It is evident that Robespierre, who
unquestionably had a design which is now generally understood, was
desirous, on the day of the fete of the Supreme Being, to bring back
public opinion to the worship of the Deity. Eight months before,
we had seen the Bishop of Paris, accompanied by his clergy, appear
voluntarily at the bar of the Convention, to abjure the Christian
faith and the Catholic religion. But it is not as generally known,
that at that period Robespierre was not omnipotent, and could not
carry his desires into effect. Numerous factions then disputed with
him the supreme authority. It was not till the end of 1793, and the
beginning of 1794, that his power was so completely established that
he could venture to act up to his intentions.
Robespierre was then desirous to establish the worship of the Supreme
Being, and the belief of the immortality of the soul. He felt that
irreligion is the soul of anarchy, and it was not anarchy but
despotism which he desired; and yet the very day after that
magnificent fete in honour of the Supreme Being, a man of the highest
celebrity in science, and as distinguished for virtue and probity as
philosophic genius, Lavoisier, was led out to the scaffold.
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