punishments of such severity as wore the appearance
of vengeance rather than of fatherly correction. In six or seven years he
obtained no fewer than fifteen warrants, or letters under seal, for the
imprisonment of his son in different jails or fortresses, while the young
man seemed to take a wanton pleasure in showing how completely all efforts
for his reformation were thrown away. Though unusually ugly (he himself
compared his face to that of a tiger who had had the small-pox), he was
irresistible among women. While one of the youngest subalterns in the
army, he made love, rarely without success, to the mistresses or wives of
his superior officers, and fought duel after duel with those who took
offense at his gallantries, From one castle in which he was imprisoned he
was aided to escape by the wife of an officer of the garrison, who
accompanied his flight. From another he was delivered by the love of a
lady of the highest rank, the Marchioness de Monnier, whom he had met at
the governor's table.

When, after some years of misery, the marchioness terminated them by
suicide, he seduced a nun of exquisite beauty to leave her convent for his
sake; and as France was no longer a safe residence for them, he fled to
Frederick of Prussia, who, equally glad to welcome him as a Frenchman, a
genius, and a profligate, received him for a while into high favor. But he
was penniless; and Frederick was never liberal of his money. Debt soon
drove him from Prussia, and he retired to England, where he made
acquaintance with Fox, Fitzpatrick, and other men of mark in the political
circles of the day. He was at all times and amidst all his excesses both
observant and studious; and while witnessing in person the strife of
parties in this country, he learned to appreciate the excellencies of our
Constitution, both in its theory and in its practical working. But
presently debt drove him from London as it had driven him from Berlin;
and, after taking refuge for a short time in Holland and Switzerland, he
was hesitating whither next to betake himself, when, hearing of the
elections for the States-general, he resolved to offer himself as a
candidate; and returned to Provence to seek the suffrages of the Nobles of
his own county.

Unluckily, his character was too well known in his native district; and
the Nobles, unwilling to countenance the ambition of one who had obtained
so evil a notoriety, rejected him. Full of indignation, he turned to the