Widnes Examiner. — 1900-10-26 (Widnes, Cheshire, England)

WOMEN OF THE FRENCH REVOLUTION."  This was tbe subject of a highly interesting lecture which was delivered in the Bold-street Wesleyan Schoolroom, under the auspices of the Wesley Guild, on Monday evening, by the Rev. Theodore Carrier, of Li verpool. There was a fair attendance, the chair baing occupied by Dr. Bennett. Mr Carrier is a most eloquent lecturer, having a splendid command of language at his disposal, and his hearers were kept deeply interested from start to finish of the lecture. The rev, gentleman at the outset, said he was fairly familiar with tbe lives of the women who took part in the French Revolution, and it occurred to him that they would form a group of intensely interesting photographs, which would help mem to see the general aspects of tt e revolution under a somewhat new light. The lecturer then proceeded to recount the life of Madame Legros, and explained that it was chiefly through her action that the Bastile was stormed and destroyed. Ile graphically described the repeated escapes of Latude, who was imprispned in the tßastile . for having been imprudent enough to offend one of tha 'king's favourites. At length he was re-captured and confined in a cell below the earth from whence escape was impossible. He, however, contrived to drop a letter, written on linen with his own blood, into the street .and _ _  it was picked up by Madame Legros, who resolved there and then to devote herself to Latude's liberation. She went to the polica, bishops, ministers of State, and lastly to the kicg himself, but her pleading was in vain. She then told her tale to the people, and the nation was aroused. The matter grew into national excitement and the king's ministers advised the king to give Latude release, which he did. This clemency, however, came too late to appease the anger caused by the king's obstinacy. Madame Legros died a year or two before the destruction of the Bastile but it was chiefly she who filled the French with horror and hatred of it. Madame De Stael's life was next touched upon and the lecturer spoke of the storming of the king's palace at Versailles by the womed insurgents who had become frenzied through want of bread, which could not be obtained owing to the prohibitive prices, arising from the heavy taxation of corn. The life of Madame Roland was also referred to and the lecturer spoke of her firmness of character. The murder of Marat by Charlotte Corday was the subject of a few remarks, and the rev. gentlemen concluded the lecture by a brief reference to the character of Marie Antoinette the illfated Queen of France. At the close he paid a eulogium to the faith, devotion and self-sacrifice,in which he said. women stood supreme. The male sex produced its distinguished warriors, statesmen, authors, and its apostles and saints, but the female sex had produced its Grace Darlings and Florence Nightingales, and those who worked among the sick and poor, and thousands and tens of thousands of most dutiful, helpful,often wearied but never failing, English wives, sisters and mothers. These, no painter ever depicted on the canvas, and of them no poet ever sang, but they were the heroines of our life to-day and the angels of our homes. (Applause.)—Votes of thanks to the lecturer and the Chairman concluded the proceedings.