ciiap. xiii. 
CONVERSATION WITH THE PRINCE. 
351 
tected state to be governed to a certain extent by their own 
rulers, or forms of government, constituted itself the supreme 
authority, actually governing both rulers and people, to the 
exclusion of all other foreign influence. 
The prince inquired with much earnestness whether I 
knew if there was any truth in the reports of an intended in¬ 
vasion of Madagascar by the French, of which he said there 
were rumours at that time in the capital. I told him I had 
seen something about such a thing in the public journals of 
Europe, but that they were in all probability only reports, 
and without foundation; as I did not think it likely that the 
French government would send troops to fight against them; 
and that I was sure the English cherished towards them only 
friendly feelings. I told him there were many statements in 
the newspapers in Europe, which we who were living there 
did not know whether to believe or not, and for which in 
reality there was sometimes no real foundation; adducing as 
an instance that I had read in a newspaper in England that 
he himself had become a Roman Catholic, and that an agent 
from himself had actually been in Rome negotiating for 
Roman Catholic priests to be sent to his country. He de¬ 
clared there was no truth in any such statement; but added, 
that there was a Roman Catholic priest at the capital who 
had tried to persuade him to become a Roman Catholic, 
and had given to the princess his wife a crucifix, and 
to himself a silver medal, stating to them, that if they wore 
these on their breasts, and put confidence in the Virgin Mary, 
the princess would become a mother. “ But,” he added, 
“ it has not proved true: my wife has no child.” He then 
opened his vest, and showed me the silver medal suspended 
from his neck by a silken cord. On one side was the letter 
M, with the cross interwoven, and surrounded by stars; on 
the other side was a figure of the Virgin in relief standing 
with outstretched arms, and around the figure were these 
