i 
' in theyswere not deceived. 
: HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
but of the public, which now looked 
up to the council of ancients as an 
effetual check on the inconsiderate 
precipitation with’ which the other 
council seeined liable to adopt the 
proposals of its leaders, and to be 
actuated by fection. The modera- 
tion displayed on several occasions 
of this nature by the council of 
elders, and the .impartiality inva- 
riably observed by the directory, in 
its condu& towards all parties, pro- 
cured them such attachment and 
respect, that the ruling members in 
the lower house began to apprehend 
that their credit would thereby suf. 
fer a considerable diminution: here- 
The 
popular vo:ce of applause was ma- 
nifestly in favoar of the two former 
branches of the government; and 
the most discerning part of the pub- 
lic did not hesitate to affirm, that 
unless the Jower house regulated 
its condué@t by other maxims than 
_ those with which it had begun, it 
_ would lose all esteem and confi- 
dence, and the people no longer 
' leok upon them as their protec- 
_ tors but their tyrants, and transfer 
_ their affe@tion, and possibly their 
eee 
allegiance, to’ those who by their 
_ humanity and discretion had shewn 
_ them to be more deserving of it. 
Discourses and surmises of this kind 
were not unfrequent; they pro- 
_ duced a good effect: the principal 
members of the council of five 
hundred, who were men of too 
_ much perception not to foresee the 
‘@endency of these ideas, saw the 
“Mecessity of removing their causes, 
dy an alteration of the system that 
_ exposed them to so much censure, 
_ Thus by degrees the reign of terror 
‘subsided, and the nation cast off that 
gloom which continual apprehen- 
sions had introduced, 
[127 
While these flattering prospects 
of better days were reviving the 
spirits of the public, the directory 
resolved to signalize their entrance 
into power, and the settlement of 
the new constitution, by one of those 
establishments that give a durable 
fame to their founders, by being 
calculated for national honour and 
uiility, This was, the celebrated ins 
stitution for the progréss and en- 
coursgement of arts and sciences. 
It consisted of one hundred and 
forty-four members, among whom 
were some of the most illustrious 
names in Frarce, and indeed in 
Europe. Not to appear inferior in 
the respect which Lewis XIV. had 
paid to men of eminence in these 
departments, by assigning them a 
place in his palace, the directory 
gave orders that they should be put 
In possession of apartments in the 
Louvre, formerly the royal resi. 
dences of the kings of France; 
they were installed with great so. 
lemnity in the ancient hallof the 
academy of sciences. Inorder, at 
the same time, to procure a general 
diffusion of learning, in every part 
of the republic, a central school or 
college was established, in each de- 
partment, for the instra@tion of 
youth, in languages, polite litera- 
ture, and philosophy. The professors 
were allowed ample salaries, but to 
accept of no gratification from their 
scholars, whose education was to be 
entirely gratuitous, Thus, from the 
highest to the lowest classes of so« 
ciety, a communication was formed, 
during their early years, on a foot. 
ing of perfect equality, and wherein 
no sort of distin¢étion was allowed 
but that which arose from a’ supe. 
riority of parts and merit! No 
system could certainly conducemore 
effettually to obliterate all impres. 
$10n 
