soon as he heard of the Conclusion of the Treaty of _Vienna_, by which
the Emperor consented to the Introduction of the _Spaniards_. He then
let the Marchioness _del Spigo_ into the true Motives of his Abdication,
and into the Measures he intended to take for reascending the Throne.
This ambitious Woman encourag'd him, and being withal a very cunning
intriguing Person, she left no Stone unturn'd to bring a Project to
bear, which would set her on the Throne; and she engag'd all her Friends
and Relations in the Affair, of whom some betray'd her.
[29] These Proofs were his sending for the Marquis _del Borgo_ to
_Montcallier_, demanding the Instrument of Abdication from him, giving
him but twelve Hours time to fetch it, and his appearing before the
Citadel of _Turin_, with a View of getting into it, and of animating the
Garison to assist him in his Enterprise.
[30] These were all Privy Counsellors and Great Men, who being assembled
by Order of the King, and consulted on the imminent Danger of his being
dethron'd were all of Opinion for putting _Victor Amedeus_ and his
Consort under an Arrest.
[31] He died _Oct._ 31. 1732.
[32] She died _Jan._ 13. 1735. and his Majesty has since married Sister
of the present Great Duke of _Tuscany_.
[33] There is now but one Prince, the youngest being dead; but there are
three Princesses.
[34] This is the Cardinal _Ferrera_, Bishop of _Verceil_.
[35] This wou'd be very extraordinary, as Mr. _Addison_ observes, were
it not for other neighbouring Mountains that rise above it.
[36] This shews another Mistake of _Misson_, who says this Side is the
most rugged.
[37] The _French_ are not the only People who boast of the Grandeur and
other Advantages of _Lyons_, as appears from this Epigram by _Scaliger_.
_Flumineis Rhodanus qua se fugat incitus undis, Quaque pigro dubitat
flumine mitis Arar, Lugdunum jacet, antiquo novus orbis in orbe,
Lugdunumque vetus orbis in orbe novo. Quod nolis, alibi quaras; hic
quare quod optas: Aut hic, aut nusquam, vincre vota potes. Lugduni
quodcunque potest dare mundus habebis: Plura petas, hac urbs & tibi
plura dabit._
i. e.
_Where +Rhone+ impetuous rolls, and where the slow And gentle +Sâon+
with milder Streams does flow, There +Lyons+ stands; where we united
find, What scatter'd thro' the World delights the Mind; And if you still
seek more with greedy eye, +Lyons+ can ev'n more Wonders still supply._
[38] Her Amours with M. _de Lauzun_ have made a great Noise.
[39] This Misfortune came upon the Duke and Duchess of _Maine_, merely
from a Suspicion which the Regent entertain'd, that the Duke had a Hand
in the pretended Conspiracy of the Prince of _Cellamare_, the Ambassador
of _Spain_; which, they said, was to remove the Duke of _Orleans_ from
the Regency, and to vest it in the King of _Spain_, who wou'd have put
the Duke of _Maine_ in his Place, according to _Lewis_ XIVth's last
Will. The bare Suspicion however amounted to fix the Guilt upon this
Prince, and all that belong'd to him. It were to be wish'd, that some
Eye-witness of what was then transacted at Court, and in _Bretagne_,
wou'd give the Public an exact Account of it.
[40] The Friar, who in the other Orders is a Prior, is call'd a Minister
in this Order, which it better known in _France_ by the Name of the
_Mathurias_.
[41] In all Appearance, the _Latin_ Name _Lutetia_ comes from
_Leucothecia_, which signifies _white Town_, a Name that _Strabo_ gives
to this City, the Houses of which were plaister'd. By Abbreviation it
was call'd _Lutetia_. As to the Name _Paris_, 'tis certain, that it
comes from _Para-Isis_, near _Isis_, a well-known Goddess, who had
several Temples in this Canton; where she was so particularly
worshipp'd, that from her Name the Inhabitants were call'd
_Para-Isians_, the Neighbours of _Isis_. They, who have carefully
examin'd the Gate of the _Carmelites_ Church, and the Building of its
Chapel, will own, that it was formerly the Temple of this Goddess; whose
Statue, in Iron, holding a Handful of Ears of Corn, is still on the
Front of the Building.
[42] The Author does not say _whither_ nor _from whence_ those Sheep are
stray'd. All those Sheep feed in the same Pasture, or at least, there
are but few of 'em that feed in the Pastures to which M. _de Vintimille_
could wish to bring the others. Some Slanderers don't scruple to say,
that this _good_ Prelate gives himself more Uneasiness about the
_Excellency of the Dishes_ at his Table, than the Goodness of the
Pasture for his Sheep: For he has been seen to give the same Welcome to
the _Jesuits_, and the _Fathers of the Oratory_, to the _Capuchins_ and
the _Benedictins_, &c. For the Sake of such of our Readers as have a
Taste for _French_ Poetry, we insert the following _Epigram_; which was
made upon this Prelate's Mandate in Favour of the Constitution:
_Le Public est un Sot, d'être scandalisé Du Mandement que +Vintimille+
Vient de repandre dans la Ville, Me disoit ce Matin un Docteur avisé! Il
est, dit il, d'Usage indispensable, Pour qu'un Saint soit canonisé,
D'entendre l'Avocat du Diable._
[43] This is a Thing in Question; and the Negative seems to be plainly
proved by the Opinions of the Counsellors of the Parlement, all Men of
unexceptionable Character, who voted for putting the Reverend Father to
Death.
[44] He is now Archbishop of _Sens_, and very well known for the famous
Story of _Maria Aliacoque_, a celebrated Saint of his own making.
[45] The Count _de Gergy_ died in 1733 in his Embassy, and was succeeded
by the Count _de Froulay_.
[46] As the Parson of St. _Sulpice_ stretches his Invention to the
utmost, how to allure the Multitude, in 1734 he out-did all that he had
ever done before, so that his Procession was more like the March of an
Army than any thing else, because of the many Trumpets, Kettle-drums,
Hunting-horns, _&c._ which made the Air echo with their Flourishes. It
may by Degrees come to be like the Processions at _Cambray_, _Antwerp_,
_Brussels_, and other Towns of the _Netherlands_; where, to the Scandal
of the Christian Religion, we see the Revival of all the Impertinencies
of the Pagan.
[47] The Mode of _Bagnolette_, _i. e._ Bathing-tubs, came from this
Village, to which the Country-women carry them.
[48] _Philippa Elisabeth_ of _Orleans_. She died of the Small-pox _May_
21, 1734. unmarried, and universally lamented.
[49] _Louisa Diana_ of _Orleans_. She was married in 1732. to _Lewis_ of
_Bourbon_, Prince of _Conti_, by whom she had a Son, born _Sept._ 1,
1734. while the Prince was in the King's Army upon the _Rhine_.
[50] It should have been observ'd in the Article of _Turin_, that this
Queen died the second of _January_, 1735, O. S. and the King has since
marry'd the eldest Sister of the present Duke of _Lorain_.
[51] He is married since 1732, to _Louisa-Diana_ of _Orleans_, youngest
Daughter of the late Regent.
[52] The Origin of the Fable is this. _Mehemed Ben Aschen_, or the Son
of _Aschen_, Admiral of _Sale_, was deputed from the King of _Morocco_,
but I know not in what Year, to the Court of _France_. When this Corsair
was at _Paris_, he heard great Talk of the Princess of _Conti_'s Beauty,
and of the particular Affection which the King had for her: In order to
ingratiate himself with the _French_, he gave out, that the Emperor his
Master having seen the Picture of that Princess among other Effects
which belong'd to a Christian who was taken into Slavery, he thought her
the most beautiful of her Sex; and that his _Moorish_ Majesty said, That
if he had such a Lady in his Seraglio, he should never desire any other.
_Mehemed_'s Story was presently carried far and near, but it was told
quite different from the Truth; for it was reported in a very little
time, that he was come to demand the Princess in Marriage for _Muley
Ismael_ his Master. As there seem'd to be something mysterious in the
Picture, a Messenger was sent in all Haste to the Ambassador's Lodgings,
to know the Name of the Slave from whom it was taken; but his
_Mahometan_ Excellency so prevaricated, that his Answer was far from
being satisfactory. Nevertheless, his pretended Demand of this Princess
was so much the Subject of Conversation among the _French_ for several
Months, that according to the Custom of this People, they at length made
a Sonnet upon it, which follows.
To the Tune of _Je ne suis né ni Roi ni Prince_.
_Votre beauté, grande Princesse, Porte les traits dont l'Amour blesse,
Jusques aux plus sauvages dieux: L'Afrique avec vous capitule, Et les
conquétes de vos yeux Vont plus loin que celles d'Hercule._
_S'il est bien vrai qu'il vous adore, Que je plains ce pauvre Roi Maure,
D'être sensible à vos appas! En vain envers vous il s'explique; La
France ne donnera pas Son Ange au Diable de l'Afrique._
Which may be thus English'd,
_Your Beauty, Great Princess, Carries Love's killing Shafts To Nations
the most savage; +Afric+ with you capitulates, And the Conquests of your
Eyes Even those of +Hercules+ surmount._
_If it be true that he adores you, How do I pity the poor Negro King,
Who is so smitten with your Charms! In vain he makes his Passion known
to you; For sure +France+ will never give Her Angel to the Devil of
+Africa+._
[53] 'Tis a Letter _from a Gentleman retir'd from the World, to a Friend
of his_, wherein he celebrates the happy Innocence, and the Freedom of
his tranquil Retreat, in a Style that cannot but be pleasing to the
Admirers of _French_ Poetry; and for their Sakes we insert the Original,
with only an _English_ Paraphrase in the Margin.
Je vois regner sur ce rivage The Author begins with expressing
L'Innocence et la Liberté. his Surprise at the Concurrence Que d'Objects
dans ce paisage, of Objects of different Qualities Malgre leur
contrarieté, in his Retirement; such as M'étonnent par leur Assémbláge!
Abundance with Frugality, Abondante frugalité, Authority with
Indulgence, Riches Autorité sans Esclaváge with Sobriety, Richesses sans
Libertinagé, Charges, Noblesse, sans fuerté. Honours with Humility: And
having Mon choix est fait, ce voisinage therefore fix'd on this Spot for
Détermine ma volonté. his Residence, he implores the Bienfaisante
Divinité, Sanction of the Divine Providence Ajoutez y votre suffrage. to
his Choice.
Disciple de l'Adversité, Here he says, that having been Je viens faire
dans le village train'd-up in the School of Le volontaire apprentissage
Adversity, he prefers a voluntary D'une tardive obscurité. Obscurity in
the Village; that he Aussi bien, de mon plus bel âge has experienc'd the
Instability of J'apperçois l'instabilité. Youth; that he has seen the
Return J'ai deja, de compte arrêté, of 40 Springs, which he regrets
Quarante fois vu le feuillage that he has so ill improv'd; and Par le
Zéphyr ressuscité. promises to make a better Use of Du Printems j'ai mal
profité: the Summer of his Life. J'en ai regret; et de l'Eté Je veux
faire un meilleur usage.
J'apporte dans mon Hermitage, He says he brings to his Hermitage Un coeur
des longtems rebuté a Heart which has been for a long Du prompt et
funeste esclavage, Time the fatal Slave of foolish Fruit de la folle
vanité. Vanity; but that now he is become Paisan sans rusticité, a
Peasant without Clownishness, a Hermite sans patelinage, Hermit without
Bigotry; and that Mon but est la tranquillité. Tranquillity being his
Aim, he Je veux pour unique partage, desires no other Portion in Life La
paix d'un coeur qui se dégage but the Peace of his Mind, Des filets de la
Volupté. disentangled from the Snares of Pleasure.
L'incorruptible probité, Here he declares, that De mes Ayeux noble
Heritage, incorruptible Probity, the noble A la Cour ne m'a point
quitté. Inheritance he deriv'd from his Libre et franc, sans être
sauvage, Ancestors, did not forsake him at Du Courtisan fourbe et volage
Court, where being frank and free, L'exemple ne m'a point gâté, without
being rude, the Example of L'infatigable activité, the crafty giddy
Courtier had not tainted him. He observes the good Effect of his former
Miscarriage; that it has made him active and indefatigable; and he hopes
Reste d'un utile naufrage, from henceforwards to be happy in Mes Etudes,
mon Jardinage, his Studies, in his Garden, and Un Repas sans art
appreté, in a plain Diet dress'd by his D'une Epouse oeconome et sage
frugal prudent Wife, whose good La belle humeur, le bon ménage, Nature
is equal to her [OE]conomy. Vont faire ma félicité.
C'est dans ce Port, qu'en sureté In this Port, says he, my Vessel Ma
Barque ne craint point l'orage. dreads no Storm. Let who will defy Qu'un
autre à son tour emporté, the Rage of the Winds, while he Au gré de sa
cupidité, coasts along the Shore, I laugh at Sur le sein de l'humide
plage, his Presumption, and wish him a Des Vents ose affronter la rage;
good Voyage; but reserve my Je ris de sa témerité, Courage for a more
important Et lui souhaite un bon voyage. Passage, and approach with Je
réserve ma fermeté Boldness to the Gates of Eternity. Pour un plus
important passage; Et je m'approche avec courage, Des portes de
l'Eternité.
Je sai que la mortalité The Poet concludes with a Du Genre humain est
l'appanage: Reflection, that since Mortality Pourquoi seul serois-je
excepté? is intail'd upon all Mankind, why La vie est un pelerinage:
should he alone think to be De son cours la rapidité, exempted? And he
says, that since Loin de m'alarmer, me soulage. Life is but a
Pilgrimage, the De sa fin, quand je l'envisage, Rapidity of its Race,
instead of L'infallible necessité alarming, comforts him; and that Ne me
sauroit faire d'outrage. the infallible Necessity of his Brulez de l'Or
empaqueté, Death, when he seriously considers Il n'en perit que
l'embalage: the Matter, is no more an Injury C'est tour. Un si leger
dommage to him, than the burning of a Bale Devroit-il être regreté? of
Gold is to the Metal, which remains intire, tho' the Case that contains
it is consum'd; which, he adds, is too trifling a Loss to be regarded.
[54] The King gave this young Duke, when he was but nine Years old, the
Reversion of the Post of Great Admiral, for a New-Year's Gift, on the
first of _January_ 1734. He is handsome, well-set, all Life and Spirit,
and gives very fair Hopes of being a great Man.
[55] As soon as he arrived, the Place _de Vendosme_, or the Square of
_Lewis le Grand_, where M. _Daguesseau_ liv'd, was set apart for the
Stock-jobbing Trade, which was before carried on in the Street
_Quinquempoix_; and one Morning, a Paper was found at the Chancellor's
Door, with these Words, _Et homo factus est, & habitabit cum nobis_.
[56] He is actually join'd in the Administration with the Cardinal _de
Fleury_, who was very glad to nominate a Person for his Coadjutor.
[57] He died some time ago at _Paris_, very much lamented by all that
knew him.
[58] The present Archbishop of _Ambrun_, famous for his Zeal for the
Constitution, for the Persecution of the Bishop of _Senez_, and for his
little Council at _Ambrun_.
[59] He died at _Maestricht_ in the Year 1734, a Cornet in the Regiment
of the Prince of _Orange-Friseland_. But Mr. _Law_ has left an amiable
Daughter, who has had a fine Education, and married to Lord
_Wallingford_, Son to the Earl of _Banbury_.
[60] These Verses are not in the first Edition of these Memoirs, but are
added, by the Bookseller, to the second.
[61] _James Nompar_ of _Caument_, Duke _de la Force_, an assiduous
humble Servant of Mr. _Law_, and who, by his Management, during the
_Missisippi_ Scheme, drew a great many Pasquinades upon himself, of
which this is not the severest.
[62] The Abbé _Terrasson_, who wrote in Favour of the Scheme.
[63] _Law_ had three Cocks for his Arms.
[64] As these Lines will not admit of a Version to the Satisfaction of
an _English_ Reader, 'tis sufficient to acquaint him, that they are a
Satire upon the Humour which prevail'd at that Time, among People of all
Ranks, from the Duke to his Scullion, to be Adventurers in Mr. _Law_'s
Scheme; a Madness which was contemporary, and equally mischievous with
the Delusion that was so predominant in our own Country, in that fatal
Year of 1720, when so many People were, as we may term it, cast away in
the _South-Sea_, and the lesser Whirlpools, call'd _Bubbles_, of which
there was almost an infinite Number.
[65] This, with the Calculation annexed to it, is an Addition by the
Editor, to the second Edition, which was not in the first Edition of
these Memoirs.
[66] There was a Label affixed to the Gate of the _Palais_ Royal, with
these Words, _Esurientes implevit bonis, & Divites dimisit inanes_, i.
e. The Hungry he hath fill'd with good Things, but the Rich he hath sent
empty away.
[67] He was of the _Lorain_ Family, and was succeeded in his Office of
Master of the Horse by his Son Prince _Charles_.
[68] The King of _France_ having declar'd War against the Emperor in
1733, in Conjunction with the Kings of _Spain_ and _Sardinia_, his
Majesty gave the Marshal _de Villars_ the Command of his Army in
_Italy_; to which Country he repair'd after the Conquest of the
_Milanese_ had been very far advanc'd. He took _Pizzighitone_; but the
Imperial Army being at length form'd, the Count _de Merci_, who
commanded it, having taken the Field with it on a sudden, by passing the
_Po_, made so many Motions, that the old Marshal, being forc'd to be
_every-where_, according to his old Phrase, fell sick upon it, and was
oblig'd to leave the Army. Some do not stick to say, that he had Orders
for it from Court, where his Conduct was not approv'd: Be this as it
will, his Distemper growing worse upon his Arrival at _Turin_, he died
there the 17th of _June_ 1734, in the 84th Year of his Age, in the same
Room, as 'tis said, where he was born, his Father the Marquis _de
Villars_ being then there by Order of the King. In 1702 he married
_Joanna-Angelica Roque de Varengeville_, whose Father was the King's
Ambassador at _Venice_. The Family of _Villars_ is originally of
_Lyons_, and first began to be distinguish'd in the Person of _Claude de
Villars_, Lord of _Chapelle_, and _Masclas_, second Son to _Francis de
Villars_, born about _Ann._ 1516. The Marshal was to the last a Man of
uncommon Gaiety and Gallantry; for whether Fighting or Dancing, he
appear'd with the same Vivacity and good Humour, and seem'd an Enemy to
none except the Jesuits. What did not consist with such a Temper, was
his Love of Money; and he inrich'd himself too much by the Spoils of
War, and the Contributions he used to raise for Safe-guards, _&c._ But
as for his Soldier-like Character, this one Story of him may suffice; In
1702 the Marshal order'd his Army to pass the _Rhine_ at _Haguenau_, the
same Night that he invited several Gentlemen and ladies to a Ball, where
he danc'd till two o'Clock in the Morning, and then mounted his Horse
unobserv'd, and follow'd his Army; with which he surprised the Prince of
_Baden_, and fought a Battle by the Time the Ball was broke up; for
which Action the King gave him the Marshal's Batoon. The Conquests of
_Milan_ and other Places in _Italy_, which he made in 1733, were
accompany'd also with Dancing and Balls; but Age and Infirmities, at
last, made a Conquest of him. His Memory and his Judgment so fail'd him,
that he became troublesome to the Army; but his fighting Humour still
prevail'd, and he would have endanger'd all, had not the King of
Sardinia prevail'd on the King of _France_ to recall him. However, the
King of _Sardinia_ took Leave of him in the Field with great Civility,
and at his Arrival at _Turin_, where he fell ill of a Dysentery,
accompany'd with a Fever, of which he died, he was receiv'd very
graciously by the late Queen, who presented him with a Diamond Sword,
valued at 300 Pistoles.
The following Sonnet was presented to the Marshal, when he set out for
_Italy_.
_Villars, tes grands Exploits qui sauverent la France, Dans les Siecles
futurs t'immortaliseront. La Paix fut le doux fruit de ta haute
prudence; Mais de nouveaux Lauriers doivent ceindre ton front._
_Le Pere de ton Roi, l'Espagne & le Piémont, Sur toi seul aujourd'hui
fondent leurs Esperances. Arme ton bras vainquer, cours venger leur
affront; L'Allemand pourra-i-il soutenir ta présence?_
_Les grands Coeurs en tout tems conservent leur valeur, L'Age respecte en
eux leur prémiere vigueur, Ils savent s'affranchir des Loix de la
Nature:_
_Semblables aux Lauriers que leur main va cueillir, Qui des ans, des
saisons ne craiguent point l'injure, Les Héros ont le droit le ne jamais
vieillir._
i. e.
_+Villars+, thy great Exploits, which sav'd all +France+, In future Ages
will immortalise thee. The Peace was the kind Product of thy great
Wisdom; But new Laurels are still to deck thy Brow._
_The Father of thy King, +Spain+, and +Piedmont+ too, Upon thee alone do
now found all their Hopes. Haste with thy conqu'ring Arm their Quarrel
to avenge; Will +Germany+ be able to withstand thy Presence?_
_Great Souls always retain their Valour; To their former Vigour Age
itself pays a Respect; They can shake off the Yoke of Nature's Laws._
_Like to the Laurels gather'd by their Hands, Which are Proof against
the Injuries of Years and Seasons, Heroes never stoop to old Age._
[69] By Mrs. _Arabella Churchill_, Sister to the late Duke of
_Marlborough_.
[70] The King, having appointed the Marshal _de Villars_ to command in
_Italy_, thought fit to send the Marshal _de Berwic_ to oppose Prince
_Eugene_, whom the Emperor had nominated for the Command on the _Rhine_.
He began the Siege of _Philipsburg_; but on the first of _June_, O. S.
1734, as he went to take a View of the Trenches, he was kill'd with a
Cannon Ball between his two Grandsons. He is succeeded in all his Titles
by his Son the Duke _de Liria_, now Duke of _Berwic_, _&c._ who has been
lately at the Court of _Naples_.
It will be doing no Dishonour to the Marshal, to say he made War his
Trade, which he studied with an unwearied Application; and as he never
wanted Courage, so none had more military Knowledge. Having consider'd
War as a Science, he left little to Chance, or even Bravery; but
depended upon Skill and Discipline, which was the Thing that gain'd him
the Battle of _Almanza_. As he was so regular and mechanical a Warrior,
he was himself the Life and Soul of his Army, not as he was belov'd, but
as he was much fear'd by his Soldiers, whom he never spar'd, and least
of all, his own Countrymen, that came to serve in _France_. He was
reserved even to his General Officers, rarely consulting them, nor so
much as communicating the Orders he had receiv'd, or the Designs he had
projected, but as they had their own Parts to execute in them. Tho' he
was the best regular General of his Time, yet he was the least
enterprizing one. He was never a great Favourite at the Court of
_France_, which is something to be wonder'd at, considering the Use he
was made of upon every Occasion; for as a Soldier of Fortune, he had no
Obligations but for his Appointments; and yet attach'd himself to
_France_ preferably to any other Nation. As he was bred up in the War
against the _English_, his Enmity to them became a second Nature, which
is suppos'd to be the Reason that he never did one of that Nation any
Service, beside those of his own Family. As the Marshal took care to be
obey'd by the Officers and Soldiers of the Armies he commanded, he was
always obsequious himself to the Orders of the Court, of which there
needs no other Proof, than the Instance above-mention'd; when he
appear'd in Arms against _Spain_ with Alacrity, after he had receiv'd
the highest Honours from King _Philip_.
He had the Title of Duke of _Berwic_, and likewise the Garter conferr'd
on him by King _James_. He was born in 1671, so that when he died, he
was sixty-three Years of Age.
[71] The Family of _Estrées_, originally of _Picardy_, was in Possession
of the Dignities of the Crown before _Gabriella_; for her Grandfather
was Great Master of the Artillery of _France_.
[72] This is the common Name in _Italy_ for Interpreters or Expounders
of Antiquities.