rly in the
figure of Hymen quenching his torch, is worthy of the chisel of our own
Chantry. Somewhat might perhaps be owing to an evening light, which cast
strong mellow shades on the figures, and gave an effect of reality to
the fine white marble of which they are composed; but their merits are
very striking, and are quite unalloyed by the graphic bombast of which
the most able French artists have been with too much truth accused. The
character of the Dauphin, whose exemplary life in the midst of a corrupt
court, was a tacit reproof which his haughty father could ill brook, is
well known.

Ostendunt terris hunc tantum fata, neque ultra
Esse sinunt.

He was snatched in the flower of his age, in the year 1765, from an evil
which was even then brooding, and which might have brought his grey
hairs to a bloody end at a more advanced period: and his consort
survived him about a year and a half. "They were lovely and pleasant in
their lives, and in their deaths they were not divided." The latter
monument, as well as others of inferior merit, owed its preservation
from revolutionary fury to the conduct and firmness of Mons. Menestrier,
an avocat, and mayor of Auxerre during the reign of terror. _Ce brave
homme_ (I like the old sacristan's term of _brave homme_, as it is one
of the few untranslateable French words) flew to the cathedral at the
moment that a horde of brigands had entered it to commence the work of
mutilation; and, seconded by nothing but his known character for
resolution, and an athletic person, fairly intimidated and turned them
out for the time. Losing not a moment, he removed to a place of safety
the Dauphin's monument, the avowed object of their vengeance, before a
second visit took place; and desirous also to preserve a fine bas relief
which stands in another part of the church, representing St. Nicholas
portioning three orphan girls, he engraved on the wall under it an
inscription to Benevolence in the republican style, which produced the
desired effect. Not very long afterwards he fell a victim to a fever
caught by over-exertion in advocating the cause of a poor family; and
his wife survived him only a few days, exhibiting an humble copy of the
conjugal affection of those whose memorials her husband had so loyally
preserved. Whether to give full credit or not to the old sacristan's
narration, I do not know; but it appears more probable that even so
large a monument was removed piecemeal at shor