HISTORY OF EUROPE, 



S3 



allsts of the first and purest class, 

 or in other words, tliose who had 

 emigrated about the same time 

 with the princes, or joined them 

 in a few months thereafter, at 

 Coblentz. 



Another striking circumstance, 

 of which \<'e are well assured, and 

 which will not appear anywise in- 

 credible to any one who attend* 

 to the natural movements ol the 

 mind and heart, was, that even the 

 greatest royalists in that committee, 

 acknowledged afterwards, th:i(, on 

 receiving intelligence that their 

 plans had been crowned with suc- 

 cess, they could not refrain from 

 indulging the same WivA of satis- 

 faction that is enjoyed by a good 

 player at chess, whetv he gains a 

 piece by a train ot judicious com- 

 binations. 



Although what we have here re- 

 lated may seem to carry in it some- 

 ■Wliat of the marvellous andromnn- 

 tic, we have not the least difficulty 

 In giving it entire credit, as it ap- 

 pears to our satisfaction to be suf- 

 ficicHtly attested ; and as it is in 



perfect unison with the character 

 of the dictator, and thenew, strange, 

 and often v/himsical situations in 

 which all things were pl:iced by 

 the successive revolutions ». It 

 was long a yery common error to 

 ascribe all successes in war to the 

 charactt^ of the chief commander. 

 But it is no longer permitted to 

 any others than poets to introduce 

 heroes, faging like Diomede and 

 Achilles in the midst of hostile ar^ 

 mies, and ruling the stcrnj of war 

 by personal exertions^ and the ma- 

 gic power of example; Great 

 names have no doubt an influence 

 on the minds of the soldiers. A 

 King at the. head of his troops in- 

 creases their ardour in his cause ; 

 a victorious General inspires his 

 troops v?ith confidence ; but the 

 strength of modern armies consists 

 iBuch more in the organization 

 of the etats-majors, the aililleryy 

 and the skill and dexterity of the 

 engineers, than in any superiority 

 of talents in the General. Now all 

 the advmitages jitst mentioned, it 

 must be owned, were on the side 



• From' themilhary cohimittee of Robespieri'e, we are Ted, by a natural associa- 

 tion of ideas, to sbserve that a very considerable portion' of the army were friends 

 to monarchy at their hearts ; though it was irrfpossiblc for great bodies ci rncn ah 

 it once to pass from iheit usual habits, modes, and we may add nieans of life.' But 

 they did not concc ve that it was any violation of duty, or inibecom'ihg their cha- 

 racter as n.ilitary men, to remain in the army and fight the battles of France against 

 all hostile mvaders. Sentitnents of regard and attachmei^t to the royal family 

 rii the army broke forih, on some occasions, without any disguise. The foUowin^ 

 anecdote of Pichesru is told by a gentleman, Worthy of credit, who could noi 

 it under any mistake as to the fact which he relates, and of which he v.'ai a wit- 

 ness ;— CJeiteral I'ichegru toWanls the end of 1794, being in Holland,' srfid open!/ 

 Stt table before iiiany siranjers as well as Frenchmen, that he wished for a resto- 

 ration of monarchy, and that he wished that he couTd contribute ro io desirable 

 s(n event. It carrnot be determined whether Pichtgru saul this from aft unguarded 

 fernper, or at dcsiKnto sound the public mind, and particularly that Of the army, 

 6n this interesting suT>jcct. But his words did not seem to excite any surprise at th<i 

 (iiue when they were spoken. It was probably in consequence of some hints from 

 Pichegfuhimself, that overtures for the restoration of th^ French monarchy wefe 

 »fferw«ds made to him by the French princes. 



Vol. XXXVI. ' D of 



