192 



Monthly Review of Literature, 



[AUG. 



promised with the government to quit the 

 country. 



In 1795, therefore, he gathered up his 

 all, and proceeded with his family to 

 America, but with a fixed resolution to 

 solicit foreign aid for his country. He 

 thought himself free to do so. His un- 

 willing exile he considered as an acquittal 

 for his offence, and himself at liberty to 

 do his best for what he regarded as the 

 welfare of Ireland. In America he lost 

 no time in gaining 1 an interview with the 

 French Ambassador. At first he was 

 coldly received, but at the end of some 

 mouths, was even urged by the ambassa- 

 dor to go to France, and communicate 

 with the government. To France he ac- 

 cordingly went, and landed on the 1st 

 January 1796, where, without knowing one 

 human being, he set seriously about per- 

 suading the French government to under- 

 take the liberation of Ireland, and succeed- 

 ed in persuading them. The diary presents 

 the detail of his negociations his progress 

 from the clerks of the Foreign Office to 

 De la Croix at the head of it his inter- 

 view with Carnot, one of the Directory 

 with Clarke, with Hoche. The alternate 

 hopes and fears, the promises, and delays, 

 and disappointments, and changes of pur- 

 pose, were enough to drive any man but 

 Tone to final despair. Through the whole 

 period too he had no communication what- 

 ever with Ireland, and knew not with any 

 truth how matters were going there. At 

 last, in December, nearly a twelvemonth 

 after his arrival, a force of from 12,000 

 to 15,000 were embarked, commanded by 

 Hoche and Grouchy, under whom Tone 

 held the rank of adjutant-general. The 

 winds were unfavourable ; the ships were 

 separated; and Grouchy with about half 

 the original force appeared off Bantry Bay, 

 and was himself disposed to land, but was 

 deterred by his officers ; and thus were all 

 Tone's hopes and labours baffled. Attach- 

 ed to Hoche, he still accompanied him, on 

 his return, as adjutant-general, in his com- 

 mand on the Satnbre and Meuse, and was 

 with him till his death. Of this revolu- 

 tionary commander, he speak in terms of 

 affection and admiration. When the se- 

 cond attempt upon Ireland was preparing 

 at the Texel, Hoehe, though eager for dis- 

 tinction, yielded to Daendels, the Dutch 

 commander. To this second expedition, 

 Hoche' s death, which occurred while it 

 was preparing, put a stop; or perhaps 

 that object was designedly merged in the 

 grander one of invading England by the 

 arniee cTAnglcterre, to be commanded by 

 Bonaparte. 



By this time numerous agents from Ire- 

 land were in Paris, and Tone was compa- 

 ratively forgotten. The rebellion in Ire- 

 land in the mean while had actually com- 

 menced, and a new stimulus was thus 



given to the French government. A reso- 

 lution was suddenly taken to fit out a 

 third expedition ; and, about the begin- 

 ning of July 1798, Tone was summoned to 

 consult on the plans. Small detachments 

 were to be sent from different parts ; and 

 Humbert was already at Rochelle with 

 1,000, Hardy at Brest with 3,000, and 

 Kilmaine was to have 9,000 in reserve. 

 The attempt was at last made without 

 previous concert; Humbert, impatient of 

 delay, and urged by the Irish agents, set 

 sail, and landed his small force in an ob- 

 scure corner of the island, where, instead 

 of calling the people to arms, he amused 

 himself with drilling the peasantry, and 

 enjoying the insidious hospitality of the 

 Bishop of Killala, till he was surrounded 

 and defeated. Before the news of his 

 failure reached France, Hardy (about the 

 end of September) had sailed, and with 

 him was Tone, ag'ain holding the rank of 

 adjutant-general. After contending with 

 contrary winds, on the 10th of October 

 they arrived off' Loch Swilley. They were 

 instantly signalized, and the next morning 

 were attacked by Sir J. B. Warren's squa- 

 dron. After a sharp engagement, Tone 

 fell into the hands of the victors. Though 

 never in the English service, he was tried 

 by a court-martial, and sentenced to be 

 hanged pleading in vain his claim to be 

 treated as a French officer. On the eve 

 of the day appointed for his execution, he 

 cut his own throat, but so unskilfully that 

 he lingered for a week. 



The diary is written very carelessly, but 

 occasionally with great vigour. It is full 

 of interest, and, to many readers, will be 

 full of novelty. It bears marks of the 

 truest sincerity and unquenchable ardour. 

 Mixed up with the whole is a good deal of 

 coarseness, which might as well have 

 been omitted. The man's invincible ener- 

 gy his resolution and perseverance his 

 fond affection for his family his devotion 

 to his country, claim no little share of our 

 respect, however desperate, or rash, or 

 unjustifiable we may deem his purpose. 



Travels in Norway, Sweden, Finland, 

 Russia, and Turkey, also in the Sea of 

 Azof, and of the Black Sea; by Geo.Matt. 

 Jones, Capi. R. N. 2 vols. 8ro. 1827 

 The author of these volumes, Capt. Geo. 

 M. Jones, as we learn from the preface, 

 very early in life entered the naval ser- 

 vice; and after having been constantly 

 it does not appear how long employed 

 till 1818. was at last advanced to the rank 

 of post-captain the object, it seems, of 

 his most ardent ambition and exertions 

 and then laid upon the shelf. This leisure, 

 thus desirably or undesirably befalling 

 him, he was of too roaming a disposition 

 to idle aw ay at home; and therefore re- 

 solved not to idle it away abroad but 



