336 



Memoirs of Mr. Nechr, by his Daughter} [Nov. I, 



Yet, what a moment of happinefs was 

 this journey from Bbfle^to Paris, journey- 

 ing as we did, when my f sther had deter- 

 mined to return. I believe nothing fimilar 

 to it has e er befallen a man who was not 

 the fovereign of the country ! The 

 French nation, fo animated in the expref- 

 fion of its fentiments, furrendered itfelf 

 for the fiift time to a hope it had never be- 

 fore experienced, a hope which it had not 

 yet been taught to limit. To the enlight- 

 ened clafs, liberty was known only by the 

 noble fentiments it exci'ed, and to the 

 people, only by notions analosous to their 

 tro\r>les and their wants. Mr. Ntcker 

 then ftemed the harbinger of this lonj-ex- 

 pedled blrlTing. He was hailed at eveiy 

 ftep by the warmeft acclamations, the 

 women fell on their knees at a dillance in 

 the fields when his carriage palTed j the 

 principal citizens of the different places 

 we part through, took the plices of port il- 

 lions, to drive our horfes, and in the cities 

 the inhabitants unharnefled them and drew 

 the carriage themfelves. One of the gene- 

 rals of the French army, called the braveft 

 of the brave,* was hurt by the crowd 

 in one of thefe triumphal entries ; 

 in faff, no man wh« has not filled the 

 throne has ever experienced in an equal 

 ckgree the affection of the people. Alas ! 

 it was I who enjoyed it for him, it was 

 me whom it intoxicated ; nor ought I to 

 remember thefe days without gratitucie, 

 whatever may be now the afflidions of my 

 life; but my father's fole occupation 

 from that moment, was to affuage the con. 

 fequences of a triumph fo formidable lo 

 all tholi: who were of the vanquiftied 

 party. 



My father's firft ftep on arriving at 

 Bade, was to feek out Madame de P< lig- 

 nac, who had always flievvn herfelf his f'e- 

 termined opponent, but who interellcd 

 him at this moment, for (he was profcrib- 

 cd. He never ceafed during his journey 

 to render fervices to peribns of ariltocratic 

 opinions, who were flying in great num- 

 bers from Paris : many requelted letters 

 from his hand to enable them to pafs the 

 frontiers without danger. He gave them 

 to all who were expofed to danger, although 

 in doing fo he was aware how far he com- 

 reitted himfcif. For it mud be obferved, 

 in order fully to eftimate his condufl in 

 this refpecf, that my father both by na- 

 ture and by his habits of mind pofTeffed 

 an unufual piudcrce, and did fcarcely any 

 thing at the iinpulfe of the moment. It 

 was a quality of bis mind unfavoutiible to 



* (^enexal Juaod. 



ailion, that it was too perceptible of un- 

 certainty ; he calculated every chance, 

 and never in the giddinefs of ipeculation 

 overlooked the pofTiliility of an obltacle : 

 but whenever the idea of a duty prefented 

 itfelf, all the mathematical powers of his 

 reafon ftooped to this fupreme law ; and 

 whatever might be the confequences of a 

 refolulion that virtue diftated, it was the 

 only cafe in which he decided without hefi- 

 tation. 



In almoft every place where itiy father 

 ftopped during his journey, he fpoke to the 

 people who furrounded him, on the necef- 

 fity of refpefting property and perfons, 

 H required of thofe who manifefted molt 

 affcfliin for him, to prove it by fulfilling 

 their duties: he accepted of his triumph 

 from a religious devotion to virtue, to hu- 

 manity, to the public 'good ; what is the 

 nature of men, if thefe are not the mcins 

 of acquiring their eiteem and refpe£l ? 

 what is life, if fuch a conduft does not 

 fccure the divine blcfling ? 



Ten leagues from Paris, people came to 

 tell us that the Barun de Belenval, one of 

 the men moft wlihsn the danger of the po- 

 pul r fury, was brought back a prifoner 

 to Paris, which w uld infallibly expbfe 

 him to bealfafTinated in the ftreets. Our 

 carriage was ftopt in the road, and my fa- 

 ther requefted to write to the perfons, by 

 whofe authority the Baron de Befenval 

 was condu'5led to Paris, that he would 

 take upon him to warrant the fufpenficn of- 

 the orders they had received from the 

 Commune of Paris, and to indemnify- 

 them in keeping the Baron de Btfenval 

 where he was. Such a lequifition was 

 hazarding much, and my faihfr was int 

 ignorant how foon the favour which 

 fprings from popularity is defiroyed ; it 

 is a fort of power that mud be enjoyed 

 without being ufed. He wrote it never- 

 thclels upon his knees in his carriage ; the 

 leaft delay might coft the Baron de Befen- 

 val his life, and my father would never 

 have forgiven himfelf for not having pre- 

 vented the death of a man, when he had it 

 in his power. I do not know wrhat may be 

 faid politically of this profound refpe£t for 

 men'slives ; but I (hould think the human 

 race can have no interell iii ftigmatizlng 

 it. 



When arrived at Verfailles, it was ne- 

 celTary my father fliould go to the Com- 

 mune of Paris, to account for his conduft 

 in the affair of Mr. de Befenval ; he went 

 there, and my mother and myfelf follow- 

 ed him. All the inhabitants of Paris were 

 in the Itreets, at the windows, or on the 

 roefs i all cried out, ri've M, Neckcr ! 

 4 M/ 



