Mirabeau

(Honoré Gabriel Riquetti Comte de), French statesman and orator, b. at the Chateau de Bignon (Loiret) 9 March, 1749. He inherited a pa ionate nature, a frank strong will, generous temper, and a mind of prodigious activity. He entered the army in 1767, but by an amorous intrigue provoked the ire of his father, by whom he was more than once imprisoned. In 1776 he went to Amsterdam and employed himself in literary work. In 1783 appeared anonymously his Erotika Biblion , dealing with the obscenity of the Bible. In 1786 he was sent to Berlin, where he met Frederick and collected materials for his work on The Pru ian Monarchy . He returned to the opening of the States General and soon became leader of the Revolution, being in Jan. 1791 chosen President of the National A embly. He advocated the abolition of the double aristocracy of Lords and bishops, the spoliation of the Church and the National Guard. Carlyle calls him “far the strongest, best practical intellect of that time.” He died 2 April, 1791 . Among his last words were, “Envelop me with perfumes and crown me with flowers that I may pa away into everlasting sleep.”