PETION DE VILLENEUVE, noted for the part he played in the first French revolution, was the son of a procurator at Chartres, and was born there in 1753. He was as an advocate in his native city when he was elected in 1780 a deputy of the tiers eta! to the states-general. His out-and-out republican principles, and his facile oratory, sonorous rather than eloquent, quickly made him popular, though he had an essentially mediocre understanding, and was altogether a windy, verbose person:10.e. IIe was a prominent member of the Jacobin club, and a great ally of Robespierre! the latter was called the "incorruptible," and Mimi de Villeneuve the "virtuous." He was sent along with Barnave and Latour-Maubourg to bring back the fugitive royal family from Yarennes, and in the execution of this commission he acted in an extremely unfeeling manner. lie afterward advocated the deposition of the king and the appointment of a popularly-elected regency, and along with Robespierre received, Sept. 30, 1791, the honors of a public triumph. On Nov. 18 he was elected moire de Paris in Bailly's stead, the court favoring his election, to prevent that of Lafayette. In this capacity he encour aged the demonstrations of the lowest classes and the arming of the populace. But as the catastrophe drew near he awoke to a sense of its terrible nature, and sought in vain to arrest the torrent. On the triumph of the terrorists, Potion tie Villeneuve's popularity
declined, and he joined the Girondists. On the king's trial he voted for death, but with delay of execution and appeal to the people, upon which he became suspected of being a royalist, and of partaking in the treason of Dmnouriez. He was thrown into prison, June 2, 1793, on the fall of the Gironde, but escaped from prison and joined the other Girondists at Caen. Upon the defeat of their army by that of the convention, he fled, in July. 1793. into Bretagne, and in company with Buzot reached the neighborhood of Bordeaux, whieh, however, had already submitted. A short time after, Pinion de Ville neuve's and Thizot's corpses were found in a corn field near St. Emilion, partly devoured by wolves. They were supposed to have died by their own hands. Potion de Ville neuve's character has been defended by Mme. de Geniis and Mute. Roland. It appears that he was extremely virtuous in all his domestic relations; but, on the other hand, his public career shows hint to have been weak, shallow, ostentatious, and vain. Les (PLuvres de Potion, containing his speeches, and some small political treatises, were published in 1793.