confound its attributes with its effence, others, at that time, with more influence in the measures of government confidered it as a peccadillo only, and fixed upon him as the moft pro-. per person to open a communication with foreign powers, for obtaining a peace. The Committee of Public Welfare distinguished him by the ap pellation and authority of diplomatic member. In this capacity he made various fruitless efforts to treat with two of the powers combined against the infant republic, but fuch was the haughty and overbearing tone and conduct of the league, at that period, that every overture was rejected with a difdain as rafh as it has fince prov ed puerile. When those jealoufies became ge. neral, which may be confidered as the natural concomitants of a revolution like that of France, and thofe who were in the fecret of his duties and defigns had conceived projects which they were fure Herault would not join in; they converted the means he had adopted for founding the hof tile cabinets, and efpecially that of Great Britain, into fufpicions, and charges of compromifing the honour of his country. Another act, unfupported, how ever, by proof, was imputed to him, which could not fail greatly to injure his reputation: it was, that he had employed more than one agent to veft a confiderable fum in the Englith funds. The circumftances of his fpeaking English, and affociating greatly with the English, in Paris, gave colour to thofe furmifes.-Herault not only failed in every endeavour at pacification, but the war, at this precife time, took a peculiarly unfavourable turn: several of the ftrong garrifon towns fell into the hands of the allies, and these circumfances were, by the enemies of the diplomatic member, attributed to Herault's complaifance, and to the fymp. toms of weakness which he had be, Ed. Mag. July 1797. trayed in his offers for accommodation. In collifions of parties of this kind, the leaft popular is fure to fall.While Robespierre and Couthon. were flattering the powerful Jacobins, in their hall, and the facile people in the tribunes of the Convention, He.' rault was inconfiderately trifling. his time in the company of a chère amie and her mother, whom he had gallantly conducted to Paris, on his return from Chambery, whither he had been fent on a commiffion, and on which expedition he was accompanied by the celebrated American Joel Barlow. The envious foes of Herault de Sechelles had by far the advantage, over him, in the people's eyes; fince, while they were feen walking on foot to the Jacobins, or other popular focieties, he was discovered in a tête àtête with a fair lady, at a fplendid houfe on the Boulevards, or peeping through the glass of a gilded chariot. Thefe were scenes which, however tolerated a short time before, could not be looked on with composure by the ftern eyes of republicans, efpecially by thofe who confidered themfelves fuch par excellence. Thus, the very man who had, a few weeks before, prefented the plan of the new conftitution to the Convention, and had prefided in the Field of Mars, on the appointed day of confederation for its formal acceptance, was now treated as a fufpected perfon, by his colleagues in the governmentcommittee; infomuch, that when Barrere, on the 17th of March 1794, announced to the Convention that Herault had been arrested, by the order of that committee, it appeared, that he had not, for feveral weeks, affifted at its councils. Above half a million of people had lately looked up to Herault, on the elevated altar of liberty, and done homage to him, as perfonifying the new democratic conftitution; he was G now, now, fad reverfe! about to be inglo riously facrificed on an ignominious fcaffold! Danton, the famous leader of another party, had been taken up the evening before Herault, by order of the fame committee; and, as fuch violent factions give but little breathing-time to their antagonists, when the favourable moment arrives for directing a blow with effect, the accufed were brought to trial on the third day, and, to the furprife of a great many, the act d'accusation (indictment,) charged them with confpiring together to overturn the National Convention, to re-establish roy alty in France, and to maffacre the Committee of Public Welfare. There are times when the ipfe dixit of a popular orator is fufficient to condemn any obnoxious character to public odium. The corrupt fervility of the Revolutionary Tribunal ftudied and obeyed the will of the few in power, who now appeared to have perpetuated their authority. The judge and jury, therefore, after the most inconfiftent accufation and evidence, condemned Herault de Sechelles, and the other defignated confpirators, to die by the guillotine. This the new tyrants called the fe cond weeding of the republican gar den, which work, if they had been allowed to proceed in their own way, would doubtlefs have ended in converting it into a defert for the chase and pleafure of one or a few defpots. Herault, Danton, Chabot, Phillippeaux, and five others, were, on the 5th of April, conveyed in three carts to the place of execution, compelled to wear the fcarlet cloak, the opprobrious badge of treafon; they fuffered in the prefence of an immense multitude, among whom, many did not fail to exprefs their doubts concerning the juftness of the sentence, and the truth of the charges. Herault, who was but 30 years of age, was of a handfome person and pleafing addrefs. He fpoke with confiderable energy when before the tribune, and told the people, as he afcended the platform of the guillo tine, that they would foon distinguish their enemies from their friends. It was pretty generally believed that a rescue would have been attempted, as fome hundreds of the fociety of the Cordeliers, women as well as men, had entered into an engagement to that effect. Robespierre, however, by means of his mouchards, was apprized of the defign, and fruftrated it, by ordering the execution fooner than it was expected to happen. ON CONVERSATION. From Darwin's Plan for the Conduct of Female Education. THE HE art of pleafing in converfation feems to confift in two things; one of them to hear well; and the other to fpeak well. The perpetual appearance of attention, and the varying expreffion of the countenance of the hearer to the fentiments or paffions of the fpeaker, is a principal charm in converfation; to be well heard and accurately underflood, encourages our companions to proceed with pleasure, whatever may be the topics of their difcourfe. Thofe, who have been educated at fchools, and have learnt the knowledge of phyfiognomy from their play fellows in their early years, underftand the pleafurable or painful. feelings of all with whom they converfe, often even before their words are finished; and by thus immediately conforming the expreffion of their own features to the fenfations of the fpeaker, become the interesting and animated companions above defcribed, which is feldom feen in thofe edu cated cated in private families; and which, as before obferved, gives a preference to school education. To fpeak agreeably in refpect to manner, confifts in a voice clear, yet not loud; foft, yet not plaintive; with distinct articulation, and with graceful attitudes rather than with graceful actions; as almost every kind of gefticulation is difagreeable. In refpect to the matter, it should be fuch as coincides with the tastes or purfuits of thofe, to whom the converfation is addreffed. From hence it will appear, that both to hear well, and to fpeak well, requires an extenfive knowledge of things, as well as of the tastes and pursuits of mankind; and must therefore ultimately be the effect of a good education in general, rather than a particular article of it. There are, however, faults to be avoided, and cautions to be obferved, in the conversation of young ladies; which fhould be pointed out to them by the governefs of a boarding school. -Of these I fhall mention first, that whenever the thirst of fhining in converfation feizes on the heart, the vanity of the speaker becomes apparent; and we are difgufted with the manner, whatever may be the matter of the discourse. Secondly, that it is always childih, and generally ridiculous, when young people boaft of their follies, or when they accufe themselves of virtues; neither of which they probab. ly poffefs in the degree which they defcribe. A young lady was heard to fay," I am frightened to death at the fight of a bird." And another, that he was fo inconfiderate, as to give her money to the poor naked children, whom she faw in the streets in winter. Thirdly, they should be apprised, that there is danger in fpeaking ill even of a bad perfon; both becaufe they may have been misinformed, and because they fhould judge their neighbours with charity. A friend of mine was once asked by a young man how he could diftinguish, whether the lady, whom he meant to addrefs, was good tempered; and gave this anfwer:-" When any dubious. accufation is brought in converfation against an abfent perfon; if the always inclines to believe the wort fide of the queftion, the is ill-tempered." There are fome nice diftinctions on this fubject of good-nature, delivered in Lady Pennington's Advice to her Daughters. p. 89, which are worth a young lady's attention. Fourthly, that it is dangerous for a young lady to fpeak very highly in praife even of a deferving man; for if the extols his actions, the will feem to give herfelf the importance of a judge, and her determinations will Lometimes be called in queftion, and to commend highly the perfon of a man, is, in general eftimation, inconfiftent with the delicacy of the fex at any age. Fifthly, young ladies should be advised not to accuftom themselves to the ufe of ftrong affeverations, or of a kind of petty oaths, fuch as upon my honour," in their conversation ; nor often to appeal to others for the truth of what they affirm; fince all fuch ftrong expreffions and appeals derogate fomewhat from the character of the fpeaker; as they give an intimation, that he has not been usually believed on her fimple affertion. Sixthly, laughing vehemently aloud, or tittering with fhort fhrieks, in which fome young ladies, who have left school, indulge themfelves at cards or other amufements, are reprehenfible; as their dignity of character must suffer by appearing too violently agitated at trivial circumftances. Seventhly, an uniform adherence' to fincerity in converfation is of the first importance; as without it our words are but empty founds, and can no more intereft our companions than the tinkling of a bell. No artiG 2 ficial ficial polish of manners can compenfate for the apparent want of this virtue, nor any acquirements of knowledge for the reality of the want of it. Hence tho' the excefs of blame or praise of the actions of others may be imprudent or improper in the converfation of young ladies; as mentioned in the third and fourth articles of this fection; yet in these, as in all other kinds of converfation, their opinions fhould be given with truth, if given at all; but when the characters of others are concerned, they should be delivered with diffidence and modesty. Laftly, if at any time any improper discourse should be addreffed to young ladies, which has a tendency to indecency, immorality, or irreligion, they should be taught to exprefs a marked difapprobation both in words and countenance. So great is the power of the fofter fex in meliorat BOOKS AND PAMPHLETS ing the characters of men, that, if fuch was their uniform behaviour, I doubt not, but that it would much contribute to reform the morals of the age; an event devoutly to be wifhed, and which would contribute much to their own happiness. To thefe might be added many other obfervations from the writers on female education, concerning a due refpect in converfation to fuperiors, good temper to equals, and condefcenfion to inferiors. But as young ladies are not expected to fpeak with the wifdom or precifion of philofophers; and as the careless cheerfulness of their converfation, with fimplicity of manner, and with the grace, eafe, and vivacity natural to youth, fupplies it with its principal charms; thefe fhould be particularly encouraged, as there are few artificial accomplishments which could compenfate for the lofs of them. PUBLISHED IN LONDON, JUNE 1797. tayne. Is. ib. By W. Haw before the Sons of the Clergy, May 10. By T. Rennell, D. D. 18. ib. An Affiftant to the moft ferious of Parochial Duties. By Sir Adam Gordon, 3s. 6d. Stockdale National Sins confidered in Reference to Orr. By I. Charlefworth. 3d. Johnson. Two Difcourfes on Chrift's teaching and the Refurrection. By the fame. 4d. ib. 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