She was a native of Séez, in Normandy, but a resident of Caen when she conceived the plan of ridding her country of the monster Marat. She was about twenty-five years of age, and possessed considerable personal beauty. Impressed with the belief that Marat was the principal author of all the murders and massacres from May till the period in question, she determined to arrest his career of blood, and for that purpose proceeded to Paris, which she reached on the eleventh of July. On the twelfth she addressed a note to Marat, stating that she was a young woman, anxious to behold him, and requested a private audience with him as speedily as possible. His vanity gave ready assent to the prayer of the fair petitioner, and made the hideous monster believe he might be beloved by gentle woman.* On the thirteenth she obtained admission to Marat's presence. She found him in the dressing-room of his bath, with his bosom uncovered; and after some desultory conversation, he inquired after the proscribed deputies of Caen. She readily gave him their

names and station, and pointed out their influence. Marat became somewhat excited, and said, "They shall soon meet with the punishment they deserve." "Thine is at hand," exclaimed the heroic girl, and plunged a poignard deep into his bared breast. He gave one yell of agony, and fell dead upon the floor. His attendants rushed into the room, seized the maiden, who stood quietly waiting with the instrument of death in her hand, and dragged her before the Revolutionary tribunal. Her trial was brief, condemnation was pronounced, and on the seventeenth, CHARLOTTE CORDAY, an incipient Joan de Arc, fell beneath the axe of the guillotine.

Such was the infernal madness of the Parisians, that almost divine honors were paid to the memory of Marat. In all parts of Paris triumphal arches and mausoleums were erected. In the Place de Carousal, a kind of pyramid was erected, in which were deposited his bust, bathing-tub, desk, and lamp. The honors of the Pantheon were conferred upon him, and in the books, and songs of poets, and in the theatres, his name was celebrated, but when France again became sane, and the spirit of turbulence, rapine and blood was quieted, the busts of the monster which disgraced even the theatres, were broken and trampled upon, and his filthy remains were torn from the Pantheon and dragged through the mud by the same populace who had deified him.

Danton and Robespierre were reduced to a duumvirate, and the former became distinguished for plunder and revel. Of the twain, he was far the most powerful-minded, and when the latter perceived his strength, he resolved to destroy him. Robespierre carefully noted all his crimes, and soon became possessed of sufficient evidence to crush him. Seeing his critical position, Danton for awhile withdrew from public life, married a beautiful woman, and professed a resolution to spend the remainder of his life in domestic retirement. But his known influence with the club of the Cordeliers, caused Robespierre to keep a constant watch upon his movements.

Thus, jealous of each other, these wretches ruled France with a most despotic and bloody power. Their decrees were law, and their laws dissolved the pure elements of society. The worship of the most high God was commuted for that of the goddess of Reason. Religion, and all its solemn rites were pronounced a farce; the sacramental chalice was converted into a wassail-bowl; the holy rite of marriage was annulled, and the institution declared a needless check, and extended no farther than the satiety of sensual inclina* Marat was not five feet high. His countenance was equal- tion; and every social principle, every social rely ferocious and hideous, and his head of monstrous size. " Helation was rendered subservient to the fiat of these wore," says Madame Roland, "boots but no stockings, a pair of old leather breeches, and a white silk waistcoat. His dirty shirt, open at the bosom, exhibited his skin of yellow hue; while his long and dirty nails displayed themselves at his fingers' ends, and his horrid face accorded perfectly with his whimsical

dress."

bloody ministers of misrule. To crown the climax of their madness, they performed a farce revolting in the extremes; and even at this day, when we read the impious record, we shudder,

and wonder that the terrible wrath of an offended | Assembly, and whose motives and designs were God had not awfully visited them with summary truly merciful and republican, had watched with retribution. pain the increasing horrors, and resolved to rid Seated in a car drawn by four white horses, France of Robespierre and establish mercy and a youthful maiden appeared in the streets of Par-order upon the throne of the Executive. He had is, habited in a costume, imitative of that of the seen his devoted friend, Count Beauharnais, dragancient goddesses, being entirely naked to the ged from his high station as generalissimo of the waist, which was encircled by a cestus, decorated Republican army, and confined in the damp cells with branches of chestnut. Her face was covered of the Luxembourg, and with the noble and virtuby a thin veil, and this was the only show of mod- ous Madame Roland, sacrificed upon the terrible esty or decorum which she exhibited. Preceding altar of revolutionary misrule; and, at the same her car was a band of musicians, and in the rear time, his betrothed bride, the beautiful Madame followed the municipal officers of Paris, with un- Fontenay, and Josephine, the wife of Beauharnais, covered heads, and a dense and infatuated multi-were confined in prison, awaiting a trial, certaintude in their train. When the procession arrived ly fatal, before the tribunal. Love, friendship, at the Palais Royal, the goddess alighted, and pre- patriotism, all combined to nerve him for almost ceded by a band of musicians, was conducted to any deed, and he resolved, at all hazards, to efthe tribune, while the whole assembly chanted a fect his holy purpose. hymn to liberty with great solemnity. She was then unveiled, and that august body, the National Assembly of France, bowed to a dancing girl of the opera,* as a personification of the Goddess of Reason, whom they impiously affected to worship!!

The Assembly was divided into two parties; the Girondists and the Mountain party. The former were semi-royalists, the latter ultra-republicans; and when the sister of the king was beheaded, the division between them became too wide to This profane farce was soon imitated in various hope for assimilation. To Tallien the Mountain parts of the realm; the bells of the churches were party were attached, and they longed to wrest the broken up and cast into cannon, and inscriptions sceptre from Robespierre, into whose hands they were placed over the public cemeteries, announ- had heedlessly placed it. They held their secret cing that death was but an eternal sleep! Anar-councils, and as often as they dared, showed open chy in its most horrid form swayed the sceptre, resistance to the tyrant's measures. They well and enlightened France, in the short space of a year, made a retrogade movement of at least four centuries.

While these revolutions were going on in the social system, the political aspect of affairs was also changing. Robespierre, as we have before mentioned, had become jealous of Danton, and finally openly charged him with keeping up a private correspondence with the Cordeliers, and of being leagued with Westermann, Le Croix and Desmoulins, for Robespierre's destruction. The charge was undoubtedly just, but the leading tyrant having gained the support of the Jacobins, outgeneraled them all, and had them summoned before the tribunal. All Paris was petrified with astonishment when it was whispered that Danton, "prophet, priest and king" of the Jacobins, was in custody; and even after his condemnation and coercion to the block of the guillotine, the people trembled and dared not lisp their exultation. Danton was of gigantic stature, brave even to folly, and when standing before the bloody axe, that firmness did not forsake him. With him fell several of his associates, and among them Camille Desmoulins, previously mentioned as one of the first actors in the terrible drama of the revolution.

Tallien, who was President of the National * It is said that she was recognised as such by many of the spectators present. She lived until 1834, and at the time of her death represented her life as one of continued remorse and distress, occasioned by the recollection of this impious rite, in

which she suffered herself to be made instrumental.

knew that the populace were tired of scenes of blood, and ready at any moment to aid in crushing the monster. Tallien was cautious, however, but a circumstance facilitated the consummation of his plans. He was accustomed to visit the gardens attached to the prison where Madame Fontenay and Josephine Beauharnais were confined, and converse with them through the window-grates. On the morning of the ninth Thermidor, (27th of July,) as he approached the prison, Madame Fontenay threw a cabbage-stalk through the grate, to which was attached a billet, with the following sentence:

"Madame Beauharnais and myself have been condemned by the tribunal, and to-morrow we are to suffer. As you love me, as you love your country, execute this night your plans for the "FONTENAY." emancipation of France.

This appeal determined Tallien to act promptly, and during the day he visited every Mountain member of the Assembly in person, and communicated his bold designs. All reciprocated his courage, and at an early hour that section of the Assembly room, occupied by the Mountainists, was filled, and they waited in silence for the appearance of the principal leaders of the Jacobins. On the evening previous, Robespierre had made a lengthy speech, in which he denounced many of the leading members as traitors, cast general reproach upon the committee of public safety,

and declared that no virtue existed except in the [tions so extensive and momentous, ought to have Revolutionary Tribunal! He had charged Tal- possessed. He and his friends were refused adlien and his party with being the friends of Dan-mittance by the jailers of every prison, and they ton, and hurled invectives indiscriminately at were secured in the office of the committee of nearly every member who was not directly his public safety. This being made known, the Jacopassive instrument. This led to a scene of con- bins induced the mayor of Paris to make an effort fusion, for those who were chafed by his remarks, for their release. The tocsin was immediately fearlessly arose in their defence. His friends saw sounded, and a great and overwhelming multitude the imprudence of his denunciations, and to ap- rushed to the office of the committee, rescued pease the irritated feelings of those attacked, a the captives, and carried them in triumph to the committee was appointed to report upon the City Hall. Orders were immediately given to speech and to make a satisfactory elucidation of proceed to the convention, and arrest Tallien and its meaning. The evening of the ninth Thermi- his associates; but the assembly, prompt in all dor was appointed for the reception of the report, their movements, had anticipated them and made and as we have before stated, the Mountainists ample provision for their own defence. They orwere all assembled at an early hour. About eight dered the drums of the National Guards to beat o'clock Robespierre entered, followed by Cou- to arms, which soon produced a preponderating thon, St. Just, Le Bas his brother-in-law, and force against the number who had collected at the several of his associates; the tribunal was empty, iron voice of the tocsin, and it was evident that and upon it he took his seat. St. Just, who was the popular current was fast setting against the chairman of the committee to whom was referred Terrorists. The troops of the mayor were driven the speech of the Dictator, arose to speak in de- back, and the City Hall was soon surrounded and fence of his master. He declared that if it was cannon pointed at the doors. The decree of the the Tarpeian Rock upon which he stood, he would assembly, outlawing Robespierre and his minis express his sentiments in support of so great a ters was read, and the insurgents dispersed or patriot as Robespierre! "I am," said he, "about joined the National Guards. to raise the veil.""I tear it asunder," cried The miserable captives within now found that Tallien, springing from his seat. "The public their fate was inevitable, and, as the scorpion interest is sacrificed by individuals who come hith- who, when encircled by fire, turns its sting upon er to speak exclusively in their own name, and itself, so did these wretched men turn their execonduct themselves superior to the whole com- crations upon one another. Payan seized Henrimittee." So saying, he forcibly thrust St. Just ot and forcibly thrust him out of the window, from the tribune, which was immediately occupied amid the enraged multitude, who dragged him by Billaud de Varennes, who denounced Robes- from thence to execution. St. Just, after impierre as, a tyrant, a Cataline, and every other epi-ploring his fellows to kill him, endeavored to exthet his character deserved. At every period of ecute his wishes himself, but his cowardly hand the orator, general bursts of applause rang failed him. Couthon laid under a table brandishthrough the assembly, and Robespierre seeing the ing a knife with which he was repeatedly stabtide turning so forcibly against him, sprang upon bing his bosom, without sufficient courage to the tribune, and endeavored to be heard in his drive the steel to his heart. Le Bas despatched own defence. But loud shouts of "Down with himself with a pistol-shot, and Robespierre, in the tyrant!" emanated from every quarter, and attempting to imitate him, horribly fractured his stifled with fear, rage and despair, he could only under-jaw. In this situation they were found scream out, "President of assassins, let me be when the officers entered to carry them before heard for the last time!" Some cried out, "The the convention. Without being admitted to the bar blood of Danton chokes him!"-and a terrible for trial, they were immediately ordered to exescene of confusion followed. Tallien arose, and cution; and as they passed upon the fatal car, the moved a decree, ordering the immediate arrest of people with mad joy spit upon them and loaded Robespierre and his associates, which was in- them with every imprecation malice could instantly carried into effect, although some hesitated vent. Thus died by the very engine his bloody to lay hands upon them. ambition had erected, Maximillian Robespierre, During these proceedings in the Convention, who, for two years ruled enlightened France with Henriot endeavored to force his way with his a sceptre as terrible as that of a Tiberius or a soldiers to their rescue, but being suddenly seized Caligula. The very people who, ten days previ with terror, he became an easy prey to the enerous, bowed with profound reverence at the feet gy of a few gens-d'armes, and was placed among of the Dictator, now, with a zeal equal to their the arrested deputies. An occurrence now took subserviency, held up to the view of a scorning place which might have secured to Robespierre world, his numerous atrocities. his liberty, and even power, had he possessed the

Tallien was elected Dictator, and the whole moral courage which the chief mover of opera- executive power was vested in the Assembly.

Tranquillity was restored, the revolutionary pris- | then a distinct art. How much anterior to that ons were thrown open, revolutionary laws were remote age, an age now become almost fabulous, repealed, the churches were re-opened, religion this art was practised, is left to conjecture; but as restored to its former sanctity and purity, the so- idolatry became quite prevalent in the earlier cial system settled upon a new but salutary basis, ages of the world, sculpture, however rude, must and that moral darkness which so long enshroud- have been practised to form images for worship. ed France was dissipated. Although we have no record of idols previous to the time of Jacob, when Rachel carried off the teraphim or idols of her father, yet, it being so

Thus we have taken a cursory glance at a single chapter in the history of a great nation, and a hundred tomes might be filled with details of casually mentioned there, they were probably then truth, relative to that period, which might defy the invention of the most ardent imagination to paint, unfurnished with data. B. J. LOSSING.

ARTS AND ARTISTS.

SCULPTURE-CANOVA.

and long had been in common use. Hence the implied antiquity of the art of sculpture.

It is supposed that the Chaldeans first reduced the art to a system, and brought it near to that perfection in execution, afterward attained in Greece. But this is mere conjecture, for there are no other data than the fact, that they held their heroes and demi-gods in great veneration, and probably preserved their images either as THE period and place of the origin of sculpture mementoes or for worship. They were, accordhave been sought for in vain, and it is highly prob- ing to Pliny, unquestionably the first idolators. able that the picture-writing called hieroglyphics In Scripture, the first person particularized as an upon the propylons, temples, tombs, and obelisks artist in this line, was Bezaleel, who formed the of Egypt, employed the chisel of the sculptor,

cherubim covering the mercy-seat in the taberna- left a sceptre, surmounted by an eagle, and upon cle. his drapery were the figures of various animals The material of which this statue was made, was wood, gold, ivory and precious stones. The Victory was made of gold and ivory; the sceptre, of gold and other shining metals; the sandals, of gold; the throne, of ivory, ebony, and precious stones, ornamented with various basrelievoes.

Of the material used among the earlier an-painted. cients, but little is known. The colossal statues and sphynxes of the Egyptians, still preserved, are made of calcareous stone, basalt, granite, or alabaster. Their smaller ones were made of wood, ivory, and of the various metals. Sometimes the eyes were made of different material from the rest, and their temple-gods were often seen with eyes formed of precious stones. It is said that the diamond belonging to the royal family of Russia, the largest ever known, was one of the eyes of the statue of Scheringham, in the temple of Brahma.

The Phoenicians, Persians and Etruscans, all of whom flourished previous to the Greeks, practised the art of sculpture, although they never reached the perfection of the latter. The Egyptian colonies that settled among and civilized the native inhabitants of Greece, carried a knowledge of many arts with them, and among others, that of sculpture. The idolatrous religion of the former, was also introduced, and hence employment was found there for the chisel. At Athens and Sicyon, the most celebrated cities of ancient Greece, the art was cultivated, and the round stones and pillars set up as objects of worship, were superseded by images representing the "human form divine." In Greece, the artist had every opportunity to study and model from nature, and every encouragement from the rapidly improving taste of the people. Their athletic exercises, such as the footrace, the wrestle, or the discus, were all performed without the least attire; and thus, while these exercises developed every muscle, put forth every beauty of symmetry of the human form, nothing was hidden from the scrutinizing and studious eye of the artist. Nor did the influence of their games, on the arts, end here, but the victors were often immortalized by statues erected to their honor, and hence immense numbers of these works demanded the sculptor's skill.

It was during the administration of Pericles, (445 years before Christ) that the art was most generously patronised in Greece, and attained its greatest perfection. Temples were erected, and filled with statuary; and at that time, an artist competent to perform any task, appeared in the person of Phidias the great sculptor of antiquity. Immense numbers of statues and bas-relievoes were produced from his chisel, and the Elgin marbles, which now grace the British museum, exhibit many noble specimens from this master's hand. But his greatest production, a production never equalled before or since, was his Jupiter at Olympia. This statue was in a sitting posture, and yet from the base of the throne to the crest, it was about sixty feet in height! On his head was an olive wreath, in his right hand a Victory, in his

M. Quatremére de Quincy, a living French writer, has given a description of the manner in which statues of ivory were made. Although his theory is but a theory, yet it bears the impress of great plausibility. He supposes that the ancients were enabled to find the tusks of elephants much larger than are found at the present day, and that an art existed of rendering the cylindrical part of the tusk flat when cut through longitudinally; and thus plates might be obtained from six to twenty-four inches wide. He then supposes that a block of wood might have been fashioned as a sort of cone for the ivory, and the plates fixed upon it having been cut and polished in exact resemblance to the corresponding portions of a model previously formed. The following woodcuts exhibit the process. Figure 1, the separate pieces of ivory; figure 2, the clay model, and figure 3, the block with a portion of the ivory plated on it.

2

3

Our limits will not permit a more extended notice of sculpture at present, and we will briefly notice the names of the most celebrated modern sculptors, and proceed to give a biographical sketch of one of the greatest artists, in that line, of modern times.

Except Praxiteles and Lysippus, few sculptors of note appear in the records of ancient art, and this pursuit which raised so many noble monuments to Grecian glory, slumbered amid the night