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ration. It was every where published, that when first introduced to the king, whom she had never before seen, she instantly knew him, although purposely divested of every mark that might distinguish him from the rest of the assembly; and that she demanded, as the instrument of her future victories, a sword of a particular kind, which was kept in the church of St. Catharine de Fierbois, and which, though she had never seen it, she minutely described. It was universally asserted, and as universally believed, that heaven had declared in favor of Charles, and laid bare its outstretched arm to take vengeance of his enemies.

5. The minds of men being thus prepared, the maid was mounted on horseback, arrayed in all the habiliments of war, and shown to the people, who received her with the loudest acclamations. The English at first affected to treat this farce with derision; but their imagination was secretly struck; and superstition, ingrafted on ignorance, is irresistible. Feeling their courage abated, they conceived themselves to be under the influence of divine vengeance; and a general consternation took place among those troops, which, before this event, were elated with victory, and fearless of danger. The maid, at the head of a convoy, arrayed in martial habiliments, and displaying a consecrated standard, entered Orleans, and was received as a celestial deliverer. But the count de Dunois, who commanded in the place, sensible of the difficulty of carrying on this farce, as well as of its importance, and of the dangerous consequences of any event that might detect its fallacy, did not deviate from the regular rules of war, nor suffer his mode of operations to be directed by enthusiasm.

6. He represented to her, that when heaven favors a cause, the divine will requires that the best human means should be used, to correspond with celestial aid. Thus, while she seemed to conduct every thing, she acted under his direction; and, by his instruction, she defeated the English in several desperate sallies, drove them from their intrenchments, and compelled them to raise the siege. This event gave validity to her pretensions, and confirmed the general opinion of her

What method did the count de Dunois take with the Maid of Orleans?

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divine mission. The French were more clated, and the English more dismayed.

7. The raising of the siege of Orleans was one part of her promise to Charles; the other, which was his coronation at Rheims, yet remained to be performed, and appeared a work of some difficulty. Rheims was in a distant part of the kingdom, and in the hands of a victorious enemy. The whole country through which it was necessary to pass, was occupied by the English, who filled all the fortified places with garrisons. It was, however, deemed expedient to maintain the belief of something supernatural in those events. Charles, therefore, resolved to avail himself of the consternation of the enemy, and to follow his prophetic conductress. He accordingly began his march towards Rheims, at the head of twelve thousand men. The English troops were every where petrified with terror; every city and fortress surrendered without resistance. Rheims opened its gates, and he was anointed and crowned, A. D. 1430, amidst the loudest acclamations.

8. The Maid of Orleans now declared that her mission was concluded; but by the persuasions of the king, she consented to remain in his service. This determination, however, proved fatal to the heroine. Having imprudently thrown herself into Compeigne, then besieged by the English, she was taken prisoner in making a sortie. Policy, superstition, and vengeance, concurred in procuring her destruction. The duke of Bedford was desirous of dispelling an illusion which converted the English into cowards, and the French into heroes. The measures which he took for that purpose have disgraced his name in the eyes of an enlightened posterity, but they were perfectly in unison with the superstitious spirit of that age. By his order, she was tried by an ecclesiastical court, on charges of impiety, heresy, and sorcery. Her ignorant or iniquitous judges found her guilty of all these crimes; and this enthusiastic, but ad

What was thought of the Maid of Orleans by the French? What was thought of her by the English ?-Did she accomplish her promise to the king? What induced her to remain in the king's service, after finishing her mission, as she termed it ?-What was the con sequence of her continuing in it ?-Of what crimes was she accused by the English?

mirable patriot and heroine, whose life and conduct had been irreproachable, was consigned to the flames.

9. The revolution produced by the Maid of Orleans is perhaps the most singular that has occurred in any age or country, and her character and pretensions have been a subject of dispute among historians and divines. While the French writers affirmed that she was commissioned of God, and the English considered her as an agent of the devil, national prejudice, united with superstition, directed their opinion. An accurate knowledge of the human mind, and of political history, will solve the problem, without having recourse to any thing of a miraculous nature. Some have supposed that the whole affair originated in the court, and that Joan d'Arc was from the very first instructed in the part that she was to act. Pope Pius II. seems to have inclined to this opinion.

10. But from her examination before the judges, in which she declares that she had frequently heard voices, and been favored with visits by St. Catharine and St. Margaret, it appears that she was a deranged visionary, that the whole affair had originated from her own disordered imagination, and that the king and court considered her as an instrument that might be of use, and could be of no prejudice, in their situation, which already appeared desperate, availed themselves of the illusion, and seconded it by imposture. On these principles, this extraordinary affair, the discussion of which has employed so many pens, is easily explained; and sound reason, untinctured with superstition, will readily conclude, that the celebrated Maid of Orleans was neither saint nor sorcerer, but a visionary enthusiast. The whole transaction was nothing more than a seasonable and successful concurrence of enthusiasm in the maid, of political craft in the court, and of superstitious credulity in the people, all which are far from being miraculous circumstances.

11. After the execution of the unfortunate maid, the illusion vanished; but, as if heaven had resolved to mark with disapprobation this act of inhuman barbarity, the affairs of the English grew every day more unsuccessful. The duke

What was done with the Maid of Orleans?-What opinion did pope Pius and some others entertain concerning her? On what principle can the whole of this extraordinary affair be accounted for?

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