upon his profession. Deliberately casting his eye over the assembled tribunal, he exclaimed, C'est vainément que je cherche des Juges parmi vous; je n'y vois que des Accusateurs.' In honour of the French Bar, we should ever bear in mind, that its members courageously discharged their duty, amidst all the horrors of the worst times of the Revolution.

The Notice sur Marie Antoinette,' the more interesting of the two which we are examining, begins with a sketch, which bears the marks of being a more faithful likeness than has usually been presented to the publick of the unfortunate princess.

Marie-Antoinette avoit plus d'eclat que de beauté; ses traits pris separement n'offroient rien de remarquable, mais leur reunion avoit le plus grand agrément; et cette expression, souvent prodiguée, pleine de charmes, paroit la plus propre pour peindre l'ensemble de sa personne. Tous ses mouvemens avoient de la grace; aucune femine ne portoit mieux sa tête. Son esprit avoit peu de brillant, aussi elle ne montroit aucune pretention dans ce genre; mais elle savoit toujours trouvée dans l'occasion ce qu'il y avoit à dire de plus convenable, selon les personnes et les circonstances.'

She was very soon wearied and disgusted with the solemn formalities of court life, and formed a small society for herself, in which she delighted to pass her time, with all the unrestrained freedom of a private station. Là je suis moi,' she would say, when contrasting the enjoyment of her ease in this social intercourse, with the stiffness and representation of the royal circle. Fatal imprudence!' exclaims our author; source ' of so many misfortunes; for it was thus that she began to lose the affection, respect, and esteem of the publick; and that 'many great families, indignant at being treated by her with so little attention, ceased to appear at court, except upon 'occasions when official duties required their presence. though she might, in ordinary points, sacrifice to her love of But society somewhat of the observances due to her station, no sooner did the hour of difficulty and danger approach, than she displayed those qualities of firmness and courage for which she was so eminently distinguished, even among the threatened and the persecuted of her own rank and sex.

Dans la soirée du 5 Octobre 1789, on la vit ecouter avec le plus grand calme les avis qu'on apportoit à chaque instant de la prochaine arrivée des Parisiens et de leurs intentions sanguinaires. Le Comte de Luxembourg, capitaine des gardes du corps, étant venu de la part du Roi proposer à la Reine de se refugier avec ses enfans à Rambouillet;" Dites au Roi," repondit-elle, "que je ne me dissi-· mule pas le peril on nous commes, mais que je n'en suis que ma place est auprès de sa personne, et que rien ne pourra me deterpas intimidée; miner à le quitter, sur-tout dans ce moment dangereux.

17

Dans la trop

fameuse journée du lendemain, 6 Octobre, des assasins penetrerent à la pointe du jour dans son appartement à Versailles, après avoir massacré les gardes du corps, qui en se sacrifiant pour en defendre l'entrée, lui donnerent le tems de se refugier chez le Roi. Ses ennemis furieux de la voir echappée, exciterent bientot la multitude rassemblée sous les fenêtres du Roi, dans la cour de Marbre, à exiger qu'elle se montrât. Elle parut sur le balcon avec ses enfans. Aux cris de "Point d'enfans! la Reine seule!" elle fit rentrer les enfans, et, de l'air le plus calme, se presenta seule à ce peuple furieux, que cet acte de courage etonna. Dans la même journée, trainée à Paris avec le Roi, elle eut à supporter pendant six heures que dura la marche, le spectacle le plus epouvantable. Des femmes ivres de vin et de rage faisoient retentir l'air de leurs horribles hurlemens, et des plus grôssieres injures. Cet affreux appareil avoit été precedé par des scélérats portant au bout de leurs piques les têtes des gardes du corps qui avoient été massacrés. Bientot après, le châtelet voulant instruire une procédure contres les auteurs des meurtres, envoya une deputation pour demander à la Reine des renseignemens sur les attentats dont elle avoit failli être victime. Elle repondit aux commissaires : "Messieurs, pour ce qui me regarde, j'ai tout vu, tout entendu, tout oublié." On l'avertit le 8 Octobre qu'il existoit encore un complot contre sa vie. Dans la soirée, elle racontoit ce qu'elle avoit appris à une dame qui étoit auprès d'elle, en ajoutant. J'ai ordonné qu'au premier bruit qu'on entendra, l'on porte mes enfans chez le Roi.'

This passage relates to three days only; but her whole conduct, during the four eventful years which succeeded, appears to have been marked by equal coolness and resolution. When the Palace of the Thuilleries was forced by the armed populace, on the 20th June 1792, and the Royal family were only saved by the steadiness of some of the National Guards, the Queen remained with her children, in the presence of the furious multitude, for nearly four hours, during which they filled the various apartments; and she never betrayed the least appearance of alarm. Her conduct was the same on the memorable tenth of August; and, during her imprisonment in the Temple, her composure of mind never forsook her. When the King was sentenced, she only congratulated him upon the prospect of so soon exchanging a miserable existence for the everlasting happiness which awaited him. She had refused an offer made by the ministers Servan and Roland, in May 1792, to remove her to some place of safety abroad, and leave the King, whose chance of regaining the confidence of the country depended, in their opinion, upon her quitting him; but she would not consent to purchase her own safety by what she considered an abandonment of her husband, in the extremity of his distress and dan

ger. After his death, she refused a proposition to escape, because the attempt could only be made by leaving her children behind. Our author was acquainted with the particulars of this plan; and says it had been well digested by trust-worthy persons, and appeared sure of success. He saw, likewise, the Queen's letters upon the subject. When brought to the scaffold, her appearance was wofully changed by the sorrows and hardships through which she had passed; her features were altered; her hair was blanched; and she had almost lost the use of one eye. The last words of Louis, when the noise of the drums interrupted his address, are well known. Français! Je meurs innocent; je pardonne à mes ennemis, et je souhaite que ma mort soit uile au peuple!-La France.' --- Those of the Queen were equally remarkable and appropriate. Seigneur! eclairez et touchez mes bourreaux; Adieu, mes enfans! je vais rejoindre ' votre père.' We may add that, from a conversation which this ill-fated Princess had with our author, upon a letter full of warm expressions just received from her nephew the Emperor Francis, it is clear she never placed the least reliance upon his exertions in her behalf. Mon nevue' (she said) ne pouvoit 'pas m'ecrire autrement; mais cela ne veut rien dire.' He

could not help saying as much; but it all means nothing.' The anecdotes of Madame Goupil and Madame Caponet are only curious as showing the innumerable frauds which are practised in a court, by the creatures both of princes and ministers; and how easily, without any participation in the spoil, or even any knowledge of such proceedings on the part of the principals, the grossest corruption may be carried on by subaltern agents in a government, the transactions of which are veiled from publick view. But the piece which closes this volume deserves more attention; it is a sketch of Baron de Thugut, so long prime minister of Austria, and who held that high office during the greater part of the late war. Our author justly observes, that there was much in his character and habits equally interesting to the philosopher and the politician. Possessed of supreme power for so many years, and undergoing all its labours as well as anxiety, he seemed wholly indifferent to every one of the gratifications for which other men desire it.

Il ne voyoit dans l'eclat de la representation, dans un accroissement de fortune, que des soins fatigans et de brillans embarras. Sans entours, sans protégés, il écartoit de lui le faste, ne connoissoit pas le luxe; il ne donnoit jamais de ces audiences publiques, ou souvent l'orgueil jouit des empressemens d'une multitude d'hommes toujours prêts à se courber devant le credit. Suivi d'un seul laquais, le premier ministre de la Monarchie Autrichienne, se rendoit matin et VOL. XXXVI. NO. 72.

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soir dans le carrosse le plus simple, de la modeste maison qu'il habitoit dans un faubourg de Vienne, à la Chancellerie d'état, comme un connuis se rend à son bureau. Maître de cet hotel ou habitoient ses predecesseurs, il en dedaignoit les appartemens somptueux, pour se refugier dans un petit cabinet de travail; là il étoit tout entier aux affaires, ouvroit de sa main les dépêches les plus importantes, récevoit les ministres étrangers qui lui avoient demandé audience, enfermoit ensuite ses papiers sous clè, et retournoit chez lui diner avec une ou deux personnes insignifiantes, qu'il faisoit discourir, sans jamais laisser échapper le moindre mot qui pût devoiler ses projets ou ses opinions.'

Mr Crawfurd knew this singular man personally, and had an opportunity of conversing intimately with him after his retirement, and when he had no interest in deceiving; he also knew a great number of persons who had long been upon the most familiar terms with him. It requires this authority to make us believe in the existence of such a minister,-most rare indeed any where, but in a German court hardly conceivable. He adds, that his person was unknown to the greater part of the people at Vienna, where he lived and ruled.

Il avoit, en général, de la politesse dans ses manières et ses discours, mais il ignoroit ou dedaignoit l'art de se concilier l'affection. Sans gout, sans passion, sans famille, * insensible aux jouissances de la vanité, il avoit pour la fortune cette insouciance qu'on peut remarquer dans plusieurs savans absorbés par l'étude, et qui nait de l'aversion de tout soin domestique. Loin de rechercher les honneurs, il paroissoit plutôt vouloir les eviter. Son détachement de tout intérêt, et de tout desir d'élevation, ajoutoit puissamment à son esprit d'independance. D'autant plus inébranlable dans sa place, qu'on savoit qu'il la quitteroit sans régret, il s'y maintenoit par le seul ascendant de son genie, malgré l'opposition de toute la noblesse qui, blessée de voir un homme qui n'étoit point de sa classe, occuper la premiere place de la Monarchie, se declara overtement contre lui. Avec ces diverses qualités, il faut faire contraster une certaine lenteur ou negligence qui, s'emparant de lui quelquefois, lui faisoit perdre des moments precieux; des accès d'humeur l'empêchoient de chercher des rapprochemens, soit avec les personnes, soit avec les puissances; rapprochemens que la bonne politique exiguit cependant.'

What the combined efforts of the Austrian grandees could not effect, the intrigues of Russia and England succeeded in accomplishing, under the guidance of that truly wretched party, the French Emigrants, who made it a rule to distrust and to blacken every statesman whose good sense and knowledge of

Except a sister who was a nun at Lints, and whom he allowed a small pension of thirty pounds a year, and a brother, who lived and died a clerk in his office.

affairs led him to adopt a moderate, rational, and practicable line of policy. Thugut was removed; but not till after the same English and Russian influence had dictated to the Cabinet of Vienna, and the truly able general then in its confidence, those changes in the Swiss campaign which proved fatal to the Allies, and afterwards to the Austrian monarchy. A remark afterwards made by Thugut to our author, upon the events of those times, merits the attention of those who still affect to admire Mr Pitt's foreign policy. The greater part,' he said, ' of the schemes which had been pressed upon him, founded upon the reports of faithless agents, or upon fanciful assumption, were more fit to make a supplement to the adventures of Don Quixote, than to become the subject of a serious discus❝sion. At a later period, we have heard of a similar observation being drawn forth by that project, which, whether we regard its conception or its results, may be allowed to have cast all Mr Pitt's failures into the shade-we mean the celebrated Walcheren expedition. When the intention of our sage rulers to operate a diversion in that island, for the advantage of the Austrian arms, and to pour into its pestilential marshes our whole disposable force, was imparted to our allies, the imperial minister is said to have asked, with an archness that overcame the Germanic phlegm, in what part of the world this same Walcheren was situated.

Let it not be said that we have bestowed too much attention upon this volume, in proportion to its bulk, or to the modest pretensions of its contents. The facts related by Mr Crawfurd, from his personal observation, are among the few safe materials that will remain for illustrating the history of these eventful times; and the future annalist will gladly have recourse to the testimoof one who, though unquestionably he may have been biassed by partiality, yet noted what he saw and heard, in circumstances which preclude all suspicion of a wish to deceive.

ny

ART. III. 1. The Third Report of the Committee of the Society for the Improvement of Prison Discipline, and for the Reformation of Juvenile Offenders. London, 1821.

2. Remarks upon Prison Discipline, &c. &c. in a Letter addressed to the Lord Lieutenant and Magistrates of the County of Essex. By C. C. WESTERN, Esq. M. P. London, 1821.

THERE

HERE never was a Society calculated, upon the whole, to do more good than the Society for the Improvement of Prison Discipline; and, hitherto, it has been conducted with equal ener