of newly-invented shells
before the Board of Ordnance at Woolwich, the duke's missiles were
declared either second or third, we forget which, in point of
efficiency. Indeed he seems to have occupied himself almost
exclusively with scientific pursuits whilst in England. At Chelsea,
whither he removed, the duke constructed a set of work-shops and
laboratories, in which he, with his assistants and pupils, diligently
wrought. In what his scientific labours and experiments would have
resulted, it is impossible to say, for they were interrupted by a
third attempt on his life. While alone in one of his work-shops, late
at night, a bullet was fired at him from a hidden and still
undiscovered enemy. The shot missed him; but, afraid to remain in
this country any longer, he retired to Delft, in Holland, where it
seems he died a natural death on the 10th of August 1845.

Whatever opinions may be formed of the truth of this individual's
story of his birth, it is certain that a great many persons in
France, whose opinions are entitled to respect, believed him to have
been Louis XVII. Amongst the notices in the French papers to which
his decease gave rise, was a note written by M. Herbert, once
director of the military posts in Italy. It appears that when in that
office, the man Neuendorf was, in 1810, arrested at Rome, and
interrogated by M. Radet, chief of police in that city: the latter,
pronounced him to be in reality the son of Louis XVI. Than M. Radet,
there could not be a better judge of the matter, for he happened to
be one of the five persons who arrested Louis and his family when
they tried to quit France, and were intercepted at Varennes. Our own
impression is, notwithstanding this and all other circumstances to
the contrary, that the man was an impostor, and such we believe will
also be the impression generally among our readers.

DUTCH ANNA.

It was shortly after the outbreak of the French Revolution that the
humble heroine of this story made her appearance in my native
village. Dutch Anna (for so she was called by the country people)
was, as the name implies, a native of Holland; and at that time she
might be about twenty-five years of age. She was of the middle size,
stoutly and firmly built, with a round, good-humoured face, dark
hair, clear, honest-looking hazel eyes, and a mouth which, though
wide, was expressive of decision and firmness. Her dress, which never
varied in style, consisted of a coloured pettico