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ABBESSES OF FRANCE.

worn by Rousseau's frail heroine, and daughter of nature, the Nouvelle Héloïse)—though Necker, the Protestant Finance Comptroller, restrained the wealth of monasteries-though Franklin, the heretic American insurgent, gave away the "Sacred bread of Kings," by the number of the thirteen American colonies, each loaf stamped with "Liberty;"-though all this, and much more that the reader may have discovered for himself, yet sorrow, and sin, the repentant, the dying, the afflicted, the mourner, still testified to the need of the Church to console. Proofs of this may be found amongst innumerable autograph letters from Abbesses and Prioresses of France to M. St. Julien, who was the friend of Voltaire and the Receiver-General of the clergy. Most of these letters implore aid from Government in behalf of sisterhoods, whose means are so limited by modern reforms, that their convents are falling into ruin, and their charities are cramped by poverty. Some of these letters are in bold handwriting, characteristic of personal ambition; others, in minute handwriting, as though the writer had only been accustomed to scrutinize one object all her life; others in elegant caligraphy, befitting the trainer of high

born demoiselles for the observances and etiquette of Court life. From these letters we will select one (supposed to be addressed to the Princesse de Lamballe in the earlier period of her widowhood, before the friendship of the Queen had, as she says, "brought balm to her soul)," from which it will be seen that Abbesses had still a vocation left (or believed they had), besides that of craving alms from the State :—

66

MADAME,-With real grief I have learned the loss you have sustained. Would that I could lessen your grief by sharing the burthen of it! In your piety, Madame, you will find a solid reason for consolation. I believe that I cannot better enter into your feelings than by addressing to God, with all my community, our most ardent prayers for the relief of the soul of the departed-he who is the subject of your tears. I have the honour to be, with respect for your most serene highness, Madame, your very humble and very obedient servant,

"SISTER DE BETHUSY,

"Abbess of the Abbey of St. Remy."*

*MS. Egerton Collection.

CHAPTER III.

Don Carlos III., King of Spain-His daily life and habits -Spanish American Colonies-Revenue derived by Spain from America-The Family Compact-The Spanish rescript-Moorish antiquities near Gibraltar-Combined Fleets of France and Spain in the English Channel—Descent upon England-Russia, Denmark, Sweden, and Holland-England's neglected Defences-Lord Sandwich -French Camp and English Camp-Aspirants for glory at Versailles-Ireland-Lafayette returns to Europe Fate of the French and Spanish expedition against England-Return of Admiral d'Orvilliers to Paris-Te Deum at Versailles for successes in the Western hemisphereGeneral illumination in Paris-Admiral d'Estaing and Admiral d'Orvilliers-Lafayette's welcome at VersaillesTwo parties in the cabinet of Versailles-De Vergennes' stroke of policy-Declaration of d'Estaing to French Canadians-French Canadians halting between English gold and French faith-Original letter from French Canadians to the English governor-D'Estaing at Martinique-D'Estaing at Grenada-Admiral Byron pursued by d'Estaing

-D'Estaing's fierce fight at Savannah-Original account of the siege of Savannah by Count d'Estaing and General Prevost-English flags in the church of Notre DameThe Count de Grasse-Success of Lord Cornwallis-Hardships of General Washington's army-Lafayette's subtle stroke of diplomacy at Versailles-French fêtes in honour of Lafayette, the American hero-America's presentation of a sword to Lafayette in France-Dr. Franklin's letter to Lafayette-Fête to the "venerable" Dr. Franklin at the Freemason's Lodge of the "Nine Sisters"-Liberty in the salons of Paris-The Chevalier de la Luzerne in America-American "filibustering" of the eighteenth century-American newspaper articles of the eighteenth century-Letter from General Washington in America to Lafayette in France The Channel Islands defendedMrs. Anne D. Damer captured by the French-Horace Walpole on politics in 1779-Lafayette's scheme for increasing the French Navy-Dutch-bottomed American cruisers-American envoy to Holland taken prisoner by the English-Severe Hardships of the American army— Provincial benevolence to American troops-Sharp skirmishes across the ice in America-Political pasquinades in Paris-Political lampoons at Versailles-The King and the young Count de Ségur-Lafayette's return to America.

It

In the year 1779, Spain formed a junction of her forces with those of France against England. is remarkable that Roman Catholic Spain, ruled by despotism, and where the people still trembled before the terrors of the Inquisition, should thus ally herself in the cause of Liberty. Blood rela

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THE KING OF SPAIN.

tionship between the Courts of Spain and France was fourfold.*

Don Carlos III., the present King of Spain, was now sixty-three years of age. In his youth he was known as "Brave Baby Carlos." He was then King of Naples and Sicily; his name in those days was associated with that of his mother-the noble Elizabeth Farnese.† A warrior in his youth, Carlos III. was a Nimrod in his old age. Hunting and shooting were his ruling passions. His courtiers and children (for he expected all to follow him in his sport) complained of the hardships to which these ruling passions subjected them. The King rose at seven in the morning in winter, opened his own shutters, wrote his letters and despatches, and then-let the weather be what it might went out shooting. "Rain breaks no

*Don Carlos III., the present King of Spain, was the son of Philip V., who was grandson of Louis XIV. The sister of Carlos III. was the first wife of the Dauphin, the father of Louis XVI. The wife of Carlos III. was sister to the Dauphin's second wife (daughter of Augustus, King of Poland), the mother of Louis XVI. The brother of Carlos III. (Don Philip) had married the favourite daughter of Louis XV. (the Duchess of Parma, who died in 1759).

† Elizabeth Farnese was the pupil of Cardinal Alberoni, the reputed author of the Testament Politique.