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THE

Lady's Magazine ;

For OCTOBER, 1794.

SKETCH of the CHARACTER of the bloody fcenes which disgraced

TALLIEN.

(With a Portrait elegantly en

OF

graved.)

the convention and the nation. It is probable that he is a lefs enterprizing and ambitious man than Robespierre; for though he is confidered as the leader of the party which brought that tyrant to the guillotine, he by no means appears to have fucceeded him in his power and influence over the convention. He has, however, incurred the implacable hatred of the Jacobins, which club he has endeavoured to fuppress, and of all the wretched remnant of that odious and blood-thirsty party.

They have, accordingly, attemp ted to affaffinate him. On the 9th of September laft, at a quarter paft twelve o'clock at night, Tallien, being in the Rue Quatre Fils, and on the point of entering his own houfe, was attacked by a man in a

F the hiftory of this fuccefsful oppofer of the late cruel and ferocious tyrant of the French convention, little is at prefent known with certainty. He appears to have acted with confiderable moderation, and perhaps with fabtle caution, during the prevalence of the other parties whofe influence has been fucceffively deftroyed. In his fpeeches at the first meeting of the convention, he gave fufficient proof that he was a determined republican, and bent on the destruction of the monarchy. After having voted for the death of the king, he likewise voted to refufe the refpite which the unfortu-furred riding coat, and a round hat: nate monarch requested, on the bar- "Come villain," cried he, "I have barous pretext of fhortening his waited for thee a long time;" and fufferings. In general he gave his immediately ftruck him with his fift fupport to the party of Robespierre, on the breast, and then fired a piftol and was one of his humble inftru- at him: the ball penetrated his ments to forward his fanguinary shoulder, and he fell. Several perplans; but it must be admitted, fons came up, and the affaffin made that, from his fubfequent conduct, his escape. Tallien was immedi it may reasonably be doubted, whe- ately carried to his apartments, and ther he did not fecretly difapprove every neceffary affiftance given him. and defpife the cruelty of his lea- It appears, however, that the wound der, for we do not find him, latter- is not likely to be attended with any ly, taking any very active part inferious confequences. 3T2

Tallien

508

Defcription of the Town of Cambridge.

the midway between the two other town-bridges. The colleges have alfo their own private bridges, which lead to their gardens and noble walks, two of which are of wood, and four of tone; one of the latter has lately been rebuilt in a very ele

Tallien and his adherents may be confidered as a middle party, between the moderate Briffotines, and the ferocious Robespierrians, but inclining much more to the former. The party of Briffot, perceiving the confufion and anarchy into which their country was plunged, were pro-gant tafte, and is fuppofed to be the bably defirous to re-establish monar- only one of the kind in England: chy, under the ftricteft limitations, it belongs to Trinity College. The and most carefully guarding the rights ancient town was fituated on the of the people at large, against the N. W. side of the river, on an eleinvasion of the aristocratic bodies. vated fpct, containing near thirty Tallien's party are prejudiced in fa- acres, furrounded on all fides with a vour of the republican form of go-deep intrenchment, great part of vernment, but with it to be admini- which is fill remaining. It was ftered in a more lenient and moder-known to the Romans by the name ate manner, and more agreeable to of Camboritum, and was a nursery the principles of their new conftitu- of learning in the earliest days of tion, as they are explained on paper; | Christianity. The forum appears principles which Robespierre, while to have been on the fouth-weft fide declaiming with the greatest vehe- of the old city. Several Roman mence in favour of liberty and the coins, and other antiquities, have rights of human nature, violated been dug up here, and it is not imperpetually. probable but St. Peter's church was built on the foundation of a Roman temple. It fuffered by the Dancs, who kept a garrifon here, till Edward the Elder took it in 921, to keep the monks of Ely in fubjection. William the Conqueror built a ftrong caftle here; of which the gate-houte ftill remains, and is the county gaol, almost furrounded with a more modera fortification, raifed by the

What change fuccefs or power may effect in the character of Tallien, it is impoffible to forefee; but, at prefent, no one can deny him the praife of, at least, the appearance of far greater moderation, humanity, and real friendship to his country, than his wretched predeceffor.

DESCRIPTION of the Town of Oliverians in 1615. Within is an

CAMBRIDGE.

(With a View, elegantly engraved.)

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artificial mount, but of what antiquity is uncertain, from the top of which is a profpect of near twenty miles. Roger de Montgomery deHE to, n of Cambridge is fifty-troyed the town with fire and fword, two miles diftant from Lon- to be revenged on king William Rudon, and is fituated on the river fus; but Henry I. to repair its daCam, which divides it into two partsmages, granted it many privileges. that are joined by a ftone-bridge, of Itwas often undered in the barors one arch, called the great bridge, to wars, by the outlaws from the fle diftinguish it from another at the fouth of Ely, till Henry III. fecured it by end, called fmall bridges, which is a deep ditch. The modern town is continued over feveral divifions of about one mile long from north to the river. Befides thefe, there is fouth, and about half a mile broad another belonging to the town, built in the middle, diminishing at the exof wood, called Gerrard's-Hottle-trenities. The profpect of the town Bridge, which croffes the river about is remarkably good. It has fourteen

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