and that she did not permit any one whatsoever to come near to her Son except the Bashaws and Dervizes who were of the Council. The young Gentleman's manner of accounting for this matter made me smile, and put me upon asking him several Questions. 'How! said I, according to the Character I have had of the Margravine, she is very much of a Christian, and of that virtuous Heroine which the wise Man, if he had been still living, wou'd have propos'd to us for a Model. Indeed, said the Gentleman, the Character you have had of her is right enough: The Margravine has Piety and Virtues that render her valuable; but she has a Haughtiness, and a certain Particularity in her Temper, which is hardly to be parallell'd. For instance, if she had receiv'd you it wou'd have been standing under a Canopy by an Arm-Chair, with as much State as the Empress. She wou'd have ask'd you two or three Questions, after which she wou'd have assur'd you of her Protection, and then have dismiss'd you without detaining you to dine with her, as is the manner of all the Princes of the Empire; but 'tis not the fashion here, continued the Gentleman. The Margravine commonly dines in private, and we who are of her Court don't see her but at Mass. The young Margrave our Master wou'd like well enough to see Company, but his Mother giving him to understand that she does not care for it, he conforms to her Pleasure. The young Margravine, who is the Daughter of the Prince de Schwartzenbourg, has no Authority, because tho' naturally obliging and civil she durst not put her good Qualities in practice, because the Margravine Dowager reproaches her that she does not know how to carry it like a Sovereign; by which means this poor Princess is oblig'd to be proud against her Inclination. If you were to see her
you wou'd be charm'd with her; for she is tall and handsome, of a lively fair Complexion, but not languid, and has a very noble Air. When the Margrave marry'd her she was an only Daughter, and the Princess of Schwartzenbourg her Mother, who had not lived with her Husband for near fifteen Years, was not like to have any more Children. But the Event has proved contrary; for the Prince and Princess of Schwartzenbourg are reconcil'd, and the Princess has had a Son, who has frustrated the Hopes of our young Margravine of being some day or other one of the richest Heiresses in the Empire. This has not advanc'd her in the Favour of her Mother-in-law, who often snaps at her; but there being no Remedy, the young Princess bears her Ill-humours with Patience. As she is just brought to bed too of a Son, we hope she will have more Interest; at least 'tis what we all wish, because she is a very good Princess. 'Tis not a Year, continued the Gentleman, that our young Margrave has been of Age, nevertheless his Majority is so controll'd by the Ascendancy which the Dowager keeps over her Son, that it may be said 'tis she who governs still. This Prince accustom'd to obey knows not what is the Pleasure of commanding. There's the same likelihood of his being a Dependant as long as his Mother lives; and indeed he ought to humour that Princess, as well because she was always a good Mother to him, as for the Advantages she is capable of doing him; for she is very rich, and has a noble Estate in Bohemia, which she wou'd perhaps give to her youngest Son, who is Canon of Cologne and Augsbourg, if the Margrave disobliged her; tho' I believe it must be a great Offence indeed that wou'd provoke her to disinherit him, because he was always her Darling, and perhaps too the most dutiful of
all her Children. Such is her Tenderness for this Son that when there was a Talk of his going abroad she wou'd needs go with him; and she actually accompany'd him all over Italy. Some People were indeed so ill-natur'd as to say that 'twas not out of Love to the Prince, but because she was afraid he wou'd wean himself from her Company, and break quite away from her. 'Tis said however that she is going to quit the Court, and to retire to Etlingen, which is the Place assign'd for her Jointure. We all wish it, not that we have any reason to complain of this Princess, but because we hope then to have a gayer Court. For the rest, to do the Margravine Dowager Justice, she has manag'd her Son's Finances with a great deal of Œconomy. When the late Prince Lewis died he left a heavy Debt upon the Country, which was also ruin'd by the late War. But the Margravine Regent has paid off all, and so happily retriev'd the Government and the Finances, that when her Son came of Age she gave him considerable Sums, and the Country was in a better Condition than ever.'
There the Gentleman concluded. After putting several Questions to him I learnt that the Duchess of Orleans had been promis'd in Marriage to Prince Alexander of Tour and Taxis[123], that the Presents were made for the Wedding, and that the same was very soon to be celebrated: But when the Duke of Orleans actually sent M. d'Argenson his Chancellor to Rastadt to demand the Princess in Marriage, the Margravine her Mother thinking this a better Match beyond comparison, call'd back the Promise she had made to the Prince de la Tour, and concluded the Treaty with the Duke of Orleans. The young Margrave marry'd his Sister by Proxy, in
presence of M. d'Argenson, and the Princess was conducted to Strasbourg, where finding a Set of Domestics sent from Paris to receive her, she turn'd off all her German Servants and proceeded on her Journey to Chalons, whither the Duke of Orleans went to meet her.
The same Gentleman from whom I learnt all these Particulars told me likewise that the young Margrave, before he marry'd the Princess of Schwartzenbourg, was to have had the Daughter of King Stanislaus, but that the Margravine broke off the Marriage-Treaty which was very far advanc'd, because the King was not able to pay down a hundred thousand Crowns ready Money for his Daughter's Dowry. It was undoubtedly owing to that Princess's happy Star that the King could not raise the Sum, for in such case his Daughter would not now have worn one of the first Crowns in the World. The Gentleman told me moreover that the Margravine was mortify'd to the last degree when she heard that the Princess whom she had refus'd for her Daughter-in-law was become the Queen of France. She was apprehensive too that this Princess or the King her Father would take revenge for the Slight she had put upon their Alliance, and she wrote a Letter to King Stanislaus to congratulate him on an Event so glorious to him, and to recommend to him the Duchess of Orleans her Daughter. I intreat you, Sir, said she, to prevail with the Queen your Daughter to honour my Daughter and all my Family with her Favour. I will presume to say that both I and Mine deserve it at your Hands for the Respect we have always had for you. This Letter, which was as submissive as the Margravine's Conduct had been haughty, was receiv'd with very great Civility by King Stanislaus, who, after having read it to the Queen his Wife, could not help saying, I am much oblig'd to the
Margravine for this Letter, and he return'd her a very engaging Answer. 'Tis my Opinion that at that time, instead of bearing the Princess any Ill-will he took it very kindly of her that she had refus'd his Daughter for a Daughter-in-law. The officious Gentleman would perhaps have inform'd me of other Particulars concerning the Court of Rastadt, if the Margrave's Return from Hunting had not oblig'd him to go to the Castle. I thank'd him for the trouble he had given himself, and went and shut my self up at my Quarters.
I set out next day for Strasbourg, and in less than five Hours arrived at Kehl. 'Tis all an even Country, and admirable Roads. We travel thro' the Dominions of Spire, the Bishoprick of Strasbourg, and the County of Hanau. At Kehl I paid a Visit to the General Baron de Roth, the Governour of the Place, who entertain'd me at Dinner, and made me exceeding welcome, but so ply'd me with Liquor that I thought my self at Fulde or Wurtzbourg. After Dinner M. de Roth shewed me the Fortifications, which I found in a very bad State. The Commandant told me that he had taken a world of pains to represent it to the Dyet of the Empire at Ratisbonne, but that he might as well have talk'd to so many deaf Men. 'Tis certain that if Care be not taken, the Rhine will wash away the Fort one day or other, and carry it to Holland. The Marshal de Bourg said to me a while ago when we were talking of Kehl, that M. de Roth would do well to fasten his Fort with Chains to the Citadel of Strasbourg.
There's only a Bridge over the Rhine to pass from Kehl to Strasbourg the Capital of Alsace, and formerly an Imperial City. The French made themselves Masters of it in September 1681, when they came to the very Gates of the Place before the Town had notice of their March, and when it was
in no Condition to make resistance; for whether they thought they had no need of being upon their guard, or whether the chief Burgomasters had been corrupted, the Town wanted but every thing. The Capitulation was signed on one side by the Marquis de Louvois, and the Baron de Monclar Commandant in Alsace; and on the other by eight Deputies of the City, which was secured in all its Privileges, Prerogatives and Customs, both ecclesiastical and civil. The Bishop was nevertheless restored to his See, and the Canons to the Cathedral, which had belonged for 152 Years to the Lutherans. Lewis XIV. made his entry into Strasbourg the 23d of October following, and immediately order'd a Citadel and other Works to be erected, which have since been so augmented that Strasbourg may now be rank'd among the most important Places of Europe. The Marshal Count de Bourg commands in it, and has one of the King's Lieutenants under him, who is always a General Officer. M. Dangervilliers[124] formerly Intendant of Dauphiny, is Intendant of the Province of Alsace and the City of Strasbourg. These Gentlemen, whom I have been to see, receiv'd me with prodigious Civility, and very punctually return'd my Visit.