an ecclesiastic, to whom he said, "Whence do you come? Where are you going? What do you want ?" The ecclesiastic replied instantly, " From Bourges to Paris-a benefice." "You shall have it," replied the monarch.

Bautru, who had been soundly beaten, had his picture painted with a staff in his hand. Some one asked if it was meant for a truncheon. “Don't you see,” said the Duke D'Epernon, "that he is represented as a martyr, holding the instrument of his punishment in his hand ?"

CCXXXIX. SANTEUIL.

Santeuil was crossing the court of the College of Cardinal le Morne, when he met a scholar who was walking up and down, composing his theme, which he held in his hand. Santeuil, guessing what he was employed about, pulled the paper out of his hand with a tremendous expression of countenance, translated it instantly into elegant Latin, and returned it to him, saying, " If your Regent asks you who composed this theme, tell him it was the Devil.” He then hurried off, making his cloak fly about him, and raising a cloud of dust all about. The terrified student retreated instantly into college, and repeated to the Regent the history of the apparition of the Devil. The Jesuit, who saw that the theme was composed in the most elegant Latin, and that the student told the story with perfect sincerity and good faith, was puzzled what to think of the matter. Soon after, Santeuil was present at a public discussion which took place in the hall of the Jesuits. The scholar recognised his old acquaintance, and immediately called out in an agony of fear, "The Devil! the

Devil!" Santeuil, perceiving that he was detect→ ed, related the story, to the infinite amusement of the audience, who found this explanation much more interesting than the former subject of discussion.

CCXL. THE CONJURER.

A commissary in the army, a man of slender talents, transmitted a complaint to M. de Louvois, that a certain officer, whom he named, was a conjurer. The minister wrote back, "I have communicated your information to the King. He directs me to say, that if the captain be a conjurer, he is very certain that you are none."

CCXLI. BANAULT.

Emeric Gobier de Banault, while ambassador in Spain, was present at the performance of a piece representing the battle of Pavia, and, seeing a Spanish actor beat down the person who played Francis I., set his foot upon his neck, and compel him to ask quarter in the most ignominious terms, was so transported with rage, that he leaped upon the stage, and in the presence of the whole audience, ran his sword through his body.

CCXLII. THE DYING SOLDIER.

A grenadier of the regiment of Champagne was retreating from the ranks mortally wounded. "Where is that grenadier going?" cried the officer as he passed. "To die," said the soldier, turning round, and expiring as he spoke.

CCXLIII. PAVING THE CHURCH.

A Curé had a dispute with his parishioners, to know at whose expense the church was to be paved. Seeing that the judge was about to decide against him, he thought of quoting in his own favour the passage of Jeremiah Paveant illi et

ego non paveam." The judge, confounded by the strength of this authority, ordered the parishioners to pave the church.

CCXLIV. THE WOODEN LEG.

An officer had a wooden leg so exceedingly well made, that it could scarcely be distinguished from a real one. A cannon bullet carried it off. A soldier who saw him fall called out, "Quick, run for the surgeon." "No," replied the officer coolly, "it is the joiner I want.”

CCXLV. THE SUN.

Some astronomers, who had been making observations, thought they perceived several spots in the sun. Voitiere happened shortly afterwards to be in a company, where he was asked if there were any news. "None," said he; "but that I hear very bad reports of the sun."

CCXLVI. THE TWO PRIESTS.

A plague took place at Tunis in 1650, which gave rise to a singular incident. A missionary priest, named Levachir, had with him another priest of the same mission, named Guerin. The first was attacked by the plague, was supposed dead, and was about to be interred. Guerin in consequence wrote to M. Vincent, superior of the mission in France, that it had pleased God to remove M. Levachir, and that they were just making preparations for his funeral. The letter was immediately consigned to the care of the captain of a vessel about to sail for France. As they were on the point of placing M. Levachir on the bier, he made some movement, which showed that he was not quite dead. He was accordingly taken out of his shroud and placed on his bed. In the meantime, poor Father Guerin was attacked

by the plague in his turn, so violently, that he died and was buried in the course of a few days after. M. Levachir, who was now recovered, not knowing anything of Guerin's previous communication, prepared to communicate to Vincent the intelligence of his death. The letter was written and delivered to the same captain who had taken charge of the first, and who had been detained waiting for a favourable wind. The voyage was prosperous, and the Superior-general received at the sametime both letters, which differed but very little in date. We may guess what was his surprise at receiving letters from two men, each communicating the account of the other's death in the same way, and under the same circumstances. It was impossible to mistake their hand-writing, or the seal of the mission. In short, he knew not what to make of the adventure, till the mystery was cleared up some months afterwards.

A Gascon preacher stopped short in the pulpit; it was in vain that he scratched his head; nothing would come out. "My friends," said he, as he walked quietly down the pulpit stairs, " my friends, I pity you, for you have lost a fine discourse."

CCXLVIII. THE CHOICE OF WEAPONS.

A gentleman of Bourdeaux had grossly insulted a cavalry officer. The officer resolved to have satisfaction, and allowed him to choose his own mode of fighting. "So you are weary of serving the king," said the gentleman-" very well, you shall have satisfaction. I will settle the matter; and as for the manner, you may have your choice of the weapon, from a pin to a cannon.'

CCXLIX. A PREMATURE INTERMENT.

Some one attempted to draw his sword one day upon a Gascon who insulted him. The Gascon called a shoe-black. "There," said he, "there is sixpence for you, run to the nearest church, tell them to ring the bell for the dead, and come and take up the body." "But," said the shoe-black, "the gentleman is alive and merry ?" "Yes," replied the Gascon, "but don't you see he is going to fight with me ?"

M