of the Gallic Dinocrates, whether he had been at Trianon? The architect replied, that he had not. The King explained how he had been offended, and desired him to see the peccant window. The next day, the same question and the same answer, and the following day, similar repetitions. The King plainly saw that Le Notre was equally afraid to discover wrong in Royalty, as to blame the powerful minister; Louis became angry, ordered the hesitating Architect to be at Trianon on the morrow, to attend him and Louvois.

LE NOTRE could no longer parry the royal thrusts; the King met them both, as appointed, at the new building, and his first inquiry was concerning the window. The Architect said nothing, the King commanded him to measure and try it by line and square, and say how he found it. While he was thus occupied, Louvois, incensed at the anticipated verification of the King's correctness, grumbled aloud, and angrily maintained that the window corresponded in every respect with the others. When the examination was finished, he asked Le Notre how it was? who hesitated. The King flew into a passion, and commanded the stammering Architect to speak plainly, which he did, by avowing the King to be right, and the window defective. He had scarcely finished, when the King turned to Louvois, told him to give up his obstinacy; that the window was all awry, and must be rebuilt, when at this time, the building should have been finished; and rebuked him sharply.

LOUVOIS, incensed at this sally, in the presence of

courtiers, workmen and servants, went home in a furious rage. There he found St. Fouange, Villeneuf, the Chevalier de Nogent, the two Tilladets, and other intimate friends, who were alarmed at seeing the Minister in such a state. "It is done," he exclaimed ; "I have lost the King's favour for a paltry window. I have no other remedy, than a war that will draw him away from his buildings, and render me necessary; and, 'faith, he shall have it." In a few months this vile threat was accomplished, and, in spite of the King and other Powers, he involved his country in a general war, fatal and disgraceful to France at the end, although distinguished by many successful and gallant actions in its course; and which, perhaps, conduced to the success of the Prince of Orange in accomplishing the glorious revolution of 1688; and all through a quarrel about a French window.

THE Philosophic Society continued its investigations and experiments, in all the sciences, particularly in Astronomy, in which Wren was then much occupied in elucidating his hypothesis on the planet Saturn, and in comparing it with those of Huygenius, which led to the discovery of Saturn's ring. Wren read these investigations as a lecture at Gresham College; and the heads of the University of Oxford thought so highly of him as an astronomer, that they published, in 1662, his Prælectiones Astronomica at their Press.

WREN, Evelyn and other fit and proper persons, were this year appointed Commissioners for reforming the buildings, ways, streets and incumbrances, and for

regulating the Hackney coaches in London. That there was great necessity for their exertions is evident from the King's speech from the throne, to his Parliament, March 1, 1662, the familiarity of which resembles more an extemporaneous address to his free and easy court, than the loftier style of Royal speeches of the Georgean and Victorian eras. "I will conclude," says the King, "with putting you in mind of the season of the year, and the convenience of your being in the country, for the good and welfare of it: for you will find much tares have been sowed there in your absence. The arrival of my wife, who I expect this month, and the necessity of my absence from town to meet her, and to stay some time before she comes hither, makes it very necessary that Parliament be adjourned before Easter, to meet again in the winter. The mention of my wife's arrival, puts me in mind to desire you to put that compliment upon her, that her entrance into the town may be with more decency than the ways will now suffer it to be: and to that purpose I pray you would quickly pass such laws as are before you, in order to the amending those ways, and that she may not find Whitehall surrounded with water."

LORD SANDWICH was sent to Portugal for the Queen, and was expected with his charge early in May. This gallant seaman was keeper of the royal wardrobe, and his housekeeper showed his secretary, Mr. Pepys, Lady Castlemaine's under-dresses, which did him good to look at; and* assured him that the King dined and

* PEPYS's Diary, 8vo. 1848, vol. 1, p. 356.

supped every day and night with this lady, the entire week previous to the arrival of his "wife." Poor Mr. Pepys laments how disconsolate she was after the king's departure for Portsmouth to meet the Queen, and how much it troubled him and his wife to see her look so dejectedly, and so slighted by people already. The King met his "wife" at Portsmouth, was married by the Bishop of London, and arrived with their suites at Hampton Court on the 30th May. Both Evelyn and Pepys who had good opportunities of knowing, speak of the plain features, olive complexions and tasteless dresses of the new Queen and her Portuguese maids of honour; and the Guarda damas, or Mother of the maids, an office then of eminence in the chaste Courts of France, Spain, Portugal and England.

HAMPTON COURT at this time, was a noble, uniform and capacious pile, with incomparable furniture and tapestry hangings designed by Raffaelle; also many rare pictures, particularly the Cæsarian triumphs by Andrea Mantegna, and other fine productions of the best masters. The Queen's bed was an embroidery of silver on crimson velvet, and cost £8000, being a present from the States of Holland to the King on his restoration. The history of this royal nuptial couch is curious and characteristic, having been formerly given by the same parties to Charles's sister, the Princess of Orange, and being purchased of her again was now presented to the King. The great looking-glass and toilette of massive gold, were presents from the Queen

* EVELYN's Diary, June 9, 1662.

mother of Portugal, and many fine Indian cabinets, such as had not then been seen in England, were also brought over by the Queen. The royal couple passed a short time in this pleasant retreat, and then returned to the King's more congenial palaces of Whitehall and St. James's. The King behaved so well at Hampton Court, and appeared so well pleased with his "wife," that it made Mr. Pepys fear it would* "put Madam Castlemaine's nose out of joint."

THE Court pursued its gaieties at Hampton, the Parliament passed the Act for uniformity of Public Worship, which produced great discontent among the Presbyterians, the people in general began already to be discontented; some from considering themselves not used according to promise, and others from not being rewarded by the King according to their expectations.

THE Commissioners of Paving, etc. this year paved, for the first time, the road from St. James'st Palace north, now St. James's Street, which was then a quagmire, and also the Haymarket about Piccadilly, and issued printed instructions for the better cleansing the streets. The Philosophic Society still proceeded with even steps, and its charter having passed the great seal on the 15th July 1662, it was read by Mr. Oldenburg the secretary, at a meeting convened for that purpose on Wednesday, August 13, 1662. No other business was transacted at this initiatory meeting of the Royal * PEPYS's Diary, May 31, 1662.

+ EVELYN's Diary, July 31, 1662.