nly　by　the　French　Government　to　the　cause　of　American　independence。　　The　constitution　planned　for　the　new　nation　was　digested　at　Paris；　and　while　liberty；　equality；　and　the　rights　of　man　were　commented　upon　by　the　Condorcets；　Baillys；　Mirabeaus；　etc。；　the　minister　Segur　published　the　King's　edict；　which；　by　repealing　that　of　1st　November；　1750；　declared　all　officers　not　noble　by　four　generations　incapable　of　filling　the　rank　of　captain；　and　denied　all　military　rank　to　the　roturiers；　excepting　sons　of　the　chevaliers　de　St。　Louis。
  ＇M。　de　Segur；〃　says　Chamfort；　〃having　published　an　ordinance　which　　　　　　prohibited　the　admission　of　any　other　than　gentlemen　into　the　　　　　　artillery　corps；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　none　but　well…educated　　　　　　persons　being　proper　for　admission；　a　curious　scene　took　place：　the　　　　　　Abbe　Bossat；　examiner　of　the　pupils；　gave　certificates　only　to　　　　　　plebeians；　while　Cherin　gave　them　only　to　gentlemen。　　Out　of　one　　　　　　hundred　pupils；　there　were　not　above　four　or　five　who　were　qualified　　　　　　in　both　respects。〃＇
  The　injustice　and　absurdity　of　this　law　was　no　doubt　a　secondary　cause　of　the　Revolution。　　To　understand　the　despair　and　rage　with　which　this　law　inspired　the　Tiers　Etat　one　should　have　belonged　to　that　honourable　class。　　The　provinces　were　full　of　roturier　families；　who　for　ages　had　lived　as　people　of　property　upon　their　own　domains；　and　paid　the　taxes。　If　these　persons　had　several　sons；　they　would　place　one　in　the　King's　service；　one　in　the　Church；　another　in　the　Order　of　Malta　as　a　chevalier　servant　d'armes；　and　one　in　the　magistracy；　while　the　eldest　preserved　the　paternal　manor；　and　if　he　were　situated　in　a　country　celebrated　for　wine；　he　would；　besides　selling　his　own　produce；　add　a　kind　of　commission　trade　in　the　wines　of　the　canton。　　I　have　seen　an　individual　of　this　justly　respected　class；　who　had　been　long　employed　in　diplomatic　business；　and　even　honoured　with　the　title　of　minister　plenipotentiary；　the　son…in…law　and　nephew　of　colonels　and　town　mayors；　and；　on　his　mother's　side；　nephew　of　a　lieutenant…general　with　a　cordon　rouge；　unable　to　introduce　his　sons　as　sous…lieutenants　into　a　regiment　of　foot。
  Another　decision　of　the　Court；　which　could　not　be　announced　by　an　edict；　was　that　all　ecclesiastical　benefices；　from　the　humblest　priory　up　to　the　richest　abbey；　should　in　future　be　appanages　of　the　nobility。　　Being　the　son　of　a　village　surgeon；　the　Abbe　de　Vermond；　who　had　great　influence　in　the　disposition　of　benefices；　was　particularly　struck　with　the　justice　of　this　decree。
  During　the　absence　of　the　Abbe　in　an　excursion　he　made　for　his　health；　I　prevailed　on　the　Queen　to　write　a　postscript　to　the　petition　of　a　cure；　one　of　my　friends；　who　was　soliciting　a　priory　near　his　curacy；　with　the　intention　of　retiring　to　it。　　I　obtained　it　for　him。　　On　the　Abbe's　return　he　told　me　very　harshly　that　I　should　act　in　a　manner　quite　contrary　to　the　King's　wishes　if　I　again　obtained　such　a　favour；　that　the　wealth　of　the　Church　was　for　the　future　to　be　invariably　devoted　to　the　support　of　the　poorer　nobility；　that　it　was　the　interest　of　the　State　that　it　should　be　so；　and　a　plebeian　priest；　happy　in　a　good　curacy；　had　only　to　remain　curate。
  Can　we　be　astonished　at　the　part　shortly　afterwards　taken　by　the　deputies　of　the　Third　Estate；　when　called　to　the　States　General？
  End　of　The　Memoirs　of　Marie　Antoinette；　V3　by　Madame　Campan
  MEMOIRS　OF　THE　COURT　OF　MARIE　ANTOINETTE；　QUEEN　OF　FRANCE
  Being　the　Historic　Memoirs　of　Madam　Campan；　First　Lady　in　Waiting　to　the　Queen
  BOOK　4。
  CHAPTER　XI。
  About　the　close　of　the　last　century　several　of　the　Northern　sovereigns　took　a　fancy　for　travelling。　　Christian　III。；　King　of　Denmark；　visited　the　Court　of　France　in　1763；　during　the　reign　of　Louis　XV。　　We　have　seen　the　King　of　Sweden　and　Joseph　II。　　at　Versailles。　　The　Grand　Duke　of　Russia　（afterwards　Paul　I。）；　son　of　Catherine　II。；　and　the　Princess　of　Wurtemberg；　his　wife；　likewise　resolved　to　visit　France。　　They　travelled　under　the　titles　of　the　Comte　and　Comtesse　du　Nord。　　They　were　presented　on　the　20th　of　May；　1782。　　The　Queen　received　them　with　grace　and　dignity。　　On　the　day　of　their　arrival　at　Versailles　they　dined　in　private　with　the　King　and　Queen。
  The　plain；　unassuming　appearance　of　Paul　I。　pleased　Louis　XVI。　　He　spoke　to　him　with　more　confidence　and　cheerfulness　than　he　had　spoken　to　Joseph　II。　　The　Comtesse　du　Nord　was　not　at　first　so　successful　with　the　Queen。　This　lady　was　of　a　fine　height；　very　fat　for　her　age；　with　all　the　German　stiffness；　well　informed；　and　perhaps　displaying　her　acquirements　with　rather　too　much　confidence。　　When　the　Comte　and　Comtesse　du　Nord　were　presented　the　Queen　was　exceedingly　nervous。　　She　withdrew　into　her　closet　before　she　went　into　the　room　where　she　was　to　dine　with　the　illustrious　travellers；　and　asked　for　a　glass　of　water；　confessing　〃she　had　just　experienced　how　much　more　difficult　it　was　to　play　the　part　of　a　queen　in　the　presence　of　other　sovereigns；　or　of　princes　born　to　become　so；　than　before　courtiers。〃　　She　soon　recovered　from　her　confusion；　and　reappeared　with　ease　and　confidence。　　The　dinner　was　tolerably　cheerful；　and　the　conversation　very　animated。
  Brilliant　entertainments　were　given　at　Court　in　honour　of　the　King　of　Sweden　and　the　Comte　du　Nord。　　They　were　received　in　private　by　the　King　and　Queen；　but　they　were　treated　with　much　more　ceremony　than　the　Emperor；　and　their　Majesties　always　appeared　to　me　to　be　very；　cautious　before　these　personages。　　However；　the　King　one　day　asked　the　Russian　Grand　Duke　if　it　were　true　that　he　could　not　rely　on　the　fidelity　of　any　one　of　those　who　accompanied　him。　　The　Prince　answered　him　without　hesitation；　and　before　a　considerable　number　of　persons；　that　he　should　be　very　sorry　to　have　with　him　even　a　poodle　that　was　much　attached　to　him；　because　his　mother　would　take　care　to　have　it　thrown　into　the　Seine；　with　a　stone　round　its　neck；　before　he　should　leave　Paris。　　This　reply；　which　I　myself　heard；　horrified　me；　whether　it　depicted　the　disposition　of　Catherine；　or　only　expressed　the　Prince's　prejudice　against　her。
  The　Queen　gave　the　Grand　Duke　a　supper　at　Trianon；　and　had　the　gardens　illuminated　as　they　had　been　for　the　Emperor。　　The　Cardinal　de　Rohan　very　indiscreetly　ventured　to　introduce　himself　there　without　the　Queen's　knowledge。　　Having　been　treated　with　the　utmost　coolness　ever　since　his　return　from　Vienna；　he　had　not　dared　to　ask　her　himself　for　permission　to　see　the　illumination；　but　he　persuaded　the　porter　of　Trianon　to　admit　him　as　soon　as　the　Queen　should　have　set　off　for　Versailles；　and　his　Eminence　engaged　to　remain　in　the　porter's　lodge　until　all　the　carriages　should　have　left　the　chateau。　　He　did　not　keep　his　word；　and　while　the　porter　was　busy　in　the　discharge　of　his　duty；　the　Cardinal；　who　wore　his　red　stockings　and　had　merely　thrown　on　a　greatcoat；　went　down　into　the　garden；　and；　with　an　air　of　mystery；　drew　up　in　two　different　places　to　see　the　royal　family　and　suite　pass　by。
  Her　Majesty　was　highly　offended　at　this　piece　of　boldness；　and　next　day　ordered　the　porter　to　be　discharged。　　There　was　a　general　feeling　of　disgust　at　the　Cardinal's　conduct；　and　of　commiseration　towards　the　porter　for　the　loss　of　his　place。　　Affected　at　the　misfortune　of　the　father　of　a　family；　I　obtained　his　forgiveness；　and　since　that　time　I　have　often　regretted　the　feeling　which　induced　me　to　interfere。　　The　notoriety　of　the　discharge　of　the　porter　of　Trianon；　and　the　odium　that　circumstance　would　have　fixed　upon　the　Cardinal；　would　have　made　the　Queen's　dislike　to　him　still　more　publicly　known；　and　would　probably　have　prevented　the　scandalous　and　notorious　intrigue　of　the　necklace。
  The　Queen；　who　was　much　prejudiced　against　the　King　of　Sweden；　received　him　very　coldly。
  ＇Gustavus　III。；　King　of　Sweden；　travelled　in　France　under　the　title　　　　　　of　Comte　d'Haga。　　Upon　his　accession　to　the　throne；　he　managed　the　　　　　　revolution　which　prostrated　the　authority　of　the　Senate　with　equal　　　　　　skill；　coolness；　and　courage。　　He　was　assassinated　in　1792；　at　a　　　　　　masked　ball；　by　Auckarstrum。NOTE　BY　THE　EDITOR。＇
  All　that　was　said　of　the　private　character　of　that　sovereign；　his　connection　with　the　Comte　de　Vergennes；　from　the　time　of　the　Revolution　of　Sweden；　in　1772；　the　character　of　his　favourite　Armfeldt；　and　the　prejudices　of　the　monarch　himself　against　the　Swedes　who　were　well　received　at　the　Court　of　Versailles；　formed　the　grounds　of　this　dislike。　He　came　one　day　uninvited　and　unexpected；　and　requested　to　dine　with　the　Queen。　　The　Queen　received　him　in　the　little　closet；　and　desired　me　to　send　for　her　clerk　of　the　kitchen；　that　she　might　be　informed　whether　there　was　a　proper　dinner　to　set　before　Comte　d'Haga；　and　add　to　it　if　necessary。　　The　King　of　Sweden　assured　her　that　there　would　be　enough　for　him；　and　I　could　not　help　smiling　when　I　thought　of　the　length　of　the　menu　of　the　dinner　of　the　King　and　Queen；　not　half　of　which　would　have　made　its　appearance　had　they　dined　in　private。　　The　Queen　looked　significantly　at　me；　and　I　withdrew。　　In　the　evening　she　asked　me　why　I　had　seemed　so　astonished　when　she　ordered　me　to　add　to　her　dinner；　saying　that　I　ought　instantl