Born, March 19, 1739; died, June 16, 1824.
In early life he showed an extraordinary disposition for learning
languages, and he resolved to perfect this talent by travelling in
foreign countries. He went to England, where he spent some time. He
was delighted with the country, its inhabitants and its liberty,
notwithstanding its aristocracy and monarchy.
After his return to France he became a lawyer. In 1768 he was appointed
Inspector-General of the Crown Lands. He was Chief Secretary to
Maupeau, the Chancellor, whose speeches he composed. In 1774, after
the accession to the throne of Louis XVI., when Maupeau shared the
fate of all the favourites of Louis XV., and had to deliver up his
seals of office, le Brun lost his place too; he continued to practise
his profession till the outbreak of the Revolution; he was Deputy to
the States-General, and spoke in that assembly in favour of the reform
of all abuses. In the Constitutional Assembly he opposed the issue of
paper money and the creation of public lotteries.
He was the editor and reporter of the new financial laws. Le Brun was
named President of the Directorate of Seine and Oise. In 1792, riots
having occurred in his Department, he put them down by energetic
measures.
After August 10 he threw up all his employments and retired into
private life; he was shortly afterwards arrested and imprisoned at
Versailles, but, under the _surveillance_ of a gaoler, he was
allowed to visit his friends and relatives. When Robespierre attained
supreme power, le Brun’s captivity became severe; but for the events of
the 9th Thermidor he would certainly have perished upon the scaffold.
Le Brun re-entered public life in 1795. In December 1799, Bonaparte
appointed him Third Consul, with control of the Finance Department,
and, after the establishment of the Empire, Arch-Treasurer of France.
Notwithstanding le Brun’s objection to hereditary titles, the Emperor
insisted on creating him Duc de Plaisance.
To le Brun France owes the establishment of the Cour des Comptes.
In 1805 the Republic of Genoa was annexed to France. Napoleon
despatched le Brun as Governor-General. He remained a year in Genoa,
and showed both ability and moderation there. On his return to Paris
he had the courage to remonstrate with the Emperor upon the proposed
abolition of the “Tribunal,” and resigning his Arch-Treasurership,
retired into private life.
In 1810 Napoleon, who respected his honesty and valued his intellectual
powers, commanded le Brun to undertake the Governorship of Holland, the
throne of that country being vacant owing to the abdication of Louis
Bonaparte. Le Brun was now seventy-one years of age, yet he undertook
this arduous task with the vigour of a young man, and in fifteen months
completely reorganised the little kingdom. He was called “the good
Stadtholder” by the Dutch.
In the disastrous Russian retreat the second son of le Brun perished,
and after the battle of Leipzig the Cossacks invaded Holland. The
Dutch, anxious to regain their independence, rose against the French.
Their respect for the Viceroy was, however, so great that they
conducted him to the frontier with an honourable escort and every
possible courtesy.
During the events of the first two months of 1814, le Brun assisted the
Imperial Government to the best of his power, and vigorously opposed
the departure from Paris of the Empress Marie Louise.
He accepted, in the “Hundred Days,” the Grand Mastership of the
University of Paris. After the Second Restoration his name was erased
from the list of peers of France. It was restored in 1819, after which
date, though eighty years of age, he made many important speeches in
the House of Peers, and occupied himself with literary as well as
political work until his death in 1824, aged eighty-five.
He was not only a great statesman, but a distinguished author, and
besides writing many important works, translated Tasso’s _Jerusalem
Delivered_ and the _Iliad_ and _Odyssey_ of Homer.