The Correspondence of Madame, Princess Palatine, Mother of the Regent; of Marie-Adélaïde de Savoie, Duchesse de Bourgogne; and of Madame de Maintenon, in Relation to Saint-Cyr

by Madame de Maintenon; Duchess of Burgundy of Savoy Marie Adelaide; duchesse d' Charlotte-Elisabeth Orléans

[11] So-called from her height; she was his half-sister, the daughter of Mme. de la Vallière. Mme. la Duchesse was the daughter of Mme. de Montespan.—Tr.

[12] Charles-Louis Baudelot de Dairval devoted his life to the study of antiquity; was a member of the Académie des Inscriptions, and wrote a book on “The Utility of Travelling.” (French editor.)

[13] Boudins. Littré defines them as guts filled with blood and pork fat.—Tr.

[14] Louise-Élisabeth, born 1709, married January 20, 1722, to Louis, Prince of the Asturias; see Saint-Simon’s account of the marriage, and her behaviour. Philippe V. abdicated in favour of Louis in 1724, but the latter dying within six months, Philippe resumed the crown. The young queen then returned to France, where she lived unnoticed and died in 1742. In Spain she had shown “the sulky, sullen temper of a dull and silly child,” and continued to do so after her return to Paris.—Tr.

[15] Daughter of Philippe V., brought to France to be educated and married to Louis XV.; see “Saint-Simon.” The marriage never took place, and the infanta was sent back to Spain, April 5, 1725, when the treaty of alliance between Spain and Austria was signed, and France, England, and Prussia formed a counter treaty.—Tr.

[16] Sainte-Beuve does not mention that this letter was written by Mme. de Maintenon to the Comte d’Ayen to soothe him for the part of Josabeth being taken from his wife. Mme. de Maintenon’s diplomacy is visible.—Tr.

[17] Sainte-Beuve has selected the harshest terms in which Madame has mentioned the dauphine’s change of conduct. The reader will have read, earlier in this volume, Madame’s other and much fuller comments, which are kind and evidently just.—Tr.

[18] Saturday, September 13th, was the day of the assault of the town and of the singular scene with Mme. de Maintenon, described by Saint-Simon. See vol. i. of translated edition.—Tr.

[19] This was the miscarriage which caused the memorable scene at the carp basin.—Tr.

[20] “Esther,” and “Athalie,” of Racine; “Absalon” and “Jonathas,” by Duché; “Jephté,” by the Abbé Boyer.