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Retrospect of French Literature—History. 613 
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» verees declaring the youth to be in astate sometimes regulated by their local po- 
of requisition for the armies. The for- sition, and sometimes by the names of 
mer of these irritated the minds of all to — their leaders. | 
a degree of madness; and it appeared Le Bocage, an extensive district, the 
intolerable, by obeying the second, to name of which is descriptive of its nae 
arm for the triumph of infedelity over ture, became the cradle of the war, and 
religion, and rebellion over loyalty, obtained for it the general appellation of 
jt was soon perceived by some of Vendean, from the department in which 
their leaders, however, that as all the it happened to he included, according to 
great cities had declared in favour of the the new territorial division. " 
revolution, and the army was devoted to . Although destitute of large rivers, this’ 
‘the same cause, a partial rebellion must portion of France. is very much. inter= 
prove ineffectual, and that nothing short sected, very uneven, notwithstanding it, 
of a generakunion among thes isaffected does not abound with mountains, and 
could produee a formidable opposition to full of trees, notwithstanding it contains ih 
the mew order of government. ‘Two no- but few forests. It is rendered difficult 
bles* accordingly formed the plan of an of approach, by means of hills, vallies, 
extensive insurrection, a portion of which _ ravines, and rivulets, mostly dry, indeed, 
was afterwards found sufficient to occupy during the heats of summer, but mstantly 
nearly all the strength and resources of transformed after a few te rain, 
Wrance; and Britanny was destined to into impassable torrents. In addition to 
become the! centre offa revolt, which this, the fields are divided into small en- 
seems to have extended itself to Nor- closures, and parted by ditches, see onl 
mandy, Poitou, La Vendée, and several. trees onthe banks are so thickly planted, 
of the neighbouring departments; but as almost to produce the same effect as 
the death of one of the leaders, although) pallisades around a fortification. 9 ©, 
it did not annihilate, greatly circum- | The great roads in La)Wendée are un- 
scribed the original plan. * safe, being fanksd by wide and deep 
On the flight of the king, some petty ditches; their banks also are obstructed 
commotions took place, but it was nog by hedges and bushes, well calculated to 
until after his tragical death that any conceal an enemy that delights in am- 
thing like a serious revolution was re~  busecadesand sudden attacks. The cross 
solved upon, paths form so many hollow ways, being 
‘At length the white flag, the signal of sunk ten or twelve feet below the sur- 
insurrection, was hoisted, omMarch 10, face of the earth, and constantly expose 
4795, and the people, foretting all the the invaders to be fired at from com= |} 
benefits derived from, the revolution, ™manding ground, while they themselves 
spurning at the éxemption from tythes are under the necessity of reinaining in 
and the rigour of the game-laws, declar- the valley below. The convoys were 
ed themselves resolved to restore the unable.to travel more’than three leagues 
throne, and elevate the altar anew. a day; oxen were obliged to be substi- 
The war originally commenced among tuted for horses, and cavalry and artille- 
the inhabitants of Lower Poitou; but it ty, the two grand instruments of modern 
was the natives of the nearly impene- warfare, by means of which a civilized. 
trable districts of Le Bocaye, and Le easily obtain a superiority over a barba- 
Roux, insulated from the rest of man- Yrous people, were here but of little use ; 
kind, still professing all the barbarous whilethe most skilful officer, being obliged 
prejudices of the twelfth century, at once to assimilate his mode of conducung hos- | 
the humble*bondmen of the nobles, and tilities with that of the enemy, in fact 
the willing slaves of the church, who possessed no advantage over them. In 
proved the most determined enemics of addition to all these considerations, as 
_ the new commonwealth. this unseen foe never presented the usual 
\» The insurgents, inflamed by success, order of battle, it was unknown on what 
and stimulated | by those who employed point 2 Convoy,.an escort, or a detach- | 
their prejudices as so many levers to ment, was to engage, or whether the ac= | 
move them. at their will, assembled in #0m was likely. to commence in the van, | 
either separate or collective bodies, at the rear, omeither of the flanks; while ~ 4. | 
sthe command of their eeclesiastieal and. on the other hand, the wary foe eluded «| 
milicary chiefs, and sea appellations. the possiblity of a surprize, and seldoin 
eC eit TE 70 fought but when confident of superier 
* Laroyerie and D’Elhée, the former a na- numbers, and certain of victory.. aa i 
tive of Britanay, the latter of Poitou. Vheir attack, on the other hand, was 
* as gn oe © | bi dreadful 
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