5io POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



the family, we see that it does not prove too much. The first eighteen 

 generations show a perfectly natural result from the influences of 

 heredity. The last three generations giving four big names among 

 eighteen are also in line with the expected, since both Anne and his most 

 distinguished son, Henry, had large families, these great ones being a 

 select few out of many. It will be seen later that the great descendants 

 of the Montmorencys, who bore the name of Conde, traced their 

 lineage from the great names among the Montmorencys, not from the 

 mediocre. 



Conde. 



This high wave of Montmorency had probably a great deal to do 

 with making the name of Conde so well known, since its greatest per- 

 sonages were the children of both families. The male line of Conde 

 is traced through the lines of Marche and Vendome back to Eobert, 

 Count of Clermont, Lord of Bourbon (died 1317) and son of Louis 

 JX., prince of France. From Eobert to Louis I. Prince of Conde (died 

 1569), includes in the direct line forty-four adult names, covers a 

 period of two and a half centuries and includes nine generations. Dur- 

 ing the first of these generations not a single one, as Count of Vendome, 

 Duke of Bourbon, or the possessor of any other high title ever distin- 

 guish himself sufficiently to be even mentioned by 'Lippincott's Dic- 

 tionary.' During all this time one also notices no illustrious name on 

 the maternal side, so this is all to be expected. 



Now in the ninth generation appears Louis, the first distinguished 

 Conde, the eighth of ten mature brothers and sisters. His oldest 

 brother, Anthony de Bourbon, King of Navarre, is famous, but ranks 

 far from the great. He was a weak and irresolute prince, who died in 

 1562 ' detested by the protestants whom he had deserted and little 

 regretted by the catholics.'* The second brother, Charles, was one of 

 the chiefs of the catholic league and receives a few lines in 'Lippincott.' 

 The other children were not heard from. 



It does not appear clear where Louis's talents arose since none of 

 his immediate ancestors were remarkable, nor was his marriage calcu- 

 lated to perpetuate any greatness he might have inherited, since his 

 wife, Eleonoro, was a daughter of Charles, Count of Ponce, a family 

 of no distinction. He had three sons, one of whom was Henry I., 

 Prince of Conde. He was 'liberal, gracious and eloquent and promised 

 to be as great a captain as his father.' f Only two of the eight other 

 children reached maturity. These two held high titles and presumably 

 had equal opportunities, but left no great names behind them. Now 

 supposing Henry I. to have inherited all the talents of his father, and 



* Rose, ' Biographical Dictionary.' 



t Brantome, ' Vies des homines illustres.' 



