HISTORY OF EUROPE. 171 



of governrr.ent in contemplation. 

 The peri on selected for this pur- 

 pose was barrere. No man had 

 made a ircre conspicuous lig>ire in 

 France since the erection of the 

 republic, '^n the interior arrange- 

 ments, su-1 m the management of 

 foreign atiairs, his abilities and dili- 

 gence had rendered him eminently 

 useful. The precipitation of so 

 many frem the seat of power had 

 checked his endeavours to rise 

 above .hat degree of consideration 

 v'hich he might possess, without 

 exciting envy, and exposing- himself 

 to the malice of competitors. He 

 had steadily adhered to the republi- 

 can system, and would not abandon 

 even Robespierre, till he became 

 convinced that the private safety 

 of every man concurred with that 

 of the rer ubiic to remove him with 

 ail speed from a station wherein he 

 had made himself obnoxious to 

 every man and to every party, by 

 theexcessive and the incessant abuse 

 of his authority. 



I'he indefatigable industry of 

 Barrere enabled him to lay before 

 the Convention, on the ..'^th day of 

 August, the scheme of a temporary 

 government, entirely conformable 

 to what had been proposed : — it 

 consisted of twenty-three articles, 

 and embraced every object of a 

 public nature with so miKh pre- 

 cision and foresight, providing at 

 tl^ same time so effectually against 

 the concentrating power, either in 

 one or few hands, that little or 

 no danger of tyranny in a single 

 man, or of oligarchy in a small 

 number, couUl l>e apprehended. It 

 appeared altogether so judicious, 

 and met wiih so general an appro- 

 bation, that many have, sinct the 

 feubs'tuition of that plan which fol- 

 lowed it a twelvemonth after, sin- 



cerely regretted that it was ever 

 abrogated. It was accepted by the 

 Convention with piuch applause, 

 and decreed to continue in force 

 until the intended plan of a newr 

 constitu-tion should have been dulv 

 prepare.dand revised by that Assem- 

 bly, and have recei\'ed its formal 

 sanction. 



In the rrsean time, the downfal 

 of Hobespierre was become ths 

 great object of attention and dis- 

 course throngbout Europe. It ex- 

 cited much more sui-prize in foreign 

 parts than in France: they thought 

 him firmly settled in the possession 

 of power, both by the authority be 

 had acquired and exeicised with 

 such unlimited sway, and by the 

 unparalleled success xjttending the 

 arms of France underhis administra- 

 tion. They seemed of opinion, that 

 the French, enjoying an uninter- 

 rupted gratification of their vanity, 

 would pas.'iively submit tohim while 

 he was able to provide for the con- 

 tinuance of that gratification. 

 Flence they were uncommonly 

 astonished when they heard of his 

 overthrow ; and even began to ex- 

 pect that it would be followed by 

 disorders and confusion that might 

 be advantageous to themselves : so 

 strong had bin party a',)peared to 

 them, that they were iioc able to 

 account for the facility with wliich 

 it had been overcome, having al- 

 wa3s imagined that hs never could 

 be deposed without a long and vio- 

 lent struggle. But the French 

 themselves were better acquainted 

 with the foundation of his power: 

 as it rose entirely from the pre- 

 possessions of the vulgar,t]iey plainly 

 saw that the decrease of his popu- 

 larity would be attenc'ed with that 

 of his power; and from the spirit 

 of discontent and indignation ai ins 



endless 



