The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1842-04-08

1.-THE YOUNG PRINCE OF BEARN.
At Nerac, pretty little village in Gascony was
great festival OF rather great jubilee, because
the King Of France, Charles lN., with all his bril-
liant retnue, had come on a WISH to the court o
Navarro 1t is so written in the old chronicle Of
Nerace, and was in the year 1866.
There were reasons for the visit. For the King
of France brought the Queen of Navarro her young
son, Henry, who he had heretofore educated at the
Court of Paris, The young Queen wond not have
him with her. We may imagine with what JOY
The mother again pressed her child to her bosom.
The Queen, we know, was Johanna, and was not
only an ailGconate mother, bat Il truly heroic wo-
man. All the world knows how she demeaned
herself at the birth Of her child Henry. He father,
Henry of Abret, King of Navarro, at that time
stepped to her bedside, bringing in his hand a
"Sce, my daughter, singro me at your accouch-
ment pretty Gnscon lay, and this and its contents
arc thine" And she sang ut the birth of The child.
Then on the spot no placed tho golden chain II.
round her neck; and gave her the golden caskci.-
"But," said he and he took the infant in hs arms
lin exchange hold him here The mother,
however, would not let him be removed.
Henry was now grown up; only in his fifteenth
year, but he might be taken for eighteen, so tall
had he grown. The down scarcely appeared on
his chin, and his face was like milk and blood; but
he had heart like a trusty weapon, and hands
hard and strong by the practice Of The sword and
other manly exercises. i.e was indeed wild
mad-cnp--couId ride, hunt, fight, dance and climb
the hills and mountains like u chamois His tutor
and Instructor, the wise l.agaucheric, had often
grca, difficulty with him. But withal the young
Prince was SO amiabc, accomplished aud kind
hearted, they could not treat lin otherwise than
kindly. And was he reminded, when he was
little to hot headed, Of duty and honor, they could
with these two words tame him like lamb. This
is much 10 say ola young nun who had n king
dom for an nhcilence. For now-a days. with the
words honor and daty you can scarcely bring
wild ,fadeSman's son TO his senses.
Hence the people Of Nerac looked with Ear grcn-
ter delight upon the gay, handsome, gndsome
Henry, than upon the pomp of the majesty of the
King Of France. Respectable people look with the
most pleasure upon hun who deserves the most
honors;-not upon him who wears the most. Hence
the respectable people Of Ncrac looked with great
er pleasure upon the promising Prince of Bearn,
the young Henry, then on the King The latter
al, al, md
aud scarcely thanked them when they saluted him;
bu, Henry smiled kind on the right and on the
left, AMI cheeruily returned their saIuta,cns And
hi, smile was uncommonly sweet. At eastso all
the young ladies' and maidens of Nerac unanimous
anl with knowing look testified. In such mat
tiers young ladies unquesIionably are the best con-
nosseurs, or rather natural judges.
In the train Of the King were also many Young
lords, handsome accomplished, valiant men; for
example, the Young Duke of Gulsn, three years
older than the Prince Of Bearn. But they looked
pleasantly upon him, however, because be dill so
npon them. This the young Duke knew well: IT
often chlg-inn1 him, and he was, therefore, no,
well pleased with the son Of the King Of Navarro.
They had grown up together playmates and COM
panons ;-sll,t they rarely agreed with each other.
The King of France had continually something to
arrange or settle between them. II was well.
therefore, that they should be separated and Hen
~ remain with bis mother.
1.-THE CROSS BOW SHOOTING.
Among other nmusemcnis was the shooting with
the cross bow The King himself was a good shot.
Alas thlt it was so. For 1t il known how he, six
years after the festival at Nciac, at the bloody mar
rage in Paris, shot at his own Iluguonot subjects.
4: Ncrac, however, he tried his skill more harm
lessly. For an orange, placed at certain distance,
was the mark.
Whenever IA king or prince prdcs himself upon
exceling in any art, few are so piesumptuous as 10
surpass them. 1t so happened here. No conrtior
vcntured to hit the golden fruit with his arrow les,
he should deprive the King Of the honor, or rather
the dolusion that he was the best marksInan under
e sun. Thus will the poor great lords always be
leceisei and laughed at behind their backs. The
Duke Of GuIse was also an excellent shot: but
siihal most excellent courter His shaft natpr
lily flew far aside from the fair mark MANY spec