with delight an _aristocrate_ so well adapt
himself to their costume, their principles, and their passions. The
ardour of his patriotism did not suffer the impulse, that confounded in
him the king and the people, to slacken; and in the course of his short
administration he did wonders of activity. He visited and put in a state
of defence all the fortified places; raised an army, harangued the
troops; arrested the emigration of the nobility, in the name of the
common danger; nominated the generals, and summoned La Fayette,
Rochambeau, and Luckner. A patriotic sentiment, of which he was the
soul, pervaded France; by rendering the throne the centre of the
national defence, he rendered the king again popular for a short time,
and in the enthusiasm felt for their country, all parties became
reconciled. His eloquence was rapid, brilliant, and sonorous as the
clash and din of arms. This expansion of his heart was a part of his
character; he bared his breast to the eyes of his adversaries, and by
this confidence won them to his side.

The first day of his appointment to office, instead of announcing his
nomination by a letter to the president, as was customary with the other
ministers, he proceeded to the Assembly, and mounted the tribune. "I
come to offer you," said he, "the profoundest respect for the authority
with which the people have invested you; from attachment for the
constitution, to which I have sworn; a courageous love for liberty and
equality--yes, for equality, which has no longer any opponents, but
which should nevertheless possess no less energetic supporters." Two
days afterwards he gained the entire confidence of the Assembly, when
speaking of the responsibility of the ministers. "I accept," cried he,
"the definition of the situation of ministers just made, that tells us
responsibility is death. Spare no threats, no dangers. Load us with
personal fetters, but afford us the means of aiding the constitution to
progress. For my own part, I embrace this opportunity of entreating the
members of this Assembly to inform me of every thing which they deem
useful to the welfare of the nation, during my administration. Our
interests, our enemies are the same; and it is not the letter of the
constitution only that we should seek to enforce, but the spirit; we
must not seek merely to acquit ourselves, but to succeed. You will see
that the minister is convinced that there is no hope for liberty unless
it proceed through yo