There must be something of the true martyr-spirit in Louise
Michel, the woman who in France preaches anarchy as the only cure for the evils of society, but who in England declared, after a careful examination of a London workhouse, that if the English Poor-Law were extended to the Continent, the moving force of her doctrines would be taken away. She was lecturing at Havre on Sunday last, when a poor clerk, named Lucas, of Conservative opinions, fired a revolver twice at her from behind. The first ballet tore away the lobe of her ear, and the second is believed to be still buried in her neck. Though severely wounded, Louise Michel cried out to the crowd, "Re has used blank- 'cartridge," to save her assailant from being lynched—he was lynched, nevertheless, being beaten nearly to death—travelled to Paris talking to her friends, freely forgives Lucas, refuses to prose- cute him, and even declares that if fully convinced of the rectitude of his own conduct, he was right. She does this, too, knowing that the man, whom she never saw before, had bought the revolver specially to kill her. She is hopelessly in the wrong, but there must be nobility in her ; and our own anarchists, who deem all weapons lawful against the State, but howl if the smallest blow is struck at them, might take lessons from her in manliness. She believes, in fact, in the righteousness of the anarchy she preaches, and, with different opinions, would go to the stake praying for her torturers.
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