sidered the affair as settled with Jurgas, and never resented the affront.

"In the palace of Charlottenburg there is a picture, representing the smoking party, by an unknown hand. At the head of a long table, on a wooden stool, is seated the king, in a coat of blue cloth, yellow breeches, and white linen gaiters, holding a reeking pipe in his hand. Next to him, on his right, sits the prince royal, in white uniform turned up with blue; he is the only one who is not holding a pipe. At the table are seated eleven other persons, on long wooden benches, in white, blue, and gray clothes; the portraits of several officers and ministers are recognisable. At the lower end is the buffoon, having a tame hare by his side. The king's physician and surgeon sit aside near the wall. Two of the young princes, in blue uniform, like the king, are entering with three-cornered hats in their hands, to wish their father good night.

Our readers are not to infer from the foregoing account that Frederick William II. was not an able and patriotic sovereign. The services which he rendered to Prussia were highly important. His reign was faithfully devoted to the development of those elements of national greatness and prosperity which had their origin with the Great Elector, and were perfected by Frederick the Great.

196

QUEEN BATHILDA.

SAINT BATHILDA, or Baldschild, queen of France, was descended from the ancient house of Saxony. In her youth she was exposed to sale as a slave on the coast of France; perhaps by corsairs who had carried her off; perhaps by her own parents, according to the barbarous custom which the AngloSaxons then had of selling their children. She was bought at a cheap price by Erchinoald, called also Archambaud, who became, soon after, mayor of the palace under Clovis II. Perfectly beautiful, skilful, wise, modest, mild, obliging,-her manners, and a certain majesty which appeared in all her actions, showed the greatness of her birth. But instead of glorying in these advantages, she regarded herself as the last servant in the family to which her new condition attached her. Her high reputation caused her soon to be elevated from her humble condition to the throne of France. When it was determined that Clovis II. should marry, it was resolved to give him for his companion the most accomplished person in the kingdom, and every one declared in favour of Bathilda.

She soon remedied the disorders that had caused the weakness of this prince. Her elevation, far from removing her humility and piety, seemed but to set these virtues in a stronger light. She did not take part in the administration of the affairs of the king

dom, but, in order to keep up peace and union, and to render religion triumphant, she caused the taxes to be reduced, abolished many regulations, in order to relieve the poor, and to assist the widows and orphans.

After having pacified the contentions of the kingdom, and re-established everywhere a good spirit, she applied herself to the work of abolishing serfdom, which still existed in France, as among other nations. She regarded it as an abuse forbidden by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is a law of liberty. She declared that henceforward no Christian should be made a serf, and that on paying his price, a serf should become absolute master over his own life and liberty.

She did not endeavour to remove the difference between rich and poor, which the order of providence established in states, and which is necessary for the maintenance of civil society-but she softened society -impressed upon it the Christian character. Her edict caused all masters to regard their servants as their brethren in religion. The domestic service became more useful to the masters, because it was voluntary. The serfs regarded their masters no longer as tyrants and enemies, and they obeyed from sense of duty, not from fear of punishment. The ordinances of Bathilda, conformably to the maxims of the evangelists, rendered the servants obedient through affection and submission to the law of the true God.

Towards the end of her days, she laid aside her diadem, and retired to Chelles. She there took the veil, and shewed herself a most obedient and modest nun. She died toward the end of January, 608.

THE CID CAMPEADOR.

As Greece had her Achilles, and England her king Arthur, so Spain had her Cid Campeador. We do not by any means intend to intimate that the history of the Cid is so fabulous as that of Achilles or Arthur, for such is not the case. But still around his history such a veil of romance is thrown, that we scarcely can depend upon any of it with confidence. Those facts, or what are most commonly received as such, we will briefly detail.

Don Rodrigo Diaz was born at Burgos, in Castile, about the middle of the eleventh century. Ferdinand I., king of Leon, Gallicia, and Castile, died in 1065, leaving five children, Sancho, Alfonso, Garcia, and two daughters, Uraca, and Elvira. By his will, Sancho became king of Castile, Alfonso of Leon, and Garcia of Gallicia, while the two Infantas received as their portion, Toro and Zamora. The result of such

a division might have been apparent to a much less sagacious mind than that of Ferdinand: yet guided by his affection, he could not forbear letting each of his children taste of royalty. In a very short time Sancho had dethroned his brother Alfonso. In 1065, Rodrigo Diaz, having lost his father, was committed to Sancho's charge, to be educated for a military life; and in a very few years, by a succession of daring and astonishing exploits, he became the highest officer of Sancho's forces. At this period the king commenced his attack upon his brother Alfonso, and being the greatest commander of his time, and leading one of the best armies, he defeated Alfonso in several well contested fights. But gifted with a large share of perseverance, and eager for vengeance, Alfonso again raised an army and encountered Sancho at Carrion. The Castilians, unable to withstand the impetuosity and suddenness of the attack, were routed on all sides. But one of their number did not despair. Young Diaz hastened to advise the king to collect his flying troops, and, by attacking the victors while unprepared for such a movement, to regain the lost honours of the day. The council was adopted, and in a short time Sancho defeated his brother, banished him to the Moorish city of Toledo, and was left in quiet possession of Leon.

Discord in Gallicia rendered it an easy acquisition to the conqueror of Leon. His brother Garcia, by an unjust system of taxation, had totally estranged all parties of the state from his interest: and when the