In the spirited Memoirs of the Duke of Guise, written by himself, of his enterprise against the kingdom of Naples, we find a curious account of this political art of marking people by odious nicknames. "Gennaro and Vicenzo," says the duke, "cherished underhand that aversion the rascality had for the better sort of citizens and civiller people, who, by the insolencies they suffered from these, not unjustly hated them. The better class inhabiting the suburbs of the Virgin were called _black cloaks_, and the ordinary sort of people took the name of _lazars_, both in French and English an old word for leprous beggar, and hence the _lazaroni_ of Naples." We can easily conceive the evil eye of a _lazar_ when he encountered a _black cloak_! The Duke adds--"Just as, at the beginning of the revolution, the revolters in Flanders formerly took that of _beggars_; those of Guienne, that of _eaters_; those of Normandy that of _bare-feet_; and of Beausse and Soulogne, of _wooden-pattens_." In the late French revolution, we observed the extremes indulged by both parties chiefly concerned in revolution--the wealthy and the poor! The rich, who, in derision, called their humble fellow-citizens by the contemptuous term of _sans-culottes_, provoked a reacting injustice from the populace, who, as a dreadful return for only a slight, rendered the innocent term of _aristocrate_ a signal for plunder or slaughter! It is a curious fact that the French verb _fronder_, as well the noun _frondeur_, are used to describe those who condemn the measures of government; and more extensively, designates any hyperbolical and malignant criticism, or any sort of condemnation. These words have only been introduced into the language since the intrigues of Cardinal de Retz succeeded in raising a faction against Cardinal Mazarin, known in French history by the nickname of the _Frondeurs_, or the Slingers. It originated in pleasantry, although it became the password for insurrection in France, and the odious name of a faction. A wit observed, that the parliament were like those school-boys, who fling their stones in the pits of Paris, and as soon as they see the _Lieutenant Civil_, run away; but are sure to collect again directly he disappears. The comparison was lively, and formed the burthen of songs; and afterwards, when affairs were settled between the king and the parliament, it was more particularly applied to the faction of Cardinal de Retz, who still held out. "We encouraged the application," says de Retz; "for we observed that the distinction of a name heated the minds of people; and one evening we resolved to wear hat-strings in the form of slings. A hatter, who might be trusted with the secret, made a great number as a new fashion, and which were worn by many who did not understand the joke; we ourselves were the last to adopt them, that the invention might not appear to have come from us. The effect of this trifle was immense; every fashionable article was now to assume the