LETTER XL.
SIR,Versailles, April 15, 1732.
I have been now just ten Days at Versailles, where I have had the Honour of greeting the King and Queen, and all the Royal Family. I perceiv’d the King since his Marriage is grown very fat, but he is still one of the finest Princes in Europe. It may be said of Lewis XV. that he is a Prince born without Vice, and free from that Haughtiness, which is commonly attach’d to Royalty: He is familiar with his Courtiers, reserv’d to Persons that are unknown to him, and particularly to Ambassadors, and more secret and circumspect than Persons of his Age. He has the Morals, Behaviour, and Sentiments of a good Man, and from thence France may expect his Reign will be gentle and peaceful. It appears, as if Lewis XV. will be content with the Government of one of the most powerful Monarchies of the World, and that he
will not be inclin’d to disturb Europe, for the sake of conquering a Town or a Province. He has been educated in such Sentiments of Justice, that his Neighbours ought not to be afraid of him, since God has undoubtedly chose him to be one of the Arbitrators of Europe, in order for the Preservation, and not for the Destruction of Equity: Lewis the Pacific and the Debonaire will be his distinguishing Titles: Must not these be dearer to his Subjects, than the bloody Title of Lewis the Conqueror? And may he not be great, and at the same time a Lover of Peace? Hitherto the King seems to follow the Plans of Government chalk’d out by the late Duke of Burgundy, his Father, whose Wisdom is still rever’d by France. God grant that he may always take them for his Models, and that his Reign may be long, and end as glorious as it begun!
I never cast my Eyes upon Lewis XV. without admiring the Providence which has preserv’d him, contrary to the People’s Expectation. I have had the Honour to see him Duke of Anjou, his Brother, the Duke of Bretagne, being then alive. I have seen him the Dauphin of France, and at length I have seen him on the Throne: He had at one time a pale Complexion, which did not promise long Life. What Diseases has he not labour’d under! yet he now enjoys a perfect State of Health, and the Crown, which was so likely to devolve to collateral Branches, is establish’d upon the Head of this young Prince, and like to descend to his own Posterity. In fine, a King of France, Father of five Children living before he is twenty Years of Age, is such a Phænomenon as is hardly to be parallell’d in antient or modern History, and ’tis in my Opinion more extraordinary even than the advanc’d Age, and the long Reign of his Great-Grandfather.
The Queen is a Princess of exemplary Virtue, whose sole Application is to discharge her Duties to
God, the King, and her Children: She is extremely gracious and civil, and has a great Happiness of expressing herself in the French, German, and Polish Languages: She had formerly a great Taste for Music, and is now fond of Reading; but being entirely conformable to her Husband’s Sentiments, she takes no manner of Share in the Government: She loves no Pageantry nor Ceremony, and the Rank of being the first Queen in the World seems to have no other Effect upon her, than to render her Virtues more venerable and conspicuous.
As for the Children of France, they are as yet too young to be characteris’d. Mean time I assure you, ’tis a fine Sight to see them going to the Queen’s Apartment, or running along the Gallery, with at least forty Attendants in their Train, including the Ladies and Chambermaids. The Person intrusted with the Care of the Education of the Children of France is the Duchess de Ventadour; but as she is very far advanced in Years, and not able to be with them every-where, the Duchess of Tallard, her Grand-daughter, is join’d with her in the Commission. This Lady is the Daughter of the Prince de Rohan, Brother to the Cardinal: The Choice which has been made of her to succeed the Duchess of Ventadour, has been applauded by the whole Court; and in short, there are few Ladies that have a more noble Carriage, more Politeness, and sublimer Sentiments: And ’tis very remarkable, that since the Birth of the Dauphin, Lewis XIVth’s only Son, the Mother, the Daughter, and the Grand-daughter have always been trusted with the Education of the Children of France.
Her Royal Highness, the Widow of the Regent, who is Daughter to Lewis XIV. by Madame de Montespan, is the first in Rank at Court, and she is the only Princess that has a Right to sit at Table with their Majesties, when they dine in State; but
’tis a Prerogative that she does not often make use of, because she has such a Dislike to Dress, that she appears little at Court; and when she comes to the King or Queen, ’tis in private: She commonly resides at Paris, or at Bagnolet[47]: She is the only Princess of the Kingdom that has Guards, and enjoys the Honours of a Daughter of France. King Lewis XIV. granted all these great Distinctions to the late Duke of Orleans, in Favour of this Marriage, to which that Prince agreed against the Consent of his late Father, and the express Prohibition of his Mother; who was so exasperated against her Son, for not resisting Lewis XIVth’s Will and Pleasure, that she lifted up her Hand against him, when he told her that he was just marry’d, would not see her Daughter-in-law for a long time, and never could endure the Thoughts of the Match, till she saw her Grand-daughter marry’d to the Duke of Berry. Since that time, she has not been so strongly prejudic’d against her, but acknowledges her Royal Highness’s Virtues, and always kept a good Correspondence with her. This Princess lives very retir’d in the Midst of the Court, and is very much employ’d in Works of Piety.
Her Son, the Duke of Orleans, is a Prince of exemplary Devotion, being almost continually at Prayer, or performing Works of Charity: He made two or three Attempts to retire from the World, but the King thinking his Presence necessary in his Council, would not consent to it. His most serene Highness is the first Prince of the Blood, and Governor of Dauphiny; and he was once Colonel and Captain General of the French Infantry, but he resign’d that Post some Years ago. This Prince marry’d the Princess of Baden, by whom he has a Son styl’d Duke of Chartres, a hopeful young Prince, who is
educated at St. Cloud, remote from the Grandeur and Hurry of the Court.
The Duke of Orleans has also four Sisters in the Kingdom, the eldest of whom is the Abbess de Chelles, who was formerly styl’d Mademoiselle de Chartres. This Princess, in spite of all the Persuasions of the late Regent and the Duchess, who did their utmost to divert her from it, took the Habit of a Nun, tho’ she was one of the most amiable Princesses in Europe, and might have made a great Prince happy.
The second Sister is the Queen of Spain, the Dowager of Lewis I. whom she marry’d when he was Prince of Asturias, before his Father resign’d the Crown of Spain to him; but the young King did not live long to enjoy it, and after his Death, the young Queen Dowager having a Desire to return to France, their Catholic Majesties consented to it, and the King of France allow’d her the Castle of Vincennes to reside in, where for some time she liv’d: She had not been there many Weeks, when she receiv’d a Visit from the King, who said, before he went, that his Visit would be short. I am not very talkative, said his Majesty, and they say, that the Queen of Spain does not talk at all; so that I don’t believe we shall have much Conversation: And indeed the Visit was very short. The Queen receiv’d the King at the Step of the Coach, and the King taking her by the Hand, led her into his Chamber, where two Arm-Chairs were plac’d for them under a Canopy. The King seated himself on the Right Hand, and after a few Words spoke by the Duke de Bourbon, and the Duke de Noailles, who, as Captain of the Guards, stood behind the King’s Chair, his Majesty rose, and went away with the same Ceremonies as he came. Some time after this, the Queen of Spain went to visit the King, when her Guards were plac’d in all the Posts
of Versailles, the King’s Guards being order’d to make room for them. The King receiv’d the Queen as she alighted from the Coach, and every thing pass’d with the same Formality as at Vincennes. The Queen of Spain, after some Stay at the Castle of Vincennes, went to live in those Apartments at Luxembourg, which had been the Residence of her Sister the Duchess of Berry; but some time ago she retir’d to a Convent, and her Family, which was at first exceeding numerous, was very much reduc’d. If we except the vain Honours of Royalty, she would have been far more happy, if she had never been a Queen; for then she might have marry’d again; whereas now she must continue a Widow, and pass the Prime of her Days in Solitude and Retirement.
The third Sister of the Duke of Orleans is Mademoiselle de Beaujolois, who was design’d as a Match for the Infante, Don Carlos; but when the Infanta of Spain was sent back from France, return’d to this Kingdom with the Queen, her Sister: She is one of the most beautiful and most amiable Princesses upon Earth, worthy to reign, and worthy of the Infante[48].
Mademoiselle d’Orleans[49], her Sister, is a very charming Princess, with an exceeding graceful Air, and Behaviour fully answerable to her Birth.
Next to the Family of Orleans, the first in Rank is that of Conde, which consists of three Princes, and six Princesses: The Duke de Bourbon is the chief, who is great Steward of the King’s Houshold, and Governor of Burgundy, His Highness lost one Eye in Hunting, by an unfortunate Shot from the Duke
of Berry: He was marry’d very young to Mademoiselle de Conti his Cousin, who died without Issue. He was also but young when he made the Campaigns in Germany, in Company with his Brother-in-law the Prince of Conti. After the Decease of Lewis XIV. the Duke went to Law with the legitimated Princes, and caus’d the Duke de Maine to be degraded from the Rank of Prince of the Blood, to which he had been promoted by an Arret solemnly register’d in Parliament during the Life of the late King. The Duke of Bourbon demanded, as first Prince of the Blood, whom he then represented, by reason of the tender Age of the Duke of Chartres, now Duke of Orleans, to have the Superintendance of the King’s Education, to which Post the Duke de Maine had been nominated by the late King’s last Will: He obtain’d his Demand, and the Duke de Maine retir’d to Seaux. The Duke de Bourbon had after this a great Share in the Affairs of the Regency, and the Duke of Orleans took care to keep him in good Humour. At the unexpected Death of the Regent, the Duke, being then at Versailles, went to the King, and demanded the Post of Prime Minister, vacant by the Death of his Royal Highness, and obtain’d it. The late M. de la Vrilliere, Secretary of State, being perhaps a little too forgetful of his Obligations to the Son of a Prince who had heap’d Favours upon him, drew up the Patent instantly, and caus’d it to be sign’d by the King, before the Duke of Chartres, who was at the Opera at Paris, could hear the News of his Father’s Death; so that tho’ he went Post to Versailles, and demanded the Office of First Minister, the Duke of Bourbon told him, that the King had dispos’d of it to himself. The Duke was no sooner vested with the Authority of Prime Minister, than he made great Alterations in the Government; but these are the Subject of History rather than of a
Letter. M. le Blanc, who had been Secretary at War, and was the Darling of the Officers, was committed to the Bastille; and M. de Breteuil, who had been formerly Master of the Requests, and Intendant of Tours, succeeded him in that Office; which was the Consequence of a Misunderstanding, or rather a Hatred, between two Ladies, who were the Mistresses, the one of the Duke of Bourbon, the other of M. le Blanc. All the Friends of the latter, among whom was M. the Count de Belle-Isle, shared in his Disgrace. The four Brothers of the Name of Paris had the Management of the Finances, of which Brothers two had been Soldiers in the Guards; but they had the Cunning to extricate themselves from that melancholy State, and to render themselves necessary to the Government during the Time of the Regency. M. d’Argenson Keeper of the Seals had been their Patron, and rais’d them upon the Ruins of Mr. John Law, and his System. Whatever was done by these Brothers is foreign to my Purpose: Their rapid Fortune drew Envy upon them, and they soon became the Objects of the public Hatred.
The most remarkable Transactions of the Duke’s Administration, were the sending back of the Infanta, and the Marriage of the King. The Duke, foreseeing the Inconveniencies to which France would be liable, if the King should die without Issue, thought it best to prevent so fatal an Accident, which it had not been possible for him to have done without marrying the King. The Infanta of Spain was a Child, and it would be at least eight Years before they could hope for any Issue from her; whereas by marrying the King to another speedily, there was a Chance of having a Dauphin very soon, who would secure the Tranquillity of the Kingdom. His most Serene Highness therefore propos’d this Affair to the Council, which at first he found very
much divided about it; for they were apprehensive of the Resentment of the King of Spain, and the Duke himself was heartily sorry, that he was under a Necessity of giving their Catholic Majesties just Cause of Disgust for the sake of the public Good: The Council being at last agreed, they pass’d a Resolution unanimously to send back the Infanta. This was accordingly notified to the Court of Spain, where News so unexpected was receiv’d with all the Indignation possible. The Infanta was sent back. The Duchess of Tallard had the Care of conducting her to the Spanish Frontier. All the Honours due to the Daughter of a great King were paid to this Princess, and every thing that could be thought of, was done to soften the Displeasure of their Catholic Majesties for her Return. All France murmur’d in secret at the Departure of this Princess; for she had won the Hearts of all who had seen her, by a Behaviour and a Genius so vastly above one of her Age, that they prognosticated she would one Day be a great Queen. Not long after she was sent away, the King was married to a Princess so happy in Childbearing, that Heaven thereby seems to applaud what the Duke has done, and the People, quite forgetting the Infanta, bless his Name.
The King, after he had been married a few Months, thought it was not convenient for a Prince of the Blood to have the Direction of his Affairs; and therefore he displac’d the Duke of Bourbon from the Post of Prime Minister, and made the late Bishop of Frejus, now the Cardinal de Fleury, the sole Depositary of his Authority. The Duke receiv’d Orders to retire to Chantilly, a Seat he has near Senlis; and there his Friends put it into his Head to marry a second Wife: Several Princesses were propos’d to him, but he determin’d his Choice for Eleonora of Hesse-Rhinfelds, Sister of the Princess
of Piedmont, now Queen of Sardinia[50]; and the Brother of this Princess, having a Proxy sent to him from the Duke, married her at Rotenbourg, in Presence of the Count de Gasse, whom the Duke had sent to assist in his Name at this Ceremony. The young Duchess no sooner arriv’d in France, but her Beauty, and the Charms both of her Person and Mind, made her admir’d by the whole Court, of which she is now one of the principal Ornaments: She is belov’d and respected by all Mankind, and every body pities her, that the Duke has not all that Tenderness for her which she deserves, and which it were to be wish’d he had for the Support of the Conde Family, of which the two only Princes remaining, viz. the Counts de Charolois and Clermont, are not married.
The Count de Charolois is tall, handsome, and well-set: His Entrance upon the Stage of Action was much taken Notice of; for a Thirst after Glory was the Passion of his Soul, as soon as he came to the Years of Understanding. The War being kindled in Hungary, and Prince Eugene of Savoy having gain’d a Victory near Temiswar, which reviv’d that Hero’s Reputation in France, the Count de Charolois had a mind to learn the Art of War under so great a Master, and to make the Campaign which immediately follow’d that of Temiswar; but he did not dare to discover his Intention, and fearing that he should not obtain the Consent, either of the Duke of Orleans the Regent, the Duchess his Mother, or the Duke his Father, he resolv’d to set out privately, being sure that he should be applauded for his Undertaking, if he could be so happy as to put it in Execution. He imparted his
Design in Confidence to M. de Billy, one of his Gentlemen, and to Renault his first Valet de Chambre, and with these two Attendants he set out from Chantilly on Pretence of Hunting. He travell’d five or six Post-Stages with the very Horses that belonged to the Duke his Father; after which he left them to the Care of the Post-master, and hir’d fresh Horses, with which he reach’d Liege; where he rested some Days, and having provided himself with Linen, went to the Court of the Elector of Cologn, whom he had known in France: His first Visit at Bonn, was at the House of M. de S. Maurice, the Elector’s Prime Minister; but he did not find him at home. M. de Billy thereupon desir’d to speak with his Lady, and told her, that a certain Punctilio of Honour had oblig’d him to come from France with the young Gentleman in his Company; but Madame de S. Maurice, not thinking he was a Prince of the Blood, and taking the Count de Charolois for some petty Officer, gave him a very cold Reception: However, she sent for her Husband, who was then attending the Elector’s Person; and when the Count de S. Maurice came, he presently knew the Count de Charolois, paid him all due Respects, and hasten’d to notify his Arrival to the Elector, who at first was concern’d to hear it, because his Electoral Highness knew not but he might disoblige the Court of France by receiving the Count, who he imagin’d had left the Kingdom upon some Disgust. Nevertheless, after reflecting with himself, that whatever the Count de Charolois might have done, the Court of France could not be angry with him for paying a Regard to his Quality as Prince of the Blood, he sent to invite him to his Palace. The Count went thither accordingly, by the Name of the Count de Dammartin, which he always travell’d With as long as he was absent from the Kingdom.
The Elector receiv’d him With all the Marks of the highest Esteem, kept him several Days at his Court, and then furnish’d him with Money for his Journey to Munich; where he no sooner arriv’d, but he wrote to the Duke his Father to send him Remittances, and the necessary Equipages for the Campaign which he was then going to make.
Tho’ the Count de Charolois did not find the Elector of Bavaria at Munich, yet he was as well receiv’d as if he had been there; and the Electress, tho’ he had not been to see her, no sooner heard of his Arrival, but she order’d all due Honours to be paid to him. When the Elector return’d to Munich, he was overjoy’d to find this Prince there, and offer’d to make his Peace in France, in which he succeeded so far, as to get his Departure out of the Kingdom approv’d by the Duchess and the Regent. When the Count’s Domestics were arriv’d, he set out for Hungary, and pass’d through Vienna without saluting the Emperor, or the Empress Dowager his Cousin German. The Empress Was so offended at it, that she wrote to her Aunt, who was the Prince’s Grandmother, and signified to that Princess, that she did not think it handsome for a Prince of such Descent as the Count de Charolois, to pass through Vienna to serve in the Imperial Army, without having seen the Emperor. The Count’s Relations did not fail to reproach him for his Want of Respect to their Imperial Majesties. He excus’d himself, by saying that he did not know what Treatment he ought to expect; but the Answer he receiv’d, was an Order from the Regent in the King’s Name, to wait on their Imperial Majesties as he return’d from the Campaign.
He signaliz’d himself in it very much, but with so little Care of his Person, that Prince Eugene of Savoy often reproach’d him for it: He took a Pleasure to go up to the very Breast-work of the
Trenches; and from thence with Screw-Guns he fir’d at the Turks, as if he had been shooting at small Birds: On the other hand the Turks did not spare him, but sent their Balls whizzing about his Ears in Return for his Frolic. The Count was present at the Battle of Belgrade, and saw that Place taken: He afterwards went to Vienna, and staid there some Weeks, where he had an Audience of the Emperor, not incognito, but as the Count de Charolois. The Emperor receiv’d him at the Favourita standing: His Audience was attended with this odd Circumstance. The Count, being not acquainted with the Ceremonial, did not know that he should find the Emperor all alone; and therefore, when he enter’d the Closet, and saw a Man in a very plain Dress leaning with his Back against a Table, he took him for some private Gentleman; but in a few Moments he spy’d the Golden Fleece: He was doubtful in his Mind, after all, whether ’twas the Emperor; but he advanc’d, saying within himself, that in either case there was not much Harm in being mistaken. The Emperor receiv’d him with very great Marks of Distinction, and the Count kiss’d his Hand, because he had been told it was the Custom, and that all the Princes of the Empire did the same. He afterwards went to the Apartment of the Empresses, and had reason, where-ever he came, to be satisfied with his Reception.
From Vienna he return’d to Munich, after which he made the Tour of Italy, and lodg’d at Rome at the House of the Cardinal de Tremouille, who had then the Care of the Affairs of France. After having repass’d the Mountains, he came back to Munich, where he stay’d a Year and an half, being always lodg’d and defray’d, together with his Retinue, at the Expence of his Electoral Highness, who kept a Table for him for twelve Guests, besides Hunting-Equipage, and Horses at his Command.
Hunting is this Prince’s chief Amusement since he return’d to France: He appears seldom at Court, and neither meddles nor makes with Affairs of State. They talk often of getting him a Wife; but he does not seem to have any more Goût for the Sacrament of Marriage, than his younger Brother the Count de Clermont, a young Prince of a lovely Person, a sweet Nature, and who seems to have a way of Thinking becoming his Birth. They who approach him, and know him intimately, have assur’d me, that he has all the Qualities that can be to form hereafter a great Prince. It seems as if he were design’d for the Church, since his most Serene Highness actually enjoys several considerable Abbeys; but hitherto this Prince dresses in the Lay Habit, and performs no Spiritual Function. While I was speaking of the Count de Charolois, I forgot so tell you, that he is Governor of la Touraine, in which Honour he succeeded the late M. Dangeau, first Gentleman-Usher to the late Duchess of Burgundy. In his time la Touraine was not reckon’d among the great Governments; but as the Regent was willing to give one to the Count de Charolois, after having granted away the Reversions of all the great Governments, he thought of no other Expedient, than to put la Touraine in the Rank of the other Provinces.
The three Princes that I have just mention’d, are the Sons of Madame the Duchess (of Bourbon) the legitimated Daughter of Lewis XIV. and Madame de Montespan; She is a Princess who has been cry’d-up in Europe for her Wit, Beauty, and the Charms of her Person. Tho’ she is the Mother of a numerous Family, she may still be reckoned among the Beauties of the Court; and ’tis certain, that when the Duchess is with the Princesses her Daughters, she seems rather to be their Sister than the Mother. This Princess is immensely rich, those who manage
her Affairs having acquir’d a vast Estate in the contagious Actions of the Missisippi. She lives with very great Magnificence, and has lately caus’d a Palace to be built, which may be rank’d with the finest Structures in Europe. Her most Serene Highness is often at Chantilly with the Duke her Husband, but the rest of her Time she divides betwixt the Court and City.
The Princess of Conti the second Dowager, the Princesses of Charolois, Clermont and Sens, are her Daughters, and form one of the most beautiful Families that ever was. ’Tis pity that Princesses so beautiful and accomplish’d are not well match’d, but their Greatness is a Bar to their Settlement in Marriage; besides, this Century has been more prolific every-where in Princesses than in Princes. The Princess of Conti, who has some Thoughts of a Wife for the Prince her Son, has just bought the fine House which was built by the Count de Belle-Isle, out of the vast Sums which he got by Missisippi Stock; there she proposes to end her Days, and she already appears but seldom at Court, which indeed the Trouble of Dressing hinders a great many Princesses and Ladies from frequenting. The Princess of Conti was very young when she married, and has had two Sons; but there’s only one of them living, whom in his Father’s Life-time was styl’d the Count d’Alais, and is now the Prince of Conti[51].
As for Mademoiselle de Charolois, all the Charms imaginable are united in her Person: She has a noble Aspect, a very lively sparkling Wit, and of all the Duchess’s Daughters she is the most like her Mother, and has the most sprightly Ideas. During the Regency of the Duke of Orleans, when Money was become extraordinary scarce, Mademoiselle de Charolois appear’d at the Royal Palace
with two Lewis d’Ors in her Ears for Pendants; upon which the Duke of Orleans asking her the Meaning of that new Fashion, she made him Answer, that she found Lewis d’Ors scarcer than Diamonds, and that therefore she wore them as such. Mademoiselle de Charolois lives in the little Hôtel de Bourbon, which formerly belong’d to Anne of Bavaria the Palatine, the Widow of Henry Julius of Bourbon, Prince of Conde, Grandmother to the Princes and Princesses of the Conde Family. This Princess has a Family here independent on Madame the Duchess (of Bourbon); but she generally follows the Court, and as she is very fond of Hunting, and rides well, she makes one at all the King’s Matches.
Mademoiselle de Clermont is not only very beautiful, but has an Air of Quality, good Nature and Modesty, which distinguishes her from all the Grandees of the Court. Calumny, which does not always favour the Royal Blood here, could never shed its Venom upon this Princess, and the whole Court ever admir’d her for her Sobriety and Virtue. She is Superintendante of the Queen’s Houshold, and went in this Quality with the Ladies of Honour to meet her Majesty at Strasbourg.
Mademoiselle de Sens, with her Beauty, is both graceful and modest: She was brought up under her Grandmother the Princess; and after her Decease, the Duchess of Brunswic, her Great Aunt, Mother to the Empress Amelia, who spent her latter Years in France, had the Care of her Education, and form’d her one of the most amiable Princesses upon the Earth.
The Conti Family, which is the third Branch of the Princes of the Blood, consists at this time of two Dowager Ladies, a young Prince, and a Princess, call’d Mademoiselle de la Roche-sur-yon. The Princess of Conti, the first Dowager Lady, is the
legitimated Daughter of King Lewis XIV. by Mademoiselle de la Valiere: This Princess is celebrated for her Beauty, Wit, and noble Air, which she still retains: She happen’d to be a Widow when she was very young. Some say that the King of Morocco demanded her in Marriage, but I have been assur’d by many People, that ’tis a mere Fiction. Be this as it will, such a Match was not practicable; for tho’ Religion had been altogether out of the Question, King Lewis XIV. would never have sacrific’d a Daughter so dear to him, and one who was the Ornament of his Court, to a Marabou[52]. The
Princess of Conti, since the Death of her Brother the Dauphin, has not appear’d in public, and only visits the King and Queen privately in their Majesties Closet. Her Occupations are Works of Piety and Charity, and her Life is an Example of Virtue: She commonly resides in her Hôtel at Paris, which is beautiful and magnificent, and formerly belong’d to the Marshal-Duke de Lorges.
The legitimated Princes, Sons of Lewis XIV. are the Duke de Maine, and the Count de Tholouse. The former is Grand Master of the Ordnance, Colonel-General of the Swiss and Grisons, and Governor of Guienne: He married Louisa-Benedictina of Bourbon-Condé, by whom he has two Sons and a Daughter. The Duke de Maine possesses the Sovereignty of Dombes, which the late Mademoiselle, Daughter of Gaston of France, Son of Henry IV. left him by Will. This Prince signaliz’d his Valour in his Youth: He has the Misfortune to halt, but he has a superior Genius,
and is a Man of true Christian Piety. The late King distinguish’d him above all his Children, of which he gave an illustrious Proof, when he appointed him Superintendant of the Education of Lewis XV. and when he made him a Sharer in the Authority of the Regency, together with the Duke of Orleans, whom he would have been glad to have intirely excluded from it, if his Royal Highness’s Birth had not given him an absolute Title to it. Some Years before this, the said King, by a Declaration the most solemnly register’d that ever any was, had recognis’d the Ability of the Duke de Maine, the Count de Tholouse, and their Posterity, to succeed to the Crown on Failure of Issue by the lawful Princes. The Princes of the Blood, in Complaisance to Lewis XIV. before whom every Knee was bow’d, did not oppose a Declaration so little for their Honour: But in the Beginning of Lewis XVth’s Reign they commenced a Suit upon it against the legitimated Princes. The Arret which call’d them to the Succession of the Crown was revok’d, and the Count de Tholouse was the only one that retain’d for his Life the Honours that were annex’d to the Dignity of Prince of the Blood. The Duke de Maine and his Children were depriv’d of these great Prerogatives, and reduc’d to the Rank of their Peerage. Some Years after, however, it pleas’d the King to restore those Honours to the Duke de Maine, and to his Sons the Prince of Dombes, and the Count d’Eu; but these Princes continue excluded from the Crown.
I have already acquainted you how the Duke of Bourbon depriv’d the Duke de Maine of the Superintendance of Lewis XVth’s Education: But that was not the only Circumstance that mortified him; for at that Juncture the Point that seem’d to be solely in View, was to undo every thing that had
been done by Lewis XIV. And the Duke, together with his Employments and Honours, also lost his Liberty. He was accus’d of holding a Correspondence with the Prince de Cellamare, the Spanish Ambassador, who endeavour’d to excite the French to a Rebellion against the Regent, by promising them Assistance from the King his Master: Hereupon the Duke de Maine was arrested, and committed Prisoner to Dourlens in Picardy, where he was closely confin’d. They who are not the most zealous of this Prince’s Friends, agree that he supported this Reverse of Fortune with an heroic Constancy. I heard it said by the People who were set to watch him, that they never saw him once deviate from that Serenity of Mind, and that good Nature which accompany all his Actions. But the Duchess of Maine did not receive the News of his Disgrace with the same Tranquillity; for being born with all the high Spirit of the Great Conde her Grandfather, she rav’d against the Regent, but especially against her Nephew the Duke, whom she look’d upon as the Author of her Misfortunes. They say moreover, that the Duke de Maine himself was rattled by her before he was confin’d. ’Twas on the Day that Lewis XV. came to the Parlement to hold his first Bed of Justice, when the Duke de Maine was turn’d out of that Share which the late King’s last Will gave him in the Regency. As this Duke came home from the Parlement, he found his Wife in the utmost Impatience to know what had been done; of which when he had given her an exact Account, the Duchess could not bridle her Passion, but looking on her Husband with Indignation, she said, I have nothing left then to possess, but the Shame of having married you! When she received Orders to quit to the Duke of Bourbon that Apartment which she had in the Thuilleries, while the
Duke de Maine was Superintendant of the King’s Education; Yes, said she, I will quit it with a Vengeance, and at the same time order’d it to be stripp’d quite bare of Furniture; and for the more Haste she dash’d the Looking-glasses, China, and all Goods of that Sort in Pieces. Nevertheless, when she was apprehended, and during the Time that she was detain’d, she was not heard to utter a Complaint or a Murmur; but supported her Disgrace with that Magnanimity for which she is admir’d, a Quality which elevates her so far above other Women, and sets her on a Par with the greatest Men.
The Duke and Duchess of Maine are often at Seaux, a fine House but a little Distance from Paris, on the high Road to Orleans, built by John Baptist Colbert. Here they have always a gay Court. This Duchess is so much in Love with the Arts and Sciences, that all Men of Letters look on her as their Patroness; and there are few Poetical Compositions which are not first presented to her. The last Time I paid my Court to her, the following Piece, compos’d of no more than two Rhymes, was read there, and so highly applauded, that I herewith send you a Copy of it[53].
The Prince of Dombes, the Duke of Maine’s eldest Son, is a tall handsome well set Gentleman,
and has the Reversion of his Father’s Offices. Whether the Count d’Eu has any Employments, I know not. Both these Princes are commonly at Court. Mademoiselle du Maine is a very amiable Princess, whose Education has been fully answerable to her Birth, and who, by her Manners and Politeness, approves herself the worthy Daughter of her Mother.
The Count de Tholouse, great Admiral of France, is the second Son of King Lewis XIV. by Madame de Montespan. In the last War he commanded the Naval Army of France. He is one of the handsomest and comeliest Lords at Court. He is noble and magnificent in every thing that he does, and they say, he is generous. He is very polite, and has always been as much esteem’d for his Merit, as for his Rank of a legitimated Prince, which he has preserved, tho’ his Brother was divested of it. It was believed for a long time, that this Prince would not marry, and that his great Estate would fall to the Children of the Duke de Maine; but he married some Years ago, Maria Victoria of Noailles, Widow of the Marquis de Gondrin, Son to the Duke d’Antin, by whom he had a Son, who is now the Duke d’Epernon. The Count de Tholouse has had a Son by her also, who is called the Duke[54]de Ponthievre; by which Title, the Count has the Rank of a Peer in Parliament. This Prince, since his Marriage, has commonly resided at Rambouillet, where the King frequently makes Parties for Hunting. His Majesty shews a very great Regard for the Countess of Tholouse, which gives her Authority to talk to his Majesty with a great deal of Freedom. The French say, she was the Occasion of the Duke of Bourbon’s being put out of the Ministry. ’Tis certain, however, that the King was at Rambouillet, when the Duke de Charost went and told the Duke, That it was his Majesty’s Pleasure, that he should quit the Station of Prime Minister. The Duke being at Versailles when he receiv’d
the unwelcome News, they say, he desired to speak with the King and Queen; but that the Duke de Charost told him, he had Orders for his Removal to Chantilly. His most Serene Highness obey’d, and did not appear to be afflicted for the Loss of his Authority, so much as for the falling-off of his Friends and Creatures. The Marchioness de Prie, Lady of the Bed-chamber to the Queen, whom he honoured with a very singular Esteem, received Orders to leave the Court, and to retire to Normandy; where, during her being in Favour, she had purchased a considerable Estate. The Brothers of the Name of Paris, those Objects of the Public Odium, were divested of their Authority. M. de Blanc came again into the Ministry: M. de Belle-Isle regain’d his Liberty, and obtained the Command of the Troops of the Government of Metz, and the three Bishopricks. The Marchioness de Prie had the Mortification to see her Employment of Lady of the Bed-chamber fill’d up by the Daughter of M. le Blanc, to whom she was a declared Enemy, and whom she had endeavoured to ruin. This Lady was not able to support herself long under her Disgrace; for having been used to bear a Sway, she could not reconcile herself to Retirement; but languished for a while, and at length died of a Colic, which gave her horrid Pains. She was not much regretted, because she had made few Friends; Ambition and Self-Interest had taken intire hold of her. She thought her Disgrace unsufferable, and the little Reflection she made upon the Revolution of Fortune, rendered hers but the more intolerable. I will hereafter give you an Account of the Cardinal de Fleury, and of the Persons now of the First Rank at Court; but at present my Pen is ready to drop out of my Fingers; for ’tis One o’Clock in the Morning, and if I write any more,
I shall but give you my Dreams. Therefore I am, with all the Esteem, possible, &c.
