Memoir of A r man d Carrel. 141 



We now approach the termination of Carrel's life, which 

 was prematurely closed in his 36th year a period when the 

 vigour and fire of their respective characters were about to be 

 improved, by being 1 tempered by the experience of advancing 

 age. The boldness with which Carrel wrote, the openness with 

 which he made his attacks, and the readiness with which he was 

 always prepared to give redress in person for the injuries which his 

 pen might inflict, had already engaged him in several duels. The 

 first of these in which he was concerned was occasioned by an 

 article of Thiers', in the early days of the "National," against another 

 journal, the editor of which sent a challenge, which was refused by 

 Thiers. Carrel, considering that the honour of the "National" was 

 thus compromised, 'volunteered to go in his stead. He accordingly 

 met his adversaryjand slightly wounded him with a pistol. The next 

 encounter was incurred in an equally chivalrous manner in 1833, on 

 the occasion of the Duchess de Berry's concealment in the chateau 

 of Blay. Numerous plaisant cries on this subject had appeared in a 

 satirical French paper called the " Corsaire," the editor of which had 

 been wounded in a rencontre in which Carrel acted as his second ; 

 but the Carlists, not being satisfied with this reparation, had renewed 

 their menaces. Carrel upon this announced, that these fire-eaters 

 would find at the office of the " National" as many adversaries as they 

 desired. A list often names was immediately sent him, from which 

 he selected that of a gentleman of the name of Roux, to whom he 

 was a perfect stranger. In the duel which followed they fought with 

 swords, and both were wounded Roux in two parts of the arm, and 

 Carrel dangerously in the belly. His life was for a considerable 

 time in peril, and the interest which his illness excited was great. 

 The numerous inquiries made at his residence by men of all parties, 

 and the letters he received from individuals of every rank, proved 

 the high estimation in which he was held by his countrymen. 



The last of these encounters in which he was engaged was des- 

 tined to have a more fatal termination. His adversary on this 

 occasion was an obscure journalist, called Girardin, whose name, 

 like that of the man who, in his ambition to be remembered by pos- 

 terity, set fire to the temple of Diana at Ephesus, will only be remem- 

 bered by the destruction of the noble frame which he so prematurely 

 effected. This person's object seems to have been to emerge 

 from his natural obscurity by seeking a quarrel with Carrel, whose 

 bold and chivalrous character afforded him but too much facility 

 for such an encounter. They met, and Carrel was mortally wounded 

 by a pistol shot. After lingering in agony for some days he died, 

 deeply lamented, not only by his countrymen, but by all the 

 friends of freedom, and admirers of genius and principle, through- 

 out the world, 



D. W. J. 



