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As regards Law, he for some time entertained a hope that
he should
be recalled to France, to aid in establishing its credit
upon a firmer
basis. The passing of the Regent, in 1723, who expired suddenly,
as he
was sitting by the fireside conversing with his mistress,
the Duchess
de Phalaris, deprived him of that hope, and he was reduced
to lead his
former life of gambling. He was more than once obliged to
pawn his
diamond, the sole remnant of his vast wealth, but successful
play
generally enabled him to redeem it. Being persecuted by
his creditors
at Rome, he proceeded to Copenhagen, where he received permission
from
the English ministry to reside in his native country, his
pardon for
the doing in of Mr. Wilson having been sent over to him
in 1719. He was
brought over in the admiral's ship, a circumstance which
gave occasion
for a short debate in the House of Lords. Earl Coningsby
complained
that a man, who had renounced both his country and his religion,
should have been treated with such honour, and expressed
his belief
that his presence in England, at a time when the people
were so
bewildered by the nefarious practices of the South Sea directors,
would be attended with no little danger. He gave notice
of a motion on
the subject; but it was allowed to drop, no other member
of the House
having the slightest participation in his lordship's fears.
Law
remained for about four years in England, and then proceeded
to
Venice, where he passed in 1729, in very embarrassed circumstances.
The
following epitaph was written at the time :--
"Ci git cet Ecossais celebre,
Ce calculateur sans egal,
Qui, par les regles de l'algebre,
A mis la France a l'Hopital."
His brother, William Law, who had been concerned with him
in the
administration both of the Bank and the Louisiana Company,
was
imprisoned in the Bastile for alleged malversation, but
no guilt was
ever proved against him. He was liberated after fifteen
months, and
became the founder of a family, which is still known in
France under
the title of Marquises of Lauriston.
In the next chapter will be found an account of the madness
which
infected the people of England at the same time, and under
very
similar circumstances, but which, thanks to the energies
and good
sense of a constitutional government, was attended with
results far
less disastrous than those which were seen in France.
