part was effectually done. He sent in a column of grenadiers with fixed bayonets at one end of the hall of the great council, and made them advance steadily to the other; driving the unhappy senators, in their fine classical draperies, before them, and forcing them to leap out of the windows, and scamper through the gardens in these strange habiliments! Colonel Pride's purge itself was not half so rough in its operation.

citizenship and equality to one set of hearers, and of the sacred rights of sovereigns to an other. He extended the same unprincipled dissimulation to the subject of religion. To the prelates with whom he arranged his celebrated Concordat, he spoke in the most seri ous manner of the truth and the awfulness of the Gospel; and to Cabanis and the philosophers, he said, the same evening,-"SavezVous ce que c'est la Concordat? C'est la There was now an end, not only of liberty, Vaccine de la Religion-dans cinquante ans il but of republican tyranny; and the empire of n'y aura plus en France!" He resolved, the sword in the hand of one man, was sub- however, to profit by it while it lasted; and stantially established. It is melancholy to had the blasphemous audacity to put this, think, but history shows it to be true, that the among other things, into the national catemost abject servitude is usually established chism, approved of by the whole Gallican at the close of a long, and even generous church:-"Qu. Que doit-on penser de ceux struggle for freedom; partly, no doubt, be- qui manqueroient à leur devoir envers l'Emcause despotism offers an image of repose to pereur Napoléon? Réponse. Qu'ils resistethose who are worn out with contention, but roient à l'ordre établi de Dieu lui-même-et chiefly because that military force to which se rendroient dignes de la damnation éternelle!” all parties had in their extremity appealed, With the actual tyranny of the sword began naturally lends itself to the bad ambition of a the more pitiful persecution of the slavish fortunate commander. This it was which journals-the wanton and merciless infliction made the fortune of Bonaparte. His answer of exile on women and men of letters-and to all remonstrances was-"Voulez-vous que | the perpetual, restless, insatiable interference je vous livre aux Jacobins ?" But his true answer was, that the army was at his devotion, and that he defied the opinion of the

nation.

He began by setting up the Consulate: But from the very first, says Madame de Staël, assumed the airs and the tone of royalty.

in the whole life and conversation of every one of the slightest note or importance. The following passages are written, perhaps, with more bitterness than any other in the book; but they appear to us to be substantially just.

"Bonaparte, lorsqu'il disposoit d'un million d'hommes armés, n'en attachoit pas moins d'im"Il prit les Tuileries pour sa demeure; et ce fut portance à l'art de guider l'esprit public par les un coup de partie que le choix de cette habitation. gazettes; il dictoit souvent lui-même des articles de On avoit vu là le roi de France; les habitudes mon- journaux qu'on pouvoit reconnoître aux saccades archiques y étoient encore présentes à tous les yeux, violentes du style. On voyoit qu'il auroit voulu et il suffisoit, pour ainsi dire, de laisser faire les mettre dans ce qu'il écrivoit, des coups au lieu de murs pour tout rétablir. Vers les derniers jours du mots! Il a dans tout son être un fond de vulgarité dernier siècle, je vis entrer le premier consul dans que le gigantesque de son ambition même ne sauroit ce palais bâti par les rois; et quoique Bonaparte fut toujours cacher. Ce n'est pas qu'il ne sache trèsbien loin encore de la magnificence qu'il a dévelop. bien, un jour donné, se montrer avec beaucoup de pée depuis, l'on voyoit déjà dans tout ce qui l'en- convenance; mais il n'est à son aise que dans le touroit un empressement de se faire courtisan à mépris pour les autres, et, dès-qu'il peut y rentrer, l'orientale, qui dut lui persuader que gouverner la il s'y complait. Toutefois ce n'étoit pas unique. terre étoit chose bien facile. Quand sa voiture fut ment par goût qu'il se livroit à faire servir, dans ses arrivée dans la cour des Tuileries, ses valets ouvri- notes du Moniteur, le cynisme de la révolution au rent la portière et précipitèrent le marchepied avec maintien de sa puissance. Il ne permettoit qu'à lui une violence qui sembloit dire que les choses phy-d'être jacobin en France.-Vol. ii. p. 264. siques elles-mêmes étoient insolentes quand elles retardoient un instant la marche de leur maître! Lui ne regardoit ni ne remercioit personne; comme s'il avoit craint qu'on pût le croire sensible aux hommages même qu'il exigeoit. En montant l'escalier au milieu de la foule qui se pressoit pour le suivre, ses yeux ne se portoient ni sur aucun objet, ni sur aucune personne en particulier. Il y avoit quelque chose de vague et d'insouciant dans sa physionomie, et ses regards n'exprimoient que ce qu'il lui convient toujours de montrer,-l'indifférence pour le sort, et le dédain pour les hommes."

Vol. ii. pp. 258, 259.

He had some reason, indeed, to despise men, from the specimens he had mostly about him: For his adherents were chiefly deserters from the royalist or the republican party; --the first willing to transfer their servility to a new dynasty, the latter to take the names and emoluments of republican offices from the hand of a plebeian usurper. For a while he thought it prudent to dissemble with each; and, with that utter contempt of truth which belonged to his scorn of mankind, held, in the same day, the most edifying discourses of

Mais bientôt après il en bannit un grand nombre, "Je fus la première femme que Bonaparte exila; d'opinions opposées. D'où venoit ce luxe en fait de méchanceté, si ce n'est d'une sorte de haine contre tous les êtres indépendans? Et comme les femmes, d'une part, ne pouvoient servir en rien ses desseins politiques, et que, de l'autre, elles étoient moins accessibles que les hommes aux craintes et aux espédonnoient de l'humeur comme des rebelles, et il se rances dont le pouvoir est dispensateur, elles lui plaisoit à leur dire des choses blessantes et vul gaires. Il haïssoit autant l'esprit de chevalerie qu'il recherchoit l'étiquette: c'étoit faire un mauvais choix parmi les anciennes mœurs. Il lui restoit aussi de ses premières habitudes pendant la révolu tion, une certaine antipathie jacobine contre la soexerçoient beaucoup d'ascendant. H redoutoit en ciété brillante de Paris; sur laquelle les femmes elles l'art de la plaisanterie, qui, l'on doit en convenir, appartient particulièrement aux Françoises. Si Bonaparte avoit voulu s'en tenir au superbe rôle de grand général et de premier magistrat de la république, il auroit plané de toute la hauteur du de salon. Mais quand il avoit le dessein de se faire génie au-dessus des petits traits acérés de l'esprit un roi parvenu, un bourgeois gentilhomme sur le trône, il s'exposoit précisément à la moquerie du

bon ton, et il ne pouvoit la comprimer, comme il
'a fait, que par l'espionage et la terreur."
Vol. ii. pp. 306, 307.

The thin mask of the Consulate was soon thrown off-and the Emperor appeared in his proper habits. The following remarks, though not all applicable to the same period, appear to us to be admirable.

There are some fine remarks on the baseness of those who solicited employment and "Bonaparte avoit lu l'histoire d'une manière favours under Bonaparte, and have since joinconfuse. Peu accoutumé à l'étude, il se rendoited the party of the Ultras, and treated the beaucoup moins compte de ce qu'il avoit appris whole Revolution as an atrocious rebelliondans les livres, que de ce qu'il avoit recueilli par and a very clear and masterly view of the l'observation des hommes. Il n'en étoit pas moins policy by which that great commander subresté dans sa téte un certain respect pour Attila et dued the greater part of Continental Europe. pour Charlemagne, pour les lois féodales et pour le despotisme de l'Orient, qu'il appliquoit à tort et à But we can afford no room now for any further travers, ne se trompant jamais, toutefois, sur ce account of them. As a general, she says, he qui servoit instantanément à son pouvoir; mais du was prodigal of the lives of his soldiersreste, citant, blâmant, louant et raisonnant comme haughty and domineering to his officers-and le hasard le conduisoit. Il parloit ainsi des heures utterly regardless of the miseries he inflicted entières avec d'autant plus d'avantage, que peron the countries which were the scenes of

les individus, soit dans les nations; il a pris l'ex- | amples better, he has that of his own Henri pression de ces sentimens pour de l'hypocrisie."Vol. ii. pp. 391, 392

battle, when Bonaparte returned to Paris, he | fuse a respectable office, with a salary of had not the least idea of being called upon 8000 louis, would certainly be considered as again to abdicate; but expected to obtain from fit for Bedlam: And in another place she obthe two chambers the means of renewing or serves, that it seems to be a fundamental continuing the contest. When he found that maxim in that country, that every man must this was impossible, he sunk at once into de- have a place. We confess that we have some spair, and resigned himself without a struggle. difficulty in reconciling these incidental intiThe selfishness which had guided his whole mations with her leading position, that the great career, disclosed itself in naked deformity in majority of the French nation is desirous of a the last acts of his public life. He abandoned free constitution, and perfectly fit for and dehis army the moment he found that he could not serving of it. If these be the principles, not lead it immediately against the enemy-and only upon which they act, but which they and no sooner saw his own fate determined, than their advocates avow, we know no constitution he gave up all concern for that of the unhappy under which they can be free; and have no country which his ambition had involved in | faith in the power of any new institutions to such disasters. He quietly passed by the counteract that spirit of corruption by which, camp of his warriors on his way to the port even where they have existed the longest, by which he was to make his own escape their whole virtue is consumed. and, by throwing himself into the hands of the English, endeavoured to obtain for himself the benefit of those liberal principles which it had been the business of his life to extirpate and discredit all over the world.

With our manners in society she is not quite so well pleased;-though she is kind enough to ascribe our deficiencies to the most honourable causes. In commiserating the comparative dulness of our social talk, however, has At this point Madame de Staël terminates not this philosophic observer a little overlooked somewhat abruptly her historical review of the effects of national tastes and habits-and the events of the Revolution; and here, our is it not conceivable, at least, that we who are readers will be happy to learn, we must stop used to it may really have as much satisfac. too. There is half a volume more of her work, tion in our own hum-drum way of seeing each indeed, and one that cannot be supposed the other, as our more sprightly neighbours in least interesting to us, as it treats chiefly of their exquisite assemblies? In all this part the history, constitution, and society of Eng- of the work, too, we think we can perceive land. But it is for this very reason that we the traces rather of ingenious theory, than of cannot trust ourselves with the examination of correct observation; and suspect that a good it. We have every reason certainly to be satis- part of the tableau of English society is rather fied with the account she gives of us; nor can a sort of conjectural sketch, than a copy from any thing be more eloquent and animating than real life; or at least that it is a generalization the view she has presented of the admirable from a very few, and not very common exmechanism and steady working of our consti- amples. May we be pardoned too for hinting, tution, and of its ennobling effects on the char- that a person of Madame de Staël's great acter of all who live under it. We are willing talents and celebrity, is by no means well to believe all this too to be just; though we qualified for discovering the true tone and are certainly painted en beau. In some parts, character of English society from her own obhowever, we are more shocked at the notions servation; both because she was not likely to she gives us of the French character, than see it in those smaller and more familiar asflattered at the contrast exhibited by our own. semblages in which it is seen to the most adIn mentioning the good reception that gentle-vantage, and because her presence must have men in opposition to government sometimes meet with in society, among us, and the upright posture they contrive to maintain, she says, that nobody here would think of con- With all its faults, however, the portion of doling with a man for being out of power, or her book which we have been obliged to pass of receiving him with less cordiality. She over in silence, is well worthy of as ample a notices also, with a very alarming sort of ad- notice as we have bestowed on the other miration, that she understood, when in Eng-parts of it, and would of itself be sufficient to land, that a gentleman of the law had actually refused a situation worth 6000l. or 7000l. a year, merely because he did not approve of the ministry by whom it was offered; and adds, that in France any man who would re

30

had the unlucky effect of imposing silence on the modest, and tempting the vain and ambitious to unnatural display and ostentation.

justify us in ascribing to its lamented author that perfection of masculine understanding, and female grace and acuteness, which are so rarely to be met with apart, and never, wo believe, were before united.

U 2

(February, 1816.)

Mémoires de MADAME LA MARQUISE DE. LAROCHEJAQUELEIN; avec deux Cartes du Théatre de la Guerre de La Vendée. 2 tomes, 8vo. pp. 500. Paris: 1815.

extraordinary incidents, unexpected turns of fortune, and striking displays of individual talent, and vice and virtue, than the more solemn movements of national hostility; where every thing is in a great measure provided and foreseen, and where the inflexible subordination of rank, and the severe exactions of a limited duty, not only take away the inducement, but the opportunity, for those exaltations of personal feeling and adventure which produce the most lively interest, and lead to the most animating results. In the

THIS is a book to be placed by the side of Mrs. Hutchinson's delightful Memoirs of her heroic husband and his chivalrous Independents. Both are pictures, by a female hand, of tumultuary and almost private wars, carried on by conscientious individuals against the actual government of their country:-and both bring to light, not only innumerable traits of the most romantic daring and devoted fidelity in particular persons, but a general character of domestic virtue and social gentleness among those who would otherwise have figured to our imaginations as adventur- unconcerted proceedings of an insurgent popuous desperadoes or ferocious bigots. There is less talent, perhaps, and less loftiness, either of style or of character, in the French than the English heroine. Yet she also has done and suffered enough to entitle her to that appellation; and, while her narrative acquires an additional interest and a truer tone of nature, from the occasional recurrence of female fears and anxieties, it is conversant with still more extraordinary incidents and characters, and reveals still more of what had been previously malignantly misrepresented, or entirely unknown.

lation, all is experiment, and all is passion. The heroic daring of a simple peasant lifts him at once to the rank of a leader; and kindles a general enthusiasm to which all things become possible. Generous and gentle feelings are speedily generated by this raised state of mind and of destination; and the perpetual intermixture of domestic cares and rustic occupations, with the exploits of troops serving without pay, and utterly unprovided with magazines, produces a contrast which enhances the effects of both parts of the description, and gives an air of moral picturOur readers will understand, from the title- esqueness to the scene, which is both pathetic page which we have transcribed, that the and delightful. It becomes much more attractwork relates to the unhappy and sanguinary ive also, in this representation, by the singuwars which were waged against the insur-lar candour and moderation--not the most gents in La Vendée during the first and mad- usual virtue of belligerent females-with dest years of the French Republic: But it is which Madame de L. has told the story of proper for us to add, that it is confined almost her friends and her enemies-the liberality entirely to the transactions of two years; and with which she has praised the instances of that the detailed narrative ends with the dis-heroism or compassion which occur in the solution of the first Vendean army, before the proper formation of the Chouan force in Brittany, or the second insurrection of Poitou; though there are some brief and imperfect notices of these, and subsequent occurrences. The details also extend only to the proceedings of the Royalist or Insurgent party, to which the author belonged; and do not affect to embrace any general history of the war.

This hard-fated woman was very young, and newly married, when she was thrown, by the adverse circumstances of the time, into the very heart of those deplorable contests; and, without pretending to any other information than she could draw from her own experience, and scarcely presuming to pass any judgment upon the merits or demerits of the cause, she has made up her book of a clear and dramatic description of acts in which she was a sharer, or scenes of which she was an eyewitness, and of the characters and histories of the many distinguished individuals who partook with her of their glories or sufferings. The irregular and undisciplined wars which it is her business to describe, are naturally far more prolific of

conduct of the republicans, and the simplicity with which she confesses the jealousies and excesses which sometimes disgraced the insurgents. There is not only no royalist or antirevolutionary rant in these volumes, but scarcely any of the bitterness or exaggeration of a party to civil dissensions; and it is rather wonderful that an actor and a sufferer in the most cruel and outrageous warfare by which modern times have been disgraced, should have set an example of temperance and impartiality which its remote spectators have found it so difficult to follow. The truth is, we believe, that those who have had most occasion to see the mutual madness of contending factions, and to be aware of the traits of individual generosity by which the worst cause is occasionally redeemed, and of brutal outrage by which the best is sometimes debased, are both more indulgent to human nature, and more distrustful of its immaculate purity, than the fine declaimers who aggravate all that is bad on the side to which they are opposed, and refuse to admit its existence in that to which they belong. The general of an adverse army has always more tolera.