CY GIT
Très baute & très puissante Dame
Madame Francoise d’Aubigne,
Marquise de Maintenon;
Femme Illustre, Femme vraiment Chrétienne;
Cette Femme forte que le Sage chercha vainement dans son Siecle,
Et qu’il nous eût proposé pour modele, s’il eût vêcu dans le nôtre.
Sa Naissance fut très noble.
On loua de bonne heure son Esprit, & plus encore sa Vertu.
La Sagesse, la Douceur, la Modestie sormoient son Caractere,
Qui ne se démentit jamais.
Toujours égale dans les differentes situations de sa vie;
Mêmes Principles, mêmes Regles, mêmes Vertus.
Fidèle dans les exercices de Piété,
Tranquille au milieu des agitations de la Cour,
Simple dans la Grandeur,
Pauvre dans le centre des richesses,
Humble au comble des honneurs;
Révérée de Louis le Grand,
Environnée de sa gloire,
Autorisée par sa plus intime confiance,
Dépositaire de ses graces,
Qui n’a jamais fait d’usage de son pouvoir,
Que par sa bonté.
Une autre Esther dans la faveur,
Une seconde Judith dans la Retraite & l’Oraison:
La Mere des Pauvres,
L’Asyle toujours sûr des malheureux,
Une vie si illustre
A été terminée par un mort sainte
Et precieuse devant Dieu.
Son Corps est resté dans cette sainte maison,
Dont elle avoit procuré l’établissement;
Et elle a laissé à l’univers
L’exemple de ses vertus.
Décédée le 15 d’Avril 1719.
Née le 28 de Novembre 1635.
i. e.
HERE LIES
The most high and most potent Lady
The Lady Francese d’Aubigny,
Marchioness of Maintenon.
A Wife illustrious[73], a Woman truly Christian;
That virtuous Heroine whom the wise Man sought in vain in his Time,
And whom he wou’d have propos’d to us for a Pattern, if he had liv’d in ours.
She was of Birth most noble,
Her Wit was early commended, and much more her Virtue.
Sobriety, good Nature and Modesty, form’d her Character,
From which she never derogated.
Always unchangeable in the various Situations of her Life;
The same Principles, the same Rules, the same Virtues.
Sincere in the Exercises of Piety,
Tranquil during the Storms at Court,
Plain in the Midst of Grandeur,
Poor in the Centre of Wealth,
Humble at the Summit of Honours;
Rever’d by Lewis le Grand,
Environ’d with his Glory,
Vested with his most intimate Confidence,
The Depositary of his Favours,
Who never made use of her Power
But to do Good.
Another Esther in Favour,
A second Judith in Retirement and Prayer:
The Mother of the Poor,
The never-failing Asylum of the Unfortunate.
A Life so illustrious
Was cut off by a Death Pious,
And precious in the Sight of God.
Her Body lies in this Sacred House,
Of which she procur’d the Establishment:
And her Virtues she has left
To the World for a Pattern.
She departed this Life April 15, 1719.
Being born the 28th of November 1635.
My Englishmen thought the Panegyric upon Madame de Maintenon a little too much strain’d. I confess that I think she is well equipp’d with a Character; and if it be true, that she was as humble as her Epitaph imports, I make no doubt, but if she had liv’d to see such an Encomium, it would have put her Modesty sadly out of Countenance: For ’tis certain, that this Lady had a very great Fund of Virtue and Piety; and I have heard it said by Persons, who otherwise had no reason to be fond of her, that ’twas impossible to be acquainted with her, and not to esteem her.
When I return’d from St. Cyr, I came hither to see M. Voltaire’s Tragedy of Brutus, which is so fine a Piece, that I and my English Companions were charm’d with it: We not only admir’d the Conduct and Versification of it, but we applauded