XIII. CHAP. such a number of forces by land and sea from being kept up as are necessary for the common safety of the 1793. kingdom. The consequence is, when a war breaks out, new levies are half-formed, and half-disciplined, squadrons at sea are half-manned, and the officers mere novices in their business. Ignorance, unskilfulness, and confusion, are unavoidable for a time, the necessary result of which is some defeat received, some stain or dishonour cast upon the arms of Britain. Thus the nation is involved in expenses ten times as great, and made to raise forces twenty times as numerous, as were complained of before; till peace is made, and schemes of ruinous economy are again called for by a new set of patriots. Thus the patriotic farce 1 Tucker's goes round, ending in real tragedy to the nation and Essays, i.72. mankind." It seems hopeless to expect, that this popular cry for costly economy will ever cease in pacific periods, because, even with the recent proof of its ruinous effect, at the commencement of the Revolutionary war, we have seen it so fiercely raised for the reduction of the noble force which brought it to a glorious termination. It seems the melancholy fate of each successive generation to be instructed by its own, and never by its predecessors' errors; and perhaps it is a law of nature, that such causes should, at stated periods, prostrate the strength of free states, and prevent that progressive growth of their power, which might otherwise sink the emulation of independent kingdoms in the slumber of universal dominion. CHAPTER XIV. REIGN OF TERROR-FROM THE DEATH OF DANTON TO ARGUMENT. Origin of the Atrocities of the Reign of Terror-It springs from sacrificing Justice to supposed Expedience-Principles of Robespierre's Government after the Fall of Danton-Political Fanaticism of the period-Character of St Just and Couthon-Their prodigious Energy-Great accumulation of prisoners at Paris, and throughout France-Pretended Conspiracy in the Prisons-Picture of the Prisons during this period-Dreadful system of Espionage in Paris, and the other Towns of France-Convention meanwhile is occupied with the Civic Virtues-Unsuccessful attempt to Assassinate Robespierre-Fête in honour of the Supreme Being-Additional Powers conferred on the Revolutionary Tribunal-Debate on it in the Assembly-But it is nevertheless carried-Rapid increase of the Proscriptions—Means by which the support of the people was secured-Cruelties in the Provinces-Lebon at Arras-Carrier at NantesGeneral apathy of the Class of Proprietors-Execution of Malesherbes and his Family-Of Madame Elizabeth—Of Custine's Son, Marshal Luckner, Biron Lamartiliere, and Dietrich-Agony of the Prisoners-Death of the Princess of Monaco, Lavoisier, Roucher, and others-Horror at length excited by the frequency and descent in Society of the executions-Advantage first taken of the Superstition of Robespierre-Suspicions of Robespierre awakened-Henriot and St Just recommend vigorous Measures-Insurrection agreed on at the Jacobins'-Measures of the Convention to resist it-The Contest begins in the Assembly-Robespierre's Speech-Cambon's Reply-Extraordinary Meeting of the Jacobins-Mutual preparations during the Night-Meeting of the Convention on the 9th Thermidor-Vehement Eloquence of Tallien-Consternation of Robespierre-Robespierre, Couthon, St Just, and Henriot, ordered to be Arrested-Robespierre is Imprisoned, but Liberated by the People---Firmness of Tallien and his Party-The cannoneers desert Henriot in the Place Carousel-Dreadful Agitation at Paris-The Sections join the ConventionPreparations at the Hotel de Ville-The Cannoneers desert Robespierre, who is Arrested-Dreadful Scene at his Seizure-Executed with St Just, Henriot, Couthon, and their Party-Reflections on the Reign of Terror, with the prodigious Number of its Victims. XIV. “OMNIA mala exempla," says Sallust, "bonis ini- CHAP. tiis orta sunt."-" E l'ordine di questi accidenti," says Machiavel," è che mentre che gli uomini cercano di 1794. CHAP. non temere, cominciano a fare temere altrui, et quella injuria che gli scacciano di loro, la pongono sopra un 1794. altro, come se fusse necessario, offendere o esser of1 Discorsé, feso."1* 46. 2 Napoleon, ii. p. 274. "You are quite wrong," said in the representation of Nero; "2 the tyrant; no man admits his wickedness either to others or himself. You and I speak history, but we speak it like other men.' The words which Sallust puts into the mouth of Cæsar, and Napoleon addressed to the actor of Nero, point to the same, and one of the most important principles of human nature. When vice appears in its native deformity, it is universally shunned, its features are horrible alike to others and itself. It is by borrowing the language, and rousing the passions of virtue, that it insinuates itself into the minds not only of the spectators, but the actors; the worst deeds are committed by men who delude themselves and others by the noblest expressions. Tyranny speaks with the voice of prudence, and points to the dangers of popular insurrection; ambition strikes on the chords of patriotism and loyalty, and leads men to ruin others, in the belief that they are saving themselves; democratic fury appeals to the spirit of freedom, and massacres thousands in the name of insurgent humanity. In all these cases men would shrink with horror from themselves, if their conduct * All bad actions," says Sallust," spring from good beginnings:" -" And the progress of these events," says Machiavel," is this, that in their efforts to avoid fear, men inspire it in others, and that injury which they seek to ward off themselves, they throw upon their neighbours, so that it seems inevitable either to give or receive offence." Vice is a monster of such hideous mein, appeared in its true colours; they become steeped in crime, while yet professing the intentions of virtue, and before they are well aware that they have transgressed its bounds. CHAP. XIV. 1794. the Atroci Terror. All these atrocities proceed from one source; cri- Origin of minality in them all begins when one line is passed. ties of the This source is the principle of expedience, this line is Reign of the line of justice. "To do evil that good may come of it," is not the least prolific cause of wickedness. It is absolutely necessary, say the politicians of one age, to check the growing spirit of heresy; discord in this world, damnation in the next, follow in its steps; religion, the fountain of peace, is in danger of being polluted by its poison; the transient suffering of a few individuals will ensure the eternal salvation of millions. Such is the language of religious intolerance, such the principles which lighted the fires of Smithfield. How cruel soever it may appear, say the statesmen of another, to sacrifice life for property, it is indispensable in an age of commercial industry; the temptations to fraud are so great, the facilities of commission so extensive, that but for the terror of death, property would be insecure, and industry with all its blessings nipt in the bud. Such is the language of commercial jealousy, of that sanguinary code which the humanity and extended wisdom of England is only beginning to relax. You would not hesitate, say the leaders of another period, to sacrifice a hundred thousand men in a single campaign, to preserve a province, or conquer a frontier town; but what are the wars of princes, to the eternal contest between freedom and tyranny; and what the destruction of its present enemies, to the liberty of unborn millions of the human race? Such is the language of revolutionary cruelty; these the maxims which, beginning XIV. 1794. CHAP. With the enthusiasm of philanthropists, ended in the rule of Robespierre. Their unexampled atrocities arose from the influence yielded to a single principle; the greatest crimes which the world has ever known, were but an extension of the supposed expedience which hangs for forgery, and burns for heresy. 66 The error in all these cases is the same, and conIt springs from sacri- sists in supposing that what is unjust ever can be ulficing Justice to sup- timately expedient, or that the Author of Nature posed Expedience. would have implanted feelings in the human heart which the interests of society require to be continually violated. "A little knowledge," says Lord Bacon, "makes men irreligious, but extended wisdom brings them back to devotion;" with equal truth it may be said, That a little experience makes governments and people iniquitous, but extended information brings them back to the principles of justice." The real interests of society, it is at last perceived, can only be secured by those measures which command universal concurrence, and none can finally do this but such as are founded on the original feelings of our nature. It is by attending only to the first effect of unjust measures, that men are ever deceived on this subject; when their ultimate consequences come to be appreciated, the expedience is found all to lie on the other side. When the feelings of the great body of mankind are outraged by the measures of government, a reaction invariably follows, and the temporary advantages of injustice are more than counterbalanced by the permanent dissatisfaction which it occasions. The surest guide, it is at length discovered, is to be found in the inward monitor which nature has implanted in every human heart; and statesmen are taught, by experience, that true wisdom consists in following what their conscience tells them to be just, in preference to |