The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-03-21
PROF. MITCHELL ON
MIRABEAU'S LIFE
Va Most Interesting Address
Last Evening at the Won
ans Club.

Tho first of series OF lectures by Pro-
fessor S. c. Mitchell, under the auspices
of the Ladies' Missionary Society of the
urst Baptist Church. was given at the
Womans Club last evening with great
success. professor Mitchell addressed a
fine audience with 'Mirabcau". for his
subject 81
IA After sketching the causes which led
$,,p to the calling or the States General,
MAY S. 1883 which event marked the
opening OF the French Revolution, the
speaker sketched briefly the previous life
ar Mirnbeau, the central figure In that
stormy period. Mirabeau was born at
\ Blgnon March 0, 149, about the tlmo mat
Goethe saw tho light in tho home at
frankfurt. His early life was stained BY
Il grave indiscretlons, and he spent much Of
s#itRin prison.
About the time that Lafayette was
IA Etorn1ing the heights OF Yorktown, Mira
beau emerged from tho dungeon or VIM
7 rennes, the court being led by lhls fiery
& sloqucnce to rescind the decree OF death
f against him. Cast Off by his iratc father,
Mirabeau is found u pcnnlless wanderer
Is. Belgium and England, doing hack work
Tor booksellers Oh all imaginable themes.
.#At Berlin he was thrown with Frederic
tho Great, and upon the impulse wrote a
4 book on the Prussiun monarchy. Such
awas the tempestuous and Don QuiXote-
alike training of the young Hercules. lie
was forty years of age as, In spite OF
his disreputablc past, he stepped proudly
TN the procession of Commoncrs at THE
meeting Of the States General, Parl1a-
a,,ent that the French kings had not sum
moned for Ito years, a fact which III 1t
self sufficiently indicates the absolutism
z characterizing the French monarchy.
Though applause greeted at the roll call
= the names Of all other deputies, that Of
Nlrabeau was hooted.
The lecturer then showed how Mira
beau, by his political sagaclty and inpe-
rlous will, came to dominate first this
assembly, later the court. and flnullyHthe
nation, curbiYg tho wild forces Of the
Revolution as n.skillf,il charloteer directs
Il his steeds. The policies of Mirabeau We're
then sketched Flo alone realized the
sweep Of the Niagara current In which
the French monarchy was caught. While
rhe irresolute king was unwilling to be-
n lieve that the preciplce was just ahead
and while tho Jacobins yearned for the
hclight of seeing the monarchy shoot the
falls to break upon the rocks below
kllabcau sought to bring the monarchy
by means OF easy locks, to the level Of
liberty. In spite of the terrific force OF
that current, Ito might yet have saveo
The ship Of state had it not been for hi!
1Intmely death. within less than tw'
wears from the hour his hand was place.
npon the helm. In dying he said to Tai
leyrand: ~ take with me the last shred
OF the monarchy"-a prophecy that event
soon made true.
lS+ Mirabeaus failure was due to the fac
that the sins OF his youth dogged him
destroying confidence in his character an
thereby making void the wisdom Of hi
purposes. Genius enough he had, but al
Trance said 10 him: "One thing thou lack
cst-the character of a Washington
1Iadst thou hut that, thou. too, wouldst be
come the center OF n nations cause"