The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1866-11-01
A Female Fury Of the French Rero-
tuition.

(NteONs
The fanaticism which produced the
excuses of the French revolution and
reign of terror, like the negro fanaticism
in this country, did much in reducing
many women to the condition of furies.
One of these, called Theriogne de Meri-
court, somewhat resembling some of
the characters of the present fanatical
crusade, led a division of sans culottes of
the faubourgs in the attack upon the
palace of the Tuilleries. Lamartine, in
his History Of the Girondists, thus
describes her and her history:
Theroigne, or Lambertine de Meri-
court, who commanded the third corps
of the army of the faubourgs, was
known among the people by the name
OF La Belle Liegoise. The French Revo-
luton had drawn her to Paris, as the
WhflWind attracts things Of no weight
She was the impure Joan Of Arc of the
public streets. Outraged love had plunge
Ell her iuto disorder, and the vice. at
which herself blushed, only made her
thirst for vengeance. In destroying the
aristocrats she fancied she purified her
honor, and washed out her shame in
blood.
She was born in the village OF Meri-
court, near Liege, of a family of wealthy
,farmers, and had received finished
education. At the age of seventeen her
singular loveliness had attracted the at
teau was close to her residence. Be-
loved, seduced and deserted, she had
fled from her fathers roof and taken
refuge in England, from whence, after
a residence of some months. she pro-
eeeded to France. Introduced to Mira
beau, she knew through him Sieyes,
Joseph Chenier, Danton, Ronsin, Bris-
sot and Camille Desmoulins, Romme, a
mystical republican, infused into her
mind the German spirit Of illumination.
Youth, love, revenge, and the contact
With this furnace OF a revolution, had
turned her head, and she lived in the
intoXleation of passions, ideas, and
pleasures. Connected at frs. with the
Great innovators OF 80, she had passed
from their arms into those OF rich vo-
luptutries, who purchased her charms
dearly. Courtezan Of opuience, she
became the voluntary prostitute Of the
people; and like her celebrated proto-
types of Egypt or of Rome, she lavished
upon liberty the wealth she derived
from vice.
On the first assemblage of the people
she appeared in the streets, and devoted
her beauty to serve as an ensign to the
people. Dressed in riding-habit of
the color of blood, a plume Of feathers
in her hat, q sabre at her side, and two
pistols in her belt, she FASTENED to join
every instruction. She was the first of
those who burst open the gates of TIE
Invalides and took the cannon from
thence. She was also one of the first to
attack the Bastile; and asabre d'homme
was voted her on the breach by the
vctors. On the days of October, she
had led the women Of Paris to Yer
sailles, on horseback, by the side of the
ferocious Jourdan, called "the man acith
the tong deasd." She had brought back
the king to Paris; she had followed,
without emotion, the heads of the
gardes du corps, stuck on pixies as trO-
plies. Her language, although marked
BY foreign accent, had yet the eloquence
p sumult. She elevated her voice
and from the galleries blamed their
conduct. Sometimes she spoke at the
Cordeliers. Camille Desmoulins men,
tons the enthusiasm which her har-
argues created. Her smiles" says
he, "were drawn from the Bible and
Pindar,-it was the elopence of a
Judith She proposed to build the
palace of the representative body on the
Site of the Bastile ITO found and
embellish this edifice,o said she, "let us
strip ourselves of our ornaments, our
gold, our jewels. | will be the first to
set the example," And with these
words she tore off her ornaments to the
tribute. Her ascendancy during the
enaeates was SO great. that with Single
sign she condemned or acquitted a
victim; and the royalists trembled to
meet her.
During this period, by one of those
chances that appear like the premedi-
tated vengeance Of destiny, she recog-
nized in Paris the young Belgian gentle
man who had scduced and abandoned
her. Her look told him how great was
his danger, and he sought to avert it by
imploring her pardon. !" My PARDON
said she; at what price can you pur-
chase. it::" My innocence gone--my
family lost to me-nIy brothers and
sisters pursued in their own country by
the jeers and sarcasms Of their kindred;
the malediction Of my iather-my exile
from my native land--my enrolment