Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1859-12-03
9ifllstrllalltous.


byROu6 lllhSo'
Under the regency of the Duke oi orleans'
during the minority of Louis Nv, France was
in II state of monetary conyulsion, only iaintly
imaged in this country by the late bubble ma
mia. and the panic which succeededit- In En-
,,land. the mischief-supposng the amounts
at issue to have been the same-was more
widely distributed and therefore less striking
in its results. Here the commercial relatloh-
shin and intelligence between the capital anu
the provinces resemble in some sort an instinct
pnimatng the whole community. Tonch even
the most distant extremity, and the Yioration
is instantaneouslyc communicated to the centre;
touch the centre, and the thrill runs through
out the entire country. But in France, IN lhe
elrly part of the last century, this mercantiie
s,nsiblity had little no existence Paris
VAS the seat Of the mighty bubble ana the
people. instead of running themselves qulelly
at home by means Of the post, rushed IN ran
tic crowds to the capital. Thither also repaired
alvcnturers and spectators from all other
pnrts of Europe; the whole world was parch-
ell with the sacred thirst of gold ana farls
seemed to the imagnations of men an mex
haustiblc fountain, where all might drink ana
be satisfied 1t was the era in Short OF inc
celebrated Mississippi scheme, by whlch the
country was brought to the brink OF rum
through the magnificent errors OF man OF
genius.
II is now pretty generally supposed, that al
though tile cupidity of the regent may at hrst
have been awakened by Law, the Scottish au-
venturcr was eventually forced onward IN ms
extraordinary career by the regent. Ihe lat-
ter with fine person, winning manners,qulch
talents, and the most daring courage, was ut
terlv dcprayed, He did not even believe in
virtue. lie turned everything respectable oil
serious into Jest and he did not ENJOY less
the society of his dissolute companions ior pe-
lieying that every one of them would petras
him for consideration He was, in tact th'
Nephistophiles of the great drama then played
in France; and despising rather than hating
his felow-actors, he turned their weakness t'
Ills advantage, and laughed and joked at thel
wickedness.
At this time the demon of pride confronted
The demon of ayarice Birth jostled VIII
wealth, and it was hard to say which shoui'
gain the mastery. Peers and lackeys, princes
ses and soubrettes, met in the bureau; n duch
ess kissed the hand Of the mighty speculate
in public; and the high nobility of France
not without some fits of alarm mingling wit
their intatuation-saw their order tottering t
its fall. Money, lightly gained, was light
spent Palaces rose on all sides with the ra
pidity of enchnntment; whole fortunes WEI
layished on furniture and equipages, dress an
iewels. and entertainments were habituall
eiyen. which seemed to have had their prott
types in the fairy tales, In the meantin
strangers from all parts of the world crowd'
into the fortunate city, increasing its popnl'
tion, we are told, by the number Of half mi
lion, Overlooking its dwellings from the cell
to the garret, and sending up the price OF pr
visions to an enormous amount.
Among these visitors there was youl
man whose adventures were remembers
owing to his connexon both with the noblll
and The bubble, both with the regent and
comrades, long after Law had disappeared,a
Paris was ruined. This was the Count
toinc Joseph Van Horn, a scion OF one OF
proudest houses in Europe, related or eonne
ed with most of the great families OF Fran
and even with the regent himself The cor
was very striking person in his appearah
He was only twenty-five years, but tai a
finely-iormed his face was as pale ana
beautifully chisclled as that Of an antl@
statue; and pair of singnlarly wild and b
liant eyes shed over the whole what mil
have seemed prenatural light His brot
was the reigning Prince of Horn and overiq
But the young count was not received
Paris with the distinction which might h
been expected from his high birth and
person. This mere youth was already ole
adventures, and blight had fallen upon
reputation. While captain in the AUST
service he had been guilty of some Offence
is not stated of what kind but in all pre-