THOUGH England is affailed at this moment by very formidable advertaries, both from within and from without, yet we fhall perfevere in cherishing the hope, that the general ipirit of difcrimination and good fenfe which prevails mere perhaps in this country than in any other in the world, will be as fufficient to guard us against internal machinations, as our fortitude and prudence have hitherto been fufficient to repel the aggreffions of hoftile nations With the conduct of thofe to whom Government is committed, every wife man, in his private capacity, will forbear to interfere; confcicus that his opinion mult neceffa rily be circumfcribed by a narrow and inaccurate range of information. But, in what more immediately relates to individuals, he is not equally reftrained; indeed he may be faid to be called upon in an efpecial manner, by his duty as a good citizen, to do all in his power to contribute to focial order, and to the Juppreon of dangerous innovations.

It is on this account that the work before us has a claim to our earnest recommendation. It appears to contain a fair narrative of fuch events as fell with in the writer's obfervation and bitter experience, during the continuance of one of the most cruel and atrocious tyrannies recorded in the history of mankind. Its proper effect is to guard every man who reflects from an eager propensity to array himself and his countrymen with befe ver-weening vags of France which have

DU BELLOY,

hitherto appeared only as the emblems of beggary, wretchednef, and flaughter.

Though the tile of this work is good, the fair Authoreis is fo modeft, as to apologize for any defects that may ap pear in it. She tells her readers, "That the fhould never have ventured to offer any production of hers to the world, had the not conceived it poffible, that information and reflections collected and made on the spot, during a period when France exhibited a state of which there is no example, might gratify curiolity without the aid of literary embellishment; and an adherence to truth might, in a fubject of this nature, be more acceptable than brilliancy of thought, or elegance of language. The eruption of a volcano, he adds, may be more fcientifically defcribed and accounted for by the philofopher; but the relation of the illiterate pealant who beheld it, and fuffered from its effects, may not be lefs interefting to the common hearer."

These remarks are undoubtedly just, and argue a very becoming diffidence in the writer; it is our province to add, what a perufal of thefe Volumes will confirm, that where the fpectator of, and fharer in, the difmal fcene is fraught alfo with the wildom of the philofopher, the information derives from this circumftance additional weight and value; and that the perion who has published thefe pages is not more faithful in stating the circumstances, than judicious and confiderate in appreciating the impor

tance

tance and extent of the calamities fhe relates.

Perhaps we can in no way better confult the interefts of the Public and of the Autbove, without over-locking, what ought to be cur chief concern, the evertainment of the readers of our mifeel. lany, than by felecting, as we turn over the pages of two clofely printed octavo volumes, fuch paffages and occurrences as fhall appear particularly important and impressive, making curtelves any occafional remarks which may render cur extracts more intelligible or ufetul.

The first letter we thall notice is dated Arras, 1792, which delcribes the garden and palace of the Bishop of that place, who had emigrated. In this defcription, veluti in fpeculo, they may behold their fare who quit their native foil to elcape the ordeal of perfecution; and all may contemplate the rife of malig. nity and the progrefs and punishment of ingratitude.

"After obtaining an order from the Municipality, we went to fee the gardens and palace of the Bishop. The garden has nothing very remarkable, but is large and well laid out, according to the old file. It forms a very agreeable walk; and, when the Bishop pottefled it, was open for the enjoyment of the inhabitants, but it is now fhut up, and in diforder. The houfe is plain, and fubftantially furnified, and exhibits no appearance of unbecoming luxury. The whole is now the property of the nation, and will foon be difpofed of. I could not help feeling a feniation of melancholy as we walked over the apartments. Every thing is marked in an inventory just as left, and an air of arrangement and refidence leads one to reflect, that the owner did not imagine, at his departure, he was quitting it perhaps for ever. I am not partial to the original emigrants, yet much may be laid for the Bishop of Arras. He was pursued by ingratitude, and marked for perfecution. The Robelpierres were young men whom he had taken from a mean itate, had educated, and patronized. The Revolution gave them an opportunity of difplaying their talents, and their talents procured them popularity. They became enemies to the Clergy, because their patron was a Bishop, and endeavoured to render their benefactor odious, because the world could not forget, nor they forgive, bow much they were indebted to him.-Vice is not often palive; nor is there often a

---

medium between gratitude for benefits, and hatred to the author of them. A little mind is hurt by the remembrance of obligation, begins by forgetting, and not uncommonly ends by perfecuting." Of the domestic diftreffes perpetually excited by civil fulpicion and animosity, the following is a very diftreffing and itterefting picture,,terminating happily however in its perfpečlive:

"The laft days of our fay at Arras were embittered by the dittress of cur neighbour and acquaintance Madame de B. She has 1ft two fons under circumstances to affecting, that I think you will be interested in the relation.

The two young men were in the army, and quartered at Perpignan, at a time when fome effort of counter-revolution was faid to be intended. One of them was arrested as being concerred, and the other furrendered himself prifoner to accompany his brother. When the High Court at Orleans was inftituted for trying State-pritoners, thole of Perpignan were ordered to be conducted there, and the two B.'s, chained together, were taken with the reit. On their arrival at Orleans, their gaoler had mitlaid the key that unlocked their fetters, and, not finding it immediately, the young men produced one which answered the purpose, and released themselves. gaoler locked at them with 1urprize, and aiked why, with fuch a means in their power, they had not elcaped in the night, or on the road. They replied, Lecate they were not culpable, and had no resfon for avoiding a trial that would manifett their innocence. Their heroitra was fatal. They were brought, by a decree of the Convention, from Orkans to Versailles (on their way to Paris), where they were met by the mob and mafiacred.

The

"Their unfortunate mother is yet ignorant of their fate; but we left he in a state little preferable to that which will be the effect of certainty. She faw the decree for tranfporting the prisoners from Orleans, and all accounts of the refult have been carefully concealed from her; yet her anxious and enquiring looks at all who approach her, indicare but too well her fulpicion of the truth. Monfieur de B.'s lituation is indifcribably painful. Informed of the death of his fons, he is yet obliged to conceal his fufferings, and wear an appearance of tranquillity in the prefence of his wife. Sometimes he e capes, when unable to

contain

contain his emotions any longer, and remains at M. de 's till he recovers himself. He takes no notice of the fubject of his grief, and we refpect it too much to attempt to confole him. The last time I asked him after Mad. de-, he told me her fpirits were fomething better, and, added he, in a voice almoft fuffocated, he is amusing berfelf with working neckcloths for her fons! When you reflect that the maflacres at Paris took place the fecond and third of Sep. tember, and that the decree was pafled to bring the prisoners from Orleans (where they were in fafety) on the tenth, I can fay nothing that will add to the horror of this tranfaction, or to your deteftation of its caufe. Sixty-two, moftly people of high rank, fell victims to this barbarous policy: they were brought in a fort of covered waggons, and were murdered in heaps without being taken

out."

We promifed a happy perspective to this picture, and it will be found in the note fubjoined.

"Perhaps the reader will be pleafed at a difcovery which it would have been unfafe to mention when made, or in the courfe of this correspondence. The two young men alluded to above arrived at Verfailles, chained together, with their fellow-prifoners. Surprize, perhaps admiration, had diverted the gaoler's attention from demanding the key that opened their padlock, and it was ftill in their poffeffion. On entering Versailles, and obferving the croud preparing to attack them, they divefted themielves of their fetters and of every other incumbrance. In a few moments their carriages were furrounded; their companions at one end were already murdered, and them felves flightly wounded; but the confufion increafing, they darted amidft the croud, and were in a moment undiftinguishable. They were afterwards taken under the protection of a humane magiftrate, who concealed them for fome time, and they are now in perfect fecurity-They were the only two of the whole number that efcaped."

The following paffage will remind those of our readers who were in London during the dreadful riots which took place in the year 1780, of feveral ridiculous though neceffary fubterfuges which decency was often compelled at that time to recur to, to shelter itself from outrage.

"It is curious in walking the streets VOL. XXXI, MAY 1797.

to obferve the devices of the several claffes of ariftocracy, for it is not to be difguifed, that fince the hope from Dumourier has vanished, though the disgust of the people may be increased, their terror is alío greater than ever, and the Departments near Paris have no refource but filent fubmiffion. Every one, therefore, obeys the letter of the decrees with the diligence of fear, while they elude the spirit of them with all the ingenuity of hatred. The rich, for example, who cannot entirely divest themselves of their remaining bauteur, exhibit a fullen compliance with the edicts. It has lately been ordered, that every house in the Republic fhall have fixed on the outfide of the door, in legible characters, the name, age, birth-place, and profession of its inhabitants. Not the pooreft cottager, nor those who are too old or too young for action, nor even unmarried ladies, are exempt from thus proclaiming the abftract of their history to paffers-by.

"Some of the wealthy do this on a fmall piece of paper, written in a small hand, and placed at the very extreme of the height allowed by the law. Some fix their bills fo as to be half covered by a fhutter; others faften them only with wafers, fo that the wind, detaching one or two corners, makes it impoffible to read the reft. Many who have courts or paffages to their houfes, put their names on the half of a gate which they leave open, fo that the writing is not perceptible but to thofe who enter. thofe who are moft afraid, or moft de. cidedly ariftocrats, fubjoin to their regifters, all good Republicans, or Vive la Republique, une & indivifible. Some likewife, who are in public offices, or fhop-keepers, who are very timid and afraid of pillage, or are ripe for a counter revolution, have a fheet, half the size of the door, decorated with red caps, tri-coloured ribbons, and flaming fentences ending in Death or Liberty.

But

A few pages farther on, our fair traveller introduces a letter from a female friend of her's, dated from a maison d'arret, to which he had been conveyed by a decree of Convention. We have not room for the whole, though interesting; but the following paragraph is a fpecimen of the atrocity and false bood with which the public concerns were managed:

"One of our companions is a nonjuring priest, who has been imprifoned Tt

under

under circumstances which make me almoft afhamed of my country.-After having escaped from a neighbouring Department, he procured himself a lodging in the town, and for fome time lived very peaceably, till a woman, who suspected His profeffion, became extremely importunate with him to confefs her. The poor man for several days refuted, telling her, that he did not confider himself as a priest, nor wished to be known as fuch, nor to infringe the law that excluded him. The woman, however, ftill continued to perfecute him, alledging that her confcience was diftreffed, and that her peace depended on her being able to confefs in the right way. At length he fuffered himself to be prevailed upon; the woman received an hundred livres for informing against him, and, perhaps, the priest will be condemned to the guillotine."

We find in a fubfequent note, that this unfortunate non-juro) actually tuffered afterwards on the fcaffold.

The following letter will furnish the English reader with a competent idea of a domiciliary vifit; and, as we hope, will fet him on his guard against fuch as would introduce that novel species of adminiftration into our Ifland; after the example of those whom they delight to bonour and extol. They might not indeed begin with fuch regulations, but they would affuredly end with them.

"Peronne, August 1793. "I have often regretted, my dear Brother, that my letters have for fome time been rather intended to fatisfy your curiofity than your affection. At this moment I feel differently, and I rejoice that the inquietude and danger of my fituation will probably not come to your knowledge, till I fhall be no longer fub. ject to them. I have been for feveral days unwell, and yet my body, valetudinarian as I am at best, is now the better part of me; for my mind has been fo deranged by fufpenfe and terror, that I expect to recover ny health long before I fall be able to tranquillize my Ipirits.

"On our return from Soiffons I found, by the Public Prints, that a Decree had paffed for arresting all natives of the countries with which France is at war, and who had not conftantly refided there fince 1789. This intelligence, as you will conceive, fufficiently alarmed me, and I loft no time in confulting Mad. De 's friends on the fabject, who were generally of pinion that the Decree was merely a

menace, and that it was too unjust to be put in execution. As fome days elapied, and no fteps were taken in confequence, I began to think that they were right, and my fpirits were fomewhat revived; when one evening, as I was preparing to go to bed, my maid fuddenly entered the room, and before she could give me any previous explanation, the apartment was filled with arined men. As foon as I was collected enough to enquire the object of this unfeasonable vifit, I learned that all this military apparel was to put the feals on my papers, and convey my perfon to the Hotel de Ville! I knew it would be vain to remonftrate, and therefore made an effort to recover my spirits, and fubmit.

"The bufinefs, however, was not yet terminated- my papers were to be fealed; and though they were not very voluminous, the process was more difficult than you would imagine, none of the company having been employed in affairs of the kind before. A debate enfued on the manner in which it should be done, and, after a very tumultuous difcuffion, it was fagaciously concluded to feal up the doors and windows of all the apartments appropriated to my ufe. They then difcovered that they had no feal fit for the purpose, and a new confultation was holden on the propriety of affixing a cypher, which was offered them by one of the Garde Nationale.

"This weighty matter being at length decided, the doors of my bed-chamber, dreffing-room, and of the apartments with which they communicated, were carefully fastened up, though not without an obfervation on my part, that I was only a guest at Mad. De and that an order to feize my papers er perfon was not a mandate for rendering a part of her house useless. But there was no reasoning with ignorance and a score of bayonets nor could I obtain permiffion even to take fome linen out of my drawers. On going down ftairs I found the court and avenues to the garden amply guarded, and with this numerous eicort, and accompanied by Mad. De, I was conducted to the Hotel de Ville. I know not what refiftance they might expect from a single female, but, to judge by their precautions, they must have deemed the adventure a very perilous one. When we arrived at the Hotel de Ville it was near eleven o'clock: the hall was crouded; and a young man, in a dirty linen jacket and trowfers, and dirty linen, with the air

of

of a Polisson, and the countenance of an affaffin, was haranguing with great vehemence against the English, who, he afferted, were all agents of Pitt (elpecially the women), and were to fet fire to the corn, and corrupt the garrifons of the fortified towns. The people liftened to thefe terrible projects with a ftupid fort of furprife, and for the most part feemed either very carelefs or very incredulous. As foon as this inflammatory piece of eloquence was finished, I was prefented to the ill-looking orator, who, I learned, was a Reprefentant du Peuple. It was very easy to perceive that my fpirits were quite overpowered, and that I could with difficulty fupport myself; but this did not prevent the Reprefentant du Peuple from treating me with that inconfiderate brutality commonly the effect of a fudden acceffion of power on narrow and vulgar minds. After a variety of impertinent queftions,menaces of a prifon for myfelf, and exclamations of hatred and vengeance against my country, on producing fome friends of Mad. De

who were to be anfwerable for me, I was released, and returned home more dead than alive.

"You must not infer from what I have related, that I was particularly diftinguifhed upon this occafion, for, tho' I have no acquaintance with the English here, I understand that they had all been treated in the fame manner. As foon as the Reprefentant had left the town, by dint of folicitation we prevailed on the Municipality to take the feal off the roos, and content themfelves with feleting and fecuring my papers, which was done yesterday by a Commiffioner formally appointed for the purpofe. I know not the quality of the good citizens to whom this important charge was entrufted, but I concluded from their coftume that they had been more utefully employed the preceding part of the day at the anvil and laft. It is certain, how. ever, they had undertaken a bufinefs greatly beyond their powers. They, indeed, turned over all my trunks and drawers, and dived to the bottom of water-jugs and flower-jars with great zeal, but neglected to fearch a large portfolio that lay on the table, probably from not knowing the ufe of it; and my fervant conveyed away fome letters, while I amufed them with the fight of a bluebottle fly through a microscope.

"They were at firit much puzzled to know whether books and mutic were included under the article of papers, and

were very defirous of burning a Hiftory of France, because they discovered by the title-page that it was about Kings; but the most difficult part of this mo mentous tranfaction was, taking an account of it in writing: however, as only one of the company could write, there was no difputing as to the fcribe, though there was much about the manner of execution. I did not fee the compofition, but I could hear that it stated"comme quoi." They had found the feals un broken, comme quoi; they had taken them off; and divers as bows of the fame kind. The whole concluded, and my papers depofited in a box, I was at length freed from my guests, and put in poffeflion of my apartments."

"

In confequence of the news of Lord Hood's taking poffeflion of Toulon, which the Government affected to difcredit for fome days, but which was soon ascertained, the Convention, in a paroxism of rage at once cowardly and unprincipled, decreed, that all the English not refident in France before 1789 fhould be imprifoned as hoftages, and be anfwerable for the conduct of their countrymen, and of the Toulonefe, with their lives. This Decree was foon after put into execution, and our fair correfpondent was involved in the common calamity. Having been fo particular in our quotation from the. account of the domiciliary vifit, and as acts of oppreffion and brutality exhibit themfelves generally in the fame odious uniformity of appearance, we fhall pais over the circumstances of this arreftation. But the following account of a female fellow-prifoner we will infert, both on account of its brevity and the commiferation it must excite :

"While I was walking in the yard this morning, I was accotted by a female whom I immediately recollected to be Victoire, a very pretty couturiere, who ufed to work for me when I was at Panthemont, and who made your lat Holland fhirts. I was not a little furprized to fee her in fuch a fituation, and took her afide to enquire her hiftory. I found that her mother was dead, and that her brother, having fet up a little shop at St, Omer's, had engaged her to go and live with him. Being under five-and-twenty, the laft Requisition obliged him to depart for the army, and leave her to carry on the bufinefs alone. Three weeks after she was arrested at midnight, put into a cart, and brought hither. She had no time to take any precautions, ad their little commerce, which was in naTt 2 berdashery,