The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-08-29 00:00:00

PRETENDED DAUPHIN OF FRANCE.

The folloFirssi accirtint ut a person, obeli:id obtained consi-
derable credit in fraore, as the sou of Louis XVI. is 'Win
in Kotzebue'. JUji 4miy inno Fierlia to Pare :

Jean Marie Hervagault is the son of a tailor at
!•4. Lo, of a prepossessing figure, features bearing
::,reat resemblance to those of Louis XVI. fair, slen-
der, livelt , communicative without suspicion,
quickly pmetrating, and feigning innocence in a
misterly manner ; of course a person of great en-
dowmeuts, but of no education. He is supposed
to be a trittiral son of the late Duke of Valenttnois,
who possts:ed es:ates in Normandy. The strange
events of the revolution disordered his senses ; he
saw that many had raised themselves from ob-
scurity, and he Wished to do the same. In Sep-
tember 1796, he left his father's house, and
trolled as a vagabond about the country; declaring
himself to be the son of a family of rank, reduced
distress by the revolution. His youth, his inno-
cent appearance, and the plausibility of his story,
evri y where procured him a favourable reception
an I relief. He had no passport, but was never ask-
ed for one. He became bolder, and attempted
likewise to carry on his trade in the towns. He
came to Cherbourg, but was soon taken up as a va-
grant. His father, the tailor, being apprised of
this, hastened to fetch him, and was not a little
surprised to find him richly provided with money
and jewels. He brought him back to St. Lo. where
the brisk young blade did not, however, stay long,
but soon ran away a second time, strolled through
the department of Calvados; and, having improved
both in body and mind, he became more ingeni-
ously inventive in his stories than at first. He some-
times passed for a son of the Prince of Monaco, and
sometimes for the heir of the Duke d'Ursel in the
Netherlands. He thus raised himself step by step,
and ere long made himself a relation of Louis XVI.
of the Emperor Joseph 11. and of the King of
P:ussia. For the sake of his safety, which was threat-
ened, he travelled in women's clothes, pretending
that be was just returned from England, where he
had been taking some money to his emigrant
father.

Many, very many people of rank and education
we re deceived, for he flattered their former preju-
dics ; the lajies, in particular, shewed a decided
partiality for him, becausehe addressed their hearts.
His adventures began to aura& some notice, and he
was arrested a second time in fealale attire, and
conduced to prison at Bayeux, at the distance of
only ten leagues from St. Lo. His father came
agaia to procure his deliverance, which, in consi-
deration of his youth, was indulgently granted, and
the lad replaced under paternal authority. Ilev. as
now to learn the trash: of a tailor ; an insufLrable
thought to his mind. He broke loose a third
time.

In 1797, he was in the diligence or stage coach,
between Laval and Aleocon, very plainly and de-
cently habited according to his sex. Not tar from
the Letter place he alighted, and brushed off to a
village by the road-side, called Lee Jorcherts. Being
benighted, he begged quarters of a peasants who di-
reaed him to the house of Mademoiselle Talon La-
combe for better accommodation. To this lady he
declared himself to he one of the family of Mont-
morency, who had a castle and estates near Dreux,
but was obliged to fly from his persecutors. She
conceived a lively interest for his situation, and sup-
plied him with money and clothes, which he pro-
mised to repay upoa his arrival at Dreux. Herr he
lived for a while much at his ease, aged the part of
a man of quality, and presented, for instance, the
hostler, who saddled his riding-horse, with a Louis
d'or.
At last he felt himself induced tu set off, and Ma-
demoiselle Lacombe accompanied him to Dreux,
to get back the value of what she had advanced to
him. They safely reached the place; but both
castleand estates had vanished. Can any thing be
more natural ? The revolution accounts for every
thing. Poorer by fifty louis-d'ors, and richer in ex
perience, the lady returned home. The young hero
continually gained in boldness. In the month of
Nlay. 1791, he ventured in the diligence to Mean:,
only eight leagues from Paris, and alighted at the
inn, where he, indeed, obtained some refreshment,
but, having no passport, was refused a night's lodg-
ing. The wife of a Paris merchant, Laravine, who
happened to be at Meaux, took pity on him, and
permitted him to sleep in her warehouse. This en-
couraged him to ask further favours, and he suc-
ceeded. He represented himself as a rich farmer's
son at Dnrnery, who had fled to avoid being en-
rolled as a recruit, and Madame made him a present
of four louis-d'ors, upon which he hired a place in
the diligence for Strasbourg.
About one leaL;iie from Chalmts he disappeared,
and the postillion in vain waited his return. He
went to the village of Mery, and wished to make
good his story at the castle of Guignancourt ; but,
heingsuspeaed, he was put under arrest, and taken
before the justice of peace at Cerium. Being asked
who he was, he mysteriously replied : Ile had no
answer to make to such a question." He was sent
to Chalons. where, being asked to give his name, he
proudly said, " You will learn it but too soon." At
last he said, he was called Louis Antoine Jean Fran-
cois de Langueville ; that his father was dead, and
that his mother, Madame S iinte Emilie, lived
Banzeville, near Pont Audemar, in the department
of Eure. It mug be confessed, that it is impossib:e
to tell a lie m circumstantially.
Confined in the prison of Chalons, Hervagaelt
assumed an air of grandeur, and a mysterious de-
portment; he tempted the curious, gave significant
hints, and in short, ere long, it was whispered
about " It is the Dauphin ! the son of lamisXV/ !"
The jailor himself believed the story, and advanced
him money. The wives of two merchants of the
town, Saignes and Feliac, were initiated in the ie.
cret, which soon spread about; and no one any
longer doubted. His figure, his manners—" You
need but see him," etclasmcd the credulous souls,
"to recognise him at the very first look." All the
inhabi..ants of haloes, of the privileged orders,
were by degrees tru.de cordidents and adherents ;
and they all vied with each other in supporting this
last rff.pr;r.g of their kings. Ilk table was
daily served with dainties of every description, his
rooms were elegantly furnished, masters were given
him, the jailer treaty him with deference and re-
*pea ; his pa is-nser was allowed to walk about as
often as he pleased, but always in the disguise of a

77

female ; in fine, his dungeon was, as it were, meta-
morphosed Atm pleasure house.
hUanwhile the persons who were let into the se-
cret were not sufficiently discreet. A word dropped •
here and there, in the gladness of their hearts,
aroused the vigilance of the magistrates • and, after
this masquerade was played two months, Herva-
g suit was made to undergo strider examinations.
With artifice and gestures di. • seemed to belie his
words, he now declared that he was die son of a
tailor at St. Lo. The father was arslied to in
writing, cuafirmed the truth of the declaration, and
the offender was sentenced to ~ne month's impri-
sonment. This mild punishment was considered as
a victory by those who thought they really knew the
secret: during his trial, they trembled lest the real
origin of the prisoner should not escape discovery.
In order to free him from the prying vigilance of
the police, they abundantly furnished him with
money and jewels, and thus facilitated his retreat.
He was very well satisfied with the issue, and now
began to ad his part at Vire, in the department of
Calvados. Here he made but a few ptoselyres,
was soon arrested again, and with greater severity
doomed to two years imprisonment. As the inha•
bitants of Vire only considered him as a young va-
gabond, he would have passed these two years very
sorrily, had not his faithful adherents at Chalons
continued to support him, on which occasion the
consoling Madame Saignes condudled the corre-
spondence. This woman really wished him well,
and advised him to apply the time of his confine-
ment to the improvement of his education ; but he
gave way to drinking, and at the end of two years
left the prison worse than when he entered. Ma-
dame Saignes herself went to fetch him from Vire
to Chalons, into the bosom of his faithful and de-
voted friends. The most splendid preparations
were made for his reception. lie arrived, recei-
ved congratulations, had flowers strewed at his
feet, and was treated with the most distinguished
resped. In short, the horn of plenty was again
most copiously poured out on the tailor's son of
St. Lo.

When the police discovered these proceeding.,
his partisans, upon deliberation, found it expedient
to send the Dauphin on his travels. His route was
sn contrived that he every where found con fidental
friends, who, being previously informed of his sup-
posed high birth, sheered him all the respea due w
that exalted station. He was once at Rheims, twice
at Vitry le Francais, and often at different little
country seats, where balls, concerts, and feasts of
every kind, were given in honour of him. At Vitry
he was splendidly and conveniently lodged at the
house of Madame de Rambecour, whose husband
closely followed all his footsteps, waited upon him
with the most attentive zeal, and served him like a
valet. On St. Louis's day a superb fete was pre-
pared for him ; it being the feast of the Saint whose
name he bore. The ladies sung songs composed in
honour of him. In the Confidential circles which
lie frequented they always called him, AVON Prince I
his portrait was handed about as that of the Dauphin,
and it was repoqed that the Pope himself had im-
printed a mark on his leg, to know him again by;
finally, a letter was handed about from a bishop, in
which that deluded prelate writes in expressions of
the profoundest respe& for this young vagabond:
and, by his example, convinced many who were
still wavering in their belief. Already WAS a court
formed round Louis X V 11. He had immediately
his favourites, and was going to nominate those who
were to hold the great offices of his household.
Many names of consequence were to be found
among them. They all glowed with enthusiasm,
and prepared to make the greatest sacrifices. Men
of birth and r.mk deemed themselves fortunate in
being able to perform the meanest drudgery of me-
nial service for him. Misers turned spendthrifts,
that they might have the honour of entertaining
him. It was very natural that such proceedings
should not escape the eye of a vigilant police.
Fouche was informed at Paris of all that was going
forward at Vitry; and a warrant put an end to the
farce.

But even when taken into custody, Hervagault
conduaed himself with a loftiness and dignity that
struck all present with a dubious awe. His most
downcast confida Its surrounded him with the most
heart.felt reverence; one of them. highly moved,
begged leave to embrace him, and the tailor's son
negligently tmdered his hand to kiss. The very
first night of his incarceration a most splendid feast
was given at the prison. Intercessions were made
far his release upon bail, but in vain ; all that could
be chtained was to mitigate, as much as possible, the
rigours of his captivity. He was constantly served
in the most sumptuous manner, and so accustomed
to this high style of living, that once, a chicken, a
pigeon, with a sallad and custard, being served f.
his -upper, he thought proper to find the fare
complete, and aad indignantly dashed the mess on the
ground. Admet, the Notary, called him in his pri-
son, Moweigisear, and was most graciously reward-
ed with the appellation of 4. Mon petit pop., th‘ii
indet de ..hambrritemilic." Thus he aced 11,s part
dispassionately, and with an air of the titn,::,st im-
portance. Going to mass, W servant carried his
prayer-book and cushion. He appointed a Set .eta-
ry, and made him sign in his name, that of Louis
Charles. Where a man bears a great name, said he
ti the Justices, he is sure to be exposed to persecu-
tion. The M:tvor of Vitry, owing to the great con-
course of people, found himself, at last, under the
necessity of Fulti,ig him under c 105.41: confinement,
and, at the I.IIIIU time, intercepted the enlrmois
supplies of wine and good cheer sent tOr his use. N.,
person, but those absolutely to attend him, was per-
fumed admission without a ticket.

Meanwhile, his offence was by no means consi-
dered in a political view, but merely as a matter be-
longing to the corredional police, to the enquiry and
punishment of which he was accordingly left. Ml-
dame Saignes was likewise taken up as his sccon:-
place ; but, there being no proot to convid her, was
acquitted in consequence. lietvag.:slt, in the be-
ginning of the year ISM was sentenced to foar
years imprisonment as a sharper and abuser of die
credulity of the people, and confined accordingly in
dr! house of corredion at Ostend. Roth the delin-
quent and the Attorney-General, though upon dif-
ferent grounds, appealed against this sentence to the
Government.

The matter was now to be treated at Rheims,
when a new and very important aftor sudlcniy burst
upon the scene of tiiis trrgi•comedy. The aged Pre.
law L. de S--, Bishop de V--, a nun, ten:-


rable for his integrity, nnivers Illy mope& d for the
austerity of his matiners, and his profound
expressed his conviaion, that Hervagault was Vic
real and genuine Dauphin. He had even spoke to
the surgeons that had anatomised the corpse of the
pretended Dauphin in the Temple, who had inform.
ed 'aim it was not that of the real one. lie resuived
upon freeing his young Monarch from the chains of
captivity, lent out considerable sans to efrea ti.ii
piirpose, abandoned the very lune:bons of his °hire.
came to Rheims, correspo...ded with the pribaner Ly
means of the keeper of the jail, and himself
sure of his being the identical person. clic I)au-
phin's death appeared to him a mere political lie of
the National Convention. He even thought it his
duty to give to the negleaed Prince a &God editca,
tion, and endeavoured to accomplish this end with
the purest and since/ :St intentions. He sent ;:;m
amongst (Aber wot ks, one day, Lc ani a, ChPi:
t itusimic, by Chateabriant, an•.t the tragedy n
Ab ; upon which I.e receiv.. i, to his surri
this answer ; " Do you muck me ? Al! this 1 knua !..
heart."

All the fears of the prelate were, lest the ol:jot'l
his care should be sentenced to tr msportation.
prevent this, he strained every nerve, and made use
of the interest of every friend he could commun.! is
Paris: he drew up a list of those person: to whom
he intended to entrust the fat the Dauphin. la
it were found, amongst others:The names of Brissac.
Necker, Madame de Stael, Montesson, Roquzlaure
Angoulenie, Talleyrand, Puys de Segur, Boufflo:‘,
La Harpe, ;ice. Some believed him, some did
some called him a 131,:mlel, some a Joad. The cor-
respondence was carried on in cyphers ; it even went
so far, that the project was formed to marry the
Dauphin with a distant relation of the royal
Hervagault at first seemed to wave the proposal,
for he had, according to his own account, sworn
the oath of fidelity and affe&ion to the Queen of
Portugal's most amiable sister ; but, from political
movements he yielded, and it was resolved to make
levies of men for his service.

But ere these negotiations could possibly ripen,
the trial before the criminal tribunal at Rheims was
once more publicly revised, and that in the presence
of a numerous multitude of people, who all were is
favour of the accused, loudly murmured against the
prosecuting Attorney-General, and with enthtiFiastic
fervour, applauded the official defender of Hems-
gault. The judges, however, would not suffer them-
selves to be misguided, and confirmed the original sei-
tence. While they were deliberating on the subjt a in
another thorn, the most painful anxiety was depiNd
in the countenance of every speflator in court. Her-
vagault heard his sentence with composure, with a
smile of contempt ; and his partisans, instead oi
giving credit to the juridical decision, obstinattiy
persesered in their former preconceived opinios.
They continued to wait on him with royal service
the pkre of his detention. He had by him, amongst
other di:4ls, a silver cup, on which were the letters
L. C. (Louis C'tailes) engraved and decorated with
an antique French crown. he pretended to
the jatlor was his cypher. None of his adherents
deserted his cause ; on the contrary, their zeal Jc.
doubled, and th- vcncr.Jile Bishop of V-, d-
ways headed them. Nay, the latter did not contiate
his zeal to presents and good advice, he even resaiv-
ed most aaively, to exert himself ; and being in-
formed that it was intended to bring his illustrious
pupil from Rheims to Soissons, he determined to
rescue him on the road from the hands of his pro-
secutors. This youthful projcs of an old head wss
betrayed ; the Bishop and his papers were sehtel ;
and it evidently appeared upon proof, that it was
his intention to make the tailor's son of St. Lo
the part of the Dauphin. The government, hew-
ever, had compassion on the hoary dotard, and eye
him his liberty. Hervagault himself had fared let-
ter, if the least prospeft of amendment had appea:el
in his condua ; but as he formed another junto of
partisans at Soissons, it was thought proper to moo
him disappear.

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21 min. after B.

M AR RIAGI:4;.
Yest-rdsy sennight, at Main Hutoe, ."
Esq. of Dinlabyte, to lkAm Aguas ChAtto, seco..d ' •
Alexander Ch3tto, Esq. of Main House.
Sunday la t, at Sl.no..Age, Sussex, N3t!in.n.„l La '
w..a3d, E,q.to Ann Wilkins, Orilla same p!..c.•

DEATHS.
A' I:los/smith, Miss Cecilia Rtrhelonl, daugl.ter
of
I 0r.,.. nas Rothe:lnn!, Esq. of Km...south.
At cater, on the 15th onttant. Mrs. Ws Anne W.-
lace, vodow of the deceased Major Robe Wallace, of tw.! •.
R.v:•l-it of Font.
A• C.I Tel, on tly.! 21st instant, Ws I.abella D/3,
of the late S,r James Hall, of Dusirosa, Bart.
At Dosioa., on the 1111,h io.s•ant,
At K•r* cudatight, 'ti bb al.lt rear, usiisero!ly r.,,re''.• •s,
Tsonsas Fctrest, s ocean He was intemni via!'
n held the rank of su‘scort to the '.:n.sa r
nt,..t of I;te St..wartry VOuntters.

LONDON I.y D !MON. N, ‘•
St. Clenitt's, and .11.71...1)ed 1.1 1V Wf ST.
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Driers tar ter, sz, (pv.t.i.a,d) wills attend"'

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