286 [=288]

[286]

[Letters Historical and Galant. Vol. 5]

Guiscard's Fright was a little better founded. When he found himself taken, he might well judge it was him they
wanted, and that he was detected, but he should still have waited till he was convicted, before he gave himself up so to des
pair. And this despair should have arm'd him against himself alone, as our Swede did, and not have made him com-
mit such an Attempt as he did against the Life of one of his Judges. A Crime which of it self had been enough to destroy
him, tho' those he was accused of had not been proved. But most people lose their Senses as soon as they fall into Danger
and yet "tis reason alone that can help a man to bring him out of it, and keeping cool Sense enough to take the best side, or
at least the least bad one, for it is certain that as well as there is good and better, there is also bad and Worse; and
despair always determines in favour of the Worst.

It was despair that obliged Mr. de ** to kill himself going out of Morel Wood, where he lost the money he
designed to purchase an Employment with at the Court of Lorraine ---- Had Madam de ** not consulted it, she
had never undone her self, for not finding in the Prince of D**s Heart all the returns she wished: and without this
Remedy, which is called a remedy for all evils, tho' tis always worse than the disease, we might get rid of our Evils if we
would but call reason to our aid and not immediately lose what they call the Tramontane.

Mr. Noble, of whom I have so often wrote to you in my former letters, always shunn'd that deadly shelf, and bore
for many long years the Effects of a most obstinate misfortune; His Person, his honour, and his Estate were seized, and
yet they could never deprive him of that gay humour, which has always been the Charms of his Works. He has left his Per-
secutors with a Philosophy that he has shewn in the midst of persecutions. He has lately departed this life, after immor
talising his name and Memory; and to the eternal Shame of our Age he has dyed among the Incurables, where his
Infirmities and ill fortune had obliged him to put in for a place. I have not yet seen any Epitaph upon him: but I
send you one on the famous Boileau, whose Death, and the pious Dispositions he made of his Estate in favour of the
poor and his domesticks, you will doubtless see in the publick papers.

An Epitaph on Mr. Boileau Despreaux.

They write from Rome, that the Pope is disposed to give the Nosegay to the Dutchess of Berri. I dont
pretend to say by this, that he has a design to give her a Ball; for, besides the Carnaval being over, we know very well
that such glaring Gallantry would not become his Holiness. I only meant that he intends to make her a present of a nosegay,
but I must tell you 'tis no very poor present neither, since tis composed of a Rose of Gold which the Holy Father has taken
pains to bless with great Ceremony, and to which is fastned a very large Diamond, and a number of lesser ones. Tis
likely that so valuable a present cannot but be well received by the princess it is designed for, I know at least, that if I
was in her stead I should accept it with great pleasure. It were to be wish that the same Spring that blows such
fine flowers in France, may not menace the Lillies, by the Approaches of a Campaigne, which in all appearance