I must explain to you, that the Jacobins have lately been composed of two parties—­the avowed adherents of Collot, Billaud, &c. and the concealed remains of those attached to Robespierre; but party has now given way to principle, a circumstance not usual; and the whole club of Paris, with several of the affiliated ones, join in censuring the innovating tendencies of the Convention.—­It is curious to read the debates of the parent society, which pass in afflicting details of the persecutions experienced by the patriots on the parts of the moderates and aristocrats, who, they assert, are become so daring as even to call in question the purity of the immortal Marat.  You will suppose, of course, that this cruel persecution is nothing more than an interdiction to persecute others; and their notions of patriotism and moderation may be conceived by their having just expelled Tallien and Freron as moderates.*

* Freron endeavoured, on this occasion, to disculpate himself from the charge of “moderantisme,” by alledging he had opposed Lecointre’s denunciation of Barrere, &c.—­and certainly one who piques himself on being the pupil of the divine Marat, was worthy of remaining in the fraternity from which he was now expelled.—­Freron is a veteran journalist of the revolution, of better talents, though not of better fame, than the generality of his contemporaries:  or, rather, his early efforts in exciting the people to rebellion entitle him to a preeminence of infamy.

Amiens, October 4, 1794.

We have had our guard withdrawn for some days; and I am just now returned from Peronne, where we had been in order to see the seals taken off the papers, &c. which I left there last year.  I am much struck with the alteration observable in people’s countenances.  Every person I meet seems to have contracted a sort of revolutionary aspect:  many walk with their heads down, and with half-shut eyes measure the whole length of a street, as though they were still intent on avoiding greetings from the suspicious; some look grave and sorrow-worn; some apprehensive, as if in hourly expectation of a mandat d’arret; and others absolutely ferocious, from a habit of affecting the barbarity of the times.

Their language is nearly as much changed as their appearance—­the revolutionary jargon is universal, and the most distinguished aristocrats converse in the style of Barrere’s reports.  The common people are not less proficients in this fashionable dialect, than their superiors; and, as far as I can judge, are become so from similar motives.  While I was waiting this morning at a shop-door, I listened to a beggar who was cheapening a slice of pumpkin, and on some disagreement about the price, the beggar told the old revendeuse [Market-woman.] that she was "gangrenee d’aristocratie." ["Eat up with aristocracy.”] "Je vous en defie," ["I defy you.”] retorted the pumpkin-merchant; but turning pale as she spoke, "Mon civisme est