the resentment of the convention by every variety of artifice, an armament was preparing in England to second their intended insurrection. In the beginning of June, it sailed to the southern coast of Brittany, under the command of sir John Borlase Warren. The insurgents were assembled in great force in La Vendée, but as they were not masters of any sea-port at which the troops could be landed, the squadron proceeded to the bay of Quiberon. Here a body of about 3000 men landed on the 27th, and dispersed a small number of republicans, who had endeavoured to oppose them. They besieged and captured a fort garrisoned by 600 men, and prepared to advance farther into the country. Multitudes flocked in from all parts, to whom vast quantities of arms were distributed, and it was expected that an army might be formed capable of facing the republican troops in the neighbourhood.

Count D'Hervilly, who had acted a generous and heroic part on the 10th of August, placed himself at the head of 3000 Chouans and endeavoured to penetrate into the country, but, on the approach of a few hundreds of the republicans, they threw aside their arms and fled. This disaster obliged him to retire within the intrench ments that had been thrown up on the peninsula of Quiberon.

The republican commanders, to improve this advantage, raised three redoubts to guard the passage of the main land. The chiefs of the royalists, alarmed at these preparations, immediately perceived the necessity of raising the blockade in order to secure their communication with the disaffected in the interior parts of the country, and therefore determined to assault the republican lines by break of day. But intelligence of this important operation was communicated on the preceding evening by four different deserters, and preparations were made to render the design abortive. On the approach of their columns general Humbert fell back, and the assailants were not only exposed to a severe fire of grape-shot from two masked batteries in front, but to a charge of infantry and cavalry on both their flanks. So unexpected a

reception entirely disconcerted the emigrants, of whom 300, with the count de Talmont and a number of nobles, were left dead on the field. General D'Hervilly, who commanded on this occasion also, was desperately wounded, and three pieces of cannon fell to the lot of the victors, who were alone prevented by five English gunboats, from entering Fort Penthieve along with the fugitives.

General Hoche had by this time collected a considerable force, consisting of the national guards of Brest and on all the adjoining towns on the coast, in addition to a powerful reinforcement of regular troops. He therefore determined to leave the lines hitherto occupied by his forces, and attack the invaders who were now imprisoned, as it were, in the peninsula. But, as it was first necessary to render himself master of Fort Penthieve, he resolved to attack it, and though the engineers in his army were of opinion that it could be reduced by regular approaches alone, he declared his intention to carry it by assault. He was undoubtedly influenced by the number and the zeal of the deserters from the royal standard, who not only made him acquainted from time to time with all the movements in the enemy's camp, but undertook to conduct the troops and obtain the surrender of the fort.

Accordingly 3000 of the republicans led by Humbert and Valle, left the camp of St. Barbe about midnight, (July 21st,) notwithstanding their march was impeded by a storm, that circumstance serving to conceal their operations from the enemy. The forces being divided into three columns, two of them moved along the shore, and were occasionally obliged to wade breast high: they were perceived by the English gunboats, which immediately commenced a heavy fire of grape, and they would actually have returned had not some person about two o'clock in the morning exclaimed that the tri-coloured flag was flying on the ramparts. This proved to be actually the case, for while one of the detachments had proceeded to assault the fort in front, the adjutant-general Menage, at the head of about 300 chosen soldiers and deserters,

braving the violence of the waves and the fire of the enemy, scaled the rocks on the west side, and, being favoured by part of the garrison, obtained possession of one of the advanced works.

On receiving intelligence of this event, the remainder of the French army was immediately put in motion, and the commander-in-chief, assisted by two representatives, Tallien and Blad, penetrated into the peninsula in three columns, one of which marched straight forward, while the other two followed the direction of the coast, with an intention to cut off the enemy's retreat. It was now five o'clock in the morning, and, though the French had Leen in possession of Penthieve upwards of two hours, this event seems still to have been unknown to the ill-fated emigrants in the camp at Kousten; but a number of Chouans, perceiving the danger with which they were menaced, found means to escape in boats to the continent.

Notwithstanding they were surprised, and left destitute of a leader by the flight of M. de Puisaye, who, on the first alarm, fled to one of the British men of war: the royalists rallied under the gallant Sombreuil, who, unmindful of his own preservation, was only anxious to hold out till the women, who precipitated themselves into the sea with their children, had obtained an assylum on board the English fleet.

The entrenched camp was ultimately forced, and, while nearly one half of the invaders joined the army of Hoche and protested their inviolable attachment to the cause of the republic, the remainder retired to a rock where they had posted a piece of cannon, and defended themselves with the greatest intrepidity. But it being found impossible to resist the numbers and the artillery of the assailants, the vanquished demanded leave to capitulate, and a parley was accordingly concluded. At this moment some of the chiefs took advantage of the opportunity to escape on board the boats sent to their succour the fire of the republicans recommenced; and, being now reduced to the deplorable alternative of perishing by

the swords of the victors or the waves of the sea, these wretched and unhappy men surrendered at discretion. In Fort Penthieve and the peninsula were found 70,000 muskets, 150,000 pairs of shoes, and 1795. all the artillery landed from the fleet. The beach of Quiberon was covered with stores, wines, and provisions, and a regi ment of infantry, taking advantage of the general consternation, obtained possession of several vessels laden with flour, rice, and other articles of necessity. Six hundred emigrants perished at the foot of the rock de Portignes, beneath which they had taken shelter; 2000 were saved by the boats of the fleet. The bishop of Del and fourteen of his clergy, received death with the most exemplary resignation: M. de Broglie and several men of birth, to the amount of 300, suffered upon this occasion; and the execution of Charles de Sambreuil, who had embarked in the expedition from sentiments of honour, and conducted himself with skill, generosity, and courage, excited, in a peculiar degree, the sympathy of Europe.

Notwithstanding this heavy disappointment, the hopes of being enabled by perseverence to make some impression on the enemy, induced the British government to continue the squadron on the coast of France. It made a fruitless attempt on the island of Noirmoustier, lying on the coast of Poitou, and defended by 20,000 men, who possessed an easy communication with the land, and could receive hourly supplies. It was more successful in the attack on the island, Isle Dieu, which, after being reduced, was put in a posture of defence. Small as this acquisition might appear, it tended to keep the contiguous coast in a state of suspense respecting the intentions of the British ministry, and occasioned the republican government to station very considerable forces in all the adjoining parts. This was the more requisite, since a communication had been opened between the British squadron and the royalists on shore; the supply of money and of military stores which they had most in view, would alone have enabled them to maintain an obstinate resistance, by the encouragement it would

TH

THE internal proceedings of the French republic were at this time more determined and energetic than the operations of the armies. In the month of May, M. Fouquiere Tenville, the president of the late revolutionary tribunal, with three of the judges, the public accuser, and, eleven of the jurors of that dreadful engine of human butchery, were found guilty of the were found guilty of the most gross injustice and cruelty during the exercise of their functions, and were executed in the place de Greve. These individuals were followed to the grave by the most obnoxious of the terrorists. The moderate party could not regard their own or the public peace as founded on a durable basis, while the associates of Robespierre retained their influence in the government. Conscious of their present strength, and that the sense of the nation was in their favour, they resolved to take advantage of the general sentiment to free themselves from their adversaries who were endeavouring to justify their sanguinary measures by representing the moderate principles of their opponents as arising from a counter-revolutionary design. Such temperate and rational measures were adopted as might conciliate the good opinion and esteem of the nation, and the deputists

whom the terrorists had driven from the convention, were recalled to reinforce their party. Barrere, Billaud Varennes, Collot D'Herbois, and Vaudier, were denounced; a decree for their examination before a commission, appointed for that purpose, was passed, and it was declared that they had been accessary to the tyranny exercised over the people and the convention. The nation still remained, n anxious suspense respecting the fate of these demagogues, when the Jacobin leaders, reflecting on the popularity which they had once enjoyed in the city, determined to make one effort in their support, which, if successful, might lead to the re-establishment of their own influence. Availing themselves of the extreme dearth of bread, they contrived to exasperate the populace against the administration, by persuading them that the public misery originated in the measures of the convention; and, artfully blending the cause of the imprisoned terrorists with the national welfare, they endeavoured to persuade the people that their interests would be more attentively regarded were these individuals restored to power.

Availing themselves of the lenity pro fessed by government, the Jacobins as

sembled in various places, and endeavoured, by artful discourses, to exasperate the populace to insurrection. Whether this complaint of scarcity was real or affected, through their machinations, an immense croud assembled on the 1st of April, and proceeded to the hall of the convention, demanding bread, and the constitution of 1793. The Jacobin members of the convention explicitly abetted their demands. Emboldened by this support, the spokesman of the insurgents told the convention that those in whose name he addressed them, were the men of the 14th of July, the 10th of August, and the 31st of May; that they would not suffer the accused members to be sacrificed to their enemies, and expected the convention would change its measures. When the populace broke into the hall, the convention was employed in a discussion on the measures best calculated to remedy the scarcity of which the nation complained, but this sudden interruption compelled them to take immediate means of preservation from the fury of the mob. They directed the alarm bells to be rung, and the citizens to be called to the aid of the convention. They readily obeyed the summons, and assembled to the number of 20,000. Delivered from their perilous situation by the firmness of Pichegru at the head of the Parisian military, combined with the courage and patriotism of the citizens, the convention passed a decree for the punishment of the authors of the riot. As it had been evidently excited to prevent the trial of the denounced members, it was moved that they should be sentenced to immediate punishment. In order to mitigate the rigor of a condemnation that might appear precipitate, their lives were spared, but they were banished to Guiana, and ordered to be transported thither without delay. In this manner terminated the career of Barrere, Collot D'Herbois, and Billaud Varennes, after having made so conspicuous a figure during the two first years of the republic. Vaudier, their associate, had found means to make his escape

The tumult being suppressed, the convention proceeded to such measures as they

deemed essential to the public welfare. Among these the most important was the appointment of a committee of eleven, to frame a new constitution and system of government, which might remedy the evils of that established under the Jacobin administration in 1793, and might correct the abuses of which it was productive.

Had the Jacobins been less confident in their own strength, the severity of the proceedings against them, might have had the intended effect of deterring them from further attempts against the public peace ; but, conscious as they were of their influence over the lower orders of the community, and sensible of the danger which they should incur from the triumph of the moderatists, they produced a contrary effect. Actuated by motives of revenge and of self-preservation, they determined to have recourse once more to that engine which they had so often employed with success. Incendiary papers were dispersed, calling upon the starving people to avenge their own wrongs, and to repair to the convention, there to demand bread, and the consititution of 1793, the dissolution of the convention, the arrest of all its members, and the immediate convocation of the primary assemblies for the election of another.

In compliance with these exhortations, the multitude a second time assembled tumultuously round the door of the convention. And when they learned that, instead of compliance with their wishes, a decree had been passed to outlaw the leaders of the insurrection, they burst into the hall of the assembly. Ferrand, one of the members, fell a victim to their fury, and the Jacobins in the convention, were, for a short time, victorious. But the multitude having dispersed, on learning. that general Hoche was approaching with an armed force, they were at last obliged to give way, and the moderatists, on the same day, resuming their seats, proceeded to cancel the acts which the Jacobins had passed. On the ensuing day, the populace being provided with some pieces of artillery, took the convention by surprise, and, directing their cannon against the hall