ered match, and had not even the curiosity to
inquire who the lady was. Shortly afterwards he was attacked by a
dangerous illness, which reduced him to the point of death. On
recovering, he went with his friends to Kehl, and was so much pleased
with the printing establishment of the well-known Beaumarchais, that he
resolved to have the whole of his works, with the exception of his
tragedies, which were in Didot's hands, printed there; and accordingly,
by August, 1789, all his writings, both in prose and poetry, were
printed.

In the mean time, the Countess of Albany had heard of the death of her
husband, which took place at Rome, on the 31st January, 1788. This event
set her entirely free, and it is generally believed that she was shortly
afterwards united in marriage to Alfieri; but the fact was never known,
and to the last the poet preserved the greatest mystery on the subject.

Paris now became their regular residence, and it was not long before the
revolutionary troubles commenced. In April, 1791, they determined to pay
a visit to England, where the Countess had never been. They remained
here some months, and on their embarking at Dover on their return,
Alfieri chanced to notice among the people collected on the beach to see
the vessel off, the very lady, his intrigue with whom twenty years
before had excited so great a sensation. He did not speak to her, but
saw that she recognized him. Accordingly, on reaching Calais, he wrote
to her to inquire into her present situation. He gives her reply at full
length in his _Memoirs_. It is in French; and we regret that its length
precludes us from giving it here, as it is a very remarkable production.
It indicates a decisive and inflexible firmness of character, very
unlike what is usually met with in her sex.

After visiting Holland and Belgium, Alfieri and the Countess returned to
Paris. In March, 1792, he received intelligence of his mother's death.
In the mean time the war with the emperor commenced, and matters
gradually got worse and worse. Alfieri witnessed the events of the
terrible 10th of August, when the Tuileries was taken by the mob after a
bloody conflict, and Louis XVI. virtually ceased to reign. Seeing the
great danger to which they would be exposed if they remained longer in
Paris, they determined on a hasty flight; and after procuring the
necessary passports, started on the 18th of the same month. They had a
narrow escape on passing the barriers. A mob of