Year: 1875




inexplicable return and pardon, would b


all that the nineteenth century woai


know of Lauzun, if his adventures ha


been solely handed down by the hlstori


ans of the dav but ST. Simon, Nine


de Sevigne, and the memories of madt


moiselle, have left US truer picture OF


man who was remarkable in many ways


but in none more so than that he was IN


only royal favorite on record who sue


ceeded in elevating himself after haviuI


lost the support of the hand which raiset


him. His pride, his arrogance, his blint


devotion and slavery to the prince whom


he loved his fierce enmity when tha
/ love was turned into hate his brlllIan
+ qualities, his elegant vices, form pretts
/ correct picture of the time in which h'
lived. At twenty he possessed the ap
pearance Of a man of mature age, and


could win over friend or crush q foe


with equal facility. His logic was with


out flaw, his genius bent toward in
trigue and subtle machinations-one Of
those exceptional men whom nature ha:


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 Lauzun became
the most perfect lapidary in the kingdom.
He was a Judge of horses, arms, and de-
vices, because the king was fond of such
topics and he became an Optician, be-
cause the king had set of magnifying
glasses Offices about the court, full of
emolument, were showered upon him.
The court beauties smiled when he drew
near; tender glances, approving smiles,
tones pathetic and confidential, met him
at every turp. Mademoiselle herself,
who had refused many foreign alliances,
and whose grave and scrupulous conduct
was the astonisment Of the age, did not
hesitate to make known her partiality >,
and Lauzun was well aware, even before
the words c'est Vous were traced by royal
fingers on the looking glass, that the



He was not, however, yet prepared for a
demand yet so audacious and it was
with no little diplomacy 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 the policy of either accepting or de-
clining 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 Valenti-
nois, and paying respectful court, in the
absence of his majesty, to "la Monte
span"


But whilst the popularity of the favor
ite appeared so we'll assured, a 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 person
much talent, accomplishment, or eleva-
ton of mind He preferred mediocrity,
even in his ministers. He was once
heard to admit that the death of Seigne-
lay and of Louvois was, each in its way,
a most sensible relief; and there was
found but very small number of court
iers in whom the exercise Of mental su-
periority was no bar to advancement.


Lauzun was not longin discovering that
his day WAS over The kings avoidance
and averted looks would bear but one
He determined himself
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 Otfense in
his words.


Lauzun was arrested and thrown into
the Bastille. 1t has been limited by his
enemies that he had schemed for this,
unable longer to endure his false posi-
ton, and in order to increase his general
as undeservedly disgraced;
and if it were so, he succeeded, without
subiecting himself to too long a martyr
dom, for the woe-begone looks of made
moiselle, the pleading eyes of La Valliere,
and, it may be, fear less it should be
that the downfall of the favor
ite was due rather to his supereminent
graces than to his demerits, induced the
king to pardon him. He was even APP
restored to double favor. Then
came the project born in the unscrupu-
lous brain of Conde, but which Louis so
naively appropriated that he sincerely
believed it to be his own, of putting an
end to Holland, that the little colony of
rich republicans living in perpetual battle
with the elements, whose very existence
is triumph of the genius Of man over


L. nf
Louvois entered fully into the scheme,
and the preparations were quite out of
10 its magnitude. Nothing
could have been more easy than to destroy
the little corner of land rihed from the
ocean, and to reduce it to Il mere marsh
but the support of England, with the CO.
operation OF her fleet, were to be invoked;
AMI in the meantime visit of inspection
was made by the king in person to the
different stations of his armies, accompa-
MED by the queen, the court, and house
hold. Lauzun, whose sdUOir piUre was
acknowledged, was to be
chief under his majesty.
With an eve to the comfort and luxury
of the expedition, and profoundly as it
suited his purpose, no one was more fully
aware of the folly and uselessness of such
great preparations to crush such a feeble
enemy. No one better understood that
it was not the strategy of Turenne
which was wanted, but rather the wild
impetuosity of Beaufort; and that
whilst the pride and vanity of Louis sug-
gested to him the glory TO be won by so
easy a conquest, executed without danger,
with an overwhelming force and with no
undignifed haste, the severe genius of
William of Orange would have time to
set to work to win sympathy and suceor
from his neighbors. Such reflections as
these were, however, safely confined to
his own breast. His apparent energy
and enthusiasm knew no bounds. He
allowed no detail to escape him. no lux