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the revolution that has ever fallen into which was speedily verified. He had our hands, and the most eloquent been proscribed in the month of May, delineation of those feelings and prin- and had taken refuge in the house of ciples by which the virtuous part of a friend at Rouen ; but as soon as he its agents were guided. It is need- heard of her execution, he resolved less to repeat any part of what is upon destroying himself. He quitted to be found in a work so popular. his asylum, took the road leading We may only mention, that after to Paris ; and the next morning was her incarceration in the Abbaye, in found seated by the side of it, with 1792, the section of Paris in which his back against a tree, and mortally she resided, petitioned for her libera- wounded with a sword cane, which tion; but this application, and her he usually carried with him. A note own letters to the assembly, were was found beside him, in which he equally unavailing. She was trans- declared, that the death of his wife ferred to the Conciergerie ; and on had left him without any further conthe 8th of November 1794, condemn- solation on earth. ed to death by the revolutionary tri- We dare not trespass on the pabunal, for having conspired against tience of our readers by any more of the unity and indivisibility of the re- these distressing details. We close publick! She displayed the most these volumes with feelings of humi. unshaken courage on the scaffold, liation and almost of despondency. which she mounted with a marked When we think what has been, and expression of disdain and dignity in what is, in France, we are afraid to her countenance. It may be observed look forward to what is to be ; and if that the same fortitude was evinced our principles did not forbid us ever by all the females who perished in to despair of the fortunes of the huthe same way, with the single ex- man race, we should be glad to turn ception of Madame Dubarry, whose away our eyes for ever from the feardeplorable weakness, at the moment ful spectacle of triumphant guilt, of her execution, was strikingly con- baffled genius, and insulted virtue. trasted with the tenour of her life. We cling steadily, however, to the Madame Roland, in crossing the faith, that the seeds of future happi. Place de la Revolution, on her way ness are sowing in the midst of this to the scaffold, bowed her head be- scene of apparent desolation; and fore the statue of Liberty, which stood that the plough and the harrow which there, and uttered an indignant ex- are now deforming the surface, and clamation concerning the abuse of tearing up the roots of European sothe name. She predicted, when ciety, are only preparing the soil for about to die, that her husband would a new and more abundant harvest not survive her loss; a prediction of permanent enjoyment.

SPIRIT OF THE MAGAZINES:

ICCOUNT OF THE LATE MARQUIS D'ARGENS. THE marquis D’Argens was He commences at that period when one of those literary characters of the passions are in full force and vithe last century, who have rendered gour; for it is by the influence of themselves more remarkable than il- one of the most powerful that he lustrious by their opinions, their ado enters on his subject, without acventures, and the reputation of their quainting us with the place of his works.

birth, or the condition of his parents. Like Saint Evremond, the marquis Information, however, collected D'Argens passed one part of his life since, supplied that deficiency. He in gallantry, and the other at the was born at Aix, in Provence, in 1704, court of a prince, and in the circle being the son of M. Boyer, marquis of the great world. But the former D'Argens, procureur general of the possessed talents, and a rank in so. parliament of that city. It was naciety, above the latter. Some frag- iural that his father, who held one ments of St. Evremond, such as, for of the first situations in the magisinstance, “ Considerations on the Ro. tracy, should intend him for this his man People,” evince a taste and ge. honourable profession ; the arnius, not to be found in the author dour of youth, an impatience to be of the “ Philosophy of good Sense;" employed, and the idea that the mior the “ Jewish Letters.'

litary line afforded him greater opThe writings of the marquis D'Ar- portunities for pleasure, made him gens are not, however, without consi- prefer the profession of arms, into derable merit. They had a rapid which he entered when he was scarcecirculation. They were read with ly fifteen years old. He at first served great avidity; and in that they re- in the marines, and then in the regisembled those of St. Evremond; but ment of Richelieu, after having been posterity will find less to preserve in received as a knight of Malta; but the one than in the other.

he soon forgot the state he had emThe first years of the life of Saint braced; and his amours with the Evremond are unknown; at least, handsome Sylvia, whose history he even to the present day, we have no gives in his memoirs, contributed authentick account of them. The not a little to effect it. marquis D'Argens wrote the Me. The petulance and impetuosity of moirs of his Life, which are read his youth were subjects of much with pleasure ; contain many pointed discontent and unhappiness to his fafacts; and the narrative pleases, not ther, who, in the end, disinherited withstanding some apparent negli- him; but Monsieur D'Eguilles, his gences of the style, and some of younger brother, president of the those inconsiderate reflections, which, parliament of Aix, annulled the deed at that time, were termed “philoso- of inheritance, by making an equal phical,” though, to speak more cor. division of the property, and by adoptrectly, they should be called those of ing a natural daughter of the mar

quis, and restoring her to the name

a young mano

a

and rights she derived from her fa- turn when they quit the mosques ; ther. At first he would by no means but always go backward to the gate. consent to this arrangement, fearful “ The marquis D'Argens, seated at of doing what might displease the his ease, beheld the whole of the cere. family; but the reasons and the prin- monies of the Turkish religion : yet ciples of justice, which the magis- he gave frequent cause of alarm to trate advanced, soon found their way his guide. Almost every minute to his heart, and mademoiselle Mina he quitted his hiding place, and adbecame marchioness D'Argens. vanced to the middle of the tribune,

On his return from a journey to in order that he might have a better Spain, where he left his mistress view of what was passing in the Sylvia, he became reconciled to his mosque. Then the poor Turk, who family ; but he soon left France, and knew he ran no less a risk than that departed for Constantinople along of being impaled alive, entreated him, with Mons. D'Andreselle, ambassa- by the most expressive signs and dour 10 the Ottoman Porte, of whom gestures, to retire quickly behind his he speaks in his memoirs. A judge picture. The terrour of the man was ment may be formed of his charac- a subject of the highest amusement ter and of his conduct in that city, to the knight of Malta, who played by the following anecdote, which was the more upon his fears. furnished by Mr. Thiebault in his “ But they were a hundred-fold, if " Recollections."

possible, increased, when he took a “On his arrival at Constantinople," flask of wine and a piece of ham from says this writer, “he conceived the his pocket, and offered him a share of design of witnessing the ceremonies both. The disciple of Mahomed was used in the mosques. Nothing could in absolute despair ; but what could dissuade him from undertaking this he do? He must bear all in order to dangerous enterprise, in which, if he conceal his guilt, and save himself had been discovered or betrayed, he from punishment. The marquis would only have escaped the scaffold threatened him; and the Turk was or the bow-string, by assuming the compelled to drink of the wine and turban, or, in other words, becoming eat of the ham, and thus profane mussulman. He applied to the Turk himself, his religion, and the mosque. who kept the keys of the mosque of The miserable man was for some Santa Sophia, and by dint of bribery instants like one petrified. He thought succeeded in gaining him to his pur. he beheld the avenging arm of the pose. It was agreed between them, prophet raised above his head. By at the next great day of publick wor- degrees, however, he became more ship, the infidel should introduce the calm. He even began to be familiar Christian in great secrecy by night, with his guilt; and when the devotees and that he should conceal him be- had all left the mosque, and he saw hind a painting which was placed, a himself alone with the Christian dog, long time back, at the bottom of a they finished their breakfast with a tribune, which was in front of the good grace, laughed at the danger gate. The marquis would be the they had run, and parted most excel. safer in this place as it was seldom lent friends." opened ; and, besides, it was situated The marquis D'Argens, in his at the west end of the mosque, and memoirs, exposes

great candour the Mahomedans always, in the the adventures of his journey, and prayers, face to Mecca, which lies the motive which induced him to reeast of Constantinople, and never turn to France. His father anxiousturn their heads without giving cause ly wished him to study the law; but for scandal ; a point on which they the ardent character of the young are so scrupulous, that they never man could not be persuaded by his sage advice. He again re-entered the pected. After expressing his grateservice, and in 1733 he was appoint- ful sense of the honour of the attened to the cavalry. He was at the tion, he adds: “ Deign, your highness, siege of Kehl, where he was slightly to consider, that in order to be an wounded. In 1734, after the siege attendant on your person, I must be of Philipsburg, he got a fall from his always in view of three battalions of horse, which so disabled him, that guards, quartered at Potzdam. Can he was never able to mount after. I, therefore, venture without danger? wards, and he was obliged, in conse- I am only five feet seven inches high, quence, to renounce the service.

with

and but indifferently made." It appears, that it was at the time It would not probably have been of his refusal to embrace the pro- very politick or agreeable for the fession his father wished him, when marquis D'Argens, then not more he returned from Constantinople, than thirty years old, to settle in that his father disinherited him, not Prussia ; and so near the residence being able, owing to the smallness of Frederick William, father of him of his fortune, to sustain with credit to whom he wrote. the expensive life his son led.

This monarch was a man of harsh, He was compelled, when he retired unpleasant manners, an enemy to li from the service, to go to Holland terature, whose sole glory and pride to seek resources from his pen. The consisted in having in his army the liberty of the press, which then tallest and handsomest soldiers in existed in that country, allowed him Europe, and immense treasures in to make choice of any subject his his coffers. fancy suggested. He published suc- “ Frederick William,” says Volcessively, the “ Jewish, Chinese, and taire, " was a complete Vandal, who, Cabalistick Letters." They were during the whole course of his reign, admired, and brought him some had no other object in view than money ; most of them turning on amassing sums, and supporting at subjects of morality, politicks, man- the least possible expense the finest ners, religious customs and ceremo- troops in Europe. Never were subnies, and the events of nations. The jects poorer than his : never was a lively manner in which they were king richer. Turkey is a republick written, the boldness of some of the in comparison with the despotism ideas, and the singularity of the style which Frederick William exercised. caused them to be much read, and It was by this he succeeded in colgenerally approved.

lecting in the cellars of his palace a The “ Jewish Letters," in particu- sum exceeding eighty millions, conlar, gained him a very high reputa- tained in barrels hooped with iron. tion. The king of Prussia, then “ This king usually went from his prince royal, read them, and wished palace on foot, in a shabby old blue to become acquainted with the author.

coat with copper buttons, which He was even anxious to attach him reached half way down his thighs ; to his service, hoping, by that means, and whenever he ordered a new one, to draw him out of the unpleasant he had his old buttons put on it. In state his youth had thrown him into this dress his majesty, with a large He wrote to him, and made him the serjeant's cane, every day inspected most honourable offers ; every thing his regiment of giants. This regi. seemed to assure him that the mar- ment was his hobby horse, and his quis would accept them with eager- greatest expense, The front rank ness, as he chiefly proposed that they was composed of men of seven feet should live as friends, and study high. He had them collected from philosophy together. His answer, all parts of Europe, and of Asia. I saw however, was not such as was ex- several of them even after his death.

"When Frederick William finished his review, he usually took a walk through the city. Every person fled at his approach. If he happened to meet a woman, he asked her why she wasted her time in the streets: * Go home, go home, you lazy beggar; an honest woman should be employed about her house.' He generally accompanied his advice with a good slap on the face, a kick, or else a blow of his cane. In the same manner he treated the ministers of the gospel, when he happened, occasionally, to see them on the parade.

"One may easily judge," continues Voltaire," that a savage like this would be both astonished and chagrined, at having a son possessed of strong understanding, a bright genius, politeness, and a desire to please, and who sought to improve his mind, and study musick and poetry. If he saw a book in the hands of the hereditary prince, he threw it in the fire; if the prince amused himself with his flute, the father broke it; and sometimes treated his royal highness as he did the ladies, and the clergymen on parade.

"The prince, completely sick of his father's treatment, resolved one day, in the year 1730, to leave him, uncertain whether he should go to France or England. The rigid economy of the father would not allow him to travel otherwise than as the son of a farmer-general, or an English merchant. He borrowed a few hundred ducats. Two young men of amiable character were to be his companions. Kat was the only son of a brave general officer, and Kiel was a near relation of a baroness Kniphausen, whom Frederick William condemned in a fine of thirty thousand francs, for having a child when a widow. The day and hour of their departure were fixed; the father was informed of every circumstance; the prince and his two companions were arrested. At first the father took it into his head, that his daughter. Wilhelmina, who after

wards married the margrave of Bareuth, was privy to the plot; and, as his justice was executed in a very summary way, he kicked her through a window which opened down to the floor. The queen mother, who came into the room just as her daughter Wilhelmina was on the point of falling out, with much difficulty held her by her clothes. The princess received a contusion just above the left breast, the mark of which she carried to her grave."

The prince had a sort of mistress, daughter of a schoolmaster of the town of Brandenburg, settled in Potzdam. She played a little on the harpsichord. The prince royal accompanied her on the flute. He fancied himself in love with her. However, fancy or not, the father had her led round the streets of Potzdam, followed by two common executioners, who flogged her before his son's eyes.

"After he had regaled himself with this spectacle, he had her conveyed to the citadel of Custrin, situated in the middle of a morass. There she was shut up in a sort of dungeon for six months, without any attendant, and at the expiration of that time, they gave her a soldier to wait upon her.

"The prince had been some weeks confined in this same castle of Custrin, when one day an old officer, followed by four grenadiers, entered the room, his eyes filled with tears. Frederick had no doubt but they came to put an end to him; but the officer, still weeping, made a sign, on which the four grenadiers placed him at a window, and held his head to it, while he saw that of his friend Kat taken off, upon a scaffold erected directly opposite the window. He held out his hand towards Kat, and fainted. The father was present at this spectacle, as well as at the punishment of the girl.”

It is easy to see that the marquis D'Argens had very solid reasons for not going to Prussia, under the go.

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