The Sun.
London, England, 1823-12-20 00:00:00

LITERARY NOTICE.

31E11OIRES de 'Madame in iIIARQUISI3 as ItOU-

CHAMPS, Vol. 12mo.
This simple and affecting narrative we can
safely recommend to the `perusal of our readers.
Though avowedly composed by the Lady, whose
hardships and dangers.,-whilst accompanying ber
husband, and the royalist army, they have been
edited, however, by Mde. de-Geniis, with whose
numerous and pleasing productions everrone is
well acquainted . Few works of a similar na-
ture will be read with greater pleasure and in-
terest than that which we are now noticieq.
The Vendean war forms one of the most re-
maritable features in the annuls of the .French
Revolution ; and yet, prior to the publication
of the Memoirs of Madame de Larochejaquelein,
even its principal incidents were but little known.
The heroical deeds, however, of a Bouchamps,
a d'Elbee, a Charette, and a Larochejaquelein,
are well worthy of the admiration of posterity.
What, indeed, can antiquity produce equal to the
address of the gallant Larochejaquelein to the pea-
sants who chose him for their Chief :--u My
friends, if C advance, follow me; if I fly, kill
me ; if I die, avenge use !" This war affords,
moreover, a memorable example of the fearless
valour which religion and loyalty combined,
awaken in the human breast. In its principle,
in its tactics, in short, in almost every one of its
features, it totally ditfered from every former
war, and as such it is well deserving the at-
tention both of the philosopher and of the
statesman.
The murder of Louis XVI., and a decree of the
national Convention for levying 300,000 men,
aroused the indiguation 'of the Ventleans, but
more especially of that part of the /endees, Le
Bruage. The insurrection soon became general;
the nobles of the province were requested to ac.
cept the command ; and the enthusiasm of reli-
ligion and of loyalty, supplying the place of regu-
lar weapons, and of discipline, a brave but rude
peasantry. put to flight, not only the well ap-
pointed National Guards, but also the well dis-
ciplined troops of the.repuldic. Under the com-
mand of Bouchump, d'Elb6e, Charette, Laroche-
jaquelein, and Stoillet, a gamekeeper, of Cattle-
line an, a simple peasant, but acknowledged as
chief even by the nobles, the Vendeans; though
occasionally• worsted, yet proved upon the whole
imminently successful. The rashness of inexper'

owe, and still more n deplorable want of unani-
mity ,in ont; the Chiefs, eventually led to their
rain. Elated by a signal victory obtained at Eon-
tenay, they ventured to attack Nantes, and the

vitise they there experienced, soon after fo

,owed by- a more fatal disaster at Chollet, and
subsequently -at Le Mani,Troved decisive of the
contest. .:The most popular leaders fell either
in battle or by military executions ; and the
,w hide provioce being at length reduced, the con-
ventional vengeance, directed by the sanguinary
Carrier, ravaged it with Are and sword, and red-
dened the waters of the Loire, with the blood of
thousands of victims.
Aide. tie lionchamps lost her 'nbusband at the
fatal battle of. Cholla; and great indeed were:
the hardships this young and delicate female had.
to encounter. -But in.this war, women appeared
no less heroical titan men. After the defeat al
'Le Mans, she endeavoorerl,,but in vain, to escape
the revolutionary' blood hounds. She was arrest—
ed,, tried and condemned,' but most unexpectedly'
obtained her pardon, through the.gratefal efforts
of smne,repnblicans, .forming part_of a body ,of
6,000" men, saved from 'death by the humanity of
her husband. This terminates thee history of the
most. interesting and eventful period of her life :
for-the more circumstantial details of which we
recommend to. our readers the perusal of her own
simple rant pleasing narrative.