Memoirs of Louis XIV, vol 11 | Page 4

Saint-Simon
wish to sample the author's ideas before making
an entire meal of them. D.W.]

MEMOIRS OF LOUIS XIV AND HIS COURT AND OF THE
REGENCY
BY THE DUKE OF SAINT-SIMON
VOLUME 11.
CHAPTER LXXVIII
External Life of Louis XIV.--At the Army.--Etiquette of the King's
Table.--Court Manners and Customs.--The Rising of the
King.--Morning Occupations.--Secret Amours.--Going to
Mass.--Councils.--Thursdays.-- Fridays.--Ceremony of the King's
Dinner.--The King's Brother.--After Dinner.--The Drive.--Walks at
Marly and Elsewhere.--Stag--hunting.--Play- tables.--Lotteries.--Visits
to Madame de Maintenon.--Supper.--The King Retires to
Rest.--Medicine Days.--Kings Religious Observances.--Fervency in
Lent.--At Mass.--Costume.--Politeness of the King for the Court of
Saint-Germain.--Feelings of the Court at His Death.--Relief of Madame
de Maintenon.--Of the Duchesse d'Orleans.--Of the Court
Generally.--Joy of Paris and the Whole of France.--Decency of
Foreigners.--Burial of the King.
CHAPTER LXXIX

Surprise of M. d'Orleans at the King's Death.--My Interview with
Him.-- Dispute about Hats.--M. du Maine at the Parliament.--His
Reception.-- My Protest.--The King's Will.--Its Contents and
Reception.--Speech of the Duc d'Orleans.--Its Effect.--His Speech on
the Codicil.--Violent Discussion.--Curious Scene.--Interruption for
Dinner.--Return to the Parliament.--Abrogation of the Codicil.--New
Scheme of Government.-- The Regent Visits Madame de
Maintenon.--The Establishment of Saint-Cyr.-- The Regent's Liberality
to Madame de Maintenon.
CHAPTER LXXX
The Young King's Cold.--'Lettres des Cachet' Revived.--A Melancholy
Story.--A Loan from Crosat.--Retrenchments.--Unpaid
Ambassadors.--Council of the Regency.--Influence of Lord Stair.--The
Pretender.--His Departure from Bar.--Colonel Douglas.--The
Pursuit.--Adventure at Nonancourt.--Its Upshot.--Madame
l'Hospital.--Ingratitude of the Pretender.
CHAPTER LXXXI
Behaviour of the Duchesse de Berry.--Her Arrogance Checked by
Public Opinion.--Walls up the Luxembourg Garden.--La Muette.--Her
Strange Amour with Rion.--Extraordinary Details.--The Duchess at the
Carmelites.-- Weakness of the Regent.--His Daily Round of Life.--His
Suppers.-- How He Squandered His Time.--His
Impenetrability.--Scandal of His Life.-- Public Balls at the Opera.
CHAPTER LXXXII
First Appearance of Law.--His Banking Project Supported by the
Regent.-- Discussed by the Regent with Me.--Approved by the Council
and Registered. --My Interviews with Law.--His Reasons for Seeking
My Friendship.-- Arouet de Voltaire.
CHAPTER LXXXIII

Rise of Alberoni.--Intimacy of France and England.--Gibraltar
Proposed to be Given Up.--Louville the Agent.--His
Departure.--Arrives at Madrid.-- Alarm of Alberoni.--His Audacious
Intrigues.--Louville in the Bath.-- His Attempts to See the
King.--Defeated.--Driven out of Spain.--Impudence of
Alberoni.--Treaty between France and England.--Stipulation with
Reference to the Pretender.
CHAPTER LXXXIV
The Lieutenant of Police.--Jealousy of Parliament.--Arrest of Pomereu
Resolved On.--His Imprisonment and Sudden Release.--Proposed
Destruction of Marly.--How I Prevented It.--Sale of the Furniture.--I
Obtain the 'Grandes Entrees'.--Their Importance and
Nature.--Afterwards Lavished Indiscriminately.--Adventure of the
Diamond called "The Regent."--Bought for the Crown of France.
CHAPTER LXXXV
Death of the Duchesse de Lesdiguieres.--Cavoye and His Wife.--Peter
the Great.--His Visit to France.--Enmity to England.--Its
Cause.--Kourakin, the Russian Ambassador.--The Czar Studies
Rome.--Makes Himself the Head of Religion.--New Desires for
Rome--Ultimately Suppressed.--Preparations to Receive the Czar at
Paris.--His Arrival at Dunkerque.--At Beaumont.-- Dislikes the Fine
Quarters Provided for Him.--His Singular Manners, and Those of His
Suite.
CHAPTER LXXXVI
Personal Appearance of the Czar.--His Meals.--Invited by the Regent.--
His Interview with the King--He Returns the Visit.--Excursion in
Paris.-- Visits Madame.--Drinks Beer at the Opera.--At the
Invalides.--Meudon.-- Issy.--The Tuileries.--Versailles.--Hunt at
Fontainebleau.--Saint--Cyr.-- Extraordinary Interview with Madame de
Maintenon.--My Meeting with the Czar at D'Antin's.--The Ladies
Crowd to See Him.--Interchange of Presents.--A Review.--Party

Visits.--Desire of the Czar to Be United to France.
CHAPTER LXXXVII
Courson in Languedoc.--Complaints of Perigueux.--Deputies to Paris.--
Disunion at the Council.--Intrigues of the Duc de Noailles.--Scene.-- I
Support the Perigueux People.--Triumph.--My Quarrel with Noailles.--
The Order of the Pavilion.
CHAPTER LXXVIII
After having thus described with truth and the most exact fidelity all
that has come to my knowledge through my own experience, or others
qualified to speak of Louis XIV. during the last twenty-two years of his
life: and after having shown him such as he was, without prejudice
(although I have permitted myself to use the arguments naturally
resulting from things), nothing remains but to describe the outside life
of this monarch, during my residence at the Court.
However insipid and perhaps superfluous details so well known may
appear after what has been already given, lessons will be found therein
for kings who may wish to make themselves respected, and who may
wish to respect themselves. What determines me still more is, that
details wearying, nay annoying, to instructed readers, who had been
witnesses of what I relate, soon escape the knowledge of posterity; and
that experience shows us how much we regret that no one takes upon
himself a labour, in his own time so ungrateful, but in future years so
interesting, and by which princes, who have made quite as much stir as
the one in question, are characterise. Although it may be difficult to
steer clear of repetitions, I will do my best to avoid them.
I will not speak much of the King's manner of living when with the
army. His hours were determined by what was to be done, though he
held his councils regularly; I will simply say, that morning and evening
he ate
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