TOO STRONG. 233 
The anecdote related of Count de Tesse, a celebrated cour- 
tier of France, is one of the best of its kind:— 
“Count de Tesse, Marshal of France, was an eminent man 
during ‘the reign of Louis XIV. Though he was a brave 
soldier and by no means an incompetent general, yet he was 
more remarkable as a skillful diplomatist and a pliant and 
2 courtier. During the War of Succession in Spain, 
e besieged Barcelona with a considerable army, in the spring 
of 1705. Terrible was the assault, and terrible was the 
resistance. At the end of six weeks the arrival of the British 
fleet, and reinforcements thrown into the place, forced Mar- 
shal Tesse to retire. Besides immense losses in dead and 
wounded, he had to abandon two hundred and twenty cannon 
and all his supplies. Incessantly fighting for fifteen days in 
his retreat towards the Pyrenees, he lost three thousand more 
of his men. It ought to be said, in vindication of Tesse, that 
he undertook the siege by express and urgent command of 
the French King, and contrary to his own judgment; for in 
writing to a friend, he said: ‘If a Consistory were held to 
decide the infallibility of the King, as Consistories have been 
held to decide the infallibility of the Pope, I should by my 
vote declare His Majesty infallible. His orders have con- 
founded all human science.’ 
“Soon after the siege of Barcelona, a lady at a fashionable 
party took out her snuff-box and offered a pinch to any one 
who wished it. Marshal Tesse approached to take a pinch ; 
but suddenly the lady drew her snuff-box back, saying, ‘ For 
you, Marshal, the snuff is too strong—it is Barcelona.’” 
In Scotland the dry kinds of snuff are in favor and are 
esteemed as highly as the moister snuffs. Robert Leighton 
gives the following pen picture of the snuff-loving Scotch- 
man; it is entitled “The Snuffie Auld Man :”— 
“ By the cosie fire-side, or the sun-ends o” gavels, 
The snuffie auld bodie is sure to be seen. 
Tap, tappin’ his snuff-box, he snifters and sneevils, 
And smachers the snuff frae his mou’ to his een. 
Since tobacco cam’ in, and the snuffin’ began, 
There hasna been seen sic a snuffie auld man. 
“ His haurins are dozen’d, his een sair bedizzened 
‘And red round the lids as the gills o’ a fish; 
His face is a’ bladdit, his sark-breest a’ smaddit. 
As snuffie a picture as ony could wish. 
