The first act of Queen Marie Antoinette-Madame du Barry "at home"-The Abbé Terray, Finance Comptroller of Louis XV.-Turgot, Finance Comptroller of Louis XVI.-Malesherbes-The Church in France, 1774-5 -The Queen of France, 1774-5-Courtiers' debts in France, 1774-5-Pamphlets in France, 1774-5-Coronation of King Louis XVI. —Voltaire in 1774-5— Mirabeau in 1774-5-Biographical sketch of Mirabeau -Royal Allegories of 1774-5-Recall of the Duc de Choiseul to Court-Position of William Pitt (Lord Chatham) in 1774-5-Growing signs of Rebellion in America, 1774-5-Contemporary Chronicles of Political Parties at Versailles, 1775-Recall of the Ancient Parliament to Paris-Popularity of Louis XVI. and of Marie Antoinette-Aspect of affairs in America, 1775 -John St. John's Address to the House of Commons on behalf of the Crown-Parliamentary promises in England, 1775.

IN the month of May, 1774, Louis XV. lay dying of the small-pox at Versailles. In the month of May, thirty years before, almost to a day, Louis XV. had ridden forth to the war against England and Austria-the "wellbeloved" hero of his people.

The statue in the centre of the Place Louis XV., in Paris, represented the King as he was in those days; it was called the chef d'œuvre of love and art, for it had been designed by Madame de Pompadour and executed by Pig

DEATH AT VERSAILLES.

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alle the sculptor; but it bore no resemblance to the man who now, worn out with sinful selfindulgence, lay dying at Versailles.

All the courtiers were in consternation. They dreaded to approach the King, for fear of their lives and beauty, but they dared not fly from the infected atmosphere, lest, should his majesty recover, they might be leaving all hope of future favour behind them.

The King confessed to the Cardinal de la Roche Aymon: "I am sorry to have caused scandal to my subjects. To God alone have I to render an account of my conduct; but, if I live, I will live henceforth for the welfare of my people, and as an example to them of pure faith and practical religion.'

Madame du Barry, the King's favourite, would fain have nursed him in his illness; but (as in the case of Madame de Châteauroux, just thirty years before) the priests demanded that she should absent herself from his majesty before he was confessed and absolved.

Madame du Barry, therefore, withdrew to the

* Discours du Cardinal de la Roche. Aymon. Paris, 1780.

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COURTIERS' CONSTERNATION.

estate of the Duc d'Aiguillon, her friend, and the King's chief Minister of State; and the courtiers at Versailles were still further perplexed by her absence; for she required constant news of the monarch's health, and those about him, not knowing whether he was going to live or to die, feared either to give or to withhold that news. By attention to Madame du Barry they compromised themselves with the Dauphiness, (Marie Antoinette) who now any hour might be Queen; and by neglect of Madame du Barry they compromised themselves with the first Minister, the Duc d'Aiguillon, and with the favourite herself, who, in the event of the King's recovery, would certainly be recalled, as Madame de Pompadour had been in 1757, after having been dismissed in that year, when his majesty was supposed to be dying from the wound inflicted on him by Damiens, the wouldbe regicide.†

Louis XV. was prematurely infirm. Naturally of a gloomy disposition, he had, for the last

* The Duc d'Aiguillon who, in 1770, had succeeded the Duc de Choiseul in the ministry, and who, in 1758, had commanded the troops of Brittany against the English.

† Secret History of the Court of France under Louis XV. Vol. ii. p. 161. London, 1861.

BEHIND THE SCENES.

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thirty-five years, sought a refuge from ennui in pleasure. Pleasure had degenerated into debauchery, and debauchery had produced satiety.

Louis XV. was weary of life, but he dreaded death. To one in the daily confidence of the Duc d'Aumont (first gentleman of his Chamber) we are indebted for the following picture of Louis XV. in his later years; a picture taken of him when he thought that no human eye beheld him: for the narrator was invisible, having lain down to rest on a sofa, and covered himself with his cloak, at night-time, in an ante-room of the Duc d'Aumont's apartments at Versailles.—“I was awakened by the noise of a door opening. I raised my head and saw Louis XV. At first he looked round the ante-chamber, here and there. The lights in the chandeliers were burning low. "There is nobody here,' said the King; and then he began to walk up and down, sighing and murmuring, in the tone of a man who has drunk himself sad. Presently he paused before a large mirror, and, after having considered himself a long time in it, he pressed his hands on his forehead, his cheeks, his chin, and thus apostrophized himself: 'Miserable wretch that thou art! Murderer of thine own soul and

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THE DAUPHINESS.

body!' Then his pacing up and down, his groans, his sad monologue recommenced. At last he stopped again before the glass. "Thou wilt not die old,' said he to his own image reflected there; 'not threescore years and ten!-And hell!-hell!' Five minutes passed whilst he stood looking at himself with horror. And then he muttered, 'France ! How is she governed?' Afterwards: 'But this supper to-night they say will be delicious-though all is weary-weary! Why cannot they give me. something new?"

Marie Antoinette, the Dauphiness, was tenderly regarded by Louis XV.; her youth and freshness, from the moment of her first appearance at the French Court, had attracted and amused him.

She, therefore, was an object of jealousy to his mistress, Madame du Barry, to whom this daughter of Maria Theresa gave additional offence soon after her arrival in France, by openly manifesting her indignation at being compelled, by French custom then prevalent at Versailles, to endure the presence and to submit to the society of the courtisane who reigned there.

The aunts of the Dauphin, who as unblushingly