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IT

T is but feldom that narratives of great events are publifhed by thofe who are concerned in them, or in the life times of those who were fpectators of, or agents in them. Clarendon and the Duke de Sulli appeared long after every perfon was departed who took any fhare in the tranfactions they commemorate; but thefe hiftorians have ever fupported the repu ation they had originally obtained for knowledge, information, and accuracy, and those who wish for fatisfaction as to the events of thofe periods, ftill apply to thofe authors in their original ftate, rather than to the manufactured accounts of later compilers or writers.

The prefent Auther was an actor in any of the feenes he defcribes, an attentive obferver of the manoeuvres of party, well acquainted with the fprings which moved both the Royalifts and the faЯtions, and very capable of fathoming the defigns both of those who oppofed, and those who fupported the exifting Government of unhappy France, during the period of the Revolution. Some bias in favour of his friends may be naturally expected, but, on the whole, we think The prefent contains facts as little distorted as can be expected from one who has fuffered the leis of fortune and station in life, and who has been driven into exile for taking part in defence of his king, of religion, and of fociety at large.

The prefent Annals commence in Auuit 1788, and end with the termination of what our Author calls that guilty affembly (meaning the National Convention), whofe vanity, ambition, cupidity, ingratitude, ignorance, and audacity, have overturned the most ancient and po

bleft monarchy of Europe, and rendered France the theatre of every crime, of evey calamity, and of the most horrid catastrophes."

In the courfe of thefe volumes many important fecrets are difclofed, and much private anecdote brought to light. The character and conduct of Mirabeau and fome of the leaders of each fide, exhibit very interefting matter for reflection.The whole will ferve to fhew the dangers of innovation, and the atrocities which are likely to be committed by a people let loose from the obligations of religion, and freed from the restraints of law.

The name of Abbé Sieyes having of late made much noife, and himself the object of much curiofity, we fhall felect the following account of a negotiation with that pretended republican, as decifive of the character of the man :

"It only depended on the poffeffion of an Abbey of 12,000 livres (five hun dred pounds sterling) a year, and a little more attention from the Archbishop of Sens, to have made the Abbé Sieyes one of the most zealous fupporters of the old Government. I affert this fact on the teftimony of feveral perfons worthy of the highett credit, without any fear of its being contradicted by the Abbé Sieyes himielf and I cite him from among a thousand inftances, that the world may justly appreciate the zeal, patriotifm, and principles of thofe revo lutionary demoniacs, who all, madmen and idiots excepted, had no other object in declaiming and writing fo violently against the Government and the Minifters, than to make them purchase at a higher price their filence or their pen.

The

tice in 1787, in the Provincial Affembly of Orleans, of which he was a member, by his continual and frequently embarraffing oppofition to the old principles, and to all the views of the Government. The Archbishop of Sens, then Minifter, being informed of it, afked M. de L, one of the principal members of that department, who the Abbé Sieyes was, of whom he heard fo much. He is a man (replied M. de L-) extremely dangerous in times like thefe. You muit abfolutely fecure him, to prevent his doing a great deal of mifchief.

But by what means fecure him? There is but one; and that is, to chain him down with fetters-not of iron, but of gold.' What! do you think he is to be bought?' I have no doubt of it; he is not rich, he loves expenfive living, and good cheer, and of courfe money. How much muft he have? Do you think an annuity of 6oco livres upon an Abbey would be enough? -No; his price is higher than that.'

Say twelve, then. That will do; but instead of giving him an annuity give him an Abbey of that value. He is of low extraction, and full of vanity; he would be highly flattered with an Abbey, and you will be fure of being better ferved for it.'- Let it be fo then. Will you undertake the negotiation ?'No, I cannot; but the Abbé de Gezarges, who is known to be entirely devoted to you, is in our Provincial Affembly, and nobody is fitter to execute the commiffion. Well, then, I will put it into his hands.

"The Archbishop of Sens in confequence fent the Abbé Cezarges private instructions, together with a letter which he was to thew as occation required to the Abbé Sieyes, and in which the Minifter fpoke highly of the talents and great knowledge of the Abbé, fay. ing, that he had mentioned him to the King, and that his Majelty thought of calling him into the Adminiftration, of preferring him to an Abbey of 12,000 livres income, &c.

"With thefe credentials the Abbé Cezarges went and paid a friendly vifit to the Abbé Sieyes. How is it, my dear Abbé, faid he to him, that, with all the talents you poffefs, you have not the wit to turn them to account in improving your fituation? The fide of oppofition in our Affemblies will only terve to create you powerful ene

:

You will allow at leaft that he is not a fool, and I will convince you that he is not mad; you are much in the wrong to speak of him as you do the proof of his not being mad is, that he thinks highly of you. Of me! He does not ever know my name. You are mistaken; he has heard a great deal of you; and does not doubt that you could, if you would, be of very great fervice to the Adminiftration: he has even propofed you to the King, and to give you an Abbey. An Abbey ! Yes, an Abbey, and an Abbey too with a revenue of 12.000 livres; this deferves attention.'- No doubt it would, if what you fay were true.'-' I can fhew you all I have faid to you, written by the hand of the Minifter himself: and I fhould not have mentioned it to you, had I not been exprefly commissioned by him to do it.-Oh! that alters the cafe.'-• Well! what anfwer shall I give?'

I cannot pretend to fay that a good Abbey would not give me a very great pleafure. That's right, and you may depend upon having one; but may the Miniftry alfo depend upon your fervices?

Of course; and if they will lifen to me they will be guilty of fewer follies?'Then I may write to the Archbishop of Sens that you except the Abbey, and fo forth. Yes, certainly; but when is this to take place?'- Immediately after the closing of our Provincial Affembly. You must go to Verfailles, where you will see the Archbishop; converfe with him upon the fubject, and in the next arrange ment of the lift you will be appointed.'

"From that moment the Abbé Sieves entirely changed his tone in the Affem bly, to the great aitonishment of thofe who were unacquainted with his fecret. They continued fitting for about fix weeks longer. Hardly were they broke up when the Abbé Sieyes repaired to Vertailles, and prefented himfelt at the Hotel of the Archbishop of Sens. ing two hours he waited in vain in the anti-chamber for the moment when he fhould be introduced into the Minister's

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clofet. At length finding that he was not fent for, he defired a fervant to go and announce him again; but by that he gained nothing, for all the answer brought back by the fervant was, that his Lordship was very bufy, and could not fee any body. The Abbé, convinced that he had been made game of, went away exasperated at the Cardinal, and fadly vexed at having yielded fo easily to corruption, efpecially as he had experienced all the flame without reaping any of the profit of it. He haftened to the Abbé de Cezarges, related his adventure, and reproached him very bitterly for having made himself the inftrument of fo abominable a piece of treachery. The Abbé de Cezarges did all he could to appeale his anger, and to perfuade him that the Archbishop's mind could not be changed: he promised him to go and fee the Minister in the courfe of the day, and afcertain his intentions. It was not till he heard of the Abbé Sieyes's great rage that the Archbishop remembered the promiles he had defired to be made to him more than fix weeks before, or even his name, which he had almot forgotten.

Let him know

(faid he to the Abbé de Cezarges) that I was ignorant of his being at Versailles, and that my fervant having misunderflood, or not retaining his name, had pronounced it in fuch a bungling manner, that it had been impoflible for me to guess it was he who was announced. Let him come again to fee me, and I will nake my peace with him.'

"This converfation with the particulars of which the Abbé Sieyes was next day informed, appeafing his wrath, and reviving his hopes a little, he agreed to pay a fecond vifit to the Archbishop of Sens. Unfortunately he went the day on which the Minifter gave a public audience, and when of courfe every body who wished to fee or to speak to him, went, without being announced, into the Hall as foon as the doors of it were opened. The Archbishop having never feen this Abbé, and being as little apprifed of his second vilitas he had been of his first, paid him no attention, and perhaps took him for one of the fe bufy-bodies who are often feen at the levees of Minifters, though they have nothing to fay to them, and who attend chiefly to lay that they had been there. The Abbé Sieves being totally ignorant of the ceremony of Mnifterial audiences, waited and waited in

vain for the Archbishop's coming up to him. The Minifter concluded his levee according to cuftom, as foon as thofe who went to speak to him had faid all they had to fay, and retired to his clofet, leaving the Abbé Sieyes in the Hall, confounded, tranfported with rage, and more convinced than ever that he had been made a dupe. He went off curfing the Archbishop of Sens, and fwearing to be revenged for fo atrocious a perfidy. The Abbé de Cezarges tried without effect to bring him to reason, and to justify the Minifter; but he repeatedly answered, Say no more of that man to me! He is a villain! he fhall know-he fhall know whom he has to deal with.' He accordingly fome time after publifhed his first pamphlet entitled, Moyens d'Exécution," which he inferted the most virulent declamation that had ever been made against the Archbishop of Sens.

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"This anecdote was told by the Abbé Cezarges to many of his friends, who have repeated it to me with the fame circumftances. It was alfo confirmed to me by M. de L―, the member of the Provincial Affembly of Orleans, whom I mentioned to have been the perfon who advised the Archbishop of Sens to gain the Abbé Sieyes."

The affair of the celebrated Necklace, attended with fo many myfterious circumftances, is here developed, in a more fatisfactory manner than in any former

narrative.

"The Cardinal de Roban being, as High Almoner of France, at the head of the Administration of the Hofpital of Quinze Vingts*, had made fuch advantageous reforms and improvements in that establishment, that he had confiderably increased the number of the perfons admitted, who were the blind, thofe being the objects of the charity, which was founded by St. Louis. The King, who al ways took great intereft in whatever could contribute to the good of humanity in general, and to the relief of the poor in particular, faw with great fatisfaction the happy effects of the changes wrought by the High Almoner; and being defirous of fecuring them flability, by appointing to the fuperintendance perfons of fome refpectability and knowledge, his Majesty for that purpofe added a Counsellor of State and three Mafters of Requefts to the Council of Adminiftration of the Quinze-Vingis; among the

members.

members of which, previous to this addition, there were two Clerks Counfel. lors, of the Parliament of Paris. A lit. tle while after, a wretched intrigue, the details of which would lead me too far, caufed fuch a difagreement among the Directors, that the two Counsellors from the Parliament dropped their attendance at the Council, and gave in their relig. tion by a public deed; in which they de. clared, that they could not with honour keep their places in the Adminiftration. They added fome articles in fupport of their declaration refpecting feveral pfe. tended violations of the Itatutes, with fome charges, more or lefs ferious, against the principal perfons employed by the Cardinal de Roban. Two of the Matters of Requests, who had been appointed members of the Council, apprehending that their delicacy might be called in question if they retained an office which two other Magiftrates declared they could not undertake with honour, determined very wifely to confult the Court of Requefts. There the meeting of the Mafters referred the business to a Committee, of which I was appointed Reporter. I went the very day this took place to the Hotel of the Cardinal de Roban, with whom I was not at all acquainted. I told him the nature of my vifit, and asked if he would allow me to look over the registers of the Adminiftration of the Quinze-Vingts, and all the papers I might want, in order to investigate the facts ftated by the articles in the refig nation of the two Counsellors. Far from giving the flightest oppofition to my requeft, he appeared to with exceedingly that the affair fhould undergo a rigorous fcrutiny. The next day he fent me the regifters and papers I had asked for, with a meffage to lay that he had directed the Abbé Georgel, his Grand Vicar, to give me every information I required. On the Monday following, the Keeper of the Seals, whom I faw at Verfailles, spoke a great deal of this affair to me, and of the great intereft which the King took in it; recommending it to me to examine it thoroughly, and enable him as foon as poffible to give an account of it to his Majefty, who was very anxious to know whether the charges laid against the Ad. miniftration of the Quinze-Vingts were or were not well founded.

This bufinefs redounded completely to the honour of the Cardinal de Roban: the Adminiftration of the Quinze-Vingts was fully juftified by their regiiters; and all the charges brought against it in the

refignation of the two Counsellors were found very infignificant, or completely refuted by the papers and refolutions, to which was annexed the fignature of thofe very Magiftrates, whofe fcruples were evidently frivolous.

After this affair, I continued from time to time to fee the Cardinal de Roban, from whom I received very great civilities. He foon placed fo much confidence in me as to fpeak to me with the utmost franknefs upon all his concerns, and particularly about his fituation at Court. I faw that he was fincerely attached to the King, and very grateful for the concern which his Majefty had deigned to fhow at the clamour that had been raised against him refpecting the adminiftration of the Quinze Vingts: but the Queen was far from treating him with equal goodnefs; which gave him great unealinefs. I did not know, nor did he ever tell me, in what he had difpleafed her Majefty; but the Abbé Georgel, with whom I converfed about it, informed me, That the Cardinal during his embally at Vienna had written to the Duc d'Aiguillon, then Minifter of Foreign Affairs, a confidential letter, in which he had paffed fome jefts upon the Emprefs (Maria Therefa); that that Minilter had been fo indifcreet as to give the letter to Madame Dubarry, who did not fcruple to read it aloud at a fupper fhe gave to a party, with whom the indecently made a laugh at it; that as he told nobody that the letter was written to the Minifter, it was generally fuppofed to be written to hertelf; that it was fo reported in the account which was given to the Queen of what passed at the fupper: and that her Majefty, highly difpleafed that the Emprefs her mother should have been made the fubject of laughter for Madame Dubarry and her guests, had never forgiven the Cardinal that letter."

I faw but little hopes of an offence of this nature being either repaired or fergotten; and however concerned I felt for the Cardinal's uneafinefs, of which he was conftantly talking to me, I did not know how to advife him. One day I called upon him juft as he returned from Verfailles; this was about three months before his arreft: as he appeared unutually gay and fatisfied, I asked if he had any good news to tell me? Yes, yes (replied he), excellent, and fuch as I hope will give you great pleafure: but first give me your word that you will keep what I am going to tell you a profound fecret ? Certainly. I think

(continued

(continued be) that you have felt a real concern for the Queen's displeasure againt me-let me tell you then, that a change is taking place. I give you joy with all my heart; but do you not flatter yourfel? Have you feen the Queen or has he written to you?'No, but I am to fee her on Wednesday next. I shall return on Thursday even. ing, and if you will be here about nine o'clock you fhall know all; I can tell you no more about it at prefent.' I was very punctual, and was forry to find that the Cardinal's appointment with the Queen, which he expected on Wednef. day, had not been kept. He had been told that her Majefty had, on account of the neile that her reconciliation with him would make, and of the alterations that must take place, thought it proper to wait till the King of Sweden's departure, which was fixed for the beginning of the next week, and to poftpone the appointment that had been made for Wednesday of the preceding week, till the Friday of the one following. This delay gave the Cardinal the lefs uneafineis, as at the time he was informed of it he was allo aflured, in the moft pofitive manner, that the Queen's difpofition towards him became every day more and more favourable. And have the le affurances (laid 1) been given to you by any one on whom you can perfectly rely? Yes, pertely, and it I could but tell you who, you would not be leis fatisfied than I am: a woman, formed to poffeis the complete confidence of the Queen, who frequently fpends whole hours al ne with her, and, being much attached to me, has both with zeal and addrefs feized every opportunity of weakening the prejudices her Majefty had conceived against me; and fe has happily fucceeded in conquering them. The affair of the Quinze Vingis, or rather the manner in which the King mentioned it before the Queen, had prepared the way, and convinced her that I was not a worthlefs fellow. Her friend, who knows her better than any one elle, finding this favourable difpoûtion in her, has very ably kept it up and increased it; fometimes by mingling in her converfa. tion flight expreilions which produce great effects, iometimes by fpeaking, though always with an air of indiffepunce, of tome unhappy families whom I have relieved. You do not know how much any thing of a beneficent nature afJects the Queen: it is inconceivable what fhe gives away; it is immente, and yet not equal to what he would give, as the has a fixed fum for her monthly expences,

and when that is expended, she is under the neceffity of poftpontag her bounties till the month following. The lady I allude to has done me the fervice of pointing out to me very opportunely perfons patronifed by her Majesty, and who were experiencing great embarraffments while waiting her relief: you may believe that I was eager to fupply them, and largely." But are you fure the Queen heard of

it ? Certainly; for my money went through her friend's hands. This is the caufe of her Majesty's efteeming me gradually more and more, and to fuch a degree as to give me, in preference to all devoted to her, the greatest mark of confidence poffible. You will be very much furprised when I can tell you what it is.'

And when will that be?'-' On Saturday next about this time, as probably the affair will be then all over :-do not ask me any thing more about it now.'

On the Saturday the Cardinal returned from Verfailles without having feen the Queen; having been told that she was fuddenly taken ill with a violent headach and obliged to go to bed: but at the fame time a paper was given to him from her, which (faid he) feals the confidence her Majefty has in me.'

A third appointment failed in like manner, under pretence of the Queen's being with the Dauphin, who was indifpofed; but on putting him off for another week, he was toki that her Majetty had the greateft plans in view for him, and was thinking of nothing lefs than having him made Prime Minister. So far was he from not believing it, that he was alarmed by anticipation at the burden and difficulties of to important an office. I too from this moment became uneasy, but from very different motives: I was afraid that this affair, ftill enveloped in to much mystery, might prove to be fome court intrigue, tome abominable fnare laid for the Cardinal. I told him my fears, which he turned into ridicule. What! (laid he) do you take me for a child or an idiot?'

No, certainly; but without being either the one or the other, you may be too fanguine, too easily impoled upon. Well, well! Come, in fpite of all your incredulity, I will convince you ;-but give me your word not to speak to any foul alive of what I am going to tell you.'

You may depend upon me.'—Let us go into my clofet. You know that the Queen is very fond of fine diamonds. Some time ago a magnificent necklace was fhown to her, which the immediately longed to have; but the king thought it