who hearing the Chevalier had been a gallant officer, and respected by the whole regiment as a man of honour and integrity — he broke up his little trade by a pension of fifteen hundred livres a year.

As I have told this to please the reader, I beg he will allow me to relate another, out of its order, to please myself— the two stories reflect light upon each other and 't is a pity they should be parted.

The Sword-Rennes

W

HEN states and empires have their periods of declension, and feel in their turns what distress and poverty is

I stop not to tell the causes which gradually brought the house d'E**** in Brittany into decay. The Marquis d'E**** had fought up against his condition with great firmness; wishing to preserve, and still shew to the world some little fragments of what his ancestors had been their indiscretions had put it out of his power. There was enough left for the little exigencies of obscurity. But he had two boys who look'd up to him for light-he thought they deserved it. He had tried his sword

it could not open the way -the mounting was

too expensive—and simple œconomy was not a match for it there was no resource but

commerce.

In any other province in France, save Brittany, this was smiting the root for ever of the little tree his pride and affection wish'd to see reblossom-But in Brittany, there being a provision for this, he avail'd himself of it; and taking an occasion when the states were assembled at Rennes, the Marquis, attended with his two boys, entered the court; and having pleaded the right of an ancient law of the duchy, which, though seldom claim'd, he said, was no less in force, he took his sword from his side Here, said he, take it; and be trusty guardians of it, till better times put me in condition to reclaim it.

The president accepted the Marquis's sword -he staid a few minutes to see it deposited in the archives of his house, and departed.

The Marquis and his whole family embarked the next day for Martinico, and in about nineteen or twenty years of successful application to business, with some unlook'd-for bequests from distant branches of his house, return'd home to reclaim his nobility and to support it.

It was an incident of good fortune which will

never happen to any traveller, but a sentimental one, that I should be at Rennes at the very time of this solemn requisition: I call it solemnit was so to me.

The Marquis enter'd the court with his whole family he supported his lady his eldest son supported his sister, and his youngest was at the other extreme of the line next his mother he put his handkerchief to his face twice

There was a dead silence. When the Marquis had approach'd within six paces of the tribunal, he gave the Marchioness to his youngest son, and advancing three steps before his family he reclaim'd his sword. His sword was given him, and the moment he got it into his hand, he drew it almost out of the scabbard —'t was the shining face of a friend he had once given up -he look'd attentively along it, beginning at the hilt, as if to see whether it was the same when observing a little rust which it had contracted near the point, he brought it near his eye, and bending his head down over it- — I think I saw a tear fall upon the place: I could not be deceived by what followed.

-

"I shall find," said he, "some other way to get it off."

When the Marquis had said this, he return'd his sword into its scabbard, made a bow to the guardians of it- and with his wife and daughter, and his two sons following him, walk'd out.

O how I envied him his feelings!

FOUND no difficulty in getting admittance to Monsieur le Count de B****. The set of Shakespeares was laid upon the table, and he was tumbling them over. I walk'd up close to the table, and giving first such a look at the books as to make him conceive I knew what they were I told him I had come without any one to present me, knowing I should meet with a friend in his apartment, who, I trusted, would do it for me it is my countryman the great Shakespeare, said I, pointing to his works et ayez la bonté, mon cher ami, apostrophizing his spirit, added I, de me faire cet honneur-là.

The Count smiled at the singularity of the introduction; and seeing I look'd a little pale and sickly, insisted upon my taking an