bourhood to pass and repass unmolested, while their property remained perfectly secure in the villages and detached dwellings; those who had any pretensions to rank or opulence were particularly respected; and if at any time the party committed a mistake and robbed a nobleman, restitution immediately followed: by these arts it became the interest of every person within their power to conciliate rather than provoke them, and hence proceeded the frequent visits paid by the gentry to St. John, who entertained them hospitably, and led them into the forest with his dogs well experienced and trained to hunting. It was the poor and defenceless stranger to whom these villains looked for remuneration; and him they plundered without mercy, though it is said they never shed his blood.

The Captain, presuming upon the impunity he supposed he had established, would frequently enter the large towns near the forest under a strong escort of his men, and retire at his pleasure in perfect security; but though justice delayed the hour of retribution, it at length ar- rived; and though St. John saw all around him passive, he found that the Parliament of Thoulouse acted on different grounds; that body decreed his arrest, which was once attempted without success: the 6th of April, 1696, proved a more fortunate day to the police; they appre

hended

hended the Captain, but not before he had received a mortal wound, and his son was slain.

LOUIS XIV. AND M. CORNELIUS BURDEAU.

The above gentleman was a celebrated mathematician, and had by unwearied attention to the principles of mechanics, as applied to complicated movements in clock-work, invented one which he brought to perfection in two years. M. Burdeau's clock, though said to have been entirely original, certainly was not so, as my authority admits it resembled that at Medenblick in the Netherlands, which sounded the hours in a very silly manner through the operations of a coachman, who appeared to drive a vehicle with horses round the limits assigned him, and at intervals struck the bell as many times as announced the different periods of the day.

The French artist saw the unmeaning folly exhibited by the contriver of the Medenblick machine in its true light, and therefore determined to shew the world that he could not only invent but flatter, in perfection. M. Burdeau placed Louis le Grand on a rich throne, where, seated in all the pomp of France, he beheld the electors of the German circles and the princes and dukes of Italy advance, bend the body, and, retiring, chime the quarters with their canes; the monarchs of Europe were reserved for the more dignified

dignified office of informing the grand monarque of the progress of the hours, but in the same humiliating manner.

The idea was new, and highly acceptable to the ridiculous vanity of the Frenchmen of 1696; they assembled from all parts to view the clock and its accompaniments, rapturously applauded the author of their raptures, and at length encouraged him to make a public exhibition of the princes of Europe employed in paying homage to the inflated Louis.

Unfortunately for Burdeau, he advertised his intention in the newspapers, and attempted too much in order to gratify the vast crowd collected in consequence. Knowing the stubborn and unyielding habits of William III. of England towards his master, the artist determined to screw his representative to a very humble obeisance when his turn approached; William, thus compelled, bowed extremely low indeed; at this instant the machinery snapped asunder, and threw Louis prostrate from his chair at the feet of the British king. The accident spread in the form of an omen in every direction; the ministry informed Louis of every circumstance; and poor

Burdeau went to the Bastille.

ROYAL

ROYAL CUSTOM IN FRANCE, 1697-ABOLISHED

AND REVIVED BY THE EMPEROR NAPOLEON.

Those who are familiar with the antient history of France, and remember the character of the people during the reign of Louis XIV. will readily subscribe to the truth of the position, that nothing appeared less probable than that the abolition of royalty should happen in the reign of his great-grandson Louis XVI.

The ambition of the former of these monarchs, and his severe exactions, were certainly incentives to discontent; but if such prevailed, the splendour of the court operated in dazzling the senses of the majority, who exulted in every victory obtained by the armies of their king; and by the sole operation of conceit and vanity, each individual conceived himself personally interested in his glory. Inspired with a most singular excess of loyalty, statues arose at the command of the publick to the honour of Louis, surrounded by emblems of conquest absurd and misapplied, and inscriptions equally ridiculous, flattering, and untrue.

The king enjoyed this universal homage with infinite complacency, and never failed to return thanks to the Divinity for successes, according to antient and prescribed usage, that made each moral man's heart ache. On the 21st of August, 1697, the pious Louis addressed the Archbishop of Paris in the following letter, which the reader

will have the kindness to compare with an extract, dated in July 1809:

"COUSIN,

"Aeth having been reduced to my obeisance at the opening of this campaign, this happy beginning could not be followed by a more glorious and important expedition, than that of the taking of Barcelona, the siege of which I ordered at the same time to be carried on by land and by sea, by my cousin the Duke de Vendome, and by Count d'Estrees. All Europe hath seen the almost unconquerable difficulties of this enterprize the Spaniards, looking upon Barcelona as the strongest bulwark of their States, have defended it within and without with an army not much less than mine, and have shewed all the courage and constancy that nation is always capable of; but at last, after two and fifty days open trenches, and divers most vigorous actions on both sides, and so much the more obstinate on the side of the enemies, that, besides the help of their fortification, the troops they had within were often relieved by those they had without; they have thought that they got glory enough by stopping so long the valour of mine, and the capacity of the chief that commands them; and fearing the consequence of a general assault, they have capitulated, and yielded up the place to my cousin the Duke de Vendome,

R