imbibed a strong affection for his what he could do to reward his advoa person. He was seized and imprison- cate. This was reported to Desezé, ed in the Luxembourg, during the who asked no other recompense than reign of terrour. As soon as the Sa- the honour of kissing his master's voyards heard of his imprisonment, hand. The request was immediately they assembled, and proceeded in a granted ; and, as he approached to body to the convention, to solicit his bend the knee, Louis pressed forward, liberation ; but without success. He threw his arms about his neck, restwas condemned as an aristocrat by ed his head upon his shoulder, and the revolutionary tribunal, and exe- sobbed bitterly for some time, exated at the age of eighty-one. claiming, “ Mon pauvre Desezé!"

Our attention has been attracted Desezé, soon after the execution by the name of Desezé, who pro. of the sovereign, was thrown into an nounced the eloquent and powerful obscure prison, where he remained vindication of Louis XVI. before the for a long period, apparently forgotconvention. The reputation which ten by those who had ordered his he had acquired at the bar before arrest. His wife, a woman of a most the revolution, induced the monarch accomplished and vigorous mind, apto call upon him, after the refusal of plied for his release to Barrere, on Target, to undertake his defence. He whom her husband had conferred obeyed the call with enthusiasm ; and, some important benefits at his outset before he entered upon the perform- in life. Barrere shed tears when he ance of his task, made every neces- was informed of the miseries of his sary disposition for his own death; benefactor; but commanded the wife so sure was the fate which seemed to to abstain from all further applicaawait all those who openly adhered tions in favour of her husband, lest to the interests of the throne. His the attention of the revolutionary discourse, written in the course of government should be drawn towards four nights, embraced, and triumph- him ; and after the lapse of a few antly refuted, all the topicks of ac- months, had him secretly removed cusation preferred against his royal to a Maison de Santé, or a house for client. It contains some most pathe- the reception of invalids and luna. tick appeals, and many bold strokes ticks. We know of no other favourof eloquence. His enunciation is un- able trait in the life of this furious commonly fine, and was found every and wily demagogue, who, after haway suitable to the importrnce of his ving so long governed the legislative object. The interesting journal of assemblies of France, and occupied Malesherbes states, that the perora

so much of the attention of mankind, tion, as it originally stood, was of ir- has dwindled into absolute insignifiresistible pathos. " When Desezé cance, and now drags out a solitary read it to us,” says his venerable and sordid existence in Paris, conassociate, we could not refrain temned by the government, and from shedding tears ;” but the king shunned by all orders of men.* In remarked, that“ it must be suppressed, as he did not wish to make

* Since the establishment of the impe

The an appeal to the passions.”*

rial despotism, he for some time edited,

under the auspices of the police, a vio. monarch, after his condemnation, ask

lent journal with the title of Memorial ed Malesherbes, with visible emotion, Anti-Britannique. Notwithstanding the

sanguinary and infuriate conduct of this * There is one part of this speech man during the revolution, there are few which particularly deserves to be noticed of more mild or fascinating manners, or

un beau mouvement." The orator cast. whose conversation breathes purer and ing his eyes indignantly around him, exclaimed : “ Je cherche ici des juges ; Je

more indulgent sentiments of morality.

He was remarkable for the inflation of De vois partout que cles accusateurs." his style, and arrivalled in the art of

66

as

this Maison de Santé, Desezé remain- ser and the accused, the leaders of a od during the whole of the reign of fallen party and their vindictive sucterrour, secluded from publick no- cessours, often met on their passage tice, and occupied in the education to the same scaffold. It was truly of his children. He ventured forth and emphatically said by Danton, when the fury of the tempest was that the fraternity of these republi. past; and it is thought rather remark- cans was that of Cain ; and that the able in France, that, of a numerous tyrant crowned with the bonnet rouge, family, not one fell under the axe of may be as relentless as he who wields the guillotine. He exercises no em

the sceptre.

Danton, Chaumette, ployment under the government, but Hebert and Robespierre, occupied lives in a retired part of the capital, successively the same dungeon in the in the midst of a society of men, such Conciergerie. When Danton was as Morellet, Sicard, and some others, going to the scaffold, he at first imwith whom any state of things would precated curses on Robespierre; but be tolerable. Malesherbes perished suddenly checking himself, exclaimon the scaffold at the age of se- ed: “ They are all alike; Brissot venty. Target, who shrunk from would have sent me to the guillotine the peril of defending his sove- as well as Robespierre." "Quod into reign, and who, during the reign of bonos amicitia,” says Cicero, “ inter terrour, acted as secretary of the re- malos factio est.” volutionary committee of his section, We observe by these volumes, is now a judge of the tribunal of cas- that the fury of the revolutionary sation, and a member of the legion leaders was particularly directed of honour. Fronchet, who coopera- against the farmers-general, who all ted so nobly with Desezé, died in perished, with the exception of a 1806, after having served as a sena- single individual, a M. de Verdun. tor under the new regime. Tronçon Sixty of them were executed at Ducoudray, who defended the queen, time, in consequence of a report of was deported to Cayenne, where he Dupin, a frantick member of the fell a victim to that destructive cli- convention. The revolutionary trimate, facetiously styled the dry guil- bunal adopted a general formula as lotine by the agents of the directory. the ground of their condemnation ; · On this fatal spot, about the same which is curious as applied to Lavoiume, died also Billaud de Varennes, sier, who was declared guilty of haBourdon de l'Oise, and many others ving." adulterated snuff with water of a character and principles so op- and ingredients destructive of the posite to those of Ducoudray. There health of the citizens." This chymist are few things, indeed, which can requested time to complete some give us a more powerful impression experiments necessary for an imporof the atrocities of faction, or the in- tant discovery in which he had been discriminate mischiefs of revolution, for some years engaged ; and offered than the singular group which the to lay down his life willingly when colony of Cayenne exhibited for some he had finished his task.

The reply time; of refractory and apostate of Coffinhal, the president, was: priests; of royalists and demagogues,

" That the republick did not want brought together to encounter the

or chymists, and that the same destiny on the same spot. The course of justice could not be sussame instructive lesson was afforded pended. Nothing can be imagined in the prisons of Paris, where the more atrocious, and sometimes more executioner and his victim, the accu- ludicrous than the judgments of this

horrible inquisition. We find inpuffing the successes of the French arms.

stances, of a woman of ninety-two, flis exaggerations induced St. Just to remark to him, rather angrily, Barrere,

both deaf and blind, condemned for tu fais trop mousser nos victoires."

counter-revolutionary intentions--ofari

savans

as

a

individual, for not paying his taxes proof of the melancholy condition of through a spirit of royalty-of ano- the times. His invectives against

ther, for declaiming against the monarchy and religon are too gross innocent and virtuous Robespierre," and blasphemous to bear repetition. &c. Camille, Desmoulins, and Danton He encountered death with the ut. were condemned for intending to re- most serenity; and on his way to establish monarchy! and Carrier, for the scaffold,

the scaffold, lectured Heberton executing the famous noyades,* and materialism, “to prevent him," shooting children of thirteen and he said, “ from feeling any religious fourteen years old, with monarchical sentiments in his last moments.” He views. We observe, that the writers also asked to be executed after his of these volumes, after stating the associates, “ in order to have time to condemnation of an individual, deem establish certain principles, while it altogether superfluous to add, that their heads were falling." he was executed !

We are much struck with the acAnacharsis Cloots, the soi-disant count which is here given of the orator of the human race, was con- end of Condorcet. After having actducted to the scaffold under the same ed a prominent part in the first stages pretext. This man was the nephew of the revolution, he was denounced of Paau, the author of some well by Chabot, in the year 1793, and known works, and appears not to compelled to take refuge at the house have been wholly destitute of talents. of a female acquaintance, with whom German metaphysicks and depraved he remained until the following year; morals contributed to render him and in this interval, wrote his book one of the most wild, as well as one on The Progress of the Human Mind. of the most original fanaticks of the Forced to quit this asylum, in conrevolution. The grave solemnity with sequence of a decree which punished which he was received by the national with death those who were convicted assembly, on his embassy from the of harbouring outlaws, he left Paris, human race, and the serious attention meanly dressed, and with the intenpaid to his procession and insane ha- tion of putting himself under the prorangues, would be fit subjects for de- tection of an old friend, Suard, who rision, if they did not afford a sad resided at Seaux. When he reached

his dwelling, he found that Suard * The noyades were effected by draw.

had gone to Paris; and the fugitive ing out a plug inserted in the bottom of

was necessitated to skulk for several the boats on which the wretched victims were launched. The genius of iniquity nights among the quarries of the often displays itself in the same inventions. neighbourhood. Hunger at length The learned reader will recollect, that drove him from his retreat, and led when Nero was desirous of despatching him to enter a small inn at Clamart. his mother, and found himself at a loss

His long beard, his gaunt and haggard for an expedient, Anicetus, a freed man, proposed to him, “ the model of a ship appearance; the agitation of his manapon a new construction, framed in such ner, and the voracity with which he a manner that a part might be withdrawn, ate, subjected him to suspicion ; and and the unsuspecting passenger commit- he was accordingly arrested by a ted to the waves.” [Tac. An. lib. 14. Ar. member of the revolutionary com3.) Carrier is also said to have frequently mittee of the place. When brought practised the same refinement of cruelty, which Virgil in his 8th book of the Æneid, before the committee, he called himattributes to the tyrant Mezentius.

self Simon, and stated that he had Mortua quinetiam jungebat corpora vivis, been a servant. But on being searchComponens manibusque manus, atque ori. ed, a small copy of Horace was found

in his pocket, with Latin notes penTormenti genus ! et, sanie taboque fu.

cilled on the margin. entes, Complexu in misero, longa sic morte ne

that you were a domestick," said the cabat.

peasant who interrogated him, “but.

bus ora,

6 You say

a

I should rather suppose, that you are Fonfrede, Gensonné, Ducos and Va. one of those cidevant, who had do- lagé, were confined in the Conciermesticks." The man sent him to gerie along with him, and passed the Bourg la Reine on foot; but his night before their execution in a strength failing before the end of the manner suitable to the character journey, his conductors mounted which each had received from nahim on the horse of a labourer. On ture. Fonfrede, although resigned his arrival, he was thrown into a to his fate, shed a tear, every now and dungeon, and forgotten for twenty- then, at the recollection of his wife

, four hours. At the end of that time, and children. Ducos made verses, he was found lifeless and stiff by the enlivened his companions by sprightperson who was sent to supply him ly sallies, and gravely proposed, that, with bread and water. It was doubt. while they still retained their quality ful whether his death was produced of deputies, they should decree the by mere inanition, or occasioned by indivisibility of their heads from their a strong poison which he always car bodies, as they had decreed that of ried about him. Such was the exit the republick. Valagé, unmoved and of one who may be justly classed determined, was busy in contriving among the most original writers of how he should despatch himself. his age, and who was surpassed by Vergniaud threw away some poison none of the illustrious body of literati which he had kept about him, declato which he belonged, in the brillian- ring, that as he had not enough to ey of his genius, and the variety of share with his friends, he would not his acquirements. Although author abandon them. He discoursed for a of that formidable phrase, peace to long time, with his usual eloquence, the cottage, but war on palaces,* his on revolutions and governments, and temper was mild and benevolent, and predicted the miseries which awaited his morals are said to have been irre. his country. These volumes abound proachable. Petion, the celebrated with similar instances of perfect sangmayor of Paris, an enthusiast of a froid, of steady composure, and of much more criminal cast, experi- careless gayety, * displayed by indienced a similar fate. After being viduals of all parties, even at the foot proscribed by Robespierre, he wan- of the scaffold. They furnish also dered over Brittany and the depart- numerous cases of deliberate suicide, ment of Girondy, and was at length of a singular nature.t found dead in a field, apparently through hunger. The miserable end * When D’Esprénil was going to the of Bailiy, the predecessor of Petion, scaffold, he was accompanied by Le Chais well known. He is said to have pelier, well known as one of the best ora

tors of the constituent assembly, and who born a strong resemblance to lord

was to be executed with him. Le Cha. Melville, in person and face.

pelier, as they were ascending the steps, Of the party of the Gironde, to observed to his companion, that they were whom Mad. Roland is so prodigal of to have a terrible problem to solve in their

last moments. her praise, but few appear to have

What is that? said the

other. survived. Barnave, Gaudet, Valagé,

“ To determine," was the reply,

to which of us the hisses of the popuVergniaud, were all swept away. lace are meant to be addressed.” Most of them were men of talents, and apparently of good intentions.

† The royalists sometimes destroyed There are some circumstances con

themselves through the fear of being mas.

sacred; and the republicans, in order to nected with the death of Vergniaud, escape the guillotine. Most of the rea which deserve to be mentioned as publican leaders habitually carried poin illustrative of the French character. son about them for this purpose. Mon.

tesquieu, in endeavouring to account for • Guerre aux chateaux, pais à la chau. the frequency of suicide among the Romière.

mans, during their civil wars, among other VOL. II,

K k

We have encountered various could, however, wrest the fair prianecdotes of female heroism ; two soner from the hands of the execu. or three of which we shall cull out tioner. There is something partifor our readers. The chiefs of La cularly interesting in the story of Vendée were attended, in the most Cecile Renault, a beautiful woman, bloody engagements, by several fe- executed at the age of 20, for an al. males, who ornamented their stand- leged attempi to assassinate Robesards with chivalrous devices, and who, pierre. The distractions of the capi. like the Camillas and Pentbisileas of tal, and the tide of blood which rolled old, carried consternation and death in the streets, appear to have disorinto the enemy's rank. Among the dered her fancy; but it is not clear number was a Madame La Roche- that she really had the intention imfoucault, the mistress of Charette, puted to her. In May 1794, she who signalized herself on various oc- called at the house of Robespierre, casions, and was at length taken pri- and requested to see him. On being soner, and executed. Another of refused, she replied, that he was a these heroines, at the affair of Gesté, publick functionary, and should there. rallied the broken forces of the roy- fore be accessible to all.

« When alists, charged three times at their we had a king,” she added, “ there head, and was found covered with was no difficulty in seeing him. I wounds on the field of battle. In the would sacrifice my life to have ano. terrible battle of Mans, in which ther.” When dragged before the 10,000 republicans, and 20,000 Ven- revolutionary tribunal, two knives deans, are said to have perished, a were found in her pocket; and she young woman, armed with a helmet was therefore condemned. Her faand a lance, and pursued by some ther was executed with her as an soldiers, fell at the feet of the repub- accomplice; and all her relations, lican commander, general Marceau, friends, and acquaintance, involved in and entreated him to protect her. He the same fate. More than sixty per. raised her up, bade her discard her sons, whom she did not know, were fears, and, attracted by the beauty of sacrificed on the same account. One her countenance, deterinined to save of these, a republican of the name her if possible. A law, however, of Admiral, jocosely remarked to her, was then in force, which punished as he was about to lay his head on any republican with death who gave the block: “ Vous-vouliez voir un quarter to a Vendean taken in arms tyran ? Vous n'aviez qu'à aller à la Marceau was denounced, and would convention : vous en eussiez vu de have been executed, had it not been toutes les fuçons.” A similar instance for the interference of Bourbotte, the of philosophy, or insensibility, is redeputy of the convention, whose life markable in the person of Lebon, a he had saved in the same engage- sans-culotte of the most ruffian cast. ment. Neither the authority of the When, preparatory to his execution, deputy nor the tears of Marceau, they were about to invest him with

the chemise rouge, the symbol of a causes, enumerates the influence of pas- murderous life, he relurned it with sion. To this may be added, with regard affected gravity to the executioner, to the republicans of France, their religious maxims, similar in their effects exclaiming : “Ce n'est pas moi qui to the principles of the Stoicks, which dois l'endosser; il faut l'envoyer à la prevailed among the Romans. Most of convention dont je n'ai fait qu'executhe republicans had selected, as a motto, ter les ordres." the lines of Voltaire in Merope.

The most famous, perhaps, of " Quand on a tout perdu, quand on n'a these heroines was Madame Roland,

plus d'espoir, La vie est un opprobre, et la mort un

who has left, in her Memoirs, the devoir."

most lively and striking picture of