The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-04-28
CLASSICAL REvorurroNlsrs
Tho Lovo of Elegant Precedent In Tho
French Revolutionary Lcadcrs

French Revolutionary Leaders.
Mr.. John G. Alger says in his
"Glimpscs of tho French Revolution"
that q very noticeable feature of tho rev.
dictionary leaders WAS thoir admiration
for tho classical writers and their imita-
ton of the Roman people. Tho speeches
and writings of tho times were full of
illusions to and SMILES drawn from tho
poets and philosophers of antiquity.
Says Mr.. Algcr on this point:
Some of tho rovolutionists not merely
quoted tho Romans, but initiated thom.
Clayiero killed himself on tho eve of
his trial, Valazo stabbed himself in tho
dock, Condorcot, Buzot Barbaroux and
Roland also committed suicide. Vcrg-
MAUD had intended to do likewise, but
at the last moment changed his purpose
Chabot attempted suicide. Mime. Ro-
Land, who at IL years Of ago regretted
not being n Spartan or Roman, had to
be dissuaded from poisoning herself be-
fore trial. ono reason, 1t Is but fair to
sid, being that her property would thus
have been saved for her daughter from
contiscation. Charlotte Corday In stab-
bing Marat was manifestly acting under
classical recollections. She took her fa-
vorito Plutarch with her on her journey
to Paris, and she hoped to stab Marat in
the convention and DO torn to pieces,
but possibly to be applauded, by his fol-
low deputies. She counted on meeting
Brutus and other ancients in the Ely
sian folds
"Onc regrets the theatrical tone which
somo may attribute to hcr collateral de-
scent from Corneille. When arrested,
she applied to the committee of public
safety for leave to have her portrait
taken rs bcquest to her native depart
mcnt AT her trial, noticing that an art
list, Hauer, was sllotching her, she turn
cd her head toward him that no might
have better Wow, and she obtained
permission TO give him two hours sit
ting in her cell while waiting for the
tu1nbril. Sho suggested corrections IN
his sketch and begged him to send rep
lica to her father She presented him
also with lock OF her hair Tho rpvo-
lutionists, indeed, were too self con-
scious. -
Another way i'll which the Friends
of Liberty" showed their admiration for
tho writers Of antiquity was by chang
ing their names for those of their favor
ito Roman heroes OF heroincS This
copying of tho names and oven the Gus
toms of ancient Greece and Romo must
have often led TO some very strange in
congruitics.
Even tho rooms in the Paris prisons
were inscribed Cincinnatus, Brutus,
Socrates, etc, sometimes also Nfarat,
which was peculiarly appropriate until
IN June, 1894, Pagan urged on the mu-
nicipality that the shades of these great
men would DO indignant ut secing the
cells of conspirators called by their
names Thcrcupon tho inscriptions were
effaced. Civic dinners in imitation Of
Sparta also became common in Paris a
few weeks before Robcspierro's fall.
People had tables spread outside their
houses In the street and had their scrv-
ants sit down TO partake with them A
man would DO heard haughtily ordering
his servant Oh the staircase and coming
out to dinner would have that servant
sit beside him and would drink his
health fashionable lady would say:
Look how love equality I dine pub
icly with my servants, This innova-
ton, denounced by some as an intrigue
of the Hcbcrtists by others as an aris-
tocratic device for lulling patriotic sus-
plcions, was, however, very short lived.