288 [=290]

[288]

[Letters Historical and Galant. Vol. 5.]

"the future only give extracts of the Letters I receive. For Example, I have a letter from Copenhagen with an account
"that a Provincial Baron being arrived at Court with a great Reputation for Riches, was extremely well received there, agree
"able to Boileau's Principle who says, that he that is rich is all. This Baron being thoughtrich, was taken to be a man
"of Sense too; they found his behaviour the most agreeable in the World, and when he drew or endorsed a bill of Ex-
"change his Stile seem'd enchanting. I don't know whether they were paid afterwards, or protested; thats not what
"we are upon now; for as Opinion is every thing among Men, this pretended Wealth had the same effect as if it had
"been real. Every body was eager who should have him. The Ladies took Aim at him; and if he had known how
"to take advantage of such a happy Constellation, he might have made an advantageous Marriage. But his destiny
"being fixed, it Conducted him to a house where two young Ladies of Quality, one of whom was much less amiable
"than the other, used to resort. He met them there, and as the Youngest was taken up with a Party at Ombre, he sat
"by the eldest, and after A General Conversation often interrupted with Gano, and great Exclamations at
"the good or bad Rentrees, he thought proper to tell her his reasons for not disturbing the players or taking them
"off from minding the Game. The Lady was satisfied, and as he thought that with a lady of Family he ought to
"propose nothing but a lawful Passion, he talk'd to her of marriage for want of other discourse, and without thinking
"anything of the matter, but he was greatly mistaken in his Calculation, for the Lady took him at his Word, and to keep
"him to it told him she would consult her relations about it. He had no way to get himself off; the Relations made him believe
he had a mind to it himself, and made haste to give consent, to give him neither time nor means of explaining himself
better; nay not the choice of the two sisters. He was to stick to her that he had address'd, tho less young and hand-
some than her younger sister, and the marriage was hurried on in a very little time. So much for that: but what
was worst of all, was that the poor Baron, as if he was to do every thing in haste, after all his Expedition in becoming
a husband, which perhaps he was very sorry for, made haste to be a Papa too, and was actually so four Months and
a half after his marriage of a fat boy, which had nothing of the Air of a Miscarriage. Every body cryed out at this
untimely lying in; but the pacifick Baron far from being offended at this present of early fruit, went into all assem-
blies, crying with a triumphing air to the Physicians -- "How, Gentlemen of the faculty, you have Ears I suppose!
"What shall we think of all the silly stories you lull us asleep with? You would persuade us that a Child must be
"nine Months in his Mothers Belly! However I can shew you one that has been but four and a half, and yet he is
"fat and lusty, a head as big as four, and is very likely to ______. What have you to
"say to this." Every body shrugg'd his shoulders, and might have very justly sung to him what was sung to Mr.
"Viviers of Capon's Hall; He's very good natured and tractable too, And has Acted what nobody else would do
"&c. And thus ends the History of the Danish Baron.

After this the Author of the Mercury gives us news from Spain, which I believe you have nothing to say to, and is
none of the most pleasing, any more than the new Edicts and declarations of the King, which are also inserted in this Mercury
and I pass over to come to the 29th. Page, where the Countess of L.M. tells her Provence Correspondent that "the Dutchess
"of ** whose husband is young and handsome, thought proper to be guilty of a piece of Infidelity to him with the Marshal de **
"who is near seventy, and that such a Whimsical Taste has occasioned her a Song to the tune of Ennuyeux. They say
"this is very like the Dutchess's Composition. You know that when we say the Dutchess short, we mean the Daughter of the King's
"Madam de Mantespan. But let us come to the Song.

"This Princess, continues our Mercury, had also occasion to make verses on the Conduct of the Marchio-
"ness de **, who whilst her peevish husbands time was taken up with Physicians and Apothecaries, so that he
"became the Second part of the Imaginary Patient, took care for her part to pass her time as well as she could.
"As temper decides the choice of pleasures, hers determined in favour of Love, which is what the Dutchess has the
"least Indulgence for. She Pretends that Wine ought to be every one's darling Passion, as it is hers, and can't
"bear that one should prefer Gallantry to the pleasure of Drinking. The Marchioness incurred her hatred
"for being of contrary sentiments, and has felt the Effects of it in the following Sonnet, which was sent
"to her husband.