of which he foolishly sent secretly in a box to King
James. The monarch was always fearful of assassination, and as one of the
poems foretold his speedy decease, the prophet incurred the King's wrath
and suffered death for his pains.
A single poem was fatal to Deforges, entitled _Vers sur l'arrestation du
Pretendant d'Angleterre, en 1749_. It commences with the following
lines:--
"Peuple, jadis si fier, aujourd'hui si servile,
Des princes malheureux, tu n'es donc plus l'asyle?"
He happened to be present at the Opera House in Paris when the young
Pretender was arrested, and being indignant at this breach of hospitality,
and believing that the honour of the nation had been compromised, he wrote
these bitter verses. His punishment was severe. He was arrested and
conducted to the gloomy fortress of Mont-Saint-Michel, where he remained
for three long years shut up in the cage. The floor of this terrible
prison, which was enveloped in perpetual darkness, was only eight square
feet. The poor poet bore his sufferings patiently, and was befriended by
M. de Broglie, Abbe of Saint-Michel, who obtained permission for him to
leave his cage and be imprisoned in the Abbey; nor did he fail to take
precautions lest the poor poet should lose his eyesight on passing from
the darkness of the dungeon to the light of day. The good Abbe finally
procured liberty for his captive, who became secretary to M.
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