187 [=189]

Lett. xlvii. Letters Historical and Gal[l]ant. 187

reward proportionable to his services, without interfering with the glory of the house." The Lady durst not make a reply, but as she had taken her measures before, she acquainted Mr. P** with this conversation and bid him try, by his good sense to prevail on the Countess. After a good deal of thought, he resolved, since nothing but the uncertainty of his birth, hind[e]red the Countess from giving her consent, to remove that [obstacle?] to let her know it, persuaded that her esteem for him would surmount every thing else. With this view he demanded audience of the Countess, and as soon as he was alone in the Cabinet with her he thew himself at her feet. "Madam,["] says he, ["]I flattered my self till now, that Your Highness honoured me with yr. esteem, and yet it is that which opposes my happiness this day. Madam ** does me the honour to wish me well, the Count your son authorizes my courtship. What have I done to you, madam, and what can any one reproach me with for the many years I have had the honour to be in your service?["] ----- ["]I have nothing to reproach you with,["] says the Countess, ["]but I don't care to reproach myself for suffering such a match to go on. Do justice to your self within the bounds of what is proper to you, and you may have room to be satisfied with my acknowledgements. Ask for employments; you shall have them, but do not forget your self so far as to pretend to an alliance which you ought not to flatter your self that you can ever enter into. For in short, sir,["] added she, ["]you have told us you are a gentleman, and we were willing to believe you upon your word, because you have the behaviour & the sentiments of one. But there is reason to think, if you were any thing more, you would have told us so too, for you are of a country where people don't forget such things.["] ----- ["]Madam,["] replyed [replied] Mr. P** ["]if I could make my self known to Your Highness without incurring your indignation, you should soon see that my birth does not unqualify me for the honour I aspire to. Yes, madam,["] continued he, ["]you will be convinced when you know that I am that unfortunate Abbot de Ganges, whose crime is too well known where his person is not. It was I that presented the pistol and the poison to my unfortunate sister in law, and proposed that cruel choice to her! You know the rest, madam, spare me the frightful relation. I thought then I had reasons for committing so barbarous an action. I have performed a cruel pennance [penance] for it; and I believe, that since I have had the honour to be in your court, I have behaved with much different sentiments.["] ----- ["]What,["] cry'd [cried] the Countess, ["]are you that abominable Abbot de Ganges, for whom I have always had such horror? What a monster have I had near me, and committed the education of my son to! I tremble when I think he has been in such barbarous hands." The Count who was listening what would be the success of his tutor[']s conversation, came in when he found it turned out so ill; and all he could obtain from Madam was that this unhappy person should not be arrested. He had orders to march off speedily, and he is at present Master of Languages in a town of Holland which I shall not name, and even found the secret of carrying the lady off with him, and engaging her to marry him. He professes the Protestant religion, and lives, they say a moral life. The Countess trembled when she thought on the risque [risk] her son ran; for they had let him travel under the conduct of that illustrious tutor, of whom they had the highest opinion imaginable, and who in the mean time might have inspired him with pernicious sentiments. This however was not the case, the young Count is at present a model of perfection. But those that suck the milk of the wildest beasts, do not always from thence contact their inclinations. I remember to have seen once this same Abbot de Ganges under the name of Mr. P** when he was on his travels with the Count: I even conversed with him & found in him a great deal of wit, for [']tis true he has an infinite share of it.

And now I am upon wit, there has happened a comical affair enough here: Two of the literati dined together at one of the best taverns in town, they entertained themselves at dinner with subjects proper to them, and talk'd of the belles lettres. Ancient and modern authors submitted one after another to their criticisms; and at last one of them decided in favour of Voiture. "You must allow,["] says he to his companion, ["]that Voiture's are the prettiest letters in the world. The stile [style] of them is easy and smooth, and I can never admire them enough!" His learned companion consented to the great astonishment of a marchant [merchant] that was at table with them, and had list[e]ned to their conversation, as if he understood something of the matter. I have told you already that the merchants are the prime people here, so that you must not be surprised, that this should be engaged with men of wit. After he had heark[e]ned a great while silently to them, he found at last the use of his tongue, and looking at them with an air of compassion: "Gentlemen,["] says he, ["]give me leave to tell you, that I had a better notion of your judgement till now, I have been heark[e]ning to you this whole hour, praising Voiture[']s letters, what the devil do you find so fine in them? I own their stile [style] is natural enough; but you need but look at one and you'll know all. I'll make you if you please above a hundred of them in a day.["] ----- ["]What,["] replyed [replied] our literati, ["]you tell us you'll make a hundred letters as good as Voiture[']s in a day. Pray what do you take your self for?["] ----- ["]What do I take my self for,["] says he, with a sneer, [']tis the chief branch of my trade; &