The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1824-04-08 00:00:00

THE FIRST LOVE OF HENRI QUATRE.

[From Knight's Qatari('ly Magazine.]
We owe it to our (wale revives occasionally to relieve
them from the aerioultnem of Parliamentary debate and the
severity of Poiitical discussion. The topics which these
embrace, though by no means exclusively masculine, not
at all beyond the cotnpreheusion of the softer sex, have yet
'not the same interest, nor do they carry with them the same
charm, as those subjects enrich are associated with the phi-
! keophy of the heart, in which ladies are infinitely better
' instructed than we are, and compared with which all other
concerns to them are tame and vapid. It is therefore more
peculiarly for their gratification, that we transcribe from
the above work the following simple, pathetic, and sweetly-
natural delineation of " TOE FIRNT LOVE OF lILNILI
QUATUF."
All the world has heard of the fair Gabrielle —but it is not of her
that lam about to speak. She was exactly fitted for what she was
maitrrsse ris fibs; and by nn means fitted for the heroine of •
tale of true and devoted love, such as mine is going to be. My
story is of one whose name has never been recorded it. history ; she
was little known and Icsa remembered ; sweet and lovely as the
violet, she resembled It also in being hidden from the eye of day.
When Henri (lustre was shout fifteen, Charles IX. came to
pay a visit to the t'ourt of Navarre. Ile was then Prince of
Ream, and was already dittinguished for brilliancy, and enter-
prise, and graceful courage. During the stay of the French King,
there were all kinds of games and arcs, to celebrate his visit to
Nine. In all these Henri shone.
Cleie day there was • snatch of archery. Charles IX. was fond of
estereise,r-thart, to keep himself practicee .to shoot his nub-
" wintlow.

jeers out of the Wheis play's* balls, they give the lie
to the proverb, and seldom meet with tubb:rs. When Louis XIV.

danced in tha ballets at Versailles, nu dancer could cut so high an way likely to be spoiled by the world and its attractions. Mine is a
entre-el!at by several inches. In like manner, when his ancestor love story, arid state matters have nothing to do with it ; I shall
drew his bow at Nroac, no arrow went half so near the mask as his. therefore say nothing of the public doings which might contribute to
Iht Henri was sadly t.eficient In knowledge of the birnaranees due to divert the thoughts of the young Prince front his distant country
royal competitor*, and made no scruple of out-shooting the King. castle, and the young fond creature whom he had left there. It
' .1n orange was the mark, and the young Prince's a-Tow pierced it the less necessary to mention them, inasmuch as the Maids of
• through and through. Honour of Catherine de Malicia are quite sufficient to amount for
It was now enri's turn—he looks round for another mark to be the total forgetfulness which existed of poor Fleurette. There was
erected, but there is no second orange to be found. ‘Vltst is to be 3lademoiselle le liebours, with beauty equal to her courtly and ac-
• done ? The spirit of fifteen pmnipts hint with an expedient. complished manners there was Mademoiselle de nonsense, with
In the inner circle of spectators stood • young girl of perhaps " Heart on her lips, and soul within her eyes,"
• fourteen years. Her hair and brows were dark like these of her —qualities rare, and therefore precious, in that petrifying atmos-
. country, but she had the blue eye of the north. The face and arms phere. Above all, there was the fair (heck, Alademoiselle
were enibmorned with a hue of healthful labour, but the kerchief d'Ayelle, with the loveliness of the first, and the softness of the
• gave a glimpse of a downy whiteness of skin, which 'hewed how second, and a witching and indescribable charm possessed by
• delicate nature heal meant that this creature should be. The limbs, neither. Each in her turn attracted the volage, and each in tune
it is true, %anted their full roundness, but there was certain indi. unless the scandalous chronicle of those times be very scandalous
cation that they would not want it long--and the kerchief which I indeed, gave him no reason to languish for seven years, eves
have mentioned was swelled gently forth (tile a sail softly breathed though they were still the days of chivalry.
into by the wind) in a way which gave token of the commencement At length, shout fifteen months after his departure from Nine.
of maidenly beauty. Where this was crossed upon the bosom, Henri returned thither. He accompanied the qua a-mother's mart.
• Toed a rose.-shedding a reflected tinge upon that white breast, Ills walks in the garden were renewed, hot his rmillamian was not
• like the hues of sunset upon the snow of the Alps. I don't know the Millie ; and, to the shame of his heart be it spoken, he never saw
• how it is that young eyes catch such objects readily, but it is Ler- or asked for her who had been so formerly. As he paced the walks
• tain that as I I enri looked amund for something to replace theorange, by the side of hlademoiselle d'Ayelle, enthralled by her beauty, and
he glanced upon this rose;—in an instant he sprang to the young fascinated by her wit, he never cast a theitglit on the simple maiden
; girl, took it front her bosom without saying a word, and oared n who had given him all the affection 'lran unpractised heart, and loved
upon the target. The I)uc de Guise shoots first—the arrow passes him with a strong unntingled passion, which this courtly creature
the flower, only shaking its leaves by the disturbance of the sin- could never reel. As he passed the rimetaie, I cannot believe that
rounding air. Henri now shoots himself—his shaft pierces the the image of Fleurette did not rise before his mind ; but, if it did,
stalk—be takes it with the rose said mto its point, and presents it it was merely for him to chase it from his thought, as the sultan in
to the blushing and delighted owner, the eastern story Hung from him the talismanic ring, which reminded
Henri lost no tine in homing :Molt was whose rose had him that he was doing wrong.
become the rare intatante. It appeared that she wan the daughter And where was Fleurette herself? Her heart had swelled and
of the giirdener of the cantle, and was most appropriately named bounded with joy when she heard of Henti's return—but the news
Flearells. She lived lii a cottage at the end of the garden, which she heard utmost as soon (for scandal has a winged tongue)
which cottage still albite at Nine. The next day the Prince cast at once the icy chill of death upon her heart. Her long, long
neddenly discovered that gardening was the most delighful hope had been for his return, and now that he wit returned,—oh,
of all studies and occupations, and that he had for It a peer:liar heaven ! how that hope was crushed and blasted! She did not seek
taste. A portion of ground was marked out as his own, close to Henri—she conveyed to hint no reproach—she suffered, suffered on.
the fountain in the centre of the garden. Ile chose this spot, per. Gracious heaven !if men did but know the pangs which even the
haps, on ammo( of the ease it affiwded him to fetch water for his lightness of their conduct occasions, unless they were very fiends,
plants, fur it wan hither that the attendants employed in the garden they could not continue to act thus ! But they never can know, what
came for water—Fleurette among the rest. a woman feels on desertion, or even slight. It is not in our nature
About a month after this time the setting attn one evening east to feel such things in the satire manners...they do t—the early Junto,
upon the surface of this fountain the shadow of two figures, seated —the graduel decline of hope—and id last the sick despair of cer-
upon its bank. They were slender and youthful, brat lAA the re- tainty—are their hearts human, that they can inflict these things on
fleciitit appeared in the water it was not very easy to distinguish the the beings who love them to very maditess, and as it were as a pu-
respective outlines of each. These were Henri and Fleurette;—his nishnient .or that love itself?
arm supported her form, his shoulder was the cushion to her cheek. Ileurette pct once or twice seen the Prince and Mademoiselle
It might be the reflection of the sun-set, but the cheek appeared d'Ayelle walking together in the garden but she always shrank from
more finished than usual, and her eye swank in a glistening maim. their way, and hid herself &mono the trees. tier heart rose into her
tore, which was unknown to it at the archery contest. One would throat, and she felt almost as if it would cheek her as she looked
think that two young persons thus placed would lore to gaze upon upon her former lover. The time which he had been away had
each other, especially if it be so delightful as I hare above asserted wrought great improvement upon his person ; he was more funned,
it to be. Hut Fleurette did not look up to the blooming face and his stature was increased, his figure hail become niore manly, and
flashing eyes which hung over her—her glance was fixed • tovealily his eye and brow noire detemiined. Still his smile (who can forget
upon the fountain, and her fingers were employed in plucking the , the smile of one they have loved ?) was the same ; and poor Igen-
leaves front a rose, one by one, and ntrewing them upon the rette felt sick at heart as she saw it given to another. She watched
' but it was not the rose. (Me might conceive, also, that a prince them—their manner —their looks. " She does not love him as I
snub as he was, though he might hare much to bestow, could have ; did—no one can ever do Mot," the poor girl said to her herself;
nothing to ask from a per peasant like her; but true it is that the " and he does not look on her face as he did on mine-he does not
words. which he poured forth with great passim and rapidity, ! lore her as he did rote ; but he doer love her, and he loves rain no
seemed to have a tone of entraity—his manner appeared to ba that longer, and that is enough."
of pleading. The prince was in his working tires', which though ! Hut one day Fleurette found herself close to them of a rusltlen,
of more delicate materials and connly make than those of the real ; and she felt an irresistible temptation not to avoid them this time.
labourer, prevented any striking and unpleasant contrast between They met; and as they pissed she looked up (it wars iedeed ant
the apparent condition of the lovers. ettiiro into Urines fare. His eyes met hers, and the blotel ',pang
his now about an hour later. The setting sun has gone, or at in vol es to his cheeks. Ile passed on without speaking; but
least there is only a soft-colmtml rose-tint spreading over the wen- that evening he came to the door of her cott.i.to, as she was sitting
tern part of the heavens, while the bright moon, no longer paled by at her wheel (but not spinning), and in • burned and enibarraseed
the %integer light, shines down in full radiance upon that garden tone, begged her to be at the fountain tit nest night. 11'ithout
and its central fountain. The figures are there still, but their pp. raising her eyes from ha work, she answered, "At eight o'clock 1
sition and their es pression are changed. They are still seated side stilt be Mete."
by side, and his anti is still Rimini her, but her head is sunken It was now the autumn of the year, rind the evening was chill
upon her own breast. ller hair is loose, and hanging over these and gloomy. As Henri walked through the garden, his spirit, felt
burning checks, :m.l partly hiding those down.l'xiking eyes, faint the effect of the season; his conduct rose upon his heart and smote
which tears are flowing plentifully but not rapidly. FOT him, he hint. The wind sighed, and swept the fallen kums in eddies!
is still speaking, but in a tone less hurried and niftier. His manner and the tress, which had yet a few discoloured leaves upon them,
has more tenderness and less passion. lib, eye is bright with love looked perhaps still more melancholy and uneheering titan if they
and joy, but not with fervour—with happiness, hut not with hope. had Intern wholly bate. Ile saw the fountain at a distance, and per-
Ilis tone memo now to be Thal rf soothing, and no longer of en- ceiveul that slie Was not yet come. Ilia feelings were not exactly such
treaty. He itioie* the tears from her cheek, but they flow the faster as to lead him to prefer that spot to wait—it accused him trio strongly.
for the very kisses. Ile walked once more round the garden. The night now began to
Ilow different were the feelings of the two when they puled that I close in, and the wind, as it struck chill upon him, seemed to shoot
night ! Ile bounded along at a pme between running and leaping its coldness into his heart also. He rerun came within sight of
_asiMiee was too quiet and vapid for him none. Ilse heart es. i the fountain, and still no one was there. Has this like Fleurette
minded, and 'lanced within his breast, with all the bright and ex.; lie went towards it slowly, expecting every moment to see her ap.
'minim joy of certainty and free: oeoekeess. lye was raiser! in his i proach through the gloom. Hut he goy close to the brink, and
own even—he almost pitictl all others. lie could remain in no still site did not appear. As he reached at, however, he saw on the
place--heovll,l continue in no occupation ; he Mad "N sleep front spa where they had always been accustomed to Pit, a short wand
excitement And joy. When she parted from him, she walked to stuck into the earth. He appnasehed tt...he recognised it well ! It
her humble home with a trailing and melancholy step, and paused was the arrow with the rose, long since withered.still adhering to its
before she crossed its threshold. When she entered, she slunk barb ! Ile took it up with a deep sigh. when suddenly he found a
from her father's noddy, and armed hermit' in a dark part of the paper fastened to the feather. Hemet it open—but it had become
room. nerr her tear, again began to overflow her eyes, and trickle ton dark for him to distinguish a line. Ile flew to the castle—the
down her hot cheeks, if not with bitterness, at least with deep nate contained these worth : " YOU have ceased to love me, but I