intended to make a splendid public entry into Rome; and, amongst other preparations, sent to Paris for a quantity of cloth of gold to cover his coach or coaches. On the arrival of this magnificent cloth, it met with universal commendation, as the most rich and beautiful specimen that had been seen in the former city: those commendations reached the ears of the successor of St. Peter, and he requested to see it; his wish was instantly gratified; seized with ungovernable rapture, the good father solemnly blessed the favoured article, which immediately became sanctified, and consequently improper for profane purposes. The Imperial envoy was too good a Catholic to wait for a second hint; and, making a virtue of necessity, he declared the cloth from that moment the property of our Lady of Loretto. Count Martinitz, his predecessor, had exhibited much stupidity in comprehending and acquiescing in Italian finesse; but the Pope observed of Lemberg, that he perceived in him a disposition to learn the lesson he had given on the suppression of vanity.

ROYAL GALLIC LOTTERY.

Louis XIV. never committed a more egregious mistake, with reference to his private character, than by promoting a lottery for the relief of the poor of Versailles. A monarch who had expended millions of livres in erecting one of the most superb

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palaces in Europe, derived from the labours of his people, and thus in some measure causing their poverty, pretended to relieve it from that very palace in the manner adopted by the Dutch, a frugal people, in every respect unsuited for an example to an absolute prince. Instead of appropriating a portion of the edifice to the purposes of an almonry, whence a liberal stream from an unperceived source might have flowed in an equal current to the indigent, we are led to the antechamber of the Duchess of Burgundy, where we find four clerks employed in preparing tickets to the number of 20,000, and the amiable Louis acquiring the dutics of a trustee, to see justice done between the duchess and his people.

On the 16th of March, 1700, the Lieutenant of the Police gave orders for posting the scheme of the lottery on the walls of Paris, which announced the tickets to be valued at a Louis d'Or, the highest prize to be 4,000, and the lowest 50 Louis d'Or.

THE VIRGIN OF THE CHATELET.

A statue of Our Lady, carved in wood, dirty, neglected, and decayed, which stood beneath an arch of the above building, rescued herself from that disgraceful state in the year 1700, and procured a washing, two wax candles to burn before her, and the prayers of numerous faithful persons, by the following simple means, which she knew

the populace would consider miraculous, and honour her accordingly. The soldiers stationed at the Chatelet had their attention excited one evening by a person on horseback, whose animal, became extremely restive under the arch: one of the men stepped forward, in order to lead the horse; and, in passing his hand along for that purpose, perceived that he encountered petticoats above and breeches beneath them; the man, thus disguised, was immediately seized, and, upon further examination, they discovered him to be masked. The Reader must remember, that had not the decaying virgin interfered at the critical minute, the police would have been baffled by a villain, who eluded every thing in his way except the invisible stumbling-block placed under the feet of his horse.

SINGULAR CASE OF ALLAIN ALEXANDER PITOT.

The above A. A. Pitot was a Capuchin Friar, who professed and resided in the monastery of Mans, where he went by the name of Father Eusebius of Guinchamp. Several persons of respectability who had been in France, and afterwards returned to England, declared that Pitot had intimated to them his conversion to the Protestant faith, and ardent wish to escape to this country through their means: they readily consented, and furnished him with cloaths, and other necessaries: twice heen deavoured to elude the vigilance

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of his brethren and the superior, but failed in each attempt; in consequence of which he was sentenced to perpetual imprisonment.

In the month of July 1700 he was more fortunate, and succeeded in passing through France, Flanders, and Holland, whence he reached England; and, presenting himself before the vestry of the French church in Threadneedle-street, he declared his determination of abjuring the Roman Catholick, and adopting their faith. After due examination, the gentlemen of that body were convinced of the truth of his statements, and resolved that they would permit him to make a public recantation in the church on the 8th of September.

During the interval between the 11th of August and the above date, M. Pitot lodged at M. Fontaine's, in Spital-fields, who had a female servant zealously attached to the religion Pitot meant to reject; but that fact was unknown to the family this person, hearing of the intended ceremony, thought proper to communicate the information to the chaplain of a foreign minister, who called at Fontaine's, and requested to see the convert, which he had no sooner done than he expressed great pleasure, and enquired of Pitot whether he did not recollect Father Emanuel, whom he had known at Rennes, and who had set him, the example, by becoming a proselyte to the Protestant communion. Pitot, recovering

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his ideas from the confusion caused by so unexpected a visit, remembered he had actually seen this person at the place just mentioned; and, feeling deeply his pre ent situation, blessed heaven that they had met under circumstances so very auspicious.

Father Emanuel made many minute enquiries as to the manner of his escape, and, after further conversation, invited him to go to a Coffeehouse, where they might enter into the subject of Pitot's conversion without restraint; accordingly they went together to a place at a considerable distance, where Emanuel discovered that their refreshments were indifferent, and proposed another, still more remote from Spital-fields, which Pitot was unable to name, as he knew none of the streets of London. It was four o'clock when they left the house they first visited; and the evening fast approaching, M. Pitot requested to be conducted home: at that moment Emanuel contrived to introduce another proselyte, and by these means night had arrived ere the confederates consented to accompany their dupe to his lodgings. Instead of performing their promise, they led Pitot to a large mansion, which was afterwards found to be that of an ambassador whose name is not mentioned; they entered an apartment on the left-hand, where Father Emanuel assumed the austerity of a monk, and pronounced himself to be a capuchin, armed with the powers

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