I　know　your　son；　and　I　know　what　makes　the　soldier；　and　this　twofold　knowledge　convinces　me　that　your　son　has　not　the　disposition　of　a　warrior；　and　that　he　is　too　full　of　his　birth　to　leave　the　country　a　hope　of　his　ever　rendering　it　any　important　service。
  What　you　are　to　be　pitied　for；　madam；　is；　that　your　son　is　not　fit　either　for　an　officer；　a　statesman　or　a　priest；　in　a　word；　that　he　is　nothing　more　than　a　gentleman　in　the　most　extended　acceptation　of　the　word。
  You　may　be　thankful　to　that　destiny；　which；　in　refusing　talents　to　your　son；　has　taken　care　to　put　him　in　possession　of　great　wealth；　which　will　sufficiently　compensate　him　for　other　deficiencies；　and　enable　him　at　the　same　time　to　dispense　with　any　favour　from　me。
  I　hope　you　will　be　impartial　enough　to　see　the　reasons　which　prompt　me　to　refuse　your　request。　　It　may　be　disagreeable　to　you；　but　I　consider　it　necessary。　　Farewell；　madam。Your　sincere　well…wisher；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　JOSEPH　LACHSENBURG；　4th　August；　1787。
  The　application　of　another　anxious　and　somewhat　covetous　mother　was　answered　with　still　more　decision　and　irony：
  To　a　Lady。
  MADAM。You　know　my　disposition；　you　are　not　ignorant　that　the　society　of　the　ladies　is　to　me　a　mere　recreation；　and　that　I　have　never　sacrificed　my　principles　to　the　fair　sex。　　I　pay　but　little　attention　to　recommendations；　and　I　only　take　them　into　consideration　when　the　person　in　whose　behalf　I　may　be　solicited　possesses　real　merit。
  Two　of　your　sons　are　already　loaded　with　favours。　　The　eldest；　who　is　not　yet　twenty；　is　chief　of　a　squadron　in　my　army；　and　the　younger　has　obtained　a　canonry　at　Cologne；　from　the　Elector；　my　brother。　　What　would　you　have　more？　　Would　you　have　the　first　a　general　and　the　second　a　bishop？
  In　France　you　may　see　colonels　in　leading…strings；　and　in　Spain　the　royal　princes　command　armies　even　at　eighteen；　hence　Prince　Stahremberg　forced　them　to　retreat　so　often　that　they　were　never　able　all　the　rest　of　their　lives　to　comprehend　any　other　manoeuvre。
  It　is　necessary　to　be　sincere　at　Court；　and　severe　in　the　field；　stoical　without　obduracy；　magnanimous　without　weakness；　and　to　gain　the　esteem　of　our　enemies　by　the　justice　of　our　actions；　and　this；　madam；　is　what　I　aim　at。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　JOSEPH　VIENNA；　September；　1787。
  （From　the　inedited　Letters　of　Joseph　IL；　published　at　Paris；　by　Persan；　1822。）
  CHAPTER　X。
  During　the　alarm　for　the　life　of　the　Queen；　regret　at　not　possessing　an　heir　to　the　throne　was　not　even　thought　of。　　The　King　himself　was　wholly　occupied　with　the　care　of　preserving　an　adored　wife。　　The　young　Princess　was　presented　to　her　mother。　　〃Poor　little　one；〃　said　the　Queen；　〃you　were　not　wished　for；　but　you　are　not　on　that　account　less　dear　to　me。　　A　son　would　have　been　rather　the　property　of　the　State。　　You　shall　be　mine；　you　shall　have　my　undivided　care；　shall　share　all　my　happiness；　and　console　me　in　all　my　troubles。〃
  The　King　despatched　a　courier　to　Paris；　and　wrote　letters　himself　to　Vienna；　by　the　Queen's　bedside；　and　part　of　the　rejoicings　ordered　took　place　in　the　capital。
  A　great　number　of　attendants　watched　near　the　Queen　during　the　first　nights　of　her　confinement。　　This　custom　distressed　her；　she　knew　how　to　feel　for　others；　and　ordered　large　armchairs　for　her　women；　the　backs　of　which　were　capable　of　being　let　down　by　springs；　and　which　served　perfectly　well　instead　of　beds。
  M。　de　Lassone；　the　chief　physician；　the　chief　surgeon；　the　chief　apothecary；　the　principal　officers　of　the　buttery；　etc。；　were　likewise　nine　nights　without　going　to　bed。　　The　royal　children　were　watched　for　a　long　time；　and　one　of　the　women　on　duty　remained；　nightly；　up　and　dressed；　during　the　first　three　years　from　their　birth。
  The　Queen　made　her　entry　into　Paris　for　the　churching。　　One　hundred　maidens　were　portioned　and　married　at　Notre…Dame。　　There　were　few　popular　acclamations；　but　her　Majesty　was　perfectly　well　received　at　the　Opera。
  A　few　days　after　the　Queen's　recovery　from　her　confinement；　the　Cure　of　the　Magdelaine　de　la　City　at　Paris　wrote　to　M。　Campan　and　requested　a　private　interview　with　him；　it　was　to　desire　he　would　deliver　into　the　hands　of　the　Queen　a　little　box　containing　her　wedding　ring；　with　this　note　written　by　the　Cure：　〃I　have　received　under　the　seal　of　confession　the　ring　which　I　send　to　your　Majesty；　with　an　avowal　that　it　was　stolen　from　you　in　1771；　in　order　to　be　used　in　sorceries；　to　prevent　your　having　any　children。〃　　On　seeing　her　ring　again　the　Queen　said　that　she　had　in　fact　lost　it　about　seven　years　before；　while　washing　her　hands；　and　that　she　had　resolved　to　use　no　endeavour　to　discover　the　superstitious　woman　who　had　done　her　the　injury。
  The　Queen's　attachment　to　the　Comtesse　Jules　increased　every　day；　she　went　frequently　to　her　house　at　Paris；　and　even　took　up　her　own　abode　at　the　Chateau　de　la　Muette　to　be　nearer　during　her　confinement。　　She　married　Mademoiselle　de　Polignac；　when　scarcely　thirteen　years　of　age；　to　M。　de　Grammont；　who；　on　account　of　this　marriage；　was　made　Duc　de　Guiche；　and　captain　of　the　King's　Guards；　in　reversion　after　the　Duc　de　Villeroi。　The　Duchesse　de　Civrac；　Madame　Victoire's　dame　d'honneur；　had　been　promised　the　place　for　the　Duc　de　Lorges；　her　son。　　The　number　of　discontented　families　at　Court　increased。
  The　title　of　favourite　was　too　openly　given　to　the　Comtesse　Jules　by　her　friends。　　The　lot　of　the　favourite　of　a　queen　is　not；　in　France；　a　happy　one；　the　favourites　of　kings　are　treated；　out　of　gallantry；　with　much　greater　indulgence。
  A　short　time　after　the　birth　of　Madame　the　Queen　became　again　enceinte；　she　had　mentioned　it　only　to　the　King；　to　her　physician；　and　to　a　few　persons　honoured　with　her　intimate　confidence；　when；　having　overexerted　her　strength　in　pulling　lip　one　of　the　glasses　of　her　carriage；　she　felt　that　she　had　hurt　herself；　and　eight　days　afterwards　she　miscarried。　　The　King　spent　the　whole　morning　at　her　bedside；　consoling　her；　and　manifesting　the　tenderest　concern　for　her。　　The　Queen　wept　exceedingly；　the　King　took　her　affectionately　in　his　arms；　and　mingled　his　tears　with　hers。　　The　King　enjoined　silence　among　the　small　number　of　persons　who　were　informed　of　this　unfortunate　occurrence；　and　it　remained　generally　unknown。　　These　particulars　furnish　an　accurate　idea　of　the　manner　in　which　this　august　couple　lived　together。
  The　Empress　Maria　Theresa　did　not　enjoy　the　happiness　of　seeing　her　daughter　give　an　heir　to　the　crown　of　France。　　That　illustrious　Princess　died　at　the　close　of　1780；　after　having　proved　by　her　example　that；　as　in　the　instance　of　Queen　Blanche；　the　talents　of　a　sovereign　might　be　blended　with　the　virtues　of　a　pious　princess。　　The　King　was　deeply　affected　at　the　death　of　the　Empress；　and　on　the　arrival　of　the　courier　from　Vienna　said　that　he　could　not　bring　himself　to　afflict　the　Queen　by　informing　her　of　an　event　which　grieved　even　him　so　much。　　His　Majesty　thought　the　Abbe　de　Vermond；　who　had　possessed　the　confidence　of　Maria　Theresa　during　his　stay　at　Vienna；　the　most　proper　person　to　discharge　this　painful　duty。　　He　sent　his　first　valet　de　chambre；　M。　de　Chamilly；　to　the　Abbe　on　the　evening　of　the　day　he　received　the　despatches　from　Vienna；　to　order　him　to　come　the　next　day　to　the　Queen　before　her　breakfast　hour；　to　acquit　himself　discreetly　of　the　afflicting　commission　with　which　he　was　charged；　and　to　let　his　Majesty　know　the　moment　of　his　entering　the　Queen's　chamber。　　It　was　the　King's　intention　to　be　there　precisely　a　quarter　of　an　hour　after　him；　and　he　was　punctual　to　his　time；　he　was　announced；　the　Abbe　came　out；　and　his　Majesty　said　to　him；　as　he　drew　up　at　the　door　to　let　him　pass；　〃I　thank　you；　Monsieur　l'Abbe；　for　the　service　you　have　just　done　me。〃　　This　was　the　only　time　during　nineteen　years　that　the　King　spoke　to　him。
  Within　an　hour　after　learning　the　event　the　Queen　put　on　temporary　mourning；　while　waiting　until　her　Court　mourning　should　be　ready；　she　kept　herself　shut　up　in　her　apartments　for　several　days；　went　out　only　to　mass；　saw　none　but　the　royal　family；　and　received　none　but　the　Princesse　de　Lamballe　and　the　Duchesse　de　Polignac。　　She　talked　incessantly　of　the　courage；　the　misfortunes；　the　successes；　and　the　virtues　of　her　mother。　The　shroud　and　dress　in　which　Maria　Theresa　was　to　be　buried；　made　entirely　by　her　own　hands；　were　found　ready　prepared　in　one　of　her　closets。　　She　often　regretted　that　the　numerous　duties　of　her　august　mother　had　prevented　her　from　watching　in　person　over　the　education　of　her　daughters；　and　modestly　said　that　she　herself　would　have　been　more　worthy　if　she　had　had　the　good　fortune　to　receive　lessons　directly　from　a　sovereign　so　enlightened　and　so　deserving　of　admiration。
  The　Queen　told　me　one　day　that　her　mother　was　left　a　widow　at　an　age　when　her　beauty　was　yet　striking；　that　she　was　secretly　informed　of　a　plot　laid　by　her　three　principal　ministers　to　make　themselves　agreeable　to　her；　of　a　compact　made　between　them；　that　the　losers　should　not　feel　any　jealousy　towards　him　who　should　be　fortunate　enough　to　gain　his　sovereign's　heart；　and　that　they　had　sworn　that　the　successful　one　should　be　always