It is among the dreadful singularities of the revolution, that the greatest crimes which have been committed were all in strict observance of the laws.  Hence the Convention are perpetually embarrassed by interest or shame, when it becomes necessary to punish them.  We have only to compare the conduct of Carrier, le Bon, Maignet, &c. with the decrees under which they acted, to be convinced that their chief guilt lies in having been capable of obeying:  and the convention, coldly issuing forth their rescripts of extermination and conflagration, will not, in the opinion of the moralist, be favorably distinguished from those who carried these mandates into execution.

December 24, 1794.

I am now at a village a few miles from Amiens, where, upon giving security in the usual form, we have been permitted to come for a few days on a visit to some relations of my friend Mad. de ____.  On our arrival, we found the lady of the house in a nankeen pierrot, knitting grey thread stockings for herself, and the gentleman in a thick woollen jacket and pantaloons, at work in the fields, and really labouring as hard as his men.—­They hope, by thus taking up the occupation and assuming the appearance of farmers, to escape farther persecution; and this policy may be available to those who have little to lose:  but property is now a more dangerous distinction than birth, and whoever possesses it, will always be considered as the enemies of the republic, and treated accordingly.

We have been so much confined the last twelve months, that we were glad to ride yesterday in spite of the cold; and our hosts having procured asses for the females of the party, accompanied us themselves on foot.—­ During our ramble, we entered into conversation with two old men and a boy, who were at work in an open field near the road.  They told us, they had not strength to labour, because they had not their usual quantity of bread—­that their good lady, whose chateau we saw at a distance, had been guillotined, or else they should have wanted for nothing—­"Et ste pauvre Javotte la n’auroit pas travaille quant elle est qualsiment prete a mourir." ["And our poor Javotte there would not have had to work when she is almost in her grave."]—­"Mon dieu," (says one of the old men, who had not yet spoke,) "Je donnerais bien ma portion de sa terre pour la ravoir notre bonne dame." ["God knows, I would willingly give up my share of her estate to have our good lady amongst us again."]—­"Ah pour ca oui," (returned the other,) "mais j’crois que nous n’aurons ni l’une l’autre, voila ste maudite nation qui s’empare de tout." ["Ah truly, but I fancy we shall have neither one nor the other, for this cursed nation gets hold of every thing.”]