primary and principal author of the Revolution of Franceit would, perhaps, be necessary to dilate considerably, to assemble and collect a multitude of particular facts which should unmask his secret intrigues. But this trouble may be spared: in the month of March, 1790, he has dared to boast, in the midst of his own Cathedral, in the face of a numerous audience of all with which I now reproach him. These are words which the Pope has made use of in speaking of this fact. "Vix enim Cardinalis, exul atque extorris a solo Patrio, inchoatum crescentemque vidit Gallicani Conventus operâ ILLAM RERUM CONVERSIONEM, quam nobiscum ignorabant omnes PER EUM IPSUM, ministerii sui tempore, DESIGNATAM ET PARATAM FUISSE, nullâ morâ interpositâ se contulit ad ecclesiam suam cathedralem Senonensem; ibique, mense Martio anni 1790, veritus minimè est sermonem coram omnibus habere, et NOVAM RERUM IMMUTATIONEM PLURIMA LAUDE CUMU LARE, eo usque ut eidem condendæ se aliis incitamento fuisse gloriatus sit." Observations du Chev. Bintinaye, p. 87, 88. SAINT MIRABEAU. CANONIZED AND UNCANONIZED. Mirabeau was, through life, the most immoral of men. A bad son-an execrable husband-a brutal lover-an imperious master: his character, sometimes loose, sometimes severe; had in it no fixed principle of action. Le Véritable Portrait, p. 12. Mirabeau, in the space of one year, paid debts to a vast amount, made purchases of land, of moveables, of a very valuable library; he lived in great state, even his pleasures, although not of a refined, were of a very expensive, sort; and as he neglected no kind of trick to gain popularity, he distributed alms in abundance without being either humane or devout. From what source could he derive his unthought-of opulence! He who, persecuted by his creditors for the space of eighteen months, commenced his political career by swindling 48,000 livres from La Fayette. This honourable exploit of the great Mirabeau is detailed in the note at the bottom of page 17, as follows: La Fayette, not content with having enlisted in his pay an army of spies and mercenaries, to applaud him wherever he should appear in public, wished also to purchase MIRABEAU. Well acquainted with his necessitous circumstances, he made him an offer of 24,000 livres. Eight days were employed in concluding the bargain. During this interval La Fayette's trusty friend, Talon, procured the money, and tendered it, in the General's name, to Mirabeau, Talon himself being ignorant that a banker had already engaged to advance the sum; Mirabeau lost no time, gave Talon the meeting at seven o'clock, and having taken the money, he stepped into his carriage, and driving off with expedition, received a consideration of equal amount from the banker. This little voluntary mistake was rectified at the expense of the Civil List, which re-established cordiality between the several parties. Page 17. Louis XVI. avoit regné, 13 années, et avoit constamment montré l'amour de l'ordre et de l'économie, et le desir de se livrer à tous les sacrifices personnels qui pouvoient contribuer au soulagement de ses peuples. Pendant cet intervalle de tems l'abus des lettres de cachet etoit devenu presque imperceptible, et le plus facheux effet qu'elles ayent eu alors, ça été de sauver Mirabeau de la corde. Observations du Chev. de la Bintinaye, p. 77, 78. M. EGALITE. Here you have the implacable mover of all the insurrec tions, of all the calamities which have devastated France. When the whole universe denounce and condemn him, shall I, by an unmanly silence, suffer the assassin of my Sovereign to reap the fruit of his crimes in peace? No.-My grief shall be indulged without restraint, since his hatred was without pity. Ah! of what import is it to me at this moment that Providence, to terrify mankind, distinguished his birth by its proximity to the throne! He who poniards my Master, is no Member of the family. Here the blood of the Bourbons forfeits every title to regard. ORLEANS falling from one abyss of guilt to another is self-sentenced, is self-degraded. He was willing to level himself with ruffians that he might be entitled to command them. He has descended from that rank in which chance had mis-placed him. He has not abjured his name he has resumed it-his birth was evidently an error of Nature; an error which she will eternally regret. Unnatural son, he could never pardon the virtues of his father: barbarous husband, he tyrannized over the purest virtue, over a mind of the most elevated stamp; he himself was not ashamed to denounce to the Convention this unfortunate Princess, whose only error was her esteem for him. A father, the corruptor of his children-the executioner of his posterity, he sacrificed to the projects of his hatred the very existence of his descendants. A prince, the enemy to the throne: a gentleman, the destroyer of the nobility: a citizen, he overwhelmed his native land with ruin, he sold his country and its powerful master, and made the laws subservient to his interest. In each several relation of subject, friend, parent, and husband, treacherous and perfidious; to consummate his infamy, nothing remained for him to perpetrate but the butchery of his sovereign, his father, his benefactor. Dishonour to thy name-scourge of my country -all Nature revolts against thee-the Universe no longer yields thee an asylum!! La Vie de Louis XVI. par M. de Limon, p. 55, 56. |