, well known both by his writings, and the active part he took in bringing
, well
known both by his writings, and the active part he took in
bringing about the French revolution, was born in 1749,
of a noble family. Throughout life he displayed a spirit
averse to every restraint, and was one of those unhappy
geniuses in whom the most brilliant talents serve only as a
scourge to themselves and all around them. It is told by
his democratical panegyrists, as a wonderful proof of family tyranny, under the old government, that not less thau
sixty- seven lettres de cachet had been obtained by Mirabeau the father against this son, and others of his rela-'
tives. It proves at least as much, what many anecdotes
confirm, that, for his share of them, the son was not less
indebted to his own ungovernable disposition, than to the
severity of his parent. The whole Course of his youth was
passed in this manner. Extravagance kept him always
poor; and this species of paternal interference placed him
very frequently in prison. It may be supposed also, that
the part taken by the government in these unpleasant admonitions, did not tend to attach young Mirabeau to that
system. The talents of Mirabeau led him frequently to
employ his pen, and his publications form the chief epochas
of his life. His first publication was, 1. “Essai sur le
Despotisme,
” “An Essay on Despotism,
” in 8vo. Next,
in one of his confinements, he wrote, 2. a work “On
Lettres de Cachet,
” 2 vols. 8vo. 3. “Considerations sur
Pordre de Cincinnatus,
” 8vo; a remonstrance against the
order of Cincinnatus, proposed atone time to be established
in America. The public opinion in America favoured this
remonstrance, and it proved effectual. 4. His next work
was in favour of the Dutch, when Joseph II. demanded the
opening of the Scheld, in behalf of the Brabanons. It is
entitled, “Doutes sur la liberte* de PEscaut,
” 8vo. 5.
“Lettre a Pempereur Joseph II. sur son reglement concernant P Emigration,
” a pamphlet of forty pages, in 8vo.
6. “De la Caisse d'Escompte,
” a volume in 8vo, written
against that establishment. 7. “De la Banque d'Espagne,
”
8vo a remonstrance against establishing a French bank in
Spain. A controversy arising on this subject, he wrote
again upon it. 8. Two pamphlets on the monopoly of the
water company in Paris, Soon after writing these hewent to Berlin, which was in 1786, and was there when
Frederic II. died. On this occasion also he took up his
pen, and addressed to his successor a tract entitled, 9.
“Lettre remise a Frederic Guillaume II. roi regnant de
Prusse, le jour de son avenement au trone.
” This contained, says his panegyrist, “non pas des eloges de lui,
mais des eloges du peuple; non pas des voeux pour lui,
mais des vceux pour le peuple; non pas des conseils pour
Jui, mais des conseils pour le bonheur du peuple.
”