confused shadow, and no-thing: the thing, which | able grim bronze-figure, though it is yet only was they, remains. Depend on it, Harmodius a century and half since; of whom England and Aristogiton, as clear as they now look, seems proud rather than otherwise? had illegal plottings, conclaves at the Jacobins' Church (of Athens); and very intemperate things were spoken, and also done. Thus too, Marcus Brutus and the elder Junius, are they not palpable Heroes? Their praise is in all Debating Societies; but didst thou read what the Morning Papers said of those transactions of theirs, the week after? Nay, Old Noll, whose bones were dug up and hung in chains, here at home, as the just emblem of himself and his deserts, (the offal of Creation, at that time,) has not he too got to be a very respect Moral reflection third, and last,—that neither thou nor we, good Reader, had any hand in the making of this Mirabeau ;-else who knows but we had objected, in our wisdom? But it was the Upper Powers that made him, without once consulting us; they and not we, so and not otherwise! To endeavour to understand a little what manner of Mirabeau he, so made, might be: this we, according to opportunity, have done; and therefore do now, with a lively satisfaction, take farewell of him, and leave him to fare as he can. PARLIAMENTARY HISTORY OF THE FRENCH [LONDON AND WESTMINSTER REVIEW, 1837.] Ir appears to be, if not stated in words, yet tacitly felt and understood everywhere, that the event of these modern ages is the French Revolution. A huge explosion bursting through all formulas and customs; confounding into wreck and chaos the ordered arrangements of earthly life; blotting out, one may say, the very firmament and skyey load-stars,-though only for a season. Once in the fifteen hundred years such a thing was ordained to come. To those who stood present in the actual midst of that smoke and thunder, the effect might well be too violent: blinding and deafening, into confused exasperation, almost into madness. These on-lookers have played their part, were it with the printing-press or with the battle-cannon, and are departed: their work, such as it was, remaining behind them;where the French Revolution also remains. And now, for us who have receded to the distance of some half-century, the explosion becomes a thing visible, surveyable: we see its flame and sulphur-smoke blend with the clear air, (far under the stars;) and hear its uproar as part of the sick noise of life,-loud indeed, yet imbosomed too, as all noise is, in the infinite of silence. It is an event which can be looked on; which may still be execrated, still *Histoire Parlementaire de la Révolution Française, ou Journal des Assemblées Nationales depuis 1789 jusqu'en 1815; contenant la Narration des Evénemens, les Débats, &c. &c. (Parliamentary History of the French Revo lution, or Journal of the National Assemblies from 1789 to 1815: containing a Narrative of the Occurrences; Debates of the Assemblies; Discussions in the chief Popular Societies, especially in that of the Jacobins; Records of the Commune of Paris; Sessions of the Revolutionary Tribunal; Reports of the leading Political Trials; Detail of the Annual Budgets; Picture of the Moral Movement, extracted from the Newspapers, Pamphlets, &c., of each Period; preceded by an Introduction on the History of France till the Convocation of the States-General.) By P. J. B. Buchez and P. C. Roux. (Tomes ler-23me et seq.-Paris, 1833-1836.) be celebrated and psalmodied; but which it were better now to begin understanding. Really there are innumerable reasons why we ought to know this same French Revolution as it was: of which reasons (apart altogether from that of “Philosophy teaching by Experience," and so forth) is there not the best summary in this one reason, that we so wish to know it? Considering the qualities of the matter, one may perhaps reasonably feel that since the time of the Crusades, or earlier, there is no chapter of history so well worth studying. Stated or not, we say, this persuasion is tacitly admitted, and acted upon. In these days everywhere you find it one of the most pressing duties for the writing guild, to produce history on history of the French Revolution. In France it would almost seem as if the young author felt that he must make this his proof-shot, and evidence of craftsmanship: accordingly they do fire off Histoires, Précis of Histoires, Annales, Fastes, (to say nothing of Historical Novels, Gil Blasses, Dantons, Barnaves, Grangeneuves,) in rapid succession, with or without effect. At all events it is curious to look upon: curious to contrast the picturing of the same fact by the men of this generation and position with the picturing of it by the men of the last. From Barruel and Fantin Desodoards to Thiers and Mignet there is a distance! Each individual takes up the Phenomenon according to his own point of vision, to the structure of his optic organs;-gives, consciously, some poor crotchetty picture of several things; unconsciously some picture of himself at least. And the Phenomenon, for its part, subsists there, all the while, unaltered; waiting to be pictured as often as you like, its entire meaning not to be compressed into any picture drawn by man. Thiers's History, in ten volumes foolscap-| by the latter. The multitude would never octavo, contains, if we remember rightly, one have become supreme, had not civil war and reference; and that to a book, not the page or the coalition of foreign states rendered its in. chapter of a book. It has, for these last seven tervention and help indispensable. To defend or eight years, a wide or even high reputa- the country the multitude required to have the tion; which latter it is as far as possible from governing of it: thereupon (alors) it made its meriting. A superficial air of order, of clear- revolution, as the middle class had made its. ness, calm candour, is spread over the work; The multitude too had its Fourteenth of July, but inwardly, it is waste, inorganic: no human which was the Tenth of August; its Constitu head that honestly tries can conceive the ent, which was the Convention; its GovernFrench Revolution so. A critic of our ac- ment, which was the Committee of Salut Pubquaintance undertook, by way of bet, to find lic; but, as we shall see," &c. (Chap. iv, four errors per hour in Thiers: he won amply vol. I., p. 271.) on the first trial or two. And yet, readers (we must add) taking all this along with them, may peruse Thiers with comfort in certain circumstances, nay, even with profit; for he is a brisk man of his sort; and does tell you much, if you knew nothing. Or thus; for there is the like at the end of every chapter: "But royalty had virtually fallen, on the Tenth of August; that day was the insurrec tion of the multitude against the middle class and constitutional throne, as the Fourteenth Mignet's, again, is a much more honestly of July had been the insurrection of the midwritten book; yet also an eminently unsatis-dle classes against the privileged classes and factory one. His two volumes contain far more meditation and investigation in them than Thiers's ten: their degree of preferability therefore is very high; for it has been said, "Call a book diffuse, and you call it in all senses bad; the writer could not find the right word to say, and so said many more or less wrong ones; did not hit the nail on the head, only smote and bungled about it and about it." Mignet's book has a compactness, a rigour, as if rivetted with iron rods: this also is an image of what symmetry it has;-symmetry, if not of a living earth-born Tree, yet of a firm wellmanufactured Gridiron. Without life, without colour or verdure: that is to say, Mignet's genius is heartily prosaic; you are too happy that he is not a quack as well! It is very mortifying also to study his philosophical reflections: how he jingles and rumbles a quantity of mere abstractions and dead logical formulas, and calls it Thinking;-rumbles and rumbles, till he judges there may be enough; then begins again narrating. As thus: "The Constitution of 1791 was made on such principles as had resulted from the ideas and the situation of France. It was the work of the middle class, which chanced to be the strongest then; for, as is well known, what ever force has the lead will fashion the institutions according to its own aims. Now this force, when it belongs to one, is despotism; when to several, it is privilege; when to all, it is right: which latter state is the ultimatum of society, as it was its beginning. France had finally arrived thither, after passing through feudalism, which is the aristocratic institution; and then through absolutism, which is the monarchic one. "The work of the Constituent Assembly perished not so much by its own defects as by the assaults of factions. Standing between the aristocracy and the multitude, it was attacked by the former, and stormed and won "Notables consented with eagerness,' (Vol. I.,p. 10;) whereas they properly did not consent at all; Parliament recalled on the 10th of September,' (for the 15th;) and then Seance Royale took place on the 20th of the same month, (19th of quite a different month, not the same, nor next to the same :) D'Espremenil, a young Counsellor' (of forty and odd ;) 'Duport, a young man,' (turned of sixty,) &c., &c. an absolute throne. The Tenth of August witnessed the commencement of the dictatorial and arbitrary epoch of the Revolution. Circumstances becoming more and more difficult, there arose a vast war, which required increased energy; and this energy, unregu lated, inasmuch as it was popular, rendered the sway of the lower class an unquiet, oppressive, and cruel sway." "It was not any way possible that the Bourgeoisie, (middle class,) which had been strong enough to strike down the old government and the privileged classes, but which had taken to repose after this victory, could repulse the Emigration and united Europe. There was needed for that a new shock, a new faith; there was needed for that a new Class, numerous, ardent, not yet fatigued, and which loved its Tenth of August, as the Burgherhood loved its Fourteenth of," &c., &c. (Ch. v., vol. I., p. 371.) So uncommonly lively are these Abstractions (at bottom only occurrences, similitudes, days of the months, and such like) as rumble here in the historical head! Abstractions really of the most lively, insurrectionary character; nay, which produce offspring, and indeed are oftenest parricidally devoured thereby such is the jingling and rumbling which calls itself Thinking. Nearly so, though with greater effect, might algebraical a's go rumbling in some Pascal's or Babbage's mill. Just so, indeed, do the Kalmuck people pray: quantities of written prayers are put in some rotary pipkin or calabash, (hung on a tree, or going like the small barrel-churn of agricultural districts;) this the devotee has only to whirl and churn; so long as he whirls, it is prayer; when he ceases whirling, the prayer is done. Alas! this is a sore error, very generally, among French thinkers of the present time. One ought to add that Mignet takes his place at the head of that brotherhood of his; that his little book, though abounding too in errors of detail, better deserves what place it has than any other of recent date. The older Desodoards, Barruels, Lacretelles, and such like, exist, but will hardly profit much. Toulongeon, a man of talent and in tegrity, is very vague; often incorrect for an eyewitness: his military details used to be reckoned valuable; but, we suppose, Jomini index: parliamentary speeches, reports, &c, has eclipsed them now. The Abbé Mont- are furnished in abundance; complete illusgaillard has shrewdness, decision, insight; tration of all that this Senatorial province abounds in anecdotes, strange facts and re- (rather a wearisome one) can illustrate. ports of facts: his book, being written in the Thirdly, we have to name the "Collection of form of Annals, is convenient for consulting. Memoirs," completed several years ago, in For the rest, he is acrid, exaggerated, occa- above a hundred volumes. Booksellers Bausionally altogether perverse; and, with his douin, Editors Berville and Barrière, have hastes and his hatreds, falls into the strangest done their utmost; adding notes, explanations, hallucination; as, for example, when he rectifications, with portraits also if you like: coolly records that "Madame de Staël, Neck- Louvet, Riouffe, and the two volumes of "Meer's daughter, was seen (on vit) distributing moirs on the Prisons” are the most attractive brandy to the Gardes Françaises in their bar- pieces. This Baudouin Collection, therefore, racks;" that D'Orleans Egalitè had "a pair of joins itself to that of Petitot, as a natural sequel. man-skin breeches," - leather breeches, of human skin, such as they did prepare in the tannery of Meudon, but too late for D'Orleans. The history by Deux Amis de Liberté (if the reader secure the original edition) is, perhaps, worth all the others, and offers (at least till 1792, after which it becomes convulsive, semifatuous, in the remaining dozen volumes) the best, correctest, most picturesque narrative yet published. It is very correct, very picturesque; wants only fore-shortening, shadow, and compression; a work of decided merit: the authors of it, what is singular, appear not to be known. Finally, our English histories do likewise abound: copious if not in facts, yet in reflections on facts. They will prove to the most incredulous that this French Revolution was, as Chamfort said, no "rose-water Revolution;" that the universal insurrectionary abrogation of law and custom was managed in a most unlawful, uncustomary manner. He who wishes to know how a solid Custos rotulorum, speculating over his port after dinner, interprets the phenomena of contemporary universal history, may look in these books: he who does not wish that, need not look. And now a fourth work, which follows in the train of these, and deserves to be reckoned along with them, is this Histoire Parlementaire" of Messieurs Buchez and Roux. The authors are men of ability and repute: Buchez, if we mistake not, is Dr. Buchez, and practises medicine with acceptance; Roux is known as an essayist and journalist: they once listened a little to Saint Simon, but it was before Saint Simonism called itself "a religion," and vanished in Bedlam. We have understood there is a certain bibliomaniac military gentleman in Paris, who in the course of years has amassed the most astonishing collection of revolutionary ware: books, pamphlets, newspapers, even sheets and handbills, ephemeral printings and paintings, such as the day brought them forth, lie there without end. Into this warehouse (as into all manner of other repositories) Messrs. Buchez and Roux have happily found access: the "Histoire Parlementaire" is the fruit of their labours there. A number (two forming a volume) is published every fortnight: we have the first twenty-two volumes before us, which bring down the narrative to January, 1793; there must be several other volumes On the whole, after all these writings and out, which we have not yet seen. Conceive printings, the weight of which would sink an a judicious compilation with such resources. Indiaman, there are, perhaps, only some three Parliamentary Debates, in summary, or (where publications hitherto that can be considered the occasion warrants it) given at large; this as forwarding essentially a right knowledge is by no means the most interesting part of of this matter. The first of these is the the matter we have excerpts, notices, hints "Analyse du Moniteur," (complete expository of all imaginable sorts; of newspapers, of Index, and Syllabus of the Moniteur news- pamphlets, of Sectionary and Municipal repaper from 1789 to 1799;) a work carrying cords, of the Jacobins' club, of placard-jourits significance in its title;-provided it be nals, nay, of placards and caricatures. No faithfully executed; which it is well known to livelier emblem of the time, in its actual movebe. Along with this we may mention the ment and tumult, could be presented. The series of portraits, a hundred in number, pub-editors connect these fragments by expositions lished with the original edition of it: many such as are needful; so that a reader coming of them understood to be accurate likenesses. unprepared to the work can still know what The natural face of a man is often worth more than several biographies of him, as biographies are written. These hundred portraits have been copied into a book called "Scènes de la Revolution," (which contains other pictures, of small value, and some not useless writing by Chamfort;) and are often to be found in libraries. A republication of Vernet's Caricatures would be a most acceptable service, but has not been thought of hitherto. The second work to be counted here is the "Choix des Rapports, Opinions, et Discours," in some twenty volumes, with an excellent See Mercier's Nouveau Paris, vol. iv. p. 254. he is about. Their expositions, as we can testify, are handsomely done: but altogether apart from these, the excerpts themselves are the valuable thing. The scissors, in such a It is generally known that a similar collection, perhaps still larger and more curious, lies (buried) in the British Museum here inaccessible for want of a proper catalogue. Some eighteen months ago, the respectable sub-librarian seemed to be working at such a thing: by respectful application to him, you could gain access to ders, and reading the outside titles of his books, which his room, and have the satisfaction of mounting on ladwas a great help. Otherwise you could not in many weeks ascertain so much as the table of contents of this repository; and, after days of weary waiting, dusty rummaging, and sickness of hope deferred, gave up the enterprise as a "game not worth the candle." case, are independent of the pen. One of the most interesting English biographies we have is that long thin folio on Oliver Cromwell, published some five-and-twenty years ago, where the editor has merely clipt out from the contemporary newspapers whatsoever article, paragraph, or sentence he found to contain the name of Old Noll, and printed them in the order of their dates. It is surprising that the like has not been attempted in other cases. Had seven of the eight translators of Faust, and seventy times seven of the four hundred four-score and ten Imaginative Authors, but thrown down the writing instrument, and turned to the old newspaper files judiciously with the cutting one! give this tragedy of old Foulon, which all the world has heard of, perhaps not very accurately. Foulon's life-drama, with its hasty cruel sayings and mean doings, with its thousandfold intrigues, and "the people eating grass if they like," ends in this miserable manner. It is the editors themselves who speak; compiling from various resources : "Towards five in the morning, (Paris, 22d July, 1789,) M. Foulon was brought in; he had been arrested at Vitry, near Fountainbleau, by the peasants of the place. Doubtless this man thought himself very guilty towards the people," (say, very hateful;) “for he had spread abroad a report of his death; and had even buried one of his servants, who happened to die then, under his own name. He had afterwards hidden himself in an estate of M. de Sartines;" where he was detected and seized. We can testify, after not a little examination, that the editors of the "Histoire Parlementaire" are men of fidelity, of diligence; that their accuracy in regard to facts, dates, "M. Foulon was taken to the Hotel de Ville, and so forth, is far beyond the average. Of where they made him wait. Towards nine course they have their own opinions, prepos- o'clock the assembled Committee had decided sessions even but these are honest prepos- that he should be sent to the Abbaye prison. sessions, which they do not hide; which one M. de Lafayette was sent for, that he might can estimate the force of, allow for the result execute this order; he was abroad over the of. Wilful falsification, did the possibility of Districts: he could not be found. During it lie in their character, is otherwise out of this time a crowd collected in the square; and the question. But, indeed, our editors are required to see Foulon. It was noon: M. men of earnestness, of strict principle; of a Bailly came down; the people listened to him; faith, were it only in the republican Tricolor. but still persisted. In the end they penetrated Their democratic faith, truly, is palpable, into the great hall of the Hotel de Ville; would thorough-going; as it has a right to be, in see Foulon, whom,' say, they, you are wantthese days, since it likes. The thing you have ing to smuggle off from justice.' Foulon was to praise, however, is that it is a quiet faith, presented to them. Then began this remarkanever an hysterical one; never expresses it- ble dialogue. M. de la Poize, an Elector:self otherwise than with a becoming calm-Messieurs, every guilty person should be ness, especially with a becoming brevity. judged.' 'Yes, judged directly, and then The hoarse deep croak of Marat, the brilliant hanged.' M. Osselin: To judge, one must sharp-cutting gayety of Desmoulins, the dull have judges; let us send M. Foulon to the bluster of Prudhomme, the cackling garrulity of Brissot, all is welcomed with a cold gravity and brevity; all is illustrative, if not of one thing then of another. Nor are the Royalists Royous, Suleaus, Peltiers, forgotten; "Acts of the Apostles," "King's Friend," nor "Crowing of the Cock:" these, indeed, are more sparingly administered; but at the right time, as is promised, we shall have more. In a word, it may be said of this "Histoire Parlementaire," that the wide promise held out in its title page is really, in some respectable measure, fulfilled. With a fit index to wind it up, (which index ought to be not good only but excellent, so much depends on it here,) this work bids fair to be one of the most important yet published on the History of the Revolution. No library, that professes to have a collection in this sort, can dispense with it. A "Histoire Parlementaire" is precisely the house, or say, rather, the unbuilt city, of which the single brick can form a specimen. In so rich a variety the only difficulty is where to choose. We have scenes of tragedy, of comedy, of farce, of farce-tragedy, oftenest of all; there is eloquence, gravity; there is bluster, bombast, and absurdity: scenes tender, scenes barbarous, spirit-stirring, and then flatly wearisome: a thing waste, incoherent, wild to look upon; but great with the greatness of reality; for the thing exhibited is no vision but a fact. Let us, as the first excerpt, tribunals.' 'No, no,' replied the people, 'judge But M. Lafayette is absent; one must either wait for him, or name some other.' 'Well, then, name directly, and do it yourself.' "At length the Electors agreed to proceed to judgment; Foulon was again brought in. The foremost part of the crowd joined hands, and formed a chain several ranks deep, in the middle of which he was received. At this moment M. Lafayette came in; went and took his place at the board among the electors, and then addressed to the people a discourse, of which the Ami du Roi and the Records of the Town-hall, the two authorities we borrow from here, give different reports." Lafayette's speech, according to both versions, is to the effect that Foulon is guilty: but that he doubtless has accomplices; that he must be taken to the Abbaye prison, and investigated there. "Yes, yes, to prison! Off with him, off!" cried the crowd. The Deux Amis add another not insignificant circumstance, that poor Foulon himself, hearing this conclusion of Lafayette's, clapped hands; whereupon the crowd said, "See! they are both in a story!" Our editors continue and conclude: 66 rubbish and produce out of it, in small neat compass, a "Life and Remains" of this poor Camille. We pick up three light fractions, illustrative of him and of the things he moved in; they relate to the famous Fifth of October, (1789,) when the women rose in insurrection The Palais Royal and Marquis Saint-Huruge have been busy on the King's veto, and Lally Tollendall's proposal of an upper house : "Was the Palais Royal so far wrong," says Camille, "to cry out against such things? I know that the Palais Royal promenade is strangely miscellaneous; that pickpockets frequently employ the liberty of the press there, and many a zealous patriot has lost his handkerchief in the fire of debate. But for all that I must bear honourable testimony to the promenaders in this Lyceum and Stoa. The Palais Royal garden is the focus of patriotism: there do the chosen patriots rendezvous, who have left their hearths and their provinces to witness this magnificent spectacle of the Revolution of 1789, and not to witness without aiding in it. They are Frenchmen; they have an interest in the Constitution, and a right to concur in it. How many Parisians too, instead of going to their Districts, find it shorter to come at once to the Palais Royal. Here you have no need to ask a President if you may speak, and wait two hours till your turn comes. You propose your motion; if it find supporters, they set you on a chair: if you are applauded, you proceed to the redaction: if you are hissed, you go your ways. It is very much the mode the Romans followed; their Forum and our Palais Royal resemble one another."—Vol. ii. p. 414. Then a few days further on-the celebrated military dinner at Versailles, with the white cockades, black cockades, and "O Richard! O mon Roi!" having been transacted: "At this moment there rose a great clamour in the square. It is the Palais Royal coming,' said one; 'It is the Faubourg Saint Antoine,' said another. Then a well dressed person (homme bien mis) advanced towards the board, and said,' Vouz vous moquez: what is the use of judging a man who has been judged these thirty years? At this word, Foulon was clutched; hurled out to the square; and finally tied to the fatal rope, which hung from the Lanterne at the corner of the Rue de la Vannerie. The rope was afterwards cut; the head was put on a pike, and paraded," with "grass" in the mouth of it, they might have added!-Vol. ii. p. 148. From the "Revolution de France et de Brabant," Camille Desmoulin's newspaper "Paris, Sunday, 4th October. The king's wife furnishes numerous extracts, in the earlier had been so gratified with it, that this brotherly volumes; always of a remarkable kind. This repast of Thursday must needs be repeated. It Procureur Général de la Lanterne has a place of was so on the Saturday, and with aggravahis own in the history of the Revolution; tions. Our patience was worn out: you may there are not many notabler persons in it than suppose whatever patriot observers there were he. A light, harmless creature, as he says of at Versailles hastened to Paris with the news, himself; a man born to write verses," but or at least sent off despatches containing them. whom destiny had directed to overthrow bas- That same day (Saturday evening) all Paris tilles, and go to the guillotine for doing that. set itself astir. It was a lady, first, who, How such a man will comport himself in a seeing that her husband was not listened to at French Revolution, as he from time to time his District, came to the bar of the Cafe de turns up there, is worth seeing. Of loose, head- Foi, to denounce the anti-national cockades. long character; a man stuttering in speech; M. Marat flies to Versailles; returns like stuttering, infirm, in conduct too, till one huge lightning; makes a noise like the four blasts idea laid hold of him: a man for whom art, of doom, crying to us-Awake, ye Dead! fortune, or himself, would never do much, but Danton, on his side, sounds the alarm in the to whom Nature had been very kind! One Cordeliers. On Sunday this immortal Cordemeets him always with a sort of forgiveness, liers' District posts its manifesto; and that almost of underhand love, as for a prodigal very day they would have gone to Versailles, son. He has good gifts, and even acquire- had not M. Crevecoeur, their commandant, ments: elegant law-scholarship, quick sense, stood in the way. People seek out their arms the freest joyful heart: a fellow of endless wit, however; sally out to the streets in chase of clearness, soft lambent brilliancy; on any anti-national cockades. The law of reprisals subject you can listen to him, if without ap-is in force; these cockades are torn off, trampled proving, yet without yawning. As a writer, in fact, there is nothing French that we have heard of superior or equal to him for these fifty years. Probably some French editor, some day or other, will sift that journalistic under foot, with menace of the Lanterne in case of relapse. A military gentleman, picking up his cockade, is for fastening it on again; a hundred canes start into the air, saying veto. The whole Sunday passes in hunting down |