Someroyalnamesarepredestinedtomisfortune：inFrance，thereisthename“Henry“。HenryIwaspoisoned，HenryIIwaskilledinatournament，HenryIIIandHenryIVwereassassinated。AstoHenryV，forwhomthepastissofatalalready，Godaloneknowswhatthefuturehasinstoreforhim。
InScotland，theunluckynameis“Stuart“。RobertI，founderoftherace，diedattwenty-eightofalingeringillness。RobertII，themostfortunateofthefamily，wasobligedtopassapartofhislife，notmerelyinretirement，butalsointhedark，onaccountofinflammationoftheeyes，whichmadethemblood-red。RobertIII
succumbedtogrief，thedeathofonesonandthecaptivityofother。
JamesIwasstabbedbyGrahamintheabbeyoftheBlackMonksofPerth。JamesIIwaskilledatthesiegeofRoxburgh，byasplinterfromaburstcannon。JamesIIIwasassassinatedbyanunknownhandinamill，wherehehadtakenrefugeduringthebattleofSauchie。
JamesIV，woundedbytwoarrowsandablowfromahalberd，fellamidsthisnoblesonthebattlefieldofFlodden。JamesVdiedofgriefatthelossofhistwosons，andofremorsefortheexecutionofHamilton。JamesVI，destinedtouniteonhisheadthetwocrownsofScotlandandEngland，sonofafatherwhohadbeenassassinated，ledamelancholyandtimorousexistence，betweenthescaffoldofhismother，MaryStuart，andthatofhisson，CharlesI。CharlesII
spentaportionofhislifeinexile。JamesIIdiedinit。TheChevalierSaint-George，afterhavingbeenproclaimedKingofScotlandasJamesVIII，andofEnglandandIrelandasJamesIII，wasforcedtoflee，withouthavingbeenabletogivehisarmseventhelustreofadefeat。Hisson，CharlesEdward，aftertheskirmishatDerbyandthebattleofCulloden，huntedfrommountaintomountain，pursuedfromrocktorock，swimmingfromshoretoshore，pickeduphalfnakedbyaFrenchvessel，betookhimselftoFlorencetodiethere，withouttheEuropeancourtshavingeverconsentedtorecognisehimasasovereign。Finally，hisbrother，HenryBenedict，thelastheiroftheStuarts，havinglivedonapensionofthreethousandpoundssterling，grantedhimbyGeorgeIII，diedcompletelyforgotten，bequeathingtotheHouseofHanoverallthecrownjewelswhichJamesIIhadcarriedoffwhenhepassedovertotheContinentin1688——atardybutcompleterecognitionofthelegitimacyofthefamilywhichhadsucceededhis。
Inthemidstofthisunluckyrace，MaryStuartwasthefavouriteofmisfortune。AsBrantomehassaidofher，“WhoeverdesirestowriteaboutthisillustriousqueenofScotlandhas，inher，twovery，largesubjects，theoneherlife，theotherherdeath，“Brantomehadknownherononeofthemostmournfuloccasionsofherlife——atthemomentwhenshewasquittingFranceforScotland。
Itwasonthe9thofAugust，1561，afterhavinglosthermotherandherhusbandinthesameyear，thatMaryStuart，DowagerofFranceandQueenofScotlandatnineteen，escortedbyheruncles，CardinalsGuiseandLorraine，bytheDukeandDuchessofGuise，bytheDucd’AumaleandM。deNemours，arrivedatCalais，wheretwogalleyswerewaitingtotakehertoScotland，onecommandedbyM。deMevillonandtheotherbyCaptainAlbize。Sheremainedsixdaysinthetown。Atlast，onthe15thofthemonth，afterthesaddestadieustoherfamily，accompaniedbyMessieursd’Aumale，d’Elboeuf，andDamville，withmanynobles，amongwhomwereBrantomeandChatelard，sheembarkedinM。Mevillon’sgalley，whichwasimmediatelyorderedtoputouttosea，whichitdidwiththeaidofoars，therenotbeingsufficientwindtomakeuseofthesails。
MaryStuartwastheninthefullbloomofherbeauty，beautyevenmorebrilliantinitsmourninggarb——abeautysowonderfulthatitshedaroundheracharmwhichnoonewhomshewishedtopleasecouldescape，andwhichwasfataltoalmosteveryone。Aboutthistime，too，someonemadeherthesubjectofasong，which，asevenherrivalsconfessed，containednomorethanthetruth。Itwas，soitwassaid，byM。deMaison-Fleur，acavalierequallyaccomplishedinarmsandletters：Hereitis：——
“Inrobesofwhiteness，lo，Fullsadandmournfully，WentpacingtoandfroBeauty’sdivinity；
Ashaftinhandshebore>FromCupid’scruelstore，Andhe，whoflutteredround，Bore，o’erhisblindfoldeyesAndo’erhisheaduncrowned，Aveilofmournfulguise，Whereonthewordswerewrought：
’Youperishorarecaught。’“
Yes，atthismoment，MaryStuart，inherdeepmourningofwhite，wasmorelovelythanever；forgreattearsweretricklingdownhercheeks，as，weavingahandkerchief，standingonthequarterdeck，shewhowassogrievedtosetout，bowedfarewelltothosewhoweresogrievedtoremain。
Atlast，inhalfanhour’stime，theharbourwasleftbehind；thevesselwasoutatsea。Suddenly，Maryheardloudcriesbehindher：aboatcominginunderpressofsail，throughherpilot’signorancehadstruckuponarockinsuchamannerthatitwassplitopen，andafterhavingtrembledandgroanedforamomentlikesomeonewounded，begantobeswallowedup，amidtheterrifiedscreamsofallthecrew。
Mary，horror-stricken，pale，dumb，andmotionless，watchedhergraduallysink，whileherunfortunatecrew，asthekeeldisappeared，climbedintotheyardsandshrouds，todelaytheirdeath-agonyafewminutes；finally，keel，yards，masts，allwereengulfedintheocean’sgapingjaws。Foramomentthereremainedsomeblackspecks，whichinturndisappearedoneafteranother；thenwavefolloweduponwave，andthespectatorsofthishorribletragedy，seeingtheseacalmandsolitaryasifnothinghadhappened，askedthemselvesifitwasnotavisionthathadappearedtothemandvanished。
“Alas！“criedMary，fallingonaseatandleaningbotharmsanthevessel’sstern，“whatasadomenforsuchasadvoyage！“Then，oncemorefixingontherecedingharbourhereyes，driedforamomentbyterror，andbeginningtomoistenanew，“Adieu，France！“shemurmured，“adieu，France！“andforfivehourssheremainedthus，weepingandmurmuring，“Adieu，France！adieu，France！“
Darknessfellwhileshewasstilllamenting；andthen，astheviewwasblottedoutandshewassummonedtosupper，“Itisindeednow，dearFrance，“saidshe，rising，“thatIreallyloseyou，sincejealousnightheapsmourninguponmourning，castingablackveilbeforemysight。Adieuthen，onelasttime，dearFrance；fornevershallIseeyoumore。“
Withthesewords，shewentbelow，sayingthatshewastheveryoppositeofDido，who，afterthedepartureofAEneas，haddonenothingbutlookatthewaves，whileshe，Mary，couldnottakehereyesofftheland。Theneveryonegatheredroundhertotrytodivertandconsoleher。Butshe，growingsadder，andnotbeingabletorespond，soovercomewasshewithtears，couldhardlyeat；and，havinghadabedgotreadyonthesterndeck，shesentforthesteersman，andorderedhimifhestillsawlandatdaybreak，tocomeandwakeherimmediately。OnthispointMarywasfavoured；forthewindhavingdropped，whendaybreakcamethevesselwasstillwithinsightofFrance。
Itwasagreatjoywhen，awakenedbythesteersman，whohadnotforgottentheorderhehadreceived，Maryraisedherselfonhercouch，andthroughthewindowthatshehadhadopened，sawoncemorethebelovedshore。Butatfiveo’clockinthemorning，thewindhavingfreshened，thevesselrapidlydrewfartheraway，sothatsoonthelandcompletelydisappeared。ThenMaryfellbackuponherbed，paleasdeath，murmuringyetonceagain——“Adieu，France！Ishallseetheenomore。“
Indeed，thehappiestyearsofherlifehadjustpassedawayinthisFrancethatshesomuchregretted。Bornamidthefirstreligioustroubles，nearthebedsideofherdyingfather，thecradlemourningwastostretchforhertothegrave，andherstayinFrancehadbeenarayofsunshineinhernight。Slanderedfromherbirth，thereportwassogenerallyspreadabroadthatshewasmalformed，andthatshecouldnotlivetogrowup，thatonedayhermother，MaryofGuise，tiredofthesefalserumours，undressedherandshowedhernakedtotheEnglishambassador，whohadcome，onthepartofHenryVIII，toaskherinmarriageforthePrinceofWales，himselfonlyfiveyearsold。CrownedatninemonthsbyCardinalBeaton，archbishopofSt。
Andrews，shewasimmediatelyhiddenbyhermother，whowasafraidoftreacherousdealingintheKingofEngland，inStirlingCastle。Twoyearslater，notfindingeventhisfortresssafeenough，sheremovedhertoanislandinthemiddleoftheLakeofMenteith，whereapriory，theonlybuildingintheplace，providedanasylumfortheroyalchildandforfouryounggirlsborninthesameyearasherself，havinglikeherthesweetnamewhichisananagramoftheword“aimer，“andwho，quittingherneitherinhergoodnorinherevilfortune，werecalledthe“Queen’sMarys“。TheywereMaryLivingston，MaryFleming，MarySeyton，andMaryBeaton。MarystayedinthispriorytillParliament，havingapprovedhermarriagewiththeFrenchdauphin，sonofHenryII，shewastakentoDumbartonCastle，toawaitthemomentofdeparture。ThereshewasentrustedtoM。deBreze，sentbyHenryIIto-fetchher。HavingsetoutintheFrenchgalleysanchoredatthemouthoftheClyde，Mary，afterhavingbeenhotlypursuedbytheEnglishfleet，enteredBrestharbour，15thAugust，1548，oneyearafterthedeathofFrancis！Besidesthequeen’sfourMarys，thevesselsalsobroughttoFrancethreeofhernaturalbrothers，amongwhomwasthePriorofSt。Andrews，JamesStuart，whowaslatertoabjuretheCatholicfaith，andwiththetitleofRegent，andunderthenameoftheEarlofMurray，tobecomesofataltopoorMary。FromBrest，MarywenttoSt。Germain-en-
Laye，whereHenryII，whohadjustascendedthethrone，overwhelmedherwithcaresses，andthensenthertoaconventwheretheheiressesofthenoblestFrenchhouseswerebroughtup。ThereMary’shappyqualitiesdeveloped。Bornwithawoman’sheartandaman’shead，Marynotonlyacquiredalltheaccomplishmentswhichconstitutedtheeducationofafuturequeen，butalsothatrealknowledgewhichistheobjectofthetrulylearned。
Thus，atfourteen，intheLouvre，beforeHenryII，CatherinedeMedici，andthewholecourt，shedeliveredadiscourseinLatinofherowncomposition，inwhichshemaintainedthatitbecomeswomentocultivateletters，andthatitisunjustandtyrannicaltodeprivefloweryoftheirperfumes，bybanishingyounggirlsfromallbutdomesticcares。Onecanimagineinwhatmannerafuturequeen，sustainingsuchathesis，waslikelytobewelcomedinthemostletteredandpedanticcourtinEurope。BetweentheliteratureofRabelaisandMarotvergingontheirdecline，andthatofRonsardandMontaignereachingtheirzenith，Marybecameaqueenofpoetry，onlytoohappynevertohavetowearanothercrownthanthatwhichRonsard，Dubellay，Maison-Fleur，aridBrantomeplaceddailyonherhead。Butshewaspredestined。InthemidstofthosefeteswhichawaningchivalrywastryingtorevivecamethefataljoustofTournelles：HenryII，struckbyasplinterofalanceforwantofavisor，sleptbeforehistimewithhisancestors，andMaryStuartascendedthethroneofFrance，where，frommourningforHenry，shepassedtothatforhermother，andfrommourningforhermothertothatforherhusband。Maryfeltthislastlossbothaswomanandaspoet；herheartburstforthintobittertearsandplaintiveharmonies。Herearesomelinesthatshecomposedatthistime：——
“Intomysongofwoe，Sungtoalowsadair，MycruelgriefIthrow，Forlossbeyondcompare；
InbittersighsandtearsGobymyfairestyears。
WasevergrieflikemineImposedbydestiny？
Dideverladypine，Inhighestate，likeme，OfwhombothheartandeyeWithinthecoffinlie？
Who，inthetenderspringAndblossomofmyyouth，TasteallthesorrowingOflife’sextremestruth，AndtakedelightinnoughtSaveinregretfulthought。
AllthatwassweetandgayIsnowapaintosee；
ThesunninessofdayIsblackasnighttome；
AllthatwasmydelightIshiddenfrommysight。
Myheartandeye，indeed，Oneface，oneimageknow，ThewhichthismorrnfulweedOnmysadfacedothshow，Dyedwiththeviolet’stoneThatisthelover’sown。
Tormentedbymyill，Igofromplacetoplace，ButwanderasIwillMywoescannoughtefface；