[1] This portrait is the frontispiece of the present translated
edition.--TR.
[2] Correspondance Complète de Madame la Duchesse d'Orléans, née
Princesse Palatine, Mère du Régent; traduction entièrement nouvelle,
par M. G. Brunet. Paris: Charpentier, 1891.
[3] Madame's own spelling could hardly be worse; she always spells
Saint-Cloud "_Saint-Clou_."--TR.
[4] Monsieur had died on the 9th of June, and the scene between Madame
and Mme. de Maintenon had taken place in the interim.--TR.
[5] Curious details as to these satirical medals will be found in a
work by Klotz: _Historia numorum Contumeliosorum_, Attenbury, 1765.
(French editor.)
[6] Madame here refers to the Lorraines, whose scandalous relations to
Monsieur are matters of history.--TR.
[7] We remember Saint-Simon's account of Madame who "arrived howling,
in full-dress." Madame will tell us herself that she never owned
a dressing-gown; and as she had nothing but "full-dress" or a
riding habit, her costume on this occasion seems the best she could
choose.--TR.
[8] This appears to be the only letter contemporaneous with the deaths
of the Duc and Duchesse de Bourgogne (to which it alludes) that has
been preserved.--TR.
[9] As to this tale see the "Memoirs of the Duc de Saint-Simon, which
gives Mme des Ursins own account of the affair."--TR.
[10] She was married in 1722 to Luis, Prince of the Asturias. See the
"Memoirs of the Duc de Saint-Simon."--TR.
[11] So-called from her height; she was his half-sister, the daughter
of Mme. de la Vallière. Mme. la Duchesse was the daughter of Mme. de
Montespan.--TR.
[12] Charles-Louis Baudelot de Dairval devoted his life to the study
of antiquity; was a member of the Académie des Inscriptions, and wrote
a book on "The Utility of Travelling." (French editor.)
[13] _Boudins_. Littré defines them as guts filled with blood and pork
fat.--TR.
[14] Louise-Élisabeth, born 1709, married January 20, 1722, to Louis,
Prince of the Asturias; see Saint-Simon's account of the marriage,
and her behaviour. Philippe V. abdicated in favour of Louis in 1724,
but the latter dying within six months, Philippe resumed the crown.
The young queen then returned to France, where she lived unnoticed
and died in 1742. In Spain she had shown "the sulky, sullen temper of
a dull and silly child," and continued to do so after her return to
Paris.--TR.
[15] Daughter of Philippe V., brought to France to be educated and
married to Louis XV.; see "Saint-Simon." The marriage never took
place, and the infanta was sent back to Spain, April 5, 1725, when the
treaty of alliance between Spain and Austria was signed, and France,
England, and Prussia formed a counter treaty.--TR.
[16] Sainte-Beuve does not mention that this letter was written by
Mme. de Maintenon to the Comte d'Ayen to soothe him for the part of
Josabeth being taken from his wife. Mme. de Maintenon's diplomacy is
visible.--TR.
[17] Sainte-Beuve has selected the harshest terms in which Madame has
mentioned the dauphine's change of conduct. The reader will have read,
earlier in this volume, Madame's other and much fuller comments, which
are kind and evidently just.--TR.
[18] Saturday, September 13th, was the day of the assault of the
town and of the singular scene with Mme. de Maintenon, described by
Saint-Simon. See vol. i. of translated edition.--TR.
[19] This was the miscarriage which caused the memorable scene at the
carp basin.--TR.
[20] "Esther," and "Athalie," of Racine; "Absalon" and "Jonathas," by
Duché; "Jephté," by the Abbé Boyer.
[21] This is a confidence made at Saint-Cyr to Mme. de Glapion, one
of the Dames de Saint-Cyr, whose zeal, modesty, tenderness of soul,
intelligence and devotion to duty had won for her the friendship of
the foundress. She narrates the conversation. (French editor.)