nd　in　which　she　had　made　rapid　progress。　　Music　was　the　accomplishment　in　which　the　Queen　most　delighted。　　She　did　not　play　well　on　any　instrument；　but　she　had　become　able　to　read　at　sight　like　a　first…rate　professor。　　She　attained　this　degree　of　perfection　in　France；　this　branch　of　her　education　having　been　neglected　at　Vienna　as　much　as　the　rest。　　A　few　days　after　her　arrival　at　Versailles；　she　was　introduced　to　her　singing…master；　La　Garde；　author　of　the　opera　of　〃Egle。〃　　She　made　a　distant　appointment　with　him；　needing；　as　she　said；　rest　after　the　fatigues　of　the　journey　and　the　numerous　fetes　which　had　taken　place　at　Versailles；　but　her　motive　was　her　desire　to　conceal　how　ignorant　she　was　of　the　rudiments　of　music。　　She　asked　M。　Campan　whether　his　son；　who　was　a　good　musician；　could　give　her　lessons　secretly　for　three　months。　　〃The　Dauphiness；〃　added　she；　smiling；　〃must　be　careful　of　the　reputation　of　the　Archduchess。〃　　The　lessons　were　given　privately；　and　at　the　end　of　three　months　of　constant　application　she　sent　for　M。　la　Garde；　and　surprised　him　by　her　skill。
  The　desire　to　perfect　Marie　Antoinette　in　the　study　of　the　French　language　was　probably　the　motive　which　determined　Maria　Theresa　to　provide　for　her　as　teachers　two　French　actors：　Aufresne；　for　pronunciation　and　declamation；　and　Sainville；　for　taste　in　French　singing；　the　latter　had　been　an　officer　in　France；　and　bore　a　bad　character。　　The　choice　gave　just　umbrage　to　our　Court。　　The　Marquis　de　Durfort；　at　that　time　ambassador　at　Vienna；　was　ordered　to　make　a　representation　to　the　Empress　upon　her　selection。　　The　two　actors　were　dismissed；　and　the　Princess　required　that　an　ecclesiastic　should　be　sent　to　her。　　Several　eminent　ecclesiastics　declined　taking　upon　themselves　so　delicate　an　office；　others　who　were　pointed　out　by　Maria　Theresa　（among　the　rest　the　Abbe　Grisel）　belonged　to　parties　which　sufficed　to　exclude　them。
  The　Archbishop　of　Toulouse　one　day　went　to　the　Duc　de　Choiseul　at　the　moment　when　he　was　much　embarrassed　upon　the　subject　of　this　nomination；　he　proposed　to　him　the　Abby　de　Vermond；　librarian　of　the　College　des　Quatre　Nations。　　The　eulogistic　manner　in　which　he　spoke　of　his　protege　procured　the　appointment　for　the　latter　on　that　very　day；　and　the　gratitude　of　the　Abbe　de　Vermond　towards　the　prelate　was　very　fatal　to　France；　inasmuch　as　after　seventeen　years　of　persevering　attempts　to　bring　him　into　the　ministry；　he　succeeded　at　last　in　getting　him　named　Comptroller…General　and　President　of　the　Council。＇Comte　de　Brienne；　later　Archbishop　of　Sens。＇
  This　Abbe　de　Vermond　directed　almost　all　the　Queen's　actions。　　He　established　his　influence　over　her　at　an　age　when　impressions　are　most　durable；　and　it　was　easy　to　see　that　he　had　taken　pains　only　to　render　himself　beloved　by　his　pupil；　and　had　troubled　himself　very　little　with　the　care　of　instructing　her。　　He　might　have　even　been　accused　of　having；　by　a　sharp…sighted　though　culpable　policy；　purposely　left　her　in　ignorance。　　Marie　Antoinette　spoke　the　French　language　with　much　grace；　but　wrote　it　less　perfectly。　　The　Abbe　de　Vermond　revised　all　the　letters　which　she　sent　to　Vienna。　　The　insupportable　folly　with　which　he　boasted　of　it　displayed　the　character　of　a　man　more　flattered　at　being　admitted　into　her　intimate　secrets　than　anxious　to　fulfil　worthily　the　high　office　of　her　preceptor。
  ＇The　Abbe　de　Vermond　encouraged　the　impatience　of　etiquette　shown　by　　　　　　Marie　Antoinette　while　she　was　Dauphiness。　　When　she　became　Queen　he　　　　　　endeavoured　openly　to　induce　her　to　shake　off　the　restraints　she　　　　　　still　respected。　　If　he　chanced　to　enter　her　apartment　at　the　time　　　　　　she　was　preparing　to　go　out；　〃For　whom；〃　he　would　say；　in　a　tone　of　　　　　　raillery；　〃is　this　detachment　of　warriors　which　I　found　in　the　　　　　　court？　Is　it　some　general　going　to　inspect　his　army？　　Does　all　this　　　　　　military　display　become　a　young　Queen　adored　by　her　subjects？〃　　He　　　　　　would　call　to　her　mind　the　simplicity　with　which　Maria　Theresa　　　　　　lived；　the　visits　she　made　without　guards；　or　even　attendants；　to　　　　　　the　Prince　d'Esterhazy；　to　the　Comte　de　Palfi；　passing　whole　days　　　　　　far　from　the　fatiguing　ceremonies　of　the　Court。　　The　Abbe　thus　　　　　　artfully　flattered　the　inclinations　of　Marie　Antoinette；　and　showed　　　　　　her　how　she　might　disguise；　even　from　herself；　her　aversion　for　the　　　　　　ceremonies　observed　by　the　descendants　of　Louis　XIV。…MADAME　CAMPAN。＇
  His　pride　received　its　birth　at　Vienna；　where　Maria　Theresa；　as　much　to　give　him　authority　with　the　Archduchess　as　to　make　herself　acquainted　with　his　character；　permitted　him　to　mix　every　evening　with　the　private　circle　of　her　family；　into　which　the　future　Dauphiness　had　been　admitted　for　some　time。　　Joseph　II。；　the　elder　Archduchess；　and　a　few　noblemen　honoured　by　the　confidence　of　Maria　Theresa；　composed　the　party；　and　reflections　on　the　world；　on　courts；　and　the　duties　of　princes　were　the　usual　topics　of　conversation。　　The　Abbe　de　Vermond；　in　relating　these　particulars；　confessed　the　means　which　he　had　made　use　of　to　gain　admission　into　this　private　circle。　　The　Empress；　meeting　him　at　the　Archduchess's；　asked　him　if　he　had　formed　any　connections　in　Vienna。　〃None；　Madame；〃　replied　he；　〃the　apartment　of　the　Archduchess　and　the　hotel　of　the　ambassador　of　France　are　the　only　places　which　the　man　honoured　with　the　care　of　the　Princess's　education　should　frequent。〃　A　month　afterwards　Maria　Theresa；　through　a　habit　common　enough　among　sovereigns；　asked　him　the　same　question；　and　received　precisely　the　same　answer。　　The　next　day　he　received　an　order　to　join　the　imperial　family　every　evening。
  It　is　extremely　probable；　from　the　constant　and　well…known　intercourse　between　this　man　and　Comte　de　Mercy；　ambassador　of　the　Empire　during　the　whole　reign　of　Louis　XVI。；　that　he　was　useful　to　the　Court　of　Vienna；　and　that　he　often　caused　the　Queen　to　decide　on　measures；　the　consequences　of　which　she　did　not　consider。　　Not　of　high　birth；　imbued　with　all　the　principles　of　the　modern　philosophy；　and　yet　holding　to　the　hierarchy　of　the　Church　more　tenaciously　than　any　other　ecclesiastic；　vain；　talkative；　and　at　the　same　time　cunning　and　abrupt；　very　ugly　and　affecting　singularity；　treating　the　most　exalted　persons　as　his　equals；　sometimes　even　as　his　inferiors；　the　Abbe　de　Vermond　received　ministers　and　bishops　when　in　his　bath；　but　said　at　the　same　time　that　Cardinal　Dubois　was　a　fool；　that　a　man　such　as　he；　having　obtained　power；　ought　to　make　cardinals；　and　refuse　to　be　one　himself。
  Intoxicated　with　the　reception　he　had　met　with　at　the　Court　of　Vienna；　and　having　till　then　seen　nothing　of　high　life；　the　Abbe　de　Vermond　admired　no　other　customs　than　those　of　the　imperial　family；　he　ridiculed　the　etiquette　of　the　House　of　Bourbon　incessantly；　the　young　Dauphiness　was　constantly　incited　by　his　sarcasms　to　get　rid　of　it；　and　it　was　he　who　first　induced　her　to　suppress　an　infinity　of　practices　of　which　he　could　discern　neither　the　prudence　nor　the　political　aim。　　Such　is　the　faithful　portrait　of　that　man　whom　the　evil　star　of　Marie　Antoinette　had　reserved　to　guide　her　first　steps　upon　a　stage　so　conspicuous　and　so　full　of　danger　as　that　of　the　Court　of　Versailles。
  It　will　be　thought；　perhaps；　that　I　draw　the　character　of　the　Abbe　de　Vermond　too　unfavourably；　but　how　can　I　view　with　any　complacency　one　who；　after　having　arrogated　to　himself　the　office　of　confidant　and　sole　counsellor　of　the　Queen；　guided　her　with　so　little　prudence；　and　gave　us　the　mortification　of　seeing　that　Princess　blend；　with　qualities　which　charmed　all　that　surrounded　her；　errors　alike　injurious　to　her　glory　and　her　happiness？
  While　M。　de　Choiseul；　satisfied　with　the　person　whom　M。　de　Brienne　had　presented；　despatched　him　to　Vienna　with　every　eulogium　calculated　to　inspire　unbounded　confidence；　the　Marquis　de　Durfort　sent　off　a　hairdresser　and　a　few　French　fashions；　and　then　it　was　thought　sufficient　pains　had　been　taken　to　form　the　character　of　a　princess　destined　to　share　the　throne　of　France。
  The　marriage　of　Monseigneur　the　Dauphin　with　the　Archduchess　was　determined　upon　during　the　administration　of　the　Duc　de　Choiseul。　The　Marquis　de　Durfort；　who　was　to　succeed　the　Baron　de　Breteuil　in　the　embassy　to　Vienna；　was　appointed　proxy　for　the　marriage　ceremony；　but　six　months　after　the　Dauphin's　marriage　the　Duc　de　Choiseul　was　disgraced；　and　Madame　de　Marsan　and　Madame　de　Guemenee；　who　grew　more　powerful　through　the　Duke's　disgrace；　conferred　that　embassy；　upon　Prince　Louis　de　Rohan；　afterwards　cardinal　and　grand　almoner。
  Hence　it　will　be　seen　that　the　Gazette　de　France　is　a　sufficient　answer　to　those　libellers　who　dared　to　assert　that　the　young　Archduchess　was　acquainted　with　the　Cardinal　de　Rohan　before　the　period　of　her　marriage。　A　worse　selection　in　itself；　or　one　more　disagreeable　to　Maria　Theresa；　than　that　which　sent　to　her；　in　quality；　of　ambassador；　a　man　so　frivolous　and　so　immoral　as　Prince　Louis　de　Rohan；　could　not　have　been　made。　　He　possessed　but　superficial　knowledge　upon　any　subject；　and　was　totally　ignorant　of　diplomatic　affairs。　　His　reputation　had　gone　before　him　to　Vienna；　and　his　mission　opened　under　the　most　unfavourable　auspices。　　In　want　of　money；　and　the　House　of　Rohan