Rousseau，andInow
　　speakofhim，asyousee，withoutoneparticleofresentment。
　　ImustnowspeaktoyouofanewacquaintanceImadeaboutthis
　　Period——thatofthetwoduchessesd’Aiguillon。
　　Frommyfirst
　　entranceintothechateauuntilthecloseof1770，madame
　　d’Aiguillon，thedaughter-in-law，observedasortofarmed
　　neutralitytowardsme；true，shenevervisitedme，butshealways
　　metmewithapparentsatisfactionatthehousesofothers；thusshe
　　managedtosteerclearofonedangerousextremeortheothertill
　　thedownfallofthedesChoiseuls；whentheducd’Aiguillonhaving
　　beennominatedtotheministry，sheperceivedthatshecouldnot，
　　withoutgreatingratitude，omitcallingtooffermeheracknowledgments，
　　andaccordinglyshecame。
　　Onmyside，Ileftnomeansuntried
　　ofrenderingmyselfagreeabletoher；andsowelldidIsucceed，
　　thatfromthatmomenthervaluablefriendshipwasbestowedonme
　　withasinceritywhichevenmyunfortunatereverseshavebeen
　　unabletoshake；andwearetothisdaythesamefirmandtruef
　　friendswewereinthezenithofmypower。
　　NotthatIwouldseek
　　tojustifytheinjuryshesoughttodoourqueen，butImayand
　　docongratulatemyself，thatthesamewarmthwhichpervadesher
　　hatredslikewiseinfluencesherfriendships。
　　IcannotequallyboastofthetreatmentIreceivedfromtheduchess
　　dowagerd’Aiguillon，who，aswellasherdaughter-in-law，came
　　toseemeuponthepromotionofherson。
　　Sheoverloadedmewith
　　caresses，andevenexceededherdaughter-in-lawinprotestations
　　ofdevotionandgratitude。
　　Youshouldhaveheardherextolmy
　　beauty，wit，andsweetnessofdisposition；she，infact，so
　　overwhelmedmewithhersurfeitingpraises，thatatlastI
　　becameconvincedthat，ofthethousandflatteringthingsshe
　　continuallyaddressedtome，notonewashercandidopinion；
　　andIwasright，forIsoonlearned，thatinhercircleofintimates
　　atthehousesoftheBeauffremons，theBrionnes，andaboveall，
　　themarquiseduDeffant，shejustifiedheracquaintancewithme，
　　bysayingitwasasacrificemadetotheinterestsofherson，and
　　amusedtheseladiesbycensuringmyeverywordandlook。
　　The
　　dowager’sdouble-dealinggreatlyannoyedme；nevertheless，not
　　wishingtovexherson，orherdaughter-in-law，Iaffectedtobe
　　ignorantofherdishonourableconduct。
　　However，Icouldnot
　　longrepressmyindignation，andonedaythatshewaspraising
　　memostextravagantly，Iexclaimed，“Ah，madam，howkindit
　　wouldbeofyoutoreserveoneoftheseprettyspeechestorepeat
　　atmadameduDeffant’s。“
　　Thisblow，sostrongyetjust，rather
　　surprisedher；but，quicklyrallyinghercourage，sheendeavoured
　　topersuademethatshealwaysspokeofmeinthesameterms。
　　“It
　　maybeso，“repliedI；“butIfearthatyousaysomanyflattering
　　thingstome，thatyouhavenotoneleftwhenoutofmysight。“
　　ThemarechaledeMirepoixusedtosay，thatacaressfrommadame
　　d’AiguillonwasnotlesstobedreadedthanthebiteofM。d’Ayen。
　　Yettheduchessdowagerhasobtainedafirst-ratereputationfor
　　goodness；everyonestyledher。
　　Andwhy，doyousuppose？
　　Becauseshewasoneofthosefat，
　　fresh，portly-lookingdamesofwhomyouwouldhavesaid，her
　　veryfaceandfigurebespokethecontentedgoodnessofher
　　disposition；forwhowouldeversuspectmalicecouldlurkinso
　　much？
　　IthinkIhavealreadytoldyouthatthis
　　ladyexpiredwhilstbathing，ofanattackofapoplexy，inthe
　　monthofJune，1772。
　　Hersonshedmanytearsatherloss，whilst
　　Iexperiencedbutaverymoderateshareofgrief。
　　Adieu，myfriend；ifyouarenotalreadyterrifiedatthe
　　multiplicityoftheletterswhichcomposemyjournal，Ihaveyet
　　muchtosay；andIflattermyselfthecontinuanceofmyadventures
　　willbefoundnolessinterestingthanthoseyouhaveperused。
　　Theking’sfriends——TheducdeFronsac——Theducd’Ayen’sremark——
　　Manneroflivingatcourt——ThemarquisdeDreux-Breze——Education
　　ofLouisXV——The——Itshousehold——Itsinmates——Mere
　　Bompart——Livresexpendedonthe——Goodadvice——
　　Madame
　　Iwasnowfirmlyfixedatcourt，theking，morethaneverdevoted
　　tome，seemedunabletodispensewithmyconstantpresence。
　　hadsosuccessfullystudiedhishabitsandpeculiarities，thatmy
　　empireoverhimwasestablishedonabasistoofirmtobeshaken，
　　whilstmypowerandunboundedinfluenceconvincedmyenemies，
　　that，solongasthepresentmonarchsatuponthethroneofFrance，
　　theirattemptsatdiminishingmycreditandinfluencewouldonly
　　recoiluponthemselves。
　　LouisXVgenerallysuppedinmyapartments
　　everyevening，unlessindeed，bywayofchange，Iwenttosupwith
　　him。
　　Ourguestswereofcourseofthefirstorder，butyetnot
　　ofthemostexemplarymorals。
　　Thesepersonshadtact，andsaw
　　that，topleasetheking，theymustnotsurpasshim；sothat，if
　　bychanceheshouldreflectonhimself，hewouldappearto
　　advantageamongstthem。
　　Poorcourtiers！
　　Itwaslabourinvain。
　　Thekingwasintoomuchfearofknowinghimselftounderstand
　　thatstudy:heknewthepenetrationandseverityofhisown
　　judgment，andonnoaccountwouldheexerciseitathisownexpense。
　　TheducdeDuras，althoughamanoflittlewit，wasyetgayand
　　alwayslively。
　　Heamusedme；Ilikedhisbuoyantdisposition，
　　andforgavehimalthoughhehadrangedhimselfwiththeprotesting
　　peers。
　　Infact，Icouldnotbeangrywithhim。
　　Thefollyof
　　oppositionhadonlyseizedonhimbecauseitwasepidemic。
　　The
　　deardukehadfoundhimselfwithwolves，andhadbeguntohowl
　　withthem。
　　Iamsurethathewasastonishedathimselfwhenhe
　　rememberedthesignaturewhichhehadgiven，andthelovehehad
　　testifiedfortheoldparliament，forwhich，infact，hecaredno
　　morethanJeandeVert。
　　Godknowshowhecompensatedforthis
　　littlefollyatthechateau。
　　Itwasbyredoublinghisassiduities
　　totheking，andbyincessantattentionstome。
　　Ingeneral，those
　　whowishedtothriveatcourtonlysoughthowtomaketheir
　　courageremembered；M。deDuraswasonlyemployedinmaking
　　hisforgotten。
　　TheprincedeTerigny，thecomted’Escars，theducdeFleury，
　　werenottheleastamusing。
　　Theykeptupalivelystrainof
　　conversation，andthekinglaughedoutrageously。
　　Butthevilest
　　ofthepartywastheducdeFronsac。
　　Yegods！
　　whatawretch！
　　Tospeakillofhimisnosin。
　　Amangledlikenessofhisfather，
　　hehadallhisfaultswithnotoneofhismerits。
　　Hewasperpetually
　　changinghismistresses，butitcannotbesaidwhetheritwas
　　inconstancyonhispart，ordisgustontheirs，butthelatter
　　appearstomemostprobable。
　　Thoughyoung，hewasdevouredby
　　goutorsomeotherinfirmity，butitwascalledgoutoutof
　　deferencetothehouseofRichelieu。
　　Theytalkedoftheduchess
　　de——，whosehusbandwassaidtohavepoisonedher。
　　ThesaintsofVersailles——theducdelaVauguyon，theducd’Estissac，
　　andM。deDurfort——didlikeothers。
　　Thesepersonspractised
　　religioninthefaceoftheworld，andabstainedfromloose
　　conversationinpresenceoftheirownfamilies；butwiththeking
　　theylaidasidetheirreligionandreserve，sothatthesehypocrites
　　hadinthecityallthehonoursofdevotion，andintheroyal
　　apartmentsalltheadvantagesoflooseconduct。
　　Asforme，I
　　wasatVersaillesthesameaseverywhereelse。
　　Topleasethe
　　kingIhadonlytobemyself。
　　Irelied，forthefuture，onmy
　　uniformityofconduct。
　　Whatcharmedhimintheevening，would
　　delightagainthenextday。
　　Hehadanequilibriumofpleasure，
　　abalanceofamusementwhichcanhardlybedescribed；itwas
　　everydaythesamevariety；thesamejourneys，thesame
　　fetes，
　　theballs，thetheatres，allcameroundatfixedperiodswiththe
　　mostmonotonousregularity。
　　Infact，thepeopleknewexactly
　　whentolaughandwhentolookgrave。
　　Therewasinthechateauamostsingularcharacter，thegrand
　　masteroftheceremoniesofFrance。
　　Hisgreat-grandfather，his
　　grandfather，hisfather，whohadfulfilledthesefunctionsfora
　　century，hadtransmittedtohimtheirunderstandingandtheir
　　duties。
　　Allhethoughtofwashowtoregulatethemotionsand
　　stepsofeverypersonatcourt。
　　Headoredthedauphinanddauphiness，
　　becausetheybothdivertedandfatiguedthemselvesaccordingto
　　therulesinsuchcasesmadeandprovided。
　　Hewasalwayspreaching
　　tomeandquotedagainstmetheprecedentsofDianedePoitiers，
　　orGabrielled’Estrees。
　　Onedayhetoldmethatallthemisfortunes
　　ofMademoiselledelaValliereoccurredinconsequenceofher
　　neglectofetiquette。
　　Hewouldhavehadallmatterspassatcourt
　　duringtheoldageofLouisXVasattheperiodofthechildhood
　　ofLouisXIV，andwouldfainhavehadtheadministrationofthe
　　，thathemighthavearrangedallwithdueceremonies。
　　Sincethiswordhasescapedmypen，Iwilltell
　　yousomethingofit。
　　Doyouknow，myfriend，thatbutlittleis
　　knownofthisplace，ofwhichsomuchhasbeensaid。
　　Icantell
　　you，betterthananyotherperson，whatitreallywas，forI，like
　　themarquisedePompadour，tookuponmyselfthesuperintendence
　　ofit，andbusiedmyselfwithwhattheydidthere。
　　Itwas，，theblackspotinthereignofLouisXV，andwillcostme
　　muchpaintodescribe。
　　ThevicesofLouisXVweretheresultofbadeducation。
　　Whenan
　　infant，theygavehimforgovernorthevainest，mostcoxcombical，
　　stupidestofmen——theducdeVilleroi，whohadsowellservedthe
　　king，*
　　*Thecountessalludestothewritten，afterhis
　　famousdefeat，“。“
　　Ed。i。e。，author
　　Neverhadcourtiersomuchcourtiershipashe。
　　Hesawthe