Chevalier de St.
Louis selling pates. He had seen the croix set in gold, with its red
ribband, he said, tied to his button-hole--and had looked into the
basket and seen the pates which the chevalier was selling.

Such a reverse in man's life awakens a better principle than
curiosity--I got out of the carriage and went towards him. He was begirt
with a clean linen apron, which fell below his knees, and with a sort of
bib that went half way-up his breast; upon the top of this hung his
croix. His basket of little pates was covered over with a white damask
napkin; and there was a look of _proprete_ and neatness throughout, that
one might have bought his pates of him, as much from appetite as
sentiment.

He was about 48--of a sedate look, something approaching to gravity. I
did not wonder--I went up rather to the basket than him, and having
lifted up the napkin, and taken one of his pates into my hand I begged
he would explain the appearance which affected me.

He told me in a few words, that the best part of his life had pass'd in
the service, in which he had obtained a company and the croix with it;
but that, at the conclusion of the last peace, his regiment being
re-formed and the whole corps left without any provision, he found
himself in a wide world without friends, without a livre--"And indeed,"
said he, "without anything but this" (pointing, as he said it, to his
croix). The king could neither relieve nor reward everyone, and it was
only his misfortune to be amongst the number. He had a little wife, he
said, whom he loved, who did the _patisserie_; and added, he felt no
dishonour in defending her and himself from want in this way--unless
Providence had offer'd him a better.

It would be wicked to pass over what happen'd to this poor Chevalier of
St. Louis about nine months after.

It seems his story reach'd at last the king's ear--who, hearing the
chevalier had been a gallant officer, broke up his little trade by a
pension of 1,500 livres a year.

VOLTAIRE

Letters on the English

_I.--The Quakers_

Voltaire (see HISTORY) reached England in 1726. He had
quarrelled with a great noble, and the great noble's
lackeys had roundly thrashed him. Voltaire accordingly
issued a challenge to a duel; his adversary's reply was to
get him sent to prison, from which he was released on
condition that he leave immediately for England. He
remained there until 1729, and these three years may
fairly