of empty praise is doled out with niggard hand? M. de Boissy was not doomed to drink his bitter cup alone; the fates, severely kind, had ordained that an affectionate wife and an infant child should share it, even to the dregs. Having contended with the waves of adversity day after day and night after night, with all the fortitude of a man, the affections of a husband, and the tenderness of a father, he found his strength at length begin to fail, and that it was in vain to struggle any longer; he had friends, a few, but as he always endeavoured to appear in a decent habit, and to assume that gaiety which is almost peculiar to a Frenchman, they thought that his circumstances were easy, and that they might, perhaps, offend the man, if they offered to relieve the poet. He did not attempt to undeceive them; his pride forbade it. His wants now became pressing; he cast his cye around; the prospect was dark on every side; not a ray of hope to brighten up the gloom of a miserable garret, nor yet to play upon the face of his only child, a little girl of two years old. In such a situation, what was to be done? Death at length presented himself. On any other occasion, perhaps, the very idea of the grisly phantom would have carried terrors with it; but he came as a friend that promised to relieve a wretched family of all their afflictions, and to wipe away their tears at

once.

once. How great must have been the conflict, when a man of Boissy's sensibility could bring himself at last to relinquish every idea of life, and the muse, which every true poet loves better than life! But he was not willing to leave his wife, nor yet the pledge of their mutual love, behind, to the mercy of an unfeeling world. Perhaps, be thought that the little innocent would plead the cause of the hapless father and mother in the presence of an offended Deity. The arguments which he used to prevail on his wife to join in this resolution must be left to the imagination of the reader. There are many ways that lead to death, and the path at length chosen was undoubtedly a lingering one, but perhaps that which was conceived to be least shocking, in the dreadful alternative of self-murder, as the very idea of spilling blood stains the soul with horror! Let us pass over this conflict in silence. They agreed to starve themselves to death. In order to carry this dreadful resolve into effect, and to avoid all interruption, they barricaded their obscure apartment, and placed themselves in two chairs, opposite to each other. In this situation they continued till the evening of the third day, when a friend, accustomed to visit want when it could not visit him, came up stairs, and found that door shut which always used to fly open at his presence: he rapped, but received no answer;

that came

he listened, and at length heard a groan from the heart. Having collected his strength, he burst open the door, and stood aghast at the view that presented itself; he was at no loss to account for it; life was just on the last wing; he reasoned, and, though his reasonings were forcible, they would have proved ineffectual, if the little baby had not sent up her looks. Those looks were too powerful to be withstood; they pleaded with the tongue of an angel, and the father and mother yielded. Proper cordials were administered, and the friend took care that those victims of distress should never have occasion to resort to such an alternative again.

M. D'Alembert, in his "Hist. des Membres de l'Académie Françoise," vol. vi. 12mo. Paris, 1787, mentions the extreme indigence of Boissy, and that he shut himself up with his wife and child in his room, with a resolution of starving.

HENRY IV. OF FRANCE.

AS soon as Henry had broken off his engagements with Margaret de Valois, he contracted a second, very contrary to his inclination (but for the good of the state, and in hopes of a successor), with Marie de Medicis. Sully, who had recommended and promoted this union, had no

VOL. 1.

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sooner

sooner obtained the King's consent, than he sent off dispatches, married the King by proxy, brought the Queen over to France, and conducted her as far as Lyons, before Henry had any idea that the first forms were carried into execution. When Sully told him the Queen had arrived at Lyons, he seemed struck with amazement, and remained silent for some time; at length, clapping his hands smartly together, "Well then," said the King," be it so ;" and accordingly prepared to set out immediately for Lyons, and arriving there at night, while the Queen was supping in public, he entered the hall, and mixed with the crowd, to steal a first sight of her. The Queen, who knew he was upon the road, and expected him that night at Lyons, went rather through the ceremony of supping, than eating her supper, and was glad to retire to her private apartment, where she had been but a very short time, before the King was at her door: she instantly went forth, and meeting him in the passage, threw herself at his feet, The King raised and tenderly embraced her, led her back to her apartment, where, after some general conversation, he took her by the hand and retired from the rest of the company to another part of the room, where he held half an hour's private conversation, and retired to his suppera supper, like the Queen's, soon over. He then desired Madame de Ne

mours

mours to inform her Majesty, that, coming in so great a hurry, he was without a bed, and waited to know whether he might flatter himself with the honour of taking part of hers. Madame de Nemours having delivered this truly elegant message, she returned to the King, and informed him, that the Queen desired to have it known, that she came to obey his commands, and shew upon all and every occasion that she was his obedient servant.

I shall only remark here, that in matters of delicate address, the people of France then were superior to all the world; the wit of man could not have contrived a more flattering message to a lady, who, though his wife, was a stranger, and whose heart was agitated by a thousand fears as well as hopes. I know not any situation so delicate as that of a sensible woman under such circumstances: she was married, it is true-but to an ambassador,

Who beds the Queen,

With the nice caution of a sword between.

CANADIAN INDIANS.

By Mr. Long.

SOME years ago the Shawano Indians being obliged to remove from their habitations, in their