Elizabeth likewife, a lady of the most unblemished purity of character, whofe only crime it was to be Sifter to the King, by a refinement of cruelty peculiar to the French Revolution, was executed the laft of twentyfix perfons, who were carried to the fcaffold in one day*.

It was announced to the Convention, Oct. 17, 1793, that the Bishop of Moulins had officiated in a red bonnet and with a pike, instead of a cross and mitre. Every external fign of Religion was abolished. The infcription on burying grounds was, that "Death is only an eternal fleep."

Oct. 25, a new Calendar was proposed and adopted by the Convention, with a view to obliterate the remembrance, as well as the obfervance of that holy day, which has been from the earliest times. confecrated to the exercife of public devotion. Festivals were appointed at ftated periods, fimilar to thofe which were established in times of Idolatry-to the Vir

* New Ann. Reg. p. 364.

> Gent. Mag. O&. 1794. p. 367.

z Annual Reg. p. 279.

tues

tues-to Geniusto Labour to Opinion

to Rewards a.

The

2

In November "a deputation from the focieties of Versailles was admitted to the bar, loaded with chalices, croffes, and other ornaments, from their Churches.

The Prieft of the Roman Church,' faid they, the Bishop of the department of Seine and Oife, is dead. Will you fuffer a new one to be elected? Will you, who have overturned the Throne, fuffer the Pontifical Canopy to remain? Will you, who have broken Crowns and Sceptres, preserve their proud rivals, the Mitre and the Crofs? The law does not prefcribe, that the Jews. fhall have Levites, or the Proteftants Minifters-why then fhould it give chiefs to a fet who have fo long tormented mankind? The citizen and the legislator ought to acknowledge no other worship than that of Liberty, no other Altars than thofe of their Country, and no other Priefts than the Magiftrates. Do you, Legislators, like that of the Hebrews, come down from the mountain, break in pieces the Golden Calf, and let the Ark of the Conftitution be the only idol of the French.'--Inferted in the Bulletin."

any

"Chaumette moved the council to declare, that if commotion is ftirred up in favour of fanaticifm, all the Clergy fhall be imprisoned. (Applauded.) And confidering that the People of Paris have declared, that they acknowledge no other worship than that of Reason and Truth-the council refolves :

1. That all the Churches and Temples of different religions and worship which are known to be in Paris, fhall be inftantly fhut.

2. That

The plunder of the Churches produced near 1,350,000 fterling; and through the whole extent of France there no longer remained a facred vafe, not even in the domestic chapels ".

"At

2. That whatever troubles may enfue in Paris, in confequence of religious motives, the Priests and Minifters of the different religions fhall each be particularly refponfible.

3. That every perfon requiring the opening of a Church, or Temple, shall be put under arreft as a fufpected perfon, &c. &c."

Sunday, Nov. 17. "Anacharfis Cloots did homage to the Convention, and made the following proposal :

"It is now become an acknowledged truth, that the adversaries of Religion have well deserved of mankind. On this account I demand, that a ftatue be erected to the first abjuring Prieft in the Temple of Reason. It will be fufficient to name him to obtain a favourable decree of the National Convention. It is the intrepid, generous, and exemplary John Melier, Rector of Eftrepigny, in Champagne, whofe Philofophical Teftament spread defolation in the Sorbonne, and among all those fects who worship Chrift. The memory of that honeft man, branded with infamy under the antient government, ought to be restored in the reign of Nature. The propofal of Cloots was referred to the Committee, and adopted."

↳ Count de Montgaillard quoted in the New Ann. Reg. 1794, p. 345. "The Sans Culottes confidered them

с

At this period the phrenfy of impiety was carried to the highest degree of abfurdity. A moft indecent fcene was acted in the Convention. Gobet, the Republican Bishop of Paris, with his grand vicars, and other unworthy members of the ecclefiaftical body, entered the hall with the constituted authorities, and the Ecclefiaftics folemnly refigned their functions, and abjured the Chrif tian Religion. Several of the Ecclefiaftics, both Catholic and Proteftant, who were members of the Convention, refigned at the fame time; and the celebrated Gregoire was the only man who had the courage to profefs himself a Chriftian.

By the tumultuous applaufes of the Convention, Liberty and Equality, and a num

themselves as authorised to plunder every place of worfhip, public and private, and divided with the Convention large heaps of fhrines, figures, and veffels, hitherto used in the offices of Religion; whilst commiffioners from the Convention aided the facrilegious pillage. At Abbeville and other places, the churches were fhut, and many of the priests, who ftill attempted to officiate at their altars, were arrefted and thrown into dungeons." Ann. Reg. 1793, p. 280.

с

c Nov. 7, 1793. New Ann. Reg. p. 202.

Gregoire had distinguished himself very early as the patron of the Jews.

VOL. II.

R

ber

ber of allegorical divinities, were confecrated as objects of worship *; and they have fince erected a ftatue, and inftituted a feast to Ceres.

The Revolutionary Tribunal was established upon the motion of Danton, March 5, 1793. It authorifed the inceffant exercife of the guillotine; and thus was con firmed the reign of terror in all its horrors 1. The Tribunal added daily, for a long time, new victims to the thoufands, who had fallen on the fatal days in Auguft and Sep

e "Thus, attacking Heaven itself, an impious sect vilified all religions, under a pretence of toleration, and permitted all modes of worship, in suffering them all to be oppreffed. In their room, they fubftituted political irreligion, without comfort for the unfortunate, with out morality for the vicious, and without any check for crimes; infurrection was confecrated as the most facred of duties. (The principle propofed by La Fayette, and adopted by the National Affembly.) Solemn and public festivals were decreed in honour of the basest and greatest criminals." (Of the foldiers fet at li berty from the Gallies, and the affaffins of Avignon, Nifmes, Arles, &c.) Extract from the Emperor's Manifefto, Ann. Reg. 1792, p. 292. The conflagrations and cruelties of Nifmes, Avignon, and the Comtat Venaifin, were juftified and praifed by the National Affembly, Ann. Reg. p. 500.

* See Note (P) page 217. Briffot, p. 25.