978 
year and a half, was. fubjetted to Robef- 
pierre’s tyrannic fway. Robe!pierre, who 
feared the energetic man, ordered him to 
be guiilotined: and Von Hooff’s name was 
astually inferted inthe lift of thofe who had 
been executed. But, fortunately for the 
Batavian Republic, chance fo diieSed it, 
that the executicners of the tyrant’s fan- 
guinary commands dragged another inno- 
cent perfon, whom they miftook for Von 
Hoof, out of the dungeon, and decapitated 
him inftead of the laiter. On the fall of 
Robefpierre, Von Hooff was liberated: 
But the hardfhips be fuffered in prifon had 
for ever undermined his health and contti- 
tution. In quick penetration he is fur- 
pafied by none of his colleagues; and 
equally excels in perfpicuity, brevity, in a 
good delivery, and ina hicid manner of ar- 
anging hisarguments. He fpeaks, with- 
eut digreflions, to the purpofe, and never 
Tofes fight of the main queilion. The ad- 
monitions of the prefident make no impref- 
fion cn him, when he fees the mifiakes or 
inexperience of the latter leading to the 
enacting of a law that may prove detri- 
mental to the public weal. With fulmi- 
nating eyes, and unfpeakable energy in his 
manner, I once faw him advance te the feat 
of the prefident, cléarly explain to him the 
dangers which muft enfue to the exifting 
decrees, and to the general good, if he 
would not otherwife put the queition to the 
eppel nominal. When, neverthelefs, the 
decree of the 11th of March paffed the 
aflembly, he prenounced with the moft for- 
cible expreffion thefe remarkable words: 
«< If I were prefident, nothing, not even a 
battery of cannon planted againit me, 
fhould force me to pat fo. pernicious a 
queftion’ to the vote; not even impending 
death fhould induce me to aét fo to the 
ruin of my country.”’ His dejection and 
chagrin on that day are almoft incon- 
ceivable ; for he is actuated bya lively pa~ 
triotifm; and his body and foul are de- 
voted to the welfare of his country. 
On the evening of that day, Lconverfed 
with him two or three hours; and he not 
only concurred with me in opinion, but 
fpoke with fuch ardour cf the danger of 
the ftate, if the decree remained in force, 
that I ceuld not liften to him without the 
utmoft admiration. But the fire of his 
genius confumes, rather than warms. The 
phlegmatic Batavian feels it not, and isnot 
“moved by his glowing eloquence. The 
members of the affembly have either ai- 
ready chofen their party, and are too fond 
of their eafe to beftow thought and reafon- 
ing on the principles they have taken for 
granted; or, if they have haply fyllogized 
Anecdates of eminent Perfons, 
-generality of Batavians. 
fJan. Ty 
on the matter, they are too much prepof- 
feffed in favour of the opinion that refulted 
from their ratiocination, to be ever in- 
duced to give itup. To them is applicable 
the text from Scripture, ¢* They have eyes 
and fee not ; they have ears, and hear not.”” 
If they were endowed with found judgment 
and enlightened underftandings,they would 
ceriainly te in general convinced by the 
arguments of this clear-fighted man. 
i {poke wich him concerning the finances 
of the republic: and 1 owe him the hint 
fer the formation of a paper circulating 
medium, that cuuld not poffibly be depre- 
ciated, if enntted agreeably to my plan; 
which is explained in the chgpter on the 
Finances of the Batavian Repuolic. ‘Cou- 
rage and refolution accompany and aid his 
ardent activity. He is the chief among 
the reprefentatives of his province; and, 
without a retro{peét to provincial advan- 
tages, and the privileges of his immediate 
conftituents, contantly a€is with a view to 
the general good of the republic one and 
indivifible. For this reafona, he fupported 
with fo much force the propofal for an 
amalgifmation of the debts of the flate, al- 
though his own conftituents be free from 
debt ; and prefers the advantages that will 
accrue to them from the profperity of the 
whole republic, to the wretched calcula- 
tions of his colieagues, who are not able ta 
reckon farther than how much ready mo- 
ney muft be facrificed for the moment. 
He was certainly in the right, when he 
{aid to me, ** If we muft contribute our 
quota io the vearly deficit of fix millions, 
and remain an ifolated province, is it not 
better, patriptically to take upon us a 
part of the debt, the intereft of which does 
not furpafs that quota, and thus form a 
whole?” 
What fo much wins my efteem for this 
excellent man, is his love of juftice and 
truth, and his exemplary difintereitednefs, 
He never fstters any popular prejudice,. 
with whatever {pecious name it may be 
decorated. He does nothing with a view. 
to attain the future offices of the fate, nor 
endeavours to creep into them by a iupple 
fubferviency to the will of the mejority of 
the affembly, or of the people. , He 
marches ftraight forward in the path he 
has chofen from conviction, without taking 
any fide views, and without ever thinking 
of his own private intereft or aggrandize- 
ment. In this, he differs widely from the 
Even his life, I 
am convinced, would ceafe to have any 
value for him, if, by facrificing it, he could 
render any fervice to his native land. 
He poflefies a clear underftanding, i 
C 
