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The moderation and opposition of the girondistsrendered them fateful to the mountain, and everyendeavour was nade to excite the Parisians againstthem. They cait on Roland the stigma of beinggoverned by his vife. When it was proposed in thenational assembly to invite him to resume the ministry,Garat said, “ We had better invite madame ; she is thereal minister.” They accused her of using every femi-nine art to secur: partisans. These were the merecalumnies of the day, powerful for her ruin, but nottarnishing her after-glory. Every impartial pen describesher as carrying her simplicity and grace into herpolitical enthusiasm, and charming even those whomshe did not convir.ce.
Le Montey writes of her —“1 met madame Roland several times in former days : her eyes, her figure, andhair were of remarkable beauty ; her delicate complexionhad a freshness and colour which, joined to her reservedyet ingenuous appearance, imparted a singular air ofyouth. She spoke, too, well, yet there was no affectationin what she said; it was merely nature carried to a greatdegree of perfection. Wit, good sense, propriety of ex-pression, keen reasoning, naive grace, all flowed withouteffort from her roseate lips. I saw madame Roland onceagain at the commencement of her husband’s firstministry. She had lost nothing of her air of freshness,youth, and simplicity : her husband resembled a quaker,and she looked like his daughter. Her child flittedabout her with ringlets reaching to her waist. MadameRoland spoke of public affairs only, and I perceived thatmy moderation inspired pity. Her mind was highlyexcited, but her heart remained gentle and inoffensive.Although the monarchy was not yet overthrown, she didnot conceal that symptoms of anarchy began to appear,and she declared herself ready to resist them to the death.I remember the calm and resolute tone in which shedeclared that she was ready, if need were, to place herhead on the block. I confess that the image of thatcharming head delivered over to the axe of the execu-