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14 scourge of his country, but of mankind. Pasehal, amidst the silence of his prison, meditated on Euclid; and Voltaire chalked the first lines of his Henriade on the walls of his dungeon; but Robespierre did not discover his future destiny by anticipation; and it was the opinion of the professors, that his reputation would never extend beyond the walls of the college in which he had been educated.

At the age of seventeen, it was determined that he should be bred to the bar; and his friends, judging from his early success, already imagined that he would dispute the palm of eloquence with the first lawyers of Franee. He was, accordingly, committed to the eare of a M. Ferrieres, nephew to an advocate of the same name, who had distinguished himself by an excellent Treatise on Jurisprudence.

It is asserted, however, that, not withstanding the repeated admonitions of that gentleman, Maximilian could never be prevailed upon to pay any degree of attention to his professional studies. Incapable of applieation, disgusted with the slightest difficulties, he is said to have acquired an antipathy to knowledge, and to have sworn a deadly enmity both to learning and learned men!

It was at first determined that he should practise before the Parliament of Paris, but this scheme was never carried into execution; for he returned to his native province, and was admitted an advocate in the Superior Council of Artois.

We do not find that he distinguished himself there by his eloquence; and have every reason to suppose that he would never have risen above medioerity, nor been noticed in the crowd of