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Article MEMOIRS OF THE LIFE OF ROBERSPIERRE. ← Page 9 of 10 →
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Memoirs Of The Life Of Roberspierre.
but to adopt that form of government which must inevitably prove either the best or the worst possible—the government of all by all . This , it is the boast of Britons , is the principle of their constitution . But how it can be carried into effect by a numerous body of legislators , all equal in power , it remains for France to try . Talents will inevitably insure superiority ; this produces jealousy ; andas in the
, republics of old , as soon as a man deserves well of his country , he becomes suspected ; and when his influence is sufficient to obtain him command , he is immediately sacrificed . The scheme has been tried some thousands of years since ; yet the herd of French Imitators are bent on once more proving its sanguinary futility .
PORTRAIT OF ROBERSPIERRE . [ EXTRACTED FROM A PARIS JOURNAL . ] Roberspierre , at the time of his death , was aged 3 $ years . He was short in stature , being only five feet two or three inches in height : his step was firmand his quick pace in walking announced great
, activity . By a kind of contraction of the nerves , he used often to fold and compress his hands in each other ; and spasmodic contractions were perceived in his shoulders and neck , the latter of which he moved convulsively from side to side .
In his dress he was neat and even elegant , never failing to have his hair in tbe best order . His features had nothing remarkable about them , unless that their general aspect was somewhat forbidding : his complexion was livid and bilious ; his eyes dull , and sunk in their sockets . The constant blinking of the eye-lids seemed to arise from convulsive agitation ; and he was never without a remedy in his pocket . He could soften his voicewhich was naturally harsh
, and croaking , and could g ive grace to his provincial accent . It was remarked of him , that he could never look a man full in the face . He was master ofthe talent of declamation ; and as a public speaker was not amiss at composition . In his harangues , he was extremely fond of the figure called antithesis ; but failed whenever he attempted irony . His diction was at times harsh , at others harmoniously
modulated , frequently brilliant , but often trite , and was constantly blended with common-place digressions on virtue , crimes , and conspiracies . Even when prepared , he was but an indifferent orator . His logic was often replete with sophisms and subtilties ; but he was in general sterile of ideas , with but a very limited scope of thought , as is almost always the case with those who are too much taken up with themselves .
Pride formed the basis of his character ; and he had a great thirst for literary , but a still greater for political fame . He spoke with contempt of Mr . Pitt ; and yet above Mr . Pitt he could see nobody unless himself . The reproaches of the English journalists were a high treat to his vanity : whenever he denounced them , his accent and expression betrayed how much his self-love was flattered . It
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Memoirs Of The Life Of Roberspierre.
but to adopt that form of government which must inevitably prove either the best or the worst possible—the government of all by all . This , it is the boast of Britons , is the principle of their constitution . But how it can be carried into effect by a numerous body of legislators , all equal in power , it remains for France to try . Talents will inevitably insure superiority ; this produces jealousy ; andas in the
, republics of old , as soon as a man deserves well of his country , he becomes suspected ; and when his influence is sufficient to obtain him command , he is immediately sacrificed . The scheme has been tried some thousands of years since ; yet the herd of French Imitators are bent on once more proving its sanguinary futility .
PORTRAIT OF ROBERSPIERRE . [ EXTRACTED FROM A PARIS JOURNAL . ] Roberspierre , at the time of his death , was aged 3 $ years . He was short in stature , being only five feet two or three inches in height : his step was firmand his quick pace in walking announced great
, activity . By a kind of contraction of the nerves , he used often to fold and compress his hands in each other ; and spasmodic contractions were perceived in his shoulders and neck , the latter of which he moved convulsively from side to side .
In his dress he was neat and even elegant , never failing to have his hair in tbe best order . His features had nothing remarkable about them , unless that their general aspect was somewhat forbidding : his complexion was livid and bilious ; his eyes dull , and sunk in their sockets . The constant blinking of the eye-lids seemed to arise from convulsive agitation ; and he was never without a remedy in his pocket . He could soften his voicewhich was naturally harsh
, and croaking , and could g ive grace to his provincial accent . It was remarked of him , that he could never look a man full in the face . He was master ofthe talent of declamation ; and as a public speaker was not amiss at composition . In his harangues , he was extremely fond of the figure called antithesis ; but failed whenever he attempted irony . His diction was at times harsh , at others harmoniously
modulated , frequently brilliant , but often trite , and was constantly blended with common-place digressions on virtue , crimes , and conspiracies . Even when prepared , he was but an indifferent orator . His logic was often replete with sophisms and subtilties ; but he was in general sterile of ideas , with but a very limited scope of thought , as is almost always the case with those who are too much taken up with themselves .
Pride formed the basis of his character ; and he had a great thirst for literary , but a still greater for political fame . He spoke with contempt of Mr . Pitt ; and yet above Mr . Pitt he could see nobody unless himself . The reproaches of the English journalists were a high treat to his vanity : whenever he denounced them , his accent and expression betrayed how much his self-love was flattered . It