the civilized world, and what is more to the present purpose, the king's wars had enlarged and rounded his dominions and strengthened his frontiers. A little later, and the Pyrenees were removed, in a figure of speech. Yet a little

later, and retribution began, and continued to the end. The triumphs of Marlborough and Eugene were more numerous and decisive than any in the first half-century of the great king's reign. If his disasters were not turned into disgraces and carried to more decisive results, it was owing to the treason of Oxford and Bolingbroke. Even as it was, the glories of Louis le Grand had exhausted the country, embarrassed the finances, and laid the foundation, as much as any single epoch can be said to have done so, of the Revolution of 1789, the execution of his descendant, and the expulsion of his race. In a still larger sense it originated an historical tragedy of which the end is not yet visible.

France was at times engaged in wars during the seventy-four years that intervened between the death of Louis XIV., in 1715, and the capture of the Bastile. But they partook of the narrowness and formality of the century. In Europe the enterprise and ambition of the old régime really centred, as Carlyle observes in his quaintly forcible style, in Frederick the Great. Fontenoy is the French victory which the most readily suggests itself to the English mind, on account of the English defeat. But none of the battles, at least of the French battles, had the spirit or the glory of those of older or of later days. They were quite counterbalanced by defeats; and in point of solid advantage, more than counterbalanced by the loss of Canada and of the East Indies, and an increase of that financial distress which compelled the assemblage of the States-General.

The glories of the Republic, the Consulate, and the Empire are familiar to every one. There is no such enchaining historical reading to this generation; there are books of all sorts and sizes to meet the demand, and no wonder; for what exploits, and triumphs, and muta

tions were crowded into twenty years! More victories than one cares to count; more misery and devastation than man could apprehend, if he gave his life to the labour. The French flag floated triumphantly over every capital in Europe between Moscow and Lisbon; kings were displaced with less ceremony than some men use in discharging lackeys; parvenus were placed on thrones with less precaution than some men take in hiring lackeys. Flanders and Holland were annexed to France; Italy became an appanage; Frenchmen ruled in Spain, Portugal, and parts of Germany; French influence was predominant everywhere, save where the English flag flew in sign of English dominion. Visions of universal empire that Charlemagne, from want of geographical knowledge, could not dream, and hopes that Louis the Great never entertained, were then realized. But Nemesis is always on the watch." The retreat from Russia, the battles of Leipsic and Waterloo, and St. Helena at last; the flags of many nations dominating in Paris; armies encamped upon the sacred soil of France; curtailed territories, and material losses, and traditional hatreds, such as we see in Germany, outbalanced in the long run the imperial glories.

The resultless war mania, whose course for three centuries and a half has been briefly indicated, has now recommenced, if not with the meteor-like rapidity and brilliancy of some older times, at least with a series of hard-won victories and substantial successes. The final conclusion who can tell? The material losses on both sides would probably be nearly equal, but for the Hungarian prisoners; the sluggish pertinacity of Austria and her long tenacity of purpose is something wonderful; it may be questioned if the Gallic nature and the French Emperor's position will bear` the tedious difficulties and slow delays that seem congenial to the Austrians. The same moral dangers may threaten Napoleon III. that overwhelmed his predecessors; for there is an analogy between the past and the present. It was not altogether French arms and French valour

1859.]

that overcame Naples and Milan at the close of the fifteenth century; they were aided by the popular discontent with the actual rulers, just as the hopes mankind entertained of the French Revolution facilitated the rapid progress of General Buonaparte through Italy some sixty years ago. In the dim haze of the future one thing alone is clear, that if the Emperor of the French can succeed in expelling the Austrians from Italy beyond likelihood of return, he will have an

81

opportunity of raising his character such as has fallen to the lot of few rulers. If, throwing aside selfish purposes and French ambition, he disinterestedly applies himself to establish an orderly freedom in Italy, he will acquire a fame and an influence such as no extent of dominion-already so often gained by his predecessors and so quickly lost -could procure. The murky and troubled past cannot be obliterated, but the future may be serene and fair.

THERE

was in Dorade a stout and meritorious elderly widow, who formed a sort of connecting link between the natives and the settlers. English by birth, she had married a Frenchman of fair family and fortune: so that her habits and sympathies attached themselves about equally to the two countries. You do not often find so good a specimen of the hybrid. She gave frequent little soirées, which were as pleasant and exciting as such assemblages of heterogeneous elements usually are: that is to sayvery moderately so. The two streams flowed on in the same channel, without mingling, or losing their peculiar characteristics. fancy the fault was most on our side.

We no longer, perhaps, parade Europe with pride in our port, defiance in our eye;' but still, in our travels, we lose no opportunity of maintaining and asserting our wellbeloved dignity, which, if rather a myth and vestige of the past, at home, abroad-is a very stern reality. Have you not seen, at a crowded table-d'hôte, the British mother encompass her daughters with the double bulwark of herself and their staid governess on either flank, so as to avert the contamination which must otherwise have certainly ensued from the close proximity of a courteous whitebearded Graf, or a fringante Vicom

tesse whose eyes outshone her diamonds? May it ever remain so! Each nation has its vanity and its own peculiar glory, as it has its especial produce. O cotton-mills of Manchester! envy not nor emulate the velvet looms of Genoa or Lyons: you are ten times as useful, and a hundredfold more remunerating. What matters it if Damascus guard jealously the secret of her fragrant clouded steel, when Sheffield can turn out efficient sword-blades at the rate of a thousand per hour? Suum cuique tribuito. Let others aspire to be popular: be it ours, to remain irreproachably and unapproachably respectable.

So poor Mame. de Verzenay's efforts to promote an entente cordiale were lamentably foiled. When the English mustered strong, they would immediately form themselves into a hollow square, the weakest in the centre, and so defy the assaults of the enemy. Now and then a daring Gaul would attempt the adventure of the Enchanted Castle, determined, if not to deliver the imprisoned maidens, at least to enliven their solitude. See how gaily and gallantly he starts, glancing a saucy adieu to Adolphe and Eugène, who admire his audacity, but augur ill for its success. Allons, je me risque. Montjoie St. Denis! France à la rescousse! He winds, as it were, the bugle at the gate, with a well-turned compliment or a bril

liant bit of badinage. Slowly the jealous valves unclose; he stands within the magic precinct-an eerie silence all around. Suppose that one of the Seven condescends to parley with him: she does so, nervously and under protest, glancing ever over her shoulder, as if she expected the austere Fairy momentarily to appear; while her companions sit without winking or moving, cowering together like a covey of birds when the hawk is circling over the turnip-field. How can you expect a man to make himself agreeable under such appalling circumstances? The heart of the adventurer sinks within him. Lo! there is a rustling of robes near; what if Calyba or Urganda were at hand? Fuyons! And the knighterrant retreats, with drooping crest and smirched armour-a melancholy contrast to the preux chevalier who went forth but now chanting his war-song, conquering and to conquer. The remarks of the discomfited one, after such a failure, were, I fear, the reverse of complimentary; and the unpleasant word, bégueule, figured in them a great deal too often.

Cecil and Fanny Molyneux were certainly exceptions to the rule of unsociability; but the general dulness of those réunions infected them, and made the atmosphere oppressive; it required a vast amount of leaven to make such a large heavy lump light or palatable. Besides, it is not pleasant to carry on a conversation with twenty or thirty people looking on and listening, as if it were some theatrical performance that they had paid money to see, and consequently had a right to criticise. The fair friends had held counsel together as to the expediency of gratifying others at a great expense to themselves on the present occasion, and had made their election-not to go.

Early the next morning, Miss Tresily an encountered Keene: their conversation was very brief; but, just as he was quitting her, the latter remarked, in a matter-ofcourse way, We shall meet this evening at Madame de Verzenay's ?'

She looked at him in some surprise; for she knew he must have heard, from Mrs. Molyneux, of their

intention to absent themselves. She told him as much.

"Ah! last night she did not mean to go,' replied Royston; but she changed her mind this morning, while I was with them. When I left them, ten minutes ago, there was a consultation going on with Harry as to what she should wear. I don't think it will last more than half an hour; and then she was coming, to try to persuade you to keep her fickleness in countenance.'

Now, the one point upon which Cecil had been most severe on la mignonne, was the way in which the latter suffered herself to be guided by her husband's friend. It is strange, how prone is the unconverted and unmated feminine nature to instigate revolt against the Old Dominion; never more so, than when the beautiful Carbonara feels that its shadow is creeping fast over the frontier of her own freedom. Nay, suppose the conquest achieved, and that they themselves are reduced to the veriest serfdom, none the less will they strive to goad other hereditary bondswomen into striking the blow. Is it not known that steady old 'machiners,' broken for years to double-harness, will encourage and countenance their 'flippant' progeny in kicking over the traces? How otherwise could the name of mother-in-law, on the stage and in divers domestic circles, have become a synonym for firebrand? Look at your wife's maid, for instance. She will spend twothirds of her wages and the product of many silk dresses (scarcely soiled') in furnishing that objectionable and disreputable suitor of hers with funds for his extravagance. He has beggared two or three of her acquaintance already, under the same flimsy pretence of intended marriage, that scarcely deludes poor Abigail: she has sore misgivings as to her own fate. Alternately he bullies and cajoles; but all the while she knows that he is lying, deliberately and incessantly: yet she never remonstrates or complains. It is true that, if you pass the door of her little room late into the night, you will probably go to bed haunted by the sound of low, dreary weeping: but it would be worse than useless to argue with her about her

folly; she cherishes her noisome and ill-favoured weed, as if it were the fairest of fragrant flowers, and will not be persuaded to throw it aside. Well-if you could listen to that same long-suffering and soft hearted young female, in her place in the subterranean Upper House, when the conduct of Master' (especially as regards Foreign Affairs) is being canvassed; the fluency and virulence of her anathemas would almost take your breath away. Even that dear old housekeeper who nursed you, and loves you better than any of her own children -when she would suggest an excuse or denial of the alleged peccadilloes, is borne away and overwhelmed by the abusive torrent, and can at last only grumble her dissent. Very few women, of good birth and education, make confidantes nowadays of their personal attendants; and the race of Miggs" is chiefly confined to the class in which Dickens has placed it, if it is not extinct utterly. But there is a season-while the brush passes lightly and lingeringly over the long trailing back-hair-when a hint, an allusion, or an insinuation, cleverly placed, may go far towards fanning into flame the embers of matrimonial rebellion. I know no case where such serious consequences may be produced, with so little danger of implication to the prime mover of the discontent, except it be the system of the patriotic and intrepid Mazzini. Many outbreaks, perhaps-quelled after much loss on both sides, in which the monarchy was only saved by the judicious expenditure of much mitraille-might have been traced to the covert influence of that mildeyed, melancholy camériste.

Cecil, who was not exempt from these revolutionary tendencies, any more than from other weaknesses of her sex, was especially provoked by this fresh instance of Fanny's subordination.

83

this instance, I should have thought it was hardly worth while.'

'Well,' Keene answered, in his cool, slow way, Mrs. Molyneux has got that unfortunate habit of consulting other people's wishes and convenience in preference to her own; it's very foolish and weak; but it is so confirmed, that I doubt even your being able to break her of it. This time, I am sure you wont. It is a pity you are so determined on disappointing the public. I know of more than one person who has put off other engagements in anticipation of hearing you sing.'

He was perfectly careless about provoking her now, or he would have been more cautious. That particular card was the very last in his hand to have played. Miss Tresilyan was good-nature itself, in placing her talents at the service of any man, woman, or child who could appreciate them. She would go through half her repertoire to amuse a sick friend, any day; neither was she averse to displaying them before the world in general, at proper seasons; but she liked the boards' to be worthy of the prima donna, and had no idea of starring it in the provinces.' All the pride of her race gathered on her brow, just then, like a thundercloud, and her eyes flashed no summer lightning.

Madame de Verzenay was wrong to advertise a performer who does not belong to her troupe. I hope the audience will be patient under their disappointment, and not break up the benches. If not, she must excuse herself as best she may. I have signed no engagement, so my conscience is clear. I certainly shall not go.'

The bolt struck the granite fairly; but it did not shiver off one splinter, nor even leave a stain. Royston only remarked, 'Then, for to-day, it is useless to say au revoir;' and so, raising his cap, passed on.

The poor mignonne had a very rough time of it, soon afterwards. Cecil was morally and physically incapable of scolding any one; but she was very severe on the sin of vacillation, and yielding to unauthorized interference. The culprit did not attempt to justify herself;

she only said-They both wanted me to go so much, and I did not like to vex Harry.' Then she began to coax and pet her monitress in the pretty, childish way which interfered so much with matronly dignity, till the latter was brought to think that she had been cruelly harsh and stern; at last she got so penitent, that she offered to accompany her friend, and lend the light of her countenance to Madame de Verzenay. For this infirmity of purpose, many female Dracos would have ordered her off to instant execution-very justly. That silly little Fanny only kissed her, and said'she was a dear, kind darling.' What can you expect of such irreclaimably weak-minded offenders? They ought to be sentenced to six months' hard labour, supervised by Miss Martineau: perhaps even this would not work a permanent cure. Still, on The Tresilyan's part, it was an immense effort of self-denial. She was well aware how she laid herself open to Royston Keene's satire, and how unlikely he was, this time, to spare her. Only perfect trust, or perfect indifference, can make one careless about giving such a chance to a known bitter tongue.

:

However, having made up her mind to the self-immolation, she proceeded to consider how best she should adorn herself for the sacrifice. Others have done so in sadder seriousness. Doubtless, Curtius rode at his last leap without a speck on his burnished mail: purple and gold and gems flamed all round Sardanapalus when he fired the holocaust in Nineveh even that miserable, dastardly Nero was solicitous about the marble fragments that were to line his felon's grave. So it befell that, on this particular evening, Cecil went through a very careful toilette, though it was as simple as usual; for the ultra-gorgeous style she utterly eschewed. The lilac trimmings of her dress broke the dead white sufficiently, but not glaringly, with the subdued effect of colour that you may see in a campanula. The coiffure was not decided on till several had been rejected. She chose at last a chaplet of those soft, silvery Venetian shells-such as her bridesmaids may have woven into the night

of Amphitritè's hair when they crowned her Queen of the Mediter

ranean.

It was a very artistic picture. So Madame de Verzenay said, in the midst of a rather too rapturous greeting; SO the Frenchmen thought, as a low murmur of admiration ran through their circle when she entered. Fanny, too, had her modest success. There were not wanting eyes, that turned for a moment from the brilliant beauty of her companion, to repose themselves on the sweet girlish face shaded by silky brown tresses, and on the perfect little figure floating so lightly and gracefully along amidst its draperies of pale cloudy blue.

Miss Tresilyan felt that there might be one glance that it would be a trial to meet unconcernedly, and she had been schooling herself sedulously for the encounter. She might have spared herself some trouble; for Royston Keene was not there when they arrived. She knew that Mrs. Molyneux had told him of the change in their plans; but the latter did not choose to confess how she had been puzzled by the very peculiar smile with which the Major greeted the intelligence: it was the only notice he took of it. So the evening went on, with nothing to raise it above the dead level of average soirées. Cecil delayed going to the piano till she was ashamed of making more excuses, and was obliged to execute herself' with the best grace she could manage. Even while she was singing, her glance turned more than once toward the door; but the stalwart figure, beside which all others seemed dwarfed and insignificant, never showed itself. It was clear he was not among those who had given up other engagements to hear her songs. have been at some trouble and mental expense in getting ourselves into any one frame of mindwhether it be enthusiasm, or selfcontrol, or fortitude, or heroism-it is an undeniable nuisance to find out suddenly that there is to be no scope for its exercise. Take a very practical instance. Here is Lt.Col. Asahel ready on the ground; looking, as his conscience and his

If we