List of Illustrations

Philip Freneau (Photogravure).

Church du St. Esprit.

Agnes Watson, Mother of Philip Freneau

National Gazette

The Poet's Grave.

Agnes Watson Freneau Leadbeater

The Poet of the Revolution

I

Chapter First

N relation to the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, much has been written by authors holding very different sentiments.

With some, we should deem the Huguenots an inoffensive and deeply wronged people, persecuted solely on account of their religious convictions; according to others, we should look upon Louis Quatorze as a forbearing monarch, - one who, being in imminent danger of having his kingdom wrested from him and its religion subverted, was compelled to act upon the defensive.

Some represent the Huguenots as bearing injuries inflicted upon them with fortitude, and suffering persecutions even to martyrdom for their religion; others depict the king as pursuing his rigorous course through the purest of motives, and to such an extent only as to repress the continual revolts of his rebellious subjects; they would cause us to hear him say to his intendants, "Je vous recommande surtout de menager avec douceur les esprits de ceux de la dite religion;" and to listen to his censure of one governor for pursuing a different course; and to learn of the recall of another for the same offence.

In the year of our Lord 1685, that which saw the Edict of Nantes revoked, France was divided into two parties; the dominant one being that of the Crown, headed by Louis Quatorze, - a prince as scrupulous and inflexible in matters regarding the faith he pro