ADAME　CAMPAN＇
  Madame　Victoire；　good；　sweet…tempered；　and　affable；　lived　with　the　most　amiable　simplicity　in　a　society　wherein　she　was　much　caressed；　she　was　adored　by　her　household。　　Without　quitting　Versailles；　without　sacrificing　her　easy　chair；　she　fulfilled　the　duties　of　religion　with　punctuality；　gave　to　the　poor　all　she　possessed；　and　strictly　observed　Lent　and　the　fasts。　　The　table　of　Mesdames　acquired　a　reputation　for　dishes　of　abstinence；　spread　abroad　by　the　assiduous　parasites　at　that　of　their　maitre　d'hotel。　　Madame　Victoire　was　not　indifferent　to　good　living；　but　she　had　the　most　religious　scruples　respecting　dishes　of　which　it　was　allowable　to　partake　at　penitential　times。　　I　saw　her　one　day　exceedingly　tormented　by　her　doubts　about　a　water…fowl；　which　was　often　served　up　to　her　during　Lent。　　The　question　to　be　determined　was；　whether　it　was　'maigre'　or　'gras'。　　She　consulted　a　bishop；　who　happened　to　be　of　the　party：　the　prelate　immediately　assumed　the　grave　attitude　of　a　judge　who　is　about　to　pronounce　sentence。　　He　answered　the　Princess　that；　in　a　similar　case　of　doubt；　it　had　been　resolved　that　after　dressing　the　bird　it　should　be　pricked　over　a　very　cold　silver　dish；　if　the　gravy　of　the　animal　congealed　within　a　quarter　of　an　hour；　the　creature　was　to　be　accounted　flesh；　but　if　the　gravy　remained　in　an　oily　state；　it　might　be　eaten　without　scruple。　　Madame　Victoire　immediately　made　the　experiment：　the　gravy　did　not　congeal；　and　this　was　a　source　of　great　joy　to　the　Princess；　who　was　very　partial　to　that　sort　of　game。　The　abstinence　which　so　much　occupied　the　attention　of　Madame　Victoire　was　so　disagreeable　to　her；　that　she　listened　with　impatience　for　the　midnight　hour　of　Holy　Saturday；　and　then　she　was　immediately　supplied　with　a　good　dish　of　fowl　and　rice；　and　sundry　other　succulent　viands。　She　confessed　with　such　amiable　candour　her　taste　for　good　cheer　and　the　comforts　of　life；　that　it　would　have　been　necessary　to　be　as　severe　in　principle　as　insensible　to　the　excellent　qualities　of　the　Princess；　to　consider　it　a　crime　in　her。
  Madame　Adelaide　had　more　mind　than　Madame　Victoire；　but　she　was　altogether　deficient　in　that　kindness　which　alone　creates　affection　for　the　great；　abrupt　manners；　a　harsh　voice；　and　a　short　way　of　speaking；　rendering　her　more　than　imposing。　　She　carried　the　idea　of　the　prerogative　of　rank　to　a　high　pitch。　　One　of　her　chaplains　was　unlucky　enough　to　say　'Dominus　vobiscum'　with　rather　too　easy　an　air；　the　Princess　rated　him　soundly　for　it　after　mass；　and　told　him　to　remember　that　he　was　not　a　bishop；　and　not　again　to　think　of　officiating　in　the　style　of　a　prelate。
  Mesdames　lived　quite　separate　from　the　King。　　Since　the　death　of　Madame　de　Pompadour　he　had　lived　alone。　　The　enemies　of　the　Duc　de　Choiseul　did　not　know　in　what　department；　nor　through　what　channel；　they　could　prepare　and　bring　about　the　downfall　of　the　man　who　stood　in　their　way。　　The　King　was　connected　only　with　women　of　so　low　a　class　that　they　could　not　be　made　use　of　for　any　delicate　intrigue；　moreover；　the　Parc…aux…Cerfs　was　a　seraglio；　the　beauties　of　which　were　often　replaced；　it　was　desirable　to　give　the　King　a　mistress　who　could　form　a　circle；　and　in　whose　drawing…　room　the　long…standing　attachment　of　the　King　for　the　Duc　de　Choiseul　might　be　overcome。　　It　is　true　that　Madame　du　Barry　was　selected　from　a　class　sufficiently　low。　　Her　origin；　her　education；　her　habits；　and　everything　about　her　bore　a　character　of　vulgarity　and　shamelessness；　but　by　marrying　her　to　a　man　whose　pedigree　dated　from　1400；　it　was　thought　scandal　would　be　avoided。　　The　conqueror　of　Mahon　conducted　this　coarse　intrigue。
  ＇It　appeared　at　this　period　as　if　every　feeling　of　dignity　was　lost。　　　　　　〃Few　noblemen　of　the　French　Court；〃　says　a　writer　of　the　time；　　　　　　〃preserved　themselves　from　the　general　corruption。　　The　Marechal　de　　　　　　Brissac　was　one　of　the　latter。　　He　was　bantered　on　the　strictness　of　　　　　　his　principles　of　honour　and　honesty；　it　was　thought　strange　that　he　　　　　　should　be　offended　by　being　thought；　like　so　many　others；　exposed　to　　　　　　hymeneal　disgrace。　　Louis　XV。；　who　was　present；　and　laughed　at　his　　　　　　angry　fit；　said　to　him：　'Come；　M。　de　Brissac；　don't　be　angry；　'tis　　　　　　but　a　trifling　evil；　take　courage。''Sire；'　replied　M。　de　Brissac；　　　　　　'I　possess　all　kinds　of　courage；　except　that　which　can　brave　　　　　　shame。'〃NOTE　BY　THE　EDITOR。＇
  Such　a　mistress　was　judiciously　selected　for　the　diversion　of　the　latter　years　of　a　man　weary　of　grandeur；　fatigued　with　pleasure；　and　cloyed　with　voluptuousness。　　Neither　the　wit；　the　talents；　the　graces　of　the　Marquise　de　Pompadour；　her　beauty；　nor　even　her　love　for　the　King；　would　have　had　any　further　influence　over　that　worn…out　being。
  He　wanted　a　Roxalana　of　familiar　gaiety；　without　any　respect　for　the　dignity　of　the　sovereign。　　Madame　du　Barry　one　day　so　far　forgot　propriety　as　to　desire　to　be　present　at　a　Council　of　State。　　The　King　was　weak　enough　to　consent　to　it。　　There　she　remained　ridiculously　perched　upon　the　arm　of　his　chair；　playing　all　sorts　of　childish　monkey　tricks；　calculated　to　please　an　old　sultan。
  Another　time　she　snatched　a　packet　of　sealed　letters　from　the　King's　hand。　　Among　them　she　had　observed　one　from　Comte　de　Broglie。　　She　told　the　King　that　she　knew　that　rascal　Broglie　spoke　ill　of　her　to　him；　and　that　for　once；　at　least；　she　would　make　sure　he　should　read　nothing　respecting　her。　　The　King　wanted　to　get　the　packet　again；　she　resisted；　and　made　him　run　two　or　three　times　round　the　table；　which　was　in　the　middle　of　the　council…chamber；　and　then；　on　passing　the　fireplace；　she　threw　the　letters　into　the　grate；　where　they　were　consumed。　　The　King　became　furious；　he　seized　his　audacious　mistress　by　the　arm；　and　put　her　out　of　the　door　without　speaking　to　her。　　Madame　du　Barry　thought　herself　utterly　disgraced；　she　returned　home；　and　remained　two　hours；　alone；　abandoned　to　the　utmost　distress。　　The　King　went　to　her；　she　threw　herself　at　his　feet；　in　tears；　and　he　pardoned　her。
  Madame　la　Marechale　de　Beauvau；　the　Duchesse　de　Choiseul；　and　the　Duchesse　de　Grammont　had　renounced　the　honour　of　the　King's　intimate　acquaintance　rather　than　share　it　with　Madame　du　Barry。　　But　a　few　years　after　the　death　of　Louis　XV。；　Madame　la　Marechale　being　alone　at　the　Val；　a　house　belonging　to　M。　de　Beauvau；　Mademoiselle　de　Dillon　saw　the　Countess's　calash　take　shelter　in　the　forest　of　St。　Germain　during　a　violent　storm。　　She　invited　her　in；　and　the　Countess　herself　related　these　particulars；　which　I　had　from　Madame　de　Beauvau。
  The　Comte　du　Barry；　surnamed　'le　roue'　（the　profligate）；　and　Mademoiselle　du　Barry　advised；　or　rather　prompted；　Madame　du　Barry　in　furtherance　of　the　plans　of　the　party　of　the　Marechal　de　Richelieu　and　the　Duc　d'Aiguillon。　　Sometimes　they　even　set　her　to　act　in　such　a　way　as　to　have　a　useful　influence　upon　great　political　measures。　　Under　pretence　that　the　page　who　accompanied　Charles　I。　in　his　flight　was　a　Du　Barry　or　Barrymore；　they　persuaded　the　Comtesse　du　Barry　to　buy　in　London　that　fine　portrait　which　we　now　have　in　the　Museum。　　She　had　the　picture　placed　in　her　drawing…room；　and　when　she　saw　the　King　hesitating　upon　the　violent　measure　of　breaking　up　his　Parliament；　and　forming　that　which　was　called　the　Maupeou　Parliament；　she　desired　him　to　look　at　the　portrait　of　a　king　who　had　given　way　to　his　Parliament。
  ＇The　〃　Memoirs　of　General　Dumouriez；〃　vol。　　i。；　page　142；　contain　　　　　　some　curious　particulars　about　Madame　Du　Barry；　and　novel　details　　　　　　respecting　her　will　be　found　at　page　243　of　〃Curiosites　　　　　　Historiques；〃　by　J。　A。　Le　Rol　（Paris；　Plon；　1864）。　　His　　　　　　investigations　lead　to　the　result　that　her　real　name　was　Jean　Becu；　　　　　　born；　19th　August；　1743；　at　Vaucouleurs；　the　natural　daughter　of　　　　　　Anne　Becu；　otherwise　known　as　〃Quantiny。〃　　Her　mother　afterwards　　　　　　married　Nicolas　Rancon。　　Comte　Jean　du　Barry　met　her　among　the　demi…　　　　　　monde；　and　succeeded；　about　1767；　and　by　the　help　of　his　friend　　　　　　Label；　the　valet　de　chambre　of　Louis　XV。；　in　introducing　her　to　the　　　　　　King　under　the　name　of　Mademoiselle　l'Ange。　　To　be　formally　　　　　　mistress；　a　husband　had　to　be　found。　　The　Comte　Jean　du　Barry；　　　　　　already　married　himself；　found　no　difficulty　in　getting　his　brother；　　　　　　Comte　Guillaume；　a　poor　officer　of　the　marine　troops；　to　accept　the　　　　　　post　of　husband。　　In　the　marriage…contract；　signed　on　23d　July；　　　　　　1768；　she　was　described　as　the　daughter　of　Anne　Becu　and　of　an　　　　　　imaginary　first　husband；　Sieur　Jean　Jacques　Gomard　de　Vaubernier；〃　　　　　　and　three　years　were　taken　off　her　age。　　The　marriage…contract　was　　　　　　so　drawn　as　to　leave　Madame　du　Barry　entirely　free　from　all　control　　　　　　by　her　husband。　　The　marriage　was　solemnised　on　1st　September；　1768；　　　　　　after　which　the　nominal　husband　returned　to　Toulouse。　　Madame　du　　　　　　Barry　in　later　years　provided　for　him；　and　in　1772；　tired　of　his　　　　　　applications；　she　obtained　an　act　of　separation　from　him。　　He　　　　　　married　later　Jeanne　Madeleine　Lemoine；　and　died　in　1811。　　Madame　du　　　　　　Barry　took　care　of　her　mother；　who　figured　as　Madame　de　Montrable。　　　　　　In　all；　she　received　from　the　King；　M。　Le　Roi　calculates；　about　　　　　　twelve　and　a　half　millions　of　liv