136 ST. VINCENT DE PAUL. 



employed in conveying the infirm and the sick whom he 

 met in his road, to their homes or to the hospitals. The last 

 four years of his life Vincent was unable to leave the house; 

 but he still continued his superintendence of the poor, and 

 no work of charity was entered upon .without his participa- 

 tion. 



After severe suffering, he died in 1660, at the age of 87. 

 His remains were attended to the grave by all his fellow- 

 workers in charity. At the termination of his obsequies, the 

 Princess de Conti reminded the bystanders that this virtuous 

 man was not allowed time to mature a project which he had 

 formed, of opening an asylum for the orphans of poor artisans. 

 She ended her appeal by asking them, " if they would leave 

 him one regret beyond the gravel" At these words, without 

 any deliberation, all decided unanimously to pay this last 

 tribute to his memory, and the foundation of the Orphan 

 Asylum was determined upon at his tomb. 



At the head of nine sovereign princes, Louis XIV asked 

 his canonization; and on obtaining it, Louis XV ordered the 

 liberation of twelve galley slaves at Marseilles, who had been 

 condemned to perpetual labor. But, an old man, who had 

 known Vincent at Marseilles, when he heard of the intention 

 to canonize him, exclaimed, " What! you wish to canonize 

 him! Oh! I knew him well he will never allow it; he was 

 too humble." Paris owes to him the foundation of thirty- 

 five charitable institutions, besides those which are scattered 

 all over France. Thus did this humble apostle of humanity 

 leave a number of establishments more useful to his country 

 than the trophied monuments of his ostentatious sovereign 

 Louis XIV. 



HENRIETTA. 



Thank you, Esther; I am sure, that we have all been much 

 interested by your biography. 



ESTHER. 



I am glad that you have; but, recollect one thing it is to 

 God, not to man, that we must ascribe the praise. It is, to 



