River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-12-02

MS pastoral maui de ChuuSSeS, and unOu
his lips that rare smile which vas ever SO
sure signal of the royal favor, the muir.
murs of applause, threatened to become
almost too pronounced for the scrupulous
sobriety of court etiquette.
1t has been said, that if history were
only written by historians, absolutely
nothing would be known Of it but luck
lily, there is such thing as biography.
An extraordinary ambition, a sudden
rise to kingly favor, grand marriage
broken, disgrace, Imprisonment, and an
inexplicable return and pardon. would be
all that the nineteenth century would
know of Lauzun, if his adventures had
been solely handed down by the histo-
rians of the day; but st. Simon, Nine. de
Seyigne, and the memories Of MAIDEN.
oiselle, have left us truer picture of
man who was remarkable in many ways,
but in none more so than that he was the
only royal favorite on record who sue.
ceeded i'll elevating himself after having
ed him. His pride. his arrogance his
blind devotion and slavery to the prince
whom he loved his fierce enmity when
that love was turned into hate; his bril-
liant qualities, his elegant vices, form a
pretty correct picture Of the time in
which he lived. AT twenty he possessed
the appearance Of a man Of mature age,
and could win over friend or crush a
foe with equal facility. His logic was
without flaw, his genius bent toward in.
trigue and subtle Vaccinations one of
thoca avcant;OnaI man ,rho,,, nat,,ro h.,
created with an unStinted hand, but in
whose soul are placed Unsuitable and un.
scrupulous desires; one whom posterity
cannot applaud, but who cannot fail to
win the interest and admiration of the
| philosopher, like those wandering stars
whose place in the skies is never distinct.
ly determined.
The king could no longer do without
Lauzun. His majesty loved perfumes !;
Lauzun was perfect connoisseur in the
distilling of flowers. The king was Gu.
rious in precious stones; Dauzun became
the most perfect lapidary in the king.
dom. lie was judge Of horses, arms,
and devices, because the king had set Of
magHiiying glasses! Offices about the
court full Of cmolument were showered
upon him. The court beauties smiled
whenever he drew near; tender glances,
approving smiles, tones pathetic and con-
fidential, met him at every turn. Mad
emoiselle herself, who had refused many
foreign alliances, and whose grave and
Scrupulous conduct was the astopishment
of the age, did not hesitate to make
known her partiality; and Lauzun was
well aware, even before the words c'eSt
rous were traced by royal fingers on the
looking-glass, that the duchy of Mont.
pensier was at his feet. lie was not. how
ever, yet prepared for a demand so au-
dacious and it was with no little diplom-
acy that he managed to postpone too
clear an intimation of the unexampled
honor which was about to be offered him
until he was satisfied of either accepting
or declining it. 1t was pleasanter and
more prudent to employ the time in
breaking the hearts Of maids Of honor,
provoking the jealous anger Of Nine. de
NalentinoiS, and paying respectful court,
in the absence Of his majesty to ia Mon
tespan."
But whilst the popularity of the favor
tie appeared so we'll assured, cloud no
bigger than mans hand was discovered
to the accustomed eye. Louis had be
come Jealous Of Lauzun. 1t was one Of
the peculiarities Of the grand monarque
that he never could bear about his per-
son much talent, accomplishment, or cle-
walton of mind. lie preferred mcdiocrty,
even in his ministers. lie was once heard
to admit that the death of Seignelay
and Of Louvois was, each in its way, a
most sensible relief; and there was found
whom the exercise of mental superiority
was no bar to advancement.
Lauzun was not long in discovering
that his day was over. The kings avoid
ance and averted looks would bear but
one Interpretation. He determined nm
self to take the initiative, and seeking a
private audience, he overwhelmed his
royal master with tender reproaches, i'm
ploring at least to be made aware of his
fault. Louis, more than ever irritated.
was at no loss to find cause Of oflense in
hi words.
Lauzun was arrested and thrown nto
the Bastile. 1t has been limited by his
enemies that he had schemed for this. I'M
able longer to endure his false position,
and in order to increase his general pop.
ularity as undcservedly disgraced and,
| il it were 80, he succeeded. without sub.
jecting himself to too long a martyrdom,
for the woebcgone looks Of mademoiseIlc.
the pleading eyes Of La Valliere, and. it
may be, fear lest it should be suspected
| that the downfall Of the favorite was due
rather to his supereminent graces than
to his dement's, induced the king to par
don him lie was even apparently re.
stored to double favor. Then came the
project born in the INSCRIPTIONS brain of
Condo, but which Louis so nalvely appro.
priated that he sincerely believed it to be
his own, Of putting an end to Holland,
that little colony Of republicans living in
perpetual battle with the elements. whose
very existence is triumph Of the genius
Of man over nature. The exterminating
spirit Of Louvois entered fully into the
scheme, and the preparations were quite
out of proportion 10 its magnitude.
Nothing could have been more easy than
TO destroy the little corner Of land rifled
from the ocean, and to reduce it to a
mere marsh; but the support Of England,
/ nth tha n H. na.t 80. =