“’Oh! if it be Heaven’s will that, in a century and a half, the descendants of my family, faithful to the last wishes of a heart that loved humanity, meet in this sacred union!—­if it be Heaven’s will that amongst them be found charitable and passionate souls, full of commiseration for those who suffer, and lofty minds, ardent for liberty! warm and eloquent natures! resolute characters! women, who unite beauty and wit with goodness—­oh! then, how fruitful, how powerful will be the harmonious union of all these ideas, and influences, and forces—­of all these attractions grouped round that princely fortune, which, concentrated by association, and wisely managed, would render practicable the most admirable Utopias!

“’What a wondrous centre of fertile and generous thoughts!  What precious and life-giving rays would stream incessantly from this focus of charity, emancipation, and love!  What great things might be attempted what magnificent examples given to the world!  What a divine mission!  What an irresistible tendency towards good might be impressed on the whole human race by a family thus situated, and in possession of such means!

“’And, then, such a beneficent association would be able to combat the fatal conspiracy of which I am the victim, and which, in a century and a half, may have lost none of its formidable power.

“’So, to this work of darkness, restraint, and despotism, which weighs heavily on the Christian world, my family would oppose their work of light, expansion, and liberty!

“’The genii of good and evil would stand face to face.  The struggle would commence, and God would protect the right.

“’And that these immense pecuniary resources, which will give so much power to my family, may not be exhausted by the course of years, my heirs, following my last will, are to place out, upon the same conditions, double the sum that I have invested—­so that, a century and a half later, a new source of power and action will be at the disposal of their descendants.  What a perpetuity of good!

“’In the ebony cabinet of the Hall of Mourning will be found some practical suggestions on the subject of this association.

“’Such is my last will—­or rather, such are my last hopes.

“’When I require absolutely that the members of my family should appear in person in the Rue Saint-Francois, on the day of the opening of this testament, it is so that, united in that solemn moment, they may see and know each other.  My words may then, perhaps, have some effect upon them; and, instead of living divided, they will combine together.  It will be for their own interest, and my wishes will thus be accomplished.

“’When I sent, a few days ago, to those of my family whom exile has dispersed over Europe, a medal on which is engravers the date of the convocation of my heirs, a century and a half from this time, I was forced to keep secret my true motive, and only to tell them, that my descendants would find it greatly to their interest to attend this meeting.