Retrospect of French Interature—LHistory and Bugraphy. 635 
to the conquest of the Holy Land, in 
1092. In 1104, William and Heloum 
de Campion assisted, as barons of Nor- 
mandy, at a celebrated trial, while the 
Chevalier Matthew de Campion, lord 
of Bois-Herout, was nominated by Philip 
de Valois, king of France, to the offices 
of judge and commissioner in the Nor- 
man exchequer. 
Elis own father, who had served under 
Louis XII. died while a young man, 
leaving several children. He was the 
second son; and his mother, although 
young and handsome, remained ever after 
a widow, preferring the education of her 
children to all other considerations what- 
soever. His elder brother was placed at the 
college of La Fleche; and as his younger 
one was intended for the church, he also 
received a classical education. As to 
himself, being destined for the profession 
of arms, he was taught to read, to write, 
and encouraged to peruse books calcu- 
lated to inspire him with a noble way of 
thinking. 
“The first work entrusted to my dis- 
cretion contained the lives of the illus- 
trious men commemorated by Plutarch, 
and although it was not entirely suitable 
to my age, I yet took such a fancy to it 
that I still remember every memorahle 
passage. I even acknowledge, that I am 
indebted to this excellent author for all 
the good sentiments I ever possessed ; 
and, in my opinion, he is the only writer 
who teaches us how to live, in the same 
manner as Montaigne is the only one 
calculated to make us acquainted with 
ourselves, and Seneca to enable us to die 
with fortitude.” 
He passed the greater part of his in- 
fancy with an uncle, who not only con- 
versed frequently with him himself, but 
made him argue with others, for the ex- 
press purpose of ‘obtaining information 
and inseuction. On the other hand, 
this relation, instcad of checking the 
natural petulance of his spirit, seemed 
desirous on all occasions to implant or 
rather to strengthen his aversion to sub- 
ordination of all kinds ; and he frequent- 
ly acknowledges, that his unwillingness 
to obey, prevented him during many 
years from having the power to com- 
mand, 
At the age of eighteen, Henry de Cam- 
pion, lke several of the young nobility, 
carried a musket in the regiment of 
guards, as a cadet. He afterwards ob- 
tained an ensign’s commission i a corps 
commanded by M. de Cargret, a fine old 
warrior, undey whom he remained during 
two years. In 1634, he resigned his 
commission in the royal army, for the 
express purpose of serving, as was fre- 
quently the custom at that period, against 
his own sovereign, Gaston de France, 
Duke of Orleans, and brother of Louis 
XITL. being tired of his exile at Brussels, 
whither he had retired on the execution 
of the Duke de Montmorenci, who had 
seduced the province of Languedoc to 
rebel in his favour, determined to return 
to his native country; and while one of 
his confidants carried on a secret intrigue 
with Richelieu, then minister, for that pur- 
pose, another solicited the King of Spain 
to send a body of troops to assist in 
driving the Cardinal from France, and 
restoring Gaston to the favour of his 
royal brother. 
Our young soldier was easily induced 
to offer his services on this occasion, 
from the prospect of delivering both the 
king and kingdom from the tyranny of 
an upstart ecciesiastic ; and perhaps, also, 
the offer of a cornetey of horse tended 
somewhat to strengthen his. patriotism. 
He seems to have thought, indeed, that, 
provided he retired with consent, instead 
of deserting, there was nothing disho= 
nourable in such an incident: as to the 
charge of rebellion, he seemed to be 
pretty easy on that subject, “ For,” says 
he, “ Monsieur being brother to the 
kingxand presumptive heir to the crown, 
it was impossible to tax me with treason, 
more especially as I had been assured 
that this prince did not pretend to de- 
part from that obedience which he owed 
to his Majesty, being only desirous to get 
the better of the Cardinal, his open and 
implacable enemy, as all the world well 
knew.” 
This intrigue proved fatal to a soldier 
in the same regiment; and wl 
himself and two of his companiofs were 
indebted to the swiftness of their horses 
for their escape. On their arnival at 
Brussels, they were well received by the 
Duke of Orleans, and promised imme- 
diate employment. 
Some time after these officers repaired 
to the siege of Maéstricht, which was de- 
fended by the Prince of Orange, and at- 
tacked by a Spanish army under the 
Marquis d’Aitona. be former on this 
levied a fresh body. of troops, and set 
down before Breda; but nothing of con- 
sequence having been effected by either 
party, the French volunteers returned to 
head quarters, and the Duke of Orleans, 
having concluded a treaty with his bre- 
ther, under pretext of a hunting party, 
eft 
