The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-01-01
[lfOsA9.

~ - w - en- gIhHis lsiflH Ike MIN
sell by the exercise Of their talents.
lht> associated together, talked OF
rance and old times, and endeayorcd
10 keep W semblance of Partisan life
III he eento Of London. They dined
Il miserable cheap French resianra-
tours III The neighbofhood of Lcicestcr.
square, where they were served with 1
earicature of French cookery.
They took their promenade in 81:
Jam"s Park and endeayored 10 fancy
II the lInl!leries in short, they mnde
shift 10 accommodate themselves To eve-
~ thmg but an English sunday. IN
deed the old gentleman seemed 10 have
nothing To say against the English.
Whom he affirmed 10 be brare gems and
he mingled SO much among them, dat
al NE end OF twenty years he could
speak iholr language almost well enough
Ia he understood, The downfall Of Ma
Poleon war another epoch in his life. He
had considered himself fortunate man
to make his escape pennylcss ont OF
rance, and he considered himself loru1.
natc L. he able to return pennyless into
II. l. Is rue that he found his Partisan
ho;cl had passed through several hands
during the ylcisstndos the times. so as
To be beyond the reach of recovery
but Then he had been noticed benipnunt.
~ by government, and had pension Of
several hundred francs, upon which, win
careful management, he lived mdcpcn-
IDENTITY, aud, Us far as could nudge, hap
ply. As his once splendid hotel vas
now occupied as a h0tci gn,Hi, ho hired
II small chamber in the attic; il Uas but.
Is Lc said, changing his bedroom up two
pair OF slars---bc WIS still in his own
house. It's room was decorated with
pictures of several beauties OF former
TIMES, with whom he protested IL have
been on favorable Terms among them
was iayoriie opora-dancer, who had
been the admiralionoi i aris al the break.
my oul OF the Revolution. She had been
4 prolrgcc Of my friend, aud one Of the
Nv Oh his youthful iavurites who had sur
sNcd The lapse of time aud its various
Vlclssitudcs.
lhey had now renewed their acallaln.
lance, and she now aud then visited him:
but The beautiful Psyche, once the flsh-
ION OF the day, aud the idol Of the pay&
tcrc, was now sbriyelIed, linlo old
woman, warped in the back and with a
hooked nose. The old gentleman vas
= deSout attendant upon loyces he was
most Jealous IN his loyalty, and could
not speak Of the royal family without a
burst oil enthusiasm for he still felt to-
words ihcin rs his companions in exile.
4 to his poverty, he made ljpft Of it,
aud indeed hed rood lammed way Of
conaolin9 himself for every cross and
priyallon, / he had lost his chateau in
the country, he had half a dozen royd
palaces, as II wore, at his command.
lie Ind Versailles and st. Cloud for his
country resorts, aud the shady alleys Of
the fhuileres aud Luxembourg, for his
town recreation Thus all his prome~
nades and rela6atons were magnificent,
vet COS nothing. VI hen walked thro'
these fine gardens, said he, have only
10 fancy myself the owner Of them, and
they are mne. All these gay crowds
arc nv visitors; and defy the grand
signor himself to display greater yarie-
" of beauty. Nay, what is better, 1
have not the trouble Of entertaining them.
My estate Is a perfect Sans Soaei,
where every one does as he pleases and
no one troubles the owner. All Paris
IS NY theatre, and presents me with 4
continual spectacle. | have n table
spread for ne IN every street, and thou-
sandsof walters ready to fly at my bid
ding. When my servants have waited
upon me pay them, discharge theln
and there's an end have no fears Of
their wronging or pilfcring me when my
back IS turned. Upon the whole, said
the old gentleman, with smile ei inf
uitc good humour, when think upon
the various risks | have run and tho man.
ner IN which | have escaped them, when
rccollcct all that have suffered, and
consider all that | at present cnjoy,---I
cannot but look upon myself as a man
Of singular GOOD fortune. Such was the
bret history Of this practical philoso-
pher ana 1t is picture OIL many "
Frcnchman ruined ny the Revolution.
The French appear 10 have a greater
facility than most men in accommodat ing
themselves to the reycrses of life, and Of
extracting honey out Of the bitter thugs
of this world. The first shock of ca
lamity is apt to oyerwhelm them, but
when II is once past, their natural buoy
ancy of feelings soon brings them again
TO the surface. This may be called the
result Of levity of character, but ii an
swcrs the end Of reconcilng US 10 mis-
fortunes, and if it be not true philoso-
ply, 1T is something almost as eficacious:
Ever since have heard the story of my
little Frenchman, have treasured itup
In LnA Lnlrt md | lLnnl M staL-s l haxEA