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.
