The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-19 00:00:00

I was not abl e to extricate myself. A foot soldier
drew ❑ear and gave me a he ivy blow on the head with
the butt end of his musket. I felt as if struck by a thun-
der bolt, and was so giddy, that ever} thing seemed to be
whirling round me. I know not how long I remained in
this state ; when I recovered my senses I found myself
in ao hospital. W hen wady recovered, I found myself
in the forest of Wesel, on the frontier of France. I, with
other prisoners there confined, was illegally condemned,
by the order of Napoleon, to the galleys at Toulon, with-
out knowing why. We were transferred to the interior of
France, from one prison to another, like common male-
factors. I had not a penny wherewith to supply my
wants. We were treated with much harshness on our
way by the French who escorted us. I became ill, and
was left by the escort in a village where I had falen
senseless. At length I was conveyed by a cart to the
neighbouring town. There I met with a convalescent
soldier of the name of Friedrichs, who recognised me,
and we mutually concerted a scheme to escape, which we
succeeded in doing, though not without encountering
the most painful sufferings and privations. It is not my
intention to relate here the long series of sufferings which
I was destined to endure. Passing, then, rapidly over
such circumstances as would only serve ac fond for cu-
riosity, I shall at once transport myself into Germany,
in which country we arrived after a thousand vicissitudes.
There I had the grierous misfortune to lose my friend
Friedrichs, who, having gone out for foraging for us
as usual, was apprehended by the chevalier's de la
eerie. I continued my pilgrimage alone, and soon
arrived in Saxony. As Friedrichs had persuaded me to
enter the Prussian service, I directed my steps towards
the town of Berlin, travelling by night, and sleeping in
the daytime under the canopy of heaven. I asked the
way of all those whom I met ; but whether they did
not understand my questions, or whether they imagined
that I asked in joke, they directed tne at random, so
that I ended by going directly opposite to my destina-
tion. In the course of this wandering I found myself
one day in a large forest, to which I could see no end.
I was tormented by thirst, and sought some fruit to
refresh me, but in seeking for it lost my way. In
the midst of this embarrassment, I heard a postilion's
horn, and immediately afterwards I perceived a post-
chaise at some distance from me. Having regained
the high road, I seated myself, while waiting for the
carriage, on a stone which bore the inscription,
Doctor Martin Luther.' It drew near, and a young
man who was in the chaise cried, Stop, beau frere,'
an expression of the country, and immediately ques-
tioned me, either from motives of curiosity, or through
the interest with which my pitiable condition inspired
him. Touched, no doubt, by my answers, he offered
me a place beside him, saying he would take me as far
as Wittenberg. I accepted the offer without hesita-
tion, and got into the carriage. On the rood he in-
quired what was in my wallet, and on being told that it
belonged to my comrade, he cut it open with his pen-
knife, when he found six hundred francs of gold, wrap-
ped up in several pieces of rags. On reaching Witten-
berg we alighted at the Grappc d'Or, where our first
care was to change my clothes. He shaved me him-
self, and dressed my hair, and soon I was no longer to
be recognised. The next day he borrowed a carriage,
in which I was conveyed to Treinpretzen, the first
town on the frontier of Prussia. There he again took
me in a post-chaise as far as Potsdam, whence he had
me conveyed in another private carriage to Berlin.
" After some repose, I addressed myself to the com-
mandant of the regiment of which Friedrichs had spoken
to me, and was informed that his Majesty did not admit

foreigners. Mortified at this refusal, and particular
circumstances having prevented my approaching the
King, to apply to him, as I had been advised to do, I
was obliged to adopt another resolution, as my stock of
money was fast diminishing, This was towards the end
of the year 1810. Accordingly, to earn my bread,
I set up as a watchmaker, Schutz en Strasse, No. 52,
in an apartment which I hired. It was not long,
however, before the magistrates began to raise diffi-
culties on account of my not having authority to fol-
low my trade, and I was accordingly required to de-
posit in that functionary's office my passports, register of
birth,
_certificate of good conduct, &c.—documents
which, it is hardly necessary to say, I did not possess.
In this dilemma I confided my secret to Madame Sonnen-

feld, the widow of a watchmaker, who suggested the idea
of my applying to M. Lecoque, president of the general
police of the kingdom of Prussia. I adopted this
plan, and informed him in writing of my birth. M. Le-
coque came to see me, and was satisfied of my identity
as he recognised my mother's writing, us well as the
seal and signature of my father. He then left me to
take the orders of the King respecting me. The fol-
lowing day he begged me to entrust my papers to him,
that he might submit them to his Majesty. I refused
at first, and insisted upon being myself presented to the
King. This, however, could not be granted, until
Prince Harttenberg, the President of the Ministry, had
read my papers. After taking the precaution to cut my
father's seal zig-zag, I delivered to M. Lecoque all the
letters that I had preserved, but he took only that written
by my mother, and left me, promising that I should re-
ceive no further annoyance from the Magistrates of
Berlin. Notwithstanding this, however, I was again sum-
moned, and after some delay, I was informed by M. Le-
coque that it was dangerous for me to stop any longer
there, and having given me a rouleau of gold, he ad-
vised me to establish myself under an assumed name.
To facilit ite this plain he sent me a patent under the
name of Charles William Naundoriff. I remained in
peace from this time until the year 1812, at which pe-
riod I changed my residence for Spandau. M.
Lecoque intimated to me that the King of Prussia
was not at liberty to act as he could wish, and that it
was necessary I should assume a feigned name to shel-
ter myself from the power of Napoleon. My pass-
ports, with which I had been furnished by M. Le-
coque, having been examined by the burgomaster, I
obtained the freedom of the town, and the act was for-
mally verified before the council of the city. This took
place in 1812, a few months Wore the retreat of the
French army."
Our space will not allow us to pursue the adventures
of the Duke farther this week ; we shall, however
supply the sequel of his history in our next publication,
content for the present with giving a sketch of his do-
mestic circle and family. The Duke of Normandy is
at present living in the environs of the metropolis, in a
very retired and unostentatious style : and although his
pecuniary resources are very limited, being entirely de-
pendent on his friends, he continues to deserve the
good opinion and regard of the wretched by acts of be-
nevolence. He has a large interesting family of sons
and daughters. His eldest son, who is nearly twenty
years of age, is said very much to resemble the late
Duke of Berry. The second, a youth of ten years, pre-
sents a most striking and not to be mistaken likeness to
the late Louis XVI. He has two daughters, the eldest
of whom is highly accomplished, and exhibits traits
of character which would mark her out from the many
in any sphere in which she might be placed. She is
well versed in the European languages, and converses
with great intelligence, delicacy, and sentiment. A
writer of romance would at once pronounce these at-
tractions unerring evidence of her high estate and gentle
blood. The Duchess is of a German family, and in
manners and deportment would be easily taken for an
English lady who had moved in good society. The
Prince himself is a tall, portly, personage ; and if his
claim to the title which he assumes was undisputed, no
one would hesitate to pronounce him to be of a noble
presence. He appears to be an amiable man, and dis-
plays much bonhommie in his demeanour. He is
looked upon by his friends as an extraordinary man,
destined to effect great results ; he undoubtedly ex-
hibits much energy and activity of character, with a
strong dash of enthusiasm, which the incidents of his
previous life have either fostered or been unable to
subdue.—British Queen.

TOPOGRAPHY and ANTIQUITIES.

The rapid progress of improvement is fast sweeping
away the ancient remains, and altering the national
scenery of every part of the country, so that the Eng-
land of fifty years hence will be perfectly different from
the England of to-day, even in its outward features. It
is; however, desirable that some measures should be
adopted for securing an accurate description of our an-
cient monuments, while yet we have them to describe.
The gentlemen of Wiltshire have, in this respect, set
an example which we hope the gentlemen of other
counties will not hesitate to follow. They have asso-
ciated themselves into a Society under the title of " The
Wiltshire Topographical Society," for the purpose of
collecting materials for and publishing occasionally his-
torical and descriptive accounts of all matters relating
to the archaeology, topography, statistics, and parochial
and county history of Wilts. This is as it should be.
The county of Stonehenge ought to set an example in
this respect to the other counties of England. The
rq
ieut.ies" is one of the honorary secre-
ta
fact that Mr. Johnlyitton, the celebrated author of
Cathedral
the
Is a sufficient guarantee that what.
ever may be done will be done exceedingly well.
s of
tonciteii

STRANGE CASE.—lnformations were returned
to the Quarter Sessions in Longford against a Magistrate
of that and the neighbouring county for felony—namely,
for robbing a gentleman in whose room he slept at an
inn, of four sovereigns. He denied the theft in the first
instance, but on being searched the money was found on
his person. He then acknowledged having taken it, but
said it was merely a joke. The gentleman whO was robbed
not havint* been even an acquaintance of the Magistrate in
question, did not understand the joke, and proceedings
were immediately taken. Bail, however, was accepted,
and the gentleman was allowed to go at large. In the
fullness of timo the case was called for trial, before Mr.
Tighe, the Assistant Barrister, but the Justice of Quorum
was not forthcoming. His recognizance 3 were accordingly
estreated, and a bench warrant will soon be issued for his
apprehension. He is a man of some 1,5001. or 1,6001. a
year, we understand, related to a nobleman of high rank
in the vicinity, and hitherto particularly remarkable for
high-flying Conservatism.—Dublin Evening Post.
On Easter Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday,
•
2,786 persons viewed the Armouries in the Tower, viz., on
Monday, 1,045
Tuesday, 1,060; and Wednesday, 681.
The number Of persons who visited the Jewel-office on
Monday was 570, and on the two following days 800 more,
The number of visitors was much larger than on any former
occasion.