the intrepid judge, Le Blanc, ordered them
all to be hung at six o'clock next morning. While the multitudes,
stunned by this unexpected vigour, waited in trembling anxiety for what
was next to follow, eight more were convicted on the second day, and as
promptly executed. The whole county was struck with terror; and the
judge, having thus effected the great object of punishment, by
compelling them to respect and fear the law, could now venture to show
mercy. It is the hardest effort of human resolution for a judge to
consign to certain and ignominious death the helpless being who stands
trembling before him, imploring the mercy or the delay which it rests
but with him to grant; but whenever justice demands life, duty requires
that so great a sacrifice shall be made most useful; and to effort
this, execution must take place before abhorrence for the crime is lost
in pity for the offender. _His_ proper time for repentance is the
interval before conviction. Little dependence can be placed on the
contrition which never shows itself till every hope of life is gone.

The _Impetueux_ formed part of the force which pursued the combined
fleets from the Mediterranean to Brest, and from which they escaped so
narrowly. She afterwards remained with the Channel fleet, under Lord
Bridport and Sir Alan Gardner. On the 1st of June, 1800, Earl St.
Vincent, who had assumed the command a short time before, detached Sir
Edward Pellew, with seven sail of the line, and some smaller vessels, to
Quiberon Bay, whore they were to land five thousand troops under General
Maitland to assist the royalists. Next day, the squadron arrived and
anchored; and on the 4th, the forts on the peninsula were attacked and
silenced by the _Thames_, 32, with some of the small craft; and
destroyed by a party of troops. Several vessels, taken at the same time,
were brought off or scuttled. Very early on the morning of the 6th, the
armed launches, and a division of small craft, were sent away under
Lieutenant Pilford, of the _Impetueux_, which completed the destruction
of the shipping in the Morbihan, bringing off six prizes, and destroying
several others, among which was the _Insolente_, 16-gun brig. They
landed at the same time about three hundred troops, who carried and
dismantled a fort. The whole service was effected with the loss of two
men killed on board the _Thames_, and one in the boats. By this time, it
was placed beyond doubt that the invalids were not str