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.