well as to those with whom he comes into contact; and the same observer, who looking into his companion's bosom, had pronounced him to be without the capacity either for high virtue, or for deep crime, would on seeing his-that is, Robert's-have declared that he united the two extremes; and that it depended upon a mere chance—that is, upon the manner in which the world used him-whether he should be a God to benefit mankind, or a Fiend to scourge it.

The Count of Flanders was of a disposition very different from either of these. With a cold heart, a designing head, depraved morals, tyrannical conduct, and habits altogether opposite to those of his two compeers, his society was as little courted by them, as he appeared desirous of theirs.

Robert, from the first period of youth, and long before the throne had placed such an immeasurable distance between their ranks, had been greatly attached to Philip, who in early life possessed no apparent chance whatever of succeeding to the inheritance which, as the

Bishop of Autun once told him, he had acquired by a species of miracle.

A single circumstance often suffices to determine our actions, and our feelings, throughout life. That which biassed Robert's is as follows.

Robert the second, Count of Artois, his grandfather, had two children: a son, Philip, and a daughter, Matilda: married to Othelin or Otho, Count of Burgundy-that is to say, of the County now called Franche Comté.

This Philip, died of a wound received in Flanders, and left two infants, the eldest of which was Robert-him now in question.

Shortly after this, the old Count also, Robert the second, died; whereupon, young Robert's aunt, Matilda, pretended that the County of Artois ought to descend to her, she being nearer of blood to her father than were his grandchildren.

She supported this claim by asserting, that the Salic law was not recognised in Artois; but that the females, when nearer in blood to the original stock, succeeded to lands in preference

to males who were further removed from it. Her brother Philip, she said, never having been seized of the lands in question, could confer no right upon them to his children,-it was therefore clear that they should devolve to her.

The matter was argued in the Court of Peers, in presence of the King,-Philip le bel. The Curators of the children opposed Matilda's pretensions; but her husband being all powerful at Court, and much in the good graces of the monarch, he obtained the required investiture for the time being-that is, till the children should be of sufficient age to prosecute their own claims; and the act of investiture bore the following clause.-Que ce seroit sans prejudice du droit que les enfans de Philip prétendoient y avoir.

All things being considered, Otho's power and the children's minority, this clause was a confession, firstly, of their right to succeed; secondly, that being less powerful than Otho, the Court esteemed it more prudent to admit his claim, though they, at the same time, wished to save appearances, by giving Robert and his brother

permission to renew theirs at a future period. It is vulgarly said that, "possession is nine points of the law;"-so it proved for Matilda.

Shortly after this decision Otho died.-Matilda still retained possession of Artois.-Robert, growing to manhood, claimed his heritage, unjustly, as he complained, kept from him by his aunt. His pretensions were laughed at, and it was then, and not till then, that, raising forces, he led them into the County of Artois, laid siege to several of its castles, and destroyed the surrounding country.

This irruption happened in the reign of Louis, surnamed Hutin, who applied himself to bringing the young Count to a more peaceable demeanour. But, at the death of the King, Robert again entered Artois with an army, and laying waste the whole country, Matilda implored the succour of the Regent, Philip, the late King's brother, who, in order to put an end to these troubles, took the county into his own possession, till the cause could again be judged before the Court of Peers; and sent an order to Robert to lay down his arms, and appear in

person before the Parlement. With this command, Robert, reflecting upon the injustice which that court had before done him, and fearing a renewal of it, refused compliance; and, continuing his ravages in Artois, possessed himself of the two most considerable towns in itArras, and St. Omer.

The Regent therefore calling together his troops, took up arms to enforce obedience, and marched to Amiens, whither Robert had advanced to meet him: but where, finding his power unequal to that of the enemy, and being wheedled, perhaps, by the Regent into a belief that justice should be done, if he would put forth his claims in a legal manner, he was induced to consent that the matter should be terminated by the ordinary course of justice. He therefore went to Paris, where the cause was a second time argued before the Court of Peers and the other Seigneurs of France, and where-as Robert himself, had he been sufficiently dishonest to have doubted the honesty of others, might have foreseen-judgment was a second time given against him.