THE LATE MONSIEUR VERDIER.

In the early part of June we received the following notification, dated Paris, May 26th, 1858:-" Monsieur Georges-François-Paul Verdier, avocat à la Cour Impériale de Paris, Agent général de la Colonie de Mettray, décédé à Paris le 23 Mai, 1858, à l'âge de 52 ans, muni des Sacrements de l'Eglise. Priez pour lui."

We were not unprepared for this melancholy announcement; we had heard, some days before, that M. Verdier was ill, very ill, with brain-fever; M. Demetz had come up to Paris, from Mettray, and was close beside his old friend, lamenting his illness, and fearing that in his death, should God take him, Mettray would lose another prop. fearing the anguish of another death-bed parting like that of M. de Courteilles; painful, though the spirit passed away from God's work on earth, to God's glory in heaven.

In Verdier's case, the sorrow of M. Demetz was doubtless increased by the thought, that the sufferings of his friend were the result of over mental exertion in that cause which both had so deeply and so warmly at heart. In the Report on Mettray for 1855, and of which admirable document we published a translation in the Record of the 21st Number of this REVIEW, we find the exertions of M. Verdier acknowledged by M. Demetz in the following terms:

"We cannot conclude these observations on Patronage' without addressing our thanks to those who have seconded us in this work, and whose zeal, instead of diminishing, seems to increase in proportion as their task becomes more difficult. We would wish, Gentlemen, if the number were not too great, to pay to each individual, the tribute of gratitude due for his efficacious help; to recount with what per severing efforts the greater number have endeavoured to act (for good) on the children as well as their parents, well knowing that the best counsels have little influence in presence of evil examples on the part of the family.

We will content ourselves by naming M. Verdier, Agent-General of your Society, who, with a disinterestedness beyond all praise, has

charged himself with the Patronage' of all our children in Paris. We can hardly form a correct estimate of the difficulties which this office entails, or the incessant goings and comings of every kind which it exacts. M. Verdier is dismayed by no obstacles of this kind."

That these high commendations were merited, all who have studied the history of Mettray, are aware, and sad indeed must have been the feelings of M. Demetz, as he stood beside the sick bed of his stricken fellow laborer.

M. Verdier was not, even according to French ideas, a man of independent fortune, and depended for support upon his profession, Yet he found, or rather, by rising habitually at four o'clock, he made time by which he was enabled to serve Mettray, and to draw from M. Demetz, the noble eulogium which the reader has had placed before him.

This was a hard life; the courts all day, the care of the colons, then the inspection, the correspondence, the short rest, then to bed; at last "the sword out-wore the sheath," and the over-taxed brain could bear no more. Day by day, they watched him in his sickness, hoping and fearing, and then came the awful truth, that 'twere better he should die, for the tree had already died from the top, health would bring but idiotcy, and God in his great mercy called good Paul Verdier away-" Priez pour lui."

"Who shall tell what schemes majestic

Perish in the active brain?

What humanity is robbed of,

Ne'er to be restored again?"

"His loss," writes an English friend, who knew Verdier thoroughly, "to M. Demetz, will be indeed heavy, I had almost said irreparable. I had much opportunity in Paris of witnessing his rare devotion, and indefatigable zeal in the very difficult work of Patronage. It was his delight to work in comparative obscurity, for sheer 'love,' as he used

to say, of M. Demetz, and doubtless, still higher motives, which have, I doubt not, their reward."

Many of our readers will remember M. Verdier as the gentleman who accompanied M. Demetz, during his tour in England, in 1856. A special meeting of the National Reformatory Union, was held in the Law Amendment Society's Rooms, on Thursday, May 29th, 1856, which was attended by M. Demetz and M. Verdier, and in the course of some observations on Patronage Societies, M. Demetz said, "My friend, M. Verdier, takes devoted care of all our Mettray youths who go to Paris."

Truly it was devoted care, a care which cost a life; it is all gone and past now, and Demetz, loving like a Christian man, must say of the lost friend, as Galileo of the lost sight-"It has pleased God it should be so, and it must please me also."

Paul Verdier's relatives in Paris say" PRIEZ POUR LUI." We say, far away here in Ireland, AMEN, AND AMEN. MAY PAUL VERDIER'S SOUL REST IN PEACE, 'till he, and the Good Samaritan, shall stand before the Son of God, with all the Universe around them.

IRISH QUARTERLY REVIEW.

No. XXXI.-OCTOBER, 1858.

ART. I.-ODD PHASES IN LITERATURE.
SEVENTH PAPER.*

1. Analectabiblion, ou Extraits Critiques de Divers Livres Rares, Oubliés ou Peu Connus. Tirés du Cabinet du

Marquis D. R * * *2 Tomes. Paris: Techener, 1836. 2. A Collection of Old English Customs and Curious Bequests and Charities, extracted from the Reports made by the Commissioners for Enquiring into Charities in England and Wales. By H. Edwards. London: Nichols and Son, 1842. ODD AND SINGULAR TASTES.-Several illustrious men have evinced a marked predilection for certain days in the year. We know that Napoleon felt such a disposition for the 20th of March.

"Charles V.," said Brantôme, "was particularly fond of the festival of St. Matthias (24th of February), and sanctified it beyond all other days, because on that day he was elected Emperor, on that day crowned, and on that day also he took King Francis prisoner, not himself but through his lieutenants." Brantôme adds, also, that the Emperor was born on the feast of St. Matthias (24th February, 1500), that on the same. day, in 1527, his brother Ferdinand was elected King of Bohemia, and that, on the 24th of February, 1556, he abdicated the empire.

The 1st of January was to Francis I. what the 24th of February was to Charles V. Born on the 1st of January, it was on the 1st of January that this prince lost his father, that he became king, on which his daughter was married, and that on which Charles V. made his entry into Paris.

Sixtus V., born on a Wednesday (13th of December, 1521), made his profession as a Franciscan friar on a Wednesday, was promised a Cardinalship on a Wednesday, was elected Pope on a Wednesday, and exalted to the dignity the following Wednesday.

For the other Papers of this Series see IRISH QUARTERLY REVIEW, Vol. VI., No. 23, p. 439; No. 24, p. 647; Vol. VII., No. 25, p. 1; No. 26, p. 267; No. 27, p. 629; Vol. VIII, No. 29, p. 1.

NO. XXXI., VOL. VIII.

53

Louis XIII., some hours before his death (Thursday 14th of May, 1643), called his physicians and asked them if they thought he could live until the next day, saying that Friday had always been to him a fortunate day, that he had on that day engaged in enterprises which were uniformly successful, that he had ever gained battles on that day, that having always considered it his happiest day, he wished he might die on it.

"Augustus," according to Suetonius, "had a senseless fear of thunder and lightning, and it is believed protected himself from this danger by always carrying about him the skin of a sea-calf. When a storm approached he ran to conceal himself in a subterranean vault or cavern. This fear was occasioned by an incident, during a nocturnal march, in his expedition against the Cantabri, when the lightning having struck his litter, killed the slave who walked before bearing the flambeau."

A Roman Emperor at the age of fifty-nine, was seized with an insurmountable terror at the sight of the sea. Returning from an expedition into Syria, he sojourned in the palace of a king, on the confines of Asia; "The chief of Constantinople," says Nicephorus, (ch. vii.) "commanded the Prefect to build a bridge of boats over the Bosphorus, and to adorn it at each side with planks and branches of trees, in order that he might pass without beholding the sea. This work having been finished very promptly, the Emperor crossed on horseback, as if he had been on dry land."

One of the Spanish kings could not endure any one in his presence who had taken tobacco. He had, besides, the mania of feeling incensed at any man's demanding the age of a woman, unless he had intentions of marriage.

Louis XIV detested les chapeaux gris, almost as much as he did the Jansenists.*

* It is related by Saint-Simon, "the king wished to be informed what manner of people were followers of the Duke of Orleans in Spain, (1709) the Duke mentioned amongst others Fonterpuis. At this name, the king assumed an austere air, "How is that, my nephew, said the king, Fonterpuis the son of this Jansenist, of this fool who has been running everywhere after Arnaud? I cannot see of what value this man can be to you," "Sire," replied the Duke of Orleans, "I do not know what his mother may have been, but as for the son, he has no desire to be a Jansenist, I can vouch for that; for he does not believe even in the existence of a God."—" Is that pos sible, my nephew?" replied the king, becoming assuaged,"-"Noth ing more certain, Sire," replied the Duke," I assure you,”—“Then if that be so, you can manage him, I see no harm in that." This scene, for I call it by no other name, occurred in the morning, and after dinner the same day, the Duke related to me whilst convulsed with laughter all I have written, word for word."