BRISSOT, Jean Pierre, who assumed the name De Warυille, a celebrated Girondist, was born of humble parents at Chartres in January 1754. He received a good education, and entered the office of a lawyer at Paris. His first works, Théorie des Lois criminelles (1781) and Bib- liotlièque philosophique du Législateur (1782) were on the philosophy of law, and showed how thoroughly Brissot was imbued with the ethical precepts of Rousseau. The first work was dedicated to Voltaire, and was received by the old philosophe with much favour. Brissot became known as a facile and able writer,'and was engaged on the Mercure, on the Courrier de TEurope, and on other papers, a connection with which was not creditable to him. He seems, indeed, to have sold his pen readily, and to have degraded himself by being associated with such men as De Morande. Ardently devoted, however, to the service of humanity, he projected a scheme for a general concourse of all the savants in Europe, and started in London a paper, Journal du Lycée de Londres, which was to be the organ of their views. The plan was unsuccessful, and soon after his return to Paris Brissot was lodged in the Bastille on an unfounded charge. He obtained his release after four months, and again devoted himself to pamphleteering, but tain sentence of arrest was passed against the leading members of it on the 2d June 1793. Brissot, persuaded by his friends, attempted to escape in disguise, but was arrested at Moulins. His deme’anour at the trial was quiet and dignified; and on the 31st October 1793 he died bravely with his comrades. His works are numerous, but their interest was merely temporary....