* Simond Sismondi, Hist. Ital., torn. xii. p. 67; Vita di Savonarola, liv. i. ix. xv. p. 19.

† M6moire de Philippe de Commines, lib. viii. ch. iii. p. 270, et ch. xxxvi. p. 443.

‡ Biogr. Univer., torn. viii. p. 420 - Signe, W. S.

The prediction of Cazotte, avouched by La Harpe, by Madame de Genlis, Madame la Comtesse de Beauharnais, etc, should not be passed by in silence; and, although the relation can only be received hesitatingly, it does not the less belong to history, as much on account of the rank of the personages concerned as of the importance of the events.

"It appears to me but yesterday," says La Harpe, "and yet it was early in 1788. We were dining with one of the members of our Academy, a man of rank and talent. The guests were numerous and of all ranks; courtiers, lawyers, writers, academicians, etc.; as usual, they had feasted. At dessert, the wines of Malvoisie and Constantia gave to the gayety of the company that sort of license not always discreet; they had arrived at that pitch when anything was allowable to raise a laugh. Chamfort had read his insipid and libertine tales, and the great ladies had listened without having recourse to their fans. Then arose a deluge of jokes on religion. One quoted a tirade of La Pucelle; another recollected these philosophic verses by Diderot: -

'Et des boyaux da dernier pritre Serrez le cou du dernier roi,'† and applauded them. A third rose, and holding a brimming glass, said: ' Sirs, I am as sure that there is no God, as I am that Homer is a fool;' and in fact he was as sure of the one as of the other.

"The conversation then became more serious; they were full of admiration at the revolution effected by Voltaire, and agreed that he had won the highest title to glory. He had given the ton to his age, and was equally read in the antechamber and the saloon. One of the guests told us, with bursts of laughter, that his hair-dresser had said to him: ' You see, sir, although I am no more than a poor apprentice, I have no more religion than others.' It was agreed that the revolution would soon be completed; that superstition and fanaticism must absolutely give way to philosophy; and they set about calculating the probable time of its supremacy, and who among them would witness the advent of the age of reason. The aged lamented the improbability of their beholding it, while the young rejoiced in the hope of seeing it reach its meridian glory. The academy was above all congratulated on having prepared the great work, and on having been the principal promoters of liberty of thought.

* Biog. univ., t. iii. p. 421; nouv. edit, article Beauregard, Sig. T. D.

† And the bowels of the last priest Bound the neck of the last king.

"One alone of the guests had not taken part in the gayety of conversation, and had even passed a few quiet jokes on our fine enthusiasm; it was Cazotte, an amiable and original man, but unfortunately infatuated with the reveries of the Illuminists. He took up the conversation, and in a serious tone, said: 'Gentlemen, be content; you will all witness this grand and sublime revolution that you so much desire. You know I am somewhat of a prophet. I repeat, you will see it.' They reply by the well-known line,' No need to be a sorcerer for that.' 'Be it so; but perhaps a little of the prophetic spirit is necessary to foresee what remains for me to tell. Do you know what will be the result of this revolution - what will happen to you all? Do you know what will be the immediate practical effect, the recognized consequence V ' Ah! tell us,' said Condorcet, with his deceitful and innocent look; ' a philosopher is not sorry to encounter a prophet.' 'For you, Monsieur de Condorcet, you will die stretched on the floor of a dungeon; you will die of the poison that you will take in order to avoid the block; of the poison which the happiness of that time will oblige you to carry about with you.'

"At first, much surprise was exhibited, but they presently recollected that the good Cazotte was subject to waking dreams, and they laughed heartily: 'Monsieur Cazotte, the tale that you have told is not so good as your Diable Amoureux.'

" 'But what devil has put this dungeon, and poison, and execution into your head? What can that have to do with philosophy and the reign of reason V ' That is exactly what I am telling you; it is in the name of philosophy, of humanity, and liberty, and under the reign of reason, that you will meet with this fate; and well may it be called the reign of reason, for she will then occupy all the churches, and there will not then be in all France any other temples than those dedicated to the goddess of Reason.' 'By my faith,' said Chamfort, with a sarcaatic laugh, 'you will not be a priest in those temples.' 'I hope not; but you, Monsieur de Chamfort, who will be one, and a worthy one, will open your veins with twenty-two razor-cuts, and yet you will not die for some months.' They looked at each other, and laughed again. 'You, Monsieur Vicq d'Aayr, will not open your own veins, but you will have them opened six times in one day, in an attack of the gout, in order to be sure of your fate, and you will die in the night. You, Monsieur de Nicolai, will die on the scaffold; you, Monsieur Bailly, on the scaffold; you, Monsieur de Malesherbes, on the scaffold.' 'Ah! Heaven be thanked,' said Boucher, 'this gentleman, it seems, only wants the Academicians; he has made a great slaughter. And myself, for mercy's sake?' 'You? you also will die on the scaffold.' ' Oh, he has made a bet; he has sworn to exterminate all of us.' 'No, it is not I who have sworn.' 'But shall we then be conquered by Tartars and Turks?' 'No, not at all. I have already told you, you will be governed by philosophy and reason alone. Those who will thus treat you will all be philosophers; will have at the time on their tongues the same phrases that you have uttered during the last hour; will repeat all your maxims, and, like you, will recite the verses of Diderot and La Pucelle.'