His exile making a great noise in the world, and a construction being put on it which affected his probity and character, I begged of the King to declare in public, that he was satisfied with his conduct. His Majesty did so; and let this serve as a specimen of his temper; a prince, after being insolently ridiculed by a subject who owed him great obligations, still vouchsafed to shew tenderness for him.
The government was at a loss for a person fit to succeed M. Maurepas at the head of the marine, as now it was become a state mystery. It had been under Maurepas’s sole management during thirty years. M. Rouillé was pitched on, though no great genius; but he had formed specious plans, and assured the King that within three years he should have a navy of fourscore ships of the line. I wish, said the King, he may make his words good, but I much fear he will fall very short.
Italy was perfectly at ease; the infant Don Philip had made his entrance into Parma: we heard at Versailles that he lived very gaily there amid concerts, plays, and balls. I am afraid, said the King, that young Prince is too fond of balls, and my daughter will be perpetually dancing.
M. de Noailles used to say, that every country dance of Don Philip, in Italy, cost Spain a hundred thousand livres; and his mother had paid the fiddlers before-hand.
The Duke of Modena was restored to his dominions, and had all Don Philip’s passion for splendour and entertainments; but the war had ruined him: the Duchess used to say openly, in the palace, his Highness has not wherewith to make one single minuet step. She came to court without shoes, to shew the King the indigence to which the war had reduced their duchy. Madam, said his Majesty to her, I am not in a much better condition myself; but I have a shoe-maker, who, if you please, shall wait on you.
Genoa was free, subject only to its own government, now re-established on its ancient footing. The ambassador from the court of Vienna, meeting that senate’s envoy in the great gallery of Versailles, said to him; Sir, the house of Austria forgives your republic its revolution, only intends to be up with it.
Rome was at rest, the foreign armies which, during the war, had been such a burden and terror to it, being withdrawn.
Naples, now no longer under a necessity of exhausting itself of men and money, was beginning to recover: all it stood in need of, was only quiet enjoyment of its fertile soil and climate. Concerning this small state, I remember a foreign minister once said to me, that if ever he had been so ambitious as to aim at a sovereignty, it would not be that of Germany, France, or Spain, but to be King of Naples. His reason was, that there the power was derived directly from heaven; and is the immediate gift of God the Father himself.
The nobility still complained at court of having greatly hurt their fortunes in the war, and were continually solliciting compensations and rewards.
The Prince of Conti, lately created Grand Prior of France, said openly, that his horses had no hay. I wonder, said Marshal Belleisle, they are not yet dead, for so long ago as when we were at Coni, his Highness used to complain of the scarcity of forage.