Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/748

734 participate in the literary labours of her husband, whey was intrusted with a considerable part of the New Encyclopedia. They never quitted their study, but in order to visit the neighbouring country; during those solitary rambles, Madame Roland made an Herbal of the plants of Picardy, and a taste for aquatick botany produced a little work on that subject, called L'Art du Tourbier.

In 1784, they visited England, and in 1787 made the tour of Germany.

On the death of his mother, they resided chiefly at Roland's family mansion near Lyons, and in this sylvan retreat Roland pursued his literary labours in an uninterrupted succession, while his amiable consort entered into all the details of rural economy. The neighbouring peasantry in her found a friend, during the hour of distress, and she became the physician of the adjacent country.

In 1789, she nursed him in a severe illness; sat up six days and nights, without either sleeping or changing her clothes; and attended him with uncommon tenderness during a convalescence of six months.

At length the period of the revolution now arrived; in which Roland soon distinguished himself by his talents, and still more by his inflexible integrity; he was employed in an important mission to the constituent assembly; and at length appointed minister of the home department. In this situation the talents of his wife were of great use to him. She secretly wrote several of his treatises and letters. The famous one to the King, was her's, and was simple, energetic, and eloquent. On which he and his companions were dismissed. No sooner had he received this intimation, than he instantly communicated it to the assembly; and the deputies, on reading a copy of