hope, that Moreau will not be able to effect his retreat. Indeed this hope amounts almost to expectation. He tells me, that in a month's time my way will be open into Switzerland, but observes that it will then be cold travelling.

· October 26th.-This morning Sir Morton Eden calls, and presents me to the Empress, who speaks a little to Colonel Hope, my co-presented, a few words to me, and has a long conversation with Sir Morton, who leans quietly against the wall. She seems to be a good sort of little woman; but, in the course of her conversation, she shows about the eyebrow something which bespeaks high spirit. She has the Austrian countenance a little.

'Return home and write for the post. After dinner, I visit Madame Audenarde, who asks me, if it be true that I am charged here with a mission from Congress to ask the liberty of Lafayette. I laugh at this a little, and then, assuring her that there is no truth in that suggestion, say that it is a piece. of folly to keep him prisoner. This brings her out violently against him, and to the same effect the Count Dietrichstein, who indeed is as much prompted to defend the Austrian administration, as to side with his friend. We examine the matter as coolly as their prejudices will admit; and, on the point of right, he takes the only tenable ground, viz. that the public safety being the supreme law of Princes, the Emperor, conceiving it dangerous to leave Lafayette and his associates at large, had arrested them, and keeps them still prisoners for the same reason. Lavaupallière, who comes in during the conversation, shows still more ill will to this unfortunate man, than any one else. He seems to flatter himself, that there is yet some chance of getting him hanged. He treats him not only as having been deficient in abilities, but as having been most ungrateful to the King and Queen; from which last charge I defend him, in order to see what may be the amount of the inculpation; and it resolves itself into two favors received from the Court. First, pardon for having gone to America, notwithstanding an order given him to the contrary;

and, next, promotion to the rank of Maréchal de Camp over the heads of several who were, many of them, men of family. To crown all, he accuses him of the want of courage, and declares that he has seen him contumeliously treated without resenting it. To this I give as peremptory a negative, as good breeding will permit, and he feels it.

'Indeed the conversation of these gentlemen, who have the virtue and good fortune of their grandfathers to recommend them, leads me almost to forget the crimes of the French Revolution; and often the unforgiving temper and sanguinary wishes, which they exhibit, make me almost believe, that the assertion of their enemies is true, viz. that it is the success alone, which has determined on whose side should be the crimes and on whose the misery.

'December 7th.-Madame Razomousky entertains us much by the histoires naives, which she gives of herself in her presentation here as Ambassadress, and her reception at Moscow by her father-in-law. She is a fine lively woman, with a considerable share of genius, and most playful imagination. She admires much the Empress of Russia, not merely as a great sovereign, but as a pleasant woman, and tells among other things a story of a sleighing party, in which her coachman overset her, and excused himself, by saying that he had tried for an hour to overturn the sleigh of a page without effect, and could not have succeeded, if he had not seized that opportunity, in doing which he had unluckily gone farther than he intended. She smiled, and begged him in future to play such tricks when there was nobody in the carriage. This woman is, however, accused, and I believe justly, of many acts of a most serious complexion. But such is human nature.'

CHAPTER XXIII.

MR MORRIS'S ATTEMPT IN VIENNA TO PROCURE THE LIBERATION OF LAFAYETTE.--CORRESPONDENCE WITH MADAME DE STAEL ON THAT SUBJECT.-INTERVIEW WITH THE AUSTRIAN MINISTER.--LETTER

MADAME

NOBILITY.-LEAVES

ΤΟ

DE LAFAYETTE.-ROYAL PRINCESS OF FRANCE.-AUSTRIAN VIENNA FOR BERLIN.-CONVERSATION WITH THE KING OF PRUSSIA.-RESIDENCE IN BRUNSWICK.-RETURNS TO ALTONA. LAFAYETTE'S RELEASE FROM OLMUTZ.-GIVEN UP TO THE AMERICAN CONSUL AT HAMBURG, IN PRESENCE OF MR MORRIS.

WHILE at Vienna, Mr Morris made it a special object of his efforts to procure the liberation of Lafayette, then at Olmutz. He was prompted to this by many motives, though he confessed at the outset, that he had a slender hope of success. He could act under no other authority, than the influence of his own character; and he knew the little weight this must have in a case, which had become so notorious as that of Lafayette, and in which his oppressors had taken their stand before the whole world, on the sole and avowed ground of their sovereign will. To such judges it was idle to speak of justice or clemency, reason or truth. Of this he was convinced, yet the deep interest he took in the misfortunes of the prisoner and his family, not more on his own account, than on that of his country, and of the friends of liberty and humanity everywhere, induced him to make the attempt, which, should it prove abortive, could in no event do any harm. He received two letters from Madame de Staël on this subject, after his arrival in Vienna well suited to kindle enthusiasm in the coldest bosom.

Copet, September 21st, 1796.

• Sir, 'I have no right to take this step in addressing you. I esteem you most highly, but who would not esteem you? I admire your talents, for I have listened to you, and in this I am not singular. But what I have to ask of you is so much in accordance with your own feelings, that my letter will only repeat to you their dictates in poorer expressions. You are travelling through Germany, and whether on a public mission or not, you have influence; for they are not so stupid, as not to consult a man like you. Open the prison door of M. de Lafayette. You have already saved his wife from death; deliver the whole family. Pay the debt of your country. What greater service can any one render to his native land, than to discharge her obligations of gratitude? Is there any severer calamity, than that which has befallen Lafayette? Does any more glaring injustice attract the attention of Europe? I speak to you of glory, yet I know a more elevated sentiment is the motive of your conduct.

The unhappy wife of M. de Lafayette has sent a message, in which she begs her friends to apply to him, who has already been her preserver. I had no difficulty in recognising you, under this veil. In this period of terror, there are a thousand virtues, by which they, who fear to pronounce your name, may distinguish you. For myself, who am more afflicted, I believe, than any one, by the fate of M. de Lafayette, I shall not have the presumption to imagine, that my solicitations can influence you in his favor. But you cannot prevent me from admiring you, nor from feeling as grateful to you, as if you had granted to myself alone that, which humanity, your own glory, and both worlds expect of you.

'NECKER DE STAEL.'

This letter Mr Morris answered, without giving any encouragement to his fair and gifted correspondent, that her

benevolent wishes could be realised. He lamented the misfortune of their common friend, but feared there was no immediate remedy at hand. What had already been done he believed was impolitie, and more injurious than beneficial to Lafayette. A commencement was made,' said he, 'by complaints of injustice, and a conclusion, by demands of reparation. Now you know, that men do not easily allow they have done wrong. Hence, they first defended themselves against the charge, and then, by means of disputing, both parties are angry. At last self-love takes part in the matter, so that the most urgent solicitations would perhaps be fruitless; for it would be difficult to comply with them, without admitting the injustice in question, since the circumstances have not changed, so as to offer either a reason or pretext for a change of conduct. But, persuaded as I am of the unhappy consequence of the detention of M. de Lafayette, I would use every exertion to break his chains, if I had it in my power.' Madame de Staël replied to this by a second letter.

MADAME DE STAEL TO MR MORRIS.

'Sir,

'Copet, November 2d, 1796.

The place where your letter was written, is enough to give me some hope. It is impossible you should be there without succeeding. Such glory is reserved for you, and there is none more delightful, or more brilliant, for you, or for any man. It is possible the opposition may have been indiscreet. But could the unfortunate man, of whom they spoke, have solicited it of them? It appears certain, that his wife was kindly received by the Emperor; that he permitted her to write to him, and that he has never received her letters. Humane and just, as we are assured he is, would he have suffered the wife and children to be treated in the same manner? The wife and children! What a reward for such a noble self devotion! It is as cruel, as the condition from which you once before saved her. What do they expect? Do they wish that the earliest