ture of the spleen, I hope you will excuse me if I admire the character, and am ambitious of subscribing myself,

Sir, yours, &c.

XVII.

[V. Guardian, No. 104, and Introductory Remarks.]

Blois, May 15, N. S.

SIR-Because I am at present out of the road of news, I shall send you a story that was lately given me by a gentleman of this country, who is descended from one of the persons concerned in the relation, and very inquisitive to know if there be any of the family now in England.

I shall only premise to it, that this story is preserved with great care among the writings of this gentleman's family, and that it has been given to two or three of our English nobility when they were in these parts, who could not return any satisfactory answer to the gentleman, whether there be any of that family now remaining in Great Britain.

'In the reign of King John there lived a nobleman called John de Sigonia, lord of that place in Touraine, his brothers were Philip and Briant. Briant, when very young, was made one of the French king's pages, and served him in that quality when he was taken prisoner by the English. The king of England chanced to see the youth, and, being much pleased with his person and behavior, begged him of the king, his prisoner. It happened, some years after this, that John the other brother, who in the course of the war had raised himself to a considerable post in the French army, was taken prisoner by Briant, who at that time was an officer in the King of England's guards. Briant knew nothing of his brother, and, being naturally of an haughty temper, treated him very insolently, and more like a criminal than a prisoner of This John resented so highly, that he challenged him to a

war.

single combat. The challenge was accepted, and time and place assigned them by the king's appointment. Both appeared on the day prefixed, and entered the lists completely armed, amidst a great multitude of spectators. Their first encounters were very furious, and the success equal on both sides; until after some toil and bloodshed they were parted by their seconds to fetch breath, and prepare themselves afresh for the combat. Briant in the mean time had cast his eyes upon his brother's escutcheon, which he saw agree in all points with his own. I need not tell you, after this, with what joy and surprise the story ends. King Edward, who knew all the particulars of it, as a mark of his esteem, gave to each of them, by the King of France's consent, the following coat of arms, which I will send you in the original language, not being herald enough to blazon it in English.

'Le Roi d'Angleterre, par permission du Roi de France, pour perpetuelle mémoire de leurs grands faits d'armes et fidélité envers leurs Rois, leur donna par ampliation à leurs armes en une croix d'argent cantonée de quatre coquilles d'or en champ de sable, qu'ils avoient auparavant, une endenteleuse faite en façons de croix de guëulle inserée au dedans de la ditte croix d'argent et par le milieu d'icelle que est participation des deux croix que portent les dits Rois en la guerre.'

I am afraid by this time you begin to wonder that I should send you for news a tale of three or four hundred years old; and I dare say never thought, when you desired me to write to you, that I should trouble you with a story of King John, especially at a time when there is a monarch on the French throne that furnishes discourse for all Europe. But I confess I am the more fond of the relation, because it brings to mind the noble exploits of our own countrymen: though at the same time I must own it is not so much the vanity of an Englishman which puts me upon

writing it, as that I have of taking an occasion to subscribe my

self, sir,

Yours, &c.

XVIII.

[V. Guardian, &c.]

Blois, May 20, N. S.

SIR-I am extremely obliged to you for your last kind letter, which was the only English that had been spoken to me for some months together, for I am at present forced to think the absence of my countrymen my good fortune:

Votum in amante novum! vellem quod amatur abesset.

Strange wish to harbor in a lover's breast!

I wish that absent which I love the best.

OVID. Met. iii. 468.

This is an advantage that I could not have hoped for, had I stayed near the French court, though I must confess I would not but have seen it, because I believe it showed me some of the finest places and of the greatest persons in the world. One cannot hear a name mentioned in it that does not bring to mind a piece of a gazette, nor see a man that has not signalized himself in a battle. One would fancy one's self to be in the enchanted palaces of a romance; one meets with so many heroes, and finds some thing so like scenes of magic in the gardens, statues, and waterworks. I am ashamed that I am not able to make a quicker progress through the French tongue, because I believe it is impossible for a learner of a language to find in. any nation such advantages. as in this, where every body is so very courteous, and so very talkative. They always take care to make a noise as long as they are in company, and are as loud any hour in the morning, as our own countrymen at midnight. By what I have seen, there is more mirth in the French conversation, and more wit in the English. You abound more in jests, but they in laughter. Their language is indeed extremely proper to tattle in, it is made up of

so much repetition and compliment. One may know a foreigner

a question, which a FrenchThey have a set of ceremo

by his answering only No or Yes to man generally makes a sentence of. nious phrases that runs through al ranks and degrees among them. Nothing is more common than to hear a shopkeeper desiring his neighbor to have the goodness to tell him what it is o'clock, or a couple of cobblers, that are extremely glad of the honor of seeing one another.

The face of the whole country where I now am is at this season pleasant beyond imagination. I cannot but fancy the birds of this place, as well as the men, a great deal merrier than those of our own nation. I am sure the French year has got the start of ours more in the works of nature than in the New Style. I have passed one March in my life without being ruffled with the winds, and one April without being washed with rains.

I am, sir, yours, &c.

XIX. ΤΟ MR. WORTLEY MONTAGU.

[Husband of the celebrated Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, and Addison's fellow-traveller from Châteaudun to Paris and thence to Genoa-perhaps also still further, though it is not known.-G.]

July 23.

DEAR SIR-I am now at Châteauaun, where I shall expect your company, or a letter from you, with some impatience. Here is one of the prettiest views in the world, if that can tempt you, and a ruin of about fourscore houses, which I know you would think a pleasanter prospect than the other, if it was not so modern. The inhabitants tell you the fire that has been the occasion of it was put out by a miracle: and that in its full rage it immediately ceased at the sight of him that in his lifetime rebuked the winds and the waves with a look. He was brought hither in the disguise of a wafer, and was assisted, I don't question, with

several tons of water. It would have been a very fair occasion to have signalized your Holy Tear at Vendome, if the very sight of a single drop could have quenched such a terrible fire. This is all the news I can write you from this place, where I have been hitherto taken up with the company of strangers that lodge in the same inn. I shall hope to see you within about a week hence; though I desire you not to hasten against your own inclinations; for, as much as I esteem your company, I can't desire it unless it be for your own convenience. I am, dear sir, your very faithful humble servant, J ADDISON.

Aux Trois Rois a Châteaudun.

XX. TO BISHOP HOUGH.

[From Blois Addison returned to Paris, and availed himself of his new acquisition to seek out the eminent men of the country. He is supposed to have been indebted to his contributions to the Musae Anglicanae for the favorable reception he met with from Boileau.-G.]

MY LORD-I received the honor of your Lordship's letter at Paris, and am since got as far as Lyons in my way for Italy. I am at present very well content to quit the French conversation, which, since the promotion of their young prince, begins to grow insupportable.1 That which was before the vainest nation in the world is now worse than ever. There is scarce a man in it that does not give himself greater airs upon it, and look as well pleased as if he had received some considerable advancement in his own fortunes. The best company I have met with since my being in this country has been among the men of Letters, who are generally easy of access, especially the religious, who have a great deal of time on their hands, and are glad to pass some of it off in the society of strangers. Their learning for the most part

1

1 Philip, Duke of Anjou, grandson of Louis XIV. Proclaimed King of Spain, Nov. 1700.