MIRABEAU.

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destroyed by the marquis. In addition, he studiedhis profession — he felt a vocation for a military life— the aspect of danger calmed his fiery spirit, andhe was ambitious of glory — he dedicated all histime to the study of tactics, and declares that therewas no book in any language, living or dead, thattreated of the art of war that he had not read at thisperiod, making, as he went on, voluminousextracts. Inafter times he wrote to his sister — “ I deceive myselfgreatly, or I was born for a military life; for in waralone I feel cool, calm, gay, and without impetuosity,and I am sensible that my character grows exalted.”

On returning from Corsica, he was allowed to visithis uncle, the bailli, at Mirabeau, and soon acquiredthe favour of this unprejudiced man, who was aston-ished by his talents, his industry, and his genius.His heart warmed, and the praises that overflowed hadsome effect on his father, still distrustful, still fearful ofshowing favour. The first mark of kindness which hegave was to insist that his son should throw aside all hisfavourite pursuits, and dedicate himself to political andagricultural economy, studying them in the works whichhehad himself written. Mirabeau, per force, obeyed, andthus somewhat propitiated his parent, so that he consent-ed to see him during a visit he paid to Provence . Heput the young man to hard trials, and made him labourindefatigably, preaching to him the while, and forcingpolitical economy down his throat. The marquis wasaverse to his following the military profession, and byturning him from it plunged him in adversity. Theexcessive activity of Mirabeau’s mind, and his physicalvigour, could be satisfied in no other career : his exube-rance of spirits and unwearied strength rendered everyother vocation tame and trivial; however, he laboured atvarious occupations devised for him by his father, and wasrewarded, at the earnest solicitation of all the relations,by being restored to his name — he having for someyears gone by that of Pierre Buffiere. His father wasso far won by his manifestations of talent as to permit