162 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1794. 



♦"ned the Convention. The reso- 

 lution of those who formed it,their 

 abilities, their numbers, strength, 

 and influence, were every way equal 

 to the object they proposed ; and 

 it was rather uncertain for a 

 while, ♦whether they would not 

 Succeed : but at five in the after- 

 noon their vast projects had been 

 overthrown, and they were all uo 

 'more. 



The character of Robespierre 

 has exercised the ingenuity of va- 

 rious writers: — they all agree in 

 reprobating his conduct: but they 

 frequently differ in their opinion 

 of his capacity. But in speaking 

 of a man so well known by his ac- 

 tions, tliese alone are siifficient to 

 convey an adequate idea of his 

 abilities, as well as to shew the 

 frame of his mind, and by what 

 motive he was actuated. Thefea- 

 tures most predominant in his cha- 

 racter, were, the lust of power,dissi- 

 mulation. and cruelty. He had 

 none of those magnanimous senti- 

 ments that occasionally counter- 

 poise the very worst of vices, and 

 command some respect for indlvi- 

 <luals for whom no real attachment 

 ^can be felt. His vicious inclina- 

 tions were always predominant; 

 they were at the bottom of all the 

 deep and latent views that perpe- 

 tually occupied his thoughts. The 

 -only two qualities he had, which 

 might bestyled commendable, were 

 contempt of moii'ey and impeiie- 

 frable secrecy. By the first of 



these, he obtained the fame of 

 , :7iV 



disinterestedness and integrity : by 

 the second, he was enabled to win 

 the confidence of those with whom 

 he was connected: considering him 

 as an individual of great prudence 

 and discretion, they trusted him the 

 more readily with their own se- 

 crets. It was chiefly by these 

 means, aided by an easy and im- 

 pressive eloquence, not unfrcquent- 

 ly adorned with the energetic bre- 

 vity of a profound and bold senti- 

 ment* and a steady courage, that 

 he rose into reputation, and gained 

 the knowledge of those men whom 

 he was desirous to cultivate, and of 

 those measures which he sought 

 to guide. He had arrived at the 

 age of thirty before he attracted 

 particular notice. His parts did 

 not seem calculated for any exalted 

 situation, nor even for much exer- 

 tion in the ordinary occurrences of 

 life. His person was the reverse 

 of prepossessing ; his aspect was 

 sickly; and the cheerfulness that 

 usually marks his countrymen, was ^ 

 not visible in any of bis features : 

 yet, with all these disadvantages, 

 the necessity of renderinghimself ac- 

 ceptable to those who employed hira 

 in the line of his profession, which 

 was the law, had taught him ob- 

 sequiousnessand complaisance. He 

 thereby procured himself the good- 

 will of his acquaintances, and, 

 through their means, together with 

 his parts, made an advantageous 

 figure at the bar in his native city 

 of Arras, the capital of the pro- 

 vince of Artois. The credit and 



- * At a meeting of his political friend-, during the trial of the King, when 

 sonic of them seemed Houhtful and waventif; in their resolution how to act, 

 Uobespierre, with a very serious and significant look, said, '" If Lewis XVI. bs 

 tiot ^uiltj', what are you?" This produced an immediate eSect— many voted foe 

 ftie death of the King, thrt-u.^h tne tear of dfath to thcmsflvf s. 

 ■ .:. J. ^ esteem 



