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titude, was borne along by an impetuous 
torrent, and when every successive in- 
stant might expose the magistrates to 
the alternative of crime or death ! 
Broussonnet, whose public discourses 
had gained him popularity, could scarcely 
fail of being called to some political 
trnst in those early moments when the 
popular opinion guided each choice ; but 
the first situations that he filled of this 
kind, must soon have made him look 
hack with regret to the pursuit of the 
sciences, and the tranquil occupations of 
the closet. Being appointed in 1789 to 
the electoral body of Paris, he was re- 
guired, with the other electors, to assume 
that species of intermediate maygistracy 
which for an instant supplied the place 
ef the suspended authorities; and on 
the very day of his coming to the towns 
hall, he beheld his friend and patron the 
intendant of Paris murdered beforé his 
face. He was afterwards, together with 
Vauvilliers, charged with the task of pro- 
curing a supply of provisions for the me- 
tropolis; and saw himself twenty times 
threatened with destruction by those who 
were themselves preserved by the results 
of his solicitude, and who submitted only 
to the guidance of such as were inter- 
ested in bringing upon them the mise- 
ries of famine. 
Discorraged by the view of so much 
folly and ingratitude, the atlliction which 
had now taken possession of his spirits, 
was vented in his last discourses before 
the Agricultural Society; and from that 
time it might have been aporehended 
that he would never again be tempted 
to exert his knowledge and zeal for the 
public welfare. He had a seat however 
in that celebrated assembly (the Second), 
which, thougly it existed only for a few 
months, will leave such ‘deep traces in 
the annals of France; which, at the frst 
moment of its meeting, received almost 
on its knees the same constitution from 
which afterward it daily tore some one 
of the pages; which shrunk under the 
fall of a throne that it had sworn to 
Support; and, in quitting the scene, ap- 
peared wantonly to multiply the chances 
of anarchy, to the nation for which it 
had undertaken to hold the reins of go- 
vernment. In this situation he might 
perceive the wide difference between the 
calm reasonings which are adapted for 
the persuasion of the solitary philosopher, 
and the violent arguments which alone 
are capable of producing effect upon a 
Bumerous body of men. In such meet. 
3 
Rfenwoirs of M. Broussonnet. 347 
ings, character can accomplish every” 
thing, aud knowledge almost aothing 3 
decisions are enthusiastically made ws 
the aggregate, which afterward each in - 
dividual privately condemns in the mo- 
ments of reflection; and when a delibera- 
tion is opened, no one can furesee to 
what issue tt may be brought by the 
accumulated sephisms, and the pro- 
pitious or wayward warmth, of successive 
speakers, and by the tumultuous avita- 
tions of party-spirit. DM. Broussonnes 
attempted ina vain to reelaim the con- 
tending faetions by proposing conciliatory 
views;but hisraild ane insinuating manners 
were weapons too weak to Cppose the 
universal frenzy. 
After the events which put an end to 
the Legislative assembly, he retiredto his 
country-seat near Montpellier; where he 
hoped at length to enjoy, in the ceiti- 
vation of his lands, that repose to whicls 
he had been a stranger from the tine of 
his yielding to the allurcinents of amdu- 
tion. But the moment had arrived when 
there. was no longer any repose to be 
expected by whoever had been concerned 
in pubhe affairs, or had attained to any 
degree of distinction. In consequence 
of the revolution of the Sist of May, 
which gave the preponderance to the 
most violent of the factions that strue- 
gled for power, a great nunsber -of the 
departments revolted: their plans bosw- 
ever-were badly concerted, and by their 
failure completed the triumph of the 
Gppressors. Commissioners were now 
sent into every part of the country, to 
proceed with rigour against such as had 
taken an energetic part in those mea- 
sures: and as Broussonnet had been de- 
puted by his fellow-countrymen {thougls 
against his will) to the committee of in 
surrection at Bourdeaux, and appointed 
member of & convention whieh the in- 
surgenl @epa.tments projected to asseii= 
ble, he was imprisoned’ in ‘the citadel of 
Montpellier; and would soon have had 
to undergo the same fate as so many 
other dlustrious scholars and virtucus 
magistrates, if he had not eifected his 
escape im au almost miraculous manner, 
Ov this occasion he took refuge with 
his brother, who acted as a physician in 
the army of the Pyrenees; and here te 
for a short time concealed himse!f, under 
the appearance of an inferior physician - 
but as he knew too well that this expe- 
dicut could not give him permanent se- 
curity, he eagerly sought a fayouratle 
Opportumiy of passing the frontiers. 
; One 
