produced by the life of Spirituous Liquors. 1 37 



juridical formality. Jean Millet, the hufband, being inter- 

 rogated by the judges who inftituted an inquiry into the 

 affair, declared, that about eight in the evening on the 19th 

 of February he had retired to reft with his wife, who not 

 being able to fleep, had gone into the kitchen, where he 

 thought flie was warming herfelf j that, having fallen afleep, 

 he was wakened about two o'clock by an infectious odour, 

 and that, having run to the kitchen, he found the re- 

 mains of his wife in the ftate defcribed in the report of the 

 phyficians and furgeons. The judges having no fufpicion of 

 the real caufe of this event, prol'ecuted the affair with the 

 utmoft diligence. It was very unfortunate for Millet that 

 he had a handfome fervant-maid, for neither his probity nor 

 innocence was able to fave him from the fufpicion of having 

 got rid of his wife by a concerted plot, and of having arranged 

 the reft of the circumllance in fuch a manner as to give it 

 the appearance of an accident. He experienced, therefore, 

 the whole feverity of the law ; and though, by an appeal to 

 a fuperior and very enlightened court, which difcovered the 

 caufe of the combuftion, he came off viftorious, he fuffered 

 fo much from uneafinefs of mind, that he was obliged to 

 pafs the remainder of his melancholy days in an hofpital." 



Le Cat relates another inftance, which has a moft perfect 

 refcmblance to the preceding : — " M. Boinneau, cure of 

 Plerguer, near Dol," fays he, " wrote to me the following 

 letter, dated February 22, 1749 : Allow me to communicate 

 to you a fact which took place here about a fortnight ago. 

 Madame de Boifcon, 80 years of age, exceedingly meagre, 

 who had drunk nothing but fpirits for feveral years, was fit- 

 ting in her elbow-chair before the fire while her waiting- 

 maid went out of the room for a few mopients. On her 

 return, feeing her miftrcfs on fire, -(he immediately gave an 

 alarm, and fome people having come to her afliltance, oiie 

 of them endeavoured to extinguilh the flames with his hand, 

 but they adhered to it as if it had been dipped in brandy or 

 oil on fire. Water was brought and thrown on the lady in 

 abundance, yet the fire appeared more violent, and was not 

 extinguiflied till the whole flefli had been confumed. Her 

 flcelcton, exceedingly black, remained entire 'n\ the chair. 



Vol. VI. T which 



