d'Herbois, Billaud Varennes, Vadier, and Barrere. The
report was of course unfavourable; yet upon the case being considered,
the convention were satisfied to condemn them to transportation to
Cayenne. Some resistance was offered to this sentence, so mild in
proportion to what those who underwent it had been in the habit of
inflicting; but it was borne down, and the sentence was carried into
execution. Collot d'Herbois, the demolisher and depopulator of Lyons, is
said to have died in the common hospital, in consequence of drinking off
at once a whole bottle of ardent spirits. Billaud Varennes spent his
time in teaching the innocent parrots of Guiana the frightful jargon of
the revolutionary committee; and finally perished in misery.

These men both belonged to that class of atheists, who, looking up
towards heaven, loudly and literally defied the Deity to make his
existence known by launching his thunderbolts. Miracles are not wrought
on the challenge of a blasphemer more than on the demand of a sceptic;
but both these unhappy men had probably before their death reason to
confess, that in abandoning the wicked to their own free will, a greater
penalty results even in this life, than if Providence had been pleased
to inflict the immediate doom which they had impiously defied.

Encouraged by the success of this decisive measure, the government
proceeded against some of the terrorists whom they had hitherto spared,
but whose fate was now determined, in order to strike dismay into their
party. Six Jacobins, accounted among the most ferocious of the class,
were arrested and delivered up to be tried by a military commission.
They were all deputies of the mountain gang. Certain of their doom, they
adopted a desperate resolution. Among the whole party, they possessed
but one knife, but they resolved it should serve them all for the
purpose of suicide. The instant their sentence was pronounced, one
stabbed himself with this weapon; another snatched the knife from his
companion's dying hand, plunged it in his own bosom, and handed it to
the third, who imitated the dreadful example. Such was the consternation
of the attendants, that no one arrested the fatal progress of the
weapon--all fell either dead or desperately wounded--the last were
despatched by the guillotine.

After this decisive victory, and last dreadful catastrophe, Jacobinism,
considered as a pure and unmixed party, can scarce be said to have again
raised its head i