36 DESERTERS. SIR SIDNEY SMITH. enterprising hero was made a prisoner of war. The inhabitants, who never speak of him but with emotions of terror, consider this event as the rash result of a wager conceived over wine. Those who know the character of Sir Sidney, will not impute to him such an act of idle temerity. No doubt he considered the object as included in his duty, and it is only to be lamented, that during two lingering years of rigorous and cruel confinement in the dungeons of the late unhappy sovereign, his country was deprived of the talents and valour of one, who, in a future period, upon the shores of Acre, so nobly filled up the gloomy chasm of suspended services, by the most heroic exploits, and who revenged, by a deed of glory, those sufferings and indignities which were unknown to the magnanimous spirit of modern warfare, until displayed within the walls of a Prussian dungeon*. I shall hereafter have occasion to mention this extraordinary character, when I speak of his escape from the Temple, the real circumstances * The cruel imprisonment of La Fayette is alluded to. CATHERINE de medicis. 37 attending which are but little known, and which I received from an authority upon which the reader may rely. + Havre is not unknown to history. At the celebrated siege of it, in the time of Catherine de Medicis, that execrable princess distinguished herself by her personal intrepidity. It is said, that she landed here in a galley, bearing the device of the sun, with these words in Greek, "I bring light, and fine weather"-a motto which ill corresponded with her conduct. With great courage, such as seldom enters the composition of cruel, and ferocious tyrants, she here on horseback, at the head of her army, exposed herself to the fire of the cannon, like the most veteran soldiers, and betrayed no symptoms of fear, although the bullets flew about her in all directions. When desired by the duke de Guise, and the constable de Montmorenci, not to expose her person so much, the brave, but sanguinary Catherine replied, "Have I not more to "lose than you, and do you think I have not as "much courage?" The walk, through la ville de Sandwich, to 38 PREFECT DE MARINE, the light houses, which are about two miles from Havre, is very pleasing. The path lay through. flax and clover fields. In this part of the country, the farmers practise an excellent plan of rural economy, which is also used in Dorsetshire, and some few other counties, of confining their cattle' by a string to a spot of pasture, until they have completely cleared it, Upon the hill, ascending to the cliffs, are several very elegant chateaus and gardens, belonging to the principal inhabitants of the town. Monsieur B, the prefect de marine, has a beautiful residence here. We were accidentally stopping at his gate, to view the enchanting prospects which it presented to us, when the polite owner observed us, and with that amiability and civility, which still distinguish the descendants of the ancient families of rank in France, of which he is one, requested us to enter, and walked with us round his grounds, which were disposed with great taste. He afterwards conducted us to his elegant house, and gave us dried fruit, and excellent burgundy, after which we walked round' the village to the light houses. From him we |