No More Learning

R. Webb, a Windsor musician, who was master
to the young princesses, daughters of George
the Third, had a nose, from some strange
calamity, of so enormous a size, that it covered all the
middle of his face. When first Mr. Webb was to go to
the Princess Sophia, who was then just nine years old,
Queen Charlotte, her mother, told her he had had
some accident to disfigure his whole face, by making
him an enormous nose; but desired her to remember,
this was a misfortune for which he ought to be pitied,
and that she must be sure not to laugh at it, or stare
at it; and she minded this very well, and behaved
always very properly. But while Lady Cremorne was
at the Lodge, she was one day with the princess when
Mr. Webb came to give her a lesson. As soon as he
was named, the princess coloured very red, and ran
up to Lady Cremorne, saying to her in a whisper,
"Lady Cremorne, Mr. Webb has got a very great
nose, but that is only to be pitied, so mind you do not
laugh. "
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? 112
KINDNESS AND
QUEEN CAROLINE'S LESSON TO HER
DAUGHTER.
HE tenderness of Queen Caroline, consort of
George the Second, for the feelings of others,
was always superior to court etiquette. One day,
observing that one of the princesses made one of her
ladies stand a long time, whilst she was talking to her
on some trifling subject, the queen determined to take
an early opportunity of giving to her daughter a prac-
tical reprimand for her conduct, which would carry
more weight with it than a mere precept could con-
vey. For this purpose, when her Royal Highness
came as usual, to read to her in the evening, and was
drawing a chair to sit down, the Queen motioned to
her to stand, and thus to commence the evening's
amusement; and for an hour she kept her standing:
until seeing her almost exhausted, her majesty ob-
served, " Now, my dear, you may sit down: you will
now be able to judge of the impropriety of subjecting
your ladies to etiquette unnecessarily. "
THE DAUPHIN, SON OF LOUIS THE SIXTEENTH.
EFORE the breaking out of the French Revolu-
tion, the Dauphin was already, at four years old,
much talked of for his beautiful person, and pre-
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? DELICACY OP FEELING. 113
cocious powers of mind, and many would go from Paris,
to walk in the park of St. Cloud, in the hope of seeing
him. A lady, celebrated as an instructress of young
people, went among others, but was introduced by a
lady of the court to the interior of the palace, and
when about to be presented to the Dauphin, she asked
the same favour for her pupils. When the three little
ladies had had the honour of kissing the Dauphin's
hand, he himself advanced to their governess, and
said, with admirable discernment of what was due to
her age and superior endowments, "But you, madam:
I beg you will kiss my cheek. "
LERI, in his account of the imprisonment of the
unfortunate Louis the Sixteenth and his family, in
the Temple, relates the following interesting anec-
dote of the little Dauphin, then about eight years old.
"One night, when recovering from my illness,
having put the prince to bed, I retired to give place to
the queen and princesses, who came to embrace him,
and wish him good night. Mad. Elizabeth, who had
been prevented from speaking to me, by the watchful-
ness of the municipal officers, took advantage of this
moment to put into the prince's hand a little box of
ipecacuanha lozenges, which she charged him to give
I
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? 114
KINDNESS AND
me when I returned. The princesses retired into their
apartment, the king into his closet, and I went to sup-
per. I returned at about eleven o'clock into his ma-
jesty's chamber, to prepare his bed: I was alone, and
the prince called to me in a low tone of voice: I was
much surprised that he was not asleep, and fearing he
was indisposed, asked him how it happened: 'My aunt
gave me a little box for you,' said he, 'and I would
not go to sleep till I had given it to you: I am glad
you are come, for my eyes have shut up several times. '
Mine were filled with tears: he perceived it, embraced
me, and in two minutes was fast asleep. "
THE DAUPHIN, FATHER OF LOUIS THE
SIXTEENTH.
Ill
ml
WOUNDED officer once presented to Louis,
Dauphin of France, father of Louis the Six-
teenth, a petition, requesting an advance of pay,
to enable him to visit some mineral waters, for the
recovery of his health: his paleness and weakness
sufficiently proved that his request was reasonable.
The Dauphin was much affected, and turning to the
Duke de Chatillon, his governor, said, "This poor
man cannot wait for the affair to go through the regu-
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? DELICACY OF FEELING. 115
lar forms: I feel inclined to give him a sufficient sum
to visit the waters. " The duke much approved this
generous impulse, and the prince immediately pre-
sented him double the amount of the advance he had
asked, saying, "This sum will enable you to make
the journey, and on your return, you can solicit the
advance. "
THE DUKE DE CHARTRES, FATHER OF KING
LOUIS PHILIPPE.
HE Duke de Chartres, father of Louis Philippe,
the ex-king of France, gave audience at the
early age of fourteen, and among the officers of
all ranks, belonging to his regiment and his father's,
who presented themselves, he remarked one, who much
interested him, by his fine countenance and melan-
choly air. On inquiry, he learned that he was ex-
tremely poor, and denied himself every luxury, in order
to support his mother and two sisters, who depended
entirely upon him. After this information, the duke
laid by the whole of his pocket-money for two months,
when it amounted to forty louis: his difficulty was how
to convey this sum to the officer, when fortunately, he
received a present of a large quantity of sugar-plums,
and it occurred to him, to fill several twisted papers
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KINDNESS AND
with sugar-plums, and to enclose his forty louis in the
same way; the next time the poor officer appeared at
the audience, the duke said in a joking manner, that
he had had some sugar-plums given to him, and was
going to distribute a few to every one present. The
poor officer found his packet so heavy, that he made a
movement of surprise, but the prince motioned him to
be silent. When he left the Palais-Royal, however,
his gratitude was still more indiscreet than his surprise,
for he repeated the story to every one.
MARIA LECZINSKA, QUEEN OF LOUIS THE
FIFTEENTH.
ARIA Leczinska, Queen of Louis the Fif-
teenth, passing through the apartments of
Versailles, one day, with her usual suite, was
accosted unceremoniously by a peasant, who said to
her, "Now, my good queen, I have come from a great
distance on purpose to see you; pray let me enjoy this
pleasure at my ease. " "Very willingly, my good
woman," said the Queen, stopping, and she began to
ask her questions about her country and her family. The villager retired, transported with her kindness.
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? DELICACY OF PEELING.
117
THE EMPRESS-QUEEN MARIA THERESA.
POOR woman, above a hundred years old, had
been in the habit of presenting herself on Holy
Thursday, among the poor women, whose feet the
Empress-Queen Maria Theresa washed on that day.
At length her infirmities prevented her from reaching
the palace, and she sent a message to the Empress,
telling her how deeply she regretted not being able to
form one at this pious ceremony, not so much from
the honour she should have received, as because she
was thus deprived of the happiness of seeing her adored
sovereign. The princess, touched at the sentiments
of the good woman, went herself to the village she in-
habited, to pay her a visit: she found her confined to
her homely couch. "You are sorry you could not go
to me," said the kind Maria Theresa: "be comforted;
I am come to see you. " The poor woman was over-
powered at such condescension: her eyes were filled
with tears: her open mouth refused to utter a word:
she clasped her hands, and looked upon her sovereign
as an angel from heaven, come to console her for her
sufferings. The Empress talked with her a long time,
and then left her a sum of money sufficient to procure
her every comfort.
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? 118
KINDNESS AND
A RUSSIAN PRINCESS.
ICHAEL Schuppach, the Swiss doctor, who by
the wonderful cures he wrought on persons
who had been given up by regular physicians,
obtained so great a celebrity during the last century,
was often visited by persons of distinction and fortune,
from every country in Europe.
There were once assembled in Michael Schuppach's
laboratory, a great many distinguished persons, some
to consult him, and some out of curiosity: among them
were many French ladies and gentlemen, and a Rus-
sian Prince, with his daughter, whose singular beauty
attracted general attention. A young French Mar-
quis attempted, for the amusement of the ladies, to
display his wit on the miraculous doctor; but the
latter, though not much acquainted with the French
language, answered so cleverly, that the Marquis had
not the laugh on his side. During the conversation,
there entered an old peasant meanly dressed, with a
snow-white beard, a neighbour of Schuppach's. The
doctor directly turned away from his great company,
to his old neighbour, and hearing that his wife was ill,
set about preparing the necessary medicine for her,
without paying much attention to his more exalted
guests, whose business he did not think so pressing.
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? DELICACY OP FEELING. 119
The Marquis was now deprived of one subject of his
wit, and therefore chose to turn his jokes against the
old man, who was waiting while his neighbour, Mi-
chael, was preparing something for his old Mary.
After many silly observations upon his long white
beard, he offered a wager of twelve louis d'or, that none
of the ladies would kiss the old fellow. The Russian
Princess, hearing these words, made a sign to her at-
tendant, who brought her a salver. The Princess put
twelve louis d'or on it, and had it carried to the Mar-
quis, who, of course could not decline to add twelve
others. Then the fair Russian went up to the old
peasant, and said, "Permit me, venerable father, to
salute you after the fashion of my country. " Saying
this, she embraced him, and gave him a kiss. She
then presented him the gold which was on the salver,
with these words: "Take this as a remembrance of
me, and as a proof that the Russian girls think it
their duty to honour old age. "
ALEXANDER THE GREAT.
LEXANDER the Great, during the time that
the wife, mother, and children of Darius were
his prisoners, behaved towards them with the
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? 120
KINDNESS AND
utmost delicacy, politeness, and humanity; and having
received from Macedonia a great quantity of purple
stuffs and rich habits, made after the fashion of that
country, he presented them to Sysigambis, the mother
of Darius, together with the artificers who had wrought
them. He likewise commanded the messengers to
tell her, that in case she fancied those stuffs, she might
make her grandchildren learn the art of weaving them,
by way of amusement; and to give them to whomso-
ever they should think proper. At these words, the
tears that fell from her eyes showed but too evidently
how greatly she was hurt at this proposal; the working
in wool being considered by the Persian women as
highly ignominious. Those who carried these pre-
sents, having told the king that Sysigambis was very
much dissatisfied, he thought himself obliged to make
an apology for what he had done, and administer con-
solation to her. Accordingly, he paid her a visit,
when he spoke thus: "Mother, the stuff in which you
see me clothed was not only a gift from my sisters,
but was wrought by their fingers. Hence, I beg you
to believe, that the custom of my country misled me;
and do not consider that as an insult, which was owing
entirely to ignorance. I believe I have not as yet
done any thing which I knew interfered with your man-
ners and customs. I was told, that among the Persians
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? DELICACY OF FEELING. 121
it is a sort of crime for a son to seat himself in his
mother's presence, without first obtaining her leave.
You are sensible how cautious I have always been in
this particular, and that I never sat down till you had
first laid your commands upon me to do so. And as
the highest testimony of the veneration I have for you,
I have always called you by the tender name of
mother, though this belongs properly to Olympias
only, to whom I owe my birth. "
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? HUMANITY OR BENEVOLENCE.
"Homo sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto. '
fp^UMANITY or Mercy is the first great attribute
rnSm ? ^ Deity, "maketh his rain to fall upon
the just and upon the unjust;" and it is a signal
proof of the Divinity of the Christian Religion, that the
duty which it inculcates above all others, is Charity.
To feel for the sufferings of others, seems like an
instinct implanted in Human Nature, and we are told
that the line of Terence, which I have placed at the
head of this chapter, simple as the sentiment appears,
drew down a thunder of applause from the Roman
audience.
For the practice of this virtue, no age is too early,
and we have some pretty instances of very young
Princes, who have exhibited Benevolent Feelings.
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? HUMANITY OR BENEVOLENCE. 123
THE YOUNG PRINCES OF BRUNSWICK.
FTER the battle of Leipsic, a subscription was
set on foot throughout England, for the benefit
of the widows and orphans of those who had
fallen. The two little princes of Brunswick, then
residing near London, agreed together, to give all their
pocket-money, with the addition of a hoard of old foreign
coins, which they had been for some time accumulating,
in aid of the fund. They requested their tutor to take
them to one of the houses where subscriptions were
received, and then, to his great surprise, produced the
bag in which their treasure had been kept, and begged
the amount might be received.
NAPOLEON, KING OF ROME.
NE day, when the little king of Rome was amus-
ing himself in observing the passers-by, he saw
under the window where he was standing with
his governess, a woman in deep mourning, leading a
little boy, of three or four years old, dressed also in
black. He had in his hand a paper, which he held up
to the prince, as if he wished to give it to him.
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HUMANITY OR
"Why is that poor little boy dressed in black? "
said the King of Rome. "No doubt his papa is dead,"
replied his governess. The young prince then ex-
pressed his desire to speak to the little petitioner, and
Mad. de Montesquieu gave orders to bring in the
mother and the child. They were introduced to the son
of Napoleon, who hearing that the lady was the widow
of an officer, killed in the preceding campaign, took
upon himself to present the petition to the emperor.
The next day, when he went to pay his respects to
his father, he gave him the petition of his protege.
"Papa, this is the petition of a little boy, dressed all
in black, and whose papa died in your service: he
asks for a pension for his mamma, who is very un-
happy.
" "Come," said the emperor, "you are begin-
ning to grant pensions pretty early! But, so much
the better. "
The brevet of the pension was made out in the
course of the day, with orders for the treasurer to pay
a year in advance.
THE PRINCESS CHARLOTTE OF WALES.
jURING the residence of the Princess Charlotte
of Wales at Bognor, an officer of long standing
in the army was arrested for a small sum, and
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? BENEVOLENCE.
125
being at a distance from his friends, and unable to pro-
cure bail, he was on the point of being torn from his
family, to be conveyed to Arundel gaol. The circum-
stance came to the knowledge of the Princess, who, in
the momentary impulse of generous feeling, exclaimed,
"I will be his bail! " Then recollecting herself, she
inquired the amount of the debt; which being told her,
"There," said she, handing a purse with more than
the sum, "take this to him: it is hard that he, who
has exposed his life in the field of battle, should ever
experience the rigours of a prison. "
THE CHILDREN OF GEORGE THE THIRD.
NE day at breakfast, whilst his Majesty George
the Third was reading the newspaper to the
Queen, one of the youngest of the Princesses
said, "Mamma, I cannot think what a prison is. "
Upon its being explained, and understanding that the
prisoners were often half-starved, the child replied,
"That is very cruel, for the prison is bad enough
without starving; but I will give all my allowance to
buy bread for the poor prisoners. " Due praise was
given for this benevolent intention, which was directed
to be put in force, together with an addition from the
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? 126 HUMANITY OR
royal parents; and many a person was relieved, with-
out knowing his benefactors.
THE DAUPHIN, SON OF LOUIS THE SIXTEENTH.
ARTE Antoinette, with the view of inculcating
sentiments of humanity in the Dauphin, took
him to see various hospitals and charitable in-
stitutions in Paris: he was particularly interested at the
Enfans Trouves, and on his return, repeatedly said
to his Mamma: "Mamma, when shall we go again? "
He immediately began to lay by part of his pocket-
money, in a little casket that Madame Elizabeth had
given him, and with some additions from her, his little
treasure soon amounted to a considerable sum. The
king, who was not in the secret, saw him one day,
very busily employed, in counting and piling up his
pieces of money. "Why, Charles, you are saving up
your money like a miser! " Colouring at the very word,
Miser, the young prince said: "Yes, papa, I am a
miser, but it is for those poor Foundling Children:
Ah, if you could see them, you would so pity them! "
Charmed at his sensibility, the king took him into his
arms, and ended by completely filling the casket.
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? BENEVOLENCE.
127
HE little Dauphin, having one day been rather
idle, and inattentive to his lessons, his Mamma,
thought proper, as a penance, to take from him
his favourite little dog, Moufflet, and shut him up in a
dark closet. This was a sad privation to poor Moufflet
also, who was extremely fond of his young master:
he began to whine, then to growl, then to scratch
against the door, and at length to bark most terribly.
The Dauphin could bear it no longer, and ran to the
Queen's apartment. "Mamma," said he, " Moufflet is
very unhappy, yet it is not he who has been naughty.
If you will let him out, I will go into his place, and
stay as long as you please. " His proposal was acceded
to, Moufflet was set at liberty, and the Prince remained
quietly in the dark closet, till his Mamma chose to
release him.
THE DUKE DE CHARTRES, EX-KING OF THE
FRENCH.
AD. de Genlis relates the following anecdote of
her eldest pupil, the Duke de Chartres, ex-
king of the French.
"During our stay at Spa, we were advised to make
an excursion to the old castle of Franchimont, situated
on the summit of a high mountain, from which there
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HUMANITY OR
is a most splendid view: we were told, at the same
time, that many prisoners for debt were confined within
the castle. M. de Chartres cried out, in the impulse
of the moment, that if there were prisoners in the
castle, the view would not be at all beautiful to him;
and he immediately proposed to make a subscription to
deliver them. I much approved the idea, and, thanks
to the ardent zeal of the prince, the necessary sum
was soon collected, and the prisoners liberated. We
then ascended the mountain, and were indeed en-
chanted with the prospect. "
A LETTER FROM THE DUKE DE CHARTRES TO
MAD. DE GENLIS, HIS GOVERNESS.
(f (? ||j[jE me priverai de mes menus plaisirs jusqu'a`
la fin de mon e? ducation, c'est a` dire jusqu' au
premier Avril, 1790, et j'en consacrerai l'ar-
gent a` la bienfaisance. Tous les premiers du mois
nous en de? ciderons l'emploi; je vous prie d'en recevoir
ma parole d'honneur la plus sacre? e. Je pre? fe? rerais que
ceci ne fu^t que de vous a` moi; mais vous savez bien
que tous mes secrets sont et seront toujours les vo^tres. "
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? BENEVOLENCE.
129
PULCHERIA, DAUGHTER OF MAD. DE GENLIS. AD. de Genlis gives us the following beautiful
anecdote of her younger daughter, Pulcheria,
whom she educated with the princes of Orleans.
"Pulcheria possessed, what is more valuable than
the most brilliant talents, a noble and disinterested
character, and a feeling heart. When she was about
fifteen, and we inhabited Belle Chasse, I was aware
that she assisted a poor old woman who lived near us,
and I imagined that her care was confined to giving
her the greater part of her pocket-money, and the
sums that she received on her own birthday, on that
of her father, and on New Year's day. It was the
winter season, and a particularly severe one. As I
regulated every expense at Belle Chasse, I had ordered
that but three logs of wood should be taken every
morning into my daughter's room. I perceived that
every morning when she came into my apartment, she
had a chilly appearance that I had never before per-
ceived in her; she shivered, and sat almost in the fire.
It was in vain I scolded her, she never answered, but
on the following day the same thing took place, and
this went on for six weeks. At length my faithful
Florian, who had always an eye to the interests of the
E
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HUMANITY OR
house, told me he had discovered that a little scullion,
named Albinori, carried away every morning very
early, a certain quantity of wood; and that, when
taken in the fact, he had insolently refused to enter
into any explanation. I sent for Albinori, and ques-
tioned him with great severity, which did not seem to
frighten him: he declared that he had acted by the
orders of Mad"! de Genlis, who went without fire in
order to give all her wood to her poor old woman, and
Albinori, in confiding this to me, with all the import-
ance of an ambassador, charged with an honourable
mission, begged me not to say a word to Mad"? de
Genlis, as she had made him promise to keep it a great
secret. Inexpressible indeed was my pleasure at this
discovery.
"I sent a load of wood to the poor woman, on con-
dition that Pulcheria should make use of her own three
logs. To endure bodily suffering for the sake of doing
good, is certainly the most rare and most affecting
kind of charity, and a few days afterwards, Pulcheria
made a charming observation to me, when I asked her
whether she was not pleased to have her fire again,
while she was dressing; 'Mamma,' said she, 'I have
lost the habit of enjoying a fire in my chamber. '"
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? BENEVOLENCE.
131
MARIA THERESA, EMPRESS OF AUSTRIA. ARIA Theresa was admitted by her father, the
Emperor Charles the Sixth, at the early age of
fourteen, to be present at the sittings of the
council. She always sat silent, but it was observed
that, however protracted the deliberations, she never
betrayed any signs of weariness, but listened with the
most eager attention to all she could, and all she could
not understand. The only use she made of her new
privilege was to be the bearer of petitions in behalf of
those who prevailed on her benevolence or her youthful
inexperience to intercede for them. The emperor, be-
coming at length impatient at the increasing number
of these petitions, said to her on one occasion, "You
seem to think a sovereign has nothing to do but to
grant favours! " "I see nothing else that can make a
crown supportable," replied his daughter: she was then
about fifteen.
THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY, GRANDSON OF
LOUIS THE FIFTEENTH.
ANY clever preceptors, many excellent fathers,
induce their young people to give money to the
poor; but these gifts, says King Stanislaus,
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HUMANITY OR
seldom have the effects that are expected from them,
because they are not always the fruit of personal sacri-
fice and privation. Louis, Duke of Burgundy, of whom
I have already spoken, was accustomed to perform
charitable and generous actions, but always at his own
expense.
He had long desired to have a little park of artil-
lery, and a very complete one was offered to him, at
the price of a hundred louis d'or. The money was
ready, and the prince was on the point of making the
purchase, when he heard a brave officer spoken of, who
was ruined by an unexpected change in some military
arrangements. Having asked the particulars, and
learned that this brave soldier, full of honour and pro-
bity, was reduced to sleep in a garret, and possessed
nothing but the clothes he wore, "Come," said he,
"no artillery and he sent the hundred louis d'or to
the poor and virtuous captain.
GETA, SON OF THE EMPEROR SEVERUS.
HE Roman Emperor Septimus Severus, after his
victories over the generals Niger and Albinus, returned in triumph to Rome, where he exer-
cised great severities, and condemned to death twenty-
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? BENEVOLENCE.
133
nine senators, whom he accused of having favoured his
enemies, but whose guilt was never proved.
His younger son, Geta, was only eight years old
when this occurred, but he appeared so deeply afflicted
when he heard Severus order so many executions, that
the emperor perceived it, and said to him, "My child,
it is so many enemies from whom I am delivering
you. "
The little prince then, in a low tone, asked his
attendants whether these unfortunate persons had not
children, relations, and friends, and as they were
obliged to tell him that they had many, " There will
be, then," said he, "more persons to weep at our vic-
tory, than to rejoice with us. "
Such a reflection, from a child of eight years old,
made a great impression upon the emperor, who would
perhaps have pardoned his victims, had he not been
incited to persevere in his cruel intentions, by Cara-
calla, his elder son.
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? FORGIVENESS OF INJURIES.
"To err is human, to forgive, divine. "--Pope.
HIS is the first and greatest of Christian virtues,
and this precept alone would set the Christian
Religion above all human Institutions: no an-
cient legislator, no mere moral philosopher, ever
imagined the putting of such a principle as this into
the human mind.
Our Saviour himself is our greatest and most touch-
ing example of the practice of it: "Lord, forgive them,
for they know not what they do I" In the martyrs of
old, and in other truly Christian persons, who have
suffered persecution to the death, we have proofs of the
softening and calming power of this principle upon the
mind. Charles the First of England, and Louis the
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? FORGIVENESS OF INJURIES. 135
Sixteenth of France, both very religious princes, de-
prived by popular fury of their crown, and of their
life, pardoned their enemies with their latest breath.
If we are wanting in instances of young princes, who
have acted upon this precept, it is not that we fail in
examples of illustrious children, who have been early
impressed with truly Christian principles, but that the
active exertion of this virtue can seldom be called forth
in them: who can offend, who can injure a little Prince,
protected and overshadowed by the Throne, near
which he stands! I have, however, one instance, and
one so beautiful, that it well deserves to stand alone.
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? 136 FORGIVENESS OF INJURIES.
LOUIS THE SEVENTEENTH.
"Since the birth of Cain, the first male child,
To him that did but yesterday suspire,
There was not such a gracious creature born. " Shakspeare.
FTER the execution of Louis the Sixteenth, the
unfortunate Dauphin, then become Louis the
Seventeenth, was torn from the arms of his
mother, and placed in the charge of the brutal Simon,
formerly a low shoemaker.
The tender age, the innocence, the angelic counte-
nance, the delicate health of the royal child, had no
effect in softening the manners of this ferocious guar-
dian. He made use of the most horrid language in
his presence, disturbed him from his sleep, often
threatened to knock him down, and once, as a last
refinement in cruelty, obliged the descendant of sixty
kings to wait upon him at table.
"Capet," said Simon one day to him, when the war
of La Vendee seemed for a time to turn in favour of
the Royalists, "If these Vendeans should deliver you,
what would you do? " "I would forgive you," replied
the young king.
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