1796.] Original Anecdotes.Lebrun. Marivetz.. Claviere, &c. 559 In No IV, page 305, col. ii, line 25, for 37 (m) read 37 (m.) The Effays by IW. and BCYGNI are deferred for want of room in this No.-PALAMEDES will pleafe to obferve, that there is no fuperfluity in Question XII, it being intended for a cafe, in which the balloon and two obfervers are not in the fame vertical plane. When they are all in fuck a plane, then indeed two obfervers are fufficient; and this cafe has been refolved elsewhere. ORIGINAL ANECDOTES AND REMAINS OF EMINENT PERSONS. This article is devoted to the reception of Biographical Anecdotes, Papers, Letters, &c. and zve request the Communications of fuch of our Readers as can affift us in these objects.] ANECDOTES OF PERSONS CONNECTED Capet and his wife, and one who kept WITH THE FRENCH REVOLUTION. [Continued from our last.] LEBRUN, ORIGINALLY known by the name of Pierre-Marie Tondu, was addicted in his early youth to aftronomy, and remained at the Royal Obfervatory, under Caffini, until 1778. He foon after became the editor of a newspaper, celebrated for its early communication of foreign occurrences, and the diplomatic talents of its conductor. Shortly after the revolution, he was introduced by the Briffotins into the adminiftration, and became minifter for foreign affairs. In this fituation, he difplayed all the refources of a fubtle and intelligent mind, and had his agents in every court of Europe; in fhort, he was deemed the most able man, in point of real bufinefs, in the whole council. On the triumph of the Jacobins, he was obliged to conceal himself; and has often been known to flip, towards the evening, from his lurking place, difguifed under a black wig, and a fhabby furtout, in order to procure fuftenance. As he was unprovided with a civic-card, he was not entitled to purchafe bread. This circumftance alfo fubjected him to the interrogatories of every centinel, and to imprisonment in every guard-house he happened to pafs by. After living fome time in conftant danger, he was length feized, confined, and tried. at He was born at Noyon, and decapitated at Paris in the 48th year of his age. ་ up a correfpondence with the enemies of the state." CLAVIERE Was a native of Geneva, whence he was driven into, exile, on the prevalence of the party he had oppofed. While yet a private man, he attained great celebrity by his knowledge of the refources and revenues of France, and was conftantly confulted by Mirabeau, who was indebted to him for much of his reputation. Being a leading member of the Jacobin Club, he was introduced to Louis XVI, and became minister of finance. On the overthrow of the Giroudifts, he was arrefted, and prevented his public execution by fuicide. He is faid to have been the author of the affignats, a plan which has changed the face of France, and feems likely to effect a total change in the whole European systems AUBERT DUBAYET, A revolutionift in every sense of the word; for, after affifting in the troubles of his native country, he has been both officially and perfonally zealous to light up a new flame on the shores of the Archipelago. It is of the utmost importance for France, to induce the Sublime Porte to declare against Ruffia: the very probability of this event, has indeed been eminently ferviceable to the republic, as it has hitherto confined the operations of the emprefs to empty threats, and ineffectual brayados. bert du Bayet, lately a member of the administration, has accordingly been employed by the Directory, in a diplo matic character, on a million to Confantinople, for the exprefs purpose of effecting a breach between the Greek Crofs and the Turkish Crefcent. This ambassador was furifhed with the crown Au jewels, jewels, to bribe the Divan; and with engineers and tactitians, to inftruct and direct its armies. The annihilation of Poland has not only destroyed the balance of power, but actually endangered the political exiftence of the Turks as an European nation. In addition to this, it is the intereft of France that there should be. a counterpoife in that quarter to the three great partitioning powers. Is Poland, then, to be entirely blotted out from the map of free ftates, and lofe even its name? Or fhall we behold that republic which, under John Sobreski, fuftained Europe during the eruption of a horde of fanatic Muffu mans, arifing, phoenix-like, from its afhes, more vigo rous than before? CERUTTI Was a man of letters, amiable in his manners, gentle in his deportment, and poffeffed of the happy faculty of adapting his talents to the capacities of the mul titude. This circumftance rendered him peculiarly proper to fuperintend a popular work, and we accordingly find him uncommonly fuccefsful in a paper called La Feuille Villageofe, which he contrived to render tout-à-tous. This publication appeared every Thursday, and had an extenfive circulation throughout all France, and more especially the southern depart ments. In Lyons, which abounds with manufacturers, it was much read; and the Revolution is not a little indebted for its popularity, to the labours of this enlightened citizen, who died with an unstained reputation, while in the height of his glory. On the demise of Cerutti, the Feuille Villagecife was configned to the care of Grouvelle and Guinquené, both of them men of talents. As this paper is now before me, I fhall exhibit an idea of the manner in which it was carried on, under their manage ment, from No. 34, Thurfday, 23d May, 1793: SPECIMEN OF A COUNTER-REVOLUTION. "A HINT TO REPUBLICANS. "11th January, 1382. "The inhabitants of Paris rofe on the aft of March, 1382, in confequence of the taxes; this was the third revolt during the reign of Charles VI on the fame fubject. Charles, who had carefully diffembled his defire of vengeance, arrived, on the 10th of January, 1382, at St. Denis, where he offered up thanks to God, on account of his victory over the Flemings, at Rofbecq; 25,000 of whom had been left on the field of battle. "The Provost of the merchants, and fome others of the chief burgeffes, were imprudent enough to repair thither to faute the victorious king, and to re queft him to enter bis capital. The monarch accepted the invitation, and on the next day, marching in at the head of his troops, he overturned the barriers, cut down the gates, took poffeffion of the princial parts of the city, and inftantly feized and imprisoned 300 of the most refpectable inhabitants. "A goldfmith and a draper were both hanged; Nicholas Fiamel, another inforgent, was beheaded; and John Defmarais, a refpectable magiftrate, thared the fame fate. On this, feveral of those who were confined, killed themfelves, to avoid a public execution; and most of those who neglected to do fo. either were privately put to death in the prifons, or thrown into the river during the nights. "This tragedy being ended, the people were affembled in the court before the palace, and the king having feated him felf on his throne, the Chancellor reprí manded them in a fet fpeech, for their frequent revolts and rebellions. On this, knowing the bloody difpofition of the court, they were afraid of being maffacred by the foldiery; but the dukes of Berry and Burgundy, falling at the monarch's feet, his majefty granted to fuch of the prifoners as were ftill alive, a free pardon. They were accordingly restored to liberty, but they were tripped of nearly all their fortune. "Charles VI did not ftop here; he increafed the impofts according to his own caprice; and robbed the rich merchants, one time under pretext that they had, excited the revolt, and at another, that they had not oppofed it. But these taxes and confiscations enriched neither the ftate nor the king; for the courtiers, the officers of the army, &c. (the financiers) feized upon the whole. "Citizens of the French Republic! ye who have written, acted, and fpoken againft royalty, and in behalf of liberty; ye who have acquired ecclefiaftical and bational property, or any thing appertaining to the emigrants; ye who have poffeffed any authority, or exercifed any functions during the prefent Revolution; ye who may even chance to have a few affignats in your pockets, learn from this authentic historical document, what will be your lot, 1796.] Original Anecdotes.---Lavoifier... Wallot... Laharpe. lot if you should ever ceafe to employ your ability and talents in fupport of the infant Republic!" This newspaper was published at Paris, and coft only nine livres a year. Had Cerutti lived until the monarchy of Maximilian I, he would have been then profecuted on account of his talents and his virtues. It was lucky for him pérhaps, that he died before he witneffed the exceffes that difgraced-not the revolution-but the authors of thofe atrocities. The maffacres of the priests and nobles, in September; the civic baptifms, or drownings in the Loire; and the excefs of punishment inflicted on the wretched infurgents of Lyons, by means of cannifter and grape-fhot, attach only to the perpetrators. All kings do not refemble our Henry VIII; nor do all Republicans emulate the vices of Collot D'Herbois and M. Robespierre! LAVOISIER. Was one of Robefpierre's martyrs-of that Robespierre in whofe prefence virtue was a crime, and genius a foundation for fufpicion. The name of this great man is well known to every one who cultivates the fciences, as the ableft chymift of his day; and to him the prefent age is indebted for many of the new difcoveries, particularly those respecting air. It is faid, that he asked permiffion to make a few important experiments before his death, but was refused. He is lefs known as an aftronomer than as a chymift, but we have Lalande's au-thority for afferting, that he was eminent alfo in this branch of knowledge. From him we learn, that he occupied much of his time, and expended part of his ample fortune, in the conftruction and improvement of astronomical inftru ments. Lavoifier was a farmer-general, and a member of the Academy of Sciences: the former circumftance proved fatal to him, he having been executed under pretence of taking a larger rate of intereft than that allowed by the law, with an intention, as it was faid, of aflifting the enemies of his country. His friends, on the other hand, affert, that he fell a martyr to the avarice and envy of his oppoHe was executed on the 19th Floreal (8th May), 1794. WALLOT. Also a man of science, and one of the laft victims of the Robespierrean tyranny, was MONTHLY MAG, No. VII. nents. 561 a native of the Palatinate, but he had fettled in France, where he cultivated aftronomy for fome years. In 1768, he accompanied Caffini to America, in order to obferve the longitudes of different ftations, and try the marine timepieces. He was beheaded on the 27th of July, 1794; had his execution been but delayed a few hours longer, he would have been inevitably faved, as the guillotine fevered the head from the body of his perfecutor, Maximilian Robespierre, on the fucceeding day! LAHARPE. The little territory extending from the lakes of Yverdun and Morat, to that of Geneva, and known by the name of the Pays de Vaud, is governed by the ariftocratical canton of Berne, with a degree of oppreffive infolence that has more than once excited infurrection. It is there, that a haughty Bailli exercises a plenitude of authority not always delegated to the viceroys of Kings; and that a fenate, formerly praised by J. J. Rouffeau for its "wifdom," not unfrequently brandishes the iron rod of unrelenting defpotifm. It was in this fubfidary ftate, that General Laharpe happened to be born, in 17543 and it was here he retired, after having acted for fome years as an officer in the army of the States-General, in one of thofe regiments whofe fervices, in imitation of the German defpots, are fold by Berne for money, to any country whofe inhabitants may be deemed unfit to defend themfelves. Agriculture, philofophy, a good wife, and a numerous family, were at once the enjoyments and the recompence of a fpotlefs life, and he might have lived happily on his little patrimony until now, had not the French revolution occurred, and led him to believe that individual enjoyment was difhonorable, unlefs connected with public liberty. In fhort, that great event taught him and his countrymen, as it has taught. all Europe to think, and it was impoffible to exercife that faculty, without recollecting that they were the subjects of men, who arrogated no higher title than that of citizens. liberty, the ancient fymbol of Swifs freedom, was difplayed. The people of Berne, forgetful of the caufe for which their ancestors, under William Tell, had fought and conquered, and only alive to fufpicion, the conftant companion of injuftice, marched 5000 men into the little territory under their dominion, and glutted that vengeance, by means of fifcal rapacity, which the fword could not attain. con Laharpe, among others, escaping from the purfuit of the foldiery, was demned in his abfence, unheard: the fentence was decapitation. Thus profcribed, not by his native country, but by foreign rulers, he fled into France, and refuming his original profeffion, diftinguished himself, in 1791, by the defence of the Château de Radernack, which being afterwards ordered fimply to evacuate, on account of the approach of a fuperior force, he contrived to carry away the cannon in the face of the enemy, and to accomplish a masterly retreat, without the lofs of a fingle man. Being next invefted with the command of Bitche, he contrived to inspire the garrifon with a heroic refolution, and actually preferved that important fortrefs to the republic. He afterwards affifted at the recapture of Toulon, and was raised on that occafion to the rank of general of brigade. In 1795, he was appointed commander-in-chief of the troops deftined for Corfica, but was prevented by unforeseen circumftances from repairing thither. In confequence of one of thofe fudden changes, fo incidental to all revolutions, and more especially to that of France; he was first suspended, and afterwards difmiffed the fervice. The crimes alleged against him were, that he was a " Jacobin," and had been heard to fing "ça-ira!!!" Accufations like thefe, of course came to nothing, and he was accordingly restored, and raised to the rank of a general of divifion. On this he repaired to the army of Italy, and fhared in its laurels, and it is not a little remarkable, that at the brilliant action at Lodi, he took a regiment of Swifs prifoners, among whom were feveral of the very Bernois who had profcribed him, but he never uttered a reproach against them; on the contrary, he treated them as if they had been allies, and addressed them by the endearing title of "countrymen." After a moft brilliant and fuccefsful manoeuvre, by means of which he achieved the paffage of the Po, he was killed by his own troops, who miftook his efcort of dragoons, for a body of Austrian marauders. COUNT DE PRECY, OR PERCY. This unfortunate nobleman, by taking part with the privileged orders, loft both his property and his life. The first was forfeited by emigration; the second enfued in confequence of the vengeance of his countrymen. Having left France, and repaired to Hamburgh, the count de Percy remained there with many of the ancienne nobleffe, until what they deemed the "call of honour," brought them into the field of action. This "call" is faid to have proceeded from the mouth of an English fecretary at war, and, alas! it proved fatal to a number of gallant men, who in his own unfeeling, but emphatic language, "were killed off!" Yes! it was at Quiberon, that the Sombreuils, the de Percys, and the heads of fome of the moft ancient families of France, found their graves! Amidft the neglect of their allies, and the tears. even of their enemies, their dead bodies were at length allowed to take poffeffion of that mother earth, which, when living, they had fighed after in a foreign country, and in the laft moments of their existence had moistened with their blood and their tears! Where is the generous breast, whatever may be the political principles that dwell within, which does not mourn their untimely end, and lament that fuch gallant foldiers fhould have rushed on their deftruction, and brought down vengeance on their own heads, by the defperate infatuation of choofing rather to confider themselves as nobles, than as men? DOTTEVILLE. To diffolve the monoply of knowledge, and refcue the ancients from the exclufive poffeffion of the schoolmen, is a task, or rather a duty, which has been fulfilling ever fince the invention of printing: its entire completion was, however, referved for the prefent day. The French republic, in particular, holds out rewards, for fuch men of talents as may be inclined to give modern tranflations of the claffics, and Dotteville has lately received three thoufand livres, by way of recompence for his verfion of Tacitus and Salluft, which have indeed appeared long fince in a French drefs, but being put on during the time of the monarchy, it was apprehended, that it did not always fit the original authors for whom it was intended. [To be continued.] LETTERS 1796.] Original Letters between Doctors Birch and Robertfon. LETTERS BETWEEN DR. BIRCH AND To DR. BIRCH. Reverend fir, THOUGH I have not the good fortune to be known to you perfonally, I am fo happy as to be no ftranger to your writings, to which I have been indebted for much usefull inftruction. And as I have heard from my friends Sir David Dalrymple and Mr. Davidson, that your difpofition to oblige was equal to your knowledge, I now prefume to write to you and to afk your affiftance without any apology. I have been engaged for fome time in writing the hiftory of Scotland from the death of James V to the acceffion of James VI to the throne of England. My chief object is to adorn (as far as I am capable of adorning) the hiftory of a period, which on account of the greatnefs of the events, and their clofe connection with the transactions in England, deferves to be better known. But as elegance of Compofition, even where a Writer can attain that, is but a trivial merit without hiftorical truth and accuracy, and as the préjudices and rage of factions, both religious and political, have rendered almost every fact, in the period which I have chofen, a matter of doubt or of controversy, I have therefore taken all the pains in my power to examine the evidence on both fides with exactnefs. You know how copious the Materia Hiftorica in this period is. Befides all the common Hiftorians and printed collections of papers, I have confulted feveral Manufcripts which are to be found in this country. I am perfuaded that there are ftill many manufcripts worth my feeing to be met with in England, and for that reafon I propofe to pafs fome time in London this Winter. I am impatient however to know what difcoveries of this kind I may expect, and what are the treafures before me, and with regard to this I beg leave to confult you. I was afraid for fome time that Dr. Forbe's Collections had been loft upon his death, but I am glad to find by your Memoirs that they are in the poffeffion of Mr. Yorke. I fee likewife that the Depeches de Beaumont are in the hands of the fame Gentleman. But I have no opportunity of confulting your Memoirs at prefent, and I cannot remember whe 563 ther the Depeches de Fenelon be fill preferved or not. I fee that Carte has made a great ufe of them in a very busy period from 1563 to 1576. I know the strength of Carte's prejudices fo well that I dare fay many things may be found there that he could not fee, or would not publifh. May I beg the favour of you to let me know whether Fenelon's papers be yet extant and acceffible, and to give me fome general idea of what Dr. Forbes's Collections contain with regard to Scotland, and whether the papers they confift of are different from those publifhed by Haynes, Anderfon, &c. I am far from defiring that you should enter into any detail, that would be troublefome to you, but fome fhort hint of the nature of thefe Collections would be ex tremely fatisfying to my curiofity, and I fhall efteem it a great obligation laid upon me. I have brought my work almoft to a conclufion. If you would be fo good as to fuggeft any thing that you thought ufeful for me to know, or to examinė into I fhall receive your directions with great refpect and gratitude. I am with fincere esteem If I had not confidered a letter of mere compliment as an impertinent interruption to one who is fo bufy as you com monly are, I would long before this, have made my acknowledgments to you for the civilities which you was fo good as to fhew me while I was in London. I had not only a proof of your obliging difpofition but I reaped the good effects of it. The papers to which I got access by your means, efpecially thofe from Lord Royfton have rendered my work more perfect than it could have otherwife been. My Hiftory is now ready for publication, and I have defired Mr. Millar to fend you a large paper copy of it in my name, which I beg you may accept as a teftimony of my regard and of my gratitude. He will likewife tranfmit to you another copy which I muft intreat you to prefent to my Lord Royston, with fuch acknow ledgments of his favours towards me, as are proper for me to make. I have printed a fhort appendix of original papers. You will obferve that there are 4 C 2 feveral |