Retrospect of French Literature—History and Biography. 637 
and fell at the battle of Rethel, on being 
seized with this malady was forsaken by 
all the world but his brother officer. He 
himself was afflicted witha dysentery, and 
obliged by the advice of his physicians, 
to repair to Normandy, for the purpose 
ef benefiting by his native air. 
After his recovery, he served in 
Franche-Comté, under the duke of Lon- 
gueville, against the duke of Lorraine, 
and was present at the engagement in 
the vicinity of Coligni; at the conclusion 
of which, both parties deeming them- 
selves worsted, were in a hurry to retire 
During the continuance of the troops 
in winter quarters, Lieutenant Campion 
formed a kind of literary society, consist- 
ing of himself, and a few officers of the 
regiment of Normandy. Their inter- 
views concluded with disputations on va- 
rious interesting subjects, and many per- 
sons took delight in listening to their con- 
ferences. 
“« T never found any associates (says 
our author), more reasonable or more 
pleasant. All the officers were my friends, 
and 1 was so much beloved, that: although 
only a lieutenant I may be fairly said, to 
have governed the whole battalion. In 
short, my tune passed away in a very 
agreeable manner, and I was never in the 
least embarrassed but in consequence of 
my unhappy passion for dice, which kept 
me in continual indigence. I hated above 
all things to borrow, but necessity often 
constraied me to take that ae and on 
mie occasions I always applied by let- 
, being ae to ask for assistance in 
in any othe: manner, My friends, in- 
deed, never suanbenes me, but [ was vex- 
ed to become importunate, which yet my 
bad conduct forced me to be, until 1640, 
at the siege of Turin, 
frequently sworn m vain, never to play 
any more at dice, I formed that resolu- 
tion, withoat an Gach, and I have perse- 
vered with such scrupulous exactness, 
that there is no appearance of my ever 
changing my mind, I have often since 
sunysed ‘myself at cards, and at éric-trac, 
indeed ; but as [ understand those games, 
my fortune has not received any in- 
jury.’ 
At he beginning of 1639, M. de Cam- 
pion repaired to court, and was well re- 
ceived by the king, who conferred on him 
the place of a gentleman in waiting, and 
at thé same time promised the first va- 
cant company. 
After this he repaired to the army, and 
served in Roasillon, under the command of 
the Prince de Condé, and Marshal de 
when, after having - 
Schomberg. At the siege of Salces,our lieu 
tenant distinguished himself greatly, and 
soon after received a wound during an at- 
tack on the Spamards. in one of these 
actions, the body ofa lady who command- 
ed a regiment, was found among the dead, 
and claimed by the enemy, 
In 1641, the king having refused to fulfil 
his promise toM. de Campton, by confering 
a company on him, merely because his el- 
der brother was attached to the count de 
Soissons, he determined to resign his com~ 
mission, and sell his place at court ; bus 
his majesty would not grant permission. 
This, however, was at length obtained, 
some time after, and his brother Alexan- 
der, who was now in the service of the 
duke de Vendome, having procured hiva 
a situation about the person of the duke 
de Beaufort his son, he immediately un- 
dertook that aries which was that of 
gentleman to his highness. 
Meanwhile the duke de Beaufort hav- 
ing entered into a plot against cardinal 
Richelieu, received orders to repair in- 
stantly to ‘court. With a view of gaining 
time, this nobleman immediately teigned 
Indisposition, and perceiving at length 
that it was dangerous to repair to Paris, 
he determined to leave France. A per- 
son was accordingly dispatched to Nor- 
mandy, and a vessel having been hired, 
was anchored at the mouth of the Seine, 
near to Havre. M. de Campion being 
entrusted with the management of the 
details, he set out before, procured relays 
of horses, and having embarked at I port, 
near Fecamp, the fugitives arrived safe 
at Rye, in Sussex. Sioon after this, they 
fellin with the duke de Vendome, the 
duke d@’Epernon, the Marquis de la Vieu- 
ville, the Count de Mentresor, the Count 
d’Aubyoux, Messrs. de Fonterailles, and 
de Varicaville, all of whom had retired 
for the express purpose of sheltering theme 
selves from the hatred of the cardinal. 
“ We spent six months in England,” 
says he, “ enjoying all manner of diver- 
sions, and during this period Charles I. 
who together with his queen had left their 
capital some time before, after having 
been forced to sign the death warrant of 
the Karl of Stafford, his favourite, assem- 
bled a body of troops, and gave battle to 
the Earl of Essex, the Parliament’s gene- 
ral, In this engagement, his majesty 
had rather the. adv antage, for he con- 
strained his enemies to retire to London 
and approached so near that city him- 
self, that the rebels were g reatly terrified. 
These disputes did not prevent us from 
passing our titae very agreeably. As for 
myself 
