OF L. H. GIRARDIN. 19 



rescuing from the hands of a tyrannical faction, the sceptre 

 which it had usurped, and was wielding with so much oppres- 

 sion. But such was the consternation spread throughout the 

 country, such tlie distracted condition in (he affairs of every 

 one, and tlie anxiety for personal safety, that there could be 

 but little hope of devising any effectual mode of redress. The 

 party of the Giro7idi?is, oppressed by the Chabots, Marats, and 

 CoUot d'Herbois, was soon overpowered and fled. At this 

 time also, the Marquis de Puisaye arrived at Caen, with a 

 small reinforcement from England to General Wimpfen, who 

 commanded the department of Calvados, This individual, 

 who was a pure royalist, probably more attached to the cause 

 of Great Britain than desirous of serving his own country, had, 

 by his insulting and ironical deportment greatly displeased the 

 fugitive Girondins ; yet he succeeded in collecting a band of 

 three or four thousand men, at whose head he marched on to 

 the attack of Paris. It was in this little army that M. Picot 

 enlisted himself, no doubt with the most laudable motives; but 

 the fate of this handful of young enthusiasts is well known — 

 a detachment of gensfParmes soon put it to flight. The most 

 obnoxious among them were consequently obliged to seek 

 safety beyond their native shores, M. Picot, being one of 

 them, fled in disguise to Brest, in company with his friend 

 the now much admired poet Du Paty, where he embarked on 

 board of a national ship that shortly afterwards arrived in 

 Hampton roads. 



Unable to serve his country, and unwilling to connect his 

 name witli the melancholy events of those days, M, P, de- 

 serted his employment on the vessel that bore him to America. 

 A French gentleman, who was the proprietor of a small farm 

 in this State received him as a labourer — the present Marquis 

 de Cairon, who had fled with him, being entrusted with the 

 care of the poultry and swine. Then it was that M, Picot, 

 from a false impression that the tyrants of his country could 

 pursue him to this, changed his name to that of Lewis Hue 

 GiRARDiN. As he already possessed a competent knowledge 

 of the English language, he was advised to open a school, and 

 in that capacity endeavoured to render himself useful to those 

 who had extended to him their hospitality, Mr, Girardin's 

 exemplary resignation, the moral courage which he evinced 



