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cused to be set at liberty. She was fond of recollecting this adventure, and related it one day to the young grand dukes, who were speaking to her of their lessons in physics, in order to make them comprehend how useful that science might be to them." p. 370-372.

XCII. INTERESTING Anecdotes of the heroic Conduct of Women during the French Revolution. Translated from the French of M. DU BROCA, 12mo. with a Frontispiece.

"TH

HE following anecdotes are offered to the English reader with pleasure and confidence by the translator: the passions they exhibit interest equally the rudest savage and man in the most depraved state of artificial manners. Even the worst of men, while their hearts have swelled with the storm of the blackest passions, have relented on beholding the genuine form of the noble passions which are the subject of this work, almost incredible instances of which will be found in the following pages.

The greater part of these anecdotes are new to the world, having been rescued from oblivion by the generous assiduity of the writer of this work; and such as are well known are related with new and authentic circumstances, that give even to these an air of novelty.

"The author has classed his facts according to the species of moral excellence that characterises them; and the translator has thought it best to preserve that order."

Maternal Affection - Conjugal Affection--Filial Affection-Instances of Affection in Sisters for their Brothers-Sacrifices made by the Affection of Lovers-HospitalityFortitude of Mind under Mistortunes-Self-devotion for great Objects-Gratitude-Singular Disinterestedness-Courage inspired by the hatred of Crimes-Patriotism.

EXTRACTS.

French, the governor was arrested, and conducted to one of the prisons of Paris: Madame Lavergne followed to the capital. She was then scarces ly twenty years of age, and one of the loveliest women of France. Her husband was upwards of sixty, yet his amiable qualities first won her esteem, and his tenderness succeeded to inspire her with an affection as sincere and fervent as that which he possessed for her.

"That dreadful epocha of the revolution had already arrived, when the scaffold reeked daily with the blood of its unfortunate victims; and while Lavergne expected every hour to be summoned before the dreaded tribunal, he fell sick in his dungeon. This accident, which at any other moment would have filled the heart of Madame Lavergne with grief and inquietude, now elevated her to hope and consolation. She could not believe there existed a tribunal so barbarous, as to bring a man before the judgment-seat, who was suffering under a burning fever. A perilous disease, she imagined, was the present safeguard of her husband's life; and she promised herself, that the fluctuation of events would change his destiny, and finish in his favour, that which nature had so opportunely begun. Vain expectation! the name of Lavergne had been irrevocably inscribed on the fatal list of the 11th Germinal, of the second year of the republic, (June 25th, 1794) and he must on that day submit to his fate.

"Madame Lavergne, informed of this decision, had recourse to tears and supplications. Persuaded that she could soften the hearts of the representatives of the people, by a faithful picture of Lavergne's situation, she presented herself before the committee of general safety: she demanded that her husband's trial should be delayed, whom she represented as a prey to a dangerous and cruel disease, deprived of his strength, of his faculties, and of all those powers either of body or mind, which could enable him to confront his intrepid and arbitrary accusers.

CONJUGAL AFFECTION." Mad. "Imagine, oh citizens,' said the Lavergne, had been married but a agonized wife of Lavergne, such an very short time to M. Lavergne, Go-unfortunate being as I have devernor of Longy, when that fort surrendered to the Prussians. The moment Longwy was retaken by the

scribed, dragged before a tribunal about to decide upon his life, while reason abandons him, while he can

* not understand the charges brought against him, nor has sufficient power of utterance to declare his inno. 6 cence. His accusers in full possession of their moral and physical strength, and already inflamed with hatred against him, are instigated even by his helplessness to more • than ordinary exertions of malice; while the accused, subdued by bodily suffering, and mental infirmity, is appalled or stupified, and barely sustains the dregs of his miserable 'existence. Will you, oh citizens of France, call a man to trial while in 'the phrenzy of delirium? Will you summon him, who perhaps at this moment expires upon the bed of 'pain, to hear that irrevocable sentence, which admits of no medium 'between liberty or the scaffold and, if you unite humanity with 'justice, can you suffer an old man

one of the judges of the tribunal, and
him she had known previous to the
Revolution. Her repugnance to seek
this man in his new career, was sub-
dued by a knowledge of his power,
and her hopes of his influence. She
threw herself at his feet, bathed them
with her tears, and conjured him by
all the claims of mercy and huma-
nity, to prevail on the tribunal to
delay the trial of her husband till the
hour of his recovery. Dumas replied
coldly, that it did not belong to him
to grant the favour she solicited, nor
should he chuse to make such a re-
quest of the tribunal: then, in a tone
somewhat animated by insolence and
sarcasm, he added, and is it then so
'great a misfortune, madam, to be
delivered from a troublesome hus-
band of sixty, whose death will
leave you at liberty to employ your
youth and charms more usefully?'

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At these words every eye "Such a reiteration of insult, was turned upon Madame Lavergne, roused the unfortunate wife of Lawhose youth and beauty, contrasted vergne to desperation, she shrieked with the idea of an aged and infirm with insupportable anguish, and, rishusband, gave rise to very different ing from her humble posture, she exemotions in the breasts of the mem- tended her arms towards heaven and bers of the committee, from those exclaimed- Just God! will not the with which she had so eloquently crimes of these atrocious men sought to inspire them. They inter-awaken thy vengeance! go, monrupted her with coarse jests and in-ster,' she cried to Dumas, I no decent raillery. One of the members assured her with a scornful smile, that young and handsome as she was, it would not be so difficult as she appeared to imagine, to find means of consolation for the loss of a husband, who, in the common course of na-heaped upon me.' ture, had lived already long enough. Another of them, equally brutal and still more ferocious, added, that the fervour with which she had pleaded the cause of such an husband, was an unnatural excess, and therefore the committee could not attend to her petition.

"Horror, indignation, and despair, took possession of the soul of Madame Lavergne; she had heard the purest and most exalted affection for one of the worthiest of men, contemned and vilified as a degraded appetite. She had been wantonly insulted, while demanding justice, by the administrators of the laws of a nation, and she rushed in silence from the presence of these inhuman men, to hide the bursting agony of her sorrows.

"One faint ray of hope yet arose to cheer the gloom of Madame La vergne's despondency. Dumas was

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longer want thy aid, I no longer need to supplicate thy pity: away to the tribunal, there will I also appear: then shall it be known whether I deserve the outrages which 'thou and thy base associates have

"From the presence of the odious Dumas, and with a fixed determination to quit a life that was now become hateful to her, Madame Lavergne repaired to the hall of the tribunal, and mixing with the crowd, waited in silence for the hour of trial. The barbarous proceedings of the day commence-M. Lavergne is called for-The jailors support him thither on a mattrass; a few questions are proposed to him, to which he answers in a feeble and dying voice, and sentence of death is pronounced upon him.

"Scarcely had the sentence passed the lips of the judge, when Madame Lavergne cried with a loud voice, Vive le Roi! The persons nearest the place whereon she stood, eagerly surrounded, and endeavoured to silence her, but the more the astonishment and alarm of the multitude

augmented, the more loud and vehement became her cries of Vive le Roi! The guard was called, and directed to lead her away. She was followed by a numerous crowd, mute with consternation or pity; but the passages and stair-cases still resounded every instant with Vive le Roi! till she was conducted into one of the rooms belonging to the court of justice, into which the public accuser came to interrogate her on the motives of her extraordinary conduct. "I am not actuated,' she answered, by any sudden impulse of despair or revenge, for the condemnation of M. Lavergne, but from the 'love of royalty, which is rooted in 'my heart. I adore the system that 'you have destroyed. I do not ex'pect any mercy from you, for I am your enemy; labhor your republic, and will persist in the confession I 'have publicly made, as long as I live.' "Such a declaration was without reply the name of Madame Lavergne was instantly added to the list of suspected persons: a few minutes afterward she was brought before the tribunal, where she again uttered her own accusation, and was condemned to die. From that instant the agitation of her spirits subsided, serenity took possession of her mind, and her beautiful countenance announced only the peace and satisfaction of her soul.

"On the day of execution, Madame Lavergne first ascended the cart, and desired to be so placed that she might behold her husband. The unfortunate M. Lavergne had fallen into a swoon, and was in that condition extended upon straw in the cart, at the feet of his wife, without any signs of life. On the way to the place of execution, the motion of the cart bad loosened the bosom of Lavergne's shirt, and exposed his breast to the scorching rays of the sun, till his wife entreated the executioner to take a pin from her handkerchief and fasten his shirt. Shortly afterwards Madame Lavergne, whose attention Dever wandered from her husband for a single instant, perceived that bis senses returned, and called him by his name: at the sound of that voice, whose melody had so long been withheld from him, Lavergne raised his eyes, and fixed them on her with a look at once expressive of terror and affection. • Do not be VOL. I.

alarmed,' she said, it is your faith'ful wife who called you; you know 'I could not live without you, and 'we are going to die together.' Lavergne burst into tears of gratitude, sobs and tears relieved the oppression of his heart, and he became able once more to express his love and admiration of his virtuous wife. The scaffold, which was intended to sepa-. rate, united them for ever." p. 19-28.

FILIAL AFFECTION." During the war of La Vandee the Due de la Rochefoucault, condemned to die, as was also his daughter, found in the resources of that affectionate girl the means of concealing himself till a period arrived more favourable to that justice which he successfully claimed. His daughter's first care was to place him under, the roof and protection of an artisan, who had formerly been a domestic in the duke's service, after which she procured an asylum for herself. They were thus both secure from the immediate power of their persecutors; but as the duke's property was confiscated, and as compasion is apt to grow weary of its good offices, the means of their bare subsistence were soon worn out. While the daughter was suffering under the extreme of poverty, she learnt that her father's health was declining for want of due nourishment. She now saw no way but to devote her life to save her father's, and she instantly made the resolve.

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"A general of the republic at that very time was passing through the city in which was her place of concealment, and to him she wrote the following letter:

'CITIZEN GENERAL,

"Wherever the voice of nature is heard, a daughter may be allowed to claim the compassion of men in behalf of her father. Condemned 'to death at the same time with him who gave me being, I have successfully preserved him from the sword of the executioner, and have preserved myself to watch over his 'safety. But in saving his life, I 'have not been able to furnish all 'that is necessary to support hìm. My unhappy father, whose entire property is confiscated, suffers at this moment the want almost of every thing. Without clothes, without bread, without friend to save 'him from perishing of want, he has

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not even the resource of the beggar, which still furnishes a little hope, that of being able to appeal to the compassionate, and to present his white hairs to those that might be moved to give him aid: my father, if he is not speedily succoured, will die in his place of concealment, and thus, after snatching him from a 'violent death, I shall have to sustain the mournful reflection of having betrayed him to one more lingering and painful-that of dying of cold and hunger.

"Be the judge, citizen general, of the extent of my misfortune, and own that it is worthy of pity. One ' resource only is left to me. It is to 'cast myself upon your generosity. I offer you my head, I undertake to go, and to go willingly, to the scaffold, but give immediate succour to my dying father. Below I give 'you the name of my place of concealment, there I will expect death with pleasure, if I may promise my'self that you will be touched with my prayers, and will relieve my old and destitute parent.'

"The soldier had no sooner read this letter than he hastened to the asylum of Madame de Rochefoucault, and not only relieved her father, but secretly protected both, and after the 9th Thermidor, procured the restoration of M. de Rochefoucault's property by a revision of their sentence." p. 85-88.

AFFECTION OF SISTERS TO BROTHERS." It was the practice at Nantes and other places, to put a number of condemned persons on board a vessel, and sink them in the river. During these terrible drownings, a young girl, whose brother had been arrested, repaired to the house of Carrier to implore his protection in behalf of her brother.

What age is he?' asked Carrier. Thirty-six years.' So much the 'worse; he must die, and three fourths of the persons in the same 'prison with him.'

"At this horrible answer the poor girl knelt before the proconsul, and declaimed emphatically against the barbarity of his conduct. Carrier ordered her to leave the house, and even brutally struck her with the scabbard of his sabre. Scarcely, however, had she left his apartment when he called her back to inform her, that if she would yield to his desires he would spare the life of her

brother. His proposition filled her with disdain, and restored her to courage; she replied, that she had demanded justice, and justice was not to be bought with infamy.'

"She retired, and learning that ber brother was on the point of being conducted to one of those dreadful boats at Paimbeuf, she ran again to the Proconsul, hopeless now of his life, and entreating only that she might be allowed to give something to her brother that might support him on the way.

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"Begone," replied Carrier, he has no need of any support.'

"The brother of this unfortunate girl went to Paimbeuf, but before he had perished his sister was no more." p. 105-107.

FORTITUDE." During the disastrous reign of the assignats, a family formerly opulent, consisting of a father, mother, and five children, pined in want in a small cottage at the extremity of a town. The father, whose temper was violent, supported his misfortune with an impatience difficult to express. He frequently considered whether he should not put an end to his life. His wife, observing the agitation of his mind, and knowing him capable of a rash act, meditated on the means of withdrawing him from his project. But the difficulty was to find motives sufficiently strong. His affection for herself and his children, was rather calculated to push him to extremity; for it was evident, he never thought on them without anguish bordering on despair. To propose to him to have recourse to the charity of his neighbours, she knew, would wound his pride, which was excessive. Besides, she was not certain of the success of that expe dient; and she knew, that a refusal would be a thousand times more cruel than any species of torture. Even the resource of consolation was not left her, for her husband would not listen to any topic that might afford hope, but impatiently pressed her to die with him, and to persuade their children to the same resolution. Surrounded by so many subjects of discouragement, the wife never abandoned herself to despair. One idea arose in her mind, which she exprest to her husband with so much tenderness and courage, that it almost instantly restored his mind to tran quillity.

"All is not lost,' she said, 'I have

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purchase it of the driver. Yielding to her entreaties, the surgeon went to the driver, and telling him his profession, said he wished to purchase

health, and our five children also. Let us leave this town, and retire to 'some place where we are not known, and I and my children will labour 'to support their father.' She add-one of the bodies for dissection. The

ed, that if their labour was insufficient, she would privately beg alms for his support. The husband ruminated awhile over this proposition, and took this resolution with a constancy worthy of the honourable life he has since led.

"No,' he said, 'I will not reduce you to the disgrace of beggary for 'me; but since you are capable of 'such attachment to me, I know 'what remains to render me worthy ' of it.'

"He then lost no time in collecting together the remnants of his property, which produced a hundred pistoles, and quitted the town with his family, taking the road to a distant department; and in the first place where he thought he was not known, he changed his dress for the coarse dress of a peasant, making his whole family do the same; and continuing his route, arrived at a town which he thought fit for his purpose: in the neighbourhood of which he hired a cabin, with a field, and a small vineyard. He then bought some wool and flax to employ the girls, and tools to cultivate the land for himself and the boys, the use of which he hired a peasant to teach

him.

"A few weeks sufficed to conquer all difficulties. The example of the father and mother excited emulation among the children; and acquiring a competence from its labour and constancy, originating in the courage of the virtuous mother, this family lived perfect patterns of peace and domes. tic union." p. 177-180.

GRATITUDE." During the unhappy days of September, 1792, a woman conceived the project of rendering funeral honours, from motives of gratitude, to her confessor, whom she understood to be massacred at the prison Des Carmes. As she intently dwelt upon this idea, she heard an extraordinary cry in the street, by which she was drawn to the window:

she saw a cart passing filled with dead bodies, and among them recognised the person of her confessor! A surgeon, one of her neighbours, happened to be with her pointing out the body, she entreated him to go and

driver asked him twenty crowns, permitting him to take his choice. He paid down the money and took the body pointed out to him, which he caused to be conveyed into the house of his friend: but what was the surgeon's surprise when he saw the priest on his feet! Clothes being procured for him, and being in the presence of his benefactress, he said, When I saw my brethren massacred at Des Carmes, I imagined it possible to save my life by throwing myself among the dead bodies as one of 'them. I was stripped, and thrown into the cart in which you saw me. I did not receive a single wound; the blood with which you saw me covered was that of the carcases with which I was confounded. Receive, my benefactress, the most grateful thanks! It is probable, that, thrown into a quarry with the bodies of my unfortunate companions, I should 'have perished there!" All three then fell on their knees, and returned thanks to Heaven for this singular deliverance." p. 208, 209.

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We cannot close this article without observing that though we believe these narratives, horrid as they are, to be founded in truth, we hope, for the honour of human nature, that they are exaggerated by rhetorical colouring: we add, that they have not all a favourable moral tendency, some of them countenancing suicide, a crime which we must uniformly reprobate.

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