great honour, and attests as well his integrity as his powers of persuasion, and the influence which he always exercised upon those around him. At the breaking out of the Revolution in 1789, Bernadotte had recently been appointed sergeant by his captain. This captain, a native of the same province as himself, and who wished him well, had often reproved him for his fondness for the revolutionary ideas which were gradually gaining ground, assuring him that they could not lead to any good; and declaring that he was "une mauvaise tête," and, in spite of his superior education and acquirements, he would come to nothing. When the troubles actually commenced, and order and discipline were banished from the army, several regiments deposed their officers, or refused to obey them, and elected others out of their own midst. The regiment to which Bernadotte belonged followed this example, arrested its colonel and its officers, and unanimously chose Sergeant Bernadotte for its commander.

Having accepted this new dignity, he assembled the regiment and thanked his comrades for their confidence, of which, he said, he felt and would prove himself worthy.

upon

"Above all," he thus concluded his speech, "I must impress it you, that without discipline no military body can subsist, and if I am to command you, and to operate efficiently for your welfare, you must promise me absolute, implicit obedience."

"That we will," cried the men, with one voice.

"It follows of course then," resumed the sergeant-colonel, "that whoever does not instantly obey my orders, shall be punished according to the laws of war. Do you swear this?"

"We swear it!" responded the soldiers.

Bernadotte immediately took a company-the one to which he 'belonged, and on which he could reckon implicitly-put himself at its head, led it to the prison, and brought out the officers, with whom he proceeded to the front of the still assembled regiment.

"Soldiers," said he, taking the hand of the colonel, "you have, of your own accord, conferred on me the command over you, and sworn obedience to me: I now command you to recognise again your former colonel and officers. Let us not disgrace a good cause by rebellion and disorder. My command is at an end-I resign it to our former chief."

The latter, however, had seen too much, and was too well informed of what was going on in Paris, and throughout all France, to accept the proffered command again. He declined it, and with most of the officers quitted the regiment, of which Bernadotte then assumed the command.

In process of time, when he came as Marshal of France and Prince of Ponte-Corvo to Anspach, he there met with his former captain, who had emigrated and made that place his residence. He received him with great cordiality, offered him his services, invited him to his table, and introduced him to his officers as his old chief, by whom he had been made subaltern.

"Vous voyez," said he to him, smiling, "que, malgré ma mauvaise tête, et vos prédictions, je n'ai pas trop mal fait mon chemin."

But, notwithstanding his good-nature and amiable disposition, Bernadotte knew perfectly well how to refuse importunate petitioners in an indirect way. After he had become marshal, he had an aide-de-camp, who had done him good service, but for which he had already been rewarded with the rank of lieutenant-colonel and the cross of the legion

of honour. Not content, however, he seized every opportunity to urge his chief to propose him for colonel. One evening, after this officer had, even in the presence of his comrades, taken the liberty to make palpable allusions to unrequited services, slow promotion, and the like, the marshal related the following apologue:

"When I was still a subaltern, I once went with some of my comrades to see the performances of a company of dogs. I was delighted, and still more astonished at the dexterity of these animals, and asked the proprietor how he contrived to bring his pupils into such admirable training.

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"If,' said he, you will come to-morrow about noon, you will comprehend at once my system of education; it is extremely simple.'

"I did not fail to attend at the appointed hour, and the master began with one of the older dogs, and which was already trained, but which, it seemed, needed another lesson. Showing to the animal a large tempting piece of meat, he held it up in his hand the dog danced capitally, and did all that was required of him. When this had continued for some time, I begged the man not to make the docile brute wait any longer for his reward, and to give him the meat.

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Oh, no! not yet,' he replied; 'you don't understand it. So long as I show the dog the meat, he works hard in the hope of getting it; but as soon as he has attained the object of his wishes, he flings himself down, and will not stir without driving.'

The greatest and cleverest of men have their weaknesses. Peter the Great could not touch a lizard; Marshal Saxe almost swooned if a cat came too near him; and it is well known that King Gustavus Adolphus had a particular antipathy to spiders. Charles John is said to have felt an invincible repugnance to dogs, partly arising from the circumstance that a friend of his died from the bite of a mad dog, and partly from his having seen, on the field of battle, the corpse of another friend torn in pieces by dogs, among which was the deceased officer's own dog. Whether this is true or not, I cannot tell: but the king's aversion to dogs was well known at court. The Crown-Prince had a very beautiful hound, which had been trained, as soon as the king was seen at a distance, or whenever he heard the words, "The king is coming," to run away; or, if this was not possible, to hide himself under the furniture, where he lay quiet while the king remained in the room.

Several biographical accounts of Charles John have appeared, some of which, especially that by Touchard Lafosse, though considered somewhat romantic, is said to be tolerably faithful. It is, however, to be hoped that the memoirs of this remarkable man, which he is reported to have dictated to one of his orderly officers, will be given to the public. They must furnish the most interesting elucidations of many still dark points in the history of the Directory, the Consulate, and the Empire.

The private life of Charles John, as husband and father, was irreproachable. Even busy Fame, with her thousand tongues, has nothing but good to relate, and the chronique scandaleuse is silent. Particularly praiseworthy was his behaviour towards his adoptive parents, Charles XIII. and his consort, born Princess of Holstein, the latter of whom, it is said, could not endure him. The Crown-Prince has the reputation of having uniformly paid them all the attentions of a dutiful son, and all the respect of an obedient subject; and of having always spoken of his adoptive father with reverence and affection.

If the king was an imposing character, as well on account of the glory which he had acquired, and the grand recollections attached to his person, as on account of that person itself, you can scarcely meet with a handsomer and more interesting couple in every respect than his son, the present king, and his consort. King Oscar combines expressive features, of extraordinary beauty, with a fine manly figure. His eyes are of that dark black, which a French lady once described as "des yeux de vélours noir doré de feu :" and their looks attest superior understanding, firmness, and resolution, united with a kindliness which there is no mistaking. In a certain respect, the character of Oscar may be better suited to the Swedes than that of his father. The chief fault found with the latter is, that he always promised more than he could or meant to perform. In his desire to render himself beloved, and to satisfy every body, it happened not unfrequently that he granted petitions, though he well knew that the thing was impossible in the execution. Hence arose many disappointments, much ill blood, and want of confidence in the royal word. Oscar, on the other hand, has hitherto promised but little and rarely: he listened to people quietly and sympathisingly, investigated their rights, their claims, and the greater or less probability of the success of their efforts and wishes, frankly expressed his opinion on the subject, assisted when it was in his power, but took good care not to excite false hopes. For the rest, Oscar, as a member of the council of state, as commanding general, as chief of the artillery, and high admiral, has always proved himself an efficient man of business, an accomplished officer, a just and paternal chief. He is beloved by the people, the army, and the fleet; and it is alleged that the frequent manifestations of this love and attachment were rather displeasing to his predecessor, and that this was the real cause why the prince had recently withdrawn from almost all business, and relinquished almost all direct influence, in order to occupy himself with the sciences, the fine arts, and the education of his highly-gifted children. In the opinion of all who know him, an opinion to which I cheerfully subscribe, Oscar must be numbered among the most distinguished sovereigns of Europe. With a lively sense for all that is good and true, with calm manly courage, with a sincere aspiration to what is excellent, he unites a highly cultivated mind and strong natural talents. He is said to be, in particular, a clever mathematician and a good astronomer, and I have myself often had occasion to admire his abilities as a musician and composer.

"Quel dommage," once exclaimed an old French lady, when I was describing Prince Oscar to her, "quel dommage, que tout cela ne soit pas légitime.

The present queen, a daughter of the noble Duke of Leuchtenberg, not only surpasses the ladies of the court in beauty and grace, but sets them a pattern of every female virtue. She has hitherto abstained from all influence, immediate or mediate, on public affairs. For the rest, amiableness is innate and inherent in the whole family of Leuchtenberg. With all the most amiable traits of French mind, "solide dans le serieux, et charmant dans les bagatelles," the members of this house combine the noblest and most valuable qualities of the German national character; and they have thereby acquired, wherever Providence has called them, the attachment of their subjects, or the love of those around them.

THE ROBERTSES ON THEIR TRAVELS.

BY MRS. TROLLOPE.

СНАР. Х.

ANOTHER, and another, and another day passed away, but no more was heard of Madame de Soissonac. The high spirit of the Roberts family, on which they particularly prided themselves, rose to a pitch that required, especially in the more easily exploding bosoms of the ladies, the safetyvalve of vituperation, to preserve them from bursting. They had also another motive for wishing to discuss the subject with some one of their acquaintance whom they had been in the habit of meeting at the assemblies of the fair but perfidious Frenchwoman, in order to discover beyond the possibility of mistake, whether others had received the same affront as themselves. They doubted, however, for some time, as to the person to whom they should first open their hearts on the subject. Mrs. Bretlow would have been in many respects the most eligible person to whom they could have addressed themselves on this occasion, inasmuch as she was really intimate with Madame de Soissonac, and was therefore likely to know the real cause of her abominable behaviour. But then, this real intimacy had always appeared to be accompanied by a great deal of real affection, and it was not well to talk to any body on the subject, who was likely to be so strongly prejudiced as Mrs. Bretlow.

"No, indeed, mamma," said Maria, "if you go to Mrs. Bretlow, in order to ask her opinion of Madame de Soissonac, I will not go with you. I don't know how the rest of the family may feel, but I have too much English spirit to go anywhere on purpose to hear the praises of a person who has used me ill."

"Well then, who shall we go to?" returned her mother, who immediately felt the truth of this sensible observation. "I, for my part, don't care who it is, so that it is an English person, who will have common sense enough to understand what one says. The French are certainly unaccountably slow of comprehension in conversation. I find perpetually from their answers, that they have not understood one word in ten that I have said to them. It is no good to talk to them."

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Why should we not call on Lady Moreton and her cousin?" said Agatha. "There cannot be two more charming people to talk to on any subject, and as they visit every body in Paris almost, they will certainly be able to tell us, if any one can, the reason for this French woman's extraordinary conduct, and at the same time, you know, we may be quite sure that our natural ladylike feelings on the occasion will be properly repeated everywhere."

"To be sure," exclaimed Mrs. Roberts, eagerly, "I am surprised I did not think of them at first. They are the very people for us. I wonder whether Edward would like to go with us? They always seem so delighted to see him. Do go to his room, Maria, and ask him to come into the drawing-room before he goes out. I should so like him to go with us! He grows handsomer and more elegant every day of his life. I would defy any mother not to be proud of such a son."

The young man obeyed the summons instantly, having just completed his morning costume for the Boulevards, and looking, as his mother said, like a Parisian angel, only with a lovely English colour in his cheeks.

"Edward, dearest, if you have no objection," said the respectful parent, "I should like you to go with us this morning to call on Lady Moreton, and Lady Forton. Though they are, both of them, always kindness itself, they are never so delighted to see us as when you are of the party. You will go, won't you? We are going on purpose to talk to them a little about the impertinent behaviour of that extraordinary Madame de Soissonac, and I should like that you should be with us. What do you say to it, my dear?"

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Why no, ma'am, thank you, I think I'd rather not. For to say the truth, the Soissonacs are, in my opinion, a vast deal too absurd to talk about; and of all people in the world, I am the last who ought to enter upon the subject," said the young man, colouring. "I would rather not go, thank you."

"Good gracious, why?" said Agatha. "What can you have to do with it, Edward?"

"What can you mean, Edward?" cried Maria. speak out."

"For goodness sake,

"Upon my word, my dear, you must not go till you have explained yourself," said his mother. Perhaps, Edward, you know a great deal more about them than we do. Do tell us every thing that you have heard, my dear, dear Edward. It is cruel to keep us in the dark if you do know any thing. I must beg that you will hide nothing."

Really, mother, I know very little about her, for I can't say I have ever given myself the trouble to inquire. But if you won't talk too much about it, I will tell you what I have reason to suspect; and one or two fellows of my acquaintance, who know old Soissonac a great deal better than I do, say that they are quite sure I am right. The fact is, my dear ladies-it is very absurd, you know, but I can't help that-the fact is, that Monsieur de Soissonac, the tiresome old husband of our pretty friend, has taken it into his head to be jealous of me."

"Jealous!" exclaimed all the three ladies at once. Edward?"

"Jealous of you,

The young man replied to them all, at one and the same instant, by a low and graceful bow, and then turned round, and, by the help of the mirror over the chimney-piece, re-arranged a curl upon his left temple, which the playful profundity of the salutation had displaced.

"Is it possible?" exclaimed his mother, after a pause, and looking at him with an eye that seemed to say, "No wonder!" And then she sighed very deeply, and in an accent that visions of crim. con. trials, and tremendous damages, rendered both solemn and melancholy, she added, "For Heaven's sake, set my heart at ease, and tell me that he has no reason for it!"

"Nonsense, ma'am!" returned the young man, in a tone of very spirited indignation. "How can you suppose that I should so far commit myself as to answer such a question as that? I alluded to the circumstance, merely for the sake of doing justice to poor Madame de Soissonac. Of course you must perceive from what I have said, though I have not