only were prevailed on to conform to the decree of the assembly, and preserve their bishopricks at the expense of taking the oath. All the rest were ejected from their benefices.

So striking an act of severity against a body of men of such importance, and of an order who have had the most powerful influence on the minds of the people, might have been dreaded by any government, but particularly by one so loose and unsettled as that of France at this time.

The sending of five bishops to the Tower in the year 1688 shocked the English nation to such a degree, that it facilitated the revolution, and prepared the minds of the people for the exclusion of King James, which followed soon after. That infatuated monarch, it is true, raised the spirit of the people against him not only by attacking their religion, but also by endeavouring to force upon them another religion which they detested; and the last perhaps created full as much indignation as the former.

This is an error of which the leaders of the French revolution cannot be accused; for, although all of them have in some degree contributed to weaken the national attachment to their old religion, none of them have taken pains to introduce a new one. Yet after all that has been so triumphantly declaimed and written by them against their bishops and priests and monks, and the religion which they taught, it does not appear that the minds of the people are much enlightened, their manners more amiable, or the national character greatly improved by the abolition of all those abettors of ignorance and error.

The king's two aunts, the only remaining daughters of Lewis XV, now considerably advanced in life, had been long distressed at the innovations of which they had already been witnesses, and alarmed at the thoughts of others which they dreaded. Notwithstanding their having been bred in a licentious court, and witnesses of the profligate life of their father, they both entertained strong sentiments of devotion. Lewis XV himself had been a constant attender on public worship, assiduous in private acts of de

votion, and a sincere believer in Christianity; all that he wished to compound for was the privilege of infringing its precepts; and that only during those periods in which he was in good health; for it appears that when he was ill at Metz, and at other intervals of severe indisposition, he was prevailed upon by his confessor to dismiss his mistress, and, notwithstanding his high rank, to live in the same degree of temperance and self-denial that could have been expected from any common sick person; so that, on the whole, he considered himself as a tolerably good Christian. The princesses, who could not alter the conduct of their father, had always lamented it, and prac tised the precepts of the religion in which he only believed. They were now excessively shocked at the cruelty with which the ministers of religion were treated, and that u niversal disregard of all religion which prevailed in France; but when they understood that his holiness had openly declared against the oath which the national assembly were enforcing, they began to think that not their lives only, but also their salvation, would be in danger by their remaining in a country where such impiety was tolerated. They therefore informed the king that they intended to leave France, and go to Rome, where under the pope's protection they might be peaceably allowed to exercise the duties, and enjoy the consolations of their religion. The king endeavoured to dissuade them from this journey; but did not think it proper to put any constraint upon them when he found that they persisted in their inten

tion.

The populace of Paris were not so indulgent as the king. They now thought that they had a right to interfere in all state affairs, and also to consider whatever they pleased as an affair of state. A numerous deputation from that body of females known by the name of Dames de la Halle, waited on the princesses at Bellevue'; and, in the expectation that they would obtain what had been refused to the king, communicated to them the reasons which in their opinion ought to determine the princesses not to quit

the kingdom. This deputation probably hastened the departure of the princesses, who set out on their journey very soon afterwards.

This was no sooner known at Paris than it excited a commotion far greater than could have been naturally expected from the occasion.

A rumour having been spread that monsieur the king's brother, and his princess, intended to follow his aunts, a multitude assembled at the palace of the Luxembourg to entreat him to stay. He thought it expedient to appear among them, and assure them that he had no intention of leaving Paris; adding, that he never would quit his fellow-citizens: from which it may be concluded, that he did not consider the inhabitants of Paris as his fellow-citizens; for he secretly quitted them sometime after, and has not returned to them since.

When the two princesses arrived at Moret, the municipality of that place thought it improper to allow them to proceed any farther until a deputation should be sent to Paris, to know whether or not their journey was approved of by the national assembly.

The princesses would have been obliged to remain at Moret till the return of this deputation, had not a detachment of hussars which arrived about the same time thought that they had as good a right to decide on this subject as the municipality of Moret; and they determined that the princesses should be allowed to go when they pleased. The princesses proceeded accordingly. But when they arrived at Arnay-le-Duc, the municipality of that place were of the same opinion with that of Moret; and the unfortunate ladies were under the necessity of remaining there until the national assembly should be consulted. The ambassadors from Arnay-le-Duc came to the bar of the national assembly at a time when, as it would appear, the members were much in the humour of debating, and greatly at a loss for a subject. After a warm discussion of many hours, it was finally decreed, that the two old ladies

might continue their journey to Rome without farther molestation.

CHAPTER XXII.

Death and Character of Mirabeau-Insurrection of the Populace of Paris-Chevaliers du Poignard-The Royal Family stopped as they were going to St. Cloud-Reflections-Excessive Insolence of the Rabble-Société—Fraternelle—Libels.

ABOUT this time Mirabeau died. He had been prevented from appearing in the national assembly for some time by a sudden decline of his bodily strength; but his mind, retaining its vigour to the last, was occupied during his confinement on the public concerns. Even on his death

bed he dictated his thoughts on a subject then under discussion by the assembly. What he had dictated was read to the assembly by the bishop of Autun on the very day that the death of Mirabeau was announced.

The excesses in which he had indulged overcame the force of a very vigorous constitution, and brought him to his grave at the age of forty-two.

His mind was vigorous, comprehensive, and acute. With the quickness of thought, variety of knowledge, and happiness of expression which constitutes eloquence, he also possessed that power of voice which is necessary to give it full effect in a numerous assembly. To a talent for repartee he joined the powers of profound reasoning: so that he was equally prepared to disconcert his opponent with sarcasm, or to refute him by the force of argument.

Although his features were harsh and his person clumsy, he had the art of rendering himself agreeable to women

-an art which he too often used to libertine purposes, and as it is asserted, with greater success than many whose intentions were equally profligate, and their persons better formed for seduction.

His excessive love of pleasure would have tended to

render him completely dissipated, and of course left him ignorant, had he not employed the long intervals of confinement and retirement that his debauches and his want of money obliged him to, in studies which, with better health and more riches, he would have neglected.

Had he become an early favourite at court, and been placed in those high and lucrative situations that his birth and talents gave him a claim to, he might have been satisfied to have remained a mere courtier, and supporter of that oppressive and arbitrary system, against which he inveighed so violently and which he attacked with such energy. His tedious imprisonments and the hardships he suffered, sometimes in consequence of his own irregularities, and sometimes from the tyranny of others, inspired him with sympathy for the oppressed, hatred against lettres de cachet, an unconquerable aversion to tyranny, and a fervent desire of establishing freedom in his native country.

As Mirabeau was a man of violent passions, he was on some occasions carried by his resentment to oppose the measures of the ministers which his judgment approved; and on other occasions there is reason to believe that he accepted of considerable sums from the court to support measures in the national assembly, which, independent of that circumstance, he would have supported as agreeable to his own political principles. The question on the king's absolute veto-for the ministers being members of the national assembly-and some others, in favour of which he spoke with great ability, and at the risk of his popularity, were of this nature. This conduct was no doubt highly unbecoming, and gives some ground for the idea which many entertain, that he was as corrupt in politics as profligate in private life. It does not appear, however, that he ever lent his aid to any public measure inconsistent with his own ideas of liberty, and his avowed love of a monarchical form of government limited by law.'*

It is recorded of the famous Marshal Turenne, that when he commanded the French army in Germany, deputies from a certain town came VOL. IV.

T

to