diff options
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 3858.txt | 2556 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 3858.zip | bin | 0 -> 56695 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/cm21b10.txt | 2557 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | old/cm21b10.zip | bin | 0 -> 57051 bytes |
7 files changed, 5129 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/3858.txt b/3858.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d5da74c --- /dev/null +++ b/3858.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2556 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Memoirs of Louis XIV. and the Regency, +Book IV., by Elizabeth-Charlotte, Duchesse d'Orleans + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Memoirs of Louis XIV. and the Regency, Book IV. + +Author: Elizabeth-Charlotte, Duchesse d'Orleans + +Release Date: September 29, 2006 [EBook #3858] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DUCHESSE D'ORLEANS *** + + + + +Produced by David Widger + + + + + +MEMOIRS OF THE COURT OF LOUIS XIV. AND OF THE REGENCY + + + +Being the Secret Memoirs of the Mother of the Regent, +MADAME ELIZABETH-CHARLOTTE OF BAVARIA, DUCHESSE D'ORLEANS. + + + + +BOOK 4. + + +Victor Amadeus II. +The Grand Duchess, Consort of Cosimo II. of Florence +The Duchesse de Lorraine, Elizabeth-Charlotte d'Orleans +The Duc du Maine +The Duchesse du Maine +Louvois +Louis XV. +Anecdotes and Historical Particulars of Various Persons +Explanatory Notes + + + + +SECTION XXXV.--VICTOR AMADEUS, KING OF SICILY. + +It is said that the King of Sicily is always in ill humour, and that he +is always quarrelling with his mistresses. He and Madame de Verrue have +quarrelled, they say, for whole days together. I wonder how the good +Queen can love him with such constancy; but she is a most virtuous person +and patience itself. Since the King had no mistresses he lives upon +better terms with her. Devotion has softened his heart and his temper. + +Madame de Verrue is, I dare say, forty-eight years of age (1718). I +shared some of the profits of her theft by buying of her 160 medals of +gold, the half of those which she stole from the King of Sicily. She had +also boxes filled with silver medals, but they were all sold in England. + + [The Comtesse de Verrue was married at the age of thirteen years. + Victor Amadeus, then King of Sardinia, fell in love with her. She + would have resisted, and wrote to her mother and her husband, who + were both absent. They only joked her about it. She then took that + step which all the world knows. At the age of eighteen, being at a + dinner with a relation of her husband's, she was poisoned. The + person she suspected was the same that was dining with her; he did + not quit her, and wanted to have her blooded. Just at this time the + Spanish Ambassador at Piedmont sent her a counter-poison which had a + happy effect: she recovered, but never would mention whom she + suspected. She got tired of the King, and persuaded her brother, + the Chevalier de Lugner, to come and carry her off, the King being + then upon a journey. The rendezvous was in a chapel about four + leagues distant from Turin. She had a little parrot with her. Her + brother arrived, they set out together, and, after having proceeded + four leagues on her journey, she remembered that she had forgotten + her parrot in the chapel. Without regarding the danger to which she + exposed her brother, she insisted upon returning to look for her + parrot, and did so. She died in Paris in the beginning of the reign + of Louis XV. She was fond of literary persons, and collected about + her some of the best company of that day, among whom her wit and + grace enabled her to cut a brilliant figure. She was the intimate + friend of the poet La Faye, whom she advised in his compositions, + and whose life she made delightful. Her fondness for the arts and + pleasure procured for her the appellation of 'Dame de Volupte', and + she wrote this epitaph upon herself: + + "Ci git, dans un pais profonde, + Cette Dame de Volupte, + Qui, pour plus grande surete, + Fit son Paradis dans ce monde."] + + + + +SECTION XXXVI.--THE GRAND DUCHESS, WIFE OF COSMO II. OF FLORENCE. + +The Grand Duchess has declared to me, that, from the day on which she set +out for Florence, she thought of nothing but her return, and the means of +executing this design as soon as she should be able. + +No one could approve of her deserting her husband, and the more +particularly as she speaks very well of him, and describes the manner of +living at Florence as like a terrestrial paradise. + +She does not think herself unfortunate for having travelled, and looks +upon all the grandeur she enjoyed at Florence as not to be compared with +the unrestrained way of living in which she indulges here. She is very +amusing when she relates her own history, in the course of which she by +no means flatters herself. + +"Indeed, cousin," I say to her often, "you do not flatter yourself, but +you really tell things which make against you." + +"Ah, no matter," she replies, "I care not, provided I never see the Grand +Duke again." + +She cannot be accused of any amorous intrigue. + +Her husband furnishes her with very little money; and at this moment +(April, 1718) he owes her fifteen months of her pension. She is now +really in want of money to enable her to take the waters of Bourbon. +The Grand Duke, who is very avaricious, thinks she will die soon, and +therefore holds back the payments that he may take advantage of that +event when it shall happen. + + + + +SECTION XXXVII.--THE DUCHESSE DE LORRAINE, ELIZABETH-CHARLOTTE +PHILIPPINE D'ORLEANS, CONSORT OF LEOPOLD JOSEPH-CHARLES DE LORRAINE. + +My daughter is ugly; even more so than she was, for the fine complexion +which she once had has become sun-burnt. This makes a great difference +in the appearance, and causes a person to look old. She has an ugly +round nose, and her eyes are sunken; but her shape is preserved, and, as +she dances well, and her manners are easy and polished, any one may see +that she is a person of breeding. I know many people who pique +themselves upon their good manners, and who still have not so much reason +as she has. At all events I am content with my child as she is; and I +would rather see her ugly and virtuous than pretty and profligate like +the rest. + +Whenever the time of her accouchement approaches, she never fails to bid +her friends adieu, in the notion that she will die. Fortunately she has +hitherto always escaped well. + +When jealousy is once suffered to take root, it is impossible to +extirpate it--therefore it is better not to let it gain ground. My +daughter pretends not to be affected by hers, but she often suffers great +affliction from it. This is not astonishing, because she is very fond of +her children; and the woman with whom the Duke is infatuated, together +with her husband, do not leave him a farthing; they completely ruin his +household. Craon is an accursed cuckold and a treacherous man. The Duc +de Lorraine knows that my daughter is acquainted with everything, and I +believe he likes her the better that she does not remonstrate with him, +but endures all patiently. He is occasionally kind to her, and, provided +that he only says tender things to her, she is content and cheerful. + +I should almost believe that the Duke's mistress has given him a philtre, +as Neidschin did to the Elector of Saxony. When he does not see her, it +is said he perspires copiously at the head, and, in order that the +cuckold of a husband may say nothing about the affair, the Duke suffers +him to do whatever he pleases. He and his wife, who is gouvernante, rule +everything, although neither the one nor the other has any feeling of +honour. She is to come hither, it seems, with the Duke and Duchess. + +The Duc de Lorraine is here incog. + + [He came to Paris for the purpose of soliciting an arrondissement in + Champagne and the title of Royal Highness. Through the influence of + his mother-in-law he obtained both the one and the other. By virtue + of a treaty very disadvantageous for France, but which was + nevertheless registered by the Parliament, he increased his states + by adding to them a great number of villages.] + +under the title of the Comte de Blamont. Formerly the chase was his +greatest passion; but now, it seems, the swain is wholly amorous. It is +in vain for him to attempt to conceal it; for the more he tries, the more +apparent it becomes. When you would suppose he is about to address you, +his head will turn round, and his eyes wander in search of Madame Craon; +it is quite diverting to see him. I cannot conceive how my daughter can +love her husband so well, and not display more jealousy. It is +impossible for a man to be more amorous than the Duke is of Craon (19th +of April, 1718). + +It cannot be denied that she (Madame de Craon) is full of agreeable +qualities. Although she is not a beauty, she has a good shape, a fine +skin, and a very white complexion; but her greatest charms are her mouth +and teeth. When she laughs it is in a very pleasing and modest manner; +she behaves properly and respectfully in my daughter's presence; if she +did the same when she is not with her, one would have nothing to complain +of. It is not surprising that such a woman should be beloved; she really +deserves it. But she treats her lover with the utmost haughtiness, as if +she were the Duchesse de Lorraine and he M. de Luneville. I never saw a +man more passionately attached than he appears to be; when she is not +present, he fixes his eyes upon the door with an expression of anxiety; +when she appears, he smiles and is calm; it is really very droll to +observe him. She, on the contrary, wishes to prevent persons from +perceiving it, and seems to care nothing about him. As the Duke was +crossing a hall here with her upon his arm, some of the people said +aloud, "That is the Duc de Lorraine with his mistress." Madame Craon +wept bitterly, and insisted upon the Duke complaining of it to his +brother. The Duke did in fact complain; but my son laughed at him, and +replied, "that the King himself could not prevent that; that he should +despise such things, and seem not to hear them." + +Madame Craon was my daughter's fille d'honneur; she was then called +Mademoiselle de Ligneville, and there it was that the Duke fell in love +with her. M. Craon was in disgrace with the Duke, who was about to +dismiss him as a rascal, for having practised a sharping trick at play; +but, as he is a cunning fellow, he perceived the Duke's love for +Mademoiselle de Ligneville, although he pretended to make a great mystery +of it. About this time Madame de Lenoncourt, my daughter's dame d'atour, +happened to die. The Duke managed to have Mademoiselle de Ligneville +appointed in her room; and Craon, who is rich, offered to marry this poor +lady. The Duke was delighted with the plan of marrying her to one who +would lend himself to the intrigue; and thus she became Madame de Craon, +and dame d'atour. The old gouvernante dying soon afterwards, my daughter +thought to gratify her husband, as well as Madame de Craon, by appointing +her dame d'honneur; and this it is that has brought such disgrace upon +her. + +My daughter is in despair. Craon and his wife want to take a journey of +ten days, for the purpose of buying a marquisate worth 800,000 livres. +The Duke will not remain during this time with his wife, but chooses it +for an opportunity to visit all the strong places of Alsatia. He will +stay away until the return of his mistress and her husband; and this it +is which makes my poor daughter so unhappy. The Duke now neither sees +nor hears anything but through Craon, his wife, and their creatures. + +I do not think that my daughter's attachment to her husband is so strong +as it used to be, and yet I think she loves him very much; for every +proof of fondness which he gives her rejoices her so much that she sends +me word of it immediately. He can make her believe whatever he chooses; +and, although she cannot doubt the Duke's passion for Madame de Craon, +yet, when he says that he feels only friendship for her, that he is quite +willing to give up seeing her, only that he fears by doing so he would +dishonour her in the eyes of the public, and that there is nothing he is +not ready to do for his wife's repose, she receives all he says +literally, beseeches him to continue to see Madame de Craon as usual, and +fancies that her husband is tenderly attached to her, while he is really +laughing at her. If I were in my daughter's place, the Duke's falsehood +would disgust me more than his infidelity. + +What appears to me the most singular in this intrigue is that the Duke is +as fond of the husband as of the wife, and that he cannot live without +him. This is very difficult to comprehend; but M. de Craon understands +it well, and makes the most of it; he has already bought an estate for +1,100,000 livres. + + [The Marquis de Craon was Grand Chamberlain and Prime Minister of + the Duc de Lorraine; who, moreover, procured for him from the + Emperor of Germany the title of Prince. This favourite married one + of his daughters to the Prince de Ligin, of the House of Lorraine.] + +The burning of Lundville was not the effect of an accident; it is well +known that some of the people stopped a woman's mouth, who was crying out +"Fire!" A person was also heard to say, "It was not I who set it on +fire." My daughter thinks that Old Maintenon would have them all burnt; +for the person who cried out has been employed, it seems, in the house of +the Duc de Noailles. For my part, I am rather disposed to believe it was +the young mistress, Madame de Craon, who had a share in this matter; for +Luneville is my daughter's residence and dowry. + + + + +SECTION XXXVIII.--THE DUC DU MAINE, LOUIS-AUGUSTUS. + +The Duc du Maine flattered himself that he would marry my daughter. +Madame de Maintenon and Madame de Montespan were arranging this project +in presence of several merchants, to whom they paid no attention, but the +latter, engaging in the conversation, said, "Ladies, do not think of any +such thing, for it will cost you your lives if you bring about that +marriage." + +Madame de Maintenon was dreadfully frightened at this, and immediately +went to the King to persuade him to relinquish the affair. + +The Duc du Maine possesses talent, which he displays particularly in his +manner of relating anything. He knows very well who is his mother, but +he has never had the least affection for any one but his gouvernante, +against whom he never bore ill-will, although she displaced his mother +and put herself in her room. My son will not believe that the Duc du +Maine is the King's son. He has always been treacherous, and is feared +and hated at Court as an arch tale-bearer. He has done many persons very +ill offices with the King; and those in particular to whom he promised +most were those who have had the greatest reason to complain of him. His +little wife is worse even than he, for the husband is sometimes +restrained by fear; but she mingles the pathetic occasionally in her +comedies. It is certain that there does not exist a more false and +wicked couple in the whole world than they are. + +I can readily believe that the Comte de Toulouse is the King's son; but I +have always thought that the Duc du Maine is the son of Terme, who was a +false knave, and the greatest tale-bearer in the Court. + +That old Maintenon had persuaded the King that the Duc du Maine was full +of piety and virtue. When he reported evil tales of any persons, she +pretended that it was for their good, and to induce the King to correct +them. The King was, therefore, induced to fancy everything he did +admirable, and to take him for a saint. The confessor, Le Pere +Letellier, contributed to keep up this good opinion in order to pay court +to the old woman; and the late Chancellor, M. Voisin, by her orders +continued to aid the King's delusion. + +The Duc du Maine fancied that, since he had succeeded in getting himself +declared a Prince of the blood, he should not find it difficult on that +account to attain the royal dignity, and that he could easily arrange +everything with respect to my son and the other Princes of the blood. +For this reason he and the old woman industriously circulated the report +that my son had poisoned the Dauphine and the Duc de Berri. The Duc du +Maine was instigated by Madame de Montespan and Madame de Maintenon to +report things secretly to the King; at first for the purpose of making +him bark like a cur at all whom they disliked, and afterwards for the +King's diversion, and to make themselves beloved by him. + +These bastards are of so bad a disposition that God knows who was their +father. + +Yesterday the Parliament presented its remonstrance to my son. It is +not difficult to guess whence this affair proceeds. They were closeted +for four hours together with the Duc and Duchesse du Maine, who had the +Councillors brought thither in their coach, and attended by their own +livery servants (20th June, 1718). + +I believe that my son is only, restrained from acting rigorously against +the Duc du Maine because he fears the tears and anger of his wife; and, +in the second place, he, has an affection for his other brother-in-law, +the Comte de Toulouse. + +That old woman must surely think herself immortal, for she still hopes to +reign, though at the age of eighty-three years. The Duc du Maine's +affair is a severe blow for her. She is, nevertheless, not without hope, +and it is said not excessively grieved. This fills me with anxiety, for +I know too well how expert the wicked old hussy is in the use of poison. + +The first President of Mesmes ought to be friendly towards the Duc du +Maine, to whom he is indebted for the office he holds. The Duke keeps +all his places; as to that of Grand Master of Artillery, they could not +take it away unless they had proceeded to extremities with him. + +The Duke became so devout in his prison, and during Passion week he +fasted so rigorously, that he fell sick in consequence. He says that he +is innocent and that he has gained heaven by the purity of his conduct; +this renders him gay and contented. He is not, besides, of a sorrowful +temper, but, on the contrary, is fond of jests and merry tales. He does +not speak ill of persons publicly; it was only to the King he used to +denounce them. + +Yesterday my son was requested to permit the Duc du Maine to be +reconciled with his wife. His answer was, "They might have been +reconciled without speaking to me about it, for whether they become +friends again or not, I know what to think of them." + + + + +SECTION XXXIX.--THE DUCHESSE DU MAINE, LOUISE-BENOITE, DAUGHTER OF +HENRI-JULES DE CONDE. + +[Illustration: Duchesse du Maine--314] + + +Madame du Maine is not taller than a child ten years old, and is not well +made. To appear tolerably well, it is necessary for her to keep her +mouth shut; for when she opens it, she opens it very wide, and shows her +irregular teeth. She is not very stout, uses a great quantity of paint, +has fine eyes, a white skin, and fair hair. If she were well disposed, +she might pass, but her wickedness is insupportable. + +She has good sense, is accomplished, and can talk agreeably on most +subjects. This brings about her a host of learned men and wits. She +flatters the discontented very adroitly, and says all ill things of my +son. This is the secret by which she has made her party. Her husband is +fond of her, and she in turn piques herself upon her love for him; but I +should be sorry to swear to her sincerity. This at least is certain, +that she rules the Duc du Maine absolutely. As he holds several offices, +he can provide for a great number of persons, either in the regiment of +Guards, of which he is General; or in the Artillery, of which he is Grand +Master; or in the Carabineers, where he appoints all the officers; +without reckoning his regiments, by which he attracts a great number of +persons. + +Madame du Maine's present lover is the Cardinal de Polignac; but she has, +besides, the first Minister and some young men. The Cardinal is accused +of having assisted in the refutation of Fitz-Morris's letters, although +he has had this very year (1718) a long interview with my son, and has +sworn never to engage in anything against his interests, notwithstanding +his attachment to the Duchesse du Maine. + +The Comte d'Albert, who was here last winter, took some pains to make +himself agreeable to Madame du Maine, and succeeded so well as to make +the Cardinal de Polignac very jealous. He followed them masked to a +ball; but upon seeing the Duchess and the Count tete-a-tete, he could not +contain his anger this betrayed him; and when the people learned that a +Cardinal had been seen at a masked ball it caused them great diversion. + +Her being arrested threw Madame du Maine into such a transport of rage +that she was near choking, and only recovered herself by slow degrees. + + [The Marquis d'Ancenis, Captain of the Guards, who came early in the + morning to arrest the Princess, had supped with her on the preceding + evening, when he entered, the Duchess cried out to him, "Mon Dieu! + what have I done to you, that you should wake me so early?" The + chief domestics of the household were taken to the Bastille or to + Vincennes; the Prince of Dombes and the Comte d'Eu were carried to + Eu.] + +She is now said to be quite calm, and, it is added, she plays at cards +all day long. When the play is over, she grows angry again, and falls +upon her husband, his children, or her servants, who do not know how to +appease her. She is dreadfully violent, and, it is said, has often +beaten her husband. + +All the time of her residence at Dijon she was playing the Orlando +Furioso: sometimes she was not treated with the respect due to her rank; +sometimes she complains of other things; she will not understand that she +is a prisoner, and that she has deserved even a worse fate. She had +flattered herself that when she should reach Chalons-sur-Saone she would +enjoy more liberty, and have the whole city for her prison; but when she +learnt that she was to be locked up in the citadel, as at Dijon, she +would not set out. Far from repenting her treason, she fancies she has +done something very praiseworthy. + +Melancholy as I am, my son has made me laugh by telling me what has been +found in Madame du Maine's letters, seized at the Cardinal de Polignac's. +In one of her letters, this very discreet and virtuous personage writes, +"We are going into the country tomorrow; and I shall so arrange the +apartments that your chamber shall be next to mine. Try to manage +matters as well as you did the last time, and we shall be very happy." + +The Princess knows very well that her daughter has had an intrigue with +the Cardinal, and has endeavoured to break it off. For this purpose she +has convinced her by the Cardinal's own letters that he is unfaithful to +her, and prefers a certain Montauban to her. This, however, has had no +effect. The Duc du Maine has been informed of everything, and he writes +to her sister, "I ought not to be put into prison, but into petticoats, +for having suffered myself to be so led by the nose." + +He has resolved never to see his wife again, although he does not yet +know of the Duchess's letter to the Cardinal, nor of the other measures +she has taken for the purpose of decorating her husband's brows. + +Madame du Maine will eventually become really crazy, for she is +dreadfully troubled with the vapours. Her mother has entreated my son +to let her daughter be brought to her house at Anet, where she will be +answerable for her conduct and suffer her to speak with no one. + +My son replied, "that if Madame du Maine had only conspired against his +life, he would have pardoned her with all his heart; but that, as her +offence had been committed against the State, he was obliged, in spite of +himself, to keep her in prison." + +It is not true that the Duc du Maine has permission to hunt; he is only +allowed to ride upon a hired horse round the citadel, to take the air, +in the company of four persons. + +The Abbe de Maulevrier and Mademoiselle de Langeron persuaded the +Princess that Madame du Maine was at the point of death, and was only +desirous of seeing her dear mother before she expired, to receive her +last benediction, as she should die innocent. The Princess immediately +set out in great anxiety and with deep grief; but was strangely +surprised, on arriving at her daughter's house, to see her come to meet +her in very good health. Mademoiselle de Langeron said that the Duchess +concealed her illness that she might not make her mother unhappy. + +After the confession which Madame du Maine thought proper to make, which +she has confirmed by writing, my son has set her at liberty, and has +permitted her to come to Sceaux. She is terribly mortified at her letter +being read in the open Council. As she has declared in her confession +that she had done everything without her husband's knowledge, although in +his name, he, too, has been permitted to return to his estate of +Chavigny, near Versailles. + +Madame du Maine had written to my son that, in the event of her having +omitted anything in her declaration, he would only have to ask +Mademoiselle de Launay about it. He sent in consequence for that lady, +to ask her some questions. Mademoiselle de Launay replied: "I do not +know whether her imprisonment may have turned my mistress's brain, but it +has not had the same effect upon me; I neither know, nor will I say +anything." + +Madame du Maine had gained over certain gentlemen in all the Provinces, +and had tampered with them to induce them to revolt; but none of them +would swallow the bait excepting in Brittany. + +She has not been at the theatre yet; meaning, by this, to intimate that +she is still afflicted at lying under her husband's displeasure. It is +said that she has written to him, but that he has returned her letter +unopened. + +She came some days ago to see my son, and to request him not to oppose a +reconciliation between herself and her husband. My son laughed and said, +"I will not interfere in it; for have I not learned from Sganarelle that +it is not wise to put one's finger between the bark and the tree?" +The town says they will be reconciled. If this really should take place, +I shall say as my father used: "Agree together, bad ones!" + +My son tells me that the little Duchess has again besought him to +reconcile her with her husband. My son replied, "that it depended much +more upon herself than upon him." I do not know whether she took this +for a compliment, or what crotchet she got in her head, but she suddenly +jumped up from the sofa, and clung about my son's neck, kissing him on +both cheeks in spite of himself (18th June, 1720). + +The Duc du Maine is entirely reconciled to his dear moiety. I am not +surprised, for I have been long expecting it. + + + + +SECTION XL.--LOUVOIS + +M. de Louvois was a person of a very wicked disposition; he hated his +father and brother, and, as they were my very good friends, this minister +made me feel his dislike of them. His hatred was also increased, because +he knew that I was acquainted with his ill-treatment of my father, and +that I had no reason in the world to like him. He feared that I should +seek to take vengeance upon him, and for this reason he was always +exciting the King against me. Upon this point alone did he agree with +that old, Maintenon. + +I believe that Louvois had a share in the conspiracy by which Langhans +and Winkler compassed my poor brother's death. When the King had taken +the Palatinate, I required him to arrest the culprits; the King gave +orders for it, and they were in fact seized, but afterwards liberated by +a counter-order of Louvois. Heaven, however, took care of their +punishment for the crime which they had committed upon my poor brother; +for Langhans died in the most abject wretchedness, and Winkler went mad +and beat his own brains out. + +There is no doubt that the King spoke very harshly to Louvois, but +certainly he did not treat him as has been pretended, for the King was +incapable of such an action. Louvois was a brute and an insolent person; +but he served the King faithfully, and much better than any other person. +He did not, however, forget his own interest, and played his cards very +well. He was horribly depraved, and by his impoliteness and the +grossness of his replies made himself universally hated. He might, +perhaps, believe in the Devil; but he did not believe in God. He had +faith in all manner of predictions, but he did not scruple to burn, +poison, lie and cheat. + +If he did not love me very well, I was at least even with him; and, for +the latter part of his time, he conducted himself somewhat better. I was +one of the last persons to whom he spoke, and I was even shocked when it +was announced that the man with whom I had been conversing a quarter of +an hour before, and who did not look ill, was no more. + +They have not yet learnt, although I have resided so long in France, to +respect my seal. M. de Louvois used to have all my letters opened and +read; and M. Corey, following his noble example, has not been more +courteous to me. Formerly they used to open them for the purpose of +finding something to my prejudice, and now (1718) they open them through +mere habit. + + + + +SECTION XLI.--LOUIS XV. + +It is impossible for any child to be more agreeable than our young King; +he has large, dark eyes and long, crisp eyelashes; a good complexion, a +charming little mouth, long and thick dark-brown hair, little red cheeks, +a stout and well-formed body, and very pretty hands and feet; his gait is +noble and lofty, and he puts on his hat exactly like the late King. The +shape of his face is neither too long nor too short; but the worst thing, +and which he inherits from his mother, is, that he changes colour very +frequently. Sometimes he looks ill, but in half an hour his colour will +have returned. His manners are easy, and it may be said, without +flattery, that he dances very well. He is quick and clever in all that +he attempts; he has already (1720) begun to shoot at pheasants and +partridges, and has a great passion for shooting. + +He is as like his mother as one drop of water is to another; he has sense +enough, and all that he seems to want is a little more affability. He is +terribly haughty, and already knows what respect is. His look is what +may be called agreeable, but his air is milder than his character, for +his little head is rather an obstinate and wilful one. + +The young King was full of grief when Madame de Ventadour quitted him. +She said to him, "Sire, I shall come back this evening; mind that you +behave very well during my absence." + +"My dear mamma," replied he, "if you leave me I cannot behave well." + +He does not care at all for any of the other women. + +The Marechal de Villeroi teases the young King sometimes about not +speaking to me enough, and sometimes about not walking with me. This +afflicts the poor child and makes him cry. His figure is neat, but he +will speak only to persons he is accustomed to. + +On the 12th August (1717), the young King fell out of his bed in the +morning; a valet de chambre, who saw him falling, threw himself adroitly +on the ground, so that the child might tumble upon him and not hurt +himself; the little rogue thrust himself under the bed and would not +speak, that he might frighten his attendants. + +The King's brother died of the small-pox in consequence of being +injudiciously blooded; this one, who is younger than his brother, was +also attacked, but the femme de chambre concealed it, kept him warm, and +continued to give him Alicant wine, by which means they preserved his +life. + +The King has invented an order which he bestows: upon the boys with whom +he plays. It is a blue and white ribbon, to which is suspended an +enamelled oval plate, representing a star and the tent or pavilion in +which he plays on the terrace (1717). + + + + +SECTION XLII.--ANECDOTES AND HISTORICAL PARTICULARS RELATING TO VARIOUS +PERSONS. + +Some horrible books had been written against Cardinal Mazarin, with which +he pretended to be very much enraged, and had all the copies bought up to +be burnt. When he had collected them all, he caused them to be sold in +secret, and as if it were unknown to him, by which contrivance he gained +10,000 crowns. He used to laugh and say, "The French are delightful +people; I let them sing and laugh, and they let me do what I will." + +In Flanders it is the custom for the monks to assist at all fires. It +appeared to me a very whimsical spectacle to see monks of all colours, +white, black and brown, running hither and thither with their frocks +tucked up and carrying pails. + +The Chevalier de Saint George is one of the best men in the world, and +complaisance itself. He one day said to Lord Douglas, "What should I do +to gain the good-will of my countrymen?" Douglas replied, "Only embark +hence with twelve Jesuits, and as soon as you land in England hang every +one of them publicly; you can do nothing so likely to recommend you to +the English people." + +It is said that at one of the masked balls at the opera, a mask entered +the box in which were the Marechals de Villars and d'Estrees. He said to +the former, "Why do you not go below and dance?" The Marshal replied, +"If I were younger I could, but not crippled as you see I am."--"Oh, go +down," rejoined the mask, "and the Marechal d'Estrees too; you will cut +so brilliant a figure, having both of you such large horns." At the same +time he put up his fingers in the shape of horns. The Marechal d'Estrees +only laughed, but the other was in a great rage and said, "You are a most +insolent mask, and I do not know what will restrain me from giving you a +good beating."--"As to a good beating;" replied the mask, "I can do a +trifle in that way myself when necessary; and as for the insolence of +which you accuse me, it is sufficient for me to say that I am masked." +He went away as he said this, and was not seen again. + +The King of Denmark has the look of a simpleton; he made love to my +daughter while he was here. When they were dancing he used to squeeze +her hand, and turn up his eyes languishingly. He would begin his minuet +in one corner of the hall and finish it in another. He stopped once in +the middle of the hall and did not know what to do next. I was quite +uneasy at seeing him, so I got up and, taking his hand, led him away, or +the good gentleman might have strayed there until this time. He has no +notion of what is becoming or otherwise. + +The Cardinal de Noailles is unquestionably a virtuous man; it would be a +very good thing if all the others were like him. We have here four of +them, and each is of a different character. Three of them resemble each +other in a certain particular--they are as false as counterfeit coin; in +every other respect they are directly opposite. The Cardinal de Polignac +is well made, sensible, and insinuating, and his voice is very agreeable; +but he meddles too much with politics, and is too much occupied with +seeking favour. The Cardinal de Rohan has a handsome face, as his +mother had, but his figure is despicable. He is as vain as a peacock, +and fancies that there is not his equal in the whole world. He is a +tricking intriguer, the slave of the Jesuits, and fancies he rules +everything, while in fact he rules nothing. The Cardinal de Bissi is as +ugly and clumsy as a peasant, proud, false and wicked, and yet a most +fulsome flatterer; his falsehood may be seen in his very eyes; his talent +he turns to mischievous purposes. In short, he has all the exterior of a +Tartuffe. These Cardinals could, if they chose, sell the Cardinal de +Noailles in a sack, for they are all much more cunning than he is. + +With respect to the pregnancy of the Queen of England, the consort of +James II., whom we saw at Saint-Germain, it is well known that her +daughter-in-law maintains that she was not with child; but it seems to +me that the Queen might easily have taken measures to prove the contrary. +I spoke about it to Her Majesty myself. She replied "that she had begged +the Princess Anne to satisfy herself by the evidence of her own senses, +and to feel the motion of the child;" but the latter refused, and the +Queen added "that she never could have supposed that the persons who had +been in the habit of seeing her daily during her pregnancy could doubt +the fact of her having been delivered." + + [On the dethronement of James II., the party of William, Prince of + Orange, asserted that the Prince of Orange was a supposititious + child, and accused James of having spirited away the persona who + could have proved the birth of the Queen's child, and of having made + the midwife leave the kingdom precipitately, she being the only + person who had actually seen the child born.] + +A song has been made upon Lord Bolingbroke on the subject of his passion +for a young girl who escaped from her convent. Some persons say that the +girl was a professed nun. She ran after the Duke Regent a long time, but +could not accomplish her intention. + +Lady Gordon, the grandaunt of Lord Huntley, was my dame d'atour for a +considerable period. She was a singular person, and always plunged into +reveries. Once when she was in bed and going to seal a letter, she +dropped the wax upon her own thigh and burnt herself dreadfully. At +another time, when she was also in bed and engaged in play, she threw the +dice upon the ground and spat in the bed. Once, too, she spat in the +mouth of my first femme de chambre, who happened to be passing at the +moment. I think if I had not interposed they would have come to blows, +so angry was the femme de chambre. One evening when I wanted my +head-dress to go to Court, she took off her gloves and threw them in my +face, putting on my head-dress at the same time with great gravity. +When she was speaking to a man she had a habit of playing with the +buttons of his waistcoat. Saving one day some occasion to talk to the +Chevalier Buveon, a Captain in the late Monsieur's Guard, and he being a +very tall man, she could only reach his waistband, which she began to +unbutton. The poor gentleman was quite horror-stricken, and started +back, crying, "For Heaven's sake, madame, what are you going to do?" +This accident caused a great laugh in the Salon of Saint Cloud. + +They say that Lord Peterborough, speaking of the two Kings of Spain, +said, "What fools we are to cut each other's throats for two such apes." + +Monteleon has good reason to be fond of the Princesse des Ursins, for she +made his fortune: he was an insignificant officer in the troop, but he +had talents and attached himself to this lady, who made of him what he +now is (1716). + +The Abbess of Maubuisson, Louise Hollandine, daughter of Frederic V., +Elector-Palatine of the days of Henri IV., had had so many illegitimate +children, that she commonly swore by her body, which had borne fourteen +children. + +Cardinal Mazarin could not bear to have unfortunate persons about him. +When he was requested to take any one into his service, his first +question was, "Is he lucky?" + +My son has never assisted the Pretender (Prince Edward Stuart), either +publicly or privately; and if my Lord Stair had chosen to contract a more +close alliance, as my son wished, he would have prevented the Pretender's +staying in France and collecting adherents; but as that alliance was +declined, he merely confined himself to the stipulations contained in the +treaty of peace. He neither furnished the Pretender with arms nor money. +The Pope and some others gave him money, but my son could not, for he was +too much engaged in paying off the late King's debts, and he would not on +account of that treaty. There can be no doubt that an attempt has been +made to embroil my son with the King of England; for, at the same time +that they were making the King believe my son was sustaining the +Pretender's cause, they told my son that Lord Stair had interviews with +M. Pentenriedez, the Emperor's Envoy, as well as with the Sicilian +Ambassador, the object of which was to make a league with those powers to +drive out the King of Spain and to set up the King of France in his +place, at the same time that Sicily should be given up to the +Emperor--in short, to excite all Europe against France. My son said +himself, that, since he was to confine himself to the articles of the +treaty of peace, he did not think he had any right to prevent the +Pretender's passage through his kingdom; and as the army had been +reduced, he could not hinder the disbanded soldiers from taking service +wherever they chose. My son had no intention whatever to break with +England, although he has been told that there was a majority of two +voices only in that nation against declaring it at war with France. He +thinks Lord Stair is not his friend, and that he has not faithfully +reported to his monarch the state of things here, but would rather be +pleased to kindle the flames of a war. If that Minister had honestly +explained to the King my son's intentions, the King would not have +refused to agree with them. + +It is said here that the present Queen of Spain (1716), although she is +more beloved by her husband than was the last, has less influence over +him. The Abbe Alberoni has them both in his power, and governs them like +two children. + +The English gentlemen and ladies who are here tell horrible stories of +Queen Anne. They say she gets quite drunk, and that besides but that she +is inconstant in her affections, and changes often. Lady Sandwich has +not told this to me, but she has to my son. I have seen her but seldom, +on account of the repugnance I felt at learning she had confessed she had +been present at such orgies. + +I do not know whether it is true that Louvois was poisoned by that old +Maintenon, but it is quite certain that he was poisoned, as well as his +physician who committed the crime, and who said when he was dying, "I die +by poison, but I deserve it, for having poisoned my master, M. de +Louvois; and I did this in the hope of becoming the King's physician, as +Madame de Maintenon had promised me." I ought to add that some persons +pretend to think this story of Doctor Seron is a mere invention. Old +Piety (Maintenon) did not commit this crime without an object; but if she +really did poison Louvois, it was because he had opposed her designs and +endeavoured to undeceive the King. Louvois, the better to gain his +object, had advised the King not to take her with him to the army. The +King was weak enough to repeat this to her, and this it was that excited +her against Louvois. That the latter was a very bad man, who feared +neither heaven nor hell, no man can deny; but it must be confessed that +he served his King faithfully. + +The Duke de Noailles' grandfather was one of the ugliest men in the +world. He had one glass eye, and his nose was like an owl's, his mouth +large, his teeth ugly and decayed, his face and head very small, his body +long and bent, and he was bitter and ill-tempered. His name was Gluinel. +Madame de Cornuel one day was reading his grandson's genealogy, and, when +she came to his name, exclaimed, "I always suspected, when I saw the Duc +de Noailles, that he came out of the Book of the Lamentations of +Jeremiah!" + +When James II. took refuge in France from England, Madame de Cornuel went +to Saint-Germain to see him. Some time afterwards, she was told of the +pains our King was taking to procure his restoration to the throne. +Madame de Cornuel shook her head, and said, "I have seen this King James; +our monarch's efforts are all in vain; he is good for nothing but to make +poor man's sauce. (La sauce au pauvre homme.)" + +She went to Versailles to see the Court when M. de Torcy and M. de +Seignelay, both very young, had just been appointed Ministers. She saw +them, as well as Madame de Maintenon, who had then grown old. When she +returned to Paris, some one asked her what remarkable things she had +seen. "I have seen," she said, "what I never expected to see there; I +have seen love in its tomb and the Ministry in its cradle." + +The elder Margrave of Anspach was smitten with Mademoiselle d'Armagnac, +but he would not marry her, and said afterwards that he had never +intended to do so, because the familiarities which had passed between +her and the Marquis de Villequier (1716) had disgusted him. The lady's +mother would have liked nothing better than to surprise the Margrave with +her daughter in some critical situation: for this purpose he had +sufficient opportunities given him, but he was prudent, and conducted +himself with so much modesty, that he avoided the snare. To tell the +truth, I had given him a hint on the subject, for I was too well +acquainted with the mother, who is a very bad woman. + +The Cardinal de Richelieu, notwithstanding his wit, had often fits of +distraction. Sometimes he would fancy himself a horse, and run jumping +about a billiard-table, neighing and snorting; this would last an hour, +at the end of which his people would put him to bed and cover him up +closely to induce perspiration; when he awoke the fit had passed and did +not appear again. + +The Archbishop of Paris reprimanded the Bishop of Gap on the bad +reputation which he had acquired in consequence of his intercourse with +women. "Ah, Monseigneur," replied the Bishop of Gap, "if you knew what +you talk of, you would not be astonished. I lived the first forty years +of my life without experiencing it; I don't know what induced me to +venture on it, but, having done so, it is impossible to refrain. Only +try it for once, Monseigneur, and you will perceive the truth of what I +tell you." + + [This Bishop, whose name was Herve, had lived in prudence and + regularity up to the age of fifty, when he began, on a sudden, to + lead a very debauched life. They compelled him to give up his + Bishopric, which he did on condition of being allowed to stay at + Paris as much as he chose. He continued to live in perpetual + pleasure, but towards the close of his career he repented of his + sins and engaged with the Capuchin missionaries.] + +This Bishop is now living in the village of Boulogne, near Paris: he is a +little priest, very ugly, with a large head and fiery red face. + +Our late King said, "I am, I confess, somewhat piqued to see that, +with all the authority belonging to my station in this country, I have +exclaimed so long against high head-dresses, while no one had the +complaisance to lower them for me in the slightest degree. But now, when +a mere strange English wench arrives with a little low head-dress, all +the Princesses think fit to go at once from one extremity to another." + +A Frenchman who had taken refuge in Holland informed me by letter of what +was passing with respect to the Prince of Orange. Thinking that I should +do the King a service by communicating to him these news, I hastened to +him, and he thanked me for them. In the evening, however, he said to me, +smiling, "My Ministers will have it that you have been misinformed, and +that your correspondent has not written you one word of truth." +I replied, "Time will show which is better informed, your Majesty's +Ministers or my correspondent. For my own part, Sire, my intention at +least was good." + +Some time afterwards, when the report of the approaching accession of +William to the throne of England became public, M. de Torcy came to me to +beg I would acquaint him with my news. I replied, "I receive none now; +you told the King that what I formerly had was false, and upon this I +desired my correspondents to send me no more, for I do not love to spread +false reports." He laughed, as he always did, and said, "Your news have +turned out to be quite correct." I replied, "A great and able Minister +ought surely to have news more correct than I can obtain; and I have been +angry with myself for having formerly acquainted the King with the +reports which had reached me. I ought to have recollected that his +clever Ministers are acquainted with everything." The King therefore +said to me, "You are making game of my Ministers."--"Sire," I replied, "I +am only giving them back their own." + +M. de Louvois was the only person who was well served by his spies; +indeed, he never spared his money. All the Frenchmen who went into +Germany or Holland as dancing or fencing-masters, esquires, etc., were +paid by him to give him information of whatever passed in the several +Courts. After his death this system was discontinued, and thus it is +that the present Ministers are so ignorant of the affairs of other +nations. + +Lauzun says the drollest things, and takes the most amusing, roundabout +way of intimating whatever he does not care to say openly. For example, +when he wished the King to understand that the Count de Marsan, brother +of M. Legrand, had attached himself to M. Chamillard, the then Minister, +he took the following means: "Sire," said he, with an air of the utmost +simplicity, as if he had not the least notion of malice, "I wished to +change my wigmaker, and employ the one who is now the most in fashion; +but I could not find him, for M. de Marsan has kept him shut up in his +room for several days past, making wigs for his household, and for M. de +Chamillard's friends." + +The adventures of Prince Emmanuel of Portugal are a perfect romance. +His brother, the King, was desirous, it is said, at first, to have made +a priest and a Bishop of him; to this, however, he had an insuperable +objection, for he was in love. The King sent for him, and asked him if +it was true that he had really resolved not to enter the Church. On the +Prince's replying in the affirmative, the King, his brother, struck him. +The Prince said, "You are my King and my brother, and therefore I cannot +revenge myself as I ought upon you; but you have put an insult upon me +which I cannot endure, and you shall never again see me in the whole +course of your life." He is said to have set out on that very night. +His brother wrote to him, commanding his return from Paris to Holland; as +he made no reply to this command, his Governor and the Ambassador had no +doubt that it was his intention to obey it. In the course of last week +he expressed a desire to see Versailles and Marly. The Ambassador made +preparations for this excursion, and together with his wife accompanied +the Prince, whose Governor and one of his gentlemen were of the party. +Upon their return from Versailles, when they reached the courtyard, the +Prince called out to stop, and asked if there were any chaises ready: + +"Yes, Monseigneur," replied a voice, "there are four."--"That will be +sufficient," replied the Prince. Then addressing the Ambassador, he +expressed his warmest thanks for the friendly attention he had shown him, +and assured him that he desired nothing so much as an opportunity to +testify his gratitude. "I am now going to set out," he added, "for +Vienna; the Emperor is my cousin; I have no doubt he will receive me, +and I shall learn in his army to become a soldier in the campaign against +the Turks." He then thanked the Governor for the pains he had bestowed +upon his education; and promised that, if any good fortune should befall +him, his Governor should share it with him. He also said something +complimentary to his gentleman. He then alighted, called for the +post-chaises, and took his seat in one of them; his favourite, a young +man of little experience, but, as it is said, of considerable talent, +placed himself in another, and his two valets de chambre into the third +and fourth. That nothing may be wanting to the romantic turn of his +adventures, it is said, besides, that Madame de Riveira was the object of +his affection in Portugal before she was married; that he even wished to +make her his wife, but that his brother would not permit it. A short +time before his departure, the husband, who is a very jealous man, found +him at his wife's feet; and this hastened the Prince's departure. + +Henri IV. had been one day told of the infidelity of one of his +mistresses. Believing that the King had no intention of visiting her, +she made an assignation with the Duc de Bellegarde in her own apartment. +The King, having caused the time of his rival's coming to be watched, +when he was informed of his being there, went to his mistress's room. +He found her in bed, and she complained of a violent headache. The King +said he was very hungry, and wanted some supper; she replied that she had +not thought about supper, and believed she had only a couple of +partridges. Henri IV. desired they should be served up, and said he +would eat them with her. The supper which she had prepared for +Bellegarde, and which consisted of much more than two partridges, was +then served up; the King, taking up a small loaf, split it open, and, +sticking a whole partridge into it, threw it under the bed. "Sire," +cried the lady, terrified to death, "what are you doing?"--"Madame," +replied the merry monarch, "everybody must live." He then took his +departure, content with having frightened the lovers. + +I have again seen M. La Mothe le Vayer; who, with all his sense, dresses +himself like a madman. He wears furred boots, and a cap which he never +takes off, lined with the same material, a large band, and a black velvet +coat. + +We have had few Queens in France who have been really happy. Marie de +Medicis died in exile. The mother of the King and of the late Monsieur +was unhappy as long as her husband was alive. Our Queen Marie-Therese +said upon her death-bed, "that from the time of her becoming Queen she +had not had a day of real happiness." + +Lauzun sometimes affects the simpleton that he may say disagreeable +things with impunity, for he is very malicious. In order to hint to +Marechal de Tesse that he did wrong in being so familiar with the common +people, he called out to him one night in the Salon at Marly, "Marshal, +pray give me a pinch of snuff; but let it be good--that, for example, +which I saw you taking this morning with Daigremont the chairman." + +In the time of Henri IV. an Elector-Palatine came to France; the King's +household was sent to meet him. All his expenses were paid, as well as +those of his suite; and when he arrived at the Court he entered between +the Dauphin and Monsieur and dined with the King. I learned these +particulars from the late Monsieur. The King, under the pretence of +going to the chase, went about a league from Paris, and, meeting the +Elector, conducted him in his carriage. At Paris he was always attended +by the King's servants. This treatment is somewhat different from that +which, in my time, was bestowed upon Maximilian Maria, the Elector of +Bavaria. This Elector often enraged me with the foolish things that he +did. For example, he went to play and to dine with M. d'Antin, and never +evinced the least desire to dine with his own nephews. A sovereign, +whether he be Elector or not, might with propriety dine either at the +Dauphin's table or mine; and, if the Elector had chosen, he might have +come to us; but he was contented to dine with M. d'Antin or M. de Torcy, +and some ladies of the King's suite. I am angry to this day when I think +of it. The King used often to laugh at my anger on this subject; and, +whenever the Elector committed some new absurdity, he used to call to me +in the cabinet and ask me, "Well, Madame, what have you to say to that?" +I would reply, "All that the Elector does is alike ridiculous." This +made the King laugh heartily. The Elector had a Marshal, the Count +d'Arco, the brother of that person who had married in so singular a +manner the Prince's mistress, Popel, which marriage had been contracted +solely upon his promise never to be alone with his wife. The Marshal, +who was as honest as his brother was accommodating, was terribly annoyed +at his master's conduct; he came at first to me to impart to me his +chagrin whenever the Elector committed some folly; and when he behaved +better he used also to tell me of it. I rather think he must have been +forbidden to visit me, for latterly I never saw him. None of the +Elector's suite have visited me, and I presume they have been prevented. +This Prince's amorous intrigues have been by no means agreeable to the +King. The Elector was so fond of grisettes that, when the King was +giving names to each of the roads through the wood, he was exceedingly +anxious that one of them should be called L'Allee des Grisettes; but the +King would not consent to it. The Elector has perpetuated his race in +the villages; and two country girls have been pointed out to me who were +pregnant by him at his departure. + +His marriage with a Polish Princess is a striking proof that a man cannot +avoid his fate. This was not a suitable match for him, and was managed +almost without his knowledge, as I have been told. His Councillors, +having been bought over, patched up the affair; and when the Elector only +caused it to be submitted for their deliberation, it was already decided +on. + +This Elector's brother must have been made a Bishop of Cologne and +Munster without the production of proof of his nobility being demanded; +for it is well known that the King Sobieski was a Polish nobleman, who +married the daughter of Darquin, Captain of our late Monsieur's Swiss +Guards. Great suspicions are entertained respecting the children of the +Bavaria family, that is, the Elector and his brothers, who are thought to +have been the progeny of an Italian doctor named Simoni. It was said at +Court that the doctor had only given the Elector and his wife a strong +cordial, the effect of which had been to increase their family; but they +are all most suspiciously like the doctor. + +I have heard it said that in England the people used to take my late +uncle, Rupert, for a sorcerer, and his large black dog for the Devil; +for this reason, when he joined the army and attacked the enemy, whole +regiments fled before him. + +A knight of the Palatinate, who had served many years in India, told me +at Court in that country the first Minister and the keeper of the seals +hated each other mortally. The latter having one day occasion for the +seals, found they had been taken from the casket in which they were +usually kept. He was of course greatly terrified, for his head depended +upon their production. He went to one of his friends, and consulted with +him what he should do. His friend asked him if he had any enemies at +Court. "Yes," replied the keeper of the seals, "the chief Minister is my +mortal foe."--"So much the better," replied his friend; "go and set fire +to your house directly; take out of it nothing but the casket in which +the seals were kept, and take it directly to the chief Minister, telling +him you know no one with whom you can more safely deposit it; then go +home again and save whatever you can. When the fire shall be +extinguished, you must go to the King, and request him to order the chief +Minister to restore you the seals; and you must be sure to open the +casket before the Prince. If the seals are there, all will be explained; +if the Minister has not restored them, you must accuse him at once of +having stolen them; and thus you will be sure to ruin your enemy and +recover your seals." The keeper of the seals followed his friend's +advice exactly, and the seals were found again in the casket. + +As soon as a royal child, which they call here un Enfant de France, is +born, and has been swaddled, they put on him a grand cordon; but they do +not create him a knight of the order until he has communicated; the +ceremony is then performed in the ordinary manner. + +The ladies of chancellors here have the privilege of the tabouret when +they come to the toilette; but in the afternoon they are obliged to +stand. This practice began in the days of Marie de Medicis, when a +chancellor's wife happened to be in great favour. As she had a lame foot +and could not stand up, the Queen, who would have her come to visit her +every morning, allowed her to sit down. From this time the custom of +these ladies sitting in the morning has been continued. + +In the reign of Henri IV. the King's illegitimate children took +precedence of the Princes of the House of Lorraine. On the day after the +King's death, the Duc de Verneuil was about to go before the Duc de +Guise, when the latter, taking him by the arm, said, "That might have +been yesterday, but to-day matters are altered." + +Two young Duchesses, not being able to see their lovers, invented the +following stratagem to accomplish their wishes. These two sisters had +been educated in a convent some leagues distant from Paris. A nun of +their acquaintance happening to die there, they pretended to be much +afflicted at it, and requested permission to perform the last duties to +her, and to be present at her funeral. They were believed to be sincere, +and the permission they asked was readily granted them. In the funeral +procession it was perceived that, besides the two ladies, there were two +other persons whom no one knew. Upon being asked who they were, they +replied they were poor priests in need of protection; and that, having +learnt two Duchesses were to be present at the funeral, they had come to +the convent for the purpose of imploring their good offices. When they +were presented to them, the young ladies said they would interrogate them +after the service in their chambers. The young priests waited upon them +at the time appointed, and stayed there until the evening. The Abbess, +who began to think their audience was too long, sent to beg the priests +would retire. One of them seemed very melancholy, but the other laughed +as if he would burst his sides. This was the Duc de Richelieu; the other +was the Chevalier de Guemene, the younger son of the Duke of that name. +The gentlemen themselves divulged the adventure. + +The King's illegitimate children, fearing that they should be treated in +the same way as the Princes of the blood, have for some months past been +engaged in drawing a strong party of the nobility to their side, and have +presented a very unjust petition against the Dukes and Peers. My son has +refused to receive this petition, and has interdicted them from holding +assemblies, the object of which he knows would tend to revolt. They +have, nevertheless, continued them at the instigations of the Duc du +Maine and his wife, and have even carried their insolence so far as to +address a memorial to my son and another to the Parliament, in which they +assert that it is within the province of the nobility alone to decide +between the Princes of the blood and the legitimated Princes. Thirty of +them have signed this memorial, of whom my son has had six arrested; +three of them have been sent to the Bastille, and the other three to +Vincennes; they are MM. de Chatillon, de Rieux, de Beaufremont, de +Polignac, de Clermont, and d'O. The last was the Governor of the Comte +de Toulouse, and remains with him. Clermont's wife is one of the +Duchesse de Berri's ladies. She is not the most discreet person in the +world, and has been long in the habit of saying to any one who would +listen to her, "Whatever may come of it, my husband and I are willing to +risk our lives for the Comte de Toulouse." It is therefore evident that +all this proceeds from the bastards. But I must expose still further the +ingratitude of these people. Chatillon is a poor gentleman, whose father +held a small employment under M. Gaston, one of those offices which +confer the privilege of the entree to the antechambers, and the holders +of which do not sit in the carriage with their masters. The two +descendants, as they call themselves, of the house of Chatillon, insist +that this Chatillon, who married an attorney's daughter, is descended +from the illegitimate branches of that family. His son was a subaltern +in the Body Guard. In the summer time, when the young officers went to +bathe, they used to take young Chatillon with them to guard their +clothes, and for this office they gave him a crown for his supper. +Monsieur having taken this poor person into his service, gave him a +cordon bleu, and furnished him with money to commence a suit which he +subsequently gained against the House of Chatillon, and they were +compelled to recognize him. He then made him a Captain in the Guards; +gave him a considerable pension, which my son continued, and permitted +him also to have apartments in the Palais Royal. In these very +apartments did this ungrateful man hold those secret meetings, the end of +which was proposed to be my son's ruin. Rieux's grandfather had +neglected to uphold the honour to which he was entitled, of being called +the King's cousin. My son restored him to this honour, gave his brother +a place in the gendarmerie, and rendered him many other services. +Chatillon tried particularly to excite the nobility against my son; and +this is the recompense for all his kindness. My son's wife is gay and +content, in the hope that all will go well with her brothers. + +That old Maintenon has continued pretty tranquil until the termination of +the process relating to the legitimation of the bastards. No one has +heard her utter a single expression on the subject. This makes me +believe that she has some project in her head, but I cannot tell what it +is. + +A monk, who was journeying a few days ago to Luzarche, met upon the road +a stranger, who fell into conversation with him. He was an agreeable +companion, and related various adventures very pleasantly. Having +learned from the monk that he was charged with the rents of the convent, +to which some estates in the neighbourhood of Luzarche belonged, the +stranger told him that he belonged to that place, whither he was +returning after a long journey; and then observing to the monk that the +road they were pursuing was roundabout, he pointed out to him a nearer +one through the forest. When they had reached the thickest part of the +wood, the stranger alighted, and, seizing the bridle of the monk's horse, +demanded his money. The monk replied that he thought he was travelling +with an honest man, and that he was astonished at so singular a demand. +The stranger replied that he had no time for trifling, and that the monk +must either give up his money or his life. The monk replied, "I never +carry money about me; but if you will let me alight and go to my servant, +who carries my money, I will bring you 1,000 francs." + +The robber suffered the monk to alight, who went to his servant, and, +taking from him the 1,000 francs which were in a purse, he at the same +time furnished himself with a loaded pistol which he concealed in his +sleeve. When he returned to the thief, he threw down the purse, and, as +the robber stooped to pick it up, the monk fired and shot him dead; then, +remounting his horse, he hastened to apply to the police, and related his +adventure. A patrole was sent back with him to the wood, and, upon +searching the robber, there were found in his pockets six whistles of +different sizes; they blew the largest of the number, upon which ten +other armed robbers soon afterwards appeared; they defended themselves, +but eventually two of them were killed and the others taken. + +The Chevalier Schaub, who was employed in State affairs by Stanhope, the +English Minister, brought with him a secretary, to whom the Prince of +Wales had entrusted sixty guineas, to be paid to a M. d'Isten, who had +made a purchase of some lace to that amount for the Princess of Wales; +the brother of M. d'Isten, then living in London, had also given the same +secretary 200 guineas, to be delivered to his brother at Paris. When the +secretary arrived he enquired at the Ambassador's where M. d'Isten lived, +and, having procured his address, he went to the house and asked for the +German gentleman. A person appeared, who said, "I am he." The secretary +suspecting nothing, gave him the Prince of Wales' letter and the sixty +guineas. The fictitious d'Isten, perceiving that the secretary had a +gold watch, and a purse containing fifty other guineas, detained him to +supper; but no sooner had the secretary drank some wine than he was +seized with an invincible desire to go to sleep. "My good friend," said +his host, "your journey has fatigued you; you had better undress and lie +down on my bed for a short time." The secretary, who could not keep his +eyes open, consented; and no sooner had he lain down than he was asleep. +Some time after, his servant came to look for him, and awoke him; the +bottles were still standing before the bed, but the poor secretary's +pockets were emptied, and the sharper who had personated M. d'Isten had +disappeared with their valuable contents. + +The Princesse Maubuisson was astonishingly pleasant and amiable. I was +always delighted to visit her, and never felt myself tired in her +society. I soon found myself in much greater favour than any other of +her nieces, because I could converse with her about almost everybody she +had known in the whole course of her life, which the others could not. +She used frequently to talk German with me, which she knew very well; and +she told me all her adventures. I asked her how she could accustom +herself to the monastic life. She laughed and said, "I never speak to +the nuns but to give orders." She had a deaf nun with her in her own +chamber, that she might not feel any desire to speak. She told me that +she had always been fond of a country life, and that she still could +fancy herself a country girl. "But," I asked her, "how do you like +getting up and going to church in the middle of the night?" She replied +that she did as the painters do, who increase the splendour of their +light by the introduction of deep shadows. She had in general the +faculty of giving to all things a turn which deprived them of their +absurdity. + +I have often heard M. Bernstorff spoken of by a person who was formerly +very agreeable to him; I mean the Duchess of Mecklenbourg, the Duc de +Luxembourg's sister. She praised his talents very highly, and assured me +that it was she who gave him to the Duke George William. + +The wife of the Marechal de Villars is running after the Comte de +Toulouse. My son is also in her good graces, and is not a whit more +discreet. Marechal de Villars came one day to see me; and, as he +pretends to understand medals, he asked to see mine. Baudelot, who is a +very honest and clever man, and in whose keeping they are, was desired to +show them; he is not the most cautious man in the world, and is very +little acquainted with what is going on at Court. He had written a +dissertation upon one of my medals, in which he proved, against the +opinion of other learned men, that the horned head which it displayed was +that of Pan and not of Jupiter Ammon. Honest Baudelot, to display his +erudition, said to the Marshal, "Ah, Monseigneur, this is one of the +finest medals that Madame possesses: it is the triumph of Cornificius; he +has, you see, all sorts of horns. He was like you, sir, a great general; +he wears the horns of Juno and Faunus. Cornificius was, as you probably +well know, sir, a very able general." Here I interrupted him. "Let us +pass on," I said, "to the other medal; if you stop in this manner at +each, you will not have time to show the whole." + +But he, full of his subject, returned to it. "Ah, Madame," he went on, +"this is worthy of more attention than perhaps any other; Cornificius is, +indeed, one of the most rare medals in the world. Look at it, Madame; +I beg you to observe it narrowly; here, you see, is Juno crowned, and she +is also crowning this great general." All that I could say to him was +not sufficient to prevent Baudelot talking to the Marshal of horns. +"Monseigneur," he said, "is well versed in all these matters, and I want +him to see that I am right in insisting that these horns are those of +Faunus, not those of Jupiter Ammon." + +All the people who were in the chamber, with difficulty refrained from +bursting into a loud laugh. If the plan had been laid for the purpose, +it could not have succeeded better. When the Marshal had gone, I, too, +indulged myself by joining in the laugh. It was with great difficulty +that I could make Baudelot understand he had done wrong. + +The same Baudelot, one day at a masked ball, had been saying a great many +civil things to the Dowager Madame, who was there masked, and whom, +therefore, he did not know. When he came and saw that it was Madame, he +was terrified with affright: the Princess laughed beyond measure at it. + +Our Princes here have no particular costume. When they go to the +Parliament they wear only a cloak, which, in my opinion, has a very +vulgar appearance; and the more so, as they wear the 'collet' without a +cravat. Those of the Royal Family have no privileges above the other +Dukes, excepting in their seats and the right of crossing over the +carpet, which is allowed to none but them. The President, when he +addresses them, is uncovered, but keeps his hat on when he speaks to +everybody else. This is the cause of those great disputes which the +Princes of the blood have had with the bastards, as may be seen by their +memorial. The Presidents of the Parliament wear flame-coloured robes +trimmed with ermine at the neck and sleeves. + +The Comtesse de Soissons, Angelique Cunegonde, the daughter of +Francois-Henri de Luxembourg, has, it must be confessed, a considerable +share of virtue and of wit; but she has also her faults, like the rest +of the world. It may be said of her that she is truly a poor Princess. +Her husband, Louis-Henri, Chevalier de Soissons, was very ugly, having a +very long hooked nose, and eyes extremely close to it. He was as yellow +as saffron; his mouth was extremely small for a man, and full of bad +teeth of a most villanous odour; his legs were ugly and clumsy; his +knees and feet turned inwards, which made him look when he was walking +like a parrot; and his manner of making a bow was bad. He was rather +short than otherwise; but he had fine hair and a large quantity of it. +He was rather good-looking when a child. I have seen portraits of him +painted at that period. If the Comtesse de Soissons' son had resembled +his mother, he would have been very well, for her features are good, and +nothing could be better than her, eyes, her mouth, and the turn of her +face; only her nose was too large and thick, and her skin was not fine +enough. + +Whoever is like the Prince Eugene in person cannot be called a handsome +man; he is shorter than his elder brother, but, with the exception of +Prince Eugene, all the rest of them are good for nothing. The youngest, +Prince Philippe, was a great madman, and died of the small-pox at Paris. +He was of a very fair complexion, had an ungraceful manner, and always +looked distracted. He had a nose like a hawk, a large mouth, thick lips, +and hollow cheeks; in all respects I thought he was like his elder +brother. The third brother, who was called the Chevalier de Savoie, died +in consequence of a fall from his horse. The Prince Eugene was a younger +brother: he had two sisters, who were equally ugly; one of them is dead, +and the other is still living (1717) in a convent in Savoy. The elder +was of a monstrous shape, but a mere dwarf. She led a very irregular +life. She afterwards ran away with a rogue, the Abbe de la Bourlie, whom +she obliged to marry her at Geneva; they used to beat each other. She is +now dead. + +Prince Eugene was not in his younger days so ugly as he has become since; +but he never was good-looking, nor had he any nobility in his manner. +His eyes were pretty good, but his nose, and two large teeth which he +displayed whenever he opened his mouth, completely spoilt his face. He +was besides always very filthy, and his coarse hair was never dressed. + +This Prince is little addicted to women, and, during the whole time that +he has been here, I never heard one mentioned who has pleased him, or +whom he has distinguished or visited more than another. + +His mother took no care of him; she brought him up like a scullion, and +liked better to stake her money at play than to expend it upon her +youngest son. This is the ordinary practice of women in this country. + +They will not yet believe that the Persian Ambassador was an impostor; + + [This embassy was always equivocal, and even something more. From + all that can be understood of it, it would seem that a Minister of + one of the Persian provinces, a sort of Intendant de Languedoc, as + we might say, had commissioned this pretended Ambassador to manage + for him some commercial affairs with certain merchants, and that for + his own amusement the agent chose to represent the Persian + Ambassador. It is said, too, that Pontchartrain, under whose + department this affair fell, would not expose the trick, that the + King might be amused, and that he might recommend himself to His + Majesty's favour by making him believe that the Sophy had sent him + an Ambassador.--Notes to Dangeau's Journal.] + +it is quite certain that he was a clumsy fellow, although he had some +sense. There was an air of magnificence about the way in which he gave +audience. He prevailed upon a married woman, who was pregnant by him, +to abjure Christianity. It is true she was not a very respectable +person, being the illegitimate daughter of my son's chief almoner, the +Abbe de Grancey, who always kept a little seraglio. In order to carry +her away with him, the Ambassador had her fastened up in a box filled +with holes, and then begged that no person might be allowed to touch it, +being, as he said, filled with the sacred books written by Mahomet +himself, which would be polluted by the contact of Christians. Upon this +pretence the permission was given, and by these means the woman was +carried off. I cannot believe the story which is told of this Ambassador +having had 10,000 louis d'or given him. + +I had the misfortune to displease the Margrave John Frederic of Anspach. +He brought me a letter from my brother and his wife, both of whom begged +I would assist him with my advice. I therefore thought that by +counselling him as I should have counselled my own brother I should be +rendering him the best service. When he arrived he was in deep mourning +for his first wife, who had then not been dead three months. I asked him +what he proposed to do in France? He replied "that he was on his way to +England, but that before his departure he should wish to pay his respects +to the King." I asked him if he had anything to solicit from the King or +to arrange with him. He replied "he had not."--"Then," I said, "I would +advise you, if you will permit me, to send the principal person of your +suite to the King to make your compliments, to inform him that you are +going to England, and that you would not have failed to wait upon him, +but that, being in mourning for your wife, your respect for him prevented +your appearing before him in so melancholy a garb."--"But," he rejoined, +"I am very fond of dancing, and I wish to go to the ball; now I cannot go +thither until I have first visited the King."--"For God's sake," I said, +"do not go to the ball; it is not the custom here. You will be laughed +at, and the more particularly so because the Marechal de Grammont, who +presented you to the King some years ago, said that you could find +nothing to praise in the whole of France, with the exception of a little +goldfinch in the King's cabinet which whistled airs. I recommend you not +to go to see the King, nor to be present at the ball." He was angry, and +said "he saw very well that I discountenanced German Princes, and did not +wish them to be presented to the King." I replied "that the advice I had +given him sprang from the best intentions, and was such as I would have +given to my own brother." He went away quite angry to Marechal +Schomberg's, where he complained of my behaviour to him. The Marshal +asked him what I had said, which he repeated word for word. The Marshal +told him that I had advised him well, and that he was himself of my +opinion. Nevertheless, the Margrave persisted on being presented to the +King, whither he prevailed upon the Marshal to accompany him, and went +the next day to the ball. He was extremely well dressed in +half-mourning, with white lace over the black, fine blue ribands, black +and white laces, and rheingraves, which look well upon persons of a good +figure; in short, he was magnificently dressed, but improperly, for a +widower in the first stage of his mourning. He would have seated himself +within the King's circle, where none but the members of the Royal Family +and the King's grandchildren are allowed to sit; the Princes of the blood +even are not allowed to do so, and therefore foreign Princes can of +course have no right. The Margrave then began to repent not having +believed me, and early the next morning he set off. + +Prince Ragotzky is under great obligations to his wife, who saved his +life and delivered him from prison. Some person was repeating things to +her disadvantage, but he interrupted them by saying, "She saved my head +from the axe, and this prevents my having any right to reprove too +strictly whatever she may choose to do; for this reason I shall not thank +any person who speaks to me upon the subject." + + [Louis XIV. gave to the Prince Ragotsky, who in France took the + title of Comte de Saaross, 200,000 crowns upon the Maison de Ville, + and a pension of 2,000 crowns per month besides.] + +Beatrice Eleanora, the Queen of James II., was always upon such good +terms with Maintenon that it is impossible to believe our late King was +ever fond of her. I have seen a book, entitled "L'ancien Ward protecteur +du nouveau," in 12mo, in which is related a gallantry between the Queen +and the Pere la Chaise. The confessor was then eighty years of age, and +not unlike an ass; his ears were very long, his mouth very wide, his head +very large, and his body very long. It was an ill-chosen joke. This +libel was even less credible than what was stated about the King himself. + +The Monks of Saint Mihiel possess the original manuscripts of the Memoirs +of Cardinal Retz. They have had them printed and are selling them at +Nancy; but in this copy there are many omissions. A lady at Paris, +Madame Caumartin, has a copy in which there is not a word deficient; but +she obstinately refused to lend it that the others may be made complete. + +When an Ambassador would make his entry at Paris he has himself announced +some days before by the officers whose duty it is to introduce +Ambassadors, in order that the usual compliments may be paid him. To +royal Ambassadors a chevalier d'honneur is sent, to those from Venice or +Holland the first equerry, and when he is absent or unwell the chief +Maitre d'Hotel, who is also sent to the Ambassador from Malta. + +The English ladies are said to be much given to running away with their +lovers. I knew a Count von Konigsmark, whom a young English lady +followed in the dress of a page. He had her with him at Chambord, and, +as there was no room for her in the castle, he lodged her under a tent +which he had put up in the forest. When we were at the chase one day he +told me this adventure. As I had a great curiosity to see her, I rode +towards the tent, and never in my life did I see anything prettier than +this girl in the habit of a page. She had large and beautiful eyes, a +charming little nose, and an elegant mouth and teeth. She smiled when +she saw me, for she suspected that the Count had told me the whole story. +Her hair was a beautiful chestnut colour, and hung about her neck in +large curls. After their departure from Chambord, while they were at an +inn upon their way to Italy, the innkeeper's wife ran to the Count, +crying, "Sir, make haste upstairs, for your page is lying-in." She was +delivered of a girl, and the mother and child were soon afterwards placed +in a convent near Paris. While the Count lived he took great care of +her, but he died in the Morea, and his pretended page did not long +survive him; she displayed great piety in the hour of death. A friend of +the Count's, and a nephew of Madame de Montespan, took care of the child, +and after his death the King gave the little creature a pension. I +believe she is still (1717) in the convent. + +The Abbe Perrault founded an annual funeral oration for the Prince de +Conde in the Jesuits' Church, where his heart is deposited. I shall not +upon this occasion call to mind his victories, his courage in war, or his +timidity at Court; these are things well known throughout France. + +A gentleman of my acquaintance at Paris heard a learned Abbe, who was in +the confidence of Descartes, say that the philosopher used often to laugh +at his own system, and said, "I have cut them out some work: we shall see +who will be fools enough to undertake it." + +That old Beauvais, the Queen-mother's first femme de chambre, was +acquainted with the secret of her marriage, and this obliged the Queen to +put up with whatever the confidante chose to do. From this circumstance +has arisen that custom which gives femmes de chambre so much authority in +our apartments. The Queen-mother, the widow of Louis XIII., not +contented with loving Cardinal Mazarin, went the absurd length of +marrying him. He was not a priest, and therefore was not prevented by +his orders from contracting matrimony. He soon, however, got very tired +of the poor Queen, and treated her dreadfully ill, which is the ordinary +result in such marriages. But it is the vice of the times to contract +clandestine marriages. The Queen-mother of England, the widow of Charles +II., made such an one in marrying her chevalier d'honneur, who behaved +very ill to her; while the poor Queen was in want of food and fuel, he +had a good fire in his apartment, and was giving great dinners. He +called himself Lord Germain, Earl of St. Albans; he never addressed a +kind expression to the Queen. As to the Queen-mother's marriage, all the +circumstances relating to it are now well enough known. The secret +passage by which he went nightly to the Palais Royal may still be seen; +when she used to visit him, he was in the habit of saying, "what does +this woman want with me?" He was in love with a lady of the Queen's +suite, whom I knew very well: she had apartments in the Palais Royal, and +was called Madame de Bregie. As she was very pretty, she excited a good +deal of passion; but she was a very honest lady, who served the Queen +with great fidelity, and was the cause of the Cardinal's living upon +better terms with the Queen than before. She had very good sense. +Monsieur loved her for her fidelity to the Queen his mother. She has +been dead now four-and-twenty years (1717). + +The Princesse de Deux Ponts has recently furnished another instance of +the misfortune which usually attends the secret marriages of ladies of +high birth. She married her equerry, was very ill-treated by him, and +led a very miserable life; but she deserved all she met with and I +foresaw it. She was with me at the Opera once, and insisted at all +events that her equerry should sit behind her. "For God's sake," I said +to her, "be quiet, and give yourself no trouble about this Gerstorf; you +do not know the manners of this country; when folks perceive you are so +anxious about that man, they will think you are in love with him." I did +not know then how near this was to the truth. She replied, "Do people, +then, in this country take no care of their servants?"--"Oh, yes," +I said, "they request some of their friends to carry them to the Opera, +but they do not go with them." + +M. Pentenrieder is a perfect gentleman, extremely well-bred, totally +divested of the vile Austrian manners, and speaks good German instead of +the jargon of Austria. While he was staying here, the Fair of +Saint-Germain commenced; a giant, who came to Paris for the purpose of +exhibiting himself, having accidentally met M. Pentenrieder, said as soon +as he saw him, "It's all over with me: I shall not go into the fair; for +who will give money to see me while this man shows himself for nothing?" +and he really went away. M. Pentenrieder pleased everybody. Count +Zinzendorf, who succeeded him, did not resemble him at all, but was a +perfect Austrian in his manners and his language. + +I have heard that it was from the excitement of insulted honour that +Ravaillac was induced to murder Henri IV.; for that the King had seduced +his sister, and had abandoned her during her pregnancy: the brother then +swore he would be avenged on the King. Some persons even accuse the Duc +d'Epernon, who was seated in the coach in such a manner that he might +have warded off the blow, but he is said to have drawn back and given the +assassin an opportunity to strike. + +When I first came to France I found in it such an assemblage of talent as +occurs but in few ages. There was Lulli in music; Beauchamp in ballets; +Corneille and Racine in tragedy; Moliere in comedy; La Chamelle and La +Beauval, actresses; and Baron, Lafleur, Toriliere, and Guerin, actors. +Each of these persons was excellent in his way. La Ducloa and La Raisin +were also very good; the charms of the latter had even penetrated the +thick heart of our Dauphin, who loved her very tenderly: her husband was +excellent in comic parts. There was also a very good harlequin, and as +good a scaramouch. Among the best performers at the Opera were Clediere, +Pomereuil, Godenarche, Dumenil, La Rochechouard, Maury, La Saint +Christophe, La Brigogne, La Beaucreux. All that we see and hear now do +not equal them. + +That which pleased me most in Beauvernois' life is the answer he made to +the Prince of Vaudemont. When he was fleeing, and had arrived at +Brussels, he gave himself out for a Prince of Lorraine. M. de Vaudemont +sent for him, and, upon seeing him, said,--"I know all the Princes of +Lorraine, but I do not know you."--"I assure you, sir," replied +Beauvernois, "that I am as much a Prince of Lorraine as you are." + +I like that Mercy who tricked his master, the Duc de Lorraine. When he +reached Nancy he requested the Duke to recruit three regiments, which he +said should be his own. The Duke did recruit them, fully persuaded they +were to be his; but when the companies were filled, Mercy begged the +Emperor to give them to him, and he actually obtained them; so that the +Duke had not the appointment of a single officer. + +The poor Duchess of Mecklenbourg, the wife of Christian Louis, was a very +good woman when one was thoroughly acquainted with her. She told me the +whole history of her intrigue with Bernstorff. She regulated her +household very well, and had always two carriages. She did not affect +the splendour of a sovereign; but she kept up her rank better than the +other Duchesses, and I liked her the better for this. The husband, +Christian Louis of Mecklenbourg, was a notable fool. He one day demanded +an audience of the King, under the pretence of having something of +importance to say to him. Louis XIV. was then more than forty years old. +When the Duke found himself in the King's presence, he said to him, +"Sire, you seem to me to have grown." The King laughed, and said, +"Monsieur, I am past the age of growing."--"Sire," rejoined the Duke, +"do you know everybody says I am very much like you, and quite as +good-looking as you are?"--"That is very probable," said the King, still +laughing. The audience was then finished, and the Duke went away. This +fool could never engage his brother-in-law's favour, for M. de Luxembourg +had no regard for him. + +When the Queen had the government of the country, all the females of the +Court, even to the very servants, became intriguers. They say it was the +most ridiculous thing in the world to see the eagerness with which women +meddled with the Queen-mother's regency. At the commencement she knew +nothing at all. She made a present to her first femme de chambre of five +large farms, upon which the whole Court subsisted. When she went to the +Council to propose the affair, everybody laughed, and she was asked how +she proposed to live. She was quite astonished when the thing was +explained to her, for she thought she had only given away five ordinary +farms. This anecdote is very true and was related to me by the old +Chancellor Le Tellier, who was present at the Council. She is said often +to have laughed as she confessed her ignorance. Many other things of a +similar nature happened during the regency. + +There is a Bishop of a noble family, tolerably young but very ugly, who +was at first so devout that he thought of entering La Trappe; he wore his +hair combed down straight, and dared not look a woman in the face. +Having learned that in the city where he held his see there was a frail +fair one, whose gallantries had become notorious, he felt a great desire +to convert her and to make her come to the confessional. She was, it is +said, a very pretty woman, and had, moreover, a great deal of wit. + +No sooner had the Bishop began to visit than he began to pay attention to +his hair: first he powdered it, and then he had it dressed. At length he +swallowed the bait so completely, that he neither quitted the fair siren +by night nor by day. His clergy ventured to exhort him to put an end to +this scandal, but he replied that, if they did not cease their +remonstrances, he would find means of making them. At length he even +rode through the city in his carriage with his fair penitent. + +The people became so enraged at this that they pelted him with stones. +His relations repaired to his diocese for the purpose of exhorting him in +their turn, but he would only receive his mother, and would not even +follow her advice. His relations then applied to the Regent to summon +the lady to Paris. She came, but her lover followed and recovered her; +at length she was torn from him by a lettre-de-cachet, and taken from his +arms to a house of correction. The Bishop is in a great rage, and +declares that he will never forgive his family for the affront which has +been put upon him (1718). + +The Queen-mother is said to have eaten four times a day in a frightful +manner, and this practice is supposed to have brought on that cancer in +the breast, which she sought to conceal by strong Spanish perfumes, and +of which she died. + +Those female branches of the French Royal Family, who are called Enfants +de France, all bear the title of Madame. For this reason it is that in +the brevets they are called Madame la Duchesse de Berri; Madame la +Duchesse d'Orleans; but in conversation they are called the Duchesse de +Berri, the Duchesse d'Orleans; or, rather, one should say, Madame de +Berri will have it so with respect to herself. The title of Duchesse +d'Orleans belongs to Madame la Duchesse d'Orleans, as granddaughter. +Such is the custom prevalent here. The brother and the sister-in-law of +the King are called simply Monsieur and Madame, and these titles are also +contained in my brevets; but I suffer myself to be called commonly Madame +la Duchesse d'Orleans. Madame de Berri will be called Madame la Duchess +de Berri, because, being only an Enfant de France of the third descent, +she has need of that title to set off her relationship. There is nothing +to be said for this: if there were any unmarried daughters of the late +King, each would be called Madame, with the addition of their baptismal +name. + +It seems that Queen Mary of England was something of a coquette in +Holland. Comte d'Avaux, the French Ambassador, told me himself that he +had had a secret interview with her at the apartments of one of the +Queen's Maids of Honour, Madame Treslane. The Prince of Orange, becoming +acquainted with the affair, dismissed the young lady, but invented some +other pretext that the real cause might not be known. + +Three footmen had a quarrel together; two of them refused to admit the +third to their table, saying, "as he and his master only serve a +president's wife, he cannot presume to compare himself with us, who serve +Princesses and Duchesses." The rejected footman called another fellow to +his aid, and a violent squabble ensued. The commissaire was called: he +found that they served three brothers, the sons of a rich merchant at +Rouen; two of them had bought companies in the French Guards; one of the +two had an intrigue with the wife of Duc d'Abret, and the other with the +Duchesse de Luxembourg, while the third was only engaged with the wife of +a president. The two former were called Colande and Maigremont; and, as +at the same time the Duc d'Abret, the son of the Duc de Bouillon, was in +love with the lady of the President Savari. + +The Envoy from Holstein, M. Dumont, was very much attached to Madame de +La Rochefoucauld, one of Madame de Berri's 'dames du palais'. She was +very pretty, but gifted with no other than personal charms. Some one was +joking her on this subject, and insinuated that she had treated her lover +very favourably. "Oh! no," she replied, "that is impossible, I assure +you, entirely impossible." When she was urged to say what constituted +the impossibility, she replied, "If I tell, you will immediately agree +with me that it is quite impossible." Being pressed still further, she +said, with a very serious air, "Because he is a Protestant!" + +When the marriage of Monsieur was declared, he said to Saint-Remi, "Did +you know that I was married to the Princesse de Lorraine?"-- + +"No, Monsieur," replied the latter; "I knew very well that you lived with +her, but I did not think you would have married her." + +Queen Marie de Medicis, the wife of Henri IV., was one day walking at the +Tuileries with her son, the Dauphin, when the King's mistress came into +the garden, having also her son with her. The mistress said very, +insolently, to the Queen, "There are our two Dauphins walking together, +but mine is a fairer one than yours." The Queen gave her a smart box on +the ear, and said at the same time, "Let this impertinent woman be taken +away." The mistress ran instantly to Henri IV. to complain, but the +King, having heard her story, said, "This is your own fault; why did you +not speak to the Queen with the respect which you owe to her?" + +Madame de Fiennes, who in her youth had been about the Queen-mother, used +always to say to the late Monsieur, "The Queen, your mother, was a very +silly woman; rest her soul!" My aunt, the Abbess of Maubuisson, told me +that she saw at the Queen's a man who was called "the repairer of the +Queen's face;" that Princess, as well as all the ladies of the Court, +wore great quantities of paint. + +On account of the great services which the House of Arpajon in France had +rendered to the Order of Malta, a privilege was formerly granted that the +second son of that family, should at his birth become a Knight of the +Order without the necessity of any proof or any inquiry as to his mother. + +The Czar Peter I. is not mad; he has sense enough, and if he had not +unfortunately been so brutally educated he would have made a good prince. +The way in which he behaved to his Czarowitz (Alexis) is horrible. He +gave his word that he would do him no injury, and afterwards poisoned him +by means of the Sacrament. This is so impious and abominable that I can +never forgive him for it (1719). + +The last Duc d'Ossuna had, it is said, a very beautiful, but at the same +time a passionate and jealous wife. Having learnt that her husband had +chosen a very fine stuff for the dress of his mistress, an actress, she +went to the merchant and procured it of him. He, thinking it was +intended for her, made no scruple of delivering it to her. After it was +made up she put it on, and, showing it to her husband, said, "Do not you +think it is very beautiful?" The husband, angry at the trick, replied, +"Yes, the stuff is very beautiful, but it is put to an unworthy use." +"That is what everybody says of me," retorted the Duchess. + +At Fontainebleau in the Queen's cabinet may be seen the portrait of La +Belle Terronniere, who was so much beloved by Francois I., and who was +the unwitting cause of his death. + +I have often walked at night in the gallery at Fontainebleau where the +King's ghost is said to appear, but the good Francois I. never did me +the honour to show himself. Perhaps it was because he thought my prayers +were not efficacious enough to draw him from purgatory, and in this I +think he was quite right. + +King James II. died with great firmness and resolution, and without any +bigotry; that is to say, very differently from the manner in which he had +lived. I saw and spoke to him four-and-twenty hours before his death. +"I hope," I said, "soon to hear of your Majesty's getting better." He +smiled and said, "If I should die, shall I not have lived long enough?" + +I hardly know how to rejoice at the accession of our Prince George to the +Throne of England, for I have no confidence in the English people. I +remember still too well the fine speeches which were made here not long +ago by Lord Peterborough. I would rather that our Elector was Emperor of +Germany, and I wish that the King who is here (James II.) was again in +possession of England, because the kingdom belongs to him. I fear that +the inconstancy of the English will in the end produce some scheme which +may be injurious to us. Perhaps there was never in any nation a King who +had been crowned with more eclat, or tumultuous joy than James II.; and +yet the same nation since persecuted him in the most pitiless manner, and +has so tormented his innocent son that he can scarcely find an asylum +after all his heavy misfortunes. + + [The Duchesse D'Orleans was, by the mother's side, granddaughter of + James I, which explains the interest she took in the fate of the + Stuart family.] + +If the English were to be trusted I should say that it is fortunate the +Parliaments are in favour of George; but the more one reads the history +of English Revolutions, the more one is compelled to remark the eternal +hatred which the people of that nation have had towards their Kings, as +well as their fickleness (1714). + +Have I not reason to fear on George's account since he has been made King +of England, and knowing as I do the desire he had to be King of another +country? I know the accursed English too well to trust them. May God +protect their Majesties the Princes, and all the family, but I confess I +fear for them greatly (1715). + +The poor Princess of Wales + + [Wilhelmina-Dorothea-Charlotte, daughter of John Frederick, Margrave + of Anspach, born in 1682, married to the Prince of Wales in 1706. + The particulars of the quarrel between George I. and his son, the + Prince of Wales, will be found in Cose's "Memoirs of Sir Robert + Walpole."] + +has caused me great uneasiness since her letter of the 3rd (15th) of +February (1718). She has implored the King's pardon as one implores the +pardon of God, but without success. I know nothing about it, but dread +lest the Prince should partake his mother's disgrace. I think, however, +since the King has declared the Prince to be his son, he should treat him +as such, and not act so haughtily against the Princess, who has never +offended him, but has always treated him with the respect due to a +father. Nothing good can result from the present state of affairs; and +the King had better put an end to a quarrel which gives occasion to a +thousand impertinences, and revives awkward stories which were better +forgotten. + +The King of England has returned to London in good health (1719). The +Prince of Wales causes me great anxiety. He thought he should do well to +send one of his gentlemen to his father, to assure him in most submissive +terms of the joy he felt at his happy return. The King not only would +not receive the letter, but he sent back the gentleman with a very harsh +rebuke, revoking at the same time the permission, which before his +journey he had given to the Prince of Wales, to see his daughter, whom +the Prince loves very tenderly; this really seems too severe. It may be +said that the King is rather descended from the race of the Czar than +from that of Brunswick and the Palatinate. Such conduct can do him no +good. + +M. d'Entremont, the last Ambassador from Sicily, was upon the point of +departing, and had already had his farewell audience, when some +circumstance happened which compelled him to stay some time longer. +He found himself without a lodging, for his hotel had been already let. +A lady seeing the embarrassment in which Madame d'Entremont was thus +placed, said to her, "Madame, I have pleasure in offering you my house, +my own room, and my own bed." The Ambassador's lady not knowing what to +do, accepted the offer with great readiness. She went to the lady's +house, and as she is old and in ill health, she went to bed immediately. +Towards midnight she heard a noise like that of some person opening a +secret door. In fact, a door in the wall by the bedside was opened. +Some one entered, and began to undress. The lady called out, "Who is +there?" A voice replied, "It is I; be quiet." "Who are you?" asked the +lady. "What is the matter with you?" was the reply. "You were not wont +to be so particular. I am undressing, and shall come to bed directly." +At these words the lady cried out, "Thieves!" with all her might, and the +unknown person dressed himself quickly, and withdrew. + +When the Electoral Prince of Saxony came hither, he addressed a pretty +compliment to the King, which we all thought was his own, and we +therefore conceived a very favourable notion of his parts. He did not, +however, keep up that good opinion, and probably the compliment was made +for him by the Elector-Palatine. The King desired the Duchesse de Berri +to show him about Marly. He walked with her for an hour without ever +offering her his arm or saying one word to her. While they were +ascending a small hill, the Palatine, his Governor, nodded to him; and as +the Prince did not understand what he meant, he was at length obliged to +say to him, "Offer your arm to the Duchesse de Berri." The Prince +obeyed, but without saying a word. When they reached the summit, "Here," +said the Duchesse de Berri, "is a nice place for blindman's buff." Then, +for the first time, he opened his mouth, and said, "Oh, yes; I am very +willing to play." Madame de Berri was too much fatigued to play; but the +Prince continued amusing himself the whole day without offering the least +civility to the Duchess, who had taken such pains for him. This will +serve to show how puerile the Prince is. + + .......................... + +We have had here several good repartees of Duke Bernard von Weimar. +One day a young Frenchman asked him, "How happened it that you lost the +battle?"--"I will tell you, sir," replied the Duke, coolly; "I thought I +should win it, and so I lost it. But," he said, turning himself slowly +round, "who is the fool that asked me this question?" + +Father Joseph was in great favour with Cardinal Richelieu, and was +consulted by him on all occasions. One day, when the Cardinal had +summoned Duke Bernard to the Council, Father Joseph, running his finger +over a map, said, "Monsieur, you must first take this city; then that, +and then that." The Duke Bernard listened to him for some time, and at +length said, "But, Monsieur Joseph, you cannot take cities with your +finger." This story always made the King laugh heartily. + + .......................... + +M. de Brancas was very deeply in love with the lady whom he married. On +his wedding-day he went to take a bath, and was afterwards going to bed +at the bath-house. "Why are you going to bed here, sir?" said his valet +de chambre; "do you not mean to go to your wife?"--"I had quite +forgotten," he replied. He was the Queen-mother's chevalier d'honneur. +One day, while she was at church, Brancas forgot that the Queen was +kneeling before him, for as her back was very round, her head could +hardly be seen when she hung it down. He took her for a prie-dieu, and +knelt down upon her, putting his elbows upon her shoulders. The Queen +was of course not a little surprised to find her chevalier d'honneur upon +her back, and all the bystanders were ready to die with laughing. + +Dr. Chirac was once called to see a lady, and, while he was in her +bedchamber, he heard that the price of stock had considerably decreased. +As he happened to be a large holder of the Mississippi Bonds, he was +alarmed at the news; and being seated near the patient, whose pulse he +was feeling, he said with a deep sigh, "Ah, good God! they keep sinking, +sinking, sinking!" The poor sick lady hearing this, uttered a loud +shriek; the people ran to her immediately. "Ah," said she, "I shall die; +M. de Chirac has just said three times, as he felt my pulse, 'They keep +sinking!'" The Doctor recovered himself soon, and said, "You dream; your +pulse is very healthy, and you are very well. I was thinking of the +Mississippi stocks, upon which I lose my money, because their price +sinks." This explanation satisfied the sick lady. + +The Duc de Sully was subject to frequent fits of abstraction. One day, +having dressed himself to go to church, he forgot nothing but his +breeches. This was in the winter; when he entered the church, he said, +"Mon Dieu, it is very cold to-day." The persons present said, "Not +colder than usual!"--"Then I am in a fever," he said. Some one suggested +that he had perhaps not dressed himself so warmly as usual, and, opening +his coat, the cause of his being cold was very apparent. + +Our late King told me the following anecdote of Queen Christina of +Sweden: That Princess, instead of putting on a nightcap, wrapped her head +up in a napkin. One night she could not sleep, and ordered the musicians +to be brought into her bedroom; where, drawing the bed-curtains, she +could not be seen by the musicians, but could hear them at her ease. At +length, enchanted at a piece which they had just played, she abruptly +thrust her head beyond the curtains, and cried out, "Mort diable! but +they sing delightfully!" At this grotesque sight, the Italians, and +particularly the castrati, who are not the bravest men in the world, were +so frightened that they were obliged to stop short. + +In the great gallery at Fontainebleau may still be seen the blood of the +man whom she caused to be assassinated; it was to prevent his disclosing +some secrets of which he was in possession that she deprived him of life. +He had, in fact, begun to chatter through jealousy of another person who +had gained the Queen's favour. Christina was very vindictive, and given +up to all kinds of debauchery. + +Duke Frederick Augustus of Brunswick was delighted with Christina; he +said that he had never in his life met a woman who had so much wit, and +whose conversation was so truly diverting; he added that it was +impossible to be dull with her for a moment. I observed to him that the +Queen in her conversation frequently indulged in very filthy discussions. +"That is true," replied he, "but she conceals such things in so artful a +manner as to take from them all their disgusting features." She never +could be agreeable to women, for she despised them altogether. + +Saint Francois de Sales, who founded the order of the Sisters of Saint +Mary, had in his youth been extremely intimate with the Marechal de +Villeroi, the father of the present Marshal. The old gentleman could +therefore never bring himself to call his old friend a saint. When any +one spoke in his presence of Saint Francois de Sales, he used to say, "I +was delighted when I saw M. de Sales become a saint; he used to delight +in talking indecently, and always cheated at play; but in every other +respect he was one of the best gentlemen in the world, and perhaps one of +the most foolish." + + M. de Cosnac, Archbishop of Aix, was at a very advanced age when he + learnt that Saint Francois de Sales had been canonized. "What!" + cried he, "M. de Geneve, my old friend? I am delighted at his good + fortune; he was a gallant man, an amiable man, and an honest man, + too, although he would sometimes cheat at piquet, at which we have + often played together."--"But, sir," said some one present, "is it + possible that a saint could be a sharper at play?"--"No," replied + the Archbishop, "he said, as a reason for it, that he gave all his + winnings to the poor." [Loisirs d'un homme d'etat, et Dictionnaire + Historique, tom. vii. Paris, 1810.] + +While Frederick Charles de Wurtemberg, the administrateur of that duchy, +was staying at Paris, the Princesse Marianne de Wurtemberg, Duke Ulric's +daughter, was there also with her mother. Expecting then to marry her +cousin, + + [The learned Journal of Gottengin for the year 1789, No. 30, + observes there must be some mistake here, because in 1689, when this + circumstance is supposed to have occurred, the administrateur had + been married seven years, and had children at Stuttgard.] + +she had herself painted as Andromeda and her cousin as Perseus as the +latter wore no helmet, everybody could of course recognize him. But when +he went away without having married her, she had a casque painted, which +concealed the face, and said she would not have another face inserted +until she should be married. She was then about nineteen years old. +Her mother said once at Court, "My daughter has not come with me to-day +because she is gone to confess; but, poor child, what can she have to say +to her confessor, except that she has dropped some stitches in her work." +Madame de Fiennes, who was present, whispered, "The placid old fool! +as if a stout, healthy girl of nineteen had no other sins to confess +than having dropped some stitches." + +A village pastor was examining his parishioners in their catechism. The +first question in the Heidelberg catechism is this: "What is thy only +consolation in life and in death?" A young girl, to whom the pastor put +this question, laughed, and would not answer. The priest insisted. +"Well, then," said she at length, "if I must tell you, it is the young +shoemaker who lives in the Rue Agneaux." + +The late Madame de Nemours had charitably brought up a poor child. +When the child was about nine years old, she said to her benefactress, +"Madame, no one can be more grateful for your charity than I am, and I +cannot acknowledge it better than by telling everybody I am your +daughter; but do not be alarmed, I will not say that I am your lawful +child, only your illegitimate daughter." + +The Memoirs of Queen Margaret of Navarre are merely a romance compared +with those of Mdlle. de La Force. The authoress's own life was a +romance. Being extremely poor, although of an ancient and honourable +family, she accepted the office of demoiselle d'honneur to the Duchesse +de Guise. Here the Marquis de Nesle, father of the present Marquis +(1720), became enamoured of her, after having received from her a small +bag to wear about his neck, as a remedy against the vapours. He would +have married her, but his relations opposed this intention on the score +of Mdlle. de La Force's poverty, and because she had improperly quitted +the Duchesse de Guise. The Great Conde, the Marquis de Nesle's nearest +relation, took him to Chattillon that he might forget his love for Mdlle. +de La Force; all the Marquis's relations were there assembled for the +purpose of declaring to him that they would never consent to his marriage +with Mdlle. de La Force; and he on his part told them that he would never +while he lived marry any other person. In a moment of despair, he rushed +out to the garden and would have thrown himself into the canal, but that +the strings, with which Mdlle. de La Force had tied the bag about his +neck, broke, and the bag fell at his feet. His thoughts appeared to +undergo a sudden change, and Mdlle. de La Force seemed to him to be as +ugly as she really is. He went instantly to the Prince and his other +relations who were there, and told them what had just happened. They +searched about in the garden for the bag and the strings, and, opening +it, they found it to contain two toads' feet holding a heart wrapped up +in a bat's wing, and round the whole a paper inscribed with +unintelligible cyphers. The Marquis was seized with horror at the sight. +He told me this story with his own mouth. Mdlle. de La Force after this +fell in love with Baron, but as he was not bewitched, the intrigue did +not last long: he used to give a very amusing account of the declaration +she made to him. Then a M. Briou, the son of a Councillor of that name, +became attached to her; his relations, who would by no means have +consented to such a marriage, shut the young man up. La Force, who has +a very fertile wit, engaged an itinerant musician who led about dancing +bears in the street, and intimated to her lover that, if he would express +a wish to see the bears dance in the courtyard of his, own house, she +would come to him disguised in a bear's skin. She procured a bear's skin +to be made so as to fit her, and went to M. Briou's house with the bears; +the young man, under the pretence of playing with this bear, had an +opportunity of conversing with her and of laying their future plans. +He then promised his father that he would submit to his will, and thus +having regained his liberty he immediately married Mdlle. de La Force, +and went with her to Versailles, where the King gave them apartments, +and where Madame de Briou was every day with the Dauphine of Bavaria, +who admired her wit and was delighted with her society. M. de Briou was +not then five-and-twenty years of age, a very good-looking and well-bred +young man. His father, however, procured a dissolution of the marriage +by the Parliament, and made him marry another person. Madame de Briou +thus became once more Mdlle. de La Force, and found herself without +husband and money. I cannot tell how it was that the King and her +parents, both of whom had consented to the marriage, did not oppose its +dissolution. To gain a subsistence she set about composing romances, and +as she was often staying with the Princesse de Conti, she dedicated to +her that of Queen Margaret. + +We have had four Dukes who have bought coffee, stuffs, and even candles +for the purpose of selling them again at a profit. It was the Duke de La +Force who bought the candles. One evening, very recently, as he was +going out of the Opera, the staircase was filled with young men, one of +whom cried out, as he passed, "His purse!"--"No," said another, "there +can be no money in it; he would not risk it; it must be candles that he +has bought to sell again." They then sang the air of the fourth act of +'Phaeton'. + + [The Duke, together with certain other persons, made considerable + purchases of spice, porcelain, and other merchandizes, for the + purpose of realizing the hope of Law's Banks. As he was not held in + estimation either by the public or by the Parliament, the Duke was + accused of monopoly; and by a decree of the Parliament, in concert + with the Peers, he was enjoined "to use more circumspection for the + future, and to conduct himself irreproachably, in a manner as should + be consistent with his birth and his dignity as a Peer of France."] + +The Queen Catherine (de Medicis) was a very wicked woman. Her uncle, the +Pope, had good reason for saying that he had made a bad present to +France. It is said that she poisoned her youngest son because he had +discovered her in a common brothel whither she had gone privately. Who +can wonder that such a woman should drink out of a cup covered with +designs from Aretino. The Pope had an object in sending her to France. +Her son was the Duc d'Alencon; and as they both remained incog. the world +did not know that they were mother and son, which occasioned frequent +mistakes. + +The young Count Horn, who has just been executed here (1720), was +descended from a well-known Flemish family; he was distinguished at first +for the amiable qualities of his head and for his wit. At college he was +a model for good conduct, application, and purity of morals; but the +intimacy which he formed with some libertine young men during his stay at +the Academy of Paris entirely changed him. He contracted an insatiable +desire for play, and even his own father said to him, "You will die by +the hands of the executioner." Being destitute of money, the young Count +took up the trade of a pickpocket, which he carried on in the pit of the +theatres, and by which he made considerable gains in silver-hilted swords +and watches. At length, having lost a sum of five-and-twenty thousand +crowns at the fair of Saint-Germain, he was led to commit that crime +which he has just expiated on the scaffold. For the purpose of +discharging the debt he had contracted, he sent for a banker's clerk to +bring him certain bank bills, which he proposed to purchase. Having +connected himself with two other villains, he attacked the clerk as soon +as he arrived, and stabbed him with poniards which he had bought three +days before on the Pont Neuf. Hoping to conceal the share which he had +taken in this crime, he went immediately after its perpetration to the +Commissaire du Quartier, and told him, with a cool and determined air, +that he had been obliged, in his own defence, to kill the clerk, who had +attacked him and put him in danger of his life. The Commissaire looking +at him steadfastly, said, "You are covered with blood, but you are not +even wounded; I must retain you in custody until I can examine this +affair more minutely." At this moment the accomplice entered the room. +"Here, sir," said the Count to the Commissaire, "is one who can bear +testimony that the account I have given you of this business is perfectly +true." The accomplice was quite terrified at hearing this; he thought +that Count Horn had confessed his crime, and that there could be no +advantage in continuing to deny it; he therefore confessed all that had +taken place, and thus the murder was revealed. The Count was not more +than two-and-twenty years of age, and one of the handsomest men in Paris. +Some of the first persons in France solicited in his favour, but the Duke +Regent thought it necessary to make an example of him on account of the +prevalent excess of crime. Horn was publicly broken on the wheel with +his second accomplice; the other died just before: they were both +gentlemen and of noble families. When they arrived at the place of +punishment, they begged the people to implore the pardon of Heaven upon +their sins. The spectators were affected to tears, but they nevertheless +agreed in the just severity of their punishment. The people said aloud +after the execution, "Our Regent has done justice." + +One lady was blaming another, her intimate friend, for loving a very +ugly man. The latter said, "Did he ever speak to you tenderly or +passionately?"--"No," replied the former. "Then you cannot judge," said +her friend, "whether I ought to love him or not." + +Madame de Nemours used to say, "I have observed one thing in this +country, 'Honour grows again as well as hair.'" + +An officer, a gentleman of talent, whose name was Hautmont, wrote the +following verses upon Cardinal Mazarin, for which he was locked up in the +Bastille for eighteen months: + + Creusons tous le tombeau + A qui nous persecute; + A ce Jules nouveauu + Cherchons un nouveau Brute. + Que le jour serait beau, + Si nous voyions sa chute! + +The Queen-mother could not endure Boisrobert on account of his impiety; +she did not like him to visit her sons, the King and Monsieur, in their +youth, but they were very fond of him because he used to amuse them. +When he was at the point of death, the Queen-mother sent some priests to +convert him and to prepare him for confession. Boisrobert appeared +inclined to confess. "Yes, mon Dieu," said he, devoutly joining his +hands, "I sincerely implore Thy pardon, and confess that I am a great +sinner, but thou knowest that the Abbe de Villargeau is a much greater +sinner than I am." + +Cardinal Mazarin sent him once to compliment the English Ambassador on +his arrival. When he reached the hotel, an Englishman said to him, +"Milord, il est pret; my ladi, il n'est pas pret, friselire ses chevaux, +prendre patience." The late King used to relate stories of this same +Boisrobert in a very whimsical manner. + +The life which folks lead at Paris becomes daily more scandalous; I +really tremble for the city every time it thunders. Three ladies of +quality have just committed a monstrous imprudence. They have been +running after the Turkish Ambassador; they made his son drunk and kept +him with them three days; if they go on in this way even the Capuchins +will not be safe from them. The Turks must needs have a very becoming +notion of the conduct of ladies of quality in a Christian country. The +young Turk is said to have told Madame de Polignac, who was one of the +three ladies, "Madame, your reputation has reached Constantinople, and I +see that report has only done you justice." The Ambassador, it is said, +is very much enraged with his son, and has enjoined him to keep his +adventure profoundly a secret, because he would risk the top of his head +on his return to Constantinople if it were known that he had associated +with Christian women. It is to be feared that the young man will get +safely out of France. Madame de Polignac has fleeced all the young men +of quality here. I do not know how her relations and those of her +husband choose to suffer her to lead so libertine a life. But all shame +is extinct in France, and everything is turned topsy-turvy. + +It is very unfortunate that noblemen like the Elector-Palatine John +William should suffer themselves to be governed by the priesthood; +nothing but evil can result from it. He would do much better if he would +follow the advice of able statesmen, and throw his priest into the +Necker. I would advise him to do so, and I think I should advise him +well. + +I cannot conceive why the Duke Maximilian (brother of George I. of +England) + + [Prince Maximilian of Hanover, the second brother of George I., had, + after the death of his brother, Frederick Augustus, certain rights + over the Bishopric of Osnaburgh; love and his monks caused him to + embrace the catholic faith.] + +changed his religion, for he had very little faith in general; none of +his relations solicited him to do so, and he was induced by no personal +interest. + +I have heard a story of this Prince, which does him little honour. I +have been told that he complained to the Emperor of his mother, who bred +him tenderly, but who had not sent him eight thousand crowns which he had +asked her for. This is abominable, and he can hope for happiness neither +in this nor in the next world; I can never forgive him for it. The first +idea of this must have originated with Father Wolff, who has also excited +him against Prince Edward Augustus.--[Maximilian contested the Bishopric +of Osnaburgh with his younger brother.]--What angers me most with this +cursed monk is, that he will not suffer Duke Maximilian to have a single +nobleman about him; he will only allow him to be approached by beggars +like himself. + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +But all shame is extinct in France +Exclaimed so long against high head-dresses +Honour grows again as well as hair +I thought I should win it, and so I lost it +If I should die, shall I not have lived long enough? +Only your illegitimate daughter +Original manuscripts of the Memoirs of Cardinal Retz +She never could be agreeable to women +Since becoming Queen she had not had a day of real happiness +Stout, healthy girl of nineteen had no other sins to confess +Subject to frequent fits of abstraction +Throw his priest into the Necker + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Memoirs of Louis XIV. and the +Regency, Book IV., by Elizabeth-Charlotte, Duchesse d'Orleans + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DUCHESSE D'ORLEANS *** + +***** This file should be named 3858.txt or 3858.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/5/3858/ + +Produced by David Widger + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/3858.zip b/3858.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4023efb --- /dev/null +++ b/3858.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..dd3df2c --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #3858 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3858) diff --git a/old/cm21b10.txt b/old/cm21b10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f225622 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/cm21b10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,2557 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Memoirs of Louis XIV. and the Regency, v4 +#4 in our series by Elizabeth-Charlotte, Duchesse d'Orleans +#21 in our series Historic Court Memoirs + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the laws for your country before redistributing these files!!!!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. + +Please do not remove this. + +This should be the first thing seen when anyone opens the book. +Do not change or edit it without written permission. The words +are carefully chosen to provide users with the information they +need about what they can legally do with the texts. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These Etexts Are Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!***** + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below, including for donations. + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a 501(c)(3) +organization with EIN [Employee Identification Number] 64-6221541 + + + +Title: The Memoirs of Louis XIV. and the Regency, v4 + +Author: Elizabeth-Charlotte, Duchesse d'Orleans + +Official Release Date: March, 2003 [Etext #3858] +[Yes, we are about one year ahead of schedule] +[The actual date this file first posted = 07/08/01] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +The Project Gutenberg Etext of Memoirs of Louis XIV. and the Regency, v4 +***********This file should be named cm21b10.txt or cm21b10.zip********* + +Corrected EDITIONS of our etexts get a new NUMBER, cm21b11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, cm21b10a.txt + +This etext was produced by David Widger <widger@cecomet.net> + +Project Gutenberg Etexts are usually created from multiple editions, +all of which are in the Public Domain in the United States, unless a +copyright notice is included. Therefore, we usually do NOT keep any +of these books in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +We are now trying to release all our books one year in advance +of the official release dates, leaving time for better editing. +Please be encouraged to send us error messages even years after +the official publication date. + +Please note: neither this list nor its contents are final till +midnight of the last day of the month of any such announcement. +The official release date of all Project Gutenberg Etexts is at +Midnight, Central Time, of the last day of the stated month. A +preliminary version may often be posted for suggestion, comment +and editing by those who wish to do so. + +Most people start at our sites at: +http://gutenberg.net +http://promo.net/pg + + +Those of you who want to download any Etext before announcement +can surf to them as follows, and just download by date; this is +also a good way to get them instantly upon announcement, as the +indexes our cataloguers produce obviously take a while after an +announcement goes out in the Project Gutenberg Newsletter. + +http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/etext03 +or +ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/docs/books/gutenberg/etext03 + +Or /etext02, 01, 00, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90 + +Just search by the first five letters of the filename you want, +as it appears in our Newsletters. + + +Information about Project Gutenberg (one page) + +We produce about two million dollars for each hour we work. The +time it takes us, a rather conservative estimate, is fifty hours +to get any etext selected, entered, proofread, edited, copyright +searched and analyzed, the copyright letters written, etc. This +projected audience is one hundred million readers. If our value +per text is nominally estimated at one dollar then we produce $2 +million dollars per hour this year as we release fifty new Etext +files per month, or 500 more Etexts in 2000 for a total of 3000+ +If they reach just 1-2% of the world's population then the total +should reach over 300 billion Etexts given away by year's end. + +The Goal of Project Gutenberg is to Give Away One Trillion Etext +Files by December 31, 2001. [10,000 x 100,000,000 = 1 Trillion] +This is ten thousand titles each to one hundred million readers, +which is only about 4% of the present number of computer users. + +At our revised rates of production, we will reach only one-third +of that goal by the end of 2001, or about 3,333 Etexts unless we +manage to get some real funding. + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation has been created +to secure a future for Project Gutenberg into the next millennium. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +As of June 16, 2001 contributions are only being solicited from people in: +Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, +Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, +Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, +Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, +Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming. + +We have filed in nearly all states now, and these are the ones +that have responded as of the date above. + +As the requirements for other states are met, +additions to this list will be made and fund raising +will begin in the additional states. Please feel +free to ask to check the status of your state. + +In answer to various questions we have received on this: + +We are constantly working on finishing the paperwork +to legally request donations in all 50 states. If +your state is not listed and you would like to know +if we have added it since the list you have, just ask. + +While we cannot solicit donations from people in +states where we are not yet registered, we know +of no prohibition against accepting donations +from donors in these states who approach us with +an offer to donate. + + +International donations are accepted, +but we don't know ANYTHING about how +to make them tax-deductible, or +even if they CAN be made deductible, +and don't have the staff to handle it +even if there are ways. + +All donations should be made to: + +Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +PMB 113 +1739 University Ave. +Oxford, MS 38655-4109 + + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a 501(c)(3) +organization with EIN [Employee Identification Number] 64-6221541, +and has been approved as a 501(c)(3) organization by the US Internal +Revenue Service (IRS). Donations are tax-deductible to the maximum +extent permitted by law. As the requirements for other states are met, +additions to this list will be made and fund raising will begin in the +additional states. + +We need your donations more than ever! + +You can get up to date donation information at: + +http://www.gutenberg.net/donation.html + + +*** + +If you can't reach Project Gutenberg, +you can always email directly to: + +Michael S. Hart <hart@pobox.com> + +hart@pobox.com forwards to hart@prairienet.org and archive.org +if your mail bounces from archive.org, I will still see it, if +it bounces from prairienet.org, better resend later on. . . . + +Prof. Hart will answer or forward your message. + +We would prefer to send you information by email. + + +*** + + +Example command-line FTP session: + +ftp ftp.ibiblio.org +login: anonymous +password: your@login +cd pub/docs/books/gutenberg +cd etext90 through etext99 or etext00 through etext02, etc. +dir [to see files] +get or mget [to get files. . .set bin for zip files] +GET GUTINDEX.?? [to get a year's listing of books, e.g., GUTINDEX.99] +GET GUTINDEX.ALL [to get a listing of ALL books] + + +**The Legal Small Print** + + +(Three Pages) + +***START**THE SMALL PRINT!**FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS**START*** +Why is this "Small Print!" statement here? You know: lawyers. +They tell us you might sue us if there is something wrong with +your copy of this etext, even if you got it for free from +someone other than us, and even if what's wrong is not our +fault. So, among other things, this "Small Print!" statement +disclaims most of our liability to you. It also tells you how +you may distribute copies of this etext if you want to. + +*BEFORE!* YOU USE OR READ THIS ETEXT +By using or reading any part of this PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +etext, you indicate that you understand, agree to and accept +this "Small Print!" statement. If you do not, you can receive +a refund of the money (if any) you paid for this etext by +sending a request within 30 days of receiving it to the person +you got it from. If you received this etext on a physical +medium (such as a disk), you must return it with your request. + +ABOUT PROJECT GUTENBERG-TM ETEXTS +This PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm etext, like most PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm etexts, +is a "public domain" work distributed by Professor Michael S. Hart +through the Project Gutenberg Association (the "Project"). +Among other things, this means that no one owns a United States copyright +on or for this work, so the Project (and you!) can copy and +distribute it in the United States without permission and +without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, set forth +below, apply if you wish to copy and distribute this etext +under the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark. + +Please do not use the "PROJECT GUTENBERG" trademark to market +any commercial products without permission. + +To create these etexts, the Project expends considerable +efforts to identify, transcribe and proofread public domain +works. Despite these efforts, the Project's etexts and any +medium they may be on may contain "Defects". Among other +things, Defects may take the form of incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other +intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged +disk or other etext medium, a computer virus, or computer +codes that damage or cannot be read by your equipment. + +LIMITED WARRANTY; DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES +But for the "Right of Replacement or Refund" described below, +[1] Michael Hart and the Foundation (and any other party you may +receive this etext from as a PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm etext) disclaims +all liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including +legal fees, and [2] YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE OR +UNDER STRICT LIABILITY, OR FOR BREACH OF WARRANTY OR CONTRACT, +INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE +OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE +POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. + +If you discover a Defect in this etext within 90 days of +receiving it, you can receive a refund of the money (if any) +you paid for it by sending an explanatory note within that +time to the person you received it from. If you received it +on a physical medium, you must return it with your note, and +such person may choose to alternatively give you a replacement +copy. If you received it electronically, such person may +choose to alternatively give you a second opportunity to +receive it electronically. + +THIS ETEXT IS OTHERWISE PROVIDED TO YOU "AS-IS". NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, ARE MADE TO YOU AS +TO THE ETEXT OR ANY MEDIUM IT MAY BE ON, INCLUDING BUT NOT +LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A +PARTICULAR PURPOSE. + +Some states do not allow disclaimers of implied warranties or +the exclusion or limitation of consequential damages, so the +above disclaimers and exclusions may not apply to you, and you +may have other legal rights. + +INDEMNITY +You will indemnify and hold Michael Hart, the Foundation, +and its trustees and agents, and any volunteers associated +with the production and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm +texts harmless, from all liability, cost and expense, including +legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of the +following that you do or cause: [1] distribution of this etext, +[2] alteration, modification, or addition to the etext, +or [3] any Defect. + +DISTRIBUTION UNDER "PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm" +You may distribute copies of this etext electronically, or by +disk, book or any other medium if you either delete this +"Small Print!" and all other references to Project Gutenberg, +or: + +[1] Only give exact copies of it. Among other things, this + requires that you do not remove, alter or modify the + etext or this "small print!" statement. You may however, + if you wish, distribute this etext in machine readable + binary, compressed, mark-up, or proprietary form, + including any form resulting from conversion by word + processing or hypertext software, but only so long as + *EITHER*: + + [*] The etext, when displayed, is clearly readable, and + does *not* contain characters other than those + intended by the author of the work, although tilde + (~), asterisk (*) and underline (_) characters may + be used to convey punctuation intended by the + author, and additional characters may be used to + indicate hypertext links; OR + + [*] The etext may be readily converted by the reader at + no expense into plain ASCII, EBCDIC or equivalent + form by the program that displays the etext (as is + the case, for instance, with most word processors); + OR + + [*] You provide, or agree to also provide on request at + no additional cost, fee or expense, a copy of the + etext in its original plain ASCII form (or in EBCDIC + or other equivalent proprietary form). + +[2] Honor the etext refund and replacement provisions of this + "Small Print!" statement. + +[3] Pay a trademark license fee to the Foundation of 20% of the + gross profits you derive calculated using the method you + already use to calculate your applicable taxes. If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation" + the 60 days following each date you prepare (or were + legally required to prepare) your annual (or equivalent + periodic) tax return. Please contact us beforehand to + let us know your plans and to work out the details. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +Project Gutenberg is dedicated to increasing the number of +public domain and licensed works that can be freely distributed +in machine readable form. + +The Project gratefully accepts contributions of money, time, +public domain materials, or royalty free copyright licenses. +Money should be paid to the: +"Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +If you are interested in contributing scanning equipment or +software or other items, please contact Michael Hart at: +hart@pobox.com + +*END THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.06/12/01*END* +[Portions of this header are copyright (C) 2001 by Michael S. Hart +and may be reprinted only when these Etexts are free of all fees.] +[Project Gutenberg is a TradeMark and may not be used in any sales +of Project Gutenberg Etexts or other materials be they hardware or +software or any other related product without express permission.] + + + + + +This etext was produced by David Widger <widger@cecomet.net> + + + + + +[NOTE: There is a short list of bookmarks, or pointers, at the end of +each file for those who may wish to sample the author's ideas before +making an entire meal of them. D.W.] + + + + + +MEMOIRS OF THE COURT OF LOUIS XIV. AND OF THE REGENCY, v4 + +Being the Secret Memoirs of the Mother of the Regent, +MADAME ELIZABETH-CHARLOTTE OF BAVARIA, DUCHESSE D'ORLEANS. + + + +BOOK 4. + + +CONTENTS: + +Victor Amadeus II. +The Grand Duchess, Consort of Cosimo II. of Florence +The Duchesse de Lorraine, Elizabeth-Charlotte d'Orleans +The Duc du Maine +The Duchesse du Maine +Louvois +Louis XV. +Anecdotes and Historical Particulars of Various Persons +Explanatory Notes + + + +SECTION XXXV. + +VICTOR AMADEUS, KING OF SICILY. + +It is said that the King of Sicily is always in ill humour, and that he +is always quarrelling with his mistresses. He and Madame de Verrue have +quarrelled, they say, for whole days together. I wonder how the good +Queen can love him with such constancy; but she is a most virtuous person +and patience itself. Since the King had no mistresses he lives upon +better terms with her. Devotion has softened his heart and his temper. + +Madame de Verrue is, I dare say, forty-eight years of age (1718). I +shared some of the profits of her theft by buying of her 160 medals of +gold, the half of those which she stole from the King of Sicily. She had +also boxes filled with silver medals, but they were all sold in England. + + [The Comtesse de Verrue was married at the age of thirteen years. + Victor Amadeus, then King of Sardinia, fell in love with her. She + would have resisted, and wrote to her mother and her husband, who + were both absent. They only joked her about it. She then took that + step which all the world knows. At the age of eighteen, being at a + dinner with a relation of her husband's, she was poisoned. The + person she suspected was the same that was dining with her; he did + not quit her, and wanted to have her blooded. Just at this time the + Spanish Ambassador at Piedmont sent her a counter-poison which had a + happy effect: she recovered, but never would mention whom she + suspected. She got tired of the King, and persuaded her brother, + the Chevalier de Lugner, to come and carry her off, the King being + then upon a journey. The rendezvous was in a chapel about four + leagues distant from Turin. She had a little parrot with her. Her + brother arrived, they set out together, and, after having proceeded + four leagues on her journey, she remembered that she had forgotten + her parrot in the chapel. Without regarding the danger to which she + exposed her brother, she insisted upon returning to look for her + parrot, and did so. She died in Paris in the beginning of the reign + of Louis XV. She was fond of literary persons, and collected about + her some of the best company of that day, among whom her wit and + grace enabled her to cut a brilliant figure. She was the intimate + friend of the poet La Faye, whom she advised in his compositions, + and whose life she made delightful. Her fondness for the arts and + pleasure procured for her the appellation of 'Dame de Volupte', and + she wrote this epitaph upon herself: + + "Ci git, dans un pais profonde, + Cette Dame de Volupte, + Qui, pour plus grande surete, + Fit son Paradis dans ce monde."] + + + + +SECTION XXXVI. + +THE GRAND DUCHESS, WIFE OF COSMO II. OF FLORENCE. + +The Grand Duchess has declared to me, that, from the day on which she set +out for Florence, she thought of nothing but her return, and the means of +executing this design as soon as she should be able. + +No one could approve of her deserting her husband, and the more +particularly as she speaks very well of him, and describes the manner of +living at Florence as like a terrestrial paradise. + +She does not think herself unfortunate for having travelled, and looks +upon all the grandeur she enjoyed at Florence as not to be compared with +the unrestrained way of living in which she indulges here. She is very +amusing when she relates her own history, in the course of which she by +no means flatters herself. + +"Indeed, cousin," I say to her often, "you do not flatter yourself, but +you really tell things which make against you." + +"Ah, no matter," she replies, "I care not, provided I never see the Grand +Duke again." + +She cannot be accused of any amorous intrigue. + +Her husband furnishes her with very little money; and at this moment +(April, 1718) he owes her fifteen months of her pension. She is now +really in want of money to enable her to take the waters of Bourbon. +The Grand Duke, who is very avaricious, thinks she will die soon, and +therefore holds back the payments that he may take advantage of that +event when it shall happen. + + + + +SECTION XXXVII. + +THE DUCHESSE DE LORRAINE, ELIZABETH-CHARLOTTE PHILIPPINE D'ORLEANS, +CONSORT OF LEOPOLD JOSEPH-CHARLES DE LORRAINE. + +My daughter is ugly; even more so than she was, for the fine complexion +which she once had has become sun-burnt. This makes a great difference +in the appearance, and causes a person to look old. She has an ugly +round nose, and her eyes are sunken; but her shape is preserved, and, as +she dances well, and her manners are easy and polished, any one may see +that she is a person of breeding. I know many people who pique +themselves upon their good manners, and who still have not so much reason +as she has. At all events I am content with my child as she is; and I +would rather see her ugly and virtuous than pretty and profligate like +the rest. + +Whenever the time of her accouchement approaches, she never fails to bid +her friends adieu, in the notion that she will die. Fortunately she has +hitherto always escaped well. + +When jealousy is once suffered to take root, it is impossible to +extirpate it--therefore it is better not to let it gain ground. My +daughter pretends not to be affected by hers, but she often suffers great +affliction from it. This is not astonishing, because she is very fond of +her children; and the woman with whom the Duke is infatuated, together +with her husband, do not leave him a farthing; they completely ruin his +household. Craon is an accursed cuckold and a treacherous man. The Duc +de Lorraine knows that my daughter is acquainted with everything, and I +believe he likes her the better that she does not remonstrate with him, +but endures all patiently. He is occasionally kind to her, and, provided +that he only says tender things to her, she is content and cheerful. + +I should almost believe that the Duke's mistress has given him a philtre, +as Neidschin did to the Elector of Saxony. When he does not see her, it +is said he perspires copiously at the head, and, in order that the +cuckold of a husband may say nothing about the affair, the Duke suffers +him to do whatever he pleases. He and his wife, who is gouvernante, rule +everything, although neither the one nor the other has any feeling of +honour. She is to come hither, it seems, with the Duke and Duchess. + +The Duc de Lorraine is here incog. + + [He came to Paris for the purpose of soliciting an arrondissement in + Champagne and the title of Royal Highness. Through the influence of + his mother-in-law he obtained both the one and the other. By virtue + of a treaty very disadvantageous for France, but which was + nevertheless registered by the Parliament, he increased his states + by adding to them a great number of villages.] + +under the title of the Comte de Blamont. Formerly the chase was his +greatest passion; but now, it seems, the swain is wholly amorous. It is +in vain for him to attempt to conceal it; for the more he tries, the more +apparent it becomes. When you would suppose he is about to address you, +his head will turn round, and his eyes wander in search of Madame Craon; +it is quite diverting to see him. I cannot conceive how my daughter can +love her husband so well, and not display more jealousy. It is +impossible for a man to be more amorous than the Duke is of Craon (19th +of April, 1718). + +It cannot be denied that she (Madame de Craon) is full of agreeable +qualities. Although she is not a beauty, she has a good shape, a fine +skin, and a very white complexion; but her greatest charms are her mouth +and teeth. When she laughs it is in a very pleasing and modest manner; +she behaves properly and respectfully in my daughter's presence; if she +did the same when she is not with her, one would have nothing to complain +of. It is not surprising that such a woman should be beloved; she really +deserves it. But she treats her lover with the utmost haughtiness, as if +she were the Duchesse de Lorraine and he M. de Luneville. I never saw a +man more passionately attached than he appears to be; when she is not +present, he fixes his eyes upon the door with an expression of anxiety; +when she appears, he smiles and is calm; it is really very droll to +observe him. She, on the contrary, wishes to prevent persons from +perceiving it, and seems to care nothing about him. As the Duke was +crossing a hall here with her upon his arm, some of the people said +aloud, "That is the Duc de Lorraine with his mistress." Madame Craon +wept bitterly, and insisted upon the Duke complaining of it to his +brother. The Duke did in fact complain; but my son laughed at him, and +replied, "that the King himself could not prevent that; that he should +despise such things, and seem not to hear them." + +Madame Craon was my daughter's fille d'honneur; she was then called +Mademoiselle de Ligneville, and there it was that the Duke fell in love +with her. M. Craon was in disgrace with the Duke, who was about to +dismiss him as a rascal, for having practised a sharping trick at play; +but, as he is a cunning fellow, he perceived the Duke's love for +Mademoiselle de Ligneville, although he pretended to make a great mystery +of it. About this time Madame de Lenoncourt, my daughter's dame d'atour, +happened to die. The Duke managed to have Mademoiselle de Ligneville +appointed in her room; and Craon, who is rich, offered to marry this poor +lady. The Duke was delighted with the plan of marrying her to one who +would lend himself to the intrigue; and thus she became Madame de Craon, +and dame d'atour. The old gouvernante dying soon afterwards, my daughter +thought to gratify her husband, as well as Madame de Craon, by appointing +her dame d'honneur; and this it is that has brought such disgrace upon +her. + +My daughter is in despair. Craon and his wife want to take a journey of +ten days, for the purpose of buying a marquisate worth 800,000 livres. +The Duke will not remain during this time with his wife, but chooses it +for an opportunity to visit all the strong places of Alsatia. He will +stay away until the return of his mistress and her husband; and this it +is which makes my poor daughter so unhappy. The Duke now neither sees +nor hears anything but through Craon, his wife, and their creatures. + +I do not think that my daughter's attachment to her husband is so strong +as it used to be, and yet I think she loves him very much; for every +proof of fondness which he gives her rejoices her so much that she sends +me word of it immediately. He can make her believe whatever he chooses; +and, although she cannot doubt the Duke's passion for Madame de Craon, +yet, when he says that he feels only friendship for her, that he is quite +willing to give up seeing her, only that he fears by doing so he would +dishonour her in the eyes of the public, and that there is nothing he is +not ready to do for his wife's repose, she receives all he says +literally, beseeches him to continue to see Madame de Craon as usual, and +fancies that her husband is tenderly attached to her, while he is really +laughing at her. If I were in my daughter's place, the Duke's falsehood +would disgust me more than his infidelity. + +What appears to me the most singular in this intrigue is that the Duke is +as fond of the husband as of the wife, and that he cannot live without +him. This is very difficult to comprehend; but M. de Craon understands +it well, and makes the most of it; he has already bought an estate for +1,100,000 livres. + + [The Marquis de Craon was Grand Chamberlain and Prime Minister of + the Duc de Lorraine; who, moreover, procured for him from the + Emperor of Germany the title of Prince. This favourite married one + of his daughters to the Prince de Ligin, of the House of Lorraine.] + +The burning of Lundville was not the effect of an accident; it is well +known that some of the people stopped a woman's mouth, who was crying out +"Fire!" A person was also heard to say, "It was not I who set it on +fire." My daughter thinks that Old Maintenon would have them all burnt; +for the person who cried out has been employed, it seems, in the house of +the Duc de Noailles. For my part, I am rather disposed to believe it was +the young mistress, Madame de Craon, who had a share in this matter; for +Luneville is my daughter's residence and dowry. + + + + +SECTION XXXVIII. + +THE DUC DU MAINE, LOUIS-AUGUSTUS. + +The Duc du Maine flattered himself that he would marry my daughter. +Madame de Maintenon and Madame de Montespan were arranging this project +in presence of several merchants, to whom they paid no attention, but the +latter, engaging in the conversation, said, "Ladies, do not think of any +such thing, for it will cost you your lives if you bring about that +marriage." + +Madame de Maintenon was dreadfully frightened at this, and immediately +went to the King to persuade him to relinquish the affair. + +The Duc du Maine possesses talent, which he displays particularly in his +manner of relating anything. He knows very well who is his mother, but +he has never had the least affection for any one but his gouvernante, +against whom he never bore ill-will, although she displaced his mother +and put herself in her room. My son will not believe that the Duc du +Maine is the King's son. He has always been treacherous, and is feared +and hated at Court as an arch tale-bearer. He has done many persons very +ill offices with the King; and those in particular to whom he promised +most were those who have had the greatest reason to complain of him. His +little wife is worse even than he, for the husband is sometimes +restrained by fear; but she mingles the pathetic occasionally in her +comedies. It is certain that there does not exist a more false and +wicked couple in the whole world than they are. + +I can readily believe that the Comte de Toulouse is the King's son; but I +have always thought that the Duc du Maine is the son of Terme, who was a +false knave, and the greatest tale-bearer in the Court. + +That old Maintenon had persuaded the King that the Duc du Maine was full +of piety and virtue. When he reported evil tales of any persons, she +pretended that it was for their good, and to induce the King to correct +them. The King was, therefore, induced to fancy everything he did +admirable, and to take him for a saint. The confessor, Le Pere +Letellier, contributed to keep up this good opinion in order to pay court +to the old woman; and the late Chancellor, M. Voisin, by her orders +continued to aid the King's delusion. + +The Duc du Maine fancied that, since he had succeeded in getting himself +declared a Prince of the blood, he should not find it difficult on that +account to attain the royal dignity, and that he could easily arrange +everything with respect to my son and the other Princes of the blood. +For this reason he and the old woman industriously circulated the report +that my son had poisoned the Dauphine and the Duc de Berri. The Duc du +Maine was instigated by Madame de Montespan and Madame de Maintenon to +report things secretly to the King; at first for the purpose of making +him bark like a cur at all whom they disliked, and afterwards for the +King's diversion, and to make themselves beloved by him. + +These bastards are of so bad a disposition that God knows who was their +father. + +Yesterday the Parliament presented its remonstrance to my, son. It is +not difficult to guess whence this affair proceeds. They were closeted +for four hours together with the Duc and Duchesse du Maine, who had the +Councillors brought thither in their coach, and attended by their own +livery servants (20th June, 1718). + +I believe that my son is only, restrained from acting rigorously against +the Duc du Maine because he fears the tears and anger of his wife; and, +in the second place, he, has an affection for his other brother-in-law, +the Comte de Toulouse. + +That old woman must surely think herself immortal, for she still hopes to +reign, though at the age of eighty-three years. The Duc du Maine's +affair is a severe blow for her. She is, nevertheless, not without hope, +and it is said not excessively grieved. This fills me with anxiety, for +I know too well how expert the wicked old hussy is in the use of poison. + +The first President of Mesmes ought to be friendly towards the Duc du +Maine, to whom he is indebted for the office he holds. The Duke keeps +all his places; as to that of Grand Master of Artillery, they could not +take it away unless they had proceeded to extremities with him. + +The Duke became so devout in his prison, and during Passion week he +fasted so rigorously, that he fell sick in consequence. He says that he +is innocent and that he has gained heaven by the purity of his conduct; +this renders him gay and contented. He is not, besides, of a sorrowful +temper, but, on the contrary, is fond of jests and merry tales. He does +not speak ill of persons publicly; it was only to the King he used to +denounce them. + +Yesterday my son was requested to permit the Duc du Maine to be +reconciled with his wife. His answer was, "They might have been +reconciled without speaking to me about it, for whether they become +friends again or not, I know what to think of them." + + + + +SECTION XXXIX. + +THE DUCHESSE DU MAINE, LOUISE-BENOITE, DAUGHTER OF HENRI-JULES DE CONDE. + +Madame du Maine is not taller than a child ten years old, and is not well +made. To appear tolerably well, it is necessary for her to keep her +mouth shut; for when she opens it, she opens it very wide, and shows her +irregular teeth. She is not very stout, uses a great quantity of paint, +has fine eyes, a white skin, and fair hair. If she were well disposed, +she might pass, but her wickedness is insupportable. + +She has good sense, is accomplished, and can talk agreeably on most +subjects. This brings about her a host of learned men and wits. She +flatters the discontented very adroitly, and says all ill things of my +son. This is the secret by which she has made her party. Her husband is +fond of her, and she in turn piques herself upon her love for him; but I +should be sorry to swear to her sincerity. This at least is certain, +that she rules the Duc du Maine absolutely. As he holds several offices, +he can provide for a great number of persons, either in the regiment of +Guards, of which he is General; or in the Artillery, of which he is Grand +Master; or in the Carabineers, where he appoints all the officers; +without reckoning his regiments, by which he attracts a great number of +persons. + +Madame du Maine's present lover is the Cardinal de Polignac; but she has, +besides, the first Minister and some young men. The Cardinal is accused +of having assisted in the refutation of Fitz-Morris's letters, although +he has had this very year (1718) a long interview with my son, and has +sworn never to engage in anything against his interests, notwithstanding +his attachment to the Duchesse du Maine. + +The Comte d'Albert, who was here last winter, took some pains to make +himself agreeable to Madame du Maine, and succeeded so well as to make +the Cardinal de Polignac very jealous. He followed them masked to a +ball; but upon seeing the Duchess and the Count tete-a-tete, he could not +contain his anger this betrayed him; and when the people learned that a +Cardinal had been seen at a masked ball it caused them great diversion. + +Her being arrested threw Madame du Maine into such a transport of rage +that she was near choking, and only recovered herself by slow degrees. + + [The Marquis d'Ancenis, Captain of the Guards, who came early in the + morning to arrest the Princess, had supped with her on the preceding + evening, when he entered, the. Duchess cried out to him, "Mon Dieu! + what have I done to you, that you should wake me so early?" The + chief domestics of the household were taken to the Bastille or to + Vincennes; the Prince of Dombes and the Comte d'Eu were carried to + Eu.] + +She is now said to be quite calm, and, it is added, she plays at cards +all day long. When the play is over, she grows angry again, and falls +upon her husband, his children, or her servants, who do not know how to +appease her. She is dreadfully violent, and, it is said, has often +beaten her husband. + +All the time of her residence at Dijon she was playing the Orlando +Furioso: sometimes she was not treated with the respect due to her rank; +sometimes she complains of other things; she will not understand that she +is a prisoner, and that she has deserved even a worse fate. She had +flattered herself that when she should reach Chalons-sur-Saone she would +enjoy more liberty, and have the whole city for her prison; but when she +learnt that she was to be locked up in the citadel, as at Dijon, she +would not set out. Far from repenting her treason, she fancies she has +done something very praiseworthy. + +Melancholy as I am, my son has made me laugh by telling me what has been +found in Madame du Maine's letters, seized at the Cardinal de Polignac's. +In one of her letters, this very discreet and virtuous personage writes, +"We are going into the country tomorrow; and I shall so arrange the +apartments that your chamber shall be next to mine. Try to manage +matters as well as you did the last time, and we shall be very happy." + +The Princess knows very well that her daughter has had an intrigue with +the Cardinal, and has endeavoured to break it off. For this purpose she +has convinced her by the Cardinal's own letters that he is unfaithful to +her, and prefers a certain Montauban to her. This, however, has had no +effect. The Duc du Maine has been informed of everything, and he writes +to her sister, "I ought not to be put into prison, but into petticoats, +for having suffered myself to be so led by the nose." + +He has resolved never to see his wife again, although he does not yet +know of the Duchess's letter to the Cardinal, nor of the other measures +she has taken for the purpose of decorating her husband's brows. + +Madame du Maine will eventually become really crazy, for she is +dreadfully troubled with the vapours. Her mother has entreated my son +to let her daughter be brought to her house at Anet, where she will be +answerable for her conduct and suffer her to speak with no one. + +My son replied, "that if Madame du Maine had only conspired against his +life, he would have pardoned her with all his heart; but that, as her +offence had been committed against the State, he was obliged, in spite of +himself, to keep her in prison." + +It is not true that the Duc du Maine has permission to hunt; he is only +allowed to ride upon a hired horse round the citadel, to take the air, +in the company of four persons. + +The Abbe de Maulevrier and Mademoiselle de Langeron persuaded the +Princess that Madame du Maine was at the point of death, and was only +desirous of seeing her dear mother before she expired, to receive her +last benediction, as she should die innocent. The Princess immediately +set out in great anxiety and with deep grief; but was strangely +surprised, on arriving at her daughter's house, to see her come to meet +her in very good health. Mademoiselle de Langeron said that the Duchess +concealed her illness that she might not make her mother unhappy. + +After the confession which Madame du Maine thought proper to make, which +she has confirmed by writing, my son has set her at liberty, and has +permitted her to come to Sceaux. She is terribly mortified at her letter +being read in the open Council. As she has declared in her confession +that she had done everything without her husband's knowledge, although in +his name, he, too, has been permitted to return to his estate of +Chavigny, near Versailles. + +Madame du Maine had written to my son that, in the event of her having +omitted anything in her declaration, he would only have to ask +Mademoiselle de Launay about it. He sent in consequence for that lady, +to ask her some questions. Mademoiselle de Launay replied: "I do not +know whether her imprisonment may have turned my mistress's brain, but it +has not had the same effect upon me; I neither know, nor will I say +anything." + +Madame du Maine had gained over certain gentlemen in all the Provinces, +and had tampered with them to induce them to revolt; but none of them +would swallow the bait excepting in Brittany. + +She has not been at the theatre yet; meaning, by this, to intimate that +she is still afflicted at lying under her husband's displeasure. It is +said that she has written to him, but that he has returned her letter +unopened. + +She came some days ago to see my son, and to request him not to oppose a +reconciliation between herself and her husband. My son laughed and said, +"I will not interfere in it; for have I not learned from Sganarelle that +it is not wise to put one's finger between the bark and the tree?" +The town says they will be reconciled. If this really should take place, +I shall say as my father used: "Agree together, bad ones!" + +My son tells me that the little Duchess has again besought him to +reconcile her with her husband. My son replied, "that it depended much +more upon herself than upon him." I do not know whether she took this +for a compliment, or what crotchet she got in her head, but she suddenly +jumped up from the sofa, and clung about my son's neck, kissing him on +both cheeks in spite of himself (18th June, 1720). + +The Duc du Maine is entirely reconciled to his dear moiety. I am not +surprised, for I have been long expecting it. + + + + +SECTION XL. + +LOUVOIS + +M. de Louvois was a person of a very wicked disposition; he hated his +father and brother, and, as they were my very good friends, this minister +made me feel his dislike of them. His hatred was also increased, because +he knew that I was acquainted with his ill-treatment of my father, and +that I had no reason in the world to like him. He feared that I should +seek to take vengeance upon him, and for this reason he was always +exciting the King against me. Upon this point alone did he agree with +that old, Maintenon. + +I believe that Louvois had a share in the conspiracy by which Langhans +and Winkler compassed my poor brother's death. When the King had taken +the Palatinate, I required him to arrest the culprits; the King gave +orders for it, and they were in fact seized, but afterwards liberated by +a counter-order of Louvois. Heaven, however, took care of their +punishment for the crime which they had committed upon my poor brother; +for Langhans died in the most abject wretchedness, and Winkler went mad +and beat his own brains out. + +There is no doubt that the King spoke very harshly to Louvois, but +certainly he did not treat him as has been pretended, for the King was +incapable of such an action. Louvois was a brute and an insolent person; +but he served the King faithfully, and much better than any other person. +He did not, however, forget his own interest, and played his cards very +well. He was horribly depraved, and by his impoliteness and the +grossness of his replies made himself universally hated. He might, +perhaps, believe in the Devil; but he did not believe in God. He had +faith in all manner of predictions, but he did not scruple to burn, +poison, lie and cheat. + +If he did not love me very well, I was at least even with him; and, for +the latter part of his time, he conducted himself somewhat better. I was +one of the last persons to whom he spoke, and I was even shocked when it +was announced that the man with whom I had been conversing a quarter of +an hour before, and who did not look ill, was no more. + +They have not yet learnt, although I have resided so long in France, to +respect my seal. M. de Louvois used to have all my letters opened and +read; and M. Corey, following his noble example, has not been more +courteous to me. Formerly they used to open them for the purpose of +finding something to my prejudice, and now (1718) they open them through +mere habit. + + + + +SECTION XLI. + +LOUIS XV. + +It is impossible for any child to be more agreeable than our young King; +he has large, dark eyes and long, crisp eyelashes; a good complexion, a +charming little mouth, long and thick dark-brown hair, little red cheeks, +a stout and well-formed body, and very pretty hands and feet; his gait is +noble and lofty, and he puts on his hat exactly like the late King. The +shape of his face is neither too long nor too short; but the worst thing, +and which he inherits from his mother, is, that he changes colour very +frequently. Sometimes he looks ill, but in half an hour his colour will +have returned. His manners are easy, and it may be said, without +flattery, that he dances very well. He is quick and clever in all that +he attempts; he has already (1720) begun to shoot at pheasants and +partridges, and has a great passion for shooting. + +He is as like his mother as one drop of water is to another; he has sense +enough, and all that he seems to want is a little more affability. He is +terribly haughty, and already knows what respect is. His look is what +may be called agreeable, but his air is milder than his character, for +his little head is rather an obstinate and wilful one. + +The young King was full of grief when Madame de Ventadour quitted him. +She said to him, "Sire, I shall come back this evening; mind that you +behave very well during my absence." + +"My dear mamma," replied he, "if you leave me I cannot behave well." + +He does not care at all for any of the other women. + +The Marechal de Villeroi teases the young King sometimes about not +speaking to me enough, and sometimes about not walking with me. This +afflicts the poor child and makes him cry. His figure is neat, but he +will speak only to persons he is accustomed to. + +On the 12th August (1717), the young King fell out of his bed in the +morning; a valet de chambre, who saw him falling, threw himself adroitly +on the ground, so that the child might tumble upon him and not hurt +himself; the little rogue thrust himself under the bed and would not +speak, that he might frighten his attendants. + +The King's brother died of the small-pox in consequence of being +injudiciously blooded; this one, who is younger than his brother, was +also attacked, but the femme de chambre concealed it, kept him warm, and +continued to give him Alicant wine, by which means they preserved his +life. + +The King has invented an order which he bestows: upon the boys with whom +he plays. It is a blue and white ribbon, to which is suspended an +enamelled oval plate, representing a star and the tent or pavilion in +which he plays on the terrace (1717). + + + + +SECTION XLII. + +ANECDOTES AND HISTORICAL PARTICULARS RELATING TO VARIOUS PERSONS. + +Some horrible books had been written against Cardinal Mazarin, with which +he pretended to be very much enraged, and had all the copies bought up to +be burnt. When he had collected them all, he caused them to be sold in +secret, and as if it were unknown to him, by which contrivance he gained +10,000 crowns. He used to laugh and say, "The French are delightful +people; I let them sing and laugh, and they let me do what I will." + +In Flanders it is the custom for the monks to assist at all fires. It +appeared to me a very whimsical spectacle to see monks of all colours, +white, black and brown, running hither and thither with their frocks +tucked up and carrying pails. + +The Chevalier de Saint George is one of the best men in the world, and +complaisance itself. He one day said to Lord Douglas, "What should I do +to gain the good-will of my countrymen?" Douglas replied, "Only embark +hence with twelve Jesuits, and as soon as you land in England hang every +one of them publicly; you can do nothing so likely to recommend you to +the English people." + +It is said that at one of the masked balls at the opera, a mask entered +the box in which were the Marechals de Villars and d'Estrees. He said to +the former, "Why do you not go below and dance?" The Marshal replied, +"If I were younger I could, but not crippled as you see I am."--"Oh, go +down," rejoined the mask, "and the Marechal d'Estrees too; you will cut +so brilliant a figure, having both of you such large horns." At the same +time he put up his fingers in the shape of horns. The Marechal d'Estrees +only laughed, but the other was in a great rage and said, "You are a most +insolent mask, and I do not know what will restrain me from giving you a +good beating."--"As to a good beating;" replied the mask, "I can do a +trifle in that way myself when necessary; and as for the insolence of +which you accuse me, it is sufficient for me to say that I am masked." +He went away as he said this, and was not seen again. + +The King of Denmark has the look of a simpleton; he made love to my +daughter while he was here. When they were dancing he used to squeeze +her hand, and turn up his eyes languishingly. He would begin his minuet +in one corner of the hall and finish it in another. He stopped once in +the middle of the hall and did not know what to do next. I was quite +uneasy at seeing him, so I got up and, taking his hand, led him away, or +the good gentleman might have strayed there until this time. He has no +notion of what is becoming or otherwise. + +The Cardinal de Noailles is unquestionably a virtuous man; it would be a +very good thing if all the others were like him. We have here four of +them, and each is of a different character. Three of them resemble each +other in a certain particular--they are as false as counterfeit coin; in +every other respect they are directly opposite. The Cardinal de Polignac +is well made, sensible, and insinuating, and his voice is very agreeable; +but he meddles too much with politics, and is too much occupied with +seeking favour. The Cardinal de Rohan has a handsome face, as his +mother had, but his figure is despicable. He is as vain as a peacock, +and fancies that there is not his equal in the whole world. He is a +tricking intriguer, the slave of the Jesuits, and fancies he rules +everything, while in fact he rules nothing. The Cardinal de Bissi is as +ugly and clumsy as a peasant, proud, false and wicked, and yet a most +fulsome flatterer; his falsehood may be seen in his very eyes; his talent +he turns to mischievous purposes. In short, he has all the exterior of a +Tartuffe. These Cardinals could, if they chose, sell the Cardinal de +Noailles in a sack, for they are all much more cunning than he is. + +With respect to the pregnancy of the Queen of England, the consort of +James II., whom we saw at Saint-Germain, it is well known that her +daughter-in-law maintains that she was not with child; but it seems to +me that the Queen might easily have taken measures to prove the contrary. +I spoke about it to Her Majesty myself. She replied "that she had begged +the Princess Anne to satisfy herself by the evidence of her own senses, +and to feel the motion of the child;" but the latter refused, and the +Queen added "that she never could have supposed that the persons who had +been in the habit of seeing her daily during her pregnancy could doubt +the fact of her having been delivered." + + [On the dethronement of James II., the party of William, Prince of + Orange, asserted that the Prince of Orange was a supposititious + child, and accused James of having spirited away the persona who + could have proved the birth of the Queen's child, and of having made + the midwife leave the kingdom precipitately, she being the only + person who had actually seen the child born.] + +A song has been made upon Lord Bolingbroke on the subject of his passion +for a young girl who escaped from her convent. Some persons say that the +girl was a professed nun. She ran after the Duke Regent a long time, but +could not accomplish her intention. + +Lady Gordon, the grandaunt of Lord Huntley, was my dame d'atour for a +considerable period. She was a singular person, and always plunged into +reveries. Once when she was in bed and going to seal a letter, she +dropped the wax upon her own thigh and burnt herself dreadfully. At +another time, when she was also in bed and engaged in play, she threw the +dice upon the ground and spat in the bed. Once, too, she spat in the +mouth of my first femme de chambre, who happened to be passing at the +moment. I think if I had not interposed they would have come to blows, +so angry was the femme de chambre. One evening when I wanted my head- +dress to go to Court, she took off her gloves and threw them in my face, +putting on my head-dress at the same time with great gravity. When she +was speaking to a man she had a habit of playing with the buttons of his +waistcoat. Saving one day some occasion to talk to the Chevalier Buveon, +a Captain in the late Monsieur's Guard, and he being a very tall man, she +could only reach his waistband, which she began to unbutton. The poor +gentleman was quite horror-stricken, and started back, crying, "For +Heaven's sake, madame, what are you going to do?" This accident caused a +great laugh in the Salon of Saint Cloud. + +They say that Lord Peterborough, speaking of the two Kings of Spain, +said, "What fools we are to cut each other's throats for two such apes." + +Monteleon has good reason to be fond of the Princesse des Ursins, for she +made his fortune: he was an insignificant officer in the troop, but he +had talents and attached himself to this lady, who made of him what he +now is (1716). + +The Abbess of Maubuisson, Louise Hollandine, daughter of Frederic V., +Elector-Palatine of the days of Henri IV., had had so many illegitimate +children, that she commonly swore by her body, which had borne fourteen +children. + +Cardinal Mazarin could not bear to have unfortunate persons about him. +When he was requested to take any one into his service, his first +question was, "Is he lucky?" + +My son has never assisted the Pretender (Prince Edward Stuart), either +publicly or privately; and if my Lord Stair had chosen to contract a more +close alliance, as my son wished, he would have prevented the Pretender's +staying in France and collecting adherents; but as that alliance was +declined, he merely confined himself to the stipulations contained in the +treaty of peace. He neither furnished the Pretender with arms nor money. +The Pope and some others gave him money, but my son could not, for he was +too much engaged in paying off the late King's debts, and he would not on +account of that treaty. There can be no doubt that an attempt has been +made to embroil my son with the King of England; for, at the same time +that they were making the King believe my son was sustaining the +Pretender's cause, they told my son that Lord Stair had interviews with +M. Pentenriedez, the Emperor's Envoy, as well as with the Sicilian +Ambassador, the object of which was to make a league with those powers to +drive out the King of Spain and to set up the King of France in his +place, at the same time that Sicily should be given up to the Emperor-- +in short, to excite all Europe against France. My son said himself, +that, since he was to confine himself to the articles of the treaty of +peace, he did not think he had any right to prevent the Pretender's +passage through his kingdom; and as the army had been reduced, he could +not hinder the disbanded soldiers from taking service wherever they +chose. My son had no intention whatever to break with England, although +he has been told that there was a majority of two voices only in that +nation against declaring it at war with France. He thinks Lord Stair is +not his friend, and that he has not faithfully reported to his monarch +the state of things here, but would rather be pleased to kindle the +flames of a war. If that Minister had honestly explained to the King my +son's intentions, the King would not have refused to agree with them. + +It is said here that the present Queen of Spain (1716), although she is +more beloved by her husband than was the last, has less influence over +him. The Abbe Alberoni has them both in his power, and governs them like +two children. + +The English gentlemen and ladies who are here tell horrible stories of +Queen Anne. They say she gets quite drunk, and that besides but that she +is inconstant in her affections, and changes often. Lady Sandwich has +not told this to me, but she has to my son. I have seen her but seldom, +on account of the repugnance I felt at learning she had confessed she had +been present at such orgies. + +I do not know whether it is true that Louvois was poisoned by that old +Maintenon, but it is quite certain that he was poisoned, as well as his +physician who committed the crime, and who said when he was dying, "I die +by poison, but I deserve it, for having poisoned my master, M. de +Louvois; and I did this in the hope of becoming the King's physician, as +Madame de Maintenon had promised me." I ought to add that some persons +pretend to think this story of Doctor Seron is a mere invention. Old +Piety (Maintenon) did not commit this crime without an object; but if she +really did poison Louvois, it was because he had opposed her designs and +endeavoured to undeceive the King. Louvois, the better to gain his +object, had advised the King not to take her with him to the army. The +King was weak enough to repeat this to her, and this it was that excited +her against Louvois. That the latter was a very bad man, who feared +neither heaven nor hell, no man can deny; but it must be confessed that +he served his King faithfully. + +The Duke de Noailles' grandfather was one of the ugliest men in the +world. He had one glass eye, and his nose was like an owl's, his mouth +large, his teeth ugly and decayed, his face and head very small, his body +long and bent, and he was bitter and ill-tempered. His name was Gluinel. +Madame de Cornuel one day was reading his grandson's genealogy, and, when +she came to his name, exclaimed, "I always suspected, when I saw the Duc +de Noailles, that he came out of the Book of the Lamentations of +Jeremiah!" + +When James II. took refuge in France from England, Madame de Cornuel went +to Saint-Germain to see him. Some time afterwards, she was told of the +pains our King was taking to procure his restoration to the throne. +Madame de Cornuel shook her head, and said, "I have seen this King James; +our monarch's efforts are all in vain; he is good for nothing but to make +poor man's sauce. (La sauce au pauvre homme.)" + +She went to Versailles to see the Court when M. de Torcy and M. de +Seignelay, both very young, had just been appointed Ministers. She saw +them, as well as Madame de Maintenon, who had then grown old. When she +returned to Paris, some one asked her what remarkable things she had +seen. "I have seen," she said, "what I never expected to see there; I +have seen love in its tomb and the Ministry in its cradle." + +The elder Margrave of Anspach was smitten with Mademoiselle d'Armagnac, +but he would not marry her, and said afterwards that he had never +intended to do so, because the familiarities which had passed between +her and the Marquis de Villequier (1716) had disgusted him. The lady's +mother would have liked nothing better than to surprise the Margrave with +her daughter in some critical situation: for this purpose he had +sufficient opportunities given him, but he was prudent, and conducted +himself with so much modesty, that he avoided the snare. To tell the +truth, I had given him a hint on the subject, for I was too well +acquainted with the mother, who is a very bad woman. + +The Cardinal de Richelieu, notwithstanding his wit, had often fits of +distraction. Sometimes he would fancy himself a horse, and run jumping +about a billiard-table, neighing and snorting; this would last an hour, +at the end of which his people would put him to bed and cover him up +closely to induce perspiration; when he awoke the fit had passed and did +not appear again. + +The Archbishop of Paris reprimanded the Bishop of Gap on the bad +reputation which he had acquired in consequence of his intercourse with +women. "Ah, Monseigneur," replied the Bishop of Gap, "if you knew what +you talk of, you would not be astonished. I lived the first forty years +of my life without experiencing it; I don't know what induced me to +venture on it, but, having done so, it is impossible to refrain. Only +try it for once, Monseigneur, and you will perceive the truth of what I +tell you." + + [This Bishop, whose name was Herve, had lived in prudence and + regularity up to the age of fifty, when he began, on a sudden, to + lead a very debauched life. They compelled him to give up his + Bishopric, which he did on condition of being allowed to stay at + Paris as much as he chose. He continued to live in perpetual + pleasure, but towards the close of his career he repented of his + sins and engaged with the Capuchin missionaries.] + +This Bishop is now living in the village of Boulogne, near Paris: he is a +little priest, very ugly, with a large head and fiery red face. + +Our late King said, "I am, I confess, somewhat piqued to see that, +with all the authority belonging to my station in this country, I have +exclaimed so long against high head-dresses, while no one had the +complaisance to lower them for me in the slightest degree. But now, when +a mere strange English wench arrives with a little low head-dress, all +the Princesses think fit to go at once from one extremity to another." + +A Frenchman who had taken refuge in Holland informed me by letter of what +was passing with respect to the Prince of Orange. Thinking that I should +do the King a service by communicating to him these news, I hastened to +him, and he thanked me for them. In the evening, however, he said to me, +smiling, "My Ministers will have it that you have been misinformed, and +that your correspondent has not written you one word of truth." +I replied, "Time will show which is better informed, your Majesty's +Ministers or my correspondent. For my own part, Sire, my intention at +least was good." + +Some time afterwards, when the report of the approaching accession of +William to the throne of England became public, M. de Torcy came to me to +beg I would acquaint him with my news. I replied, "I receive none now; +you told the King that what I formerly had was false, and upon this I +desired my correspondents to send me no more, for I do not love to spread +false reports." He laughed, as he always did, and said, "Your news have +turned out to be quite correct." I replied, "A great and able Minister +ought surely to have news more correct than I can obtain; and I have been +angry with myself for having formerly acquainted the King with the +reports which had reached me. I ought to have recollected that his +clever Ministers are acquainted with everything." The King therefore +said to me, "You are making game of my Ministers."--"Sire," I replied, "I +am only giving them back their own." + +M. de Louvois was the only person who was well served by his spies; +indeed, he never spared his money. All the Frenchmen who went into +Germany or Holland as dancing or fencing-masters, esquires, etc., were +paid by him to give him information of whatever passed in the several +Courts. After his death this system was discontinued, and thus it is +that the present Ministers are so ignorant of the affairs of other +nations. + +Lauzun says the drollest things, and takes the most amusing, roundabout +way of intimating whatever he does not care to say openly. For example, +when he wished the King to understand that the Count de Marsan, brother +of M. Legrand, had attached himself to M. Chamillard, the then Minister, +he took the following means: "Sire," said he, with an air of the utmost +simplicity, as if he had not the least notion of malice, "I wished to +change my wigmaker, and employ the one who is now the most in fashion; +but I could not find him, for M. de Marsan has kept him shut up in his +room for several days past, making wigs for his household, and for M. de +Chamillard's friends." + +The adventures of Prince Emmanuel of Portugal are a perfect romance. +His brother, the King, was desirous, it is said, at first, to have made +a priest and a Bishop of him; to this, however, he had an insuperable +objection, for he was in love. The King sent for him, and asked him if +it was true that he had really resolved not to enter the Church. On the +Prince's replying in the affirmative, the King, his brother, struck him. +The Prince said, "You are my King and my brother, and therefore I cannot +revenge myself as I ought upon you; but you have put an insult upon me +which I cannot endure, and you shall never again see me in the whole +course of your life." He is said to have set out on that very night. +His brother wrote to him, commanding his return from Paris to Holland; as +he made no reply to this command, his Governor and the Ambassador had no +doubt that it was his intention to obey it. In the course of last week +he expressed a desire to see Versailles and Marly. The Ambassador made +preparations for this excursion, and together with his wife accompanied +the Prince, whose Governor and one of his gentlemen were of the party. +Upon their return from Versailles, when they reached the courtyard, the +Prince called out to stop, and asked if there were any chaises ready: + +"Yes, Monseigneur," replied a voice, "there are four."--"That will be +sufficient," replied the Prince. Then addressing the Ambassador, he +expressed his warmest thanks for the friendly attention he had shown him, +and assured him that he desired nothing so much as an opportunity to +testify his gratitude. "I am now going to set out," he added, "for +Vienna; the Emperor is my cousin; I have no doubt he will receive me, +and I shall learn in his army to become a soldier in the campaign against +the Turks." He then thanked the Governor for the pains he had bestowed +upon his education; and promised that, if any good fortune should befall +him, his Governor should share it with him. He also said something +complimentary to his gentleman. He then alighted, called for the +post-chaises, and took his seat in one of them; his favourite, a young +man of little experience, but, as it is said, of considerable talent, +placed himself in another, and his two valets de chambre into the third +and fourth. That nothing may be wanting to the romantic turn of his +adventures, it is said, besides, that Madame de Riveira was the object of +his affection in Portugal before she was married; that he even wished to +make her his wife, but that his brother would not permit it. A short +time before his departure, the husband, who is a very jealous man, found +him at his wife's feet; and this hastened the Prince's departure. + +Henri IV. had been one day told of the infidelity of one of his +mistresses. Believing that the King had no intention of visiting her, +she made an assignation with the Duc de Bellegarde in her own apartment. +The King, having caused the time of his rival's coming to be watched, +when he was informed of his being there, went to his mistress's room. +He found her in bed, and she complained of a violent headache. The King +said he was very hungry, and wanted some supper; she replied that she had +not thought about supper, and believed she had only a couple of +partridges. Henri IV. desired they should be served up, and said he +would eat them with her. The supper which she had prepared for +Bellegarde, and which consisted of much more than two partridges, was +then served up; the King, taking up a small loaf, split it open, and, +sticking a whole partridge into it, threw it under the bed. "Sire," +cried the lady, terrified to death, "what are you doing?"--"Madame," +replied the merry monarch, "everybody must live." He then took his +departure, content with having frightened the lovers. + +I have again seen M. La Mothe le Vayer; who, with all his sense, dresses +himself like a madman. He wears furred boots, and a cap which he never +takes off, lined with the same material, a large band, and a black velvet +coat. + +We have had few Queens in France who have been really happy. Marie de +Medicis died in exile. The mother of the King and of the late Monsieur +was unhappy as long as her husband was alive. Our Queen Marie-Therese +said upon her death-bed, "that from the time of her becoming Queen she +had not had a day of real happiness." + +Lauzun sometimes affects the simpleton that he may say disagreeable +things with impunity, for he is very malicious. In order to hint to +Marechal de Tesse that he did wrong in being so familiar with the common +people, he called out to him one night in the Salon at Marly, "Marshal, +pray give me a pinch of snuff; but let it be good--that, for example, +which I saw you taking this morning with Daigremont the chairman." + +In the time of Henri IV. an Elector-Palatine came to France; the King's +household was sent to meet him. All his expenses were paid, as well as +those of his suite; and when he arrived at the Court he entered between +the Dauphin and Monsieur and dined with the King. I learned these +particulars from the late Monsieur. The King, under the pretence of +going to the chase, went about a league from Paris, and, meeting the +Elector, conducted him in his carriage. At Paris he was always attended +by the King's servants. This treatment is somewhat different from that +which, in my time, was bestowed upon Maximilian Maria, the Elector of +Bavaria. This Elector often enraged me with the foolish things that he +did. For example, he went to play and to dine with M. d'Antin, and never +evinced the least desire to dine with his own nephews. A sovereign, +whether he be Elector or not, might with propriety dine either at the +Dauphin's table or mine; and, if the Elector had chosen, he might have +come to us; but he was contented to dine with M. d'Antin or M. de Torcy, +and some ladies of the King's suite. I am angry to this day when I think +of it. The King used often to laugh at my anger on this subject; and, +whenever the Elector committed some new absurdity, he used to call to me +in the cabinet and ask me, "Well, Madame, what have you to say to that?" +I would reply, "All that the Elector does is alike ridiculous." This +made the King laugh heartily. The Elector had a Marshal, the Count +d'Arco, the brother of that person who had married in so singular a +manner the Prince's mistress, Popel, which marriage had been contracted +solely upon his promise never to be alone with his wife. The Marshal, +who was as honest as his brother was accommodating, was terribly annoyed +at his master's conduct; he came at first to me to impart to me his +chagrin whenever the Elector committed some folly; and when he behaved +better he used also to tell me of it. I rather think he must have been +forbidden to visit me, for latterly I never saw him. None of the +Elector's suite have visited me, and I presume they have been prevented. +This Prince's amorous intrigues have been by no means agreeable to the +King. The Elector was so fond of grisettes that, when the King was +giving names to each of the roads through the wood, he was exceedingly +anxious that one of them should be called L'Allee des Grisettes; but the +King would not consent to it. The Elector has perpetuated his race in +the villages; and two country girls have been pointed out to me who were +pregnant by him at his departure. + +His marriage with a Polish Princess is a striking proof that a man cannot +avoid his fate. This was not a suitable match for him, and was managed +almost without his knowledge, as I have been told. His Councillors, +having been bought over, patched up the affair; and when the Elector only +caused it to be submitted for their deliberation, it was already decided +on. + +This Elector's brother must have been made a Bishop of Cologne and +Munster without the production of proof of his nobility being demanded; +for it is well known that the King Sobieski was a Polish nobleman, who +married the daughter of Darquin, Captain of our late Monsieur's Swiss +Guards. Great suspicions are entertained respecting the children of the +Bavaria family, that is, the Elector and his brothers, who are thought to +have been the progeny of an Italian doctor named Simoni. It was said at +Court that the doctor had only given the Elector and his wife a strong +cordial, the effect of which had been to increase their family; but they +are all most suspiciously like the doctor. + +I have heard it said that in England the people used to take my late +uncle, Rupert, for a sorcerer, and his large black dog for the Devil; +for this reason, when he joined the army and attacked the enemy, whole +regiments fled before him. + +A knight of the Palatinate, who had served many years in India, told me +at Court in that country the first Minister and the keeper of the seals +hated each other mortally. The latter having one day occasion for the +seals, found they had been taken from the casket in which they were +usually kept. He was of course greatly terrified, for his head depended +upon their production. He went to one of his friends, and consulted with +him what he should do. His friend asked him if he had any enemies at +Court. "Yes," replied the keeper of the seals, "the chief Minister is my +mortal foe."--"So much the better," replied his friend; "go and set fire +to your house directly; take out of it nothing but the casket in which +the seals were kept, and take it directly to the chief Minister, telling +him you know no one with whom you can more safely deposit it; then go +home again and save whatever you can. When the fire shall be +extinguished, you must go to the King, and request him to order the chief +Minister to restore you the seals; and you must be sure to open the +casket before the Prince. If the seals are there, all will be explained; +if the Minister has not restored them, you must accuse him at once of +having stolen them; and thus you will be sure to ruin your enemy and +recover your seals." The keeper of the seals followed his friend's +advice exactly, and the seals were found again in the casket. + +As soon as a royal child, which they call here un Enfant de France, is +born, and has been swaddled, they put on him a grand cordon; but they do +not create him a knight of the order until he has communicated; the +ceremony is then performed in the ordinary manner. + +The ladies of chancellors here have the privilege of the tabouret when +they come to the toilette; but in the afternoon they are obliged to +stand. This practice began in the days of Marie de Medicis, when a +chancellor's wife happened to be in great favour. As she had a lame foot +and could not stand up, the Queen, who would have her come to visit her +every morning, allowed her to sit down. From this time the custom of +these ladies sitting in the morning has been continued. + +In the reign of Henri IV. the King's illegitimate children took +precedence of the Princes of the House of Lorraine. On the day after the +King's death, the Duc de Verneuil was about to go before the Duc de +Guise, when the latter, taking him by the arm, said, "That might have +been yesterday, but to-day matters are altered." + +Two young Duchesses, not being able to see their lovers, invented the +following stratagem to accomplish their wishes. These two sisters had +been educated in a convent some leagues distant from Paris. A nun of +their acquaintance happening to die there, they pretended to be much +afflicted at it, and requested permission to perform the last duties to +her, and to be present at her funeral. They were believed to be sincere, +and the permission they asked was readily granted them. In the funeral +procession it was perceived that, besides the two ladies, there were two +other persons whom no one knew. Upon being asked who they were, they +replied they were poor priests in need of protection; and that, having +learnt two Duchesses were to be present at the funeral, they had come to +the convent for the purpose of imploring their good offices. When they +were presented to them, the young ladies said they would interrogate them +after the service in their chambers. The young priests waited upon them +at the time appointed, and stayed there until the evening. The Abbess, +who began to think their audience was too long, sent to beg the priests +would retire. One of them seemed very melancholy, but the other laughed +as if he would burst his sides. This was the Duc de Richelieu; the other +was the Chevalier de Guemene, the younger son of the Duke of that name. +The gentlemen themselves divulged the adventure. + +The King's illegitimate children, fearing that they should be treated in +the same way as the Princes of the blood, have for some months past been +engaged in drawing a strong party of the nobility to their side, and have +presented a very unjust petition against the Dukes and Peers. My son has +refused to receive this petition, and has interdicted them from holding +assemblies, the object of which he knows would tend to revolt. They +have, nevertheless, continued them at the instigations of the Duc du +Maine and his wife, and have even carried their insolence so far as to +address a memorial to my son and another to the Parliament, in which they +assert that it is within the province of the nobility alone to decide +between the Princes of the blood and the legitimated Princes. Thirty of +them have signed this memorial, of whom my son has had six arrested; +three of them have been sent to the Bastille, and the other three to +Vincennes; they are MM. de Chatillon, de Rieux, de Beaufremont, de +Polignac, de Clermont, and d'O. The last was the Governor of the Comte +de Toulouse, and remains with him. Clermont's wife is one of the +Duchesse de Berri's ladies. She is not the most discreet person in the +world, and has been long in the habit of saying to any one who would +listen to her, "Whatever may come of it, my husband and I are willing to +risk our lives for the Comte de Toulouse." It is therefore evident that +all this proceeds from the bastards. But I must expose still further the +ingratitude of these people. Chatillon is a poor gentleman, whose father +held a small employment under M. Gaston, one of those offices which +confer the privilege of the entree to the antechambers, and the holders +of which do not sit in the carriage with their masters. The two +descendants, as they call themselves, of the house of Chatillon, insist +that this Chatillon, who married an attorney's daughter, is descended +from the illegitimate branches of that family. His son was a subaltern +in the Body Guard. In the summer time, when the young officers went to +bathe, they used to take young Chatillon with them to guard their +clothes, and for this office they gave him a crown for his supper. +Monsieur having taken this poor person into his service, gave him a +cordon bleu, and furnished him with money to commence a suit which he +subsequently gained against the House of Chatillon, and they were +compelled to recognize him. He then made him a Captain in the Guards; +gave him a considerable pension, which my son continued, and permitted +him also to have apartments in the Palais Royal. In these very +apartments did this ungrateful man hold those secret meetings, the end of +which was proposed to be my son's ruin. Rieux's grandfather had +neglected to uphold the honour to which he was entitled, of being called +the King's cousin. My son restored him to this honour, gave his brother +a place in the gendarmerie, and rendered him many other services. +Chatillon tried particularly to excite the nobility against my son; and +this is the recompense for all his kindness. My son's wife is gay and +content, in the hope that all will go well with her brothers. + +That old Maintenon has continued pretty tranquil until the termination of +the process relating to the legitimation of the bastards. No one has +heard her utter a single expression on the subject. This makes me +believe that she has some project in her head, but I cannot tell what it +is. + +A monk, who was journeying a few days ago to Luzarche, met upon the road +a stranger, who fell into conversation with him. He was an agreeable +companion, and related various adventures very pleasantly. Having +learned from the monk that he was charged with the rents of the convent, +to which some estates in the neighbourhood of Luzarche belonged, the +stranger told him that he belonged to that place, whither he was +returning after a long journey; and then observing to the monk that the +road they were pursuing was roundabout, he pointed out to him a nearer +one through the forest. When they had reached the thickest part of the +wood, the stranger alighted, and, seizing the bridle of the monk's horse, +demanded his money. The monk replied that he thought he was travelling +with an honest man, and that he was astonished at so singular a demand. +The stranger replied that he had no time for trifling, and that the monk +must either give up his money or his life. The monk replied, "I never +carry money about me; but if you will let me alight and go to my servant, +who carries my money, I will bring you 1,000 francs." + +The robber suffered the monk to alight, who went to his servant, and, +taking from him the 1,000 francs which were in a purse, he at the same +time furnished himself with a loaded pistol which he concealed in his +sleeve. When he returned to the thief, he threw down the purse, and, as +the robber stooped to pick it up, the monk fired and shot him dead; then, +remounting his horse, he hastened to apply to the police, and related his +adventure. A patrole was sent back with him to the wood, and, upon +searching the robber, there were found in his pockets six whistles of +different sizes; they blew the largest of the number, upon which ten +other armed robbers soon afterwards appeared; they defended themselves, +but eventually two of them were killed and the others taken. + +The Chevalier Schaub, who was employed in State affairs by Stanhope, the +English Minister, brought with him a secretary, to whom the Prince of +Wales had entrusted sixty guineas, to be paid to a M. d'Isten, who had +made a purchase of some lace to that amount for the Princess of Wales; +the brother of M. d'Isten, then living in London, had also given the same +secretary 200 guineas, to be delivered to his brother at Paris. When the +secretary arrived he enquired at the Ambassador's where M. d'Isten lived, +and, having procured his address, he went to the house and asked for the +German gentleman. A person appeared, who said, "I am he." The secretary +suspecting nothing, gave him the Prince of Wales' letter and the sixty +guineas. The fictitious d'Isten, perceiving that the secretary had a +gold watch, and a purse containing fifty other guineas, detained him to +supper; but no sooner had the secretary drank some wine than he was +seized with an invincible desire to go to sleep. "My good friend," said +his host, "your journey has fatigued you; you had better undress and lie +down on my bed for a short time." The secretary, who could not keep his +eyes open, consented; and no sooner had he lain down than he was asleep. +Some time after, his servant came to look for him, and awoke him; the +bottles were still standing before the bed, but the poor secretary's +pockets were emptied, and the sharper who had personated M. d'Isten had +disappeared with their valuable contents. + +The Princesse Maubuisson was astonishingly pleasant and amiable. I was +always delighted to visit her, and never felt myself tired in her +society. I soon found myself in much greater favour than any other of +her nieces, because I could converse with her about almost everybody she +had known in the whole course of her life, which the others could not. +She used frequently to talk German with me, which she knew very well; and +she told me all her adventures. I asked her how she could accustom +herself to the monastic life. She laughed and said, "I never speak to +the nuns but to give orders." She had a deaf nun with her in her own +chamber, that she might not feel any desire to speak. She told me that +she had always been fond of a country life, and that she still could +fancy herself a country girl. "But," I asked her, "how do you like +getting up and going to church in the middle of the night?" She replied +that she did as the painters do, who increase the splendour of their +light by the introduction of deep shadows. She had in general the +faculty of giving to all things a turn which deprived them of their +absurdity. + +I have often heard M. Bernstorff spoken of by a person who was formerly +very agreeable to him; I mean the Duchess of Mecklenbourg, the Duc de +Luxembourg's sister. She praised his talents very highly, and assured me +that it was she who gave him to the Duke George William. + +The wife of the Marechal de Villars is running after the Comte de +Toulouse. My son is also in her good graces, and is not a whit more +discreet. Marechal de Villars came one day to see me; and, as he +pretends to understand medals, he asked to see mine. Baudelot, who is a +very honest and clever man, and in whose keeping they are, was desired to +show them; he is not the most cautious man in the world, and is very +little acquainted with what is going on at Court. He had written a +dissertation upon one of my medals, in which he proved, against the +opinion of other learned men, that the horned head which it displayed was +that of Pan and not of Jupiter Ammon. Honest Baudelot, to display his +erudition, said to the Marshal, "Ah, Monseigneur, this is one of the +finest medals that Madame possesses: it is the triumph of Cornificius; he +has, you see, all sorts of horns. He was like you, sir, a great general; +he wears the horns of Juno and Faunus. Cornificius was, as you probably +well know, sir, a very able general." Here I interrupted him. "Let us +pass on," I said, "to the other medal; if you stop in this manner at +each, you will not have time to show the whole." + +But he, full of his subject, returned to it. "Ah, Madame," he went on, +"this is worthy of more attention than perhaps any other; Cornificius is, +indeed, one of the most rare medals in the world. Look at it, Madame; +I beg you to observe it narrowly; here, you see, is Juno crowned, and she +is also crowning this great general." All that I could say to him was +not sufficient to prevent Baudelot talking to the Marshal of horns. +"Monseigneur," he said, "is well versed in all these matters, and I want +him to see that I am right in insisting that these horns are those of +Faunus, not those of Jupiter Ammon." + +All the people who were in the chamber, with difficulty refrained from +bursting into a loud laugh. If the plan had been laid for the purpose, +it could not have succeeded better. When the Marshal had gone, I, too, +indulged myself by joining in the laugh. It was with great difficulty +that I could make Baudelot understand he had done wrong. + +The same Baudelot, one day at a masked ball, had been saying a great many +civil things to the Dowager Madame, who was there masked, and whom, +therefore, he did not know. When he came and saw that it was Madame, he +was terrified with affright: the Princess laughed beyond measure at it. + +Our Princes here have no particular costume. When they go to the +Parliament they wear only a cloak, which, in my opinion, has a very +vulgar appearance; and the more so, as they wear the 'collet' without a +cravat. Those of the Royal Family have no privileges above the other +Dukes, excepting in their seats and the right of crossing over the +carpet, which is allowed to none but them. The President, when he +addresses them, is uncovered, but keeps his hat on when he speaks to +everybody else. This is the cause of those great disputes which the +Princes of the blood have had with the bastards, as may be seen by their +memorial. The Presidents of the Parliament wear flame-coloured robes +trimmed with ermine at the neck and sleeves. + +The Comtesse de Soissons, Angelique Cunegonde, the daughter of Francois- +Henri de Luxembourg, has, it must be confessed, a considerable share of +virtue and of wit; but she has also her faults, like the rest of the +world. It may be said of her that she is truly a poor Princess. Her +husband, Louis-Henri, Chevalier de Soissons, was very ugly, having a very +long hooked nose, and eyes extremely close to it. He was as yellow as +saffron; his mouth was extremely small for a man, and full of bad teeth +of a most villanous odour; his legs were ugly and clumsy; his knees and +feet turned inwards, which made him look when he was walking like a +parrot; and his manner of making a bow was bad. He was rather short than +otherwise; but he had fine hair and a large quantity of it. He was +rather good-looking when a child. I have seen portraits of him painted +at that period. If the Comtesse de Soissons' son had resembled his +mother, he would have been very well, for her features are good, and +nothing could be better than her, eyes, her mouth, and the turn of her +face; only her nose was too large and thick, and her skin was not fine +enough. + +Whoever is like the Prince Eugene in person cannot be called a handsome +man; he is shorter than his elder brother, but, with the exception of +Prince Eugene, all the rest of them are good for nothing. The youngest, +Prince Philippe, was a great madman, and died of the small-pox at Paris. +He was of a very fair complexion, had an ungraceful manner, and always +looked distracted. He had a nose like a hawk, a large mouth, thick lips, +and hollow cheeks; in all respects I thought he was like his elder +brother. The third brother, who was called the Chevalier de Savoie, died +in consequence of a fall from his horse. The Prince Eugene was a younger +brother: he had two sisters, who were equally ugly; one of them is dead, +and the other is still living (1717) in a convent in Savoy. The elder +was of a monstrous shape, but a mere dwarf. She led a very irregular +life. She afterwards ran away with a rogue, the Abbe de la Bourlie, whom +she obliged to marry her at Geneva; they used to beat each other. She is +now dead. + +Prince Eugene was not in his younger days so ugly as he has become since; +but he never was good-looking, nor had he any nobility in his manner. +His eyes were pretty good, but his nose, and two large teeth which he +displayed whenever he opened his mouth, completely spoilt his face. He +was besides always very filthy, and his coarse hair was never dressed. + +This Prince is little addicted to women, and, during the whole time that +he has been here, I never heard one mentioned who has pleased him, or +whom he has distinguished or visited more than another. + +His mother took no care of him; she brought him up like a scullion, and +liked better to stake her money at play than to expend it upon her +youngest son. This is the ordinary practice of women in this country. + +They will not yet believe that the Persian Ambassador was an impostor; + + [This embassy was always equivocal, and even something more. From + all that can be understood of it, it would seem that a Minister of + one of the Persian provinces, a sort of Intendant de Languedoc, as + we might say, had commissioned this pretended Ambassador to manage + for him some commercial affairs with certain merchants, and that for + his own amusement the agent chose to represent the Persian + Ambassador. It is said, too, that Pontchartrain, under whose + department this affair fell, would not expose the trick, that the + King might be amused, and that he might recommend himself to His + Majesty's favour by making him believe that the Sophy had sent him + an Ambassador.--Notes to Dangeau's Journal.] + +it is quite certain that he was a clumsy fellow, although he had some +sense. There was an air of magnificence about the way in which he gave +audience. He prevailed upon a married woman, who was pregnant by him, +to abjure Christianity. It is true she was not a very respectable +person, being the illegitimate daughter of my son's chief almoner, the +Abbe de Grancey, who always kept a little seraglio. In order to carry +her away with him, the Ambassador had her fastened up in a box filled +with holes, and then begged that no person might be allowed to touch it, +being, as he said, filled with the sacred books written by Mahomet +himself, which would be polluted by the contact of Christians. Upon this +pretence the permission was given, and by these means the woman was +carried off. I cannot believe the story which is told of this Ambassador +having had 10,000 louis d'or given him. + +I had the misfortune to displease the Margrave John Frederic of Anspach. +He brought me a letter from my brother and his wife, both of whom begged +I would assist him with my advice. I therefore thought that by +counselling him as I should have counselled my own brother I should be +rendering him the best service. When he arrived he was in deep mourning +for his first wife, who had then not been dead three months. I asked him +what he proposed to do in France? He replied "that he was on his way to +England, but that before his departure he should wish to pay his respects +to the King." I asked him if he had anything to solicit from the King or +to arrange with him. He replied "he had not."--"Then," I said, "I would +advise you, if you will permit me, to send the principal person of your +suite to the King to make your compliments, to inform him that you are +going to England, and that you would not have failed to wait upon him, +but that, being in mourning for your wife, your respect for him prevented +your appearing before him in so melancholy a garb"--"But," he rejoined, +"I am very fond of dancing, and I wish to go to the ball; now I cannot go +thither until I have first visited the King."--"For God's sake," I said, +"do not go to the ball; it is not the custom here. You will be laughed +at, and the more particularly so because the Marechal de Grammont, who +presented you to the King some years ago, said that you could find +nothing to praise in the whole of France, with the exception of a little +goldfinch in the King's cabinet which whistled airs. I recommend you not +to go to see the King, nor to be present at the ball." He was angry, and +said "he saw very well that I discountenanced German Princes, and did not +wish them to be presented to the King." I replied "that the advice I had +given him sprang from the best intentions, and was such as I would have +given to my own brother." He went away quite angry to Marechal +Schomberg's, where he complained of my behaviour to him. The Marshal +asked him what I had said, which he repeated word for word. The Marshal +told him that I had advised him well, and that he was himself of my +opinion. Nevertheless, the Margrave persisted on being presented to the +King, whither he prevailed upon the Marshal to accompany him, and went +the next day to the ball. He was extremely well dressed in half- +mourning, with white lace over the black, fine blue ribands, black and +white laces, and rheingraves, which look well upon persons of a good +figure; in short, he was magnificently dressed, but improperly, for a +widower in the first stage of his mourning. He would have seated himself +within the King's circle, where none but the members of the Royal Family +and the King's grandchildren are allowed to sit; the Princes of the blood +even are not allowed to do so, and therefore foreign Princes can of +course have no right. The Margrave then began to repent not having +believed me, and early the next morning he set off. + +Prince Ragotzky is under great obligations to his wife, who saved his +life and delivered him from prison. Some person was repeating things to +her disadvantage, but he interrupted them by saying, "She saved my head +from the axe, and this prevents my having any right to reprove too +strictly whatever she may choose to do; for this reason I shall not thank +any person who speaks to me upon the subject." + + [Louis XIV. gave to the Prince Ragotsky, who in France took the + title of Comte de Saaross, 200,000 crowns upon the Maison de Ville, + and a pension of 2,000 crowns per month besides.] + +Beatrice Eleanora, the Queen of James II., was always upon such good +terms with Maintenon that it is impossible to believe our late King was +ever fond of her. I have seen a book, entitled "L'ancien Ward protecteur +du nouveau," in 12mo, in which is related a gallantry between the Queen +and the Pere la Chaise. The confessor was then eighty years of age, and +not unlike an ass; his ears were very long, his mouth very wide, his head +very large, and his body very long. It was an ill-chosen joke. This +libel was even less credible than what was stated about the King himself. + +The Monks of Saint Mihiel possess the original manuscripts of the Memoirs +of Cardinal Retz. They have had them printed and are selling them at +Nancy; but in this copy there are many omissions. A lady at Paris, +Madame Caumartin, has a copy in which there is not a word deficient; but +she obstinately refused to lend it that the others may be made complete. + +When an Ambassador would make his entry at Paris he has himself announced +some days before by the officers whose duty it is to introduce +Ambassadors, in order that the usual compliments may be paid him. To +royal Ambassadors a chevalier d'honneur is sent, to those from Venice or +Holland the first equerry, and when he is absent or unwell the chief +Maitre d'Hotel, who is also sent to the Ambassador from Malta. + +The English ladies are said to be much given to running away with their +lovers. I knew a Count von Konigsmark, whom a young English lady +followed in the dress of a page. He had her with him at Chambord, and, +as there was no room for her in the castle, he lodged her under a tent +which he had put up in the forest. When we were at the chase one day he +told me this adventure. As I had a great curiosity to see her, I rode +towards the tent, and never in my life did I see anything prettier than +this girl in the habit of a page. She had large and beautiful eyes, a +charming little nose, and an elegant mouth and teeth. She smiled when +she saw me, for she suspected that the Count had told me the whole story. +Her hair was a beautiful chestnut colour, and hung about her neck in +large curls. After their departure from Chambord, while they were at an +inn upon their way to Italy, the innkeeper's wife ran to the Count, +crying, "Sir, make haste upstairs, for your page is lying-in." She was +delivered of a girl, and the mother and child were soon afterwards placed +in a convent near Paris. While the Count lived he took great care of +her, but he died in the Morea, and his pretended page did not long +survive him; she displayed great piety in the hour of death. A friend of +the Count's, and a nephew of Madame de Montespan, took care of the child, +and after his death the King gave the little creature a pension. I +believe she is still (1717) in the convent. + +The Abbe Perrault founded an annual funeral oration for the Prince de +Conde in the Jesuits' Church, where his heart is deposited. I shall not +upon this occasion call to mind his victories, his courage in war, or his +timidity at Court; these are things well known throughout France. + +A gentleman of my acquaintance at Paris heard a learned Abbe, who was in +the confidence of Descartes, say that the philosopher used often to laugh +at his own system, and said, "I have cut them out some work: we shall see +who will be fools enough to undertake it." + +That old Beauvais, the Queen-mother's first femme de chambre, was +acquainted with the secret of her marriage, and this obliged the Queen to +put up with whatever the confidante chose to do. From this circumstance +has arisen that custom which gives femmes de chambre so much authority in +our apartments. The Queen-mother, the widow of Louis XIII., not +contented with loving Cardinal Mazarin, went the absurd length of +marrying him. He was not a priest, and therefore was not prevented by +his orders from contracting matrimony. He soon, however, got very tired +of the poor Queen, and treated her dreadfully ill, which is the ordinary +result in such marriages. But it is the vice of the times to contract +clandestine marriages. The Queen-mother of England, the widow of Charles +II., made such an one in marrying her chevalier d'honneur, who behaved +very ill to her; while the poor Queen was in want of food and fuel, he +had a good fire in his apartment, and was giving great dinners. He +called himself Lord Germain, Earl of St. Albans; he never addressed a +kind expression to the Queen. As to the Queen-mother's marriage, all the +circumstances relating to it are now well enough known. The secret +passage by which he went nightly to the Palais Royal may still be seen; +when she used to visit him, he was in the habit of saying, "what does +this woman want with me?" He was in love with a lady of the Queen's +suite, whom I knew very well: she had apartments in the Palais Royal, and +was called Madame de Bregie. As she was very pretty, she excited a good +deal of passion; but she was a very honest lady, who served the Queen +with great fidelity, and was the cause of the Cardinal's living upon +better terms with the Queen than before. She had very good sense. +Monsieur loved her for her fidelity to the Queen his mother. She has +been dead now four-and-twenty years (1717). + +The Princesse de Deux Ponts has recently furnished another instance of +the misfortune which usually attends the secret marriages of ladies of +high birth. She married her equerry, was very ill-treated by him, and +led a very miserable life; but she deserved all she met with and I +foresaw it. She was with me at the Opera once, and insisted at all +events that her equerry should sit behind her. "For God's sake," I said +to her, "be quiet, and give yourself no trouble about this Gerstorf; you +do not know the manners of this country; when folks perceive you are so +anxious about that man, they will think you are in love with him." I did +not know then how near this was to the truth. She replied, "Do people, +then, in this country take no care of their servants?"--"Oh, yes," +I said, "they request some of their friends to carry them to the Opera, +but they do not go with them." + +M. Pentenrieder is a perfect gentleman, extremely well-bred, totally +divested of the vile Austrian manners, and speaks good German instead of +the jargon of Austria. While he was staying here, the Fair of Saint- +Germain commenced; a giant, who came to Paris for the purpose of +exhibiting himself, having accidentally met M. Pentenrieder, said as soon +as he saw him, "It's all over with me: I shall not go into the fair; for +who will give money to see me while this man shows himself for nothing?" +and he really went away. M. Pentenrieder pleased everybody. Count +Zinzendorf, who succeeded him, did not resemble him at all, but was a +perfect Austrian in his manners and his language. + +I have heard that it was from the excitement of insulted honour that +Ravaillac was induced to murder Henri IV.; for that the King had seduced +his sister, and had abandoned her during her pregnancy: the brother then +swore he would be avenged on the King. Some persons even accuse the Duc +d'Epernon, who was seated in the coach in such a manner that he might +have warded off the blow, but he is said to have drawn back and given the +assassin an opportunity to strike. + +When I first came to France I found in it such an assemblage of talent as +occurs but in few ages. There was Lulli in music; Beauchamp in ballets; +Corneille and Racine in tragedy; Moliere in comedy; La Chamelle and La +Beauval, actresses; and Baron, Lafleur, Toriliere, and Guerin, actors. +Each of these persons was excellent in his way. La Ducloa and La Raisin +were also very good; the charms of the latter had even penetrated the +thick heart of our Dauphin, who loved her very tenderly: her husband was +excellent in comic parts. There was also a very good harlequin, and as +good a scaramouch. Among the best performers at the Opera were Clediere, +Pomereuil, Godenarche, Dumenil, La Rochechouard, Maury, La Saint +Christophe, La Brigogne, La Beaucreux. All that we see and hear now do +not equal them. + +That which pleased me most in Beauvernois' life is the answer he made to +the Prince of Vaudemont. When he was fleeing, and had arrived at +Brussels, he gave himself out for a Prince of Lorraine. M. de Vaudemont +sent for him, and, upon seeing him, said,--"I know all the Princes of +Lorraine, but I do not know you."--"I assure you, sir," replied +Beauvernois, "that I am as much a Prince of Lorraine as you are." + +I like that Mercy who tricked his master, the Duc de Lorraine. When he +reached Nancy he requested the Duke to recruit three regiments, which he +said should be his own. The Duke did recruit them, fully persuaded they +were to be his; but when the companies were filled, Mercy begged the +Emperor to give them to him, and he actually obtained them; so that the +Duke had not the appointment of a single officer. + +The poor Duchess of Mecklenbourg, the wife of Christian Louis, was a very +good woman when one was thoroughly acquainted with her. She told me the +whole history of her intrigue with Bernstorff. She regulated her +household very well, and had always two carriages. She did not affect +the splendour of a sovereign; but she kept up her rank better than the +other Duchesses, and I liked her the better for this. The husband, +Christian Louis of Mecklenbourg, was a notable fool. He one day demanded +an audience of the King, under the pretence of having something of +importance to say to him. Louis XIV. was then more than forty years old. +When the Duke found himself in the King's presence, he said to him, +"Sire, you seem to me to have grown." The King laughed, and said, +"Monsieur, I am past the age of growing."--"Sire," rejoined the Duke, +"do you know everybody says I am very much like you, and quite as good- +looking as you are?"--"That is very probable," said the King, still +laughing. The audience was then finished, and the Duke went away. This +fool could never engage his brother-in-law's favour, for M. de Luxembourg +had no regard for him. + +When the Queen had the government of the country, all the females of the +Court, even to the very servants, became intriguers. They say it was the +most ridiculous thing in the world to see the eagerness with which women +meddled with the Queen-mother's regency. At the commencement she knew +nothing at all. She made a present to her first femme de chambre of five +large farms, upon which the whole Court subsisted. When she went to the +Council to propose the affair, everybody laughed, and she was asked how +she proposed to live. She was quite astonished when the thing was +explained to her, for she thought she had only given away five ordinary +farms. This anecdote is very true and was related to me by the old +Chancellor Le Tellier, who was present at the Council. She is said often +to have laughed as she confessed her ignorance. Many other things of a +similar nature happened during the regency. + +There is a Bishop of a noble family, tolerably young but very ugly, who +was at first so devout that he thought of entering La Trappe; he wore his +hair combed down straight, and dared not look a woman in the face. +Having learned that in the city where he held his see there was a frail +fair one, whose gallantries had become notorious, he felt a great desire +to convert her and to make her come to the confessional. She was, it is +said, a very pretty woman, and had, moreover, a great deal of wit. + +No sooner had the Bishop began to visit than he began to pay attention to +his hair: first he powdered it, and then he had it dressed. At length he +swallowed the bait so completely, that he neither quitted the fair siren +by night nor by day. His clergy ventured to exhort him to put an end to +this scandal, but he replied that, if they did not cease their +remonstrances, he would find means of making them. At length he even +rode through the city in his carriage with his fair penitent. + +The people became so enraged at this that they pelted him with stones. +His relations repaired to his diocese for the purpose of exhorting him in +their turn, but he would only receive his mother, and would not even +follow her advice. His relations then applied to the Regent to summon +the lady to Paris. She came, but her lover followed and recovered her; +at length she was torn from him by a lettre-de-cachet, and taken from his +arms to a house of correction. The Bishop is in a great rage, and +declares that he will never forgive his family for the affront which has +been put upon him (1718). + +The Queen-mother is said to have eaten four times a day in a frightful +manner, and this practice is supposed to have brought on that cancer in +the breast, which she sought to conceal by strong Spanish perfumes, and +of which she died. + +Those female branches of the French Royal Family, who are called Enfants +de France, all bear the title of Madame. For this reason it is that in +the brevets they are called Madame la Duchesse de Berri; Madame la +Duchesse d'Orleans; but in conversation they are called the Duchesse de +Berri, the Duchesse d'Orleans; or, rather, one should say, Madame de +Berri will have it so with respect to herself. The title of Duchesse +d'Orleans belongs to Madame la Duchesse d'Orleans, as granddaughter. +Such is the custom prevalent here. The brother and the sister-in-law of +the King are called simply Monsieur and Madame, and these titles are also +contained in my brevets; but I suffer myself to be called commonly Madame +la Duchesse d'Orleans. Madame de Berri will be called Madame la Duchess +de Berri, because, being only an Enfant de France of the third descent, +she has need of that title to set off her relationship. There is nothing +to be said for this: if there were any unmarried daughters of the late +King, each would be called Madame, with the addition of their baptismal +name. + +It seems that Queen Mary of England was something of a coquette in +Holland. Comte d'Avaux, the French Ambassador, told me himself that he +had had a secret interview with her at the apartments of one of the +Queen's Maids of Honour, Madame Treslane. The Prince of Orange, becoming +acquainted with the affair, dismissed the young lady, but invented some +other pretext that the real cause might not be known. + +Three footmen had a quarrel together; two of them refused to admit the +third to their table, saying, "as he and his master only serve a +president's wife, he cannot presume to compare himself with us, who serve +Princesses and Duchesses." The rejected footman called another fellow to +his aid, and a violent squabble ensued. The commissaire was called: he +found that they served three brothers, the sons of a rich merchant at +Rouen; two of them had bought companies in the French Guards; one of the +two had an intrigue with the wife of Duc d'Abret, and the other with the +Duchesse de Luxembourg, while the third was only engaged with the wife of +a president. The two former were called Colande and Maigremont; and, as +at the same time the Duc d'Abret, the son of the Duc de Bouillon, was in +love with the lady of the President Savari. + +The Envoy from Holstein, M. Dumont, was very much attached to Madame de +La Rochefoucauld, one of Madame de Berri's 'dames du palais'. She was +very pretty, but gifted with no other than personal charms. Some one was +joking her on this subject, and insinuated that she had treated her lover +very favourably. "Oh! no," she replied, "that is impossible, I assure +you, entirely impossible." When she was urged to say what constituted +the impossibility, she replied, "If I tell, you will immediately agree +with me that it is quite impossible." Being pressed still further, she +said, with a very serious air, "Because he is a Protestant!" + +When the marriage of Monsieur was declared, he said to Saint-Remi, "Did +you know that I was married to the Princesse de Lorraine?"-- +"No, Monsieur," replied the latter; "I knew very well that you lived with +her, but I did not think you would have married her." + +Queen Marie de Medicis, the wife of Henri IV., was one day walking at the +Tuileries with her son, the Dauphin, when the King's mistress came into +the garden, having also her son with her. The mistress said very, +insolently, to the Queen, "There are our two Dauphins walking together, +but mine is a fairer one than yours" The Queen gave her a smart box on +the ear, and said at the same time, "Let this impertinent woman be taken +away." The mistress ran instantly to Henri IV. to complain, but the +King, having heard her story, said, "This is your own fault; why did you +not speak to the Queen with the respect which you owe to her?" + +Madame de Fiennes, who in her youth had been about the Queen-mother, used +always to say to the late Monsieur, "The Queen, your mother, was a very +silly woman; rest her soul!" My aunt, the Abbess of Maubuisson, told me +that she saw at the Queen's a man who was called "the repairer of the +Queen's face;" that Princess, as well as all the ladies of the Court, +wore great quantities of paint. + +On account of the great services which the House of Arpajon in France had +rendered to the Order of Malta, a privilege was formerly granted that the +second son of that family, should at his birth become a Knight of the +Order without the necessity of any proof or any inquiry as to his mother. + +The Czar Peter I. is not mad; he has sense enough, and if he had not +unfortunately been so brutally educated he would have made a good prince. +The way in which he behaved to his Czarowitz (Alexis) is horrible. He +gave his word that he would do him no injury, and afterwards poisoned him +by means of the Sacrament. This is so impious and abominable that I can +never forgive him for it (1719). + +The last Duc d'Ossuna had, it is said, a very beautiful, but at the same +time a passionate and jealous wife. Having learnt that her husband had +chosen a very fine stuff for the dress of his mistress, an actress, she +went to the merchant and procured it of him. He, thinking it was +intended for her, made no scruple of delivering it to her. After it was +made up she put it on, and, showing it to her husband, said, "Do not you +think it is very beautiful?" The husband, angry at the trick, replied, +"Yes, the stuff is very beautiful, but it is put to an unworthy use." +"That is what everybody says of me," retorted the Duchess. + +At Fontainebleau in the Queen's cabinet may be seen the portrait of La +Belle Terronniere, who was so much beloved by Francois I., and who was +the unwitting cause of his death. + +I have often walked at night in the gallery at Fontainebleau where the +King's ghost is said to appear, but the good Francois I. never did me +the honour to show himself. Perhaps it was because he thought my prayers +were not efficacious enough to draw him from purgatory, and in this I +think he was quite right. + +King James II. died with great firmness and resolution, and without any +bigotry; that is to say, very differently from the manner in which he had +lived. I saw and spoke to him four-and-twenty hours before his death. +"I hope," I said, "soon to hear of your Majesty's getting better." He +smiled and said, "If I should die, shall I not have lived long enough?" + +I hardly know how to rejoice at the accession of our Prince George to the +Throne of England, for I have no confidence in the English people. I +remember still too well the fine speeches which were made here not long +ago by Lord Peterborough. I would rather that our Elector was Emperor of +Germany, and I wish that the King who is here (James II.) was again in +possession of England, because the kingdom belongs to him. I fear that +the inconstancy of the English will in the end produce some scheme which +may be injurious to us. Perhaps there was never in any nation a King who +had been crowned with more eclat, or tumultuous joy than James II.; and +yet the same nation since persecuted him in the most pitiless manner, and +has so tormented his innocent son that he can scarcely find an asylum +after all his heavy misfortunes. + + [The Duchesse D'Orleans was, by the mother's side, granddaughter of + James I, which explains the interest she took in the fate of the + Stuart family.] + +If the English were to be trusted I should say that it is fortunate the +Parliaments are in favour of George; but the more one reads the history +of English Revolutions, the more one is compelled to remark the eternal +hatred which the people of that nation have had towards their Kings, as +well as their fickleness (1714). + +Have I not reason to fear on George's account since he has been made King +of England, and knowing as I do the desire he had to be King of another +country? I know the accursed English too well to trust them. May God +protect their Majesties the Princes, and all the family, but I confess I +fear for them greatly (1715). + +The poor Princess of Wales + + [Wilhelmina-Dorothea-Charlotte, daughter of John Frederick, Margrave + of Anspach, born in 1682, married to the Prince of Wales in 1706. + The particulars of the quarrel between George I. and his son, the + Prince of Wales, will be found in Cose's "Memoirs of Sir Robert + Walpole."] + +has caused me great uneasiness since her letter of the 3rd (15th) of +February (1718). She has implored the King's pardon as one implores the +pardon of God, but without success. I know nothing about it, but dread +lest the Prince should partake his mother's disgrace. I think, however, +since the King has declared the Prince to be his son, he should treat him +as such, and not act so haughtily against the Princess, who has never +offended him, but has always treated him with the respect due to a +father. Nothing good can result from the present state of affairs; and +the King had better put an end to a quarrel which gives occasion to a +thousand impertinences, and revives awkward stories which were better +forgotten. + +The King of England has returned to London in good health (1719). The +Prince of Wales causes me great anxiety. He thought he should do well to +send one of his gentlemen to his father, to assure him in most submissive +terms of the joy he felt at his happy return. The King not only would +not receive the letter, but he sent back the gentleman with a very harsh +rebuke, revoking at the same time the permission, which before his +journey he had given to the Prince of Wales, to see his daughter, whom +the Prince loves very tenderly; this really seems too severe. It may be +said that the King is rather descended from the race of the Czar than +from that of Brunswick and the Palatinate. Such conduct can do him no +good. + +M. d'Entremont, the last Ambassador from Sicily, was upon the point of +departing, and had already had his farewell audience, when some +circumstance happened which compelled him to stay some time longer. +He found himself without a lodging, for his hotel had been already let. +A lady seeing the embarrassment in which Madame d'Entremont was thus +placed, said to her, "Madame, I have pleasure in offering you my house, +my own room, and my own bed." The Ambassador's lady not knowing what to +do, accepted the offer with great readiness. She went to the lady's +house, and as she is old and in ill health, she went to bed immediately. +Towards midnight she heard a noise like that of some person opening a +secret door. In fact, a door in the wall by the bedside was opened. +Some one entered, and began to undress. The lady called out, "Who is +there?" A voice replied, "It is I; be quiet." "Who are you?" asked the +lady. "What is the matter with you?" was the reply. "You were not wont +to be so particular. I am undressing, and shall come to bed directly." +At these words the lady cried out, "Thieves!" with all her might, and the +unknown person dressed himself quickly, and withdrew. + +When the Electoral Prince of Saxony came hither, he addressed a pretty +compliment to the King, which we all thought was his own, and we +therefore conceived a very favourable notion of his parts. He did not, +however, keep up that good opinion, and probably the compliment was made +for him by the Elector-Palatine. The King desired the Duchesse de Berri +to show him about Marly. He walked with her for an hour without ever +offering her his arm or saying one word to her. While they were +ascending a small hill, the Palatine, his Governor, nodded to him; and as +the Prince did not understand what he meant, he was at length obliged to +say to him, "Offer your arm to the Duchesse de Berri." The Prince +obeyed, but without saying a word. When they reached the summit, "Here," +said the Duchesse de Berri, "is a nice place for blindman's buff." Then, +for the first time, he opened his mouth, and said, "Oh, yes; I am very +willing to play." Madame de Berri was too much fatigued to play; but the +Prince continued amusing himself the whole day without offering the least +civility to the Duchess, who had taken such pains for him. This will +serve to show how puerile the Prince is. + + .......................... + +We have had here several good repartees of Duke Bernard von Weimar. +One day a young Frenchman asked him, "How happened it that you lost the +battle?"--"I will tell you, sir," replied the Duke, coolly; "I thought I +should win it, and so I lost it. But," he said, turning himself slowly +round, "who is the fool that asked me this question?" + +Father Joseph was in great favour with Cardinal Richelieu, and was +consulted by him on all occasions. One day, when the Cardinal had +summoned Duke Bernard to the Council, Father Joseph, running his finger +over a map, said, "Monsieur, you must first take this city; then that, +and then that." The Duke Bernard listened to him for some time, and at +length said, "But, Monsieur Joseph, you cannot take cities with your +finger." This story always made the King laugh heartily. + + .......................... + +M. de Brancas was very deeply in love with the lady whom he married. On +his wedding-day he went to take a bath, and was afterwards going to bed +at the bath-house. "Why are you going to bed here, sir?" said his valet +de chambre; "do you not mean to go to your wife?"--"I had quite +forgotten," he replied. He was the Queen-mother's chevalier d'honneur. +One day, while she was at church, Brancas forgot that the Queen was +kneeling before him, for as her back was very round, her head could +hardly be seen when she hung it down. He took her for a prie-dieu, and +knelt down upon her, putting his elbows upon her shoulders. The Queen +was of course not a little surprised to find her chevalier d'honneur upon +her back, and all the bystanders were ready to die with laughing. + +Dr. Chirac was once called to see a lady, and, while he was in her +bedchamber, he heard that the price of stock had considerably decreased. +As he happened to be a large holder of the Mississippi Bonds, he was +alarmed at the news; and being seated near the patient, whose pulse he +was feeling, he said with a deep sigh, "Ah, good God! they keep sinking, +sinking, sinking!" The poor sick lady hearing this, uttered a loud +shriek; the people ran to her immediately. "Ah," said she, "I shall die; +M. de Chirac has just said three times, as he felt my pulse, 'They keep +sinking!'" The Doctor recovered himself soon, and said, "You dream; your +pulse is very healthy, and you are very well. I was thinking of the +Mississippi stocks, upon which I lose my money, because their price +sinks." This explanation satisfied the sick lady. + +The Duc de Sully was subject to frequent fits of abstraction. One day, +having dressed himself to go to church, he forgot nothing but his +breeches. This was in the winter; when he entered the church, he said, +"Mon Dieu, it is very cold to-day." The persons present said, "Not +colder than usual!"--"Then I am in a fever," he said. Some one suggested +that he had perhaps not dressed himself so warmly as usual, and, opening +his coat, the cause of his being cold was very apparent. + +Our late King told me the following anecdote of Queen Christina of +Sweden: That Princess, instead of putting on a nightcap, wrapped her head +up in a napkin. One night she could not sleep, and ordered the musicians +to be brought into her bedroom; where, drawing the bed-curtains, she +could not be seen by the musicians, but could hear them at her ease. At +length, enchanted at a piece which they had just played, she abruptly +thrust her head beyond the curtains, and cried out, "Mort diable! but +they sing delightfully!" At this grotesque sight, the Italians, and +particularly the castrati, who are not the bravest men in the world, were +so frightened that they were obliged to stop short. + +In the great gallery at Fontainebleau may still be seen the blood of the +man whom she caused to be assassinated; it was to prevent his disclosing +some secrets of which he was in possession that she deprived him of life. +He had, in fact, begun to chatter through jealousy of another person who +had gained the Queen's favour. Christina was very vindictive, and given +up to all kinds of debauchery. + +Duke Frederick Augustus of Brunswick was delighted with Christina; he +said that he had never in his life met a woman who had so much wit, and +whose conversation was so truly diverting; he added that it was +impossible to be dull with her for a moment. I observed to him that the +Queen in her conversation frequently indulged in very filthy discussions. +"That is true," replied he, "but she conceals such things in so artful a +manner as to take from them all their disgusting features." She never +could be agreeable to women, for she despised them altogether. + +Saint Francois de Sales, who founded the order of the Sisters of Saint +Mary, had in his youth been extremely intimate with the Marechal de +Villeroi, the father of the present Marshal. The old gentleman could +therefore never bring himself to call his old friend a saint. When any +one spoke in his presence of Saint Francois de Sales, he used to say, "I +was delighted when I saw M. de Sales become a saint; he used to delight +in talking indecently, and always cheated at play; but in every other +respect he was one of the best gentlemen in the world, and perhaps one of +the most foolish." + + M. de Cosnac, Archbishop of Aix, was at a very advanced age when he + learnt that Saint Francois de Sales had been canonized. "What!" + cried he, "M. de Geneve, my old friend? I am delighted at his good + fortune; he was a gallant man, an amiable man, and an honest man, + too, although he would sometimes cheat at piquet, at which we have + often played together."--"But, sir," said some one present, "is it + possible that a saint could be a sharper at play?"--"No," replied + the Archbishop, "he said, as a reason for it, that he gave all his + winnings to the poor." [Loisirs d'un homme d'etat, et Dictionnaire + Historique, tom. vii. Paris, 1810.] + +While Frederick Charles de Wurtemberg, the administrateur of that duchy, +was staying at Paris, the Princesse Marianne de Wurtemberg, Duke Ulric's +daughter, was there also with her mother. Expecting then to marry her +cousin, + + [The learned Journal of Gottengin for the year 1789, No. 30, + observes there must be some mistake here, because in 1689, when this + circumstance is supposed to have occurred, the administrateur had + been married seven years, and had children at Stuttgard.] + +she had herself painted as Andromeda and her cousin as Perseus as the +latter wore no helmet, everybody could of course recognize him. But when +he went away without having married her, she had a casque painted, which +concealed the face, and said she would not have another face inserted +until she should be married. She was then about nineteen years old. +Her mother said once at Court, "My daughter has not come with me to-day +because she is gone to confess; but, poor child, what can she have to say +to her confessor, except that she has dropped some stitches in her work." +Madame de Fiennes, who was present, whispered, "The placid old fool! +as if a stout, healthy girl of nineteen had no other sins to confess +than having dropped some stitches." + +A village pastor was examining his parishioners in their catechism. The +first question in the Heidelberg catechism is this: "What is thy only +consolation in life and in death?" A young girl, to whom the pastor put +this question, laughed, and would not answer. The priest insisted. +"Well, then," said she at length, "if I must tell you, it is the young +shoemaker who lives in the Rue Agneaux." + +The late Madame de Nemours had charitably brought up a poor child. +When the child was about nine years old, she said to her benefactress, +"Madame, no one can be more grateful for your charity than I am, and I +cannot acknowledge it better than by telling everybody I am your +daughter; but do not be alarmed, I will not say that I am your lawful +child, only your illegitimate daughter." + +The Memoirs of Queen Margaret of Navarre are merely a romance compared +with those of Mdlle. de La Force. The authoress's own life was a +romance. Being extremely poor, although of an ancient and honourable +family, she accepted the office of demoiselle d'honneur to the Duchesse +de Guise. Here the Marquis de Nesle, father of the present Marquis +(1720), became enamoured of her, after having received from her a small +bag to wear about his neck, as a remedy against the vapours. He would +have married her, but his relations opposed this intention on the score +of Mdlle. de La Force's poverty, and because she had improperly quitted +the Duchesse de Guise. The Great Conde, the Marquis de Nesle's nearest +relation, took him to Chattillon that he might forget his love for Mdlle. +de La Force; all the Marquis's relations were there assembled for the +purpose of declaring to him that they would never consent to his marriage +with Mdlle. de La Force; and he on his part told them that he would never +while he lived marry any other person. In a moment of despair, he rushed +out to the garden and would have thrown himself into the canal, but that +the strings, with which Mdlle. de La Force had tied the bag about his +neck, broke, and the bag fell at his feet. His thoughts appeared to +undergo a sudden change, and Mdlle. de La Force seemed to him to be as +ugly as she really is. He went instantly to the Prince and his other +relations who were there, and told them what had just happened. They +searched about in the garden for the bag and the strings, and, opening +it, they found it to contain two toads' feet holding a heart wrapped up +in a bat's wing, and round the whole a paper inscribed with +unintelligible cyphers. The Marquis was seized with horror at the sight. +He told me this story with his own mouth. Mdlle. de La Force after this +fell in love with Baron, but as he was not bewitched, the intrigue did +not last long: he used to give a very amusing account of the declaration +she made to him. Then a M. Briou, the son of a Councillor of that name, +became attached to her; his relations, who would by no means have +consented to such a marriage, shut the young man up. La Force, who has +a very fertile wit, engaged an itinerant musician who led about dancing +bears in the street, and intimated to her lover that, if he would express +a wish to see the bears dance in the courtyard of his, own house, she +would come to him disguised in a bear's skin. She procured a bear's skin +to be made so as to fit her, and went to M. Briou's house with the bears; +the young man, under the pretence of playing with this bear, had an +opportunity of conversing with her and of laying their future plans. +He then promised his father that he would submit to his will, and thus +having regained his liberty he immediately married Mdlle. de La Force, +and went with her to Versailles, where the King gave them apartments, +and where Madame de Briou was every day with the Dauphine of Bavaria, +who admired her wit and was delighted with her society. M. de Briou was +not then five-and-twenty years of age, a very good-looking and well-bred +young man. His father, however, procured a dissolution of the marriage +by the Parliament, and made him marry another person. Madame de Briou +thus became once more Mdlle. de La Force, and found herself without +husband and money. I cannot tell how it was that the King and her +parents, both of whom had consented to the marriage, did not oppose its +dissolution. To gain a subsistence she set about composing romances, and +as she was often staying with the Princesse de Conti, she dedicated to +her that of Queen Margaret. + +We have had four Dukes who have bought coffee, stuffs, and even candles +for the purpose of selling them again at a profit. It was the Duke de La +Force who bought the candles. One evening, very recently, as he was +going out of the Opera, the staircase was filled with young men, one of +whom cried out, as he passed, "His purse!"--"No," said another, "there +can be no money in it; he would not risk it; it must be candles that he +has bought to sell again." They then sang the air of the fourth act of +'Phaeton'. + + [The Duke, together with certain other persons, made considerable + purchases of spice, porcelain, and other merchandizes, for the + purpose of realizing the hope of Law's Banks. As he was not held in + estimation either by the public or by the Parliament, the Duke was + accused of monopoly; and by a decree of the Parliament, in concert + with the Peers, he was enjoined "to use more circumspection for the + future, and to conduct himself irreproachably, in a manner as should + be consistent with his birth and his dignity as a Peer of France."] + +The Queen Catherine (de Medicis) was a very wicked woman. Her uncle, the +Pope, had good reason for saying that he had made a bad present to +France. It is said that she poisoned her youngest son because he had +discovered her in a common brothel whither she had gone privately. Who +can wonder that such a woman should drink out of a cup covered with +designs from Aretino. The Pope had an object in sending her to France. +Her son was the Duc d'Alencon; and as they both remained incog. the world +did not know that they were mother and son, which occasioned frequent +mistakes. + +The young Count Horn, who has just been executed here (1720), was +descended from a well-known Flemish family; he was distinguished at first +for the amiable qualities of his head and for his wit. At college he was +a model for good conduct, application, and purity of morals; but the +intimacy which he formed with some libertine young men during his stay at +the Academy of Paris entirely changed him. He contracted an insatiable +desire for play, and even his own father said to him, "You will die by +the hands of the executioner." Being destitute of money, the young Count +took up the trade of a pickpocket, which he carried on in the pit of the +theatres, and by which he made considerable gains in silver-hilted swords +and watches. At length, having lost a sum of five-and-twenty thousand +crowns at the fair of Saint-Germain, he was led to commit that crime +which he has just expiated on the scaffold. For the purpose of +discharging the debt he had contracted, he sent for a banker's clerk to +bring him certain bank bills, which he proposed to purchase. Having +connected himself with two other villains, he attacked the clerk as soon +as he arrived, and stabbed him with poniards which he had bought three +days before on the Pont Neuf. Hoping to conceal the share which he had +taken in this crime, he went immediately after its perpetration to the +Commissaire du Quartier, and told him, with a cool and determined air, +that he had been obliged, in his own defence, to kill the clerk, who had +attacked him and put him in danger of his life. The Commissaire looking +at him steadfastly, said, "You are covered with blood, but you are not +even wounded; I must retain you in custody until I can examine this +affair more minutely." At this moment the accomplice entered the room. +"Here, sir," said the Count to the Commissaire, "is one who can bear +testimony that the account I have given you of this business is perfectly +true." The accomplice was quite terrified at hearing this; he thought +that Count Horn had confessed his crime, and that there could be no +advantage in continuing to deny it; he therefore confessed all that had +taken place, and thus the murder was revealed. The Count was not more +than two-and-twenty years of age, and one of the handsomest men in Paris. +Some of the first persons in France solicited in his favour, but the Duke +Regent thought it necessary to make an example of him on account of the +prevalent excess of crime. Horn was publicly broken on the wheel with +his second accomplice; the other died just before: they were both +gentlemen and of noble families. When they arrived at the place of +punishment, they begged the people to implore the pardon of Heaven upon +their sins. The spectators were affected to tears, but they nevertheless +agreed in the just severity of their punishment. The people said aloud +after the execution, "Our Regent has done justice." + +One lady was blaming another, her intimate friend, for loving a very +ugly man. The latter said, "Did he ever speak to you tenderly or +passionately?"--"No," replied the former. "Then you cannot judge," said +her friend, "whether I ought to love him or not." + +Madame de Nemours used to say, "I have observed one thing in this +country, 'Honour grows again as well as hair.'" + +An officer, a gentleman of talent, whose name was Hautmont, wrote the +following verses upon Cardinal Mazarin, for which he was locked up in the +Bastille for eighteen months: + + Creusons tous le tombeau + A qui nous persecute; + A ce Jules nouveauu + Cherchons un nouveau Brute. + Que le jour serait beau, + Si nous voyions sa chute! + +The Queen-mother could not endure Boisrobert on account of his impiety; +she did not like him to visit her sons, the King and Monsieur, in their +youth, but they were very fond of him because he used to amuse them. +When he was at the point of death, the Queen-mother sent some priests to +convert him and to prepare him for confession. Boisrobert appeared +inclined to confess. "Yes, mon Dieu," said he, devoutly joining his +hands, "I sincerely implore Thy pardon, and confess that I am a great +sinner, but thou knowest that the Abbe de Villargeau is a much greater +sinner than I am." + +Cardinal Mazarin sent him once to compliment the English Ambassador on +his arrival. When he reached the hotel, an Englishman said to him, +"Milord, il est pret; my ladi, il n'est pas pret, friselire ses chevaux, +prendre patience." The late King used to relate stories of this same +Boisrobert in a very whimsical manner. + +The life which folks lead at Paris becomes daily more scandalous; I +really tremble for the city every time it thunders. Three ladies of +quality have just committed a monstrous imprudence. They have been +running after the Turkish Ambassador; they made his son drunk and kept +him with them three days; if they go on in this way even the Capuchins +will not be safe from them. The Turks must needs have a very becoming +notion of the conduct of ladies of quality in a Christian country. The +young Turk is said to have told Madame de Polignac, who was one of the +three ladies, "Madame, your reputation has reached Constantinople, and I +see that report has only done you justice." The Ambassador, it is said, +is very much enraged with his son, and has enjoined him to keep his +adventure profoundly a secret, because he would risk the top of his head +on his return to Constantinople if it were known that he had associated +with Christian women. It is to be feared that the young man will get +safely out of France. Madame de Polignac has fleeced all the young men +of quality here. I do not know how her relations and those of her +husband choose to suffer her to lead so libertine a life. But all shame +is extinct in France, and everything is turned topsy-turvy. + +It is very unfortunate that noblemen like the Elector-Palatine John +William should suffer themselves to be governed by the priesthood; +nothing but evil can result from it. He would do much better if he would +follow the advice of able statesmen, and throw his priest into the +Necker. I would advise him to do so, and I think I should advise him +well. + +I cannot conceive why the Duke Maximilian (brother of George I. of +England) + + [Prince Maximilian of Hanover, the second brother of George I., had, + after the death of his brother, Frederick Augustus, certain rights + over the Bishopric of Osnaburgh; love and his monks caused him to + embrace the catholic faith.] + +changed his religion, for he had very little faith in general; none of +his relations solicited him to do so, and he was induced by no personal +interest. + +I have heard a story of this Prince, which does him little honour. I +have been told that he complained to the Emperor of his mother, who bred +him tenderly, but who had not sent him eight thousand crowns which he had +asked her for. This is abominable, and he can hope for happiness neither +in this nor in the next world; I can never forgive him for it. The first +idea of this must have originated with Father Wolff, who has also excited +him against Prince Edward Augustus.--[Maximilian contested the Bishopric +of Osnaburgh with his younger brother.]--What angers me most with this +cursed monk is, that he will not suffer Duke Maximilian to have a single +nobleman about him; he will only allow him to be approached by beggars +like himself. + + + + +ETEXT EDITOR'S BOOKMARKS: + +But all shame is extinct in France +Exclaimed so long against high head-dresses +Honour grows again as well as hair +I thought I should win it, and so I lost it +If I should die, shall I not have lived long enough? +Only your illegitimate daughter +Original manuscripts of the Memoirs of Cardinal Retz +She never could be agreeable to women +Since becoming Queen she had not had a day of real happiness +Stout, healthy girl of nineteen had no other sins to confess +Subject to frequent fits of abstraction +Throw his priest into the Necker + + + + +End of this Project Gutenberg Etext of Memoirs of Louis XIV. and Regency, +v4, by Elizabeth-Charlotte, Duchesse d'Orleans + diff --git a/old/cm21b10.zip b/old/cm21b10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ffd5b12 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/cm21b10.zip |