[755] The marriages of the Marquis de Tourville with a Mdlle. Langeois (see page [142], note 285), and of the Marshal de Lorges with Mdlle. Frémont, (see page [132], note 255), are examples of this, though many similar marriages took place almost daily.
[756] An ironical remark referring to noblemen marrying the daughters of commoners, for nobility descended only from the father to the children, but not if the mother were a serf; in Champagne, however, nobility could be inherited from the motherʼs side.
[757] “Franchise” is a privilege or exemption from ordinary jurisdiction, and “immunity” the right of not paying taxes, or of paying less than the commonalty. La Bruyère, in speaking of “certain monks who obtained titles,” adds in a note: “a certain convent was secretary to the king.” The convent of the Celestines had already in the fourteenth century been appointed to a secretaryship, and received its emoluments, but never fulfilled its duties. The religious community said to have had an interest in the gabelle or salt tax, is supposed to have been that of the Jesuits, but this accusation seems to have been made without sufficient proof.
[758] A certain Geoffroy de La Bruyère had really taken part in the third crusade and died during the siege of St. Jean dʼAcre in 1191, or almost a century after Godfrey of Bouillon (1061-1100). Our author only mentioned his ancestorʼs full name in the sixth edition of the “Characters,” published in 1691.
[759] Abbé is derived from the Syrian aba, father; the “cardinal” may have been the Cardinal de Bouillon, who always was gaily dressed. See page [306], note 560.
[760] In the palace Farnese at Rome, built by order of the Cardinal Alexander Farnese, who afterwards became Pope under the name of Paul III. (1534-1549), are to be found many works, such as Aurora and Cephalus, Diana and Endymion, Galathea, Polyphemus and Acis, and Ganymedes and Jupiter, painted by Annibale Carracci (1560-1609), and Domenichino (1581-1641), all representing nude figures, and not religious subjects.
[761] Richeletʼs Dictionary, published in 1680, mentions the gigue as “une danse anglaise, composée de toutes sortes de pas, quʼon danse sur la corde,” and hence, he continues, “any dancing tune was thus called.” But was a jig originally danced on the tight-rope? The “chapel” is of course the chapel-royal at Versailles.
[762] Paris, a son of Priam and Hecuba, had to decide whether Juno, Venus, or Minerva was the most beautiful, and should receive a “golden apple” as a prize. The three goddesses did not present themselves for this competition with too many clothes on.
[763] Hangings representing nude figures and profane subjects were seen until almost the last fifty years in some of the churches of the capital of France.
[764] Our author adds in a note, “an anthem translated into French by LL....” but no commentator has discovered who this unknown poet can have been.