Love and liberty : $b A thrilling narrative of the French Revolution of 1792Dumas, Alexandre
History
Love and liberty : $b A thrilling narrative of the French Revolution of 1792
Dumas, Alexandre
France -- History -- Revolution, 1789-1799 -- Fiction
Three days after, Lepelletier was publicly buried, after the antique
Greek mode, and thousands were squandered upon this pomp.
Meanwhile the nations were rising against France, although about this
time the Prussians had been worsted by the French on the eastern
frontiers.
In England, the horror produced was great; and one Chauvelin having
returned from London to Paris, declaring to the Convention that the
English masses were ready to rise and massacre the King (George III)
in his palace, the French ambassador at London was ordered to leave
England within twenty-four hours.
The Convention thereupon declared war against Holland and England.
Catharine II, of Russia, revoked the treaty of 1786, by which the
French were more favored in Russia, than other foreigners; and
ordered all the French in Russia to return to France, who would not
swear that they abhorred revolutionary sentiments. This Empress
joined the coalition against France.
The Convention had already declared war against Spain.
And now, England, Prussia, Austria, Russia, and Spain were all at war
with France—which was at war with itself.
Even Sweden had declared against the Republic. Not a friendly
national face looked upon France beyond the boundaries.
In mercy to what was now to happen to France, let it be said that,
cast upon her own resources, the armies of other people advancing
upon her by land, and by sea, despairing of help from the United
States, which had not yet recovered the blood spilt in obtaining her
independence, France was panic-stricken at the fear of civil war, and
rashly sought, by the most unpardonable acts, to exterminate this
probability by the extermination of all those who were suspected of
favoring Royalism.
The leader of blood amongst the Conventionists, immediately after the
execution of Louis XVI, took the hideous form of Marat. Dirty, mean,
fetid, disgusting in look and action, he endeared himself to the most
foul amongst the lowest by these attributes. But, like Robespierre,
who was a very fop in appearance and action, he accepted no public
money, and lived most obscurely in three or four garret-like rooms,
most meanly furnished. This man was the idol of the commonest people,
who saluted him almost as though a God: and he must have had some
occult power of attraction, for a woman really beautiful devoted her
life and honor to this creature. Nor was he without the sentiment of
self-sacrifice; for, though dying, though every violent speech he
made, which was always prefaced by the cry “_Blood!_” brought him
nearer to the grave, he never hesitated to exert himself, and quitted
his bed or his bath, in which he passed the greater part of his time,
to go down to the Convention, and denounce men on the most frivolous
pretences.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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