SON and Count CAGLIOSTRO. No one, furely, can cenfure us for admitting thofe of the latter defcription; as the exhibition of a bad chaTacter may have the most falutary influence, in correcting flight tendencies to a profligacy of manners. Befides the Heads already enumerated, we have every other requifite of which a Magazine can boaft-fuch as Domeftic News, Table of Stocks, &c. &c. and a Complete Annual History of the National Events of Europe, which is not broken in detail by continuations; and is allowedly equal to the best efforts of both the Annual Registersbecause it is written with elegance and impartiality. Our readers will obferve that the predictions which we ventured, as hiftorians, on the probable termination of the French affairs, are haftening to a developement; fo that, if they then imputed to us a biaffed opinion, they ought now to confider it as the confequent refult of historical veracity: we judged from the past how the future would terminate. From what has been noticed of the plan of this Magazine, there can remain no fhadow of doubt as to its true importance: from what our old and conftant friends have witneffed of its execution, we trust that the importance alluded to is by no means leffened in their eftimation. But if any thing has escaped obfervation, it fhall be our ftudy, as it is our wish, to include it in the general contents, as often as the deficiency occurs. Under a cheering patronage, therefore, we enter on the Fourth Volume of our Hiftorical Collection; fairly prefuming, that, however our frivolous competitors may outdo us in the art of promifing, they cannot exceed us in the more difficult task of performingz THE A Great deal having lately paffed this lady's jewels, it may not prove uninterefting to our readers to be informed of the manner in which The first obtained them. M. de Barré was fond of being thought defcended from an ancient, noble family in Ireland, fome of whom fled to France, during the troubles in that ifland; and this report was induftriously propagated by her creatures; but the truth is, her descent, and even her birth, are too obfcure to be traced with any certainty. It is notorious, that from the earliest age of womanhood, which is attained very young in France, he was known in Paris un der the denomination of 66 une fille de joi," a girl of the town; and from the following bon mot of the duke d'Euguin, it may be fuppofed in a very humble fituation. Soon after her advancement at court, that nobleman was asked if he knew her. "Oui, says he, je l'ai connue a un have known her at a crown, now she is at a Louis." In the early part of her youth fhe was cfteemed uncom monly beautiful; but at the period when he was pitched upon to fafcinate the voluptuous monarch of France, the charms of her perfon had greatly fuffered by the depredations of time, and the courfe of life to which he had been accustomed from fourteen to thirty years of age. The lilies. and roles, implanted by the benevolent hand of Nature on her lovely features, had faded long before under the breath of pollution, and art now fupplied the defect from the repofitories of the perfumer. The remaining luftre of a fine eye, joined to exact fymmetry of fhape, and an inexpreffible cngaging air of addrefs, were, however, fufficient external graces to engage the king's attention at the first interview, placed, as fhe purpofely was, in a fituation where the could not fail of attracting his notice, and thoroughly inftructed in the part fhe was to act, if his majesty accosted her. It was customary with the king, in his hunting parties, to feparate from the court, and, attended only by one or two noblemen, to ride about the parks to view the company gathered upon thefe occafions. Madam Barré took her station in a privaté recefs, where there was no danger of interruption, and the duke d'Aiguillon, who had concerted the whole scheme, conducted the king to the spot the interview produced an affignation, and, at a private petit fouper, the conqueft was completed by the vivacity of her converfation, the apparent amiableness of her temper, and elegancy of tafte which the king difcovered in her, from which he promised himself a revival of that variety of enchanting amufements, contrived by his former miftrefs la Pompadour, to banish the melan choly horrors to which he was fre quently fubject. A treaty was foon fet on foot, which ended on her establishment at Versailles on her own terms; one of them was a title, and the king granted it, notwithstanding the strong reprefentations of de Choifeul against this imprudent step. Having gained this point, the countefs de Barré kept no bounds, but, with unexampled arrogance, expected to be vifited by the dauphin and dauphinefs, now king and queen of France. The dauphin, after fome warm altercations with the king, was obliged to fubmit; but the dauphinefs, with a noble greatness of foul, addreffed the king, upon this occafion, nearly in the following terms; Sire; if I had been born your fubject, I must have obeyed; but, as the "The daughter and fifter of an emperor, your majefty will excufe me. ladies of the court, however, could not obtain any indulgence; they were obliged to fhew every mark of refpect to the new favourite, and one example of refiftance frightened them into constrained compliance. The duchefs de Gramont, first lady of honour to the late queen, being in a box at the opera, the countefs de Barré came in, and attempted to place herfelf by the duchefs; upon which, confulting her own dignity, and her veneration for the memory of her late royal miftrefs, now openly infulted in the eyes of the fpectators, fhe defired the countefs to retire, and, on her refufal, the duchefs, politely courtefying to the people, who expreffed univerfal applaufe, left the box and went into another. For this offence, he received a letter de cachet, banishing her to her country feat, at a great dif tance from Paris, during the king's pleafure. But how will the world be aftonished to hear, that Barré, in the first years of her promotion, enjoyed a plenitude of power, unknown to Pompadour, and which, with all her talents, fhe never durft attempt! Strange to relate, the folicited and obtained a power to draw on the Treafury under her own fignature. As foon as the news of this extraordinary inftance of royal imbecillity reached the ears of the duke de Choifeul, it is faid, he paffionately exclaimed, "C'en eft fait de moi-All is over with me.' But that his adverfaries might not have an eafy victory to boast of, notwithstanding this prefage of his difgrace, he put every ftratagem in force to ruin their protectrix; and, amongst the rest, he attempted to fupplant the countefs by introducing a rival. This was the widow of an officer, who brought a petition to the minister; but, finding her very handfome |