offering greater freedom, and was very firm against
declaring war with France.

Burke, however, went on to declare that these foreigners would soon
infect Great Britain with their revolutionary ideas, and (hoping to
produce a startling effect) he finally drew a dagger from his bosom, and
flung it on the floor of the House, saying: 'That is what you are to
expect from an alliance with France!'

For a moment the House was startled, but Fox, with a readiness that
never failed him, turned towards his opponent with a mocking smile, and,
pointing to the dagger, said jestingly: 'The Honourable Member has given
us the knife; will he kindly favour us with the fork?'

The House burst into peals of laughter, and the incident, which Burke
meant to be so solemn, ended in making him a laughing-stock.

Perhaps the last years of Fox were his best years; he settled down and
married, living very happily with his wife, and taking great delight in
gardening.

On the death of Pitt, Fox was chosen a member of the 'Ministry of all
the Talents,' but he did not survive his great rival by many months. He
was a dying man when he made his last supreme effort to address the
House on the suppression of the Slave Trade.

'If,' said the dying statesman, 'if this Bill becomes law, and I had
done that, and that only, I could retire from public life with comfort,
feeling I had done my duty.' He was never again able to leave his room,
but his friends did not realise that his end was so near.

One nobleman called on him, and said he was making up a party for
Christmas, and hoped he might have the honour of including Fox amongst
his guests. 'It will be a new scene, sir, and I think you will approve,'
he said, persuasively.

'I shall indeed be in a new scene by Christmas,' said Fox, quietly, and
then he went on, 'My lord, what do you think of the immortality of the
soul?'

The nobleman hardly knew what answer to make, and Fox continued, calmly:
'I shall know by next Christmas.'

A few days later he was dead, and, after a most imposing funeral, his
body was laid to rest in Westminster Abbey, but eighteen inches from the
spot where, but a few months before, had been laid the body of his great
rival, Pitt.

THE ARBALIST, OR CROSSBOW.

[Illustration]

Amongst the weapons used in early English times, there was hardly one so
deadly and effectual as the crossbow. It is not familiar to us now,
being different from the ordinary bow and arrow