year 1792, and was imprisoned afterwards, in spite of the laws of nations, because in his despatches, which had been intercepted at the time of the second partition of Poland, he spoke with horror and indignation of this act, and of the conduct of the Empress. He was a man of highly estimable qualities; his mind was refined, and his heart sensitive; a
could not have been forgotten. I thought, moreover, and persuaded myself, that as I submitted, on my return from my long captivity, a plan for the restoration of that interesting country, the views of which were not disapproved, the government might have resolved to make use of it in the instructions with which they deemed it necessary to provide you. On that supposition, Citizen Ambassador, accept the offer of every aid in my power, and dispose of my services.” It is a singular thing, that a man, who had to attribute to Poland all his sufferings, the loss of his fortune, the death of those who were dearest to his heart, his long captivity, should be ready to devote himself to that unhappy cause. We may justly apply to Mons. Bonneau the motto which the Poles now-a-days have prefixed to the name of their noble friend, Lord Dudley Stuart: Causas non fata sequor. Mons. Bonneau died at Paris in March 1805.
