by the hangman; Bayle had praised him for his skill in judicial astrology; he had composed treatises on money, and on Catholic doctrine; compiled historical romances, and translated the Psalms of David! In poetry he had attempted to rival La Fontaine; written the Eulogy of the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, and translated Persius,--substituting French customs for the Roman, and praising, or censuring, his contemporaries as though he were the Roman poet and not the Paris scribe! An ability so various was at least well paid. He received from the booksellers, and others by whom he was retained, a hundred pistoles a month; Peignot states, in all, about one hundred thousand crowns. There cannot be the least doubt this was but a portion of his earnings, or that the work I have described was not written for the Jacobite interest of James II. But no success in such characters is ever accompanied with prudence. Although the penalty of banishment from France was suspended, that his venal abilities might assist the designs of others, he was always living between luxury and the direst want. As he advanced in years, he was less useful, and was consequently driven from doors where he had formerly been welcomed. D'Argenson allowed him a louis-d'or for charity per week; but all other resources failed, until, in his sixty-eighth year, after a long period of misery, and of the uttermost mental and bodily degradation, he died on the 31st January, 1711, and was buried at the communal expense. It cannot be denied that Le Noble united many pleasing qualities as a writer. He had read much, could condense ably, and united to a strong memory a rare facility in employing its resources. He touched with light ridicule the weaker points of a case, and could wield both reason, sarcasm and polished inuenda in misstating facts, or damaging the argument of his adversaries. Such a man was well adapted to the French advisers of James. Public attention was to be engaged and won by falsehoods in the disguise of truth; bad designs were to be cloaked under moral purposes; and the revolution was to be discredited in the name of loyalty and religion. All this Le Noble did with infinite ability, and infinite obliquity. I can give but a slight sketch of his work. The _Couronnement de Guillemot_ is a violent tirade against William. Marforio and Pasquin converse about his coronation, and the king is described as one "qui vouloit estre le bourreau du Prince de Galles." Churchill is "l'infame comblé de tant de bienfaitz par son bon maître, et qui l'a vendu, trahi et livré." In the decorations of the abbey, consisting of tapestry, &c., there is stated to be a representation of Pilate placing Jesus Christ and Barabbas before the people, and the choice of Barabbas by the latter; James occupying, in Le Noble's opinion, the place of the former. The people he describes as preferring even "ce voleur public, ce scélérat, ce séditieux de Barabbas, ce meurtrier qui a poignardé les