The fatal number to Rome has been six; and three has proved singularly fatal to France.

I. Take the kings. The third of any name has been uniformly either worthless or unlucky: Childebert III., Clotaire III., Clovis III., Dago-bert III., and Thierry III., were rois faineants.

Childeric III, the last king of France of the first race, was confined in a cloister that Pepin le Bref might reign in his stead. .

Pepin le Bref was the third Pepin: (1) Pepin de Landen; (2) Pepin d'Heristal, his grandson, and (3) Pepin le Bref, grandson of Pepin d'He-ristal, who was succeeded by the Carlovignian dynasty.

Charles III., le Simple, was wholly under the thumb of favorites, and after a most inglorious reign was poisoned by the Comte de Vermandois.

Henri III., le Mignon, "weaker than woman and worse than harlot" was assassinated by Jacques Clement.

Louis III, joint king with Carloman, reigned about a year and was killed by an accident at the age of twenty-two.

Philippe III., le Hardi, was singularly unfortunate, and singularly misnamed "The Bold." This tool of Labrosse went on a crusade, and brought home the dead bodies of five near relatives: his father, his wife, his son, his brother, and his brother-in-law. The "Sicilian Vespers" occurred in his reign. He died of an epidemic at Perpignan.

Napoleon III. lost his imperial crown at Sedan, and died in exile at Chiselhurst, in Kent.

II. The succession of three brothers has always proved fatal.

The Capetian dynasty terminated with the succession of three brothers: Louis X., Philippe V., and Charles IV. (sons of Philippe le Bel).

The Valois line came to an end by the succession of three brothers: Francois II., Charles IX., and Henri III. (sons of Henri II.).

The Bourbon dynasty terminated with the succession of three brothers: Louis XVI., Louis XVIII., and Charles X. (sons of Louis the Dauphin).

III. The monarchy of France was brought to an end by the third of these triplets.

The empire of France consisted of Napoleon I., Napoleon II., and Napoleon III.