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We got on most famously, as the reader will believe, while Asmodeus and I were thus chatting, now on one thing, now on the other

sometimes of the Emperor of Russia, sometimes of Captain Marryatt's last novel which, as we were crossing the sea, was the more apropos subject of the two, (and which, by the by, I can recommend to the reader as a capital thing,*)-sometimes of war, sometimes of love, sometimes of the great wonders in the deep beneath us, and sometimes-though the Devil was shy here-of the happy stars, that twinkled their bright eyes so cheerily above. We paused a moment over the town of Boulogne to recruit ourselves and change our steeds; (for we were mounted on a pair of Mr. Croker's notions of French politics-and they could never go a step farther than Boulogne.) As the Devil looked aslant on that little nest of English imperfections, his heart seemed to swell within him— "Oh, Sentina Gentium!" cried he aloud-“sink of impurities-reservoir into which, through the mighty drains of the ocean, England pours off the most fætid of her humours; who can look at thy little, turbulent, gambling, black-legged, duelling, swaggering world, without amazement and emotion? Botany Bay of society-living gazette of bankrupts, whether of character, hope, fortune, or health-in whose small page is crowded so voluminous a list! how pleasant it is to look upon thy motley varieties, and to feel that we may indeed go farther, but we can never fare worse! Paris is the Circe of the world, and Boulogne is her pigsty!"

I smiled at the Devil's panegyric, and looking down I beheld a multiplicity of scenes that fully proved its impartiality. There, in the High Town, I saw a fraudulent trader giving a ball from the profits of a bankruptcy; and in the next house, two captains on half-pay were exchanging shots across a table. In a small garret, in the lower part of the town, sat a squalid family, whom the bankrupt had ruined; the children crying for bread, and the father cursing for brandy, and the mother wishing herself dead. Far by the solitary shore was a smuggler's vessel, which dark forms were crowding with various goods-here a box of French lace for a duchess; there a chest of human corpses for the surgeons; here, spirits for a wine-merchant who was a miser; there, indecent prints for his son, who was a spendthrift. "That vessel," quoth the Devil, " is a type of the town!" "And of the world, too!" said I.

"Let us canter on."

We had mounted on a couple of schemes for Saint Simonizing Paris, which the Devil caught out of the soul of a French waiter, and we were up in the clouds in an instant.

"Damn it!" quoth the Devil, very profanely, "we shall be in the moon presently. When a Frenchman does speculate, he takes good care to do it in right earnest: Earth's lost sight of before you can say Jack Robinson."

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And, pray, my dear Don, what think you of all these schemes that fluctuate throughout France-this visionary lust of change--this non-contentment-this shifting tendency to all excitation-this shotsilk colouring of the public mind, that changes hue in every light

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that you look at it miserable mortals ?" "Humph!" growled Asmodeus, "I know nothing of the future ; but, as a devil of sense, though no prophet, I think it is not so dangerous to the present generation in France as in England. If you don't take care, and settle that stupid Bill of yours very shortly, you will sink at once from the highest commercial nation in the world into a fifth-rate power. A trading people, who are only great artificially, and are prosperous upon credit, cannot long bear an excitement that unsettles commerce, makes debtors pressing, money scarce, tradesmen sore, farmers grumbling, and the desire for change so habitual, and at last a great change itself so necessary, that moderate change will be but a thimbleful of water on the fire. The soil of your greatness, compared to that of France, is like the soil of your land compared to hers. A war devastates France, ruins her harvests, crushes her vineyards, and in two years afterwards all is as fertile as before-thanks to Nature !-but your light, thin, sandy stratum—one vast hothouse of skilful forcing-if an army passed over it, would take a dozen years to recover-thanks to Art! So is it with your moral condition, equally artificial as your soil. What agitates France now, injures her not to-morrow. What agitates England now, if not Look to yourspeedily removed, will do the evil work of a century. selves in time, and if you must have excitement, prefer the agitations of freedom to the fever of discontent."

does it not portend ultimate benefit to us

"My dear Devil, what a libel on yourself and your brethren to say you can't speak truth!”

"It is so," answered Asmodeus; "we speak truth exactly because Truth is the that is the very way to make mankind run into error. Away-away-away-with the dull English lord in his calêche and four creeping behind us, and the breath of the mail's panting horses dying on our track-away through that gladsome air which dances. over the valleys of France, and mounts into the brain like a glorious wine-away above the lamplit towns, with the husband already asleep, and the lover for ever waking-away, below the gay moon that has just come out, to smile at once upon Joy and Sorrow, Innocence and Crime, the fair stoic of Heaven. We are in PARIS !

true Cassandra-fated never to be believed till too late!"

"There is a change," said Asmodeus, as we sat perched on the dome of the Invalids, "there is a change in Paris since you were last here. Observe how serious the salons have become; the champagne of society has lost its sparkle."

I looked into the old remembered houses: Asmodeus said rightpeople were gambling, and talking, and making love as before, but not with the same gaiety; the dark spirit of change worked vividly "beneath the surface of manners; circles were more mixed and motley than they had been; men without the "De" mixed familiarly with those who boasted the blood of princes; a tone of insolence seemed substituted for the tone of intrigue; and men appeared resolved rather to command the attainment of their wishes than to wheedle themselves into it.

Fit subjects!" quoth the Devil, lighting his cigar, "for a king who rides bodkin in an omnibus!"

From these scenes I turned with great interest to one that contrasted them forcibly. Apart-alone, in a quiet chamber, sat a man somewhat stricken in years, with a fine and worn countenance, that spoke genius in every line. He leant his head on his hand; papers and books strewed the table at which he sat, and I noted especially one pamphlet, entitled "De la Nouvelle Proposition relative au Bannissement de Charles X. et de sa Famille."

"Wonderful power of pen and ink!" said Asmodeus. "Great ruler of human hearts!-talk of the authority of despots-the quill of a goose is the true sceptre. You see there a man who, by the mere charm of his pen, has made himself a fourth estate: a visionary in his youth, a quack in his old age, he is yet the most remarkable being that France can now boast of. But as for you Englishmen, locked up in your own little island, and reading Mr. Hunt's speeches about Preston, you absolutely do not know any thing more about M. de Chateaubriand, and his present influence in France, than that he wrote a pamphlet the other day, which pamphlet has never been even translated in London, and has been read in the original by at most six Londoners. And yet this pamphlet, which you, I fancy, conclude to be the same sort of thing as 'What will the Lords do next?' raised its author at once into a throne of opinion, and made a greater sensation in France than the finest poem of your Byron ever created in England." *

"The more the pity for France. I was in hopes she had passed the time when fine words could set her feelings against her principles." "You are still mounted on a chimera," said the Devil sarcastically. "France can always be won by addressing her heart, just the same as eloquence with you must be addressed to the pocket. You speak to the one of her national greatness, to the other of her national debt; but it is unfortunate for you English, that you do not pay more attention to foreign literature and foreign politics. You ought to hear what the rest of the world say of you;-you ought to see how grand, how true the views, which, from a just distance, Frenchmen in particular, form of your present situation. You are like a man who can only talk of himself, and to himself; one great National Soliloquist wrapt in a Monologue !"

With that Asmodeus threw away the stump of his cigar, and we alighted at the door of the Rocher. Small, cheerful chamber, do I see you again, with the large brown sleek cat in the arm-chair! Stir up the fire-make haste with the Chambertin and the Sauté-where is the playbill, and the Figaro? Oh, Asmodeus! in this city I find again the pleasures of youth! Can you restore to me also the health, -the heart to enjoy them ?"+

The writer of the article on Talleyrand considers that great diplomat, we think with great felicity, the "Voltaire" of politics-M. de Chateaubriand is the Rousseau.

+ To be continued.

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SPANISH ACCOUNT OF THE ARMADA.

[We give insertion to this curious document, not only because there are many readers to whom it must be historically interesting-and because it is a very valuable relic in itself but also as a singular specimen of the équivoque. D'Israeli has recorded the anecdote of Père Londre, who registered the battle of the Boyne in this deceptive manner:-"The battle of the Boyne in Ireland-Schomberg is killed there, at the head of the English." We think this equivocation may be matched more than once in the Spanish account of the Armada.]

THE SPANISH OFFICIAL JOURNAL, KEPT ON BOARD THE DUKE OF MEDINA SIDONIA'S SHIP, IS PRESERVED IN THE ARCHIVES OF SIMANCAS; THE

FOLLOWING TRANSLATION WAS MADE FROM A COPY OF THAT DOCUMENT.

RELATION of the Voyage performed from Corunna by the Royal Armada, commanded by General the Duke of Medina Sidonia, and of the events which happened on board.

Translated from the Spanish. By Lieutenant-Colonel H. Bristow.

July 1588. Friday 22. The Duke sailed, with the whole Armada, from the port of Corunna, the wind blowing from the south-west point, in which it continued during some days, enabling us to make a favorable voyage.

Monday 25. The Duke observing that fine weather continued, despatched Captain Don Rodrigo Tello to Dunkirk, with orders to inform the Duke of Parma of the approach of the Armada, to obtain intelligence of the state of affairs in that quarter, and to ascertain the most favorable place to form a junc`tion with the fleet assembled there.

Tuesday 26. At the dawn of day, the Armada was becalmed in a fog which lasted until mid-day, when the wind changed to the north, and the Armada stood to the east, until the middle of the night, when the wind shifted to the west-north-west, with strong showery squalls which continued the entire day and night. This day the Patrona galley, Diana, parted company in consequence of her making a great deal of water, and it was said, returned to port,

Wednesday 27. The same wind continued, but blew much stronger, and there was a very heavy sea which lasted until the middle of the night. In consequence of this gale, many ships of the Armada, and the other three gallies, parted company.

Thursday 28. The day dawned clear and sunny, the wind and sea were calmer than on the preceding day, and on counting the ships of the Armada, it appeared that forty, and the three gallies, had parted company. The Duke ordered soundings to be taken; the water was found to be seventy-five fathoms deep, and the distance from the land to be thirty leagues from the Scilly Islands. He immediately despatched three Pataches, one to the Lizard, to ascertain if the missing ships were there, and in that case, to direct them to await the arrival of the remainder of the Armada; the second, to discover and reconnoitre the land; and the other was sent back to order the ships astern to make all possible sail, and at the same time to find out if any of those missing were discoverable in that quarter.

Friday 29. The Armada continued its course with a west wind; the patache sent to the Lizard returned, and brought information that Don Pedro de Valdes, with the missing ships, all of which he had assembled, were ahead, and waiting the arrival of the Armada. In the evening all the ships joined, with the exception of the capitana § of Juan Martinez, having on board the Maestre de

The Duke of Parma was to have co-operated in the invasion with an army of 25,000 men,

The galley commanded by the second in command of the gallies, was called the Patrona galley.

Patache, a light vessel peculiar to the Calabrian coasts, used as a despatch-boat. According to the ordinances of the Spanish marine, at this time in force, the vessel on board which the commander-in-chief sailed, was called the capitana (each division had its capitana and almiranta), and that on board which the second in command Jan.-VOL. XXXIV. NO. CXXXIII.

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Campo Nicholas Isla, and the three gallies, about which no tidings could be obtained. On this day the land of England was discovered, which was said to be Cape Lizard.

Saturday 30. At the dawn of day, the Armada was close in with the land, from which it was discovered; and where signals were immediately made by means of fire, and beacons of smoke. In the evening, the Duke sent Ensign Juan Gil, in a zabra* with oars, to obtain intelligence. Late in the evening many ships were discovered, but as a thick haze and drizzling rain came on, it was impossible to ascertain the exact number. Ensign Juan Gil returned, in the middle of the night, with four English fishermen in a boat, which they said belonged to Falmouth, and they stated that they had seen the English fleet sail that evening from Plymouth, having the Admiral of England,† and Drake,‡ on board.

Sunday 31. The day dawned with a west-north-west wind, the Armada being off Plymouth; sixty ships were discovered to windward; and on the side of the land, to leeward, eleven more, amongst which were three great galleons,§ cannonading some of our ships, and standing to windward to join their own fleet. The Armada formed the line-of-battle, and the capitana hoisted the royal standard at the fore. The enemy's fleet passed, cannonading our van-division, commanded by Don Alonso de Leyva, who with some ships returned the fire. The enemy continued their course to attack the rear-division, commanded by the Admiral-General Juan Martinez de Recalde, who, to avoid leaving his position, and to support the attack, although he saw that his ships were closing in with the Armada, and that he should be left alone, waited for, and made head against them. The enemy attacked, and opened so heavy a fire, without however closing so as to lay the admiral-general on board, that they dismantled his ship, cutting away his main-stay, and lodging two shots in his foremast. The ship called the Great Gri (one of the rear-division) supported Juan Martinez; as also did the galleons San Matéo, having on board the Maestre de Campo Don Diego Pimentel, and the San Juan, belonging to the division of Diego Florez, on board which was Don Diego Enriquez, son of the Viceroy Don Martin Enriquez. The royal capitana lowered the sails of her foremast, let fly her sheets, and laying to, waited to receive him in the main-body; on seeing which the enemy stood off, and the Duke collected the Armada, it being impossible to do more, because the enemy had gained the wind; besides their ships were very fast-sailers, and so well managed that they did with them what they pleased. In the evening Don Pedro de Valdes ran foul of the Catalina, a ship of his own division, carrying away his own bowsprit and foresail, to repair which, he withdrew to the centre of the battle. The Armada manoeuvred until four o'clock in the evening, to gain the wind of the enemy. At this hour, the almiranta of Oquendo had two decks and her poop blown up, in consequence of some barrels of powder catching fire. The paymaster-general of the Armada was in this part of the ship, and also a part of his Majesty's money. The Duke observing that the almiranta remained astern in consequence of the accident, tacked, and stood towards her, firing a gun at the same time as a sigual to the Armada to follow his movement; and he also sent pataches to her assistance. The fire was extinguished, and the enemy's fleet, which had stood towards the disabled ship, drew off, on seeing the capitana bear down; and thus she was protected, and placed in the main body of the Armada. On this tack, the ship of Don sailed, the almiranta. Custom, however, very soon reversed this ordinance, and the vessel of the commander-in-chief was called the almiranta, and that of the second in command capitana.

* A zabra, an advice-boat.

+ Charles Lord Howard of Effingham.

The name of Drake was long terrible in Andalusia, and even at this day the women at Seville and in the neighbourhood, are accustomed to frighten their children, by telling them Drake is coming.

§ A galleon the word galleon signifies, literally, a large galley; but this vessel is navigated with sails only.

The royal standard was hoisted at the main-topmast-head when a member of the royal family was on board, but on other occasions on the fore-topmast-head.

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