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clear and comprehensive understanding was utterly aliento the contradictions, subterfuges, and confusion of oldFrench law. In religion, he sided with the mysticsand quietists; hut was more of a philosopher than areligionist; and chose his party for its being more alliedto protestant tenets, and because, M. de Sevigne says,his mysticism freed him from the necessity of goingto mass. He was a mixture of Stoic and Epicurean.He would not go half a league on horseback, he said, toseek a throne. And thus he harmonised his temperwith his fortunes, for he was an unlucky man. “ Hismerit brings him ill luck,” madame de la Fayette said.It may be added that it brought also a contented mind,a friendly disposition, and calm studious habits. Anamusing anecdote is told of his presence of mind in ex-tricating himself from a dilemma in which he was placed.

Louis XIV . learnt that the prince of Conti, andother young and heedless nobles of high rank, had, ata certain supper, uttered various sarcasms against, andtold stories to the discredit of, himself and madame deMaintenon . The king wished to learn the details, andsent D'Argenson to inquire of Corbinelli, who wassupposed to have been at the supper. Corbinelli wasby this time grown old and deaf. “ Where did yousup on such an evening ? ” asked D’Argenson . “ I donot remember,” the other replied. “ Are you ac-quainted with such and such princes ? ” “I forget.”“ Did you not sup with them?” “ I do not in theleast remember?” “It seems to me that a man likeyou ought to recollect these things.” “True, sir, butbefore a man like you, I am not a man like myself.”Madame de Sevignd’s correspondence with this accom-plished and valued friend is lost, but her letters to herdaughter are full of expressions of esteem and friend-ship towards him.

Thus, in her letters, we find all the events of the dayalluded to in the tone used by this distinguished so-ciety. Some of the observations are witty and amusing;others remarkable for their truth, founded on a just