insults　which　ought　never　to　have　been　offered　to　one　of　the　greatest　geniuses　of　the　age；　said　to　him　one　morning　at　the　hour　of　his　private　levee；　'They　say　you　live　very　poorly　here；　Moliere；　and　that　the　officers　of　my　chamber　do　not　find　you　good　enough　to　eat　with　them。　　Perhaps　you　are　hungry；　for　my　part　I　awoke　with　a　very　good　appetite　this　morning：　sit　down　at　this　table。　　Serve　up　my　'in　case'　for　the　night　there。'　　The　King；　then　cutting　up　his　fowl；　and　ordering　Moliere　to　sit　down；　helped　him　to　a　wing；　at　the　same　time　taking　one　for　himself；　and　ordered　the　persons　entitled　to　familiar　entrance；　that　is　to　say　the　most　distinguished　and　favourite　people　at　Court；　to　be　admitted。　　'You　see　me；'　said　the　King　to　them；　'engaged　in　entertaining　Moliere；　whom　my　valets　de　chambre　do　not　consider　sufficiently　good　company　for　them。'　　From　that　time　Moliere　never　had　occasion　to　appear　at　the　valets'　table；　the　whole　Court　was　forward　enough　to　send　him　invitations。
  〃M。　de　Lafosse　used　also　to　relate　that　a　brigade…major　of　the　Body　Guard；　being　ordered　to　place　the　company　in　the　little　theatre　at　Versailles；　very　roughly　turned　out　one　of　the　King's　comptrollers　who　had　taken　his　seat　on　one　of　the　benches；　a　place　to　which　his　newly　acquired　office　entitled　him。　　In　vain　he　insisted　on　his　quality　and　his　right。　　The　altercation　was　ended　by　the　brigade…major　in　these　words：　'Gentlemen　Body　Guards；　do　your　duty。'　　In　this　case　their　duty　was　to　turn　the　offender　out　at　the　door。　　This　comptroller；　who　had　paid　sixty　or　eighty　thousand　francs　for　his　appointment；　was　a　man　of　a　good　family；　and　had　had　the　honour　of　serving　his　Majesty　five　and　twenty　years　in　one　of　his　regiments；　thus　ignominiously　driven　out　of　the　hall；　he　placed　himself　in　the　King's　way　in　the　great　hall　of　the　Guards；　and；　bowing　to　his　Majesty；　requested　him　to　vindicate　the　honour　of　an　old　soldier　who　had　wished　to　end　his　days　in　his　Prince's　civil　employment；　now　that　age　had　obliged　him　to　relinquish　his　military　service。　　The　King　stopped；　heard　his　story；　and　then　ordered　him　to　follow　him。　　His　Majesty　attended　the　representation　in　a　sort　of　amphitheatre；　in　which　his　armchair　was　placed；　behind　him　was　a　row　of　stools　for　the　captain　of　the　Guards；　the　first　gentleman　of　the　chamber；　and　other　great　officers。　　The　brigade…major　was　entitled　to　one　of　these　places；　the　King　stopped　opposite　the　seat　which　ought　to　have　been　occupied　by　that　officer　and　said　to　the　comptroller；　'Take；　monsieur；　for　this　evening；　the　place　near　my　person　of　him　who　has　offended　you；　and　let　the　expression　of　my　displeasure　at　this　unjust　affront　satisfy　you　instead　of　any　other　reparation：
  〃During　the　latter　years　of　the　reign　of　Louis　XIV。　he　never　went　out　but　in　a　chair　carried　by　porters；　and　he　showed　a　great　regard　for　a　man　named　D'Aigremont；　one　of　those　porters　who　always　went　in　front　and　opened　the　door　of　the　chair。　　The　slightest　preference　shown　by　sovereigns；　even　to　the　meanest　of　their　servants；　never　fails　to　excite　observation。
  ＇People　of　the　very　first　rank　did　not　disdain　to　descend　to　the　　　　　　level　of　D'Aigremont。　　〃Lauzun；〃　said　the　Duchesse　d'Orleans　in　her　　　　　　〃Memoirs；〃　〃sometimes　affects　stupidity　in　order　to　show　people　　　　　　their　own　with　impunity；　for　he　is　very　malicious。　　In　order　to　make　　　　　　Marechal　de　Tease　feel　the　impropriety　of　his　familiarity　with　　　　　　people　of　the　common　sort；　he　called　out；　in　the　drawing…room　at　　　　　　Marly；　'Marechal；　give　me　a　pinch　of　snuff；　some　of　your　best；　such　　　　　　as　you　take　in　the　morning　with　Monsieur　d'Aigremont；　the　　　　　　chairman。'〃NOTE　BY　THE　EDITOR。＇
  The　King　had　done　something　for　this　man's　numerous　family；　and　frequently　talked　to　him。　　An　abbe　belonging　to　the　chapel　thought　proper　to　request　D'Aigremont　to　present　a　memorial　to　the　King；　in　which　he　requested　his　Majesty　to　grant　him　a　benefice。　　Louis　XIV。　　did　not　approve　of　the　liberty　thus　taken　by　his　chairman；　and　said　to　him；　in　a　very　angry　tone；　'D'Aigremont；　you　have　been　made　to　do　a　very　unbecoming　act；　and　I　am　sure　there　must　be　simony　in　the　case。''No；　Sire；　there　is　not　the　least　ceremony　in　the　case；　I　assure　you；'　answered　the　poor　man；　in　great　consternation；　'the　abbe　only　said　he　would　give　me　a　hundred　Louis。''D'Aigremont；'　said　the　King；　'I　forgive　you　on　account　of　your　ignorance　and　candour。　　I　will　give　you　the　hundred　Louis　out　of　my　privy　purse；　but　I　will　discharge　you　the　very　next　time　you　venture　to　present　a　memorial　to　me。'
  〃Louis　XIV。　was　very　kind　to　those　of　his　servants　who　were　nearest　his　person；　but　the　moment　he　assumed　his　royal　deportment；　those　who　were　most　accustomed　to　see　him　in　his　domestic　character　were　as　much　intimidated　as　if　they　were　appearing　in　his　presence　for　the　first　time　in　their　lives。　　Some　of　the　members　of　his　Majesty's　civil　household；　then　called　'commensalite'；　enjoying　the　title　of　equerry；　and　the　privileges　attached　to　officers　of　the　King's　household；　had　occasion　to　claim　some　prerogatives；　the　exercise　of　which　the　municipal　body　of　St。　Germain；　where　they　resided；　disputed　with　them。　　Being　assembled　in　considerable　numbers　in　that　town；　they　obtained　the　consent　of　the　minister　of　the　household　to　allow　them　to　send　a　deputation　to　the　King；　and　for　that　purpose　chose　from　amongst　them　two　of　his　Majesty's　valets　de　chambre　named　Bazire　and　Soulaigre。　　The　King's　levee　being　over；　the　deputation　of　the　inhabitants　of　the　town　of　St。　Germain　was　called　in。　They　entered　with　confidence；　the　King　looked　at　them；　and　assumed　his　imposing　attitude。　　Bazire；　one　of　these　valets　de　chambre；　was　about　to　speak；　but　Louis　the　Great　was　looking　on　him。　　He　no　longer　saw　the　Prince　he　was　accustomed　to　attend　at　home；　he　was　intimidated；　and　could　not　find　words；　he　recovered；　however；　and　began　as　usual　with　the　word　Sire。　　But　timidity　again　overpowered　him；　and　finding　himself　unable　to　recollect　the　slightest　particle　of　what　he　came　to　say；　he　repeated　the　word　Sire　several　times；　and　at　length　concluded　by　paying；　'Sire；　here　is　Soulaigre。'　　Soulaigre；　who　was　very　angry　with　Bazire；　and　expected　to　acquit　himself　much　better；　then　began　to　speak；　but　he　also；　after　repeating　'Sire'　several　times；　found　his　embarrassment　increasing　upon　him；　until　his　confusion　equalled　that　of　his　colleague；　he　therefore　ended　with　'Sire；　here　is　Bazire。'　　The　King　smiled；　and　answered；　'Gentlemen；　I　have　been　informed　of　the　business　upon　which　you　have　been　deputed　to　wait　on　me；　and　I　will　take　care　that　what　is　right　shall　be　done。　　I　am　highly　satisfied　with　the　manner　in　which　you　have　fulfilled　your　functions　as　deputies。'〃
  Mademoiselle　Genet's　education　was　the　object　of　her　father's　particular　attention。　　Her　progress　in　the　study　of　music　and　of　foreign　languages　was　surprising；　Albaneze　instructed　her　in　singing；　and　Goldoni　taught　her　Italian。　　Tasso；　Milton；　Dante；　and　even　Shakespeare；　soon　became　familiar　to　her。　　But　her　studies　were　particularly　directed　to　the　acquisition　of　a　correct　and　elegant　style　of　reading。　　Rochon　de　Chabannes；　Duclos；　Barthe；　Marmontel；　and　Thomas　took　pleasure　in　hearing　her　recite　the　finest　scenes　of　Racine。　　Her　memory　and　genius　at　the　age　of　fourteen　charmed　them；　they　talked　of　her　talents　in　society；　and　perhaps　applauded　them　too　highly。
  She　was　soon　spoken　of　at　Court。　　Some　ladies　of　high　rank；　who　took　an　interest　in　the　welfare　of　her　family；　obtained　for　her　the　place　of　Reader　to　the　Princesses。　　Her　presentation；　and　the　circumstances　which　preceded　it；　left　a　strong　impression　on　her　mind。　　〃I　was　then　fifteen；〃　she　says；　〃my　father　felt　some　regret　at　yielding　me　up　at　so　early　an　age　to　the　jealousies　of　the　Court。　　The　day　on　which　I　first　put　on　my　Court　dress；　and　went　to　embrace　him　in　his　study；　tears　filled　his　eyes；　and　mingled　with　the　expression　of　his　pleasure。　　I　possessed　some　agreeable　talents；　in　addition　to　the　instruction　which　it　had　been　his　delight　to　bestow　on　me。　　He　enumerated　all　my　little　accomplishments；　to　convince　me　of　the　vexations　they　would　not　fail　to　draw　upon　me。〃
  Mademoiselle　Genet；　at　fifteen；　was　naturally　less　of　a　philosopher　than　her　father　was　at　forty。　　Her　eyes　were　dazzled　by　the　splendour　which　glittered　at　Versailles。　　〃The　Queen；　Maria　Leczinska；　the　wife　of　Louis　XV。；　died；〃　she　says；　〃just　before　I　was　presented　at　Court。　　The　grand　apartments　hung　with　black；　the　great　chairs　of　state；　raised　on　several　steps；　and　surmounted　by　a　canopy　adorned　with　Plumes；　the　caparisoned　horses；　the　immense　retinue　in　Court　mourning；　the　enormous　shoulder…　knots；　embroidered　with　gold　and　silver　spangles；　which　decorated　the　coats　of　the　pages　and　footmen；all　this　magnificence　had　such　an　effect　on　my　senses　that　I　could　scarcely　support　myself　when　introduced　to　the　Princesses。　　The　first　day　of　my　reading　in　the　inner　apartment　of　Madame　Victoire　I　found　it　impossible　to　pronounce　more　than　two　sentences；　my　heart　palpitated；　my　voice　faltered；　and　my　sight　failed。　　How　well　understood　was　the　potent　magic　of　the　grandeur　and　dignity　which　ought　to　surround　sovereigns！　　Marie　Antoinette；　dressed　in　white；　with　a　plain　straw　hat；　and　a　little　switc