Mirabeau

me-ra-bo' (1749-1791), a distinguished leader of the French Revolution. The family won wealth as merchants at Marseilles. The great grandfather served with distinction as an officer in the campaigns of Louis XIV. The father was a distinguished writer of political articles, a man of advanced thought. The subject of the present sketch was born near Nemours. He appears to have been a dissipated young man who gave his father much trouble. He was imprisoned by his father's orders more than once, and at one time actually lay under sentence of death for having induced a young woman to follow him to Switzerland. His early life was full of intrigue. He appears, however, to have taken an interest in current events. He wrote a number of political pamphlets in which he attacked the existing order of things. In disgrace at home, he fled to Holland, involved himself in many intrigues, then passed to England. He lived for some time in London where he made the acquaintance of various literary people. They had the impression that he was a vain, well informed man, an opponent of injustice and oppression,--a man with high aims, but unscrupulous as to the method by which his end should be attained. He studied the American Revolution and English form of government with interest.

Mirabeau returned to France in time to be elected to the States General, and was present at the opening on May 4, 1789. For two years he played a leading part in the history of France. He was an able orator, a man of determination. When the French king sent a messenger to direct the separation of the elective members of the States-General from those who held seats by virtue of position, he sent word to the king: "Go and tell your master that we' are here by the will of the people, and that no one shall drive us out, except with the bayonet." By holding the assembly together he knew that the royalists could be outvoted.

He hurried the French assembly on from step to step, urging his colleagues not to lose a moment lest the other governments of Europe, foes of liberal ideas, should unite to support the absolute monarchy which the revolutionists of France proposed to overthrow. He urged the adoption of a constitution and the establishment of a constitutional monarchy like that of England. He endeavored to form an alliance with Lafayette, but was repulsed. He was in constant communication with Louis, the king, and won his consent to the adoption of a constitution; but Marie Antoinette, the queen, could not be induced to yield. While making strenuous efforts to bring the French assembly and the Bourbon family of Louis to terms, his health failed. His constitution had been undermined by the dissipations of his youth. He died literally in the harness April 2,1791.

Mirabeau was not a member of the club of Robespierre, Marat, and Danton. Though a violent, arrogant, unprincipled man, he was in no way connected with the horrors of the Paris guillotine. He died before the king and queen were executed. He was a man of excessive wickedness and unusual ability. Historically, he stood like a giant between the French monarchy and the Paris mob. Like the Girondists, he desired reform, not revolution. At his death there was no force competent to withstand the rage of the populace. Mirabeau dead, all hope of an agreement between France and the reigning family was at an end.

See Girondists; Marat; Danton; French Revolution