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Sparks, William Henry, 1800-1882

"The Memories of Fifty Years Containing Brief Biographical Notices of Distinguished Americans, and Anecdotes of Remarkable Men; Interspersed with Scenes and Incidents Occurring during a Long Life of Observation Chiefly Spent i"

For some years he remained his
guest, indeed until he deemed it necessary to leave, and when he went,
was furnished with ample means. Long years after, when fortune had
abandoned the fortunate, and was smiling upon the unfortunate--when
the exile was a monarch, and his friend and benefactor was needy and
poor--when Louis Philippe was king of France and the wealthiest man in
Europe, they met again. Their circumstances were reversed. Marigny was
old and destitute. The monarch waited to be importuned, though
apprised of his benefactor's necessities and dependence, and answered
his appeal with a snuff-box, and the poor old man learned that there
was truth in the maxim, "Put not your trust in princes."
Wasteful habits, and the want of economy in every branch of his
business, wrought for him what it must for every one--"ruin." During
the discussion in the Legislature upon the bill dividing the city into
municipalities, Marigny, then a member, exerted himself against the
bill. He viewed it as the destruction of the property of the ancient
population in value, and their consequent impoverishment, and threw
much of his wit and satire at those who were its prominent supporters.


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