BOSSUET.

When Bossuet was a very young preacher, the King, Louis XIV. was so delighted with him, that he wrote in his own name to his father, the Intendant of Soissons, to congratulate him on having a son that would immortalize himself. An unbeliever going to hear Bossuet preach, said, on entering the church, "This is the preacher for me, for it is by him alone I know that I shall be converted, if ever I am so." Bossuet pronounced the funeral oration on the Duchess of Orleans, who died so suddenly in the midst of a brilliant court, of which she was the glory and delight. No person better possessed the talent of infusing into the soul of his auditors the profound sentiments with which he was himself penetrated. When he pronounced these words, "O nuit desastreuse, nuit effroyable! où retentit tout-à-coup, comme un eclat de tonnere, cette nouvelle; MADAME se meurt! MADAME est morte!" all the court were in tears. The pathetic and the sublime shone equally in this discourse. A sensibility more sweet, but less sublime, is displayed in the last words of his funeral oration on the Great Condé. It was with this fine discourse that Bossuet terminated his career of eloquence. He concluded by thus apostrophizing the hero that France mourned: Prince, vous mettrez fui à tous ces discours! Au lieu de déplorer la mort des autres, je veux désormais apprendre de vous à rendre la mienne sainte; heureux si, averti par ces cheveux blancs, du compte que je dois rendre de mon administration, je réserve au troupeau que je dois nourir de la parole de vie, le reste d'une voix qui tombe, et d'une ardeur qui s'eteint!"

SAURIN.

The first time that Abbadie, the celebrated Calvinist Minister, heard M. Saurin preach, he exclaimed, "Is it an angel or a man that speaks?"

CROMWELL'S CHAPLAIN.

The Rev. John Howe, when minister of Great Torrington in Devonshire, having occasion to take a journey to London, went as a hearer to the chapel at Whitehall. Cromwell was present; and, struck with his demeanour and person, sent a messenger to inform him, that he wished to speak with him when the service was over. In the course of the interview, the Protector desired him to preach before him the following Sunday. Mr. Howe requested to be excused, but Cromwell would not be denied. Mr. Howe preached accordingly, and the Protector was so pleased with him, that he immediately appointed him his domestic chaplain. To some of the peculiar notions of Cromwell, Mr. Howe could not, however, assent; and in one particular instance, he had the boldness to preach against them in his presence, believing that they might lead to practical ill consequences. The friends of the preacher were alarmed for him; and one of them predicted that he would find it difficult, if not impossible, to regain his favour. "I have," said the worthy man, 'discharged my conscience, and the event must be left to God." From this period, the friendship of Cromwell was less ardent, and his manners cool and reserved; but he never took any notice of the subject.

DR. BARROW.

Charles II. was wont in his humourous way to say of his chaplain, Dr. Barrow, that "he was the most unfair preacher in England;" because he exhausted every subject, and left no room for others to come after him. It was indeed too much the doctor's way; when he got hold of a topic, he never knew how to leave any thing unsaid upon it. One of his best discourses, that on the Duty and Reward of Bounty to the Poor, actually took him up three hours and a half in delivering!

INDEPENDENCE OF THE BAR.

So low in point of independence was the profession of the bar in the time of Henry the Sixth, that in the case respecting precedence between the Earl of Warwick and the Earl Marshal, both the advocates for the parties, viz. Sir Walter Beauchamp (the first lawyer by the bye who ever wore the spurs of knighthood in England) and Mr. Roger Hunt, made most humble protestations, each entreating the peer against whom he was retained not to take amiss what he might be obliged to advance on the part of his client.

Mr. Hume, speaking of a later period, says, "That the answers given into court by the famous Prynn and his associates were so full of invectives against the prelates, "that no lawyer could be prevailed on to sign them." The truth, however, is, that the lawyers allowed themselves to be intimidated by the

menaces of the court from defending them at all. Mr. Holt, one of their number, signed Prynn's answer, and was told by Lord Chief Justice Finch, that he deserved to have his gown pulled over his ears for drawing it," though it contained nothing but mere explanations of points of fact, and a dry recital of acts of parliament; and afterwards, when it was expunged by order of the judges, and another prepared, Mr. Holt, in excuse for not signing the second, being appealed to by Prynn in open court, submissively replied, that "he durst not set his hand to it for fear of giving their honours distaste."

THE LONG PARLIAMENT.

There, perhaps, was no period in the history of the British senate, in which our senators more nearly approached the nervous eloquence of the Greeks and Romans, than during the sitting of the long parliament. The language was clear and copious, and often displayed strong marks of the most animated eloquence. In one of the debates at this period, the lord keeper, Finch, having observed, "That whatever supplies had been raised from the subject, had been again restored to them in fructifying showers," to this remark Lord Digby very spiritedly answered, "It has been a frequent metaphor with these ministerial oppressors, that whatever supplies have been raised from the subject, have been again restored to them in fructifying showers; but it has been in hail-stones and mildews, to wither our hopes, and batter and prostrate our affections."

AUDI ALTERAM PARTEM.

"In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt,
But, being seasoned with a gracious voice,
Obscures the shew of evil?"

MERCHANT OF VENICE.

James the First, soon after his accession to the English throne, was present in a court of justice, to observe the pleadings in a cause of some consequence. The counsel for the plaintiff having finished, the king was so perfectly satisfied, that he exclaimed, ""Tis a plain case!" and was about to leave the court. Being persuaded, however, to stay and hear the other side of the question, the pleaders for the defendant made the case no less plain on their side. On this the monarch rose, and departed in a great passion, exclaiming, They are all rogues alike."

FLETCHER OF SALTON.

Mr. Fletcher is allowed to have been by far the finest speaker in the parliament of Scotland at the time of the union. He was remarkable for a close and nervous eloquence, which commanded the admiration of all who heard it. To an uncommon elevation of mind, he added a warmth of temper which would suffer him to brook from no man, or in any place, the slightest indignity. Of this he exhibited on one occasion an eminent proof. The Earl of Stair, Secretary of State and Minister for Scotland, having in the heat of debate used an improper expression against Mr. Fletcher, he seized his lordship by his robe, and insisted upon immediate and public satisfaction. The earl was instantly obliged to beg his pardon in presence of parliament.