is the public property. A L 2 prejudice- !24 GREGOIRE. prejudice vanqulfhed, or a truth dlfcovered, arc often of greater national utility, than the conqueft of a town. A man of genius is the foremoft of bis century ; outftrips it, and is, as it were, from thence (depayfc) expatriated. — As virtue, united with beauty^ is liable to peculiar temptations 3 fo a genius, pofTefling the gifts of fortune, is parti- cularly expofed to the anathemas of the fickle god- defs," And, in another pamphlet, we find—" Books confccrated to the nobleffej treatifes of genealogy, v/orks calculated to flatter defpotifm, -or pamper greatnefs, enfhrined in Morocco leather, have al- ways had a place in cur mod fuperb libraries j while the immortal works of Mikon, Althufius, and Hubert Languet, have lain neglected in an ignoble corner, under the humble covering of parchment. Works which laid open the crimes of princes and miniflers of ftate, Vv'hich demon- ftrated the JufI: rights of the people, were, if I may be allowed the exprelHon, the Sans Culottes of our libraries." And, in a paftoral letter addrefled to his clergy, foon after the refloration of religious worfhip, af- ter deploring the former errors of religious fac- tions, he adds — " You, I truft, have not yet for- faken the faith which you once profefled ; yet, can I wonder, if even fome amongft you, through the contagion of example, have been perverted? — Alas ! our religion, like our native country, has alfo its EMIGRANTS !" The charader of Gregoire mny be bcft col- leaed BUZOT. 125 k^lcd from a view of his writings at large. He is about fifty years of age -, in his temper extremely good-natured, and no lefs lively in converfation. BUZOT, While yet a boy, diftinguifhed himfelf by the precocioufnefs of his judgment. The purity and integrity of his charaifter were admirably adapted to fet ofF his talents to the beft advantage : in fhort, according to Madame Roland, he united " the morals of a Socrates, with the gentlencfs oi a Scipio»" Both in the Conflituent AfTembly and the Corr- vention, he was confidered as a firll-rate fpeaker ; and his report on the.ncceility of a departmental guard, has always been fpoken of as a mafter- piece. He was a man of letters alfo, as well as an orator — his addrefTes to his cortftituents abound with bold truths, and manly arguments^ The charges adduced againft him by his ene- mies, are fo many panegyrics. He v/as accufed oi rcyalifm^ becaufe he afTerted that morals were ne« cefTary in a Republic, and ought to be cheriflied and encouraged there ; and of calumniating Paris, becaufe he abhorred the maiTacres of September, and afcribed them folely to a handful of cut-throats I He was one of the Glrondills ; and his attach- ment to a Federative Republic, fuch as thofe of Greece, America, and Switzerland, inflead of a Republic, Q7JS and indhljibk-^ coil him his life* 1.3 liow 126 P. M. LEEB.UN. How mucli mull the idea of 'royalty have been dreaded in France, v/hen his enemies could under- mine his reputation, and ruin his character, by the opprobrious nick-name of Le Roi Buzot ! But this was at a period — and the cuflom is not yet abo- lifhed — when naughty children were whipped by their parents for being ks pet'its arlftocrats ! p. M. LEBRUN, Originally known by the name of Pierre-Marie Tonduj was additSted in his early youth to aftro- nomy, and remained at the Royal Obfervatory, un- der Cailini, until 1788. He foon after became the Editor of a newfpaper, celebrated for its early communication of foreign occurrences, and the diplomatic talents of its condu6lor^ Shortly after the Revolution, he was admitted by the BriiTotins into the Adminiftration,-and be- came Minifter for Foreign Affairs. In this fitu- ation he difplayed all the refources of a fubtle and intelligent mind, and had his agents in every court of Europe J in jQiort, he was deemed the moil able man, in point of real bufmefs, in the whole Coun- cil. On the triumph of the Jacobins,, he was obliged to conceal himfelf j and has often been known to flip, towards the evening, from his lurking-place,, difguifed under a black wig, and a fhabby furtouty, in order to procure ftiftenance. As he v/as unpro- vided with a civlircard^ he was not entitled to our- chafe GL AVI ERE. , I2T. chafe bread. This circumftarice alfo fubje6lcd him to the interrogatories of ev^ry centinci, and to imprifonment in every guard-houfe he happened to pafs by. After living feme time in co'nftant danger, he was at length feized, confined, and tried. He was born at Noyon, and decapitated at Paris in the 48th year of his age, on the 8th Nivofe, (28th of December). His brother, Achilles Tonduj who,. like himfelf, had been bred an Ailronomer, accompanied Choi- feul Gouffier in his embaiTy to Conflantinople, and died there in 1787. CLAVIERE; Was a native of Geneva, whence he was- driven into exile, on the prevalence of the party he had oppofed. While yet a private man, he attained great celebrity by bis knowledge of the refources and revenues of France; and was conftantly con-. iulted by Mirabeau, who was indebted to him for much of his reputation,. Being a leading member of the Jacobin Club, he was introduced to Louis XVI. and became Minifler of Finance. ' On the overthrow of the Girondlfts, he was arrefted, and prevented his public execution by fuiclde. He is faid to have been the author of the affignats-, a plan which not only changed the face of France at that time, but feems likely to effe(ft a total change in the whole European fyft em, AUBERT ( 128 ) AUBERT DU EAYET, A Revolutioniji^ in every fenfe of the word; for after afTifting in the troubles of his native country, he has been both officially and perfonally zealous to light up a ntyj flame on the fhores of the Ar- chipelago. It was of the utmoft importance for France, to induce the Sublime Porte to declare againft Ruffia : the very probability of this event has, indeed, been eminently ferviceable to the Re- public, as it confined the operations of the late Emprefs to empty threats and ineiFe(Fiual bravados; Aubert du Bayet, lately a member of the Admi- niflration, was accordingly employed by the Di- redlory, in a diplomatic chara(5ler, on a mi/lion ta Conftantinople, for the exprefs pui pofe of effecting a breach between the Greek Crofs and the Turkifh Crefcent. This Ambafiador was furnifhed with the crown-jewels, to bribe the Divan j and with engineers and taulicians, to inftruil: and direifl its armies. The annihilation of Poland has not only de- flxoyed the balance of power, but actually endan- gered the political exiftence of the Turks as an European nation. In addition to this, it is the In- tereft of France, and perhaps of all the maritime ftates, that there fhouid be a counterpoife in that quarter to the three great partitioning powers. Is Poland, then, to be entirely blotted out from the map of free nations, and lofe even its name ? — • Or ihall we behold that Republic which, undej John. MIRABEAU, MIRANDA, WILKES. 129 John Sobleflcl, fuftTiined Europe during the irrup- tion of a horde of fanatic MulTelmen, arifmg, phoenix-like, from its afhes, more vigorous than before ? MIRABEAU MIRANDA WILKES. These three very celebrated men met one day^ by invitation, at the houfe of a refpeftable gentle- man in Chefterfield-ftreet, May-fair. Mr. H. after dinner expected great entertainment from his gueftsi but, unfortunately for him, the orator and the general had a violent difpute relative to fome trifling fubjer^/^w^r. Thi^ ungrateful 140 CERUTTI. ungrateful return for his fervlces was, perhapSj fuggefted at the inftance of the court of Madrid,, which has long viewed him with a jealous eye. If fo, it was haMed in this inflance; for Miranda re- fufed to obey the order j and, claiming the rights of French citizen/hip^ appealed to the Legiflature, The Executive has been ob]i2;ed to defijj* o CERUTTI Was a man of letters, amiable in his m.anners,gerr- tie in his deportment, and poffefTed of the happy fa- culty of adapting his talents to the capacities of the multitude. This circumftance rendered him pecu- liarly proper to fuperintend a popular work ; and-: we accordingly find him uncommonly fuccefsful in a paper called La Feuille Villageoije^ which he con- trived to ttVL'^QX ioute-a-tous. This publication ap- peared every Thurfday, and had an extenfive circu- lation throughout all France, and more efpeclally the fouthern. departments*. In Lyons, which abounds with manufacturers, it was much read; and the Revolution is not a little indebted for its po- pularity to the labours of this enlightened citizen^ who died with an unftained reputation, while in the height of his glory. On the demife of Cerutti, the Feuille Villageolfe was configned to the care of Grouvelle and Guin-« guene, both of them men of talents. * Mad. Genlis firft publi/lied her little paftoral, entitled The Shepherded of the Pyrennees," in this paper. As CERUTTX. 14t As a file of this paper is now before me, I fhall exhibit an idea of the manner in which it was car- ried on under their management, from No. 34> Thurfday, 23d May, 1793 — " specimen of a counter-revolution, &c# "a hint to republicans. iith Janumy^ 1 3 S 2 . *< The inhabitants of Paris rofe on the ift of March, 13S2, in confequence of the taxes : this was the third re- volt (luring the reign of Charles VI. on the fame fubjeft. " Charle^y who had carefully difll-mbled his defire of vengeance, aiTived, on the lOth of January, 1382, at St. Denis, whei-e he offered up thanks to God, on account of his vi6lory over the Flemings at Rolbecq, 25,000 of whom had been left on the field of battle. « The Provoll of the Merchants, and fome others of the chief BurgeiTes, were imprudent enough to repair thither, to falute the victorious King, and to requeft him to enter his capital. The Monarch accepted the invitation 3 and oa the next day, marching in at the head of his troops, he overturned the barriers, cut down the gates, took poflellion ©f the principal parts of the city, and inftantly feized 300 of the moil refpeftable inhabitants. " A goldfmith and a draper were both hanged j Nicholas Flamel, another infurgent, was beheaded 5 and John Def- marais, a refpe(5labie Magiftrate, fnared the fame fate. On this, feveral who were confined killed themfelves, to avoid a public execution j and moll of thofe who neglected to do fo, were either privately put to death in the prifon, or thrown into the river during the night. <* This tragedy being ended, the people were afiembied in a court before the palace ; and the King having feated himfelf on his throne, the Chancellor reprimanded them in a fet fpeech for their frequent revolts and rebellions. On this, knowing the bloody difpofition of the cotjrt, they were afraid of being maflacrcd by the foldiery; but the Dukes of Berry and Burgundy falling at the Monarch's feet, his Majefty granted to fuch of the prifoners as were Hill alive a free pardon. They were accordingly reftored to liberty j but they were Ih ipped of nearly ail their fortune. <« Charles VI. did not flop here: he increafed the ira- f oils according to hii own caprice} and robbed the rich iperchants. 112 W ALLOT. merchants, at one time, under pretext tliat they had excited the revolt, and at another, that they had not oppofed it. Euf thtk taxes and confifcations enriched neither the ftate nor the King ; for the courtiers, the ofticers of" the army, and the financiers, Scc. ftized upon the wliole. " Citizens of the French Commonwealth ! ye who have written, afted, and fpoken againft Royalty, and in behalf of Liberty J ye who have acquired ecclefiaftical and nati- onal property, or any thing a{>peri:aining to the Emigrants j ye who have ^oCCzfCtd any authority, orexercifed any func- tions, during the prt- fent Revolution ; ye who may even chance to have a few a/fignats. in your pockets, learn from this authentic hiftorical document, what will be your lotj^ if you fliouJd ever ceafe to employ your ability and talents in fupport of the infant Republic V This newfpaper was publilhed at Paris, and cod only nine livres a year. Had Cerutti lived until the monarchy of Max- imilan I. he would have been then profecuted on account of his talents and his virtues. It was lucky for him, perhaps> that he died before he wit- neiTed the exccfTes that difgraced — not. the Revo-- lution — but the authors of thofe atrocities. The mafTacres of the priefts and nobles in September;' the civic baptifms, or drov/nings in the Loire; and' the excefs of punifhment inflided on the wretched infiirgents at Lyons, by. means or cannifter and grape-fhot, attach only to the perpetrators. All Kings do not refembje our Henry VHL nor do all Republicans emulate the vices of Collot D'Her- bois, and M. Robefpierre 1 WALLOT, A man of fclence, and one of the laft victims of the Rohefplerrean tyranny, was a native of the Palatinate; but he had fettled in Fi:ance, where he cultivated <:OUNT DE PRECY, OR PERCY. 143 cultivated aftronomy forfome years. ' In 1768, he accompanied Caflini to America, in order to ob- serve the longitude of different ftations, and try the marine time-pieces. He was beheaded on the 27th oTJuly, 1794: had his execution been deferred but a ftw hours longer, he would inevitably have bc^n faved; as the guillotine fevered the head from the body of his perfecutor, Maximilian Robefpierre, on the fuc- ■ceeding day ! COUNT DE PRECY, OR PERCY. This unfortunate nobleman, by taking part with the privileged orders, lofl both his property and his life. The hrfl: was forfeited by emigration; the fecond enfued in confequence of the vengeance of his countrymen. Having left France, and repaired to Hamburgh, the Count de Percy remained there, with many of the aitcienne nohlejje, until what they deemed " the call of honour" brought them into the field of a6lion. This " call'' is faid to have proceeded from the mouth of an Englifh Secretary at War ; and, alas ! it proved fatal to a number of gallant men, who, in his own unfeeling but emphatic language, « were killed off!" Yes 1 it was at Qiiiberon that the Sombreuils, the De Percys, and- the heads of foipe of the moil ancient families of France, found their graves I Amidil the neglect of their allies, and the tears even .=ffion, expofed him to the farcafms of his adverfarjesj and thence he became irritable N 3 and 150 VALADI. and intemperate to a great degree. This Is faid to have occalioned the extraordinary miffion he was fent upon, as the only lawful expedient to put hxrcifafely out of the way. VALADI. GoDEFROi IzARN, Marquls de Valadi, was a native of that diftri£t of France which, under the old government, was called La Rouergue^ and which is now included in the department of L'Avelron. His family was rich, noble, and an- cient ; but having been for many years refident on its eftate, in a remote province, it was unknown at Verfailles; and was confequently excluded from the favours and honours fo liberally beftowed upon more affiduous courtiers. To relieve it from this obfcurity, Valadi's father fought an alliance with fome family pofieffed of what was called //- luftration at court \ and pitched upon that of the Comte de Vaudreuil, then in high favour with the Queen. Nor did the Count hefitate to accept for his fon-In-Iaw a young man, who was heir to an eftate much larger than his own. In confe- quence of this agreement between the two fathers, Mademoifelle de Vaudreuil and ^ov^ng Valadi were married, when her age did not exceed thir- teen, and whenT.e had fcarcely numbered three years more. Endowed by nature with ftrong faculties, and an exalted im agination, Valadi, while growing up to maxihccdj imbibed fiom the ancient au- thors VALADI. 151 thors a love of philofophy, an ardent paflion for liberty, and a romantic turn of mind. This difpo- fition accorded ill with the feverity of an unfeeling father, with the brutal tyranny of a pedantic tutor, and with the arbitrary manner in which his hand had been difpofed of, and his afFecStions pledged to a young woman, whofe moral qualities bore no refemblance to his own. " He wanted a foul,'* he faid, " and they had given him nothing but a body." His refentment at the ill-treatment he had received, increafed with increafmg years ; while his fpirits, which were naturally high, fub- fided into a deep and liillefs melancholy, frora which the neceffity of exertion, or fome incident more than commonly pleafant, alone could roufe him. In his moments of deje6lion, it was painful to be in his fociety. He was as wayward as a child : but when he fuddenly ftarted into his fub- limer moods, his flights of fancy were equally lofty, delightful, and eccentric. Such was his flate of mind, when, in the year 1786, he refolved to efcape from a kingdom of whofe artificial manners he had been the victim, and to feek for more fimple habits of life, and for fouls more congenial, in countries reputed to be free. With this viev/ he came to England, be- ing at that time about nineteen years of age. He had not been long in London*, before every effort * He was recommended to Mr. Bell, of the Strand, and fvr the firft two qv three mpnth? re/kled at his houfe, was 152 VALADI. was made by his family to prevail on him to re- turn. The French AmbafTador fohcited in vain; and a friend, fent over by M. de Vaudreuil, found remonftrances and entreaties equally ineffecfual. But as Valadi was fearful that force or artifice might be advantsgeouily employed in the metro- polis in order to get him away, he removed to an academy at Fulham, where he ftudied the Englifh language and lav^s v/ith great affiduity. A ftay of three or four months, feconded by great powers of mind, obtained him the maftery of our language j but was far from confirming the enthufiaftic admiration he had felt for the Britifh conftitution. He fancied. Heaven knows with v/hat truth, that the executive government had contrived, by means of influence and corruption, to identify itfelf with the legislative body; and thence he concluded that parliament, inftead of being the i^gis of Liberty, was a more potent engine of defpotifm than could be produced in any other form ; becaufe ancient prejudices, furviv- ing its ancient conftitution, gave the fair colour of legitimate power to the fouleft encroachments upon our national rights. Strongly imprefled with thefe opinions, he v/as defirous of vifiting America, where he hoped to meet with freedom in a lefs fophifticated fliape. But this was not a proje6l of eafy execution. — His family refufmg to make him any remittances, his purfe was alto- gether inadequate to the exigencies of an adven- ture in a country fo remote. Some kind of a bargain. VALADI. 163 bargain, however, he made with an American Captain; and v/as \\aitlng for a wind at a mife- rable alehoufe in Wapping, v/hen Madame de Vaudreuil, and her daughter, came to England in purfuit of the runaway. The entreaties of his mother-in-law, and the tears of his virgin-bride, feduced the young philofopher from his purpofej and he confented to accompany them to France^ where immediately after he obtained an enfigncy in the French Guards. Still, however, his opinion of the unfuitable match made for him by his father remained the fame. He went, indeed, frequently to the coun- try-houfe of M. de Vaudreuil, and fometimes he pafTed whole weeks there; but, to the great furprife of Madame^ and probably to the ftill greater aftonifhment of her daughter, he never indicated any wifh to confummate his nuptials, al- though the hand of Nature had long written " woman" upon the fair perfon he had efpoufed. The patience of Madame de Vaudreuil, who was defirous of having in her family an heir to Valadi*s eftate, being at latt exhaufted, fhe led him one evening, fomewhat lothy to her daughter's room; and, giving him to underftand that her houfe afforded no other bed for his accommodation, left him there to lament his hard fate, in being thus compelled to pafs the night with one of the prettieft women in all France. It was not to be fuppofed that the enthufiaft of liberty, and the philofopher, could patiently en- dure t54 VALADI. dure the Havifli reftraints impofed on the afrned agents of defpotifm, or rellfh the light and frivo- lous converfation of young military men. Valadi accordingly made but an indifferent foldier, and afTociated little v/ith his corps. At length, his fituation became fo uneafy, that one morning, in the early part of T787, he waited upon the Duke de Biron, and refigned his commiiTion into that veteran's hands. Then returning to his lodgings, he cut off his hair clofe to his head; laid afide his ufual drefs, the neatnefs of which bordered upon elegance; and aflumed a habit, quaker-like in form and colour, but worn in a very flovenly way. Shortly after he made an excurfion to Geneva ; and there he chanced to meet v/ith an Englifh Pythagorean, well known by the name of Black Pigot^ who confined himfelf entirely to vegetable fare. Valadi immediately adopted this gentle- man's dietetic fyftem, and for feveral years after never tafted animal food. — Notwithftanding a mode of living, which in a long fea-voyage would have fubje6led him to the greateft privations, and notwithftanding the expedient that Madame de Vaudreuil had employed to reconcile him to his wife, Valadi ftill retained his intention of vifiting America, whither his friend Briflbt was already gone. But his fupplles of money were fo com- pletely cut off by his father's avarice, and difplea- fure at his eccentric conduft, that when he came to Nantz, he found his embarraflment ftill greater than it had been at VVappIng. He had not where- withal VALADI. 155 ivithal to pay his pafTage. He told the American Captain, however, that though deflitute of money, he had it in his power to make him an ample compenfation for the trouble and expence he might occafion durmg the voyage. " In what way ?" faid the Captain, who expe6led to re- ceive fome article of merchandize inftead of cafh, " I will teach you philofophy," faid Valadi. Unfor- tunately, philofophy was a commodity for which the honeft feaman knew of no market, and he begged leave to decline taking it on board; While . V'aladi was waiting for more fub- ftantial means of efFedling his purpofe, the in- creafing difficulties of the court, and the growing difcontent of the people, induced him to revifit Paris. — " I thought you were in America'^, faid one of his friends on feeing him. *' No," an- fvvered Valadi — " things are growing too inte- refting in my own country.'* But as the progrefs -of events, 9.nd of public opinions, v/as fluggifh in comparifon of his ardent mind, his hopes of feeing the French rife from their knees, and aiTume the commanding attitude of a nation determined to be free, fcon fubfided. He no longer thought that his prefence could be of any avail j and in the fummer of 1788, returned to England. So little was his fondiiefs for philgfophy abated during his abfence, that one of his firft cares, on arriving in the capital, was to vifit a gentleman of eminence in the literary world, and to propofe to him the ftation of chief of the Py;hagorean k'^, Followers, he ^liTured 156 VALADI. aflured him, he could not fail to find in every quarter of the globe. Upon his refufal, Valadi intimated fome intention of afluming the honour- able poft himfelf. " But, in that cafe," fald the Englifhman, " would it not be proper that you fhould underftand Greek?" — ** True," anfwered Valadi ; " I had forgot that. I will go and ftudy it at Glafgow." He fet ofFfor that place on foot; {laid there fix months; and then returned to London, where he chanced to hear that Mr. Thomas Taylor, of Walworth, was generally confidered as the prin- cipal Pythagorean in England. Valadi imme- diately purchafed his works; and, after having pe- rufed them, difpatched the following fcroU, which is highly charadleriflic of his eccentricity, talents, and temper of mind — TO THOMAS TAYLOR, e'ETTER NAMED LYSIS, G, IZARN VALADI, OF LATE A FRENCH MAR(^IS AND TANISSAIRE. Sendetb Joy and Honour. 1 2 Xbre. 1788, njulg. ara, *' O Thomas Taylor! mayft thou welcome a brother Py- thagorean, led by a Saviour God to thy divine fchool! I have loved vv'ildom ever lince a child, and have formd the greateft impediments, and been forced to great ftruggles, before I could clear my way to the fource of itj for I was born ia a more barbarous country than ever was Hlyria of old. My family never favored my inclination to Liudy; and I have been involved in fo many cares and troubles, that it cannot be without the intei-vention of fome friendly Deity, 'thatIhaveefcapedthevileruftofbarbarifm,and its attendant meannels of foul. My good fortune was, that I met, eigh- teen months ago, an Englifh gentleman of the name of Pigott, who is a Pythagorean Philofopher, and v/ho eafily converted me to the diet and manners agreeable to that moft rich and beneficent Deity— Mother Earth ; to that heaven- infpired change I owe perfeft health and tranquillity of mind, both of which I had long been deprived of, Alfo my own ©atbi YALADI. 157 op-tii has acceded to the eternal oath, (which mentions the gjlden commentator en jG. V.) and I would more cheer- inlly depart irom my prefent habitation on this Tiiemis- fbrlaken earth, than defile myielt evermore with animal food, Helen either on earth, in air, or water. ** Iraet with thy works but two days pall. O divine man I a prodigy in this iron agel who would ever thought thou couldll exifl among us in our fhape ! I would have gone to Cki/:a Ibr a man endowed with the tenth part of thy light! Oh, grant me to fee thee, to be lullrated and initiated by thee i What joy, if, like to Proclus Leonas, to thee I could be a do- meftic ! who feci living in myielf the foul of Leonidas. " My determination was to go and live in North America, from love of Liberty, and there to keep a fchool of Tem- perance and Love, in order to preferve fo many men from the prevailing difgraceful vices of brutal intemperance and feifilli cupidity.— There, in progrefs of time, if thofe vices natural to a commercial country are found to thwart moil of the blcflings of Liberty, the happy fdecl ones, taught better diicipline, may form a fociety by themfelvcs, fuch a one as the gods would favor and vifit lovingly, which would preferve true knowledge, and be a feminary and an afylum for the lovers of it. " There I would devoutly ereft altars to ray favourite gods— Diofcari, He6lor, Ariitomenes, Aleflen, Pan, Or- pheus, Epaminondas, Pythagoras, Plato, Timoleon, Mar- cus Brutus, and his Portia j and, above all, Phoebus, the god of my hero Julian, ajid the father of that holy, gentle Common- 'jealik of the Peruvians, to which mdlus ultor has, as yet, been lufcited! " Mufic and Gymnaftic are fc iences necelTary/^r* a teacher to po[fefs—(\v\-^2X deep and various fenfe thefe two words contain !) and I am a ftranger to both ! O Gods I who gave rae the thought and the fpirit, give me the means, for ail things are from you. " Thomas Taylor, be thou their inftrument to convey Into my mind knowledge, truth, and prudence! Do thou love and help me. I will go to thee to-morrow morning. *' P.S. May I look to thee, endowed with i\\ ancient and no modern enthufiafm ! Gracchus CROTONEtos/* According to the promife contained In his letter, Valadi waited upon Mr. Taylor the following day; threw 158 VALADI. threw himfelf in due form at his feet; tendered to him a imall fum in bank notes, which at that moment conftituted all his fortune; and begged, with great humility, to be admitted as a difciple into his houfe. His prayer was granted; and for fome time he enjoyed the advantage of imbibing philofophy from the fountain-head : but, finding himfelf more form.ed for an active than a contem- plative life, he determined to quit philofophy, in order to take fome ihare in the political commo- tions v/hich began to agitate France v/ith redou- bled force. When he took leave of his re- fpe6table mafter of philofophy, he had exchanged his quakerlike apparel for a complete fuit of mili- tary clothes. " I came over Diogenes," faid he: " I am going back Alexander." It was now the fpring of 1789; and every thing, indeed, announced a revolution, in which he v/as far more inftrumental than is generally fuppofed. At the death of the Doke de Biron, whom the French Guards confidered as their fiUher, the Marquis du Chatelet v/as appointed to command them in his place. He was a rigid difciplinarian; and, being one day prefent at the exercife of the grenadiers, was imprudent enough to fay, that there was not one of them who ought not to be fent to the drill of the Regiment du Roi. The bold and veteran bands he was infpeiting, trem- bled with rage at the infuiting expreiTion; for- warded it from mouth to mouth, and treafured "it up with their revenge, Valadi was no ilranger to VALADr. 159 fo their difcontent. He went to the barracks of the grenadiers, and perfuaded them to accompany him to the Palais Royal, where the Parifian mal^- contents were accuftomed to afTemble. The fol- diers were received by tns people with joyful acclamations, and were welcomed with refrefh- mentb*, which they repaid by declaring themfelves friendly to the popular caufe. When this ma- noeuvre had been pracSrifed feveral times under the fame aufpices, the government took the alarm; iflued orders for Valadi's arreft; and, if his own aiTertion may be credited, condemned him to be privately put to death. But timely intimation being given him of his danger, he iled to Nantz, and concealed himfelf on board an American fhip ; where the police officers, by whom he was clofely purfued, fought for him in vain. In the mean time, the people of Paris, encou- raged by the countenance they had received from the Guards, and fure of their neutratility, if not of their fupport, proceeded to the attack of the Baftille ; and, aided by the TkiII and intrepidity of their new military friends, carried the " King^s Caflle'^ by afTault. This Was the fignal of Liberty to Valadi, as well as to all France. He ventured forth fiom his hiding-place, re-appeared upon the iicene, and v/as witncfs -to the annihilation of a go- • vernment which a few days before had doomed him to die. Some time after, he repaired to his native coun- try, in order to oppofe his popularity to the o 2 refent- 160 VALADI. refentment vAvch die peafantry harboured againffc his father. — He laved the Qhateau^ and the Seig" neur, but thefe ferviccs were of no value in the eftimation of the old man, who detelted his poli- tical fentimcnts ftill more than his former eccen- tric purfuits. Valadi could obtain neither marks of afFeciion nor money; and returned to Pavis in a ftate of poverty highly honourable to his filial affection; iince he rather chofe to endure it, than to compel his father by law^ to furrender an eflate to which he was entitled in his mother's right. From this extreme indigence he was relieved, in 1792, by a Bcurgsois of his ov/n province, who purchaied of him the reverfion of a fmall piece of land for thirty thoufand livres. — Since his re- turn from his father's manuons, his drefs had been either the worfe habit of a common national guard, or a fhabby blue coat, generally accom- panied by a beard of frightful length, and always by a brown cropt head thaf was kept a flranger to the comb — a figure dirty, and gaunt, and grim, and horribly unlike the frame of a French Mar- quis. But when this golden fliower wafhed him clean, his perfon a (Turned quite a different appear- ance. His quakeriike fuit was of the iineft cloth, and moll delicate bloffom colour, and was worn with all the concomitants of a fludied and refined fimplicity. But though his perfon was thus poliflied, his political ferocity remained the (lime. On one of tiie latter days of July, a friend, who called at his V'ALADI, 161 his lodgings*, was furprized at feeing a com- mon' mullcet, a cartridge-box, and the fabre of a grenadier, fufpended in his room. " What !" faid be, '' are you going to the frontiers?" — " No," anlwered Valadi; '' but I have every thing pre- pared for the aiTault of the Thuilleries." — it does not follow hence that there was any regular plan to attack the palace, or that Valadi was one of the confpirators. It is far more probable that he fore- faw, in common with other fagacious men, that the King's neglcvSting the country, his equivocal conduit, and his detaining the S vvifs Guards about his perfon in defiance of a pofitive law, would produce the explofion that, on the loth ot the fol- lov/ing month, hurled the unhappy monarch head- long from his throne. The d'.fiblution of the Legiflatlve AfTembly (oU lowed 3 and the convocation of a National Con- vention, to which Valadi was returned a member for his native country, the department of L*Avei- ron. In that fa6Hous body he adhered to th3 Girondiftsj and, though he did not diiiinguilh himfelf as a fpeaker, his talents, his influence, and his name, afforded them confiderable fupport. On the trial of the King, nothing could be more nobl« than Valadi's opinion. He voted that Louis fhould be kept in honourable confinement till tl^ termination of the warj that he ihould then be * In the Hotel du Roi, ciofe adjoining to the court-yard of the Thullieries- O 7 ((TiX 1C2 VALADI. fent out of the Republic with a large penfion; and that a fortune fnould be beftowed by the nation upon Madame Elizabeth, fuitable to the high expectancies of a daughter of France. — His fufFrage being erroneoufly reported by the Jour- iialifts, Valadi, to corre6l their mifreprefentation, aiExed a placard to the walls of Paris, which ended with the following remarkable words: " It became Philippe Egalite, whom Louis XVI. par- doned iri 1787, to condemn him to death; and it became me, whom in 1789, and in his fecret council, he condemned to die, to vote for the pre- fervation of his lifer." This was a grievous offence to the faction of the.Mountain; and fome hand-bills, which he figned with the name of Anmngton^ and in which he en- deavoured to expofe their dangerous pradlices, exafperated them ilill more. He was confequently included in the profcription of the party of philo- fophers who were not more richly llorcd with talents and virtues, than deficient in vigour, pru- dence, and a knowledge of the world. V'aladi got fafe out of Paris; joined Louvet and his com- panions in their flight to Brittany; and fhared in their perils, hardfhips, and hair-breadth efcapes. The flate of his mind on one of thcfe occafions was highly aiFecting; for though we may admire the man who meets death without difmay, our feelings aj-e certainly acted upon Vv^th more efFecl hy thofe vvho appear to have fome feeling for theniCelves, Being concealed with Lotjvet and fome VALADI. 1G3 fome others in a loft, where they had reafjn ta^ fuppofe themfulves in danger of immediate detec- tion and death, Valadi, who was worn out with previous fatigue, and with anxiety, confcfTcd that he was unable to endure the idea of his ov/n de- ftru6^ion. A few minutes after his terrors re- doubled, when a hoarfe voice rudely bade: them come down, and refufed to explain the meaning of the injunction. This alarm, however, proved a falfe onej and Valadi, while wandering from place to place in fearch of an afylum, obtained a fatal experience of the little dependance that is to be placed upon friends in the hour of diftrefs. In a defperate attempt to pafs through Perigueux, he was recognized, and guillotined on the nth of December I793> by the ferocious agents of Robef- pierre. Thus periflied one of the pureft and moit ardent patriots that France has feen — a man whofe judgment was not equal to his capacity of mmdj. whofe weak nerves did not always fecond the generous impulfes of his foul; and whofe unequal temper often caft a (hade over the fteadiefl bene- volence of heart. NAPOLEONE BUONAPARTE. It requires but a very fuperficial examination into the hiftory of mankind to difcover, that great events are produ6livc of great chara(5lers. They excite the paflions ; invigorate individual talents; refcue merit from undeferved obfcurity; and, fet- ting 164 BUONAPARTE. Ung afide the fi(£lltioiis diftin£lions founded on the follies, rather than the conventions of fociety, give full play to exertion, and amnle fcope to genius. But this fad is never more ratisfa6torily iliuftraLtd, than in the conrefts connected with, and founded on, the love of freedom : a principie miimatejy blended with our exiilence and our happinefs j and which, being founded in natu.e, is laient in the bafeft and nioft felfifli hearts. The hemifphere of Greece exhibited a galaxy of heroes, during her ftruggle for liberty, againft the domeftic tyrants who oppreiTed, and the fo- reign kings who endeavoured to enilave her. The iiamts and actions of Pelopidas and Epaminondas ; of LeoniHas aiid Agis ; of Harmodius and Arilto- giton ; are familiar to every elaffical fcholar, and have been loiig de^r to mankind. In Rome, we behoid one Biutus arife to expel Tarquin, and anoiher to punifh Cgefar. 7'he burning hand of Scaevola appalled the heart of the king of Etruria ; and a fmgle citizen, in the perfon of Horatius Coc'es, defendmg a bridge againft a little army,, ftruck an aftonifhed- enemy with terror and dif^- may. To recur to modern times, a few obfcure pea- fants, fuch as Tell, Erni, SrauiTaucber, refcued SwiLzerland from the oppreilion of the haughty Houfe of Auftria, and eftablifhed a federal com- monwealth, tiiat has laited longer uruiltered thaii- any monarchy in Europe. Inourowndays, we have- beheld a few American citizens ennobling, by their. BUONAPARTE. 1G5 their flrugglcs, 2 memorable revolution, atchievcd by a printer*, a IchoolmaRer f, a farmer :|:: we have often heard one of its authors reproached with being a ftay-maker § ; and the St. James's Gazette aclually ridiculed a man as a horfe-deakn\y whofe promotion to the rank of Major-generai in the Britiih fervice it v^'as afterwards forced to re* cord. Similar caufes in France have produced nearly fimilar effects, and the triumphs of the monarchy- have been obliterated by the glories of the Re- public. Diforganized, undifciplined, diffatisfied;. her armies, at the beginning of the contefl, ex- hibited numbers' without valour, and enterprize without fuccefs. It can have been no common principle, then, that has forced the veteran troops of Europe to turn pale before her frefh levies ; and' the Brunfwicks, the Clerfayes, the Wurmfers, ta bend their filver locks to men, new to the fcience of war, and unknown to hiilory. At one time we have feen Dumourier feebly oppofing the allies, and a(ftually deprecating their efforts; at another time, invading their poilcflions; and, foon after, flying to them for fuccour and protection. Jour- dan, by the exertion of foldierly bravery alone, taught the enemy to refpedt his countrymen; Pi- chegru difplaycd all the refources of a great tacti- cian, and directed every movement by the rules * Franklin, f Adams, the prefent Prefident, I Wafli- ington. § Paine. 1] '* Qi\q Avr.old/* of 166 EUON^APARTE, of art. Moreau, in imitation of Xenophon, ac- quired more glory by retreat, than others have atchieved by victory; and Buonaparte, by uniting the warrior and the ftatefman in his own perfon, has confummated the glory of his adopted country. This extraordinary man, born in the town of Ajaccio, in Corfica, in 1767, is the fon of Charles Buonaparte and Lastitia Raniolini. His father, who was alfo a native of Ajaccio, was bred to the civil law, at Rome, and took part with the celebrated Paoli, in the ever-memorable ftruggle, made by a handful of brave iilander?, againft the tyrannical efforts of Louis XV. and the Machiavelian fchemes of his minifter Choifeul. I am. aiTured, by a near relation of the family, that he not only laid afide the gowti upon this oc- caiion, but actually carried a mufket as a private centinel ! On the conqueft of the ifland, he wifhed to re- tire, with the gallant chieftain who had fo nobly ftruggled for its independence ; but he was pre- vented by liis uncle, a canon, who exercifcd a pa- rental authority over him. In 1773, a deputation from the three eftates was fent to wait on the King of France ; and, on this occafion, Charles Buonarparte was feledted to reprefent the nobles. He was foon after pro- moted to the office o{ procurators reale of Ajaccio j where his anceftors, fuppofed to have been ori- ginally from Tufcany, had been fettled nearly two hundred years. The BUONAPARTE, 16'^^ The family of the dder Buonaparts was nume- rous, for he had (even children; four fons and three daughters. It was his good fortune, how- ever, .to be cherifhed by the Frendi; and both he and his family lived in the greateft intimacy with M. de Marbcetif,' the Governor, who received a revenue of iixty thoufand livres a year, on con- dition of doing nothing! An intcndant u'as paid nearly as much; and a fwarm of hungry leeches, engendered m the corruption of the court of Ver- failles, at one and the Time time fucked the blood o^ the Ct>r(icans, and dramed the treafure of the mother country : in fhort, like the conquefts of more recent times, the fubjugation of that ifiand feems to have been atchieved for no other purpofe than to gratify avarice, and faciate rapacity. On the death of his friend, Charles Buonaparte, M. de Marbceur continued to patronize his fa- mily*, .and placed his fecond Ton, * Napoleone, the * A French periodical writer has been pkafed to alTert, that General Paoll was his gt^dfather, (fan farrovi fut k fatneux F'doWy, but, on making the proper enquiries, I find that this circumftance is doubtful. General Paoli recollefts that he ftood godfather to a fon of Charles Buo- naparte, but he is not fure whether it was to Napoleone, or one of bis brothers.— -So much wa3 Charles Buonaparte attached to General Paoli, that, on hearing from M. de Marbosuf that fome Frenchmen intended to afTafTmate him, he failed from Ajaccio to Leghorn, whence he repaired to Florence, In order to communicate the particulars of the plot tc the Engliih miniftcr. fubjea IGS BUONAPARTE. {uljeS: of thefe memoirs, at the Ecole Alilitaire^ or Military Academy. The advantages rcfulting from this femitiary, which has produced more great men than any other in Europe, were not loft on ycung Buonaparte; he there applied himfelf, with equal afiiduity and addrefs, to mathematics, and iludied the art of war as a regular fcience. Born in the midfl of a republican ftruggle in his native land, it v/as his good fortune to burft into manhood at the moment when the country of his choice (hook off the chains with which flie had been manacled for centuries, lliere v/as alfo fomething in his manners and habits that an- nounced him equal to the fituation for which he feems to have been deflined: inltead of imitating the frivolity of the age, his mind was continually occupied by ufeful ftudiesj and from the Lives of Plutarch, a volume of which he always carried in his pocket, he learned, at an early age, to copy the manners, and emulate the a£lions, of anti^.uity. With this difpofitior^ it is but little wonder that he fliould have dedicated his life to the pro- fe/Tion of arms. We accordingly £nd him, while yet a boy, prefenting himfeif as a candidate for a CcmmiiHon in the artillery ; and his fuccefs equal- led the expectations of his friends, for he was the tv/elfth on the lift, out of the thirty-fix who proved vidiorious in, the conteft. In confequence of this event, he became a Lieutenant in the French army, and ferved as fuch, during two or three years, in the regiment of La Fsrg, In BUONAPARTE. 169 In 1790, General Paoli repaired to France, where he was honoured with a civic crown; and there he embraced the fon of his old friend, who had ferved under him at St. Fiorenze, in 176S. They met again, foon after, in Corfica; where Bu- onaparte, then a Captain, was elected Lieutenant- Colonel of a corps of Corfican National Guards hi acfivity. On the fecond expedition fitted out againft Sardinia, he embarked with his countrymen, and landed in the little ifland of Maddalena, which he took pofleilion of, in the name of the French Re- public; but finding the troops that had been goc together for this expedition, neither pofi^eiTed or- ganization nor difcipline, he returned to the port of Ajaccio, whence he had fpt out. In the mean time, a fcheme was formed for the annexation of Corfica to the crown of England ; and the cabinet, in an evil hour^ acceded to a pro- pontion which, while it diminifhed the wealth, has contributed but little either to the honour or ad- vantage of this* country. * " M. de Lomellini obferved one day to Dumourler, during his refidence in Genoa, that it would be a very happy thing, were it pofTible, to bore a large hole in the center of Corfica, in order to bury it under the ocean. He meant to exprefs by this figure, that it would always occafion, great trouble to whoever might be in pofTcilion of it, and become the caufe of frequent wars." Life of Gen, Dumourier, Vol, I. p. 1 gi, p Buonaparte 170 BUONAPARTE.* Buonaparte had a difficult part to a£l on this occafion : he was perfonally attached to Pafquale Paoli ; he refented the treatment he had experienced during the reign of the Terrorifts\ and had actually drawn up, with his own hand, the remonftrance tranfmitted by the MunicipaHty of Ajaccio againit the decree declaring the General an enemy to the Commonwealth. Indeed, he was fuppofed to be fo intimately conneded with him, that a warrant was ifllied by Lacombe de St. Michel, and the two other Commiiiioners of the Convention, to arreft young Buonaparte ! Notwithftanding this, he was determined to remain faithful to his engagements; and, learning that the Engl ifh fleet in the Mediterranean had failed for the purpofe of feizing his native ifland, he embarked, along with his family, for the continent, and fettled within eighteen leagues of Toulon. That town, the fecond fea-port in France, was at this moment in the pofTeffion of the Englifii, having been juft feized upon by Admiral Lord Hood, who hiid fubftituted the Britifh Crofs in the place of the three-coloured flag. The military talents of the young Corfican were well known to Salicetti, who introduced him to Barras, now one of the Directory, to whom he afforded indubitable proof of the fmcerity of his profeilions, at a pe- riod when fufpicion was julliiied by the moft ferious and frequent defe£lions. He was accordingly ad- vanced from the rank of Chefde Brigade^ to that of General of Artillery j and directed, under General Dugommlcr BUONAPARTE. 171 Dugommier, the attacks of the various redoubts that furrounded and ftrengthened ihis important port, in which Collot d'Herbois foon after declared, " that he had found the galley-Haves alone faithful to the Republic*!" It is almoft needlefs to add, that the energy of the French troops, added to the fcientiiic arrangements of the Engineers, overcame the zeal and refiftance of a motley garrifon, and reftored the key of the Mediterranean to France. It may be neceflary, however, to remark, that Buonaparte, in 1793, took an a£live part againft General Paoli and the Englifh ; for, in the courfe of that year, he appeared with a fmall armament before Ajaccio, the town and citadel of which he fummoned in the name of the Republic 3 but he met with a formidable enemy in his own coufin, the brave Captain MaiTerla, who commanded a corps of Corficans during the fiege of Gibraltar, and had learned the management of red-hot (hot under Lord Heathfield. The conquefl of Toulon contributed not a little to raife the credit of Buonaparte; and it * The voluntary exile of the inhabitants prevented Col- ot d'Herbois from pafling a fentence on Toulon iimilar to that infii6led on Lyons— ** ^e cette NECKEK, By land, by water, they renew the charge, They flop the chariot, and they board the barge y No place is facredj not the church is freej E'en Sunday fliines no Sabbath-day to me : Then from the Mint walks forth the man of rhyme^ Happy to catch me jull at dinner time." *' Eft-il \m vll rimeur dont la verve groffiere Kxhale en plats ecrits les vapeurs de la bierre y Ell-il \.\n grand feigneur, auteur de petit vers, Un poete en jupon, qui rime de travers, Un clerc encore poudreux, qui deferteur du code,. Sache. au lieu d'en contrat, meugriffoner une ode,- Un fou, qui renferme fans encre & fans papier, Ait charbonne de vers les raurs de Ion grenier ? Tout viennent m^affaillir dans leurs fureurs etrangej>. 0\itres de ma critique ou fiers de mes louanges. " Arthur voit-il fes fils negliger h barreau ? Ce font mes maudits vers qui troublent lemcerveau. Et le pauvre Cornus trahi parce qu'il aime, S'en prend aux beaux efprit.s, a ma mufe, a moi-meme, &c/* *' Is there a perfon much bemus'd in beer,, A maudlin poetefs, a rhyming peer, A clerk foredoomed his father's foul to crofs, Who pens a ftanza when he fliould engrofs ? Is there who, lock'd from ink and paper, fcrawls. With defp'rate charcoal round his darkened walls? Ail fly to Twit" nam,, and in humble ftrain- Apply to me to keep thtra mad or vain.. *^ Arthur, whofe giddy fon.neglefts the laws. Imputes tso me. and my damn'd v/orks, the caulet. Poor Cornus fees las frantic wife elope, And curfes -cvit, and poetry,, and Pope J' NECKER, A native of Geneva,, a banker of Paris, and^ for fome time partner with an eminent merchant of London (Louis TexUr). This celebrated man was deftined to rife from the defic of a compting- houifi, to one of the highefl employments in Eu- fope^ KECKER. 151 Tope, fnat of Miniiler of Finance to the French Monarchy. Vanity, egotlihi, oftentation — thcfe are faid to be his failings ; bur, on the other hand, a good hufband, a good father, a good citizen — ■ he is in pofTeflion of all the public and private vir- tues. , If he evinces lefs ability than his rival, Calonne, be it remembered, that he can boaft of a fpotlcfs integrity. Safpicien has never blafted his fair iame with the charge of unaccounted millions. A man of bufinefs InofRce, a philefo- pher in dlfgrace — he never allowed hinifelf to b^ elevated or deprefled, either by the fmiles or frowns of a king ; he ftill remembered that he was a ci- tizen of Geneva ! He, however, experienced a variety of morti- fications, for which he indemnified himfelf, per- haps, by the hope of proving fervlceable to man- kind. — Old Maurepas never allowed him to fit in his prefcnce ! To the preponderance of the Tiers Eiat^ pr-o- •duced entirely by his means, France Is indebted for her Revolution; but for this, the nation would have relapfe/v 16,1793. •* My dear and refpefted Father, *' Peace is about to reign in my beloved native country, for Marat is no more ! ** Be comforted, and bury my memory ineterna) oblivion. " I am to be tried to-morrow, the 17th, at feven o'clock in the morning. " I have lived long enough, as I hare atchieved a glorious exploit. *' I put you under the proteflion of Baibaroux and his colleagues, in cafe you fliould be molefted. *« Let not my family bluih at my fate 5 for remember, swcording to Voltaire— - * That crimen beget difgrace, and not thefcaffold.* ** Your affeftionate daughter, « Marie Anne Fidoire Charlotte Cordet.'''* VOLTAIRE, Superftltlon ridiculed; tyranny expofed; inno- cence protefted — a nation, if not prepared for liber- ty, yet unfitted for bondage. Such were the labours and the triumphs of Voltaire. The Parifians were always fond of him : their vanity was, indeed, gratified by his glory, in which they XIESDAME5-r 195 they fuppofed themfelves to participate. On his return from banifliment, in the time of the mo- narchy — from what free country would the author of the Henriade have been banifhed ? — he was pre-» fented with a wreath of laurel, in the public theatre, and crowned, like the heroes of the ancient repub- lics, in the prefence of the whole people. On the recovery of Liberty, his aOies were eiaimcd by the nation; and on the lOth of July, 1 79 1, his body was conduct --d into Paris, amidll the fhouts of the National Guards, and the tears of the citizens. The carriage, containing the corpfe, was (haded with green branches, and adorned with appropriate devices. David, the painter, fuperin- tended the ceremony. On one fide was the following infcrlption— « Si Vhomme a destiransy ildoit les detroner,'"' On another-— " Si Vhomme eji cree litre, ildcit fe gowvemer .'''* The above mottos were felc6ted from his own immortal works. MESDAMES, . The aunts of Louis X VL were the firft of the Royal Family that took the alarm, and emip-rated from France. Belle-Vuc^ the villa, or rather pa- lace, in which they refided, was one of the moft beautiful in the kingdom, having been built by their father^ Louis XV. for one of his many miftieiTes^ 196 3W£5DAM£S. It is fituatedon a rifing ground, between Seve and Meudon, near the great road leading from Paris to Verfailles: the river Seine winds along the bottom cf the hill ; and, by its Terpentine courle, feems as if defirous to linorer in fo charmino- a neij^hbour- hood. The building was erected by one of the mofl celebrated architects of that day : the marble bufts and bas-reliefs were cut by the chiiTel of Coufton^ the ftatues, by Adam and Falconet] the paintings are by Vanloo; and as to the gardens, they were laid out by M. de Life, the Capability Brown of France. It was here that Pompadour, revelling in tho wealth of plundered provinces, prefided over the revels of Comus, and endeavoured to vary the pleafures, and diffipate the fatiety, of her royal lover. At one time, fhe would furprize him with a theatrical exhibition, in which fhe appeared as Venus, while he was the favoured Adonis of the drama. At another, by a kind of candle-light en- tertainment, on the recovery of his fon, in which an illuminated dolphin, by a happy pun^ reprefented the Heir Apparent of the monarchy ; certain fiery monfters, his late difeafe ; and an Apollo, with a torch in his hand, the God of Pbyfic, by whofe intervention he was recovered ! On the acfeilion of Louis XVI. the daughters of the former Monarch were allowed to occupy this charming fpot, formerly the refidence of their father's miftreiies, and the fcene of their expenfivc gallantries. THE DUKE DE TRESMES. 197 gallantries. Unlike that father, in every thing but in good-nature, they were conftantly at the feet of their ConfefTorjOr their crucifix; and the fpot which had fo often blufhed with the debauchery of its former, now edified the pious, by the devotion of the prefent owners. On the approach of the ftorm, they flew to the centre of cathohcifm for fhelter ; and now fhare,at Rome, the benedictions of the Pope ; the prayers of the Abbe Maury, lately made a Bifliop by Pius VL and the palace of Cardinal Bernis, heretofore Am* bafiiidor from France to the Holy See. Good, charitable, pious, perhaps to excefs, they in character exhibit a ^ofe affinity to their amiable mother, the daughter of the unfortunate Staniflaus^. King of Poland. There is a family-likenefsj evea in their misfortunes ? v THE DUKE DE TRESMES, This nobleman was exceedingly deformed; but Fortune, refolving to indemnify him /or the inju- ries of Nature, elevated him to the dignity of Buf^ foon to the miflrefs of the Grand Monarque* He was fo confcious of this honour, that calling one day, and not finding the favourite at home, he wrote upon her door — " The marmozet of the Coun- tefs de Bar re is come to pay his homage to her, and to make her laugh ''* Gentle reader, this no* bleman v/as no hereditary Due ^ Fair of France ! One IS almoft tempted to exclaim — " £x UNO DIXE OMNES [" JL 3 JMADAJ.IS ( 198 ) UADAUE LAFAYETTE. This lady, the wife of a man whofe hlftory is blended with two important Revolutions, was a Marchionefs before the late changes in France: the family name of her hufband was alfo both fpelled and pronounced differently, being then Dc la Fayette; but the de being a mark of nobility> as having a feudal allufion — the French term it a tiomme de terre — it was, of courfe, omitted on the extin6lion of titles. Mad. Lafayette is an eminent inftance of the inftability of greatnefs, the mutability of fortune, and the inefficacy of wealth. Defcended from an ancient lineage*, united to an amiable and illuf- trious hufband, who pofTefled. eftates in Europe, America, and the Weft Indies ; fhe, neverthclefsj has not been exempted from the moft bitter cala- mities that can affli6t fuffering humanity. When Lafayette refiftcd the commands of the ible remaining legitimate power in France, his *' widowed wife" was arrefted. Under the def- potifm of Robefpierre, fhe efcaped death only by a miracle — part of her family was actually immo- lated to his vengeance — but, what to fome will ap- jpear more terrible, fhe experienced an unremitting captivity of fifteen months; during which fhe fuiFered all the horrors of a clofe confinement, being immured within four walls, fubje^ted to a fcantjr f Sike w a l^oaiUes, and uitce to ^e Prince de Poix. MAD. LAFAYETTE, 19?^ and precarious diet, fecluded from her children, and prohibited even from the h'ght of heaven. On the death of the tyrant, the voice of hu- manity was once more heard, and fhe vi^as liberated, and reftored to the arms of her aiHi£{:ed daughters^ But fhe vi^as a wife as well as a mother, and her beloved hufband was ftill in bondage! For he who had endeavoured to avert the execution of Louis XVI. — fuch is the gratitude of courts — was languifhing in an Auftrian prifon ! She accordingly repaired to Hamburgh, accom- panied by her children only; for fhe had not wealth fufHcient to hire a fmgle domeflic ; and fhe pofTefTes. a lofty fpirit of independence, which taught her to rejedl pecuniary afliftance, even from her few re- maining friends. As foon as her health was a little reftored, fhe fet ofF to Vienna, and proftraied her- felf at the feet of the Emperor. Francis III. is in the flower of his youth. The chilling hand of age has not yet rendered him mo- rofe ; and, furely, viSiory cannot have blunted his feelings, and made him at once haughty and infen- fible !— No ! no ! there is not a prince of his houfe, from the obfcure Count de Hapfburg of a former period, to the late powerful tenant of the Imperial diadem, who has had more occafion to find and to feel that he is a mati. Weeping beauty did not fuppHcate in vainj the German Monarch raifed her from her lowly pof- ture, and promifed better days. With his per- miiHoii^ 200 THE CI-DEVANT COUNT DE — — mi/Tion, fhe flew on the wings of affeftion ; and^ jftrengthened by conjugal love, knocked at the gate of the fortrefs that confined her dearly beloved huf- band, whofe fpeedy deliverance (vain idea!) ilie hoped inftantly to announce. The mail! ve bolts of the dungeon give way; the grating hinges of the iron doors pierce the ears; (he and her virgin daughters are eyed, fearched, rifled, by an odious and horrible gaoler;, and thofe who, but a moment before, deemed themfelves de- liverers, now find themfelves captives ! Reclining in the bottom of thy dungeon^ thefe tears cannot be feen,thefefighs cannot be heard; nor can the quick decay of youth and beauty,cankered in the bloom, and diiTolvingamidft the horrors of a Ger- man prifon, be contemplated. But the heart of fym- pathy throbs for you, ye lovely mourners ! the in- dignation of mankind is aroufed ; the prefent age Ihudders at your unmerited fufferings; and pofle- rity will flied a generous tear at their recital. An- guifh may not yet rend the bofoms of your per- fecutors, but a dreadful futurity awaits them ; and, were it poflible to efcape the fcourge of oiFended Heaven, they will yet experience all the vengeance of indignant hiflory ! THE CI-DEVANT COUNT DE . This nobleman was one of Louis XVI/s /^ides de Camp^ and remained in the Thuilleries during the attack of the palace, fuddenly converted into a ibrtrel^ THE CI-DEVANT COUNT D . 2^01 fortrefs by that part of the NohleJJe who had rot emigrated, and who remained firmly attached to what they deemed their intcreil, and perhaps their duty. After the melancholy cataftrophe that en- dued, this officer repaired to England, where he expected to be received with open arms j but he now execrates the day on which he left his native country. When his Louis d'ors were expended, he endeavoured to procure fubfiftence ^by means of his- pen; but failed, as he was entirely ignorant of our vernacular tongue; and his own is not fo generally underftood in this metropolis, as to re- ward a French author for his labours. I met him one day, to the full as merry and jocular as ever refpedliing his own misfortunes ^ but yet there was an air of chagrin in his coun- tenance ; a fqualidnefs In his looks ; and a degree of negligence, if not mifery, in his drefs^ that betokened indigence. After a {^^ minutes con- verfation, I learned that my furmifes were but too true; for he told me frankly, that being re- duced in point of circumftances, and having a turn for mechanics from his early youth, he was de- termined to convert his former attachment into a trade, and gain his livelihood by thtfaw and the plane. On exprelling my furprize, he aflured me that he did not blufli at fuch a fituation j but, on the contrary, took credit to hi mfelf for his ref(>- lution of living independent of his friends. " But by what means are you to fecure this indepen- dence :'* — " Loy(ik?nent^ comme un charpentier !''* And J 302 THE CI-DEVANT COUNT D2 -, And, on faying (o^ he folicited to be employed by nie. I refpccl the misfortunes of a man whom I efleem, whiJe I differ from him in opinion — the forrows, even of an enemy, ought to be held fa- cred — and I pofi^fs too much delicacy, to mention the name of a nobleman, who has become the vic- tim of a blind attachment to Royalty. The Count de is not the only pcrfon of rank and family who has been reduced to the moll humiliating fituation, in confequence of a fimilar partiality. A ci-devant Duke is faid to be in partnerfhip with his former cook in an or- dinary, at Hamburgh, where he himfelf acts as a traiteur. A ci-devant Princefs lodges, at this moment, in a two-pair of flairs room, in myowa neighbourhoods A female, one of the haute No^ blejje^ K..S jull received, with gratitude, a itvf caps and gowns for her children, fram a friend of mine; and, finaiiy, a near relation , of my own has, within thefe few weeks, acluaily purchafed a Farren-J}itch gown, wrought by the hands of a lovely ComteJJ'e^ wha once figured away amidft all the fplendour of the luxurious and dilTolute court of Verfaiiles. If we may give credit to an Englifli newfpaper, no lefs than thirty-three prkfts have died of want, in confequence of their allowance being with- drawn. Many of the monks, in the primitive ages, were obliged, by their inftitutions,. to leara trades, in order to contribute to their own fup- porti and I myfelf know, that three or four French. CaBckuf. 205 French Cures have fettled in the neighbourhood of Hampflead, v/here they earn fufficient to main- tain themfelves comfortably. Their chief em- ployment is in toys, jewellery, &c. I have feen gold ear-rings finiined by them, in a manner that would do no difcredit to our beft workmen. A prieft lately refufed a prej'ent^ although offered to him in the mofl polite manner, faying, that he maintained himfelf by means of a turning loom. On the other hand, a ci-devant proteflbr at the Lyceum afTured me, that on returning from Wandfworth, he was unable to pafs the Thames at Batterfea, becaufe he had not an halfpenny to pay the toll, and was actually obliged to go feveral miles round by Weit- minfter-bridge, where there is not any tax levied on pafTengers. Revolutions produce extraordinary charac- ters, and elevate fometimes poor, and fometimes worthlefs men, to the highcft and moft eminent fituations. A proverb well known to the arif- tocracy of every country, although illiberal, and in general unjuft, is neverthelefs, on fome par- ticular occafions, true : — When the pot boils, Xhefcum gets to the top." Colonel Pride, born in a church-porch, is a familiar inftance of the juitice of ihis, in our own hiftory ; and Baboeuf, perhaps, in that of France. The firft, who was bred a draymen, actually diflblved that houfe of commons which bridled Europe, and punifhed 50-i BABCEUF. puniilie^ Its own king ; the Tecond, who under the M government is faid to have worn a fhoulder- knot, was but lately the leader of a formidable confpiracyj whofe obje6l is faid to have been to murder the Dire6)-ory, diflblve the Legiflature, and new-model France ! Baboeuf is a native of one the diftant pro- vinces : from a footman he became clerk to a/rc?- €ureur\ and from a clerk rofe to be an attorney. His wife, at the fame time, accompanied him from the kitchen to the parlour ; and as fhe had ihared in his indigence, fo fhe very juflly partook *>f his profperity. He pra6lifed in the country for fome time ; and, if we are to give credit to jhis enemies, exhibited all the little tricks of a low petty-foggen Certain it is, however, that he was fitted, by a feries of imprifonments, and a long and intimate acquaintance with all the mi- nute particulars of the Revolution, both to a(ft and to fufFer ; and there, cannot be a doubt, but that he muft have poiTelled fome extraordinary talents, either in council or in action ; or elfe it is not to be fuppofedj that fuch men asDrouet, Robert Lindet, Antonelle, and Felix Lepelletier, would have chofen him for their leader. Baboeuf fufFered a long confinement, without being brought to trial. He was, however, at length, tried in great form, conviiled, and exe- cuted. The candid and equitable proceedings of the Court, on this occafion, exhibited to the world a prepolTeiTing reprefentation of the fecurity af- forded by the new conflitutioa to the life of a French citizen; M, VALENCB ( 205 ) M. VALENCE Rofe to the rank of Lieutenant-general. Kis forehead is feared with wounds ; one of which, in- flicfled by an oblique flroke of an Auftrian huf- far*s fcymltar, peeled off the fkin in fuch a man- ner, as to roll it like a bandage ov^er his eye. This occurred when he was charging the enemy, at the head of a detachment of cavalry. He is a brave ibldier; and, although the anions of Pichegru and Jourdan have obliterated, in fom^ degree, thofe of Dumourier and Valence, the two latter muft be allowed to have formed the troops that have fmce acquired the former moil, if not all> their glory. It was in the fame manner that Philip prepared for the victories of Alexander, In confequence of one of thofe extraordinary changes of fortune, lately become fo familiar to us, General Valence is now a farmer. He is married to the niece of Madame Genlis, who at this moment refides along with him, in Danifli Holilein, in the neighbourhood of Altona 5 and he has cheerfully exchanged the truncheon for the fpade ! CHAMPAGNEUX Was the editor of one of the three-fcore news- papers, that imparted the Revolutionary IHmulus to France. He is the father of a numerous family; a maa of unimpcached morals; and was attached to Li- berty from principle, at a time, and in a country, s whea ^06 VERGN'IAUX. when it was not unufual to be io from mere fpe- culation ! Champagneux was felecSled by Roland, on ac- count of his induflry and talents; and was put by him at the head of the principal divifion of the home department. In fliort, during his adminif- tration, he became what is termed in England Ufider Secretary of State, and proved himfelf worthy of hi^ lituation. CAMUS, This is another of Roland's eleves, and does great credit to his difcernment. Soon after the refignation of his friend, he quitted the home de- partment, was elected a member of the Conven- tion, and is now Jrchivi/i to the prefent legiflaturc. He was one of the Deputies delivered over by Dumourier to, and confined by, the Prince de Cobourg. From an Auflrian prifon he has been reflored to the exercife of his legiflative funcftions, > — he is one of the izvo thirds — and, on the firfl va- cancy, is likely to become a member of the Di- rectory; a fituation for which he is admirably fitted, both by education and experience. VERGNIAUX, A native of Limoges, and one of the Deputies from Bourdeaux, was a moft able orator; in ihort, he was inferior, in point of eloquence, to no man who has appeared in France fmce Mirabeau. He was a Girondi/ii and, what is no common praife, Marat. 207 pralfe, In point of eloquence, maybe placed at ths head of the G'lronde. Like all the members of that celebrated and unfortunate party, he was a<5luated by a rooted hatrtd againft the Houfe of Auftria, infpired by a full convi<5licn of its perfidy: and he aflerted in the Convention, " that the rupture of the treaty of 1756, was as neceflary to Europe, as the taking of the Baftille to France." On the memorable loth of Auguft, 1792, he occupied thePrefident's chair j and conducted him- felf with an uncommon dignity on that very cri- tical occafion. He was gifted with a happy deli- very, and an eafy flow of words: this enabled him to fpeak on all fubjefts with eafe, and without pre- meditation. But he was both indolent and negli-- gent; he defpifed mankind; yet he loved Liberty, and died for it on a public fcafFold, in 1793. MARAT. This man, from the very beginning of the Revolution, evinced the moft barbarous iritentions. It was he who, at an early period of it, and ere any blood had yet been filed, uttered the execrable fentiment — ^' That three hundred thoufand heads muft be ftruck ofF, before Liberty could be efla- blifhed ! " This bloudy fentiment, regarded at that time as a prophecy, acSlually contributed to the aflallinations that eiifucd. If not the advifer, he was at lead the apologifl for the niaHacrcs of September. On that, and on every s 2 other 508 MARAT. Other occafion, where there was the leafl: profpef^ of danger, he difappeared ; and is faid to have taken refuge in a fubterraneous apartment, where he carefully fecluded himfelf, until his party had prevailed. His difintereftednefs, joined to his fufFerings, had endeared him to the Parifians; for he lived in poverty, and was acSlually tried for his life before one of the tribunals, by which he was acquitted. By turns the tool of Danton and Robefpierre, h? lived, as it were, the enemy of the whole hu- man race, and died the viclim of a woman's ven- geance.* It is not to be denied, that Marat pofiefTed fome abilities, although they were disfigured by pre- fumption, and obltured by paflion. Previoufly to the Revolution, he pafled through Switzerland to France, and refided for fome time in England. He even diftinguifhed himfelf as a man of letters, and acquired the reputation of confiderable fcien- tifzc attainments. * Briflbt, in his addx'els to his conftituents, confiders Mar.at as a iran *^ whofe foul is kneaded up of blood and dirt""—" the difgrace of the Revolution and humanity"— << a wretch, whofe unpunifhed crimes added to the raafTa- cres of the fecond of September have put back the uni- *verfal iXvo\\\t\on of mankind for whole ages." He further adds, that, although *< convi^led of having preached up royalty, the diftatorfhip, the abafement of the Convention, the maffacre of the Deputies, and a counter- revolution, he ftill remained unpunifhed, in fpite of the remonftrances of all the departments."''' His MARAT. 209 His firft work was a treatife on " Light,'* which is acknowledged to poflefs great merit. His next — " A Philofophical Eflay on Man; being an Attempt to inveftigate the Principles and Laws of reciprocal Influence of the Soul and Bo^ dy," 2 vols. 8vo. London. This publication, the fecond edition of which is now before the writer of this article, has the following motto prefixed to it— *^ Ufideanimi conflct 7:atKra i^i^ tall, well fhapcd, eloquent, and courageous. He is accufed of having acquired a fortune of four millions of French livres, during his million into Italy; but a charader like his 'is not likely to be tinctured with avarice, which is generally the con- comitant of a little and a narrow mind. L'aBBE DE PERCY. The Abbe, who is the younger brother of the Count de Percy, was br^d to the churchy and, be- ing 2i6 L'ABBE DE PERCY. ing of an ancient family, and educated in the ftri£^ rules of canonical obedience^ he was of courfe an enemy to a Revolution that, by one mighty effort, put an end to the power and authority of the jiobles and the Pope. He confequently found it prudent to retire from his living at Vanne-^ in Nor- mandy, and foon after withdrew altogether from France. From Hamburgh, which, fince the cap- ture of Coblentz, has bscome the centre of coun- ter-revolutionary projects, he embarked on board an Englifh packet, with fome of the illuflrious ci-devants of his province, deftined, like his own brother, for the ill-fated expedition againlt Qui- beron. Happily for them, they were too late, or they would inevitably have ihared the fate of their unhappy countrymen. The Abbe did not know a fingle word of Englifh on his landing at Yarmouth; and yet he had been once before in this country, and abfo- lutely hujiled^ in the neighbourhood of New- ftreet, Covent Garden, out of twenty guineas, in confequence of his ignorance of our vernacular tongue. This clrcumflance very juftly infpired him with a terrible idea of our Police — which, by the bye, has alv/ays been worfe regulated fmce this detefted word has been adopted into our lan- guage, ^ndi Jtipendiary magiftrates maintained for its prefervation — but it did not induce him to learn our dialect. To Immure himfelf after funfet, ^nd thus become a prifoner in his own apartment, was L'aBBE DE PERCY. Sit m-is the only expedient which the cure of Vanne could think of that his purfe and perfon might be ^cure in the metropolis of England. After refiding fomc time in London, the Abb6 repaired to Bath, in order to meet his countrym.en, who having mifled the opportunity of fpilling their blood under the aufpices of M; de Puifaye, were determined to amufe themfelves with a tour through the weft of England. Once arrived at Bath, the ex-cure deemed it too agreeable a refidence to leave it quickly. He accordingly remained long enough to fpend the little money he had brought with him; and, when that was gone, it was evident that the pittance* v/hich government allovfs to the French clergy would not enable him to mak^ a great figure at io fafhionable a watering-place. In this dilemma, what was to be done? His countrymen, who were not ignorant of his de- plorable fituation, reminded him that he v/as de- fcended from the Englifli Percies; and as the Duke of Northumberhnd luckily happened to be at that very moment at Bath, he would have a fair oppor- tunity of foliciting afliftance, not from a ftranger^ but a relation. Such was the reafoning of the Norman 7iohleJ]e\ but the poor Abbe, in addition to the fcruples arifing from his own delicacy, urged another, and an almoft invincible objection. This was, that his brother, the Count, the head if the family^ had actually waited on his Grace, in About tfnpcncs » day, T tfec 21$ L*ABBE GUILLOJT. the characfler of a kir.fman; but not being able to adduce proofs that appeared fatisfaclory, he was not admitted to an audience. Notwithftandins: this, it was at length determined that the attempt fliould be madei and the priefl actually fucceeded, where the foldier had failed. The Duke, on the receipt of a letter, returned a polite anfv/er, and begged a few days for invef- tigation. In the mean time, he himfelf wrote to Lord Harcourt, at whofe houfe the Due d'Har- court refides, and rnade enquiry refpedling the de Percies of Normandy. The event juftified the afTertions of the French cure, and gave a fair opportunity for exerting the wonted liberality of the Englifli Peer, who inflantly tranfmitted to his fieiv coufin a gold box, with a bank note enclofed in it J invited him to his table, which was from thai: day open to himj and has ever fnice interefled himfeif in his welfare. l'aeee GUILLON". After nearly eighteen centuries of perfecu- tion, and the murder of many m/illions of the hu- man race, by triumphant fanaticifm; it at length feems to be pretty generally acknowledged, that every man has a right to judge for b^mfelf, in re- fpe<3: to religion ! When will the fame liberal fen- timent prevail in regard to government? Alas! we arc yet intolcrmt on. that head; and the axe of the executioner is flill brandlflied, throughout all civilized JEurope, agaiall thofv who dare to dlfTer MADAME ROLAND. 21 f differ with the " conftituted authorities." The war of fuperftition is at an end, but that againil opinion is in the zenith; and we 11-111 perfecute, notwithftanding all our boafted attainments, and that too " for confcience fake." There have been many inftances of heroifin" difplayed, during the French Revolution, by the Republicans; the following is on the fide of the Royal ifls : During the infamous maffacres of September, there v/ere two Abbe Gulllons imprifoned in the fame gaol — the Abbaye, in Paris. One of them v/as called into the court-yard, while the ruffians were bufied in aflailinating their victims; and a note, containing an order of the municipality, tantamount to a reprieve, was put into his hand. After examining it minutely, he paufed for a few moments; and knowing, from circurafl'ances, that it was not intended for himfelf, he turned round to the melTenger, and obferving that there was ano- ther Abbe of the fame name in prifon, he returned with a firm ftep, and an unaltered countenance, to MADAME ROLAND. When fome pretended fage of antiquity was labouring hard to difprove the exigence of motion, a philofopher of another feet, in all probability a peripatetic^ arofe, and by merely pacing up and down before him, tore to pieces the flimfy web in which he had enveloped himfelf, and entangled the under {landing of his hearers. In like manner, . T 2 while 220 MADAME ROLAN*, while fome of \k\^ foi-difant fages of modern tlois* are denying all the nobler endowments of human nature to the fair-fex, a female now and then ftarts up, and paiTes along the ftage of life, with a difplay of talents, and a dignity of demeanour, that ought to put thefe partial reafoners to filence and to the blufh. Madame Roland was one of thefe women, of whom, no doubt, the number would be greater, if girls in general received an education like hers. Her father, M. Phlipon, a refpe£table engraver, inftrudled her in the arts analogous to his pro- fellion; while her mother, a woman of great pru- dence, and exquifite fenfibility, inculcated thepureft principles of virtue, and encouraged the fondnefs for literature, which fhe difcovered at a very early agg. Nor were either pains or mafters fpared ta give her the cuflomarj accomplifhments of her fex. The profpedl of a fortune, confiderable for hef flation in life, a great fhare of beauty, and th« fame of fo many acquirements, attracted a v/hol^ hof: of fuitors; and with two of them the ncgo- ciation Vk'as carried to a great length. Thefe v/c-r^ Gardanne, a phyfician, who has fince diflinguifned himfelf in the walks of fcience, and la Blancherie, who needs no particular defignation. — Who has not heard of the Agent General of the correfpondence for the advancement of the arts f * With the fon of * Madame Kobnd'j Appeal to Impartial Pollcrlty, Part IV. EfculapiuSj MADAME ROLAND. 22l Efculaplus, the match was broken ofFby the indifcre- tionof M. Phlipon. They^^«/G^«^r^/, after having been rej ected by her father on account of his povertp was finally difmifled by the lady herfelf, when file found that he was fo general an admirer of young women of fortune, as to be known, even in the circle of her own acquaintance, by the appel- lation of the lover of the eleven thoufand virgins* Neither of thefe gentlemen had made any ferious impreffion on her heart. When fpeaking of the phyfician, fhe ufed to fay that her fancy never could ngure-fuch a thing as love in a peruke. Her liking for Ja Blancherie was flight and fuper- ficiali but in the works fhe has left behind her, are repeated indications of a violent paflion for fome objevfl: which flie is careful to conceal. When Ihe had attained her twentieth year, a ftroke of the palfy deprived her of her mother. A long and dangerous illnefs brought on by her grief, was not the only misfortune that enfued from the lofs of that amiable woman. Her father, having no longer the fame domeftic ties, gave himfelf up to habits of diflipationj formed connexions of an improper kind; and, to fupport the extraordinary expences they occafioned, engaged in commercial fpeculations foreign to his art. The event v/as the very reverfe of his expectations. He not only beggared himfelf, but fpent a great part of his daughter's fortune. Alarmed at the profpecl of total ruin, fhe collected all fhe could from the wrecks ajid, after making fome further facriiices to T 3 her 2J3 MADAiME ROLAND. her father's wants, retired to a convent, Vfkh zn income of five hundred livres a year. Upon this fcanty annuity {he fubfifted in a ftate of dignified poverty and folitude, her only amufement and con- folation being derived from books, and her food confifting entirely of aliments of the eheapeft and moft fimple kind* A few years before, fhe had become acquainted "with M* Roland de la Platriere, a man of confix derable talents and information, who held the place of Infpedtor of Manufactures at AmieriS. His efteem and friendfliip having gradually ripened into love, he demanded her in marriage of her father, when the latter v,*as already fallen into decay. But M. Phlipon, difliking the feverity of his manners, rejected his propofal with more info- lence, than even his former affluent circumftances would have warranted, and the treaty v/as broken off. M. Roland, however, renewed his vifits and his ofter at the grate of the convent; and was ac- cepted, though his age was nearly double that of the lady, Vv'ho had then completed her five and twentieth year. Shortly after their marriage, he obtained his re- moval to Lyons, where he continued feveral years, paffing the winters in town, and the fummcr months on his paternal eftate in the vicinity. Ac length the Revolution came, and by depriving him of his place of Infpedlor, brought him to Paris, to devife new means for the improvement of his fortune. 7'here he becaniie acquainted with Briflbt, Peticn, ■ MADAME ROLAND. 22:? Pctlon, and many other political characlcrs ; en- tered into the Jacobin Club under their aufpices j «?nd took upon himielf a part of the eorrefpondencc o/that fociety. About two years after^ the difcontent of the nation at the apparently perfidious condutfl of the minifters, having rifen to an alarming height, Louis XVL was prevailed upon to compofe art adminirtration of men of knov/n and decided pa- triotifm* In this- arrangement Roland v/as in* eluded, the reputation of his talents and civic zeal pointing him out as a fit perfon to hll the place of Minifter of the Interior; but he did not preferve it long. — 'The King, finding himfelfftre- iiuoufiy urged by his new fervants to fanclion de- crees, of which the object was to if op the irrup« tion of the foreign armies, and to reprefs the info- lence of the nonjuring priefts, luddenly difmiiled the whole of the miniftry, except Dumourier^ whofe fpirit of intrigue helped to drive his col- leagues out of their places, and to keep him for fome time longer in his own. This meafure fealed the fate of the unfortunate monarch. The difcon- tent and jealoufy of the people, which were but too well juftified by his fufpicious conduct, continued to increafe, till it burfl: into a flame, that confumed every remainino; veftige of royalty. Upon the eftablifhment of the Republic, Rolancr was again appointed jVIiniiler of the Interior; and while in that fituation, was ailifted in his patriotic labours by M^idarag Rglaiid; as he bad been before ^2'i MADAME ROLANO. in his fclentific purfuits. Many of the writing?, which he publifhed in his official capacity, were the offspring of her mind, and were remarkable^ for the force and beauty of the {{y\e. This was made a reproach to the Minifter by the fadion of the Mountain^ who hated him on account of his attachment to the Giroyidijis^ and included him in the profcription that followed the famous 31ft of May, when the whole of that party v.^s impeach- ed. Roland found means to efcape from Paris; but his wife, difdaining flight, was appi'ehended, and conveyed to the prifon of the Abhaye, After an imprifonment of feveral weeks, fhe was equally furprized and delighted to find herfelf releafed, and haftcned hon^e with abounding heart; but fcarcely bad (lie {t^i. her ""cot upon the threftiold, before fhe was arrefled ane\ -' by the fatellites of Robefpierre, hi the name of the :?w, ?nd upon the vague charge of being a.fufpicious erfon. Full of indignation, , {lie took refuge in the houfe of her landlord, and prevailed upon his fon to carry her claim of pro- tection to the Committee of the Parifh, which had declared it would fuffer no arbitrary arrefts. The performance of this kind office was fatal both to him and to his parent. The young man was fliortly after dragged to the fcaffold, and the father diedot grief. The interference of the Committee was of r.o avail to Madame Roland. After the mortifica- tion of hearing that her enlargement was merely meant to afford a pretence for what was deemed a more legal commitment, fhe was fent to the con- vent / MADAME ROLAND-. 92$ vent of St. Pclagie, which had been converted into a gaol. Madame Roland bore her imprlfomnent with heroic fortitude j calmly difcuffing, inafecret cor- refpondence with her friends, the propriety of ef- caping from the violence of Robefpierre's revolu- tionary monfters by a voluntary death ; and com- pofing, in a very few week:s,vvith an almoft incredi- ble facility, two volumes of Hiflorical Notices and Anecdotes, and of her own private Ademoirs. The title which fhe gave them of an Appeal to Impartial Pofterity, was not a Vain one: they will long be a monument of her talents and virtues, and of the ferocious rage of the tyrants by whom fhe was perfecuted. Writers of the firft abilities, and of the moii pra^5lifed pens, may envy her the powerful pencil with which ihc fo aptly delineates men and manners, the felicity of her exprefTions, and the energy of her flyle. Her private memoirs are particularly valuable. While no lefs interefling than the mod: ingenious works of fancy, they afFord a favourable fpecimen of the habits and chara«£lers of French females, in the middle ranks of life. Our fafhionablc travellers, who only alloclated with the two extremes of proftitution in that coun- try — the women of fafhion, and the women of the tov.'n — have neither entertained, nor given, an idea of the raodeft vhlues that lay without the fphere of their obfcrvation. - When Madame Roland approached the end of her career, and plainly perceived that fate was in- evitable^ !22(5 TvIADAME ROLAND, evitable, (lie ufed to fpcak of it to her fellow pri- foners with the greateft unconcern; nor was her fortitude at any time diminiihed, unlefs when the idea of her hufband, atid of her only daughter, came acrofs her mind. The woman then refumed the afcendancy. Before the fatal tribunal to which file was at length dragged, flie ftocd calm and com.pofed, until one of her barbarous judges drew tears of mdignr.tion from her eyes, by afking her queflions ofFenfive to her virtue. It is unnecefTal-v to fay, that a fenterxe of death followed the vague and empty charge of a confpiracy againft the fafety of the French Republic. On the day of trial, flie wore a white^drefs, as a fymbol of the purity of her mind; and, after receiving judgment, palTed through the gate of the prifon with an alacrity that befpoke fomething like joy, indicating to her companions in misfortune, by an expreilive gef- ture, that Ihe was condemned to die. Though fhe was then in her thirty-ninth year, the beauty of her perfon v/as but little impaired. At the place of execution, fhe conduced her* felf v/ith her ufual courage ; bowing down before the ilatue of Liberty, and pronouncing thefe me- morable words — " O Liberty / hozu many crhnes are committed in thy na?ne !'' As foon as the un- fortunate Roland, who till then had lain con- cealed, heard of her death, he quitted his afylum', and fliot himfelf upon a public road, that the friend, to whofe courageous hofpitality he was in- debted, might not be expof;^d— a ftrong tefll- mony MALESHERBES. 22T •Riony of the worth of this extraordinary woman, upon whofe like we can hardly hope to look again. Had her vigorous opinions been followed by the Girondills, the liberty of the world would not have been checked by the infamy of Robefpierre's proceedings. But it was the peculiar misfortune of her party, that while the only woman among them was more 4:han man, the men, generally^ fpeaking, were lefs than woman. - MALESHERBES. , Christian William de Lamoignon Malef- lierbes was born on the 6th of December, 1721. At the age of tv/enty-four, he became a Counfellor of Parliament, and fix years afterwards Chief Pre- fident of the cour des aides. He remaiaed in that important fituation during a period of twenty-five years; and difplayed, on many occafion?, uncom- mon proofs of firmnefs, eloquence, and wifdom. When the Prince of Conde was fent by the King, in 1768, to filence the magiflrates who op- pofed ths taxes, Malefherbes replied to him-— " Truth, Sir, mull indeed be formidable, fince (b many efforts are rnade to prevent its approach to the throne." About the fame time that he be- came Prefident of the cour des a'ldes^ he was ap- pointed by his father, then Chancellor of France, fuperintendant of the prefs — a department created for the exprefs purpofe of enfiaving ideas, and /)^- r/7/)k/F;;^ genius and philolophy; but which, under the direcliioa -of Malefiicibes, ferved only to ex- tend t2^ MALESHERRE3, tend and accelerate tlieir progrcfs. To him', France is indebted for the publication of the En- cyclopaedia, RouHeau's Works, and many others, 1^'hich, at that period, contributed fo rapidly to advance the flock of public knowledge. When learned men were brought before him in his official capacity to undergo examination, he appeared to them as advifmg, aiufting, and protecling them, againil that very power which was veiled in him- felf ; and they experienced in him, at once, a pa- tron, a counfellor, and a father. In 1775, he refigned the ofHce of Chief Preii- dent of the €Our des aides, and was appointed Mi* nifler and Secretary of State, In the room of La Vrilllere. Thus placed In the centre of a frivolous, yet brilliant court, Malefherbes did not in the leaft deviate from his former fimpliciry of life and man- ners; but, in lieu of complying with the eflab- lifhed etiquette which required magiilrates, when they became miniflers of flate, to exchange their fable habit and head-drefs for a coloured fuit, bag- wig, and fword, he retained his black coat, and magiflerial peruke f As, when invefled with the power defigned td fetter the freedom of the prefs, it was his chief aim to encourage and extend that freedom ; fo, when raifed to an office which gave him the unlimited power of IfTuIng kitres de cachet^ it was their total luppreffion that became the earliefl objeft of his mofl ardent zeal. Till that time, Uttres de cached being confidered as a part of the general police, as >vdl J^IALESHERBES. 22^ well as of the royal prerogative, were IfTued not only at the will of the miniller, but even at the pleafure of a common clerk, or perfons iViW more infignificant. Malefherbes began by relinquiOiing for himfelf this abfurd and iniquitous privilege. He delegated the right to a kind of tribunal, com- pofed of the mod upright magiftrates, whofe opi- nion v/as to be unanimous, and founded upon open and v/ell-eflabliflied fails. He had but one objevfl more to attain, and that vi^as to fubftitute a legal tribunal in the place of tliat which he had errablifned ; and this object he was upon the poinC ofaccompllfhing, when the intrigues of the court procured the difmifTion of the virtuous Turgot, and Maleflierbes, in confequence, refigned on the 1 2th of May, 1776. After this epoch, he undertook feveral journeys into different parts of France, Holland, and Swit- zerland ; where he colledled, v/ith zeal and tafte, objects of every kind interefting to the arts and iciences. As he travelled with the funpiicity and ceconorry of a man of letters, -who had emero;ed from obfcurity for the purpofe of making obfer- Vations and acquiring knov/ledge, be, by that means, was enabled to referve his fortune for im- portant occafions, in v/hich it might procure in- formation on intereffing fubj^cls. He travelled flowly, and frequently on foot, that his oblerva- tions might be the more minute ; and employed part of his time in fuitabjy arranging them. Thefe obfervations formed a valuable collection of inte- U reflina: S*d MALESHERBES^ refting matter relative to the arts and fciences: ihey were unfortunately almoft dcftroyed by the fury of fome of thefe Revolution! (Is, who have done as much prejudice to the interefts of fcience as of humanity. Returning from his travels, Malefherbes, for (everal years, enjoyed a philofophic leifure, which he well knev/ how to direcl to ufeful and import- ant objects. The two moft excellent treatifes which he confpofed in the years 1785, and 1786, on the Civil State of the Proteftants in France, are v/ell knovv'n. The law which he propofed in thefe, was only preparatory to a more extenftve jeform ; and thefe treatifes were to have been fol- lowed up by another work, the plan of which he had already laid : public affairs grew, however, too difficult to be managed by thofe who held the reins of government, and they were compelled to call him to their councils. The court favourites did notaf- fign to him the diredion of any department, but in- troduced him merely — as fubfequent events ha^^e Ihewn — to cover their tranfa6tions under a popular iiame,and pafs them upon the world as acts in which he had taken part. Maleiherhes accepted thefe overtures folely to fatisfy the defiiQ he felt to re- veal fome ufeful truths ; but it v/as not for fuch purpofe that he had been invited to the councils: Thofe who prefided at them, took umbrage at his iirfl efforts to call their attention to the voice of truth and wifdom ; and fucceeded fo well in their oppofitigni that he was reduced to the neceffity of delivering ^^ALESKEREE8.• fi*! (Jellveretl /// writing the advice which he wlfhecl to offer. Such was the origin of two trcatifes relative to the calamities of France, and the means of repairing them j he tranfmitted thefe treatifes to the King,.who never read them, and he v/as never after able to obtain a private audience, although a minifter of flate. Perceiving the inutility of bis endeavours, dif- gufted with the repeated errors of government, and deprived o^ every means of expofing tiiem, or preventing their fatal effecfls; after frequent foli- citations, he at length obtained leave to retire. He repaired to his eftate at Maleihcrbes, and from that moment entirely devoted his time to thofe occupations which had ever formed the chief plea- fure of his life. He paffed the evening?, and a great part of the night, in reading and ftudy. In this tranquil ftate, while enjoylnghimfelfamidfl: his woods and fields, an unforefeen event called him forth from his retirement. Louis the XVIth was brought to the bar of the National AfTembly as a criminal: abandoned by all thofe on whom h« formerly had heaped his favours, he little expefted to find a defender in the man whom he bad facri- ficed to their intrigues j but Maleiherbes confi- dered the fallen monarch merely as an unfortunate man, and a(Sled entirely according to thediftates of his native benevolence. He offered himfelf as aa advocate, and h's offer was accepted. Having difcharged this painful and hazardous duty with firmnefs, moderation, and fidelity, he V 2 ©nee 232 ilALESHERBES. once more returned to his country refidence, and refiimed his tra-nquil courfe of life. But this tran- quillity was of ihort duration. About a twelve- month afterv/ards, in the month of December, 1793, three members of the Revolutionary Com- mittee of Paris came to refide with him, his fon- in-law, and his daughter, and apprehended the latter as criminals. Left alone with his grand- children, Malefherbes endeavoured to confole the xefl of his unfortunate family with the hopes which hehimfelf was far from entertaining; when, the next day, the new- formed guards arrived to apprehend him, and the whole of his family, even the youngefl: infants. This circumflance fpread a o;eneral confcernation throu-2;hout the whole de- partment. Four municipal oiHcers had fuiHcient courage to convoy him in order to infure his fafety, and eyen to accompany him and his family on purpofe to avoid the humiliating fight of an armed force. In this calamity Malefherbes preferved the un- diliurbed equanimity of virtue. His affability and good-humour never forfook him, and his conver- fation was as ufual ferene; {o that to have beheld him — without noticing his wretched guards — it feemed that he was travelling for his pleafure with his neighbours and friends. He was conducted the f*me night to the prifon of the MadelonnetteSy with his grandfon Louis Lepelletier, at the fame time that his other grandchildren were feparated into different prifons. This reparation proving extremel MALESHEREES. 233 extremely afflicting to him, he protefted againft it 5 and at length, on his repeated entreaties, they all met together once more at Port-Libre. They remained there but a (hort period. The fon-in- lavv of Malefherbes, the virtuous Lepelletier Ra- fambo, the firft of thcin who was arrefted, was ordered into another prifon, and facrifked a fe\V days after. A'laleiherbes himf^U, his daugluer, his grand-daughter and her hufband, were foon after all brought to the guillotine. They approached it with fortitude and ferenity. It was then that his daughter addrefled thefe pathetic words to Mademoifelle Sombreuil, who had favfjd the life of her own father on the 2d of Seotember — " You have had the exalted honour to prcferve your father — I have, at leait, the confolation to die with mine.'* Malefherbes, flill the fame, even in his laft moments exhibited to his relations an example of fortitude. He converfed with the perfcns that were near him -.vithout bellowing the leaft atten- tion on the brutalities of the v/retches who tied h\s hands. As he v/as leaving the prifon to afcend the fatal cart, he fturnbled againft a ftone, and made a falfe ftep— " See," faid he, fmiling, " how bad an omen I A Roman in my fituatioa would have been fent back again." He pafled through Pans, afcendt^d the fcaffold, and fubmitted to death with the feme unlhaken courage. He died at the age of feventy-two years, four months ;ind fifteen days. He had only two daughcers; u 3 and 234 P£TRE. and the fon of one them — Louis Lepelleticr, a young man of the faireft promife — alone remains to fucceed him. GASPARD THIEVRI, Colonel of the ninth regiment of hufTars, was out on a reconnoitering party; and, having difco- vered a body of the enemy, he ported fome marks- men in a ravine in his rear, it being his intention to fly on their approach, in order to draw them into an ambufcade. His troopers, accordingly, 5n conformity to orders, began to term the Auf- trians " Slaves of the tyrant; bafe mercenaries, iighting for a mafter who kept them in chains !'* tic. &c. They, in their turn, called their adver- faries " Paper-eaters, bell-melters, and regicides!" but would not advance a ftep. On this, a private belonging to Thievri's regiment rode up to the Audi ian line at full gallop, and levelling his piftol with a deadly precifion, killed a horfeman immedi- ately oppofite to him. The veteran enemy, how- ever, iindifmayed by this acl of temerity, inftead of pufhing forward, continued to joke, exclaim- ing — " Bravo^ mention honorable .^ InJerUon au huU ht'inr PETRE. The preceding exhibits a remarkable inftance of hardihood in a private trooper; the prefent furniihes an anecdote infinitely fuperior, of which a perfon of the fame rank is the heio. Petre, a hulTar in Thievri's regiment, was fent to a village of AMAR. 235 of Brabant, to prevent it from being pluiidered. Some freebooters belonging to the army, who were fearching after hidden treafure, dug up a box, in which the inhabitants of the village had con- cealed all their property. The faithful guard, em- ployed to protect the peafants, luckily arrived at the very moment when they were about to break the box open, and drawing his fabre, by his firm- nefs and bravery, at length fucceeded in driving away the pillagers. After this, he inftantly af- fembled the inhabitants ; who, charmed with the bravery and generofity of the exploit, and pleafed too, perhaps, at the idea of having their future fafety enfured, under the guardianfhip of fuch a defender, offered to make him a prefent of the cof- fer, which contained ninety thoufand livres — • 3GC0I. to 4000I. fterling — but the generous Pe- tre, who abfolutely refufed to accept a fmgle liard^ after thanking, addrefled them as follows — " In prcferving your property, I only did my duty ; you therefore owe me nothing. I exhort you, hov/- cver, to be at more pains to conceal your riches." Will it be believed, that fome of the officers termed this unfoldier like-conduSi^ and that it adually flop- ped his preferment for fomc time ? AMAR Was by birth a gentleman of Grenoble, and a Counfellor, under the ancient regimen, in the par- liament of Dauphine. In early youth, he v^as ex- pofed to the calumnies of the Abbe Elie, Canon in 236 AMAR. in the Cathedral of Grenoble ; who accufed him of having ofFered violence to him — the prieft — piftol in hand, in order to force him to impart the facramental abfolution to a young lady, his coufm, with whom he had cohabited, Amar was able completely to refute this abominable calumny*, the circumftance, however, feemed to infpire him with a melancholy turn, an averfion to fociety, and a predominant love of folitude. After having, there- fore, fulfilled the duties of his prof^inon, he con- ftantly employed his leifure hours in the ftudy of philofophy, and natural and political hiftory. His reputation dally increafed in the province of Dauphine, both as an honefl: lavvyc, and a well- informed man. In 1792 he was chcfen, by the department of IJfere^ a Deputy to the National Convention, When the Revojurionary Govern- ment v/as moved and carried by Danton, patriots of the moft auftere principles were felccled for the ofiices of the Committees of Government j and Amar was appointed a Member of the Committee of General Security. He immediately became the organ of that Committee to the National Conven- tion, the reports of which were, for the moft part^ drawn up, and all orders of arrejlatton ligned, by him. This power, with the exercife of it, could not fail to draw down the animofitics of all the Ariftocrats and Royalifts, who imputed to him the various horrors of the revolutionary regimen. The moft celebrated report made by Amar tc> the National Convention, was that againft the Gi- rondine AMAR. 237 :ondine party, in November, 1793. It was In confe^juence of his report, that the National Con- vention ifTued a decree of accufation againlt the twenty-one Girondine members, all of. whom were Toon afterwards beheaded. He continued to exercifehis fundlions until the deathof Robefpierre, when a new order of things was introducedi* Rovere, who fucceeded Amar in the Com- mittee, fpared no pains to ftain the memory of his predecefTor, and to involve him in the fame pro- fcription with Barrere, Vadier, &cc. All his ef- forts, hovv'ever, proved fruitlefs; for though Amar was known to be a violent patriot, or — as it was then the fafhion to call fuch — a Terroriji^ he was by no means a Robefpierrift. Amar acted a very obfcure part during the remainder of that feiTion; and v/hen the famous confpiracy of the firft of Prarial was difcovered, being afraid left the in- flamed fpirit of party fhould accufe him. of being concerned in it — as others of his colleagues had been — he concealed himfelf in the neighbourhood of Paris; neither durft he appear in public again, till the new government was re-eftablifhed, and a general amnefty proclaimed for all paft errors. He repaired, however, to Paris, in the winter of 1796; where he lived in great obfcurity, and in honeft po- verty. He dined every day at Mde. Meaux's,in the Palais Royal, among other poor people, and was un- known to every one; until, on begged her pardon for being {o abfent; and added^ with the ufual French vivacity — '' It h better for me^ Adadam^ to have my hat here^than my head on. the fcaffoUL'^ Thefe myflerious words excited a curiofity in Mdc. M. to know who he was; and (he. took the liberty to afk his name. He replied, that he w.-is Amar, fo much talked of in the time of the iate government; that he was now happy to hav* efcaped all further profcription ; and th^at he was fatisfied with "having fpent his tune and iorLune in ferving his country, altliough he had been rewarded by it with the bafeft ingratitude. The landlady, though by no means a Republican, could not avoid feeling fome intereft for a perfon fo roughly handled by Fortune, and fhe communicated her fentlments to fome of her cuftomers; among whom was the writer of this article; who, obferving hrs good fenfe, his civility, his modefty, his various know- ledge, and his oratorical abilities, made it his bufi- nefs to afcertain why he had been fo fevere during fais adminiflration ? Amar, fcarcely able to fup- prefs a tear, replied — " If my name was hated, be- caufe I am Frenchman, by the enemies of the Re- public at home and abroad, I can pardon them, hav- ing done them the greateit Injury. But wheal find myfelfill-treatcdbyRepublicans, I cannotfeelp look- ing at the examples of Democritus and Heraclitus. No other nation, befides the French, could evince fuch proofs of inconftancy and ingratitude. When J was in the Committee, the revolutionary laws purported^ A MAR. 2Z9 ^{rarportecj, that all forms were to be dlfpenfed with, in regard to counter-revolutionifts; that all fufpefted perfons were to be arrefted; and that the members of the Committee were refponnble for the execution of thefe laws, under penalty of death. Toulon was, at that time, in the hands of the Enghfh; Lyons was in open rebellion j all the fouthern countries of PVance, from Nice to Bour- deaux, from Marfeilles to Oranges, were embroiled in civil commotions; Valenciennes, Conde, &c, in the power of the Emperor; Landau and Straf- burg befieged; the Spaniards poilefled Roufillon; and La Vendee menaced the very exiftence of the Commonwealth, and even the Metropolis itfelf. Certain it Is, the Republic could never have fur- mounted fuch a hoft of difficulties, if the Com- mittee had not adopted rigorous meafures. It was the indefatigable zeal of the Committee which favcd France from fo many combined and pow- erful enemies. Barras, Reubel, kc. are become rich under the Republic, and are efteemed; we have contributed to fave the Republic, and are poor, and defpifed." During the fame winter of 1796, Amar fre- quented the meetings of the nev/ popular foclety of the Pantheonifts, but was too prudent to take any very 2.6ti\Q part in it. When the confpiracy pf Drcmet was difcovered, the Legiflative Body if- fued a decree, that all the ex-members of the late Convention fhould quit Paris in the fpace of twen- ty-four hours, under penalty of tranfportation; Amar^ 340 LAHARPE, Amar, who was of the number, remonftriited, that no fuch fufpiclon coul4 fall on him, who lived in Paris, like a monk, in entire folitude, and that he did not mean to retire to Grenoble, where his recent misfortunes had left him no friend at all. His remcnftrances not being liftened to, the Ex- ecutive Directory gave orders for his arreilation. Amar was, ccnfequently, carried before the High Natiorial Court, at Vendomej where, having been tried, the judges pronounced him not guilty, ex- cept of neceflary difobedience. Accordingly, on the 28Lh of May, he was acquitted, and fent back to the ordinary Criminal Court of Juftice at Paris. Amar is about forty years of age. — Whatever might have been his errors while an active member of adminiftration — and whatever may be the efforts of his enemies to flanderhim,no one has ventured, hitherto, to arraign him of the charge of ambition or rapacity: and he will always be efteemed, by confiderate perfons, as a man of principle, cha- ra6i:er, and integrity-, vv'ho was led, perhaps, into fome extremities, from a miftaken method of pro- moting the welfare of his country. GENERAL LAHARPE. Amedee Laharfe w.is born in 1754, in the Chateau des Uttins, near Rolle, a little town in the Pays de Vaud, of a family ahvays diilinguiftied for its patriotic fentiments. His father poffeiTed the Lordfhips of Yens and Les Uttins. It is not known, even in Switzerland, that the name of Moafieur XAHAR7E. t4:t ^'^onfieur de Yens, which indicates a title of No- bleile, is that of the General who, in France, has immortalized the name of Laharpe, by defending the caufe of Liberty with a courage equal to his talents. His father gave him a good education, and pro- cured for him a fub-lieutenancy in the fervice of the States General, in the Bernefe regiment De May, commanded at that time by Colonel Con- stant, a Laufannefe officer of rare merit, under whom young Laharpe, endowed by nature v/ith ?. found judgment and a very prompt conceptionj, iludied the military art. The folicitatio;:s of his father, of the age of fixty, and domefttc cares, which required his pre- sence, .nduced him feme years after to quit the -fervice, and to fettle in his own countiy; where, raifed to tlie rank of Captain of grenadiers, he lived in peace, furrou nd.'d with his family, occu- pied in agricuilure, and beloved and ePteemed by ihi^ u. fur, ordination of the army v/as at its height j wheiiH general diftruft^ and the dcfc-flions and d*ily t.eafons cf the officers and commanders gave up the army to dn'brder, and diforder paved the way for die entrance of the Dcfpots into France. Well knowing he could not keep the place, Laharpe refolved at leafl: to give the fir ft example of felf-devotion which freemen owe to their country , nor had he any difficulty in communicating to his brave brethren in arms the enthufiafm v/hich infpired him. They all {wore With him not to capitulate, but to open to thcmfelves a pafTage, fword in hand^ or, in cafe of an abfolute impoffibility of doing this, to bury themfelves with the enemy under the ruins of the Chateau, the fubterrannean paiTages of which, converted into mines, had been already prepared for the purpofe. Luckner, however, who commanded at that period, was not willing to deprive France of fuck l)rave defenders. He gave orders for the evacua- tion of Rodemak J the artillery and ftores of which were tranfported to Thionville, in the face of the enemy, already mafter of all the furrounding pofts. A daring feat, v/hich procured for him who atchiev- ed it the furname of Brave^ with which Luckner honoured Laharpe at the head of the army, in the camp of Richcmont, Soou LAHARPE. 245 Soor\ after being appointed Commandant of Bitche, which was threatened, and from which the Swifs regiment de Chateau- Vieux had juft deferted, he not only preferved that place for France, but appeafed, by his aftivity and conci- liating temper, the infurrecStions which the Priefts had at that time excited in the Vofges. He took part, for a fliorttime, in the attacks directed againft Treves by Bournonville; and had his cloaths perforated with balls at the foot of the enemy's intrenchments. The bad weather caufing this enterprize to be relinquifhed, and the victo- ries of Dumourier, Kellerman, and Cuftine, hav- ing removed the feat of war to a diftancc from the frontiers, he procured an employment of a more a^ive kind. Appointed at firft to the command of Brian^on, he carried on in the Alps a petty, yet inlhudive war; the only compenfation for the perils and fa- tigues of which, v/as the fatisfa^ion of approvino- himfelf ufeful to the Republic, in the fphere wherein he found himfelf placed. Called, in the fequel, to the army which befieged Toulon, he was appointed to the attack of Fort Pharon, which he carried by aflault with the greateft intrepidity, forcing the enemy to evacuate the place. This action procured him the applaufes of the whole ar- my, and the rank of General of Brigade, It was in this lafl capacity that he v/as inverted with the command pro tempore at Marfeillcs, where he had the rare happinefs of making himfelf at the fame ^ime beloved and rcfpedled. X 3 Returning S4^ lAHARPS-. Rfturning to the army of Italy, and being a!- ^-ays in the vanguard, he fhared, under the orders of Kellerman, all the painful labours of that Ge- neral; and, at the end of 1794, completely de- feated the Auftrians at Garefio and Cairo, thus keeping up the communication of the army with Genoa, and overturning the great projeds of the enemy. At the beginning of 1 7 95, Laharpe was fele<5l- cd to command in chief the troops embarked for the reconqueft of Corfica : this expedition, how- ever, not fucceeding, by reafon of the inferiority of the French fleet to that of the Englifh, he re- fumed his pofl: in the army of Italy ; which at that time, though lefs than the Auftro- Sardinian aimy hy about two-thirds, and dcftitute of every things neverthelefs difputed its ground with a bravery •worthy of the gieatell euiogiums. In this retreat. General Laharpe, placed in the rear-guard, that is always neareil the enemy, defeated them again at V^ido ; and De Vins, who had already grafpcd in his mind the conqueft of Provence, faw himfclf checked by an enfeebled armv ; the dcflru^tion of ■which liad been announced to Europe, and which yet remained un^fTailable in the line of defence it had taken up, till th;-, arrival of reinforcements enabled it to refume offeiifive operations, and finally to compl. te the conqutft of aii icaly. A, little before this, Laharpe had been promoted to the rank of General of DivifiCH; as a recompence iot his good condud. While LAHARPE* 24T While meditating, In his winter-quarters, on the means of opening the campaign with eclat, his perfonal enemies, the Arlftocrats of his own coun- try, fparcd nothing to circulate reports to his pre- judice by their emifTaries at Paris^ and, towards the latter days of the Convention, had flattered themfelves with the hope of feeing him difplaced : in Republican governments, however, intrigues have little chance of fucceeding. They failed in their attempts; and confoled themfelves for their difappointmeht, by giving it out in Switzerland, that Laharpe had difappeared, taking away with him the military cheft; although at that very time he was co-operating with the brilliant fuccefles of Buonaparte; although he had juft received from the Executive Diredtory a letter of fellcitaiion on the fhare he had had in the victories of Montenotte and Dego-,althougii,innne, he had juft falu ted with cordiality the Beraefi; officers of thi regunent de Stettler, made prifoners at Mondovi; and, without reproaching any of them for having formerly voted for his profcnption, had only faid to iheni — '' I hope lue /ball one day fee one another again in Switzer-^ land as good friends.'''* ThiS brave man, alas ! was to be cut down in the fummer of his life, and in ihc -ridft of his career of glory, by one o/ thufj n.ifl:a and char2;es of comoromifmo; the honour of his country. Another a6f, unfupported, however, by proofs, was imputed to him, which could not fail greatly to injuie his reputation: it was, that he had em- ployed n.ore than one agent to veft a confiderable fum in the Engliih funds. The circumftances of his fpeaking Lnglifh, and affociating greatly witl\ the Engiifn mi Paris, gave colour to thofe fur- itiifes. Heiault not only failed in every endea- \iour H^RAULT DE SECHELLES.* 251 vour at pacification; but the war, at this preclfe time, took a peculiarly unfavourable turn: feveral of the flrong garrifon towns fell into the hands of the allies; and thefe circumftances were, by the enemies of the diplomatic member, attributed to Herault's complaifance, and to the fymptoms of Weaknefs which he had betrayed in his offers for accommodation. In collifions of parties of this kind, the leaft popular is fure to fall. While Robefpierre and Couthon were flattering the powerful Jacobins In their hall, and the facile people in the tribunes of the Convention, Herault was inconfiderately tri- fling his time in the company of a chere ainie and her mother, whom he had gallantly condu^fted to Paris, on his return from Chambery, whither he had been fent on a commiflion, and on which expe- dition he was accompanied by the celebrated Ame- rican Joel Barlow. The envious foes of Hei-ault de Sechelles had by far the advantage over him, in the people's eyes; fince, while they were feen walking on foot to the Jacobins, or other popular focieties, he was difcovered in a tete-a-tete with a fair lady, at a fplendid houfe on the Boulevards, or peeping through the glafs of a gilded chariot. Tiiofe were fcenes which, however tolerated a iliort time be- fore, could not be looked on with compofure by the flern eyes of Republicans, efpecially by thofe who confidered themfelves fuch par excellence^ Thus the very man who had, a few weeks be- fore. t!?2 fi£RAULT 1)E SECHELlES. fore, prcfcnted the plan of the new conflltut^on to the Convention, and had prefidedin the Field of Mars oh the day appointed for its formal ac- ceptance, v/as now treated as a fufpecSted perfon by his colleagues in the government-committee^; Infomuch that when Barrere, on the 17th of March, 17945 announced to the Convention that Herault had been arrefted by or«ier of that Com- Tnittce, It appeared that he had not, for feverai weeks, afTifled at its councils. Above half a million of people had lately looked lip to Herault, on the elevated altar of Liberty, and ef- pierre, who fent Bi iftot, and his other virtuous cqI- leagueSj to the fcatfold> on the 3Ut of October, 1793- V alaze heard his f^ntence of death pronounced with fang freidy aiid without compiaiaing. He Y 3 haa 258 FABRE D'EGLANTINE. had, Indeed, anticipated it; for he was provided with a poignard, with which he ftruck himfelf in the court before his execrable judges, who were co- vered with the blood of this wife and virtuous man. In fine, he died with all the enthufiafm of the moft high-fpirited Republican. FABRE D'eGLANTINE Was born at Chalons, in Champalgne. He was early educated, by the care of his parents, in polite literature and natural philofophy. From his youth, he felt an invincible inclination to court the mufes; and in the year 1786 he publifhed, in a French periodical work^ entitled, Les Etr ernes du Parnajfe^ a little poem, called Chalons fur JUarne; in which he drew a very charming pic- ture of the moral pleafures that were to be found in that place, and its neighbourhood. This piece, however, was then confidered as a juvenile com- pofitlon, and fell very Ihort of producing that de- gree of celebrity which its author afterwards at- tained. In the years 1789 and 1790, he publifned two "WH^ll-known 'omedies: Le Phillnte^ znd L'lntri" gue Epijlolaire, Befides his talents for writing comedies, he felt, like Moliere, an inclination to perform parts upon the i^age. He accordingly a6led his own plays in the theatres of Lyons and Nifmes. In 1792, hh acknowledged patriotifm caufed hirn to be chofen a Deputy to the National Con- vection, lu that aflemblyj during the winter and the FABRE d'eGLANTINE. 259 the rpring o£ the year 1793, hIs^condu6t was not very commendable. It is generally underflood at Paris, that, in conjun<5lion with Danton and Ro- Hbefpierre, he contributed not a little towards ef- fecting the infamous arreft of the Brifibtines, on the 31ft of May. A few days afterwards, he ob- ferved to a friend, that the domineering fpirit of the Girondines, who had engrofTed all the power and offices of the ftate, had compelled him and his colleagues, in order to fhake off the yoke, to throw themfelves into the hands of the Sanscul" later ie. He could not help, however, foreboding dangerous confequences from the proceedings of that day, as the fame mob which had been taught to defpife the legiflature, might, at the inftigation of another faClion, overthrov/ him and his friends, in their turn. This prefentiment of Fabre was afterwards but too fully verified. On the removal of the Girondines, and the eftablifhment of the Mountain party in power, Fabre began to a6t a confiderable part. He v/as appointed a Member of the Committee of Public Inftrudion ; and in that ftation, in the month ot Augufl:, 1793, gave his vote for fuppreffing all academies and literary corporations, which, from their privileges and ariflocratic fpirit, were confi- dered as unfriendly to a Republican Government* In Ovfiober, 1 793, he fubmitted to the National Convention the piau of the new Calendar, which has fmce been adopted. The accuracy and re- .gularity with which this calendar was executed, eviaced teO RODESPIERRE. evinced sn uncommon degree of knowledge In mathematics and natural philofjphy, and rejected on Its ?.uthor the highefl reputation. It gave birth, however, to a pleafant pamphlet, entitled, Le Le- giJJateur a la Moue\ w^'iich w^as an endeavour tc^ prove, that t'^.e 31ft chapter of the Travels of Anacharfis, by the Abbe Barthelemy, where the defcnption of the ancient Greek calendar vi^as in- troduced, had furnifhpd the leading ideas in the new Calendar of Fabre d'Eglantme. In the winter of 1794, ^k\Q Mountain party had fplit inio two divifiojis, the 'Jacobins and the Cbr- deiiers ; or, in other words, the Robefpterrijls and Dant07iijls. Fabre was of the party of Danton; and WdS arrefted and confined, with Danton's other adherents, in the prlfvjn of the Luxemburg in March 1794- From that prifon he wrote a number of letters, which were afterv/ards printed : and have been highly extolled, as beautiful ex- hibitions of feniibility and talents in diftrefs. After a month's impnfonment, he was, with many others^ cruelly butchered in the Place de la Revolution^ m the ihirty-fiitn year or his age. ROBESPIERRE. The wQvy name oi Robefpierre excites a va- riety of d.i'a^'reeable f.-nfations wonder, rage, horror, and revenge, occupy the bofom by turns* Of his countryman, feme claim a murdered j,a- rent, orbeis their mangled fons and daugiutrs; the hufoand his bieeaing wife; tat wife her drcoU lated RGEESPIERRI, QCk lated hufband. France, converted Into a charnel- houfe under his adminiftration, beheld more than an hundred thoufand of her children profcribed, jftarved, expatriated, aflaiTinated and cut off, either with or without the forms of law ! The Patriot and the perfidious Citizen — the Republican and the Royalift — the Anarchift and the Lover of Order- all equally experienced his hatred, and perifhed by his deadly enmity. Never did Liberty fuffer more than by his hypocritical attachment: never did defpotifin receive fomuch confolation as arofe from his cruelties. Tyranny brandifhed her whips, and fliook her chains, from Mofcow to Algiers i and boafted, with a perfidious triumph, her milder em-» pire ! Maximilian Robefpierre was born in 1759, with- in the walls of the city of Arras, the capital of the (i-de-vant province of Ano'is, The R )ya!ifts, as if fi6lion had been necelTary to render his memory more deteftable, pretend that he was the nephew of that Damiens who aflailinated Louis XV. It is but juftictr, on the contiary, to ftate*, that his family was both ancient and refpectable; for his pro- genitors had occupied fome of the higher depart- ments of the magiflracy, and appertained to that clafs formerly termed, by way of eminence, la «/cj/e de la robe, •^ His father w^as an Advocate of great knowledge and purity; but, as occonomy was not one among his virtues^ his two fons and a daughter inherited nothing from him but his poverty. His unfullied reputation, 262 ROBESPIERRE. reputation, however, proved fervlceable to his fa- mily; for a relation undertook the maintenance of the female, and the tv/o boys had the good fortune to be protected, or rather adopted, by the Bifnop of Arras. Maximilian, the elder brother, was accordingly educated under the immediate infpeclion of this Prelate, who, doubtlefs, inftilled excellent prin« ciples into his mind; but mulice, always u6iive> and always uncharitable, has traced to this very fource that confummate hypocrify which diftin- guifiied his pupil through life, and which, it is pretended, he could have only acquired under the tuition of a prieft ! At a proper age, young Robefpierre was fent to the college of Louis le Grand, a famous feminary, formerly under the diitftion of the Jtfuits. Tnere he diilinguiflied himfclf by his alTiduity and ta- lents, and bore away the annual prizes from all competitors of his ov/n clafs. This — and it muft be allowed to have been a very honourable one — was the or/iy diltinguifh- ing characferiftic of his youth ; for it is allowed, that he did not develope even the germ of thofe pafTions which influenced his bofom in his more advanced years, and rendered him not only the Jcourge of his country, but of mankind. Pafchal, amidli the filence of his prifon, meditated on Eu- clid; and Voltaire chalked the firft lines of his Htnjiadeon the walls ot his dungeon: but Ro- befpienc did not dilcover his fuiuie dwitiny by an- ticipation j. ItOBESPIERRE. 26$ ticlpation ; and it was the opinion of the profefiors, that his reputation would never extend beyond the walls of the college in which he had been educated. At the age of feventeen, it was determined that he fhould be bred to the bar ; and his friends, judging from his early fuccefs, already imagined that he would difpute the palm of eloquence with the lirll lav/yers of France. He was accordingly committed to the care of a IVL Ferrieres, nephew to an Advocate of the fame name, who had dif- tinguifned himfelf by an excellent Treatifc on Ju- rifprudence. It is afiertcdj however, that notwithflandlng the repeated admonitions of that gentleman, Max- imilian could never be prevailed upon to pay any degree of attention to his profeffional ftudies. In- capable of application, difgufted with the flighteft difficulties, he is faid to have acquired an anti- pathy to knov/ledge, and to have fvvorn a deadly enmity both to learning and learned men ! It was at fij-ft determined, that he ihould prac- tife before the Parliament of Paris, but this fcheme was nev-er carried into execution j for he returned to his native province, and was admitted an Ad« vocate in the Superior Council of Artois. We do not find that he diftinguifhed himfelf there by his eloquence ; and have every reafon to fuppofe that he would never have rifen above me- diocity, nor been noticed in the crowd of provin- cial pleaders, had not an uncommon concurrence «f 264 ROBESPIERRE. of clrcumftances elevated him to a fituatlon in which the eyes of all Europe were fixed upon him. He, however, made himfelf known as an Author, if not as an Advocate; for he pub- lifhcd two Treatifes about this time, in one of which he explained the principles of Electricity, ^nd rem,oved the vulgar prejudices that prevailed refpevSling conduS?ors^ the erection of which was oppofed by the ignorant, under the pretence that they were impious, and better calculated to pro- duce deftru(5l:ion than enfure fafety. The other was on Death, coftfidered as a pu- nifhment. In this, all the modern governments were juftly reproached for the fanguinary laws ilill prevalent in their criminal codes, and doubts were hinted, as to the right claimed by fociety of cutting off the life of an individual. No fooner had the letters of convocation to the States-General been iflued, than Robefpierre de- term.ined to become a candidate. He proved fuc- cefsful in his endeavours; and was, accordingly, nominated one of the reprefentativcs of his native province. He is faid to have drawn up the Ca- hiers^j or Inftrudlions ; by means of which the «_ . . . * The following is reported to have been a paflage in one of the CahUrs alluded to—" Nous nous foumetrons bien 'volonikrs a Vautorite du Rci pendant pour un an\ el fi nous en fommes contens, nous le contii:uerons.'"—WQ will readily fub- mlt ourfelves to the authority of the King during one year ; and, if we be content with his conduf her head. Two men held her fall under the arms, and forced her to walk over the dead hch- dies ; and whein, at length, fhe was no longer able to ftand, profaned her perfon by a thoufand bar- barous and indecent a6ls. Her head was cut ofF, and carried about the ftreets of Paris on a pike; her heart and entrails were torn out, and mangled by a horde of cannibals; and the reft of her deplor- able remains were collected by her father-in-law, the Duke de Penthiere. . Madame de Lamballe, at the time of her death, was nearly forty-three years of age. DE LA TOUCHE Was the fon of a counfellor in the parliament ©f Brittanny, one of thofe municipal jurifdii fo- reigners, at the Orange Coffbe-Houfe, and he had many battkis with the Italians there, whom he always termed bajiard Ro?nans. At length, Mr. Dundas tianfmitted an order to him to quit the kingdom in fourteen day?.. He obeyed; and, after taking leave of all his friends, repaired to Dover, and the nee paflsd over to Calais. There he addrefied himfclf to the municipality; and, be- ing at once an energetic and able man, found means to intereft fotnt "of the members of the Le- giflature. then on miffion, in his behalf.' Accord- ingly, on hi?, repairing to Paris, he was taken great notice ot, itiid is at this morntnt 2ijuge dc paix ; in whick LOUIS XVI. 277 which capacity, with an eye in his magiflerial ftafF, as an emblem of penetration, he daily adminifters juilicc. M. de la Tuche is well known la London. He is rather fat, and of the middle fize ; his hair is grey, his complexion frefli and ruddy ; he fpeaks good French with great fluency, was accuftomed to drefs conflantly in black, and gefticulates much, and with confiderable eleo-ance and eiFe6l. o LOUIS XVI. \_^ffl'S2lng particulars of his Imprlfonment.'] The tower of the Temple, which was deftined to ferve Louis XVI and his family as a prifon, was entirely infulated by the demolition of the ad- jacent buildings; and the part of the garden in which they were to take th^ air was furrounded by walls of extraordinary height. Louis occupied the firft floor, and his family the fecond. The windows v/ere befides mafl^ed by a kind of wooden blinds, which prevented the prifoners from feeing what was going on without, and only permitted them to" receive the light and air by the top of the cafe- ments. The ftair-cafe leading to the apartment of the King was divided by fix partitions, the doors of v/hich'were fo low and fo narrow as only to be entered fidev/ays and Hooping. They were of iron i were faftencd with ftrong bolts ; and made A a a horrible 'ZyS LOUIS XVI. a horrible creaking when they turned upon their hinges. They were always kept fhut ; and, after pafling through one of them, the perfon admitted was obliged to wait till it v/as clofed again, before the next was opened. At the landing place, a fevTnth partition was fet up, the door of which was likewife of iron, and fo heavy that it required fifty flrong men to put it upon its hinges. The firft door of the King's apartment was of iron alfo. A guard of about three hundred men watched night and day round the prifon. It will be readily conceived that tim.e was ne- ceflary to make all thefe preparations, which coft enormous fums.. In the mean time, Louis inhabited that part of the palace that had been preferved, and in the hours when he was permitted to take the air, faw the workmen bufy about his prifon, and was witnefs to the hafte with which the completion of it was urged on. It was in the middle of September, 1792, that he came to inhabit -this gloomy tower. In removing him thither, the municipality authorized the com- mliTioners flatloned at the Temple to take from hlmi pens, ink, paper, and pencils j nor did they allcw him the ufe of them till the National Convention had decieed that he ihould appear as a delinquent at their bar. The LOUIS XVI. 279 The apartment which Louis occupied was ori- ginally only a fingle room. It was now divided into four : the -tirft ferved him as^a dining room ; he flept in the fecond, and his valet-de-chambre in the third : there was befides a clofet fitted up in a turret, to which he was fometimes fond of retiring. The bed-room was ornamented with yellow hang- ings, and was very neatly furnifhed. Kis bed had belonged to a captain of the Count d' Artois' guards, and had been carried from the apartment which that officer inhabited in the Temple, to the chamber of the royal prifoner. Upon his chimney-piece was a time-keeper, with the following words engraved under it : " Le Paute, clock-maker to the Kinr." When the National Convention had decreed that France fhould be a republic, the commillioners who were always in attendance upon his perfon, put a wafer over the word king. In like manner, they pafted a paper over the declaration of rights of the Confli- tution of 1 79 1, in his dining room, and wrote under it, " The firfl year of the Republic." This was the way in which they fignified to Louis that he had forfeited his rieht to the title of kin^^ Two commiificners of the municip.;lity pafTtd the v/hole day in his bed-room, and followed him into the room whither he went to take his repairs. In the evening they retired into the dining-roomj A a 2 failening 280 LOUIS XVI. faftenlng the door of the bed-chamber, v;ithout- fide, with a couple of bolts. They alfo faftened, withinfide, the door of the dining-room, which was before faftened without; and then placing* two camp-beds again ft the chamber door, laid them- ielves down, with their clothes on» The valet-de-chambre-who remained with Louis v/as forbid to fpeak to him in a low voice during the night ; and was confequently obliged to anfwer any queftions that v/ere afked him aloud. The fame law was eftablifhed in the day-time : a whif- per would have been a crime. If, during any of their meals, either Louis, his wife, or his fifter, happened to alk the valet-de-chambre, who waited at table, for any thing in a low tone of voice, the commiflioners ufed to cry out : " Speak louder ;'* and when the fervant was obliged to leave his mafter's apartment to fetch any thing he wanted, he found a third commillioner at the dining-room door, who accompanied him till he came back. The v/ay in which Louis fpent the day was as follows : He rofe exactly at fix, and devoted his firft moments to prayer. He then read the fhort fervice which the Knights of the HolyGhofl arc bound to recite everyday; and to thofe prayers added others from the breviary of the Roman priefts. The denial of a minifter of the altars, to fay mafs to him, was a privation which he fevc^ely felt. The Louis xvi. 2Sj The piety of Louis was, however, neither troublerome to himfelf, nor to others. He never founded nor conftrained the confcience of any one, as the following trait will prove. Obfei ving, on a Friday, that nothing but flcfh-meat was put upon his table, he made no complaint of this deviation from eftabliihed cuftom, but took a glafs of wine, and, dipping a bit of bread in it, faid with a fmile, <' This fhall be my dinner." It was rcprefented to him that he ought not to be fo fcrupulous, and . that, in his fituation, there could be no necellity for failing. To thofe who made the obfervatlon, he anfwered : " I do not lay any conilraint. upon your confcience : do not then lay any upon mine. Your practices are of one fort ; mine of another. Every one ought to adhere to thofe v/hich he thinks thebeft." Prayers and reading generally employed him till nine, at which hour his family, as long as he was allowed any communication with them, aiTembled in the dining-room. He joined them there, and looked on while they breakfafted j for, during his imprifonment, he never took any thing till dinner- time. When breakfaft was over, he returned to his bed-chamber, and gave his fon a leflbn of La- tin, and then one of geography. His daughter, in the mean time, was receiving inftru6lion from Marie-Antoinette* While the children were thus A a 3 employed aSa lours xvi. employed in llftenlng to, and repeating what their parents taught them, Madame Elizabeth, the King's lifter, was generally at work with her needle. At twelve, an hour's recreation was given to the children. At one, the whole family alTembled Egain in the dining-room, to take their repaft. Their table was fupplied with a tolerable abun- dance of viands. Louis was very temperate : he feemed to take no more nourilhmient than was barely fuiScient to fupport his miferable exiffence. He alone mixed a little wine with his water * : his family drank nothing but ^ater. There was, confequently, little occafion for a member of the commune to ufe the • foUowins: fl-range expreiTion, in one of the public fittings of the Council General : " I propcfe keeping Louis "upon low diet, that is to fay, upon bread and v/ater, liJl his head be taken off." After dinner, the children were allowed another hour's recreation. 1 he whole fam.ily then drev/ round a table, and amufed themfelves in playing at fome innocent game. This was followed by read- ing and converfation ; after which they fupped. When this laft repaft was over, Lowis took leave * At this epoch, feme change muft, no doubt, have taken |-.l£ce in Louis's manner of living. Ke was not quite fo u'mperate when he was upon the throne. of LOUIS xvr. 283 of his family for the night ; gave his daughter his blefling j and took his fon with him, fo long, at Itaft, as he was allowed to enjoy his company. As foon as he had retired to his bed-chamber, under the cuPtody of a Imndred bolts, he had a bed made for the child by the fide of his own; and when the latter had f^id his prayers, his father ordered him to be undrefied. As for himfelf, after having read fome time longer, he humbled himfelf before his Maker, anJ wnt to bed about eleven o'clock. When he was no longer allowed any intercourfe with his family, he devoted to reading the moments that ufed to be (pent in converfation. He was ex- ceedingly fond of ftudy, preferring Latin authors to French, anJ never lying down to reft without having read a few pages of Tacitus, Livy, Seneca, Horace, Virgil, or Terence. Travels were the kind of books he liked befl: in his own lano-uag-e. Till thT2 month of October, he was allowed to read the periodical papers. The inclination that he naturally felt to know the turn which affairs took in France, feemed then to difpleafe his gaolers, and they no longer allowed him a fight of the pub- lic journals. Louis made himfelf amends for this privation, by recurring more frequently to his li- brary. The number of books which he read in the courfe of five months and feven days that he pafled in the temple, is very confiderable. He made 2^4 LOUIS XVT. made the calculation himfelf the evening before his death, and found that they amounted to tv/o hun- dred and fifty-feven volumes. M. Clery obtained permiffion to fucceed M. Hue in quality of valet-de-chambre to the King, which, place had previoufly been filled by M. Chamilly. Thofe two citizens had been taken from him fucceflively, and had narrowly efcaped being murdered in the prifons to v^hich they had been conveyed. Clery was but little known to Louis XVI ; but he had been in the fervice of tke ci-devant Dauphin, a circumftance which was fufHcient to enfure him a favourable reception. This laft valet-de-chambre was very near meet- ing with the fame fate as his two predeceflbrs. One day when he was going dow^n the prifon ftairs, a man in the drefs of a national guard came up, as if to whifper to him. Clery ftarted back, and bade him fpeak out. " I only meant to wifh you good morning," faid the foldier, taking him by the hand. Clery pafTed on, and had quite forgot the adven- ture, when, four-and-twenty hours afterwards, the officers of a criminal tribunal walked into the King's apartment, and called upon his valet-de- chambre to make a formal depofition of the above faa. A few days afterwards, while Louis was at table^ with his family, other officers of juftice, followed LOUIS XVI. 285 followed by Gendarmes^ entered the dining-room, and ordered Clery to follov/ them. Their fudden appearance threw the whole of the royal family into the greateft confternation. They did not doubt but their new fervant was another victim, whofe death was determined upon. He had hardly reached the ftreet, before a crowd of men an4 women fet up a horrible howl, furrounding the carriage, and demanded his head. Nor would he have efcaped with life, if one of the oiHcers of juftice who accompanied him had not had recourfe to a fidlion. He told the furious mob that M. Clery had important fecrets to reveal to the tri- bunal before which they were carrying him, and that it was of great confequence to the public weal that his life fhould be fpared till he had made hi$ depofition. They fubmltted to this reafon. — Clery, ftill fol- lowed by the women, who were refolved, they faid, to fpill the blood of a friend of Capet, was brought into the prefence of the tribunal. There he was accufed of having received a myfterious letter from the national guard, whom he had met upon the prifon flairs, and of having delivered it to his mafter. The valet -de-chambre refuted this falfsihood fo tri- umphantly, that he was acquitted in the mldft of the ap;:Iaufe of tlie fame people who, a moment before, were bent upon taking away his life. They even 286 LOUIS XVI. even demanded that he fhould be reflored to is fundions in the Temple, and carried him back in triumph. He returned at midnight to the cham- ber of his mafter, whofe anxiety vy^as agreeably calmed by his unexpedled return. At the time of the mafTacres of the 2d and 3d of September, an enraged mob having put the head of the unfortunate Princefs de Lamballe upon a pike, carried it round the v/alls of the Temple, fo that the bloody countenance might meet the eyes of Louis XVI and of Marie-Antoinette, if poffible. As foon as the National Convention had dif- covered an intention of bringing the King to trial, the precautions taken in regard to him redoubled, as v/e\\ as the feverity of his imprifonment. The keeper, the turnkeys, all the perfons, in ihort, who were employed in guurdin^-, or waiting upon him, were kept clofe pnfoners in the tower of the Temple ; all thofe who "Approached him were ftri6tly fearched : every fleel or iron inftrument was taken from them 5 th^y were ' not even left in pofleffion of a knife. All the provifions that were brought into the prifon were carefully infpeded ; nor was a llngle difli put upon the King's table, till it had been tafted by the cooks, and inferior feivants, who affifled them in the kitchen. MIRABEAUo ( 28; ) MIRABEAU. Gabriel Honore Riquetti de MIrabeau was a Pr:venfal by birth, having been born in the foath of France, in the year 1749. His defcent was not merely noble ; it might have been deemed illuf- trious, in oppofition to the newly-created noblejfe \ for one of his anceftors was feated in the carriage with Henry IV, when that unfortunate monarch was afTallinated by Ravillac. The count, his father, pofTefTed extraordinary talents, and rendered himfelf celebrated by a woric of uncommon merit, entitled U Ami des Hommes ; but he was capricious in his temper, and at times both harfli and vindi6live in his proceedings, re- fpecling his eldefl fon. His mother, a haughty, difcontented, and intriguing woman, did not, on the other hand, acquire great reputation for humi^ Uty : fhe was perpetually at variance either with her hufoand or her children, and againft the former Ihe carried on a long and expenfive law-fuit. Thefe were not v try edifying examples. The \oung Count pofTefled a figure in which a ftern mind was depided. Genius fparkled in his eye ; but his features betrayed fomething ignoble, and, being deeply fcarred v/ith the fmall-pox, ap- peared at times hideous; his make and ftature feemedas if they appertained taa porter, while h:s buihy 2SS MIRABEAU, bufliy locks, frizzled out in the extremity of the fafhion, added to the afFe6ted finery of a pet'il- maitrey afForded a mod fingiilar, and even gro- tefque contrafl with his clownifh mien and fom- brous afpeft. But fuch were the fafcinations of his eloquence, that all thefe difadvantages vaniflied the moment he opened his mouth. Endowed with a lively imagination, and a flavc to his fenfual appetites, he was, from his earlieft youth, the fport of the moft violent paffions. His Father, fevere, avaricious, wholly abforpt in it\i^ neither knew how to bridle his natural ardour, nor to direcfl his impetuous inclinations : he irritated his fon by contradi61:ions, exafperated him by chaftifements, and threw him into defpair by pri- vations. The Count de Mirabeau, roughly treated from his infancy, foon broke through the reftraint which his furious paffions had hitherto bore with impa- tience ; to fatisfy them, he had recourfe to any^ and all meansy if v/e are to believe his enemies. While a young man, he ferved during one campaign in Corfica, and there, however he may have fmce been confidered as a coward, he dif- ^ tinguilhed himfelf by a valour carried even to temerity. The mifconduft of Mirabeau, and the quarrels he was necefTarily involved in from the iire of his charadlcr, would not permit him to re- 5 main M-IRABEAU. 289 main in the fervice into which he had entered. On his return from Corfica, he was (hut up in the citadel of the Ijle de Rhe^ and twenty years of his life were fpent either in ftate prifons, or in rambling through the provinces of France and foreign countries *. On his marriage with a rich heirefs, he gave a loofe to his tafte for diilipation, and his bau treatment of his wife induced the two families to folicit a judicial feparation. Threatened with a pro- fecution for a rape on a married woman, the bolts of the Chateau de Vincennes protected him from the rigour of the laws ; and, during a pretty long captivity, he compofed a work on left res de cachet y * He vifited Germmy, Switzerland, Holhnd, Flinders, and England. Both in London and Amfterdam he was reduced to great diflrefs, whence he was partly extricated by his pen, and partly by his dexterity. He wrote for feme time for the French paper publilhed here, called Le Courier de C Europe^ and offered his fervices to a refpe6^- able bookfellcr in Paternofter-row, on any terms. During his refidence in our capital, all his linen, &c, was ftolen by his njalet ; and his enemies have afiiduoufly propagated that his conduft on this occafion was highly culpable. The writer of this note, however, after being at fome trouble to procure the Seflions' paper, could dif- cover no blame on the part of the profccutor ; he per- ceived, on the contrary, that he had received the ihanki of the court. the B B 290 MIRABKAU. the cmployiTjent of which had been a fource of advantage to him. The intereft of the fubjeft, the energy of the ftyle, and the courage of the Author, gave him a juft title to celebrity. This man, who has been thought a Republican, was at times intoxicated with the pride of birth : for in his letters to his miftrefs, he cannot help letting her know, how inferior (he was to him m that refpedt ! The love of Monarchy exifted in his heart no lefs from convicStion than pride; he loved liberty as the Guifes loved religion. Tlie fuccefs of his work on Lettres de Cachet engaged Alirabeau to become an author:; and being often preffbd by his wants, he expelled to ftnd a fure rcfource in his pen. l^his confideration led him, no doubt, to prefer fubje£ts which fixed for a time the public attention. A victorious refutation of the work of Linguef, on the liberty of the Scheldt; an Addrefs to the Bataviaii Nation, full of eloquence ; a publication on Agiotage (ftock-jobbing) ; another on the Banque de St. Charles^ rapidly fucceeded each other. The vigour of the fly'ie, the interefl of the fubje£l, and the fatirical portraits contained in thefe produ(5lions, raifed them to great celebrity, difplaying the un- common talents of Mirabeau, and his rare pene- tration, to great advantage. We fhould not have thought, in reading the work entitled, La Mo- no rchi-e MIRABKAU. ^t ^Mrchie Pruffienmy that the Tame man was tho- roughly verf.tl ill the details of agriculture, the principles of comaierce, the dodlrine of public credit, and foreign politics: and that he was quali- fied to compare and judge relative to the diiTeient fyftems of the taiflics, the fortifications, and the artillery of all the Powers of Europe. We read with pleafurs thofe elegant articles which unfold luminous views on the various objefts of admi- niftration and legiflation. In fine, we admire in them a portrait of Frederic IL comparable to the moft finiihed productions which antiquity fur- niOies of that kind, , La Gtrrefpondance fecreiie was the laft work which Mirabeau publiihed. In this work, he fays, " 1 conUder as one of the happieft days of my life, that in which I was informed of the Convo- cation of the Notables^ which will doubtlefs pre- cede that of the National JJJimbly. In tliis I fee a new order of things which may regenerate the Monarchy; and I fhould think myfclf highly honoured -in being the loweft f;:cret3ry in this AfTembly, of which 1 have had the happinefs to fuggeft the idea," Sec. Mirabeau had then lor^ktn and announced the Aflembly of the Ewts Generaux. This perfpec- tive v/as Battering and intereding to a man who having received fiom nature gii^at talents, had E ii i rendered :29^ MIRABEAU. rendered himfelf in fome meafure unfit for em- ployments by his morals and his condu vifited by very few of that order. However this were, his fon, Jofjph, v/as nominated to the Confti- tuent Aflembly, by .the bailiwick du Perche. Dur» ing the whole of the fitting of that body, he fat on the left fide, which was the fide occupied by the partizans of the popular caufe, and which was then called by the deputies who fat on the right fide, Le Coin du Palais Royal, After the 3 ill of May, when the Girondift party was put under a decree of accufation, thofe who were not arrc-lLed fought for {^i^ty in flight. They retired to Caen, in the department of Calvados. Wimpfenwas general of the troops of the eight departments which had then'formed a coalition. 308 LE COMTE JOSEPH DE PUISAYE. coalition. Thefe deputies, who were Barbaroux, Buzot) Guadet, Petion, and Louvet, entered into a negociation with Wimpfen, and refolved to attack Vernon, a city into which the Convention, or rather the party of La Montagne^ had thrown eight hundred foot, to prevent the departmentaJ troops from marching againft Paris. 1 he Count de Pui- faye was then firft introduced i<^ the fugitive depu- ties, by Wimpfen, as a true republican, and an able foldier, and he was ordered to diredl the attack of Vernon, which he did. Louvet, in his Narrative'^ maintains that M. de Puifaye had private inftruc- tions from Wimpfen, whcfe intention was toamufe the deputies, or to (hut them up in the city of Caen, whilft he was treating with the deputies of La Montagne : that, agreeably to his private inftruc- tions, M. de Puifaye did every thing to prevent the fuccefs of the troops under his command; and thai he retired, after having been routed by the garrlfon of Vernon, and abandoned the whole department pf Eure, none ai his men having received (o much as a fcratch. How far we are to credit Louvet relative to thefe pretended inftrucS^ions from Wimpfm, it is not very material to determine j it is of greater moment to afcertain whether M. de Puifaye was then a republican or no ? here we need nothefitate to declare that he never was fo, and although his being at that time intimate with W impfen m^y not be LE COMTE JOSEPH DE PUISAYE. 309 he thought faflicient to eradicate all doubt upon this matter, his palling Toon afcer into Britanny, and there, by his exertions, inftigating the inhabitants to the fa nc fpirit of revolt againft the Convention which Ciiarette had excited in La Vendee^ would furniOi an undeniable proof that he was, for a long time, if not at all times, a real fupporcer of the royal party. In Auguft, 1792, de Puifaye was general en chef of the catholic and royal army in Britanny, and had received, fome time before, the brevet of Mar S^ chal de Camp, As early as October 179^, he en- joyed the greateft confidence of Louis X v III, then regent, as appears from the following curious letter: Mqnjeigncur D* A r t o i s , Liejitettant^ General of the kin^' dom^ by I'irtue of the poivers io bim trufied by Moy» siEUR, Reve?it of France, io the Catholic and Royal ■ Army of Br it arm: At the Quarters of the Englifb Armj, near Anibeitn, the yi OBohery 1794. GEN'TLF.MF.N, Deeply atFeiS^ed with gratitude for all tlie obliga- tions you have laid mc under,. 1 fhall not try to exprefs the fame; M. le Comte de Puifaye, however, who has fo juft a claim to your confidence, to that of the Regent^ and to mine, will be my interpreter. I have but one wifli, one defirc, that of appearing pevfonally among you, of dire6\:ing your zeal, and partaking your dangers as well as glory. The 3.IO LE COMTE JOSEPH DE PUISAYE. The only order I have given to M. de Puiiayc is that of doing whatever Ihall be in his power to accelerate that glorious moment which will eftablifh our happinefs and fuccefs: th's order I repeat to all of you, gentlemen, and with fo much the more fatisfaftion and confidence, as I am weH aCTured that my wiilics coincide with tht • jutention of the power which fo liberally aiiiks us, as vycII as with the fentiments of all faithful Frenchmen.. The abfence of tlie recent obliges me to be his intei- preter ; and it is as well in his name as in my own, that J repeatedly confirm all the fentiments of efteem, attach- ment, and admiration, with which I am, S:c. Charles Philippi; This letter is to be found in the Ropl Alma* nack, printed at Nantes, in 1795, the copy being properly certified. Soon after, and probably in confequence of this letter, De Puifaye came over to England, and laid before the Britifh minifters his information, plans, and means of executing them, &c. Then it was that the well-known and unfortunate expedition to Quiberon was concerted. It Is now pretty certain that De Puifaye was much lefs culpable on the fcore of negle6t and careleflhefs in this affair, than was at the time generally believed. Among the proofs which tend to the exculpation of the Count de Pui- faye, may be mentioned the continuance of his former connexion with Mr. Windham, with whom he may be fuppofed to have fully juflified himfelf. With regard to the ciiarge of his being ahfent wbllft LE COMTE JOSEPH'DEPUISAYE. 3H whilft the emigrants at Qulberon were either mafTa- cred or captured, the real fad is> that he appeared during aU the time of the a£lion, mounted on a iV'hite horfe and riding to and fro, giving his orders^ Since that ill-concerted expedition, the Count de Puifaye has wandered from place to place, in France, encountering numberlefs dangers* The French and Englifti papers have frequently ftated his capture, trial, and even the circumftances of his execution : while fome journals have made him travel feveral times to Paris, in order to concert rnea* fures with the royalifts, &c. How far thefe reports deferve credit, it is not very eafy to fay ; there is little reafon, however, to doubt but that he has been at Paris fmce the expedition to Quiberoru The Count de Puifaye is at this time (Augufl, 1797) in England, juft arrived from Blankem- bourg, where he has been to vifit Louis XVIII. He is now in London, in habits of familiarity with the families of the tirft nobility in England, among whom are the duke of Qiieenfbury, Adr. Wind- ham, kc. His manner cf living here is quite -re- tired and with great frugality. He is frequently vifited by the principal ci-devant emigrant off€:rs of Britanny. His frugality is fo rigid that he does not allow more than a bottle of wine even when he has ten or twelve guefts at his table. He ob- ferves meagre regularly ; for twice a week meat is excluded from his taWe^ If 312 CHAMFORT. If the Count de Pulfaye is not a good patriot, J)is wife, at leaft, has embraced the republicaii dogmas of Equah"ty, fmce, after his efpoufrng the Royal caufe, fhe has profited of the law of ^ ) Bailly. The fate of Jcan-Silvain Bailly is truly lament- able, not merely becaufe he was a man of learning, and diftingiiifhcd for his love of, and knowledge in, the fciences, but, as being a patriot, in the full fenfe of the word : tliis, indeed, he proved himfelf to be, even before the revolution ; by which event he loft fome valuable places, and almoft the whole of his fortune. M. Bailly, after diftinguifhing himfelf as an aftro- nomer, was elected a deputy for the tiers etais to the ftates- general, and was prefident of the firft national, or, as it has fmce been diftinguifhed, conjlituent aiTembJy, at the time the royal procla- mation, ilTued the 20th of June, 1789, ordered it to difperie. On that memorable occafion, when the legiflative body v/as excluded from the fenate-houfe, by royal order and a military force, he invited the members to affemble in the tennis-court, fituated in the Rue du V'leux^ Ferjailles, It was there he dic- tated the oath " to refift tyrants and tyranny, and never to feparate till a free Conftitution fhould be ©btained for the French people." On the 14th of the fucceeding month, the famous, ©r rather infamous, Baftille was attacked by the Parlfians, headed by a few national guards. It being neceffary after this event, that the affairs of the capital fhould be well adminiftered, efpecially as the apprehenfions of a famine rendered that period more critical, Bailly was unanimoufly called upon to undertake that important tafic. He 4 continued BAILLY. 3;^I continued a favourite of the Parifians (of which he was one by birth) till the unhappy airliir of the Champ cle Afarsy where the crowd aflaulting the fol- diery, for enforcing what v/as confidered an unjuit order, the latter were direfled by the magiftracy, of which Baiily was the chief, to fire on the former; on which occafion about forty citizens were killed, and three times that number wounded. This compulfory ad: of Baiily, which the new French vocabulary called popullcidc^ was unhappily treafured up in the invidious memory of his rivals and enemies, ready to be brought forward againft him at any moment mod favourable to his undoing. Among the papers belonging to Louis XVI^ which were found both at the houfe of Laporte, and in the iron cheft of the Thuillieries, fome of them attacked Baiily, and endeavoured to place him in a ridiculous point of vicv/ (fee Cj%otte's Letters) ; others, fuch as Talon, fay, " Sire, if you make fuch fcicri rices, Baiily vv^ill come and make a fine harangue to you." Others fay, and thofe of the date of 1 79 1, " the mayor of Paris fhall be ma- naged fo as to prevent him from giving us any far- ther trouble." Others talk of the necellity of taking off his head. V/hen he found he had fallen into the difefleem of his fellow-citizens, he hoped to preferve himfelf by retiring into privacy, where he propof^d to finiih a treatife on ftaticks, which he had begun ; but the crifis of the revolution approached frill:, and a fevere retrofpcvSlive eye was call, not only upon every aft that 332 BAILLY. that favoured of the abufe of power, but alfo upon every perfon who afFedled to chajiife the people for excefles which long-continued oppreffion had forced them into. To difcover a faulty fugitive, or a de- nounced perfon, at this period, was to merit public applaufe. The ex-mayor was accordingly denounc- ed, and apprehended in an obfcure country-houfe, and, by a melancholy reverfe of fortune, v/as con- ducted a prifoner for examination to that very Hotel de Ville where he had prefided, two years before, with almofl fovereign auiliority, and into which he never entered but amid the loud exclamations of Five Bailly ! It is knov/n that he was named and inculpated in the a IMAXUEL.' 317 Manuel continued to oppofe the violent decrees which too often puffjcl in the Convention, till fonig particular point, preparatory to the death of Louis XVI, was put to the vote. Finding it determined againil: the devoted monarch, he fuddenly rofe, and exclaimed aloud, '' I mud: go out of this hall, in order to breathe a purer air." He retired ac- cordingly, and, on the following day, refigned his feat. Unable any longer to afTift the unfortunate Louis within the walls of the Conixntion, he undertook to ferve his caufe with the nation at large, to whofe feelings he made a powerful appeal, in a letter which appeared in the Journal de Paris^ and was indeed confidered as the moft mafterly of his productions. In confequcnce of thefe efforts to fave the King, he was acculed of having fuffered the unfortunate Ma- rie Antoinette to pervert his principles — a charge, to which his well-known devotion to the fair fex, the opportunities of feeing the Queen, given by his fta- tlon in the Municipality, and the perfonal feduftlon fhe was fuppofed to emplo}', afforded fome colour of truth. But it is more probable that, like many other men of ftronger pallions than judgment, he was unable to feparate the abufe and violation of li- berty from liberty itfelf, or to diftinguifh the ac- cidental and momentarj misfortunes that attended its progrcfs, from its effcntial and permanent advan- tages. Be this as it may, it is certain that his poli- tical opinions had undergone a remarkable change ; 34? LEGENDRE. for the ardent friend of a popular government was become a decided Royallft *. When, under the finifter aufplces of Robefpierre, the fun of philofophy and freedom was fetting faft, and the triumphant Mountain threw its dark fhadov/ over the whole Republic, Manuel once more retired to Montargis ; but the daggers which he had fpoken ftill rankled in the hearts of the tyrant and his aflaf- fins. He was accordingly dragged forth ; brought before the revolutionary tribunal; condemned, of courfe ; and guillotined, on the i6th of November, 1793, in company with generals Houchard and Brunet. The amateurs of executions obferved, that he en- deavoured to haften the fatal ftroke; and thence in- ferred a want of courage, in the fame manner as they did from the relu£lance with which it was encoun- tered by Madame du Barri, and feveral other victims. It is hard to underftand how a fimllar conclufionxran be drawn from premifes fooppofite. It will, perhaps, appear to others, that there is, at leaft, as much real courage in advancing the moment of a painful cere- mony, as in that forced compofure which difguifcs the dread of deftru£lion, natural to every thing that lives and breathes. Lecendre. The Mountain (as it was metaphorically called) of the late National Convention of France, proved. * At the time here referred to, the iady who is the lub- jeft of a preceding Anecdote, told her friends, that Manuel was grown le plus grand jlnjtocrat fojfiblc* LEGENDRE. 34-9 in reality, a Tarpelan Rock to many who afcended it. Legendre was a Mountaineer, and placed him- felf near the very ap€x. He is, notwithftanding, one among the few who have efcaped the civil war which broke out between the patriots themfelves. Legendre was formerly a Butcher, in St, Mar- tin's ftreet, Paris. His elevation to the rank of a Reprefentative of the French people, is one of the many ftriking phenomena of the hiftory of the Revolution ; not only with refpedl to the fingularity of the circumftance, but to the uncommon fhare of abilities, and the appearance of liberal education, which he has, on all occafions, exhibited. His firft appearance on the Revolutionary flage was on July II, 1789, the day on which Neckar took his departure from Paris. The difmiiTal of that popular Minifler filled all fVance with confterna- tion ; the {hops and theatres at Paris were fhut up, and the people paraded the ftreets with the bufts of Neckar and Orleans covered with black crape. Legendre was one of the leaders of thefe patriotic procefTions, and diftinguifhed himfelf in a few days afterwards by an harangue which he made to the people, urging them to oppofe the prince de Larihefc^ (who had been difpatched with his regiment of ca- valry to fupprefs the infurrection), to break into the Hofpital of the Invalids, in order to procure them- felves arms, and to unitein' one* great effort for tlie demolition of the Bafti lie. '^irtf very commotion, or important movement of the people, which afterwards took place in P*iris, Legendre appeared as the chief G c 350 LKCiENDRI'. a(51;or. He took great pains to recommend the people to proceed in, a body to Verfaiiles on the famous 6th of 0£^ober, 1789; alfo urged them to prevent the departure of the King's aunts for Rome ; to (lop the King on his propofed journey to St. Cloud, in the Eaiter of 1791 ; and propofed the ce- lebration of the National Fete in the Thuilleries, after the King's return from Varennes. I'he moft con- fpicuous a(5l of Legendre, in this period, however, was his obtaining for the execrable Marat, an afyium againft the perfecutions he fufFered, for having been one of the leaders of the multitude, who, on July the 27 th, 1791, reforted to the Champ de MarSy to draw up a petition to the National Aflembly for the abolition of Royalty. Legendre, on this oc- cafion, prepared for the terrified Marat a fubterra- neous abode, in which he was afterwards enabled to fecrete himfelf from profecutions on account of his incendiary publications. The merits of Legendre had been too confpicuous to be overlooked at the time when the Primary Af- femblies were convened in Paris, for the purpofe of electing Deputies to the National Convention. He was accordingly eleded unanimoufly by that depart- ment ; and as votes were not then bought -ai d fold, Le- gendre bad three times as many as the rich Duke of Orle^nf. Legendre being the pupil and friend of Marat, was, in ihe Jacobin Club, as well as in the National Convention, a Maratift and a Mountaineer 1^ turns. It was dated in ff pamphlet, publifbed in Parii ;tbout three years ag.o, tha: LegenJre being one night in the chair of the Jacobin Clab, was to far tranf- ported with the furor of cnthufiafiTi as to exclaim, ** Moi, je rnangerols h cceur cPim Arijlocrat.^* " I would devour the heart of an Ariftocrat." A phrafe which, according to the author of the pamphlet, was truly worthy of a butcher. The Count de Montgaillard, in his work, entitled The Year 1795, afTerts, that much about the period above alluded to, Legendre v/as heard to declare, << /// the ivhjk Rojnan hljiory I have fr.iud only one principle sapihU of being applied t) the French Revj-^ lutljn \ and that is the well-known wijh of Caligula^ Moft probably the emperor referred to that pari of the Roman People which were poffeffed of property. If he didy we Jhall dare to pra^ife what he fcarcely dared to wifn. Two decrees mere, and all the pojffjors of pro- pcrty in France Jhall have hut a fi-^gle heady which we will cut off" at one Jiroke, Thefe two aflertions, we fhould hope, for the honour of human nature, are deflitute pf authenticityr They appear indeed to be improbable, inafmuch as the^are inconfiflent with the received chara6ter of Legendre,. and with other more liberal fentiments exprellid by him on fub- feqiient occafions. Legendre had, by fome means, incurred the dif- pleafure of Robefpierre. His wife died two months before the execution of the latter, from the mere ^1^ fevSt of terror, as the name of her hufband was known to be fct down in the tyrant's black boo'., Legendre, G G 2 352 LEGI^NDRE. Tallien, Lecointre, and three other Deputies, had not flept in their own houfes for feveral weeks pre- vioufly to that event, apprehendixng a vifit from the fatellites- of the ufurper ; and whenever they withdrew from the Convention, they found it neceffary to take various precautions to fruftrate the vigilance of the fpies appointed to watch them. He heartily united with the party of the Thermidoriaris^ fo thaty during the whole period of the re-acS^ion of that party> he was a bufy member of the convention. He made a great number of fpeeches, all of which wereperfaa- five, and full of that eafy and natural eloquence which can never be acquired by fludy. There was nest a fingle fitting of the Convention, dining the winter of 1794, and the fpring of 1795, in which Legendre did not exhibit fome proof of his political and ora- torical talents. Alluding one day to the ftyle of Barrere, who had prefented a m.emorial to the Con- vention, " 1 eafihj rec6gni%e^^ faid he, •' in that lan- guage, the patois of crimes.^' Speaking, on another eccafion, of*the policy of the young King of Swe- den, v/ho had fent his ambaffador, the Baron de Stael^ once more to Paris, and whofe lady had held, v/hile they were on their journey, long conferences with the Prince of Conde, and other emigrants, in Switzerland : '• The Baron de Stael would be much more welcome in Faris^* faid he, " if he did not Iring with him the enchantrefsy Circe, who intends to transform us all into hogs,^' And when the arch-Ja- cobin, Duhem, in the fitting of the I2th Germinal, exclaimed, « that the French reprefcntation was vilU LEGENDRE. 3^5 fied hy that vlh demagogue^ the butcher of Paris /' ■' Legendre replied, « It appears, then, that J have Jia'imd my hands ivlth the hlood of irrational animals ; / have, however, at no time, facrlficed human vlSll/ns to the execrable idol of the Jacobins," A thick cloud boded ruin to the reputation and fortune of Legendre, in the autumn of 1795* ^^ was accuf^d, by the public voice, of having fold many of his votes and fpeeches, in compliance with the entreaties of Madeinoifelle Contat, the celebrated a£lrefs, in the theatre La Rue Fey deau, of whom he vi^as enamoured; of having acquired an immenfc fortune amidft the vicifTitudes of the Revolution'; of having, once more, efpoufed the Jacobin interefti by his motion for the deliverance of the imprifoned terrorifts ; and, laftly, of having taken an aftive part in the ferocious mafHicres of the 2d and 3d of-Septem* ber, 1792. He replied, however, to all the fe charges with much firmnefs, and proved that his repu^ed attachment to Mademoifjlle Contat was a fabrication of the difafFetSled ;, that his fortune, as he could fhew from public and authentic documents, had been dinii- niihed io,oco French pounds by the events of the Revolution; that the deliverance of many of the perfons imprifoned was an a(5i which juftice called for, many good patriots having been b>r an dad with with the name of* Terrorifts in a moment of general fermentation; and that, during the bloody days of September, he was occupied by his own privat-e con* cerns in the northern parts of Picjjrdy. He- alfo <5 c 3 354 lEGENDRE, addrefled a letter to the Journalifl:, Real^ in which he points out the author of all thefe calumnies, a Spaniflv adventurer, of the name of Marchetina^ who, having been exiled from his native country, had taken re- fuge in France. This Marchenna was foon after- wards baniftied from France by the Committee of Public Safety, and accompanied by a guard of the gendarmerie^ till he reached the frontiers of Swit- zerland. Legendre remained, by lot, in the new legifla- ture, and, being qualified by his age, took his feat in the Council of Elders. In this aiTembly he has not figured as a confpicuous member, becaufe the new order of things has afforded little occafion for any difplay- of popular energy.. When he rofe up one day to fpeak in his wonted manner, he was heard with indifference, and Lanjuinais took occafion to remind him of the different chara6ler of the affem- blies.. Since, therefore, it has been lately the fafhion in France to- pay refpect to whatever fparhles^ whe- ther folid or not, this Democrat has feldom been heard to make what may be called a fpe^ch* On all great queftions he votes on the fide of popu- lar freedom ; from a belief that the people can never be too free ; that their happinefs depends upon that freedom ; and that where it is abridged, or attempted to be abridged, feditions and rebellions are excited. Whatever knowledge of mankind Legendre polTeires, has certainly not been acquired from books. He has had no opportunities to read them ; he is the pupil «f nature aloaej and has in himfelf evinced thi^ DtJBOIS CRAN^CE. 5^5 pleaflng truth, in favour of fuch as may not have had what is called a learned education^ that '' to Icnow a little well, may anfwer all the purpofes of our na- tures and our vv^ants.'^ Legendre aflumes firmnefs and confl-ancy; but he never afFe6ls to Jhine, He has exhibited a very Jiriking example how much, and how foon it is poflible to acquire the reputation of a good fpeaker, by obferving attentively the diftates of nature only, and indulging thofe fentiments v;hich truth and the amor patria infpire. In the late flruggle for preponderance between the Executive and Legiilative Powers, Legendre may be faid to have been anxioully watching the beam, rather than pailionately throwing weight into> cither fcale. His private opinion,, however, is more favourable to the Conftitution of 1793, than to that of 95, being of opinion w^ilh Paine, and many others, that to require a qualification to vote for a re- f^efentative^is but another word for legal ufurpation. Legendre is about fifty years of age, above the: middle fize, with ftout limbs -y he has a piercing eye, is marked with the fmail pox, and has a fair and florid complexion. In his manners he is obliging, polite,. and pleafant. DUBOIS GRANGE Was born a noble, but his family was deprived of its titles of nobility in the year 1762, it appearing that it had ufurped the privileges of that clafs. Hav- ing been for three years adminiflrator of his native province, he w'as ele6led, in 1789, a deputy to the Tiers €tat in the firft National AfTembly, 3S^' DUBOIS CRANCE. He foon exhibited, in his capacity of legi(lator,thc natural energy of his character. In the conclufion of a fpeech which he made in the hall of the 'Jiers Etaty relative to the difpute with the two privileged orders, the following were his expreflions: " Do you not fee {hys he) that, under the appearance of reconciliation, each preferves his difl:in(2:ive characters in the two refractory orders — that o<^ the nobility, wifhes to rule — tiiat of the clergy, continues to be hypocriteSj-and the court to corrupt. Let us immedir- atek organize ourfelves» Every delay is a crime a2;ainfi: the nation " Being afterwards appointed to the War Committea, he publifhed a work upon the re-organization of the army,, la vv'hich.he exprefled a wifh,. that the officers fhould be chofen from among the privates, and flrongly enforced his objediions againft the old mode of recruiting.. The army' are indebted to his exer- tions for its increafe of pay, as are the invalids for the additional comforts which they now enjoy. Dubois Crance was one of the original fupporters of the famous Breton Cluhy fince better knov/n un* der the name of. the Jacobins^ and firft projected by Lanjuinais. He was, at that time, not only in the afTembly, but in the club, one or the watmell: fup- porteis ;if the conftitution of 1790. In the latter part, howevefy of the fitting of the fiift aflembly, he was prevented from adling.by a fevere illnefs, brought on by the lofs of a beautiful wife, and fome other ievere domeftic calamities. In the national convention he was a Mountaineer^, CAMILLE DES MOULINS. 357 and a warm friend of Robefplerre, whom he confidered as the Cato of France. He diftinguifhed himfelf in abetting the cruelties pradlifed by Collet d'Herbois, at Lyons. Nor was his pofterior conduct, in that place, approved, when he was on million, in con- junction with Albitte. In 1795, when theaffignats were in very low credit, he propofed to the national convention a new emiilion of them, v/ith the infcrip- tion, ajjignats or death, Dubois Crance was lately fent, by the dire6lor3', to the army of Italy, to exhort the foldiers ta remain faithful to the republic, and to oppofe the fpreading ilirpofition in fivoui* of royrtlty, It i& thought, in Paris, that the threatening addrefTes of that armyi f were of his compofition. CAMILLE DES MOULINS, A fprightly and handfome young man, was what an Italian would call the Rinalda of the revolution. It was he, indeed, who, on the I4.th of July, 1789, by leaping upon a table, in the Palais Royal, wi h two piftols in his hand, and by hoifting the national cock- ade, firfl: "gave the people the fignal of liberty, and decided the capture of the Baftille. In the National Convention, Camille des Moulins^ was as popular, and as much beloved, as Barnave had been in the conftituent afTembly. He was defcended from an ancient family, celebrated all over Europe for the number of learned men it has produced, and efpecially for the illuftrious Civilian Charles des Mou- lins, who flourifhed about the clofe of the 16th cea- 35^ CAMILLE DES MJlTLIKS* tury, and who, from his learned and voluminous works, treating of royal jurifdidlion and the canon laws, was called the jc:urge of the court of Rome^ Camille was fcarcely 27 years of age at the time of the convocation of the ftates- general; and it w^as generally underftood, in Paris, that, had not the re- volution taken place, he would have been appointed one of the king's advocates in the Parifian parliament, a dignity which had been conferred fuccelTively upon many of his anceftor"?. But the Revolution opened to him fovaft a field of exertion, and afforded him the profpe£l of a degree of glory, wh-ich it would have been difEcuk for him to acquire under the an- cient regimen, whatever might be his ftation, rank, or pretenfions, that he renounced his early prorpe6l?^ and gave himfelf wholly up to the revolutionary mania. No- fooner had the dates-general convnerted them- {^Ives into a national afTembly, than a general enthu-^ fiafm, in favour of liberty, ele6lriiied all ranks of men in France, particularly young perfons of a liberal" education. Caniilk availed himfelf of this oppor- tunity to direvSi the public mind, and became the. prime mover o1^ the Parifian youth, in. the groupes of the Falaii Royal He firfl recommended to them to form political focieties, in which fome important topic fhould be formally difcufTed as the order of the day. Though th-efe juvenile afTenMies have been fome- times treated with ridicule, it is certain, that, in Paris,, they were of wonderful ufe, in kindling and keeping, up public fpirit among the people. CAMILLE Das MOULIMS. 359 Thefc clubs were always diredted by Camille, w-ho frequently ofHcIateJ in them m the capacity of prefi- dent. 1 heyconfifted, lometimes, of moveable groupes, aflembled in the open air, ibmetimes in the gallery * and areas of the Palais Royal. Each of them had a prefident, and a fecretary, who made what the arifto- cr:ts called irregular motions, and difpatched mef- f-ni{ei s to Verfaiiles, in order to obtain accurate in- foixT.auon of every thing tranfafted either at court, or In the national aflembly. It may not be unworthy of notice, that thefe bands of young p .liticians were, for tiv: moi^ p -t, drc'Ted in green coats with red col- lars, a coftume conildered oy vulgar interpreters as an eirblen^ of x /«;<•. Ca DJile always appeared in this drcfs hi.iifelf, and required ail the friends of the popular partyno wear drclTes of a fimilar deferip^ tion. It was at length, however, confentcd to by de- grees, that the popular emblem lliould be a cockade of white, green and red, and this was the origin of the famous national tri -coloured cockade, the invention of wciich is confequently to be afcnbed to Camille des Moulins. The affemblage of thefe political groupes, in the Palais Royal, the refidence of the Duke of Orleans, and the union of the white, red, and green colours in the cockade, which were the colours in the livery of that prince, gave rife to infmuations, that the va- rious movements were dire6led by his.fbcret influence, and that Camille des Moulins was no more than an agent. It was alfo reported that he held various nocturnal conferences with the prince, and, with 360 CAMILLE DES MOULINS* leaders of the Orleans faction, at Moujfeau^ the country feat of the houfe of Orleans, Founded on thefe reports, feveral ftridures were publifhed on his condu£i, the beft of which were La Jacobiniade, a fmall poem in the manner of Pope's Dunciad, and, a comedy, entitled La BlanchiJJeufe de Moujfeau (The Wafher-woman of Moufleau) or Les Amour de M^ Coca, The zeal of Camille for the revolution was cer- tainly fo extravagant, that he expofed his integrity to fufpicions among enlightened and moderate perfons. Exdufive of his being the leader of the Parifian youth in the Palais Royaly and his afliduities in the club of Jacobins, he undertook, when the national aflembly had removed to Paris, the management of a patriotic journal. His Revolutionary furor, how- ever, carried him fo far (in the 35th number) that a ^lenunciation was preferred againf} him in the na- tional affembly, which was referred to the court of chatelets-i where he experienced much diiHcuky to obtain his acquittal. V/hile under accufation, he prefented a petition to the national affembly, in the fitting of the 2d of September, 1790, remonftrating that, prior to his denunciation being referred to the court^of Chatekt^ it ought to have been examined by the committee dis recherches^ and that he had no , mercy to expedl from a courtly tribunal, which was" notorioufly prepoiTeiled againft him. When his pe- tition was about to be read, he placed himftlf in the upper part of the tribune, with a view to obferve the tranfadions paffing in the hall. After the fecrer CAMILLE DES MOULINS. *3^^ ury had finifhed reading it, Mahuet^ one of the moft confpicuous members of the afTembly, op- pofed it, and moved, that the defendant fhould plead his innocence before the judge of the Chatelet : as, however, hemuftbe fully convinced of his own guilt, he would not dare Tes^ I (lave ! abruptly exclaimed Camilh, from the tribune. This condu£l was inftantly interpreted as an act of indecent temerity, and a breach of the refpecft due to the legiflative body^ All the deputies ftarted up at once, with fymptoms of indignation, and the prefident gave orders for the immediate arreft of the perfon who had made the ex- clamation. But while the commifii oners, of the hall v/ere proceeding to execute the order, Camille pru- dently contrived to make his efcape. It is eafy to conceive that fo determined a repub- lican as Camille, would not be idle during the remain- der of the feffion of the conftituent afTembly, and the period of the nev/ leglilature, from 1791 to 1792. On the famous 28th of July, 1791, after the King had been flopped, in his flight, at Varennes, and brought back to Paris, Camille was one of thofe violent leaders, who infligated the people to repair to the Champ de Marsy and invited them, to petition the afTembly, to declare that the king, by his voluntary fecefTion, had abdicated the crown, and that monarchy fliould, for the future, ceafe to exift in France* This meeting, it is well known, v/as declared feditious, and orders were ifTued for arrefting the exciters of it. Lafayette, accordingly, at the head of the national guards, marched to the field, to difperfe the people, H H *3^2 CAMILLE DES MOULINS. but the chiefs had difappearcd, and Camille, with Danton, and others, took refuge, as was then be- lieved, at Marfeilles. When the national conv^ention was projected, a perfonof the activity and popularity of Camille could not fail to be nominated a deputy to it. From the meeting of that body, may be dated the beginning of his moft ufeful exertions, and of his moft fplendid career. Being the intimate friend of Robefpierre and Danton, he was, of courfe, a firenuous imun^ talneer. He concurred with them in die abominable defign of deftroying the Gironde deputies, and in the eftablifliment of what was, at that time, called the fanfcuiotterie, Notwith (landing, however, this connediion, he always a£led independently of his powerful colleagues, and never was filcnt on any op- portunity in v^^hich he could be ufeful ; nor was he . mean enough at any time, to flatter their vices and errors. A brilliant example of his independence of mind was the defence he publllhed, in 1793, ^^ the unfortunate general Dillon, v/ho had been de- nounced as keeping up a correfpondence with the prince of Cobourg. The public are indebted to him for the Secret Hijlory of the Brijfctines^ a pamphlet which developes certain arcana of the revolution, during the iiril: fix months of the republic. The club of the Cordeliers bad been nearly coeval with that of the Jacobins, nor was any material difference at firft obl^rved between them, either in regard of revolutionary principles, or external proceedings. The former had been eflab- Ulhed mer ely to afford better accommodation to the CAMILLE DES MOL'LIN'S. ^363 patriots who lived on the left fide of the river. Of thefe were Marat, Danton, and Camille himfelf, who lived in the ftreet of the "Theatre Francais, At length, the fatal difference v/hich took place between Danton and Robcfpierrc, broke it up. This event was jufiiy attributed to the ambition of the latter, whof^ aim was, to deftroy by any means, all thofe who en- joyed credit or popularity, and who were, in confc- quence, a control upon his power. He founded Ca- mille, and found him, as might be expected from his chara6ier, unfliaken In his attachment to Danton. The tyrant refolved, therefore, to facrihce both of them ; and as the pretext which he made I'.f^ of to ^et rid of Danton v/as a calumny at v;hich co.rimon (z^Se revolted, fo that which he adopted with regard to Camiiie, vvas truly ridiculous. The old llory was again fcrved up of his being an OrleaniHj that he had iiijured the revolutionary fyftem by his late periodi- cal works ; and had covered, one night, with black: crape, the table of the rights of man, at th-e club of the Cordeliers, &c. A report on thefe fmgularaccufa- tions was made to the national convention by St. Juft, one of the members of the committee of public fafety^ After the palling of -the decree of accufation, Ca- mille was fecured in the prifon of the Luxembur?-, where the prifoners were not allowed any open com- munication with each other. He bad fcarcely the opportunity to write to his wife, and was frequently hsard to exclaim, iVhy has RoheJlAerre forfakcn me? 1 never merited fuch treatment fro?n him I After a HH 2 '*3^'4 PERIGORD D£ TAYLERAN'D. confinement of about two months, he was tried in one fitting, by the bloody revclutionary tribunal, and foon after conveyed to the fcaiFold, together with Danton, and others of his colleagues. The lall moments of Camille v/ere attended v/ith no particular circumftance, unlefs we may notice his dying in the belief of the tenets of the Chriflian reli- gion, to which he had been always attached. Being afl^ed how old he was ? he replied, with his wonted wit and pleafantry, I die in the fame age in tuhich was cur lord^ cur father^ cur 7najler, that true republicany that true fanjculoite, "Jejus Chriji, By this he meant to fay, that he v/as in his 33d year. PERIGORD DE TAYLERAN'D. L'Abbe Ferigord de Taylerand, ci-devj:it blfhop of Autun, in Burgundy, is defcended frcn one of the moft illuftrious families in France, a houfe coeval with monarchy, and related, by the female line, with that of Bourbon. A difafFeiled priefl, in a pamphlet againft religious innovations, endeavour- ed to injure the bifhop, by ftyling him *' The atheijl pricfiy wha difgraces the name of Perigord.''* As the Biihop of Autun was, by birth and dig- nity, enabled to exercife much authority over the in- ferior clergy in the afiembly, fo he was endowed ■with uncommon talents, knov/ledge, and activity, to fupport his fituation. He had frequent opportuni- ties of evincing his fuperior learning in his reports and fpeeches. His celebrated Reports made in the name of the Conftitutional Committee, on the SubjeiV. of Public Inftrudlion, on the lOth, nth, and 12th PERIGORD DE TAYLERAND. '^3^S of September, 1791, were afterv/ards printed, by a decree of the.AfTeinbly. M. de Perigord, in his capacity as a revolutionary patriarch, was appointed by the municipality of Pa- ris to officiate pontihcally in the fiilendid ceremony of the National Confederation, held on the 14th of July, 1790, in the Cba?np de Adars* He appeared at the head of more than two hundred priefts, dreffed in white linen, with the tri-coloured ribbons. When about to ofHciate, a ftorm of wind took place, foU lowed by a deluge of rain ; he proceeded, however, ia the celebration of the mafs, without any regard to the ftorm, and afterwards pronounced a benedidlioa on the royal ftandard of PVance, and on the eighty- three banners of the departments which waved around it, before the altar. In the civil conftitution of the clergy, it was de- creed, that, according to the ancient difcipline of the church, the confecration of bifhops, in France, fhould for the future, be performed by the metropolitans^ and other bifhops. This regulation was a fatal blow to the court of Rome, and it required the firmnefs of mind peculiar to M. Perigord to carry it into execu^ tion. He was the only biihop who offered to confe- crate the new conftitutional bifbop of Verfailles. This brought forth the famous monitory from the Pope, of the 13th of April, 1791, who complained loudly againft the tiidiop of Autun, as 'an impious v/retch, who facrilegas maniis im^ofuit upon the in^ truded candidate ! HH'3 366 PERIGORD DE TAYLERAND. A man like M. Perigord, who had relinqulflicd all the prejudices of his rank and order, could not fail to create many enemies. Lampoons, pamphlets, ^c. flocked againft him from every quarter. The chipter, and the fecularand regular clergy of Autun, exhorted their chief to return to the faith of his fore- fathers : the canons of another diocefe v/rote a perio- dical work, entitled, La Se^ie des Talleyrandijies\ and a clergyman, who was alfo a good poet, termi- nated one of his odes with thefe two lines : Un Gregoire a tete idiote, Et un Autun Anticretien. Thefe attacks might have been the refult of the hatred conceived by the higheft ranks of fociety againft M. de Perigord, on account of his patriotifm. The truth, however, is, that he incurred fome cen- iures even from the patriots. He was charged with being a friend to the revolution, only becaufe he had led an irregular life previeufly to it, and had a great many debts to difcharge. And it was infmuated, that he received immenfe fums from the court, to exert his authority over his colleagues to obtain for the kino; the abfolute njeto* After the concluuon of the conftituent afiembly, yji* de Perigord was fent to Engiand, in the capacity of a fecret negoci^tor, either to avert the war, or con- clude an alliance between England and France. A few months afterwards, he vi/as com.pelled to leave England, by the paffing of the alien bill. The in- creafing fyftem of terror, in France, and a report that fome documents h»A be?n found \\\ th? Thui;leries> PERIGORD DE TAYLERAND. ^367 after the loth of Auguft, relative to the bribes paid by the court, on account of the vetOy prevented him from returning to France, and he fet fail for America, In 1795, as foon as the convention had pafTed a law for recalling to France thofe emigrants who had fled from it after the 2d and 3d of September, M. de Perigord fent his petition to the committee of public fafety, requefting their permlHion to return, and early in the next year, he returned to France. He was appointed a member, and, foon afterwards, one of the fecretaries of the national inftitute in Paris. In one of the public fittings of the laft winter, he prefented a memoir, proving the neceflity of a new commercial treaty with the American ftates. The Paris papers ftated, that this differtatlon was the refuk of his enquiries on the fpot, during two years* refidence, and that it contained a great many new obfervations relating to the future profperity of the Republic. On th^ difmiffal of C. La Croix, In June laft,Tay- lerand was appointed minifter for foreign affairs, a ftation which he filled with difcernment, zeal, and adtivity. If we are to give credit to a French jour- nalift, a very laughable fcene took piece, in the hall of the directory, foon after his appointment to the miniftry. " T^be bijl^jp of Autun (fays the journalift) vo'ith his blue national uniform^ and fabre^ prefented to his majhrs^ one rnorning-i the envoy of the Pope^ and the ambaffdcr cf the Grand Signer,'' ( *368 r FOUQIUER TINVILLE. Without fiich an inftrument as this In the charac- ter Oi accufateur public (attorney-general) the defigns of the tyrant Robefpierre mufl always have remained incomplete. Appius Claudiushi mfelf was defirous of prefer ving due form in the proceedings of the Courts of juHice : but our own country furnifhes us with an inftance, in the law adminiflration of a yefferies, how much evidences and juries may be falhioned to the purpofes of revenge and tyranny. This real ame damme of the chief of the Decem- viri, attended upon his mailer every evening, to re- ceive inftruftions for difpofing of the acculed the next day, on their trial. Sixty, and even eighty devoted creatures, were often huddled together in one a^ie d'accufaiion- (indictment) although it was, perhaps, the firft time they had ever feen each other face to- face, and fometimes the witnefles, v/hether for or againft them^, v/culd be interrupted in the midft of their depofitions by this fanguinary tool, Vv?ith the remark: " I dare fay, citizens jurors,, your minds are made . up refpe6ling the g-uiit of the accufed.*' To. which, being under his abfolute di^ion^ they would reply in the aiHrmative ; v/hen fentcnce would be paiTcd upon them, and in a few hours put into exe- cution. On the firft of Auguft, after the dethroning of the chiefly, and Dumas, the judge, of the tribunal, Fou- quier was ordered by the convention to be arrefted. He was tried in May, 1795, and made an able de- fence, the chief plea of which v^^as, that he could not decline the office, and that hg aded in obedience to GAR AT. ^369 commands which were not to be dilputed, bein^ the higheft authority in the Republic. Being tried by judges of different difpofitions to thofe which had prefided before in that court, they told him, that the commands he had received, by his own account, were inhuman, that his compliance with them was criminal, and that his life was but a miferable atone- ment for the many thoufands he had fported with, under a falfe appearance of juftice. He was condemn- ed on the yth of May, 17955 and executed the next day; an awful lefTon to thofe who may hope to fkrene themfelves from the penalty of cruelty, under the plea of implicit obedience. The countenance cf Fouquier Tinville v/as u.s dark as his mind. He was rather tall, of an atrabi- liary complexion, about forty-eight years of age. He was a native of Heronelle, and had been an un- der clerk in the office of the Lieutenant of the Police, till the year 1788. CARAT. If the feeds of the French revolution lay in the abufes of the government, it is certain, that the men of letters gave them vegetation and growth ; of thefe labourers, the obje<5l of our prefent notice was ac- knowlcdgedly one. His literary intelligence and ta- I lents pointed him out as a proper deputy f )r the tiers ctat in the firft national affembly. He was not a Girondift, or, in other words, of that party, at the head of which flood Briffot; al- though he confefles it was to his influence, uniced with ^^yo GARAT. that of Condorcet and Rabault de St. Etiennc, that he owed his appointment as minifter of juflice, on the 9th of 0(fTober, 1792. Ke was alfo, through his title as a man of learning, chofen a commiflary of public inflru^lion. A poil as honourable and ufeful as any in the republic. Being a man of much modefty, hefpoke but rarely in the legiflature, though he wrote a great deal in one of the diurnal prints of that period. He never was prefident, fecretary, or member of any committee, no inconfiderable brevet of exemption from the im- putation of his being an ambitious man. He accompanied the French plenipotentiary to^ England, in April, 1792, and aflifted the e inb a fTy by his pen J though, being an ex-ccnftltuenty he could not fuftain any public character. He replied to the pro- clamation which was, at that time, iffued by the go- vernors of Belgium, in v/hich the principles of the Fx^'ench revolution had been egregioufly mifrepre- fented. He hsd before written, " The Art of Con- irruding Society," and upon the reprefentative fyf- Jem, as the beft form of a republican gcvernment among a great people. Being without fortune and (as he fays) " obliged to live on the v/orld," he compiled the article in the French National Gazette, under the head Convention, and there it v/as he ma- nifefted that independence of mind which has fecured to him f.5 much eilecm, after the pa/Tions of his coun- trymen have, in a great meafure labiided. His re- putat'.on for the love of probity, and the principles cf pi re lepubliCcUiifm, has occafioned him to be recently LOLVET *37I noi-ninated to the vacancy in the directory, in the room oi" Carnot. Though he was not elevated to that high poft, it is probable that fome other honourable fitua- tionwill be ailigned to him. LOUVET. As a man of letters, Louvet, for many years, lived by the exercife of his pen, which produced romances, plays, and fome political trails. He condu6i-ed a newf- paper of confiderable celebrity, but his Sentinel ob- tained him the greateft renown. He offered a comedy to M. d'Orfeuil, full of republican fpirit, ^o early as 1790, but was told by that theatrical mana- ger, that it would require the prote