THE DUTCHESS OF BERRI IN LA VENDEE. SOME doubt has

been thrown upon the authenticity of this work ; and the Times states it as a fact well known in Paris, that the manufacturer is ALEXANDRE DUMAS. This may be the case ; but we see nothing in the volume itself to justify any doubt of the truth pede all improvement in the institution. The Royal Society of General DEamoNcouar was second in command during the late Literature has printed some historical papers, as destitute of merit Vendean insurrection. had he been chief, he tells us he would as those in the .:Irekeeoteela ; and no other society exists in Eng- very soon have terminated the business, by the capture Of the land for the promotion of historical kaowledge. The lover of his- Dutchess : as it was, his dispositions and activity prevented the tory is, however, refreshed by casting his eyes to the sister king- rebels from making that head which even their conaparati‘eh- dom, where knowledge is cultivated for its own sake, and where scanty means might have enah'ed them to do. His situation thus the stimulus of sordid pelf does not exert its baneful influence iu gave him access to information of which the newspaper reporters of

rendering the situations of ollice-bearers of literary or scientilic the day were ignorant; but, excepting some rather dry professional

societies objects of i:iirigue and a provision for greedy dependants. Instructions, Circulars, Reports, &e. relating to minor or personal of its substance, neither can we perceive any motive for forgery. That the materials of General DERM 0 NCO ti.r have been arranged by s. literary friend or a 'professional littertitear, is very likely ; and by this means, some colouring may have been given to the descrip- tions, and some vivacity to the dialogues. It is not in these, how ever, that the real value of the work consists. In our notice we shall treat its historical facts as deserving of credit ; its sketches

matters, his exclusive intelligence upon official points is not exceed-

ingly hnportant. Of the actual adventures of the Dutchess—of her j,:urney front Marseilles to La Vendia:--of her exploits in that dis- trict, sometimes on foot sometimes on horseback—of the risks she run, the hardships she endured, the courage she displayed—and finally, of her concealment and detection ill Nantes, by the instru- mentality of DEUTZ—we learn little more than we knew already by that the labours of tho society of Antiquaries of Scotland are at means of the newspapers. For t he more valuable part of his iufur- all events as valuable us those of their brethren of this metropolis, matien, we are indebted to an accident. On arresting one of the as far as the fernier extend; and in the same length of time they leaders of the Cin.lists, a solder, penetrating• into the cellar of the appear to have printed nearly as much matter in an equally ex- • chateau in search of wine, discovered a bottle containing papers. pensive form. The funds of the London Society are at least. four On examination, these proved to be " letters, memoranda,and notes times as great, and its members three times as numerous as of the written in cipher." From these documents, and from some facts Scottish Society. The firmer has apartments, rent, and we be- which the General incidentally narrates, a strong light is thrown here taxes, free. It possess two Secretaries, one of whom has a upon the rashness and folly of the late attempt at restoring the salary of -200/. or 250/. per annum, with apartments, coals, and Bourbons, as well as on the very slender probability that any candies : the other Secretary had a salary of lee/. per annum, future Carlist schemes (and some are now talked of) would lead which was lately increased to 15(11.; rnal:ing the expense of the two Secretaries (whose utl:ces are almost sinecures) above 4001. per unman. There is also a salary to the Under Librarian; and to this outlay is to be mudded, the cost of tea, curer, toast and muffins, each evening when the Society meets, as well as of the wine at the annual dimmer. Is it surprising, under such a system, that the institution is useless when half its finds is consumed in salaries, perquisites, eating and drinking ? -What can be ex- pected from such a literary society but what it yields—the elee- mosynary contributions of country gentlemen on broken bricks, tiles, old pots and pans; or interminable elaborate details of open- ing barrows, essays on some hobbvhorsical subject, or page after page of etchings of illuminations in ancient psalters or missals, teaching nothing, and tending to no other possible object than to fill the volume, gratify an individual's whims, and give to him the air of having been busy in the service of the Society.

to any other result than the rum of their contrivers. It appears from the statements and documents in the volume, that though many inconsiderate or secondary persons urged on the Dutchess to the invasion of France, "every prudent man, however warmly lie might be attached to the restoration of her son, wrote to her not to come." The inure favourable letters were eagerly

made use of' by those about her, to stimulate her to the attempt; the others were garbled or suppressed. On her arrival, many of those who had been lavish of promises were alarmed at the despe- rate nature of the undertaking, and shrunk back. The Marquis DE Coiserx, her principal reliance in La Venthle, sent to her a long dissuasive letter, representing- the want of arms, ammuni- tion, and organization amongst the Henriquists, and the utter mad- ness of making any attempt unless supported by a general insur- rection in the Southern provinces, or assisted by the diversion of a foreign army on the frontiers. BOURMONT'S opinion was to the same effect : he thought " that no hope could be founded upon this insurrection, which he considered a lamentable piece of rashness and fully. He was so strongly of this opinion, that he had taken upon himself to send an almost counter-order to the Vendean chiefs,. trusting that when he saw the Dutchess of BERRI he should suc- ceed in making her renounce her project." Of the twelve Ven- dean chiefs, seven protested against the scheme, in the names of their followers, whom they sent to their homes; but declared that, individually, they were ready to sacrifice their lives. When time news reached Paris, the Royalists were " consternated." From the unpopular proceedings of Government, they had some hopes of future success; from Vendean revolts, they had none. A meeting took place, and BERRYER undertook to convey its senti- ments to the Dutchess. After some difficulties and adventures (minutely described in the volume), he procured an audience, and succeeded in persuading her to leave France. But within a day she had changed her mind, and determined to proceed to the last extremity. The result was—the destruction both of property and life, the exposure of vast multitudes to severe privations, and her own eventual capture and disgrace.

It may he said that these facts depend in a measure upon the veracity of General DERNIONCOURT—at least upon the authenticity of the volume. But he states others of a more public and less disputable nature. When the Dutchess landed, an insurrection was to have taken place in Marseilles. A tumultuous mob as- sembled, tore down the tricolour flag from a church, and hoisted the white. This tumult, however, was quelled by a sub lieutenant on duty ; who seized the ringleader (a colonel) by the collar, and dragged him to the guardhouse: when the rebels dispersed. The greatest number of men General DERNIONCOURT appears ever to have required on an expedition, was seven hundred. The armies of the King of the French are -100,000 strong. In the only action of the slightest consequence which took place between the Govern- ment and the Carlists, 125 soldiers routed 800 Chouans. In Nantes, the capital of La Vendee, the greatest precautions were necessary to preserve the prisoners from the indignation of the citizens. Apprehensions were even entertained for the safety of the Dutchess ; and she did not pass from the place of her capture to the castle (a distance of not more than sixty yards) without " low murmurs, but of deadly import," and other tokens of "bitter hatred " from the assembled crowd. Such were the results of " an • appeal to the people " on behalf of HENRY the Fifth. The Go- vernment of France may be unstable, the dynasty of Louis PHILIP may be overthrown; but it does not appear likely to be succeeded by that of a Bourbon. The Dutchess heiself, however, is the subject of the work; and to the majority of readers, the exhibition of her character will be the chief point of interest. Unluckily, it is in the parts where the heroine is introduced on the scene that the embellishments of the dramatist are most visible. It may be that the romantic interest of her adventures seemed to require some kindred quality in the description ; or the singularities of her mixed character— her courage in braving dangers, her fortitude in sustaining hardships, the confiding rashness with which she threw herself upon the fidelity of strangers and the generosqy of enemies, her romantic :attachment to the inleros's of her son (notwithstauding the very unromantic dil)roemen1), even her wilfulness, and at times her almost childi-h sitnplicity, together with a gaiety, or, as more phlegmatic persons would term it, an insensibility, that never tailed her—might appear to a dramatist too well adapted to his art to be left to themselves. Whatever may have been the cause, the result of the treatment is not happy, and gives to many of these portions of the work an idea of being only "fimilifedial facts,. as the play-bills have it. At the same time, it should be observed that this is an Erer/ish opinion. Our neighbours, who aim at more dramatic ell;.:et in their conduct, May coll,ida its SCOUCS tnore natural and less theatrical than matter-of-faet Englislunen will be inclined to do.

As a specimen of the work, we will quote a few of the passages we allude to; and will commence with the first landing of the Dutchess from the Carlo Alberto steam-boat.

The weather was unfavourable to landing upon the ceese There was a heavy swell, it blew fresh, and an attempt to !war tho Lod any where ex- cept in the roadstead of Marseilles, would expose the vessel to to eat danger'. The caloain, nevertheless, Welt!' the Dutchess to run the risk ; bur she feirmally objected to it, requesting only that a heat might be le.,vered, a, she was resolved to attempt a Lifeline en the coast. For a coosidetable time, the Captain re- fused to comply ; bet it is a peculiarity in the character of the Dutehess of Berri, to ;Aiere loore rongly to her resolutions When :my oppositiun is offered to them; and, seeioe the Captain's reeisnume to her will, she gave peremptory orders to lower t boat. The commander of the steamer hail now no alterna- tive but to obey. The Vessel was freighted by her Royal Highness, and was, therefore, under her emitted. 31oreover, the reasons she gave, wen: seem!; she had, she said, herself fixed the hour fir the instil.] eetion, and she would not fail to be present at that hour ; ehe would not be deterred front keeping her word by the fear of a danger which certainly exi • Led. but was not insurmount- able, and thus place the throne of her sen'in jeopardy, as teen as the lives of those who were about Ti) hazard all in her cruse.

The therefore, had the boat Iutrrred ; two persons entered it with

the thorlees. namely, 11. Ile Wiens t leneral de lieurniont. 'flte rowers

took their seats, and -the frail bark, sup:a:ding frein the ebenner, disappeared between two nienntains of water, then rose upon the top of a wave like a flake of foam.

. It was by at miracle that so slight a vessel was able, during three hours, to resist so heavy a sea. The Dutchess, on this orcesien, was what she eltvays is in teal danger—calm, and aliment gay. She is one of these hail. delicate beings whom a In tenth would he supposedl to have power to bend, and yet typo oily enjoy existence with a tempest either over thew head or in their bosem.

At length the three ad ventuums passengers flour the Carlo Alberto, were landed on the (mast without being perceived, for night had ILegun to set in. Not daring to enter aoy hence, they resolved to pass the whete they were. The Dutchess, hey tug tvrapped herself in a cloak, lay down under the .Leper of a rock and fell asleep, while \1 de Meffiars and General Bournemt kept watch over her till daylight.

The movement that was to have taken place at Marseilles having failed, as we have already described, the adventurers were placed in a situation of embarrassment. Having passed the day in the hut of a charcoal-burner, the Dutchess determined to cross France and take shelter in La Vendet" ; and they started with the owner of the lint for a guide.

The little party now left the eca-shore. The night wes dark, and they could distinguish Mal seilks at the other extremity of the hay mule by its numerous which twinkled like stars. Now and then a murmur arose frum the agitated city, and being carried forward hy a low and humid current of air, reached the cars of the travellers. Then the Do idle,: would turn rowel, cast another parting glance towards the city of her lust !woes. and ag it resume her wearisome journey with a sigh. Theee sympteaus iti regi et did :lot, however, last long; Land no sooner had she lost sight of Marseilles, than slat seemed to have forgetter' her disappoinment, and to think of nothing lint the road ; the difficulties ..nel reg-nsIness of which increased with every step of her plug' ess. The night was teL hark. that the travellers could with difficulty see where they placed their feet ; and in this way they walked on during five consecutive houcs. 'The guide then snipped ; every trace of the pathway hail disappeared. and the party found thentsellTS in the midst of rocks, with a few stunted olive trees scattered here and there. The guide betrayed evident marks of indecisitui ; and, On being questioned by the travellers, at length confe:sed that he had deviated from the path, the darkness having prevented him from following. it. and that he knew not where they then were. Ile begged he iii ffit be allowed to set out alone, and seek the path, promising, to retort' f.ir the patches: and her com- panions the moment he had t; mud it. But as this man might possibly prove a traitor who had led them out of the road the more easily tm betray them, Gene- ral de Bout-went opposed his being allowed to &pert. The Dutchess, on the other 11 Ind. was so dreadfully tired that she could walk no further. Tile pre- you shall receive my orders at Nantes; proceed thither and wait there for nod Monsieur de Menars do you reach Montpellier ; there I will let you know where I am. Adieu, gentlemen ; I wish you a safe journey, and may God be with you!"

So saving, she gave them her band to kiss, and took leave of thetO, They both aviihdrew, well knowing that remonstrance would be vain.

The Dutchess, on finding herself alone, repeated her order to the.i.gutishie:, th,ttat conduct her to the house of the .Moire. In a quarter of an hoary they were in the Maire's drawing-room, and notice was given to the roaster of the 1 a lady wanted to speak to hint in private. 1 le made his appearance iu alma ten minutes, and the Dutchess advanced to meet iii Ill.

" Sir," said she, "you are a llepublican, I know ; hut no political opinions can be applied to a proscribed fugitive. I ant the Dutchess of Berri; and I am conic to ask you for an asylum."

" Ily house is at your service, Madam."

" Year office enables you to provide Inc with a passport, and I have depended on your getting one for me."

" I will precut e you one."

"I must te-nierrow proceed to the neighbourhood of 3Iontpellier ; will you afford me the means of doing so? "

" I will no eelf conduct you thither." ii :Vete, Sir," contiotted the Dittelics,, holdiug out her band to kiln, "enter a bed to be got ready fur me, and you see that the Dutchess of Berri can sleep soundly, even under the roof of a Itepublican."

The next scene occured in La Vendee. The activity of the lloyalists subjecting her to the continual risk or capture, it was deemed advisable she should take refuge in Nantes; and she de- termined to enter it in the guise of a peasaw.

Iu con.,luence of this decision, the Dutchess of Berri set out on the very neat market-day, which I believe was the 1 tbli of June, at six o'clock iu the morning, front it cottage at which she had slept, situated in the neighbourhood of Chateau-Thiband. 3Iademoiselle de Kersabiee was dressed like the Dutchess, and M. de 31.Mars as a fanner. They had tiro leagues to journey on foot. After travelling half an hour in this trim, the thick nailed shoes and worsted stdekings, to which the Duteliess was not alemstouteti, hurt her feet. Still she

attempted to walk ; but, judging that if she continued to wear these shoes and stiwkings, she sloop soon he unable to proceed, she seated herself upon the bank of a ditch, tool: them off, thrust them into her large pockets, and continued her journey barefoot.

A moment after, leaving remarked the peasant-girls who passel her on tire road, she perceived that the fineness of her skin, and the :Lri-teeratie whiteness of her legs, were likely to betray her ; stir tiwrvfore went to tit- rold- Nide, time

some dark. coloured earth, and afler robbing her legs witlt it, re-moil her walk.

She had .t t;mr leagues to travel before she re,whed the place of her 11.,,Iiriation. This sight. it mit-t he cOnle,seth was an admirable theme to draw phile-ophical retlectioos from tlit.e who accompanied her. They beheld a woman who, tiv,1

Years heron., had her place of (2treen Mother at the Tuileries, and possessed

'Chambord and Itagetellis—rode out in a earrige drawn by six horses, with escorts of body etett ds reepleiglent with gold and silver,- -wit° us-cult to the rept,

senation of thcarrical I■ieces acted eNpre,slv for her, preceded by I thmets shakihg I heir tOrcheS,—W110 filled the theatre withler sole prcence, and on her return to her palace., reached her splendid bet-chamber, walking upon double cushions

finis Persia and Turkey. lost the floor ehould gill her delicate little feet : this woman. tile (July one of her fetidly. perhaps, who had done tootling to deserve her misfortunes, they now saw, stifl covered with the smoke of the melon at N'ivillevigi:e, beset with daeger, proserilied, a price set upon her head, :old whose '

duly escort and court consisted of an old nem Lend it young gbh—going to seek an asylum front which elec might perhaps be shut out, clad in the garments

of a peasant, walking barefoot 11p011 the angular saw; and sharp pebbl..s of the road. And it was not elie who suffered, but her companions: they had t-ats ink their eyes, and the, laughter, jests, and eansolation in her month. OIL! these are curious times we live in, when almost every cuuntry has its kings who wan- der bar-Amt throneIi the lighways I

Meanwhile, the distance became progressively .hurter; and, in proportion as they got nearer to Nantes, their fears sulesided. The Dutchess had become ac-

ctmolocd to le•r attire, and the etnintt y people on the road did 110t seem to per- ceive tli.it the little resent-woman w-ho tripped lightly by theeli, wee any other than her dress indicated. it was already a great point ,tined to deceive the in- stinct and penetration peculiar to the inhabitaets of this country, and who are rivalled, if not surpaseed in this quality., only by soldiers inured to warfare. At length rialltCS appeared in sight, and the Dutchees put on her shoes and stockings to enter the town. On reaching the Pont Pyrmile, she found herself in the midst of a detachment temunanded by an offieer formerly in the Royal

Guard, and whom site recognized as haviiig oiten seen him on duty at her palace.

Opposite to the Butilfai, sLiinebody tapped the Dutchess on the shoulder ; she started and turned round. The person guilty of this familiarity was an old apple-Woman, WhO had plarA her basket of fruit on the ground, and was unable by herself to replace it upon her head.

"31y good girls," she said, addressing the Detelless and 31aeleenoiselle de Kersabiee, "help me, pray, to take up my basket, and I will give each of you an apple."

The Dub:floss of Barri imniediatele seized a handle of the basket, made a sign to her comp.anion to I.11:1` al.,1 the load was quickly placed in equili- brium mien the head of the old woman. who was gulag away without giving the promised reward, when the I)mtelless seized her by the arm, and said, "Stop, mother, where's my apple?" The old woman having given it to her, she was eating it with an appetite sharpened by a walk of live leagues, when, raising her eyes, they f..11 upon a placard healed by these three words in very large letters—.- State of Siege."

The following passages show her under a different aspect. The first describes her capture; the second is the General's (or his friend's) account of her character.

'flwv were in this ridiculous attitude, when the Dutcliess, who must have au i x ra, :wry degree of courage to have supported so long as site Lad done the eeetiv she endured, declared she could hold nut no longer. At time salmi instant 31. de 31tMars, who had long before pressed her to give herself up, Licked open the plat. The gendarmes started back in astonishment, calling out, " Who's them c ?"

" I," replied the Dutchess. " I am the Dutchess of Berri; do not hurt me." yaneed towards me with such precipitation, that she almost fell into my arms. General," she said, to I deliver myself up to you, and I trust myself to your integrity." oMa.dam," I replied, "your Highness is under the safeguard of French honour." I led her to a chair. Her face was pale, her head bare, her hair standing up over her forehead like that of a man. Site yore a plain merino dress of a brown colour, burnt in several places at the bottom, and on her feet she had small list slippers. As she sat down, she said, strongly pressing my at nt, and in a short and strongly accentuated tone of voice; •' General. I !rive nothing to reproach -,•If with; I have perforated the duty of a mother in trying to teeover my inheritance."

I Lc moment she was seated, she looked tound for the other prisoners, and, perceiving them all, with the exception .,f 1i. Gnilintag, roinvstcd that gentle-

man mi,rlit he sent for. ::he then t1,1 to :mils me. ‘• (Ieneral," said site, "I wish it to he separated from my compani at.; in mi-fertune."

In the name of Count lint. who I was :ewe would du honour to my word, promised tier should remain with her. The I.Mtchess appeared vvry thitsty, and, though pale, seemed animated like a person in a f,ver. I hid a g! of water brought to her; she dipped her fingers into it, ;nut its coolness seemed to refiesh her a little. I then propw-ed

that she should drink one, to she ;weeded ; but as the Lon-e had brio turned topsy-turvy, it was no easy matter to get it second glass of water. At length one was loot:gilt, and she would Live been obliged to drink it within!t ,rigor had 1 out thought of Al. (le 1knars, who was standing in a eorner of the roost. It struck me that he was the kind of into likely to have sn:iar about Lim. I therefore asked him for sons!, as a thing I was sure he could give me ; and in fart lie took two lumps from his pocket. The Dotehess di,01% od them in the water, by slit ring them with a paper-cutter. AN fir a spoon, it was co-hess to think of such a thing; had the house been rummaged from top to bottom, not one would have liven fontid. As soon as the Prioress had drunk, sic made me sit on a chair near her, for until then I had remained standing.

4

It was on the eventful occasion I have related in the two preceding chapters, that I saw the llutehess of Berri for the first time, and I confess that the im- pre,,iiin slue made upon me will never be efficed. Mirie Caroline, like all young Neapolitan girls, of whatever rank or station, has received scarcely any education. With her, all is maitre and instinct. She

is a creature of impulse; the exigencies of etiquette e insupportable to her, and she is ignorant of the very forms of the world. She ;dhows her feelings to carry her away. without attempting to restrain them ; and when any one has inspired her with confidence, she yields to it without rest! iction. She is capa- ble of supportiog the greatest fatigue, and encountering tl:e most appalling dan- ger, with the patience and courage of a soldier. The least contiadiet ion ex- asperates her—then her naturally pule cheeks become flushed ; she screams, and jumps about, and threatens, and weeps by turns, like a spoiled child ; and then, again, like a child, the moment you give way to her, and appear to do what she desire", she smiles, is instantly appeased, and offers you her hand. Contrary to the general nature of minces, she feels gratitude, and is never ashamed to own it. Moreover, hatred is foreign to her nature ; no gall ever tinged tier heart even against those who have done her the most injury. Whoever sees her for an hour, becomes well acquainted with her character ; whoever sees her for a whole day, becomes acquainted With all the qualities of Inc heart.

The volume of General DERMONCOURT has excited as much at- tention as it deserves. For this it has been partly indebted to the season of the year when it was published, and partly to the "puff preliminary." From this latter sin, however, as well as from the "exclusive intelligence" of the notes by the translator, we must altogether except the General; who appears a very straightfor- ward, plain-spoken personage ; and though, as we have already intimated, his raw materials may have been worked up by a skilful dramatist, we believe that it has generally been done without in- jury to the main truth of the facts, whilst it has been productive of a lighter and more readable volume than the veteran himself might have produced.