[451] Order of Louis XIV., dated October 11, 1665.
[452] Letter of Louvois to Saint-Mars, September 23, 1666.
[453] Ibid., September 17, 1669.
[454] Letter of Madame de Sévigné, July 7, 1680.
[455] Correspondance Générale, Lavallée’s edition, vol. i. p. 1.
[456] Let us cite amongst others, the fine Histoire de Madame de Maintenon, of the Duke de Noailles, unhappily still unfinished; the labours of M. Théophile Lavallée and Chapter I. Period iii. of the curious volumes of M. Chéruel, Saint-Simon considéré comme Historien, which is the necessary complement of his edition of the Mémoires.
[457] Lettres Historiques et Édifiantes de Madame de Maintenon, vol. ii. p. 213.
[458] Histoire de l’Homme au Masque de Fer, p. 244.
[459] Conrart, Manuscripts, vol. xi. p. 151:—Archives of the Arsenal. The same observations apply to this other letter, likewise ascribed by M. Lacroix to Madame de Maintenon, and with as little ground: “Until now I was so thoroughly persuaded of my strength, that I would have defied all the earth. But I confess that the last interview I had with you charmed me. I found in your conversation a thousand pleasures which I had not expected; in short, if I ever see you alone, I do not know what will happen.”
[460] Mémoires sur Nicolas Fouquet, vol. i. pp. 448, 449.