natural fon of Louis XIV. who died publicly at the army in 1683 of the fmall-pox, and was buried at the little town of Aire and not Arras; in which Father Griffet was mistaken, but in which to be fure there is no great harm.—Others have imagined, that it was the duke of Monmouth, who was beheaded publicly in London in the year 1685. But of this he must have rifen again from the dead, and he must have changed the order of time, and placed the year 1662 in the room of the year 1685. King James, who never forgave any one, and who on that account deserved all that happened to him, must have pardoned the duke of Monmouth, and got another to die in his ftead, who perfectly refembled him. This Sofia muft firft have been found, and then he must have had the goodness to let his head be cut off in public, to fave the duke of Monmouth. It was neceffary that all England fhould be mistaken; and that King James fhould beg of Louis XIV. to be fo obliging as to be his gaoler; that Louis XIV. after having fhewn this trifling piece of civility to King James, fhould not have been wanting in the fame attention to his friend King William and to Queen Anne (with both of whom he was engaged in war), and, to pleafe them, retained the dignity of gaoler, with which James had honoured him. All these illufions being diffipated, it then remains to know who this prifo-, ner was, and at what age he died. It is clear, that if he was not permitted to cross the court of the Baftile, or to fpeak to his physician, except covered with a mask, it must have been from the apprehenfion that his features and countenance might have difcovered fome resemblance. He could fhew his tongue, but not his face. He

faid himself to the apothecary of the Baftile, a few days before his death, that he believed he was about fixty. Mr. Marfoban, who was fon-in-law to this apothecary, and furgeon to the marechal de Richlieu, and afterwards to the regent duke of Orleans, told me this frequently. Why give him an Italian name?-They always called him Marchiali. He who writes this article perhaps knows more than

Father Griffet, but he will fay nothing farther."

This opinion has been lately refumed, illustrated, and enforced, by M. de Saint Mihiel, in a work entitled Le Veritable Homme, &c. "The real Man with the Iron Masque." The author, in fupport of his idea, attempts to prove that Anne of Auftria and the Cardinal Mazarine were married. This, fays he, the duchefs of Orleans affures us of in three of her letters. In the firft, dated Sept. 13, 1713, fhe expreffes herself as follows: "Old Beauvais, who was first lady of the bed-chamber to the queen-dowager, was acquainted with the secret of the ridiculous marriage; this rendered it neceffary for the queen to do every thing that her confidant wifhed; and this circumftance has given rife in this country to an extension of the rights of first ladies of the bedchamber." In the fecond of these letters, dated Nov. 2, 1717, she says, "The queen-mother, widow of Louis XIII. did worse than love CardinalMazarine; fhe even married him, for he was not a priest: he was not even in orders; and who could have hindered her? He was most horribly tired of the good queen-mother, and lived on very bad terms with her, which is the reward that people de ferve for entering into fuch mar riages." In her third letter, dated July 2, 1719, fpeaking of the queen, the duchefs fays, "She was perfectly eafy refpecting Cardinal Mazarine; he was not a prieft, and therefore nothing could prevent their being married. The fecret paffage through which the cardinal went every evening to the queen's apartment is ftill to be feen at the Palais-Royal." Among other proofs befides the above, which M. de St. Mihiel brings to fubftantiate this marriage, he obferves, that Mazarine held all councils of ftate in his apartment whilft he was fhaving or dreffing; that he never permitted any perfon to fit down in his prefence, not even the chancellor nor marfhal de Villeroi; and that while they were deliberating with him on state-affairs he would be often playing with his monkey or linnet. What man (continues the au

thor)

queen was able to conceal her pregnancy and delivery, Madame de Moteville is quoted; who relates, under the year 1644, that Anne of Auftria quitted the Louvre, becaufe her apartments there difpleafed her: that the went to refide at the PalaisRoyal, which Richlieu, when he died, bequeathed to the deceafed king: that when she first occupied this lodging, he was dreadfully afflicted with the jaundice; that the phyficians afcribed this disorder to her dejection and application to business, which gave her much embarraffment: but that being cured of her melancholy, as well as of her malady, she refolved to think only of enjoying tranquillity; which fhe did, by communicating to her minifter the burden of public affairs. On this quotation, M. de St. Mihiel afks, "Is it not very fingular, that the queen, who, during the twentynine years of her former wedded state, had always refided in the Louvre, especially from 1626, when Louis XIII. ceafed to cohabit with her, until their re-union, which took place in the beginning of December 1637, fhould have quitted it precifely in 1644, because she was difpleafed with her apartments? How happened it that her apartments difpleafed her this year, and neither fooner nor later? She might undoubtedly have had any kind of furniture there which the defired, and every alteration made according to her wishes, as fhe was then abfolute miftrefs: but the caufe of her determination is plain; the apartments of the Palais-Royal, which front a garden, were much more convenient for her to be delivered in fecret."

As it is neceffary that fome name fhould be given to every man, in or der to diftinguifh him from another, that of Marchiali was given to the man with the iron mafk: a name which evidently fhews, that it had been invented by an Italian. Cardinal Mazarine was a native of Pifcina in the Abruzzo.-Anne of Auftria was remarkably delicate refpecting every thing that touched her perfon. It was with great difficulty that cambric could be found fine enough to make fhifts and fheets for her. Car

dinal Mazarine, once rallying her on this fubject, faid, That, if he should be damned, her punishment in hell would be to lie in Holland fheets. The predo minant tafte of the man with the iron mask was to have, lace and linen of the most extraordinary fineness. "Who (fays the author) does not perceive, in this similarity of tastes, the maternal tenderness of Anne of Auftria, who would have thought her fon a great fufferer had he not been indulged with fine linen."

"Louis XIII. (continues M. de St. Mihiel) was a husband of a gloomy difpofition, and an enemy to plea fure: while the queen, on the contra ry, was fond of focial life; and introduced at the court of France, efpecially after he became free, that eafe and politenefs which distinguished it under Louis XIV. from all the other courts of Europe. Louis XIII. had alfo a difagreeable countenance, and a breath fo offenfive, that it was a punishment for Richlieu to remain near him. It is clear, therefore, that she could not be much pleased with fuch a husband. When fhe became regent of the kingdom by the king's death, which happened on the 14th of May 1643, as he had not enjoyed that happinefs which arifes from a clofe union of hearts, it will not appear extraordinary that she should indulge the affection fhe entertained for Cardinal Mazarine, and that the fhould marry him. Every circumftance that could tend to favour fuch a marriage will be found united in her fituation. She was at a distance from her family; abfolute miftrefs of all her actions; and had, besides, a heart formed for love. Mazarine, though a cardinal, had never entered into orders; he gave out that he was defcended from a great family; he was handfome and well made; he was of a mild infinuating difpofition, and remarkably engaging in converfation; and his office of prime minister afforded him every opportunity of vifiting and converfing with the queen whenever he thought proper. Is it, therefore, fo very aftonifhing, that, with fo many advantages, he was able to captivate the queen fo far as to induce her to marry him? Such a mar

riage was not, indeed, according to the ufual course of things. Yet it was not without many precedents, particularly among fovereigns of the other fex, who had given their hands to perfons of inferior rank. Thus Chriftian IV. of Denmark efpoufed Chriftina Monck; Frederic IV. efpoufed Mademoiselle Rewentlau; James II. heir to the throne of, England, married the daughter of a counfellor; Peter the Great raised to the throne Catharine I. the daughter of a poor villager, yet perhaps the most accomplished woman at that time between the Viftula and the pole; and Louis XIV. efpoufed the widow of a poet, but a woman poffeffed of the molt extraordinary merit. As the women, however, are not forgiven fo readily as the men for entering into fuch marriages, Anne of Austria

kept hers a fecret from this motive, and because she would have been in danger of lofing the regency of the kingdom had it been known."

The reasoning of M. de St. Mihiel is both ingenious and plaufible; but the account immediately preceding, feems now to be univerfally believed; and a late ingenious author has attempted to fhew, that the tragical end of Louis XVI. and Maria Antoinette of Auftria, is an awful verification of the words of the first commandment, “I will visit the fins of the fathers upon the children, even unto the THIRD generation;" fuggefting, that, the vengeance of heaven alighted upon them in retribution of the fufferings and premature death of the man with the iron mafk, who appears to have been the legal heir to the crown of France.

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tues, and very great vices. He had no mediocrity in any thing but his ftature in his other properties, whether good or bad, he was all extremes. His ambition rofe even to madnefs. His father was not at all mistaken in fuppofing the bounds of Macedon too fmall for his fon: for how could Macedon bound the ambition of a man, who reckoned the whole world too fmall a dominion? He wept at hearing the philofopher Anaxarchus fay, that there was an infinite number of worlds: his tears were owing to his defpair of conquering them all, fince he had not yet been able to conquer one. Livy, in a fhort digreffion, has attempted to enquire into the events which might have happened, if Alexander, after the conqueft of Afia, had brought his arms into Italy? Doubtlefs things might have taken a very different turn with him; and all the grand projects, which fucceeded fo amazingly well against an effeminate Perfian monarch, might very easily have mifcarried if he had to do with rough hardy Roman armies. And yet the valt aims of this mighty conqueror, if feen under another point of view, may appear to have VOL. I. No. 13. .

been confined in a very narrow com

with of that great heart, for which the whole earth was not big enough, was, after all, to be praised by the Athenians for it is related, that the difficulties which he encountered in order to pass the Hydafpes, forced him to cry out, "O Athenians, could you believe to what dangers I expose myself for the fake of being celebrated by you?" But Bayle affirms, that this was quite confiftent with the vast unbounded extent of his ambition, as he wanted to make all future time his own, and be an object of admiration to the latest pofterity; yet did not expect this from the conqueft of worlds, but from books. He was perfectly in the right, fays Bayle; for, if Greece had not furnished him with good writers, he would long ago have been as much forgotten as the kings who reigned in Macedon before Amphitryon."

Alexander has been much praised upon the fcore of continency. In deed, the fire of his early youth ap peared fo cold towards women, that his mother suspected him to be impotent; and, to fatisfy herself in this point, did, with the consent of Philip, procure a very handsome courtezan

to lie with him, whofe careffes, however, were all to no purpose. His behaviour afterwards to the Persian captive fhews him to have had a great command over himself in this particular. The wife of Darius was a finished beauty; her daughters likewife were all beauties; yet this young prince, who had them in his power, not only bestowed on them all the honours due to their high rank, but managed their reputation with the utmoft delicacy. Theywere kept as in a cloyfter concealed from the world, and secured from the reach of every dishonourable (not only attack, but) imputation. He did not give the leaft handle to fcandal, either by his vifits, his looks, or his words and for other Perfian dames his prifoners, equally beautiful in face and thape, he contented himfelf with faying gaily, that they gave indeed much pain to his eyes. The Amazon queen Thaleftris could not obtain from him a compliance with her gallant request till after a delay of thirteen days. In the mean time, what are we to conclude from his caufing his favourite mistress Pancafte to be drawn naked by Apelles, though it is true he gave her to the painter, who fell in love with her? What of that immoderate love of boys, which Athenæus relates of him? What of that prodigious number of wives and concubines which he kept?

His exceffes with regard to wine were notorious, and beyond all imagination; and he committed, when drunk, a thousand extravagancies. It was owing to wine, that he killed Clytus who faved his life, and burnt Perfepolis, one of the most beautiful cities of the Eaft: he did this last at the inftigation of the courtezan Thais; but this circumstance made it only the more heinous. His intrepidity and prefence of mind in the midst of danger, and in the heat of battle, could only be excelled by his generofity and humanity to his vanquished foes. The wifdom and justice with which he directed the internal government of the cities he conquered, are a high proof of his moderation and clemency; and of which the following is a pleafing as well as interefting fact.

The city of Sidon having furred. dered to Alexander, he ordered Hephæstion, his general, to bestow the crown on him whom the Sidonians fhould think most worthy of that honour. Hephæftion, being at that time refident with two young men of diftinction, offered them the kingdom; but they refufed it, telling him that it was contrary to the laws of their country to admit any one to that honour who was not of the royal family. Alexander, having expreffed his admiration of their difinterested fpirit, defired them to name one of the royal race, who might remember that he received the crown through their hands. Overlooking many who would have been ambitious of this high honour, they made choice of Abdolonymus, whofe fingular merit had rendered him confpicuous even in the vale of obfcurity. Though remotely related to the royal family, a feries of misfortunes had reduced him to the neceffity of cultivating a garden, for a small stipend, in the fu burbs of the city.

While Abdolonymus was bufily employed in weeding his garden, the two friends of Hephæftion, bearing in their hands the enfigns of royalty, approached him, and faluted him king, informing him that Alexander had appointed him to that office; and requiring him immediately to ex"change his ruftic garb, and utenfils of hufbandry, for the regal robe and fceptre. At the fame time, they urged him, when he should be feated on the throne, and have a nation in his power, not to forget the humble condition from which he had been raised.

All this, at the firft, appeared to Abdolonymus as an illufion of the fancy, or an infult offered to his poverty. He requested them not to trouble him farther with their impertinent jefts, and to find fome other way of amusing themselves, which might leave him in the peaceable enjoyment of his obfcure habitation.— At length, however, they convinced him that they were ferious in their propofal, and prevailed upon him to accept the regal office, and accompa ny them to the palace.

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