From the book “Wrecked Lives ; Or, Men Who Have Failed”
by William Henry Davenport Adams.
‘Robespierre, as a singer of songs, is opposite enough to
the figure we conceive of him from his appearances on the stage of history; but
we find a still more striking antithesis in his letters, which are those of a
quick observer and easy writer, given to homely jesting, with a touch of
sentiment raising and redeeming his badinage. The following is, as Mr. Lewes
says, if we consider who its author, a very curious and suggestive letter. It
is dated from "Carvins, June 12, 1788," and we adopt, in the main,
Mr. Lewes's translation:-*
"Sir,
"There
is no such thing as a pleasure unless it be shared among friends. I am about to
give you a sketch therefore, of what I have enjoyed these last few days.
"Don't
expect a book of travels! For several years the public has been so prodigiously
over-stocked with that kind of work, that it may well be satiated with them
now. I can conceive an author who has made a journey of five leagues,
celebrating it in prose and verse ; and
yet what is that adventurous enterprise compared with the one I have executed
? I have not only travelled five league.
I have travelled six ; and such leagues, that the opinion of the
inhabitants of the country would go to prove that they were equal to seven
ordinary leagues. And yet I will not tell you a word respecting my journey :
for your sake I regret it ; you lose
much. It would have offered you some
adventures which would have been infinitely interesting: those of Ulysses and
Telemachus were nothing by their side.
"We
started at five in the morning. Our car quitted the gates of the city at
precisely the same moment as the chariot of the sun rose from the bosom of the
ocean. it was adorned with a cloth, of brilliant white, one portion of which
floated in the zyphyr's breast. It was
thus we passed the guard-house of the custom-house officers [the Octroi]
triumphantly. As you may suppose, I did not fail to cast my eyes on them. I
wished to ascertain whether those Arguses would not give the lie to their
ancient reputation ; and, animated with a noble emulation, I dared to aspire
after the glory of, if possible, vanquishing them in politeness. I leaned over
the side of our car, and taking off the new hat which covered my head, saluted
them with my most charming smile. I counted on a suitable response ; but would
you believe it? these clerks, motionless as the god Terminus at the door of
their cabin, regarded me fixedly without returning my salute. I have always had
an infinite self-love ; that mark of contempt wounded me to the quick ; and for
the rest of the day my temper was intolerable.
"Meanwhile,
our coursers bore us onward with a swiftness which they imagination can scarcely
conceive. It seemed as if they would fain rival the swiftness of the coursers
of the sun who flew over our heads.... With one bound they cleared the Faubourg
St.Catherine ; a second carried us to the gate at Sens. We stayed a short time
in that town. I profited by the delay to examine the beauties it presents to
the travellers curious gaze. While my companions were breakfasting, I ascended
the hill upon which the Calvary is placed. From that point my eyes wandered,
with a mingled sentiment of sadness and exultation, over the vast plain where
Conde at twenty, gained that famous victory [Rocroi] over the Spaniards which
saved France.
"But
an object interesting for other reasons next drew all my attention, the Hotel
de Ville. It is not remarkable for
grandeur or magnificence ; but it has not the less claim upon my attention,
does not the less inspire me with lively interest. This modest edifice, said I,
meditatively, is the sanctuary where the hunchback T-----, with his blonde wig,
holding the balance of Themis in his hand, formerly weighed with great
impartiality the claims of his co-citizens. Minister of justice and favourite
of Esculapius, he passed a sentence and then wrote a prescription. The criminal
and the patient were equally terrified by his presence ; and this great man, by
virtue of his twofold office, was in possession of the most extensive power
that man ever exercised over his fellow men.....
"We
remounted out conveyance. Scarcely had I settled myself comfortably on a bundle
of straw when Carvins rose into view. At the sight of this happy spot we all
burst forth into a shout of joy, comparable to that which burst from the
Trojans, fugitives from the disaster of Troy, when they discovered the shores
of Italy. The people of the village gave us a welcome which amply compensated
for the indifference of the clerks at the Meaulens gate. Citizens of every
class manifested their enthusiasm for us, The cobbler arrested his awl, about
to pierce a sole, that he might regard us at leisure ; the barber abandoned a
half-shaved chin, and rushed out before us, razor in hand ; the huswife, to
satisfy her curiosity, braved the perils of a burnt tart; I actually saw three
gossips break off in the midst of a lively conversation to rush to the window.
In short we tasted during our passage - which alas, was too brief! - that
satisfaction, so flattering to our self-love, of seeing a numerous people
occupied with us. How pleasant, I said
to myself, it is to travel! With great
truth is it said that one is never a prophet in ones own land. At the gates of
your own town you are despised ; six leagues beyond it you are a personage
worthy of public curiosity.
"I
was engaged in these wise reflections when we arrived at the house which
represented the goal of our voyage. I will not attempt to depict the transports
of tenderness which broke forth in our embraces. It was a spectacle to have
drawn tears from your eyes. In history I knew of but one scene of the kind to
be compared with it. When Aeneas, after
the fall of Troy, lands in Epirus with his fleet, and there meets with Helenus
and Andromache, whom destiny has seated on the throne of Pyrrhus, it is said
that their meeting was most affecting. I doubt not that Aeneas had a most
excellent heart. Helenus, the best Trojan in the world, and Andromache, the
amiable widow of Hector, shed many tears and sighed many sighs on this
occasion. I am willing to believe that their transports were not inferior to
ours ; but after Aeneas, Helenus, Andromache, and us, you must drop the
curtain.
"Since
our arrival all our time has been occupied with pleasures. Ever since last
Saturday I have been eating tarts. Destiny has willed that my bed should be
placed in a room which is the depȏt of the pastry. That was exposing me
to the temptation of eating tarts all night! But I reflected that it was noble
to subdue ones passions, and therefore I slept though in the midst of such
seductive objects. It is true that during the day I made up for this long
abstinence."
[Here Robspierre indulges in some humorous verses in
praise of the first maker of tarts, for which I have not room. He continues,
after an allusion to the oblivion which wraps the name of ce sublime genie:-]
"Of
all the traits of ingratitude which the human race has exhibited towards its
benefactors, this it is which has always most revolted me. It is for the
Artesians to expiate it; seeing that, in the opinion of all Europe, they know
the value of the tart better than any other people. Their glory calls upon them to erect a
temple to its inventor. I will confess, entre
nous, that I have drawn up a project to that effect which I purpose to
submit to the Artesian States. I count
upon the powerful support of the clergy.
"But
to eat tarts is nothing : one must eat them in good company. Yesterday I received
the greatest honour to which I could aspire. I dined with three lieutenants and
the son of a bailli! The whole
magistracy of the neighbouring villages was assembled at our table. In the
centre of the senate shone monsieur the lieutenant of Carvins, like Calypso
amidst the nymphs. Ah, if you could but have seen how affably he conversed with
the rest of the company, as if he were an ordinary mortal! With what indulgence
he approved of the champagne which was poured out for him! With what a
satisfied air he seemed to smile at the reflection of his person in the glass!
I saw it all - yes, I! - and yet, observe how hard it is to content the heart
of man! All my desires are not yet satisfied. I am preparing to return to Arras
; and I hope to find greater pleasure in seeing you than even in all or any of
the circumstances above described. We shall meet with as much satisfaction as
Ulysses and Telemachus after twenty years of absence. I shall have no
difficulty in reconciling myself to the loss of my baillis and lieutenants. (However seductive a lieutenant may be,
believe me, Madame, he can never enter into with you. His countenance, even
when champagne has tinted it a soft carnation does not present the charm which
Nature's self has given to yours ; and the company of all the baillis in the universe can never
compensate for your agreeable conversation.)
"I
remain, with the sincerest expression of friendship, sir, your very humble and
obedient servant,
"De
Robespierre."
In our limited space we should not transcribe so long a
letter did we not look upon it as a curious psychological study when read by
the light of its writer's after career.’
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