Monsieur Scarron's letters, to persons of the greatest eminency and quality rendred into English by John Davies ... — Correspondence. English. Selections

Monsieur Scarron's letters, to persons of the greatest eminency and quality rendred into English by John Davies ... — Correspondence. English. Selections

Table of contents

§

Title page

TO THE Worthily Honoured, WILLIAM HAMMOND, Eſq

ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER.

THE CONTENTS.

§

A LETTER From Monſieur De BALZAC, to Monſieur COSTAR, concerning the Works of Monſieur SCARRON.

LETTER I. To the Queen of Sweden.

LETTER II. To the Queen Regent of France.

LETTER III. To his Highneſs the Prince of Conde.

LETTER IV. To the Counteſs of Brienne.

LETTER V. To the ſame Counteſs.

LETTER VI. To Monſieur Sarrazin.

LETTER VII. To Mademoiſelle D'Aubigné.

LETTER VIII. To Madam de Sevigny, the Widow.

LETTER IX. To Madam de Villarceaux.

LETTER X. To the Marqueſs of Villarceaux.

LETTER XI. To the Queen of Sweden.

LETTER XII. To _____ .

LETTER XIII. To _____

LETTER XIV. To _____

LETTER XV. To the Lord Biſhop of Mans.

LETTER XVI. To his Eminency the Cardinal de Retz.

LETTER XVII. To the Duke de Retz.

LETTER XVIII. To the Count de Vivonne.

LETTER XIX. To Monſieur Marigny.

LETTER XX. To the ſame Monſieur Marigny.

LETTER XXI. To the ſame.

LETTER XXII. To the Mareſchall D'Albret.

LETTER XXIII. To the ſame.

Poſt-ſcript.

LETTER XXIV. To the ſame.

LETTER XXV. To the ſame.

LETTER XXVI. To _____

LETTER XXVII. To Monſieur Procurator-General, and Surintendant of the Finances.

LETTER XXVIII. To the ſame.

LETTER XXIX. To the ſame.

LETTER XXX. To the ſame.

LETTER XXXI. To the ſame.

LETTER XXXII. To the ſame.

LETTER XXXIII. To the ſame.

LETTER XXXIV. To the ſame.

LETTER XXXV. To the ſame:

LETTER XXXVI. To the ſame.

LETTER XXXVII. To the ſame.

LETTER XXXVIII. To the ſame.

LETTER XXXIX. To the ſame.

LETTER XL. To Monſieur Peliſson.

LETTER XLI. To _____

LETTER XLII. To _____ .

LETTER XLIII. To _____ .

LETTER XLIV. To _____ .

LETTER XLV. To _____ .

LETTER LXVI. To _____ .

LETTER XLVII. To _____ .

LETTER XLVIII. To _____ .

LETTER XLIX. To _____ .

LETTER L. To _____

LETTER LI. To _____

LETTER LII. To _____

LETTER LIII. To _____

LETTER LIV. To _____

LETTER LV. To _____

LETTER LVI. To Monſieur de Segrais.

LETTER LVII. To the Duke d'Elboeuf.

LETTER LVIII. To Monſieur de Villette.

LETTER LIX. To the Count de Vivonne.

Books Printed for, and ſold by George Dawes at his Shop over againſt Lincolns-Inn Gate in Chancery Lane.

[Page]Monſieur Scarron's LETTERS.

§

[Page]

I am the man! who made a prey, to griefe.

Doe in her very janres, find out releife.

The Cynic, and the Stoic, could receive

Th' vnkindneſses of Fortune, & not grieve,

Rejoyce and ſport wth miſery! there's none

Could ever yet, but Comicall Scarron!

§

[Page]

Monſieur Scarron's LETTERS, TO Perſons of the greateſt Eminency and Quality.

Rendred into Engliſh BY JOHN DAVIES, of Kidwelley.

LONDON: Printed for George Dawes, and are to be Sold at his Shop in Chancery-Lane, againſt Lincoln's-Inn-Gate. 1677.

TO THE Worthily Honoured, WILLIAM HAMMOND, Eſq

[Page]

[Page]

AMidſt the great depravation of Morality, wherewith the preſent Age is chargeable, it is ſome comfort, that there is a certain improvement of Gratitude, of which there are, at leaſt, ſo many Demonſtrations, as we find Dedicatories. You have many times very ſeaſonably [Page] ſurpriz'd me with your Kindneſſes, and this is the firſt Opportunity I have had, to make a Publick Acknowledgment thereof.

In the primitive fervour of Chriſtian Diſcipline, men were content to undergo publick penances, in order to the expiation of ſecret miſcarriages. Why therefore may not a private act of Generoſity lay an obligation upon the Receiver, to make an open celebration thereof, if there be a concurrence and combination of circumſtances to enforce it?

The former productions of this Comical and Burleſque Author, of my publiſhing in Engliſh, that [Page] is to ſay, his Novels, were addreſs'd to the Patronage of the worthily - worſhipful▪ Thomas Stanley, Eſquire, and I am very apt to attribute the kind reception they met withal in the World to the ſacredneſs of that Dedication. The preſent Collection of Letters is the cloſe of all that is to be expected of his in Proſe: And 'tis my preſumption, that, being recommended to the publick, under a name ſo neerly related to him, they will meet with a ſucceſs anſwerable to that of the others.

But whatever entertainment they may have, I make this advantage, [Page] of this publication, that I have made a Manifeſto of my reſpects, where I am ſo much engag'd to do it, and conſequently, how much I am,

Honoured Sir,

Your moſt humble, and much obliged Servant, J. DAVIES.

ADVERTISEMENT TO THE READER.

[Page]

IN the Year 1670, I Publiſh'd the laſt Novel I could meet withal of Monſieur Scarron's, under the Title of The Vnexpected Choice, Printed for Mr. John Martyn at the Bell in St. Paul's Church-Yard. In the Addreſs to the Reader before that Piece, I made him a promiſe of ſome other, of the [Page] ſame Author's, which being then upon the Stocks was in a very fair way to be launch'd within a ſhort time. The Work then intended, and indeed wherein ſome ſhort Progreſs had been made, is this preſent Collection of his Letters, which had it not been miſlay'd, and ſo given over for loſt, might have appear'd long ere this, poſſibly, to the great ſatisfaction of thoſe who were not diſſatisfy'd with his other Productions. What ſucceſs, and kind reception they have found, the frequent Editions of them do ſufficiently teſtifie. 'Tis preſum'd, his Letters [Page] may be as divertive to ſome as his Novels, that is, to thoſe who are Judges of Wit; for an Artiſt muſt needs be injur'd, if he be try'd by any, but his Peers. There was alſo a deſign, of making ſome Additionals to this little Collection, out of other French Authors, but, upon mature conſideration, it is adjourn'd to the next Edition of it, which the Bookſeller is in great hope to ſee, ſoon after this next long Vacation.

J. D:

THE CONTENTS.

[Page]

[Page]

A Letter from Monſieur De Balzac, to Monſieur Coſtar, concerning the Works of Monſieur Scarron. Page 1.

Letter I. To the Queen of Sweden. 7

Letter II. To the Queen Regent of France. 11

Letter III. To his Highneſs the Prince of Conde. 12

Letter IV. To the Counteſs of Brienne. 14

Letter V. To the ſame Counteſs. 16

Letter VI. To Monſieur Sarrazin. 18

Letter VII. To Mademoiſelle D'Aubigné. 23

Letter VIII. To Madam de Savigney, the Widow. 25

Letter IX. To Madam Villarceaux. 28

Letter X. To the Marqueſs of Villarceaux. 29

Letter XI. To the Queen of Sweden. 32

Letter XII. To [...]. 34

Letter XIII. To [...]. 35

[Page] Letter XIV. To [...]. 39

Letter XV. To the Lord Biſhop of Mans. 41

Letter XVI. To his Eminency the Cardinal de Retz. 44

Letter XVII. To the Duke de Retz. 45

Letter XVIII. To the Count de Vivonne 48

Letter XIX. To Monſieur Marigny 51

Letter XX. To the ſame Monſieur Marigny 54

Letter XXI. To the ſame 56

Letter XXII. To the Mareſchal D'Albret 59

Letter XXIII. To the ſame 62

Letter XXIV. To the ſame 69

Letter XXV. To the ſame 71

Letter XXVI. To [...] 73

Letter XXVII. To Monſieur the Procurator-General, and Surintendant of the Finances 74

Letter XXVIII. To the ſame 76

Letter XXIX. To the ſame 77

Letter XXX. To the ſame 81

Letter XXXI. To the ſame 83

Letter XXXII. To the ſame 84

Letter XXXIII. To the ſame 87

Letter XXXIV. To the ſame 88

Letter XXXV. To the ſame 89

Letter XXXVI. To the ſame 91

Letter XXXVII. To the ſame 93

Letter XXXVIII. To the ſame 95

[Page] Letter XXXIX. To the ſame 100

Letter XL. To Monſieur Peliſſon 102

Letter XLI. To [...] 104

Letter XLII. To [...] 105

Letter XLIII. To [...] 107

Letter XLIV. To [...] 108

Letter XLV. To [...] 112

Letter XLVI. To [...] 114

Letter XLVII. To [...] 116

Letter XLVIII. To [...] 118

Letter XLIX. To [...] 119

Letter L. To [...] 120

Letter LI. To [...] 122

Letter LII. To [...] 123

Letter LIII. To [...] 125

Letter LIV. To [...] 127

Letter LV. To [...] 129

Letter LVI. To Monſieur de Segrais 130

Letter LVII. To the Duke d'Elboeuf 133

Letter LVIII. To Monſieur de Villette 135

Letter LIX. To the Count de Vivonne 139

§

[Page]

Licenſed,

Roger L'Eſtrange.

A LETTER From Monſieur De BALZAC, to Monſieur COSTAR, concerning the Works of Monſieur SCARRON.

SIR,

THE Book you were pleas'd to ſend me from Monſieur Scarron is a Preſent, which I am extreamly oblig'd to value. Upon the firſt peruſal, it prov'd an effectual remedy, and eas'd me of an oppreſſion of the Spleen, which might [Page] haply have put a period to my breathing, had it not been for that ſeaſonable relief. I am in hopes, it may yet do ſome further Cure, if I uſe it oftner. It is not impoſſible, but, by the help of it, I may be recover'd out of that Philoſophical Melancholy, and indivertive ſeriouſneſs, which I am too much ſubject to. Nay, probably, I may thereby learn to put Chancery-Bills and Legends into rime, and become jocund and cheerful by contagion. This certainly is the moſt admirable indiſpos'd perſon that ever was heard of; there is ſomething in him which tranſcends health it ſelf, I mean that health which we may call ſtupid and material: for you know, that the Arabians, ſpeaking of alacrity, affirm it to be the flower and ſpirit of a lively and ſtirring health. Since you are deſirous to know what different reflections I have made on this indiſpos'd perſon, and expect I ſhould digeſt my thoughts of him into a particular Chapter; I am, in the firſt place, to give you this character of him, That, of all the men I ever convers'd with, he muſt be guilty of either the greateſt diſſimulation, or the greateſt conſtancy. I ſay, that he ſhall riſe up in Judgment againſt the delicacy and blandiſhments whereto humane Nature is [Page] ſo much inclin'd, or that Pain, and all its afflictive retinue treat him more gently than they do other men. I ſay, there is ſome probability, that the common Executioner puniſhes the Patient with ſome kind of lenity and remorſe. When I ſee him laughing, as he does, in the midſt of his torments, I muſt confeſs my ſelf apt to be of an opinion, That his pain comes not up to that degree we commonly aſſign it, to be ſuch, and amounts only to a certain titillation. In fine, I ſtick not to affirm, that the Prometheus, the Hercules, the Philoctetes, mention'd in the Fables, not to ſay any thing of Job, the truth of whoſe ſtory we doubt not of, ſay very great and remarkable things in the violence of their torments; but they are far from ſpeaking ſuch as are pleaſant, and divertive. I muſt acknowledge, that, in many places of Antiquity, I have met with Griefs, from which, ſuch as endur'd them, acquir'd the reputation, ſome of Conſtancy; ſome of Modeſty; ſome of Prudence, nay, ſome of Eloquence; but of any remarkable for a perpetual intermixture of Alacrity, this is the onely Example: No, I could never meet there with any mention of a Mind, ſoprincipled by the dictates of any Sect, as that it [Page] could dance and be frolickſom, in a Body, where the Palſey had taken up its Quarters. So obſervable a Prodigy deſerves to come under the conſideration of Philoſophers, employed upon the queſt of things requiring the greateſt curioſity. 'Twere an omiſſion in Hiſtory to forget him; and if I were in an humour to be an Hiſtorian, as I am an Hiſtoriographer, I ſhould not account it the leaſt Miracle of our Time, which hath produc'd ſo many ſuch. It is not my deſign to detract ought from the reputation of the Dead, with whom I muſt acknowledg my ſelf to have had a friendſhip: But there are different degrees of Reputation, and though the quality of an Apoſtle, be a Title of no ſmall Account in a Chriſtian Family, yet is it to be confeſs'd, that the Martyrdom of the Son is ſomewhat that is more rare than the Apoſtolical employment of the Father. What think you, would be the ſentiments of your Seneca upon this occaſion, that Seneca, who heretofore took ſo great a pleaſure in Treating of ſuch matters, and who ſo often hath ſought the occaſions of doing it? Will it not be found true, that that diſdainful and inſolent Vertue, ſo much celebrated by him, which brags of its being at eaſe and undiſturb'd in Phalaris's Bull, and could ſay, [Page] that it was pleaſant being there, was but the ſimple figure of this Vertue ſo accompany'd by Meekneſs and Humility, as that it knows how to put in practice the Paradoxes of the other, and that without the leaſt oſtentation? Let us then conclude, to the honor of him, who calls himſelf the moſt humble, moſt Obedient, moſt Oblig'd, and moſt Indiſpos'd Servant and Subject to a great Queen, that there is either Ecſtaſie and Enthuſiaſm in his Indiſpoſition, and that the Soul executes her functions apart, without being any way immers'd in Matter; or that there is an extraordinary conſtancy and vigour in it, and that the Soul, in its ſtruglings with the Body, hath all the advantage, that a ſtronger perſon hath over a weaker.

Aut coeleſte aliquid, Coſtarde, aſtriſ (que) propinquum,

Morbus hic eſt, ſuperoq, trahit de lumine lucem,

Aut ſervant immota ſuum Bona vera ſerenum,

[...]at (que) ſuper proprias Virtus illaeſa ruinas.

P [...] tot ſaecla igitur, tandem, gens Stoica, Reg [...],

Cerne [...]uum! Faſces tenero ſubmittite vati,

Sublim [...] tragici (que) Sophi, Zenonia proles;

[Page] Nec pudeat decreta humili poſtponere ſocco

Grandia, & ampullas verborum & nomen honeſti

Magnificum, ac veras audire in carmine voces.

SCARRO aeger, SCARRO, infando data praeda dolori,

Non fatum crudele, Jovem non clamat iniquum;

Iratis parcit ſuperis, ſortí (que) malignae,

Et patitur ſaevos invictâ mente dolores,

Jucundum (que) effert dira inter ſpicula vultum.

Nec ſimulatâ gerit perſonam indutus honeſtam,

Vel miſtâ ridet, veluti Mezentius, irâ,

Sed purùm, ſine fraude & laxis ridet habenis.

Dic iterum, ne (que) ſat ſemel eſt dixiſſe triumphos,

Qui laeta, ingenioſa, aegro de pectore promit,

Qui ludit Deum & Enceladum, vaſtum (que) Typhoea

Terrigenaſ (que) alios, feſtivo carmine fratres;

Qui ſedeat licet aeternùm, mirabile dictu,

Perpetuas agitat Pindi per amoena choreas,

Proximus ille polo, fortunâ (que) altior omni,

SCARRO meus, mihi nam (que) tuum, Coſtarde dediſti,

Magnus erit Rex ille ſui, quem priſca coron [...]

Porticus, & rigidi vox imperioſa Cleanth [...]

Ni ſaeclo invideat noſtro rigidus (que) Clear [...]nes,

Priſca (que) dijs, divûm (que) patri ſe Por [...]cus aequans.

[Page] I know not whether the Chequer-work of this Chapter will pleaſe you; but out of a fear the length of it may diſpleaſe you, I cloſe it, and remain,

Your, &c. De BALZAC.

LETTER I.
To the Queen of Sweden.

Madam,

I Preſume to ſend your Majeſty ſome Productions of mine, which poſſibly you have not ſeen. If you find any thing in them that may pleaſe you, the ſatisfaction I ſhall conceive thereat will be as great as I am capable of, who having once had the Honour to ſee you, muſt now look on my ſelf as reduc'd to that unhappy condition as [...]ever to expect it again. To compleat the m [...]aſure of my ill Fortune, and the miſeries of [...] Life, it ſeems there wanted only the afflic [...]on of being at ſo great a diſtance from your [...]jeſty, and at the ſame time to envy thoſe [...] are near you. I know not whether [Page] thoſe fortunate perſons are fully ſenſible of their Happineſs; but, if they have not for your Majeſty ſomewhat that tranſcends admiration and reſpect, I ſhall make no difficulty to rank them amongſt the moſt ſtupid of all undiſcerning Animals. For my part, were I in their place, and in a condition to run about the Fields, I ſhould ſoon act the part of a little Rolando for your ſake. True it is, I think I ſhould not fell down, at one ſingle ſtroak with a Sword, as great Trees as he in Arioſto, and that I ſhould not commit ſo much waſte; and yet my extravagances might occaſion more divertiſement than his, though they were not ſo much to be fear'd; nay haply they would raiſe no leſs compaſſion. You ſee, Madam, that I make ſufficient advantages of the permiſſion your Majeſty hath been pleaſed to give me, as an unregarded Gallant, to make that Courtſhip to the greateſt Queen that ever was, which that Skipping-Maſter did to a Queen that never was. 'Twas prudently done of your Majeſty to give it me, ſince [...] was reſolv'd to have taken it my ſelf, an in caſe you had deny'd it me, you would have found your ſelf diſobey'd by a Perſo [...]who would not do it in any thing elſe, [...]ough it coſt him his life. But, deveſting [...] of your [Page] Majeſty, Madam, you are an admirable perſon. In all places wherever you come, your Eyes make you more Subjects than a great Kingdom had given you; and if they do of themſelves all we have ſeen done by them, without your taking the trouble of giving them any inſtructions, it muſt be acknowledg'd, that the World affords not any that are more beautiful and more attractive, but withal more dangerous. Hence it comes, that, in all the Perſons who viſit me, I obſerve a certain Rivalſhip in the expreſſions they make of your Empire over them; but the particular Miracle your Majeſty hath wrought is upon the Ladies, who though naturally inclin'd to envy all others, conſpire in an unanimous acknowledgment of your perfections. Madam, I ſhould dread being too free with your Majeſty, were I not aſſur'd, that you know better than any perſon in the World, how great a doſe of Icarus, and Ixion goes into the compoſition of a Poet, and that the Hiſtory of thoſe two temerarious attempters, though the cloſe of it be not much to the advantage of thoſe poor Merchants of Immortality, is that, of all the Fables, which beſt pleaſes them, and is of moſt uſe to them. There is not any much applauded Poet, but would prefer the reputation [Page] of being a Modern Ixion, before that of turning a ſtanza well, and an Heroick Confidence (ſo they call their Platonick and Contemplative Love) before Laurel, or Money, or both. But, Madam, poſſibly I play the wanton with the Command your Majeſty hath laid on me to write to you, if I have not already done it. I am therefore to beg this favour, if your Majeſty be pleas'd to afford me the continuance of this Honour, that I may know, to what degree of freedom my Letters may aſpire, that I may not preſume ſo far on the priviledg you have given me, as to tranſgreſs the limits of that reſpect which is due to you, from Perſons infinitely tranſcending,

Madam,

Your Majeſties moſt humble, moſt Obedient, and moſt reſpectful Servant, SCARRON.

LETTER II.
To the Queen Regent of France.

[Page]

Madam,

IT was too Noble an adventure, for the moſt unfortunate of all Men, to be known to your Majeſty, and to be the particular object of your Compaſſion and your Charity. It is to be attributed, not ſo much to his fault, as his unhappineſs, that he is ſo ſoon diſcarded after ſo favourable a hand of good Fortune. He is out of favour with the greateſt Queen in the World, his Benefactreſs; whereof what can be the effect, but that he muſt ſubmit to the Tyranny of that affliction, which before, with the aſſiſtance of ſuch a Patroneſs, he was in ſome meaſure able to ſtruggle with? Can nothing excite a pity in your Majeſty towards ſo diſconſolate a wretch; and, while you are liberal of Peace to all the World, can you not ſhed a little of it into a Breaſt, full of troubles and diſtractions, through the loſs of your Favour? He is not ſo far beſotted, as to beg any new one of your Majeſty; but the ſum of his humble Suit is, that you will at length give a check [Page] to your indignation, that he may compleat the ſmall remainder of his life, with the Satisfaction of telling the World that he is,

Madam,

Your Majeſties moſt humble, moſt obedient, and moſt reſpectful Servant. S.

LETTER III.
To his Highneſs the Prince of Conde.

May it pleaſe your Highneſs,

DOes it not argue an exceſs of Joy in me, to preſume writing to your Highneſs upon your happy return? I muſt confeſs, it is ſo great, that it proves my torment, when, to check it into ſome moderation, I am guilty of any endeavour to ſuppreſs it. And when I permit the diſcoveries of it, men look on it as a Prodigy, that an unhappy wretch who finds it work enough, to ſupport his own particular miſfortune, ſhould be ſo highly concern'd in the Publick Felicity, as the moſt happy and [Page] moſt healthy; and what adds to this general aſtoniſhment, is, that having not the honour of approaching your Highneſs, and there being ſo vaſt a diſtance between a Prince of Conde, and the Terminus of all indiſpos'd and bed-ridden people, his affection ſhould be ſo violent towards him, as if he had the perpetual ſatisfaction of ſeeing and admiring him. This indeed is a thing meets with as much difficulty of credit, as your Highneſſes Victories, and yet is no leſs certain. And if your Highneſs could but be induc'd to believe it upon my own word, you would haply afford the ardency of my zeal a kind reception, and be the more convinc'd of my being, beyond any Perſon in the World,

Your Highneſſes moſt humble, moſt obedient, and moſt paſſionate Servant, S.

LETTER IV.
To the Counteſs of Brienne.

[Page]

Madam,

SInce you have had the curioſity to ſee me, as the Queen of Sweden had before you, it is but juſt, you ſhould, as ſhe did, give me leave to fall in Love with you, and to give you the Honour of a thing, which it may be is already paſt depending on your conſent. If you imagine I ask any thing of you, which you ought not to grant me, and that I undertake more than I am able to perform, I am content to be reduc'd into the number only of your Friends, and to conceal from you, what other more advantageous relation I might be capable of. For without your condeſcending to that, there will be no occaſion of my waiting on you, which will be an extraordinary affliction to me; for I was extreamly deſirous to uſe the utmoſt of my endeavours and abilities to give you ſatisfaction. After ſuch a diſcovery, as this is, of my intentions to you, I refer it to your own imagination, whether any thing in the World would tempt me to [Page] diſappoint you. I ſhall therefore, with much ſincerity, give you an account of the good and bad qualities of the Perſon, whom you are to look on as your humble Servant, as long as he lives. His Body, indeed, as you might have obſerv'd, is very irregular, inſomuch that he is thought a dangerous ſpectacle to Women with Child. As to the Soul, he is ſo well content with his own, that he would not make an exchange with any in the World, but your ſelf. When he loves, he does it with ſuch violence, that he is ſometimes aſham'd of it; and ſince you muſt know all, though he be very punctual in acquitting himſelf of the obligations and devoirs of Friendſhip, yet in one particular he is defective, to wit, that of writing to his Friends. But it is to be conſider'd withal, that he ſpeaks advantageouſly of them upon all occaſions, expreſſing himſelf with a kind of fury, and ſometimes is ſo importunate, as to weary out his Auditors; and when he is obliged to vindicate ſome perſon whom he loves, he can hardly be diſtinguiſhed from a Lion. If you like me upon theſe qualifications, I am, Body and Soul, at your ſervice. In the mean time, expecting your reſolution, in order to your [Page] acceptance or rejection of me, I am, nay will be, however you treat me,

Madam,

Your moſt tranſported, and moſt humble Servant. S.

LETTER V.
To the ſame Counteſs.

Madam,

IT is poſſible indeed, that you may have never permitted any one to make a diſcovery of love to you; but that never any durſt preſume to do it, as it is not a thing dependent on you, ſo you muſt give me leave to doubt of it, at leaſt, till you have layd your abſolute commands upon me to believe it.

Were you a Beauty of a lower rate,

By one coy look you might betray your hate,

[Page] To teach a daring Lover greater caution,

And ſmother his aſpiring Inclination.

But you once ſeen, plac'd in the nobleſt Sphear,

Who ſo reſerv'd, as can from Love forbear?

Or who once having lov'd can be ſo tame,

As to conceale ſo violent a flame?

So true it is, Love, in a high degree,

Will ſoon trangreſs the rules of ſecrecy.

Let us therefore be ſincere, Madam, and acknowledge that we have not been ſo ingenious, as we ſhould, one towards another, at our firſt correſpondence by Letters, and that, if it be impoſſible, any ſhould ever preſume to entertain you with a diſcourſe of Love, being ſo tranſcendently beautiful as you are, it is no leſs, on my ſide, that haveing ſo great a diſcerning faculty as I am Maſter of, I ſhould be tamely content with a reduction into the number of your friends, as I had told you. If the end of your Letter approach ſincerity, as much as the begining ſeems to be diſtant from it, the ſentiments you promiſe to have for me will haply produce very dangerous effects about the Court, and you will find there will be a certain emulation among ſome, to cripple themſelves. But for my part part, I ſhall be the Prince of them, ſince my work is already [Page] done, and therefore ſhall think my ſelf oblig'd, anſwerably to my Quality, to tranſcend all others in the impetuoſity of my Paſſion, ſince I have the preheminence, of being firſt admitted,

Madam,

The humbleſt of your moſt humble, and moſt Obedient Servants, SCARRON.

LETTER VI.
To Monſieur Sarrazin.

Sir,

I See you are not under any preſſure of Affairs in your Kingdom of Bourdeaux, ſince you have ſo much leiſure as to write to me; or that Mademoiſelle de Viger ſticks any thing cloſe to your Heart, when you amuſe your ſelf in giving me a particular relation of all the noble exploits, ſhe is able to perform either in Peace or War. If the deſcription you have made of her be free [Page] from flattery, I muſt confeſs, I had rather have broken a leg, than ever have known her, nay though it were ſuch, as that I might venture it at the dancing of a Ball; and I do adviſe you not to be too familiar with her, ſince you have not ſo much time to ſquander away. But is there, in earneſt, any more in it, than that you, having little to do, yet deſirous to be doing, have given me an ingenious draught of your own imaginations of Beauty, and attributed them all to the Perſon you were moſt converſant withal? For you tell me ſo many things of her, that I ſhould believe but little, were it not for this reflection, that you would not have written me ſo excellent and ſo long a Letter, without ſome deſign. For, at Paris, it was never believ'd till now, that there was any perſon at Bourdeaux, whoſe attractions might raiſe a Love in Monſieur Guyonet. But upon the reading of your Letter, I am eaſily induc'd to a perſwaſion, That if ever Mademoiſelle de Viger ſhall make all the advantages ſhe can of her power, the number of thoſe whom ſhe ſhall make ſlaves, will equal that of thoſe whom Guyonet had made unhappy; and ſhe will be fully reveng'd on the poor unhappy men, for all the devaſtations which that [Page] dangerous Guyennian hath committed upon thoſe of her Sex. But dear Sir, conſult your own Conſcience, and deal ſincerely, Is not that ſerenity and indiſturbance of Mind, which you magnifie above all things, ſomewhat concern'd in the caſe, when you make an open profeſſion of having ſo violent Inclinations for her? For my part, were I ſtill, as you ſay,

Qualis eram bonae

Sub regno Cynarae.

and were, as I now imagine you to be, on the Banks of the Garonne, where it kindly contributes to the production of ſo many Flowers to ſtrew your Walks, it would coſt me at the leaſt two or three thouſand diſturbances, ſeven or eight hundred jealouſies, ſome handfuls of the hair of my head, and a quart or two of warm tears; for I have now lately receiv'd the gift of tears as well as you, and I dare compare with you for matter of weeping, though it be known, you have been as remarkable for it, as the Prophet Jeremy. But to return to Mademoiſelle de Viger, 'tis a misfortune to be lamented, that ſhe ſhould be wiſer then Solomon. There are indeed ſome men [Page] would be guilty of a great extravagance for her, as the Queen of Sheba was for him. For example, I my ſelf, who am not ſo wiſe as the Son of Barſabe, as ſhe told you, and yet think her a more amiable Perſon than that Queen of Ethiopia, would take Bourdeaux in my way, upon no other deſign, then that of ſeeing her, if I go next Spring to Barages, as I have ſome intentions to do. But my Dog of a Deſtiny will hurry me about a month hence towards the Weſt-Indies: or rather, I am afraid to be ſhov'd out of Europe, into America, like a piece from one end of a Sheffle-Board to the other, by a ſort of importunate and inſupportable perſons, a ſort of Excreſcencies of Paris, who call themſelves, the Leigers of Wit and Drollery. The Queſtion among them, is not, Whether a man be well principled, well inclin'd, or of an obliging deportment, and good carriage; but whether he be one of the Leigers of Wit and Drollery. There are a certain number of perſons who would attempt to give them a ſhove; but they were told, the more ingenious among them make it their bragg, That they are approv'd by a great Princeſs, whoſe Perfections of Mind equal the tranſcendency of her Quality, and that they are ſo vain, as [Page] to bring her name in, to countenance the gingling productions of their Wit. Had it not been for this conſideration, there would have been a party ready to have riſen up againſt them. And this is all the account, I can give the moſt ingenious of my Europaean Friends, of my departure hence for America. I have in order thereto put a Thouſand Crowns into the hands of a new Company deſign'd for the Indies, which goes to plant a Colony within three degrees of the Line, along the Rivers of Orillana and Orinoca. Farewel France; Farewel Paris; Farewel Tygreſſes diſguis'd in the ſhape of Angels▪ Farewel Menagius's, Sarrazins, and Marignis. I renounce all future Commerce with Burleſque Poetry, Comical Romances, and Comedies; I am now bound for a Countrey where I ſhall not meet with any counterfeit Saints, nor Cut-purſes of devotion, no Inquiſition, no Winter to rack me to death, no defluxion to cripple me, nor Warr to ſtarve me; but a perpetual freedom of Converſe, ſincerity of acquaintance, and all the enjoyments of the Golden Age. And yet amidſt all theſe, I dare aſſure you, nothing ſhall debauch me into an oblivion of my obligations to you; and that when I write to you next from my [Page] Palace in the Weſt-Indies, I ſhall cloſe with an acknowledgment of my being, as much as ever,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER VII.
To Mademoiſelle D'Aubigné.

Mademoiſelle,

I Am very much oblig'd to a certain thing called Inſtinct; for that would be always ſuggeſting to me that the little Lady, whom I ſaw coming into my Chamber, about ſix months ſince, in a garment ſomewhat of the ſhorteſt, in reſpect of the mode now regnant, and who preſently fell a crying, I know not upon what occaſion, was no leſs ingenious, than her countenance gave her out. The Letter you have written to Mademoiſelle de Saint Hermant, is ſo highly ingenious, that it argues a great decay of Wit in me, not to have obſerv'd ſoon enough the accompliſhment of it in you. To be ſincere with you, I could never have imagin'd, that in the Iſlands of America, or among the [Page] Nuns of Niort, any ſhould be taught the Rules of writing ſo excellently well; and I am extreamly put to it, to find ſome colourable pretence, why you ſhould make it your buſineſs to conceal ingenuity, when others are ſo over-forward to make all the diſcoveries they can of it. Now therefore that you are known, you ſhould make as little difficulty of writing to me, as you have done to Mademoiſelle de S. Hermant. I ſhall uſe my utmoſt endeavours, to write a Letter comparable to yours, and you will have the ſatisfaction to ſee, that, if I come ſhort of you in point of Wit, I will not of any other, in being

Mademoiſelle,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER VIII.
To Madam de Sevigny, the Widow.

[Page]

Madam,

YOur ſatisfaction has coſt me abundance of miſery; for what Recipes, and Diet-Drink, and Phyſical Directions have I been the Butt of, only out of a compliance with the Command you had laid on me, not to dye, till you had ſeen me! And yet, Madame, all this ſtrictneſs, all my patient obedience to thoſe who exercis'd their abſolute power of life and death upon my body, hinders not my being ſtill in a dying condition, out of an impatience to ſee you. Had you taken an exact meaſure of your own forces and mine, this would not have happen'd. You Ladies of prodigious merit imagine there is no more to be done, but to command. We indiſpos'd perſons have not ſo much the diſpoſal of our Lives. Be therefore ſatisfy'd to occaſion their death who ſee you ſooner then they would, without prolonging their lives, who ſee you not ſo long as you wiſh they ſhould; and blame none but your ſelf, if I obey not the firſt command you ever laid upon me, ſince you have [Page] haſten'd my death, and that there is great likelihood, that, to pleaſe you, I ſhould have been as willing to have liv'd a hundred years, as any other man. But is it not in your power to change the manner of my death? I ſhould not be a little oblig'd to you. All theſe deaths of impatience and love are not for my turn, much leſs ſuitable to my humour; and if I have wept a hundred times for perſons who have dy'd upon that account, though I knew them not, imagine what I ſhall do for my ſelf, who ever made account to have a little of my own humour at my death. But it is impoſſible for a man to elude his deſtiny; and ſo I am convinc'd, that, whether you be near me, or at a great diſtance from me, you are the occaſion of my death. All the comfort I have, is, that, if I had ſeen you, the very thought of it would have added to the torment of my diſſolution. They ſay you are a dangerous Lady, and that they who look not on you with a certain circumſpection, are preſently taken ſick, and carry'd away within a ſhort time. I therefore ſubmit to the death you have aſſign'd me, and I heartily forgive you. Farewel Madam, I die your moſt humble Servant; and I pray Heaven, the divertiſements you [Page] expect to find in Britany, be not diſturbed, by a remorſe, of having been the executioner of a perſon, who had never offended you:

—And then, but then, too late

My cruel One will think, that, if I dy,

Ere I ſee her, I am not to be blam'd.

The laſt Verſe ſhould have rim'd to one of the other two; but at the point of death, a man's thoughts are more taken up with dying well, than riming well. And ſo being ready to expire, I have only time to— recommend—my ſelf—

LETTER IX.
To Madam de Villarceaux.

[Page]

Madam,

IT was no hard matter for me to find by your Letter, that I had written a very impertinent one to you: but it was not the firſt that ever I writ, when I and my Wits were at ſome diſtance; and I am not ſo highly conceited of my own Prudence, as to preſume it will be the laſt that I ſhall write while I live. The firſt time I ever come abroad, I will endeavour to crawl for your pardon: Mean time, Madam, you may aſſure Mademoiſelle Meuſnier, that though ſhe hath ſaid of me a hundred falſe things, which have brought me to the knowledg of many true ones concerning her, I am ready to put the Maid-Servant ſhe complains of, into the hands of the Magiſtrate, and, what you will hardly believe, that this wicked Maid, whom ſhe charges to have ſold what ſhe could juſtly call her own, is more forward to appear before the Judges, than ſhe her ſelf. But, Madam, I am ſomewhat afraid that I ſhall be taken at my word; [Page] yet ſhall I not retract what I have ſaid. She may preſent her Petition when ſhe pleaſes; if the Maid be guilty, I ſhall be the firſt to ſollicite againſt her. For your ſelf, Madam, as you are good, and generous, you cannot forbear pitying a Mother that has loſt her Daughter, or rather that was deſirous to have loſt her: And for her, if her Neighbours ſpeak truth, ſhe could do no leſs then ſurprize you. And, for my part, Madam, I ſhall give you no further trouble, but that of aſſuring you how infallibly I am,

Madam,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER X.
To the Marqueſs of Villarceaux.

My Lord,

FOr the diſcharge of my own tender Conſcience, I muſt needs tell you, That you know not what you do, when you make me a proffer of your Friendſhip, and [Page] are ſo deſirous, as you ſeem to be, of mine Though it be habitual in you to do good actions, yet that of wiſhing well to a perſon ſo diſcarded to misfortune, as I am, requires a generoſity, which you will find more dangerous in the exerciſe of it, than you imagine. I find little for you to hope from it, and much to fear, and therefore I adviſe you not to undertake it, how great ſoever my advantages be thereby. This heretofore coſt Armentieres his life; and not long ſince, poor Haucourt run the ſame fate; not to mention to you divers others, whom I could name to you, not of your acquaintance, and whom Death would not haply have ſnatcht away ſo ſoon hence, had they not been overforward to expreſs their love to me. Muſt I yet give you more examples, to aſſure you that my misfortune is contagious? Let theſe few ſuffice. Cardinal Richelieu dy'd within a month after my being known to him, and that I was thought ſo happy as to pleaſe him. The Prince of Orange had no ſooner diſcover'd his deſires of making me ſome Preſent, but he fell ſick of the Small Pox, and dy'd. The Preſident de Meſme did not long out-live the Viſit he made me, in a Chamber three Stories high. In fine, my acquaintance, if it come to any degree [Page] of Friendſhip, is ſo ſure a loſing caſt to thoſe who have it, and of ſo ſudden a Diſaſtre, that it is beyond my apprehenſion, how the Cardinal de Retz hath got into that Eminency, againſt Wind, Water, and Weather, at a time when it was the general perſwaſion, that he had a certain eſteem for me. After all theſe deterring examples, if your heart couragiouſly perſiſt in its reſolution, I am, Body and Soul, yours. I am not ſo deeply beſotted as to refuſe my good fortune, and the Friendſhip of a Perſon, whom I paſſionately love, as well upon the account of his merit, as my own natural inclination. Yet can I not disburthen my ſelf of a compaſſion for the hazard you run into; for I once more tell you, That I am a Mail, which open'd, you will find ſtuff'd only with miſfortune; and conſequently how fatal may prove to you being,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER XI.
To the Queen of Sweden.

[Page]

Madam,

TO offer your Majeſty a Comedy, and that of my Compoſure, is to make you a Preſent infinitely below your Worth and Quality: Only▪ I have this plea, That every one ought to be tax'd according to his abilities, for the payment of the Tribute due to you, from all thoſe who make it their concern to write in the preſent age. In that of Auguſtus, men paid in Verſe and Proſe the ſame Tribute to the Patron of the Virtuoſi, the deceas'd Mecenas, whom your Majeſty knows, better than I, by the general conſent of all the Poets, to have been a very gallant Perſon. But how highly ſoever his Name may have been celebrated in the World, all the advantage he now hath of your Majeſty, is only that of Precedence; and I would confidently venture all the little eſtate I have in the Kingdom of Parnaſſus, that your Majeſty would have defeated all his Deſigns, and forc'd him to exaſperation, as your Father the Great Guſtavus [Page] would have done his Maſter Auguſtus, had they been to diſpute the Empire of the Univerſe. But, Madam, if it be pardonable in a Perſon ſo much the object of pity, upon the account of Miſery, as I am, to put queſtions to a great Queen, as you are, I would know, whether it be not ſometimes incommodious to your Majeſty to be ſo highly a Heroine as you are? Extraordinary Merit hath alſo its inconveniences, and all theſe Dedicatories of Books, which we Poets would have to paſs for Incenſe, with thoſe whom we pretend to Heroify, are not always of the ſame value, nor have the ſame effect. There are ſome of thoſe Drugs caſt forth but little perfume, though much ſmoak; and I my ſelf am in ſuſpence, whether what I offer your Majeſtie, will paſs in your Court for Spaniſh Balls, or common ones. The late Prince of Orange made uſe of them heretofore, and was never the worſe for it: if your Majeſtie think them worth your approval in any degree, be not ſparing of them; ſince all I have now left is only for Her, whom all the World unanimouſly acknowledges to have ſurpaſs'd in Merit all the Princes of paſt Ages, to eclipſe all of the preſent, and to be an Example to thoſe of the future. And [Page] this is as true, as it is true, that I paſſionately am,

MADAME,

Your Majeſties moſt, &c. S.

LETTER XII.
To [...].

My Lord,

I Leave it to ſuch as can, make greateſt braggs of Health, and are moſt concern'd in your Affairs, to be more joyful than I am, at the recovery of your Liberty. I thought once to have ſaid, That your Eminency could not have been more glad of it than I am; but that had been an extravagant expreſſion. For the different traverſes of Fortune make no diſturbance in the Calmneſs and Serenity of your Mind; and if Adverſity find you always on your Feet, Proſperity does not force you to go ever the faſter. In fine, you are now, my Lord, got out of that obſcure Dungeon, where you [Page] were ſo inconveniently lodg'd; and methinks (not derogating from the reſpect I owe thoſe in whoſe power it is to aſſign ſuch Lodgings) they are not well read in the Ceremonies of Entertainment, ſince they bring you out with a much greater reſpect and complement, then they had conducted you into that enchanted Palace. The applauſes they receive for the latter will haply raiſe in them an inclination of receiving often the like: Heaven grant it be ſo, and me the happineſs to ſee your Eminency at a place, where I may be heard, from my own Chair to yours, aſſuring you, that I am more than ever,

Your Eminencies moſt, &c. S

LETTER XIII.
To [...]

Madam,

I Hear of your falling ill of a Tertian, if it come to a Quartan Ague, we ſhall have work enough for a whole Winter; for you [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] are not to queſtion, but it will be as much a torment to me, as it is to you. I pray let me know how many fits you have had already, and what account your Phyſitians give of it, ſince you are like to ſee them firſt; and certainly it is a very extraordinary accident, that you know ſome things of me, four or five days before I hear them my ſelf. I muſt needs have a great confidence of my ſtrength, rack'd with affliction as I am, when I concern my ſelf in, and participate of yours. I know not whether it had not been more prudently done of me, to have been diſtruſtful of you, the firſt time that ever I ſaw you. I ſhould have done ſo, and judg'd of it by the event: but what likelihood was there, that a young Maid ſhould diſturb the quiet Impotency of an old Batchelour, or ever fall under a ſuſpition of having given me ſo great a temptation, as that I ſhould regret my not being in a condition to revenge my ſelf? But away with flattery; I know you are ſick, but not, whether you are ſo carefully attended as you ſhould be. This very diſquiet adds much to the trouble and affliction it is to me, that I am forc'd to love, and at the ſame ſee that it is the greateſt madneſs in the world to do ſo? Ever and anon an humour [Page] takes me to venture on a Journey into Poitou, through all the preſent extremity of weather, and many briars and thorns by the way, which if it can be effected in me otherwiſe than by Witchcraft, I ſhall ſide with the Modern Scepticks and Deiſts, and believe there never was any ſuch thing. Return then, in the Name of God, return hither, and think it high time, when I am come to that degree of diſtraction, as to regret abſent Beauties. I ſhould have underſtood my ſelf better, and conſider'd, that I endure pain and torment enough, to become an abſolute Crippple from head to foot, without being poſſeſs'd of that diabolical grief, called The Impatience to ſee you. 'Tis one of the moſt curſed ſort of evil ſpirits. Do I not ſee how he torments poor Monſieur [...] upon no other account, then that he ſees not you, as often as he would, though he does it daily? The Letters he writes to us diſcover the deſpairing condition he is in, and I dare at this preſent lay a Wager on his damnation, not upon the ſcore of his being a Heretick, but that of his loving you. Yet methinks you ſhould diſcover ſome moderation in your conqueſts and think of ſome ceſſation of your hoſtility:

[Page]

Command, I ſay, your murth'ring eyes,

To be leſs cruel then they were;

Or I ſhall call you Cockatrice,

And not, as I was wont, my Dear.

But why ſhould I bring in my ſelf as one of the Martyrs of your Cruelty? Be not ſo fond as to imagine any ſuch thing, but rather that you are happy not to have ought to do with me. You will haply laugh at my menaces: but know, ſcornful Beauty, that there will be found ſome gallant Men, to engage in a ſervice wherein the Publick is concern'd. Tell me, my darling, Have you renounc'd Chriſtianity, and embrac'd Mahumetiſme, that you ſeem to make the deſtruction of Mankind your divertiſement? It muſt certainly be ſo; and yet there is one Humour remarkable in the more civiliz'd and religious part of the Turks, which is, that they are much addicted to Alms; but you are far from it, and have not the leaſt charity in the world even for thoſe who love you. You are therefore of no value, though you are made up of an intermixture of good and bad things. You verifie the Proverb beyond any one, That all is not Gold that gliſters; and now it may [Page] be ſaid, That all Devils are not black. And yet (ſee the Prerogative of Beauty) I cannot forbear acknowledging my ſelf, more than any other,

Madam,

Your moſt humble, and moſt obedient Servant, S.

LETTER XIV.
To [...]

My Lord,

I Have underſtood from Monſieur du Pin, how kindly you have ſollicited his Majeſty on my behalf, and what good offices you have endeavour'd to do me at Court, where your influence being ſo great, no doubt what you attempt will prove accordingly ſucceſsful. All I have to offer to your conſideration in this particular, is that you may find the oppoſing of my croſs fortune a harder task than at firſt ſight you imagine; ſince I cannot but fear it will give [Page] you the diſſatisfaction of not compaſſing, once in your life, what your generoſity had engag'd you to undertake. Yet, howe're you come off, my obligations to you will be as tranſcendent, as they can poſſibly be in a Perſon who has hardly the honour of being known to you, who never did you any ſervice, who is incapable of doing any, and whom nevertheleſs you will needs take into your protection. Should I not be highly ſenſible of theſe ſurprizing kindneſſes, there were no colourable excuſe to be made for me, but that the wretchedneſs of my condition had reduc'd me to a more than ordinary ſtupidity. On the contrary, I am a great admirer of ſuch perſons as you are, and I begin to be troubled, that the approaching period of my life, will prevent my full knowledg of yours, which I ſhould ſtudy with as much ſatisfaction, as I have done all thoſe of the moſt Illuſtrious Men. Though I was never guilty of any natural inclination to be a great Courtier, yet am I one of thoſe perſons in the World, to whom ſome of the greateſt in the Kingdome have many times made promiſes, and for the moſt part broken them. But that misfortune, attended by many others, ſhall not hinder by being content with my Fortune, [Page] if you are ſatisfy'd how intirely I am,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER XV.
To the Lord Biſhop of Mans.

My Lord,

I Am not dead, as the other eight Canons are, whoſe Prebendaries you have lately diſpos'd of, and yet you have alſo given away mine. I ſhould be much troubled, if they were no otherwiſe dead than I am; not but that I have a ſufficient charity for my Neighbour; but if they had not been dead, Monſieur Coſtard, and Monſieur de l'Eſlée, who haply are yet my Friends, would not have been Arch-Deacons and Canons. I know not how I came to put in that word haply; haply I had not us'd it, if I had conſider'd what I was doing. If ever I have the honour to write to you again, I will ſend you the firſt draught of my Letter, leſt I put any thing into it offenſive to my Conſcience. But to return to my Prebendary, [Page] ſince you have diſpos'd of it, you ought to give me another for it, though it were only to make me ſome requital, for the time I have loſt, in relying on the promiſes of your deceas'd Uncle, of happy Memory, and little mindfulneſs of his word. You know well enough what you have to do; but if I were in your condition, I ſhould beſtow a Benefice on a Perſon that were in mine. And indeed you have a ſure Expedient to procure a vacancy, without burthen to your Conſcience, or injury to good Manners, as was done by a Regular Eunuch named Mortier, Abbot of Marmouſtier, and Uncle to the Abbot of Euron. This Maſter-Monk took occaſion to poiſon a ſcore of Priors at one Dinner; which Accident occaſion'd the publiſhing of a Book, intituled, The Method of procuring a Vacancy of Benefices, written by the Reverend Father in God &c. 'Tis a palpable ſign that Old Age ſteals upon me, ſince I fall into the humour of telling little Stories. But it is in the Night time, and the Clock has ſtruck Twelve, and the Laverdins, who are great Talkers, are no lovers of thoſe who are ſo liberal of that Talent as themſelves; and for my part, I am one of the greateſt talkers of any within the compaſs of my acquaintance. It ſeems alſo, [Page] by this Letter, that I am liberal enough in that of writing, and that I think the reckoning of my Cenfeſſion will not be much enflam'd, by this dallying with one of the higher degrees of Reverence. Yet there is one thing I muſt not at this time forbear minding you of, now that you are in the Kingdom of your Fathers. It is, that you are to remember, my Friend Menagius, with all his great worth, hath very little advantage from the Revenues of the Church, and that you ought to procure his participation thereof. I am by this minded alſo of an oblivion of my own in this Letter, which is, that I have not ſcatter'd, My Lord, in ſeveral places of it, a complement due to a Prelate, as you are. But I ſhall not hereafter be chargeable with that omiſſion, and if ever I write to you, I ſhall do it with all requiſite Ceremonies, aſſuring you in the mean time, that I am,

My Lord,

Your moſt humble and moſt obedient Servant, and, what's more, Canon, SCARRON.

LETTER XVI.
To his Eminency the Cardinal de Retz.

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My Lord,

YOu have made me rich in deſpight of Fortune, by compaſſing your advancement to the Cardinal's Hat, with the defeating of all their Projects, who envy'd you that Grandeur. I have hazarded all my Eſtate in Wagers that you would attain that Dignity; it muſt therefore be mightily improv'd, if I have to do with Perſons of Honour and tender of their engagements. 'Tis my humble Suit to Heaven, That yours may have the like augmentation, according to what diſpoſal the Divine Providence ſhall think moſt convenient. Nor is it likely to be tedious in giving this Promotion of yours its full accompliſhment, and that your new Dignity will be compleated with all the additional dependencies conſequent thereto, for the conviction of all the World, that the Hand which made the Cardinals of Amboiſe and Richelieu, had not yet ſhewn all it could have done. Mean time, I only beg your aſſurance, that whether in France, the Indies, or what Climate ſoever my unhappy [Page] Deſtiny diſpoſes of me, I ſhall ever paſſionately be,

Your Eminency's moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER XVII.
To the Duke de Retz.

My Lord,

IT may be you conceive a great ſelf-ſatisfaction, when you reflect on your generoſity. Diſlodge that fond imagination; it is the moſt incommodious quality an Eminent Perſon can be guilty of, when he is ſo imprudent as to ſpin out his divertiſement, in the company of ſuch a Wretch as I am. We Writers are a ſtrange ſort of people; for where we are once oblig'd, we are importunate all the daies of our lives after. You beſtow'd on me ſome days ſince the Works of Monſieur de Voiture; I am now to begg of you a thing of greater importance. I am acquainted with ſome Lords, whoſe countenances would change at theſe laſt words of my Letter; but they [Page] are not ſo terrible, as to frighten or ſtartle a Duke de Retz; and I durſt be ſworn, he is as impatient to know what I deſire of him, as I am aſſur'd of obtaining it. 'Tis this: A young Gentleman, whoſe name I find in the Catalogue of my choiceſt Friends, and one who at the age of twenty years hath been concern'd in twenty engagements, as noble as that of the Horatij and Curiatij, and hath as great a reputation of Prudence as Gallantry, hath kill'd a vapouring Braggadochio, by whom he was forc'd to a Duel. He cannot procure his Pardon any where but in Paris, and he would fain be in ſafety there, meerly out of a repugnance he hath, to the ſevering of his head from the ſhoulders. I could prevail for his reception into the Palace of a great Prince; but for his entertainment there, as to proviſion, I can promiſe nothing; and I think ſtarving a greater misfortune, than to be in fear of having ones Throat cut by an Officer appointed for that purpoſe. But if you afford him the Sanctuary of your Roof, he will be in a condition to defie both; and you will have no ſmall ſatisfaction, in taking into your protection a young Gentleman ſo much deſerving it. Beſides, you will have the greateſt pleaſure in the World, in ſeeing Candles [Page] ſnuff'd with Piſtol-bullets, as often as you ſhall think fit to be a ſpectator of that Divertiſement: And I queſtion not, but you will give me thanks, being as you are, the moſt generous of all Dukes, for finding you out ſo noble an occaſion to exerciſe your Generoſity; and I for my part, promiſe to ſupply you with the like as often as I can, and that, as ſoon as you have granted me what I now deſire, I ſhall importune you daily, to imploy your intereſt and that of your Friends, to procure the pardon of mine. The Burleſque Muſe will not be ſilent upon the obtaining of this favour, but will acquit her ſelf well enough of an acknowledgment thereof; though hitherto ſhe hath been little put to it upon a ſubject of this nature. I beg your pardon a thouſand times for the tediouſneſs of my Letter, and as often kiſs your hands, remaining,

My Lord,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER XVIII.
To the Count de Vivonne.

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My Lord,

WHile you are taking your diverſions in the Country, and haply killing Horſes, in the purſuit of Hares, we have wanted your good wiſhes at a Wedding; which hath united two Warlike Nations, between whom the height of the Apennines made not ſo great a diſtance, as the difference of their Humours. I needed not to have ſent you this Newes, ſince it is not to be imagin'd, but you know it already; yet ſince there is a neceſſity of my writing to you, I thought it not improper to begin with that great piece of Intelligence, meerly out of this reflection, that, if all other Records fail, Poſterity may find the time of ſo remarkable an occurrence by the date of my Letter to you. Your next obſervation will be, that, notwithſtanding this ſtrange revolution, the City of Paris is much at the ſame rate as when you left it; that, for one rational perſon, there are a hundred thouſand that are not ſuch, nor [Page] ever will be; and that this is as true of the Women, as the Men. There is another inconvenience conſequent to the removal of the Court; which is, That they who ſmell of their dirty Shops where ere they go, preſume to take the Wall of all they meet, and plead the prerogative of Birth and Breeding in the greateſt City in the World. No Quarter of it, but has a Poet, good or bad; nor Houſe, where Company hath acceſs, but is peſter'd with vain and ſuperfluous Talkers. Of theſe, mine hath the precedence, and I muſt bear all, without any other remedy than that of bemoaning my ſelf, to ſee the afflictions of my Mind bear ſome proportion to the infirmities of my Body. For my part, the decaies of my condition are daily more and more obſervable, and I feel my ſelf tow'd to my end faſter than I could wiſh. I have a thouſand pricking pains, or rather a thouſand Legions of Devils in my Arms and Legs, and yet in that condition, I cannot reproach my ſelf with any remiſſion in the love I bear you. I know not how far it may contribute to that of my pain; but this I am certain of, that you owe me a great meaſure of Eſteem and Friendſhip, and that, if you do me Juſtice, I ſhall have this to bragg of, that, towards the period of [Page] my days, I have made ſo advantageous an acquaintance as yours. I might very well think this a fair acqueſt, for a Perſon who cannot ſtirr from the place where he is ſet, and give a check to all further ambition; but you have given me ſo excellent a Character of Monſieur Manchini, that I ſhall never acquit you of the promiſe you have made me of the honour to be known to him. Yet muſt it be with this precaution, That he be not a man of many complements; for when I am forc'd to make any my ſelf, or to receive them from others, I cannot forbear weeping, and am put out of countenance, to think what a loſs they alſo are at, who will needs diſplay their Eloquence, when they have to do with the object of univerſal compaſſion. In a word, I have as great an averſion for Complements, as moſt people have for Serpents, and Toads; and to aſſure you it is ſo, I ſhall conclude my Letter without making you any, and put a ſhort period to a long Letter, by telling you that I am,

My Lord,

Your moſt humble and moſt obedient Servant, S.

LETTER XIX.
To Monſieur Marigny.

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Sir,

I Muſt acknowledg my ſelf orepreſs'd by the weight of ſo great an honour as that of being ſo much in the remembrance of a Prince; and that though I am the moſt wretched, and the moſt froward perſon that ever was, yet there have been general obſervations made of my alacrity, ſince I have receiv'd your aſſurances, that his Highneſs found ſome diverſion in the reading of my Letters. I muſt impute it to a ſtrange hazard, that they ſhould be thought pleaſant at Bruſſels,; for he who writ them at Paris is a Perſon the moſt apt to be out of humour of any in the world. And who, with a miſchief could be otherwiſe, plac'd in the ſame circumſtances as I am? True it is, that ſome expreſs a certain eſteem for me; many take occaſion to compaſſionate the hardneſs of my Fortune; but how few endeavour to alleviate it? In the mean time

Gray hairs, affliction, diſcontent,

Poiſon all my divertiſement;

[Page] Paſt ills, the preſent, thoſe to come,

Haſten my courſe to my long home.

WHen I bethink my ſelf, that I was once handſome enough to deſerve the reſpects of the Bois-Roberts of my time; when I reflect that I have been healthy enough till the Twenty ſeventh year of my age, to have drunk after the rate of a German; that I am ſtill as ſound within, as that I can drink of all Liquors, and eat of all ſorts of Meat, with as much unreſervedneſs and indifference, as the greateſt Epicureans; when I bethink my ſelf, that my apprehenſions are not faint, pedantick, or impertinent; that I am free from ambition and avarice, and that if Heaven had continu'd me the uſe of thoſe Legs, which have perform'd their part well in a Dance, and thoſe hands which have been well skill'd in Drawing, and playing on the Lute; and in fine a very ſtreight Body; ſo that I might have liv'd a happy, though ſomewhat an obſcure life; I aſſure you, my dear Friend, that if it had been lawful for me to have been my own Executioner, I had long ſince wafted my ſelf in a Socratick draught into the other World. Nay I am ſomewhat of a perſwaſion, that I muſt come to it in time.

[Page]

Orewhelm'd with ſadneſs, grief, and miſery,

Far beyond all ſupport of Conſtancy,

Admitting not the hope of any reſt,

But what in a deep grave may be poſſeſt;

My reſtleſs thoughts continually dilate

Themſelves on the diſaſters of my Fate.

But what avail imprudent exclamations?

'Tis vain with Heav'n to make expoſtulations.

For if the Pow'rs above do ſo decree,

To puniſh my licentious Poetry,

That, from the fatal minute of my birth,

I ſhould be wretched, till I'm turn'd to earth;

Far be't from me, their Orders to oppoſe,

But court their favour in ſubmiſſive Proſe.

This ſhall be the laſt ſally of my Poetick vein, it lay ſo heavy on my heart, that I could not be at eaſe, till I had disburthen'd my ſelf of it. And to make you further reparation for the trouble I give you by the peeviſhneſs of this Letter, I ſend you ſix Stanza's which I have added to the Baronade. The News ſpread abroad of the Spaniſh Paralytick, who is to challenge me upon the ſcore of reputation, hath found thoſe whom I have acquainted with it very good ſport. There has not yet been 50000 Livers [Page] beſtow'd in Spaniſh Grammars, as you ſay, though the Spaniſh Tonge was never ſo corrupted as it hath lately been at Paris. I am extreamly oblig'd to you for the pains you take to ſupply me with Spaniſh Comedies. I wiſh, &c.

LETTER XX.
To the ſame Monſieur Marigny.

Sir,

NEver was two-legged or two-handed Creature hurry'd into ſuch a degree of exaſperation as I am at this time, that, when you thought I might find his Highneſs the Prince ſome divertiſement, my clawlike hand is grown ſo rebellious, that I cannot command it to write. For, as if all my other afflictions were not torment enough to me, I muſt make what ſhift I can to tell you, that for above a month now paſt, I have had a continual conflict with the Gout, which like Prometheus's Vulture has fed upon me without the leaſt remorſe, or conſideration of my other infirmities. And what do you imagine I can do amidſt the racking twitches it gives me? Or how [Page] ſhould I reſent the malicious viſit it makes me at this time, when the Prince himſelf is expos'd to the jerks of the ſame inexorable diſeaſe? All I can do, is to fancy to my ſelf, that I come not behind Job in miſeries, though I may do it in patience. It makes me ſo inventive in the faculty of ſwearing, that I think, without oſtentation, I could out-ſwear any man in France; though at other times, I place that amongſt the moſt ſuperfluous Tranſgreſſions, and I muſt acknowledg it to be ſo now, for any thing I am the better for it. Certainly, if the greatneſs of the torment which occaſions it, does not expiate the crime, as I can hear, ſo ſhall I in the next World be the moſt wretched of all Mankind. For ſometimes my furious tranſports are ſo like thoſe of a damned Soul, that if a commanded party of Devils were coming for me, I think I ſhould endeavour to meet them half-way. I doubt they are coming, for I begin to feel the firſt acceſſes of a dreadful fit, and therefore muſt take a ſhort leave of you, and leave you to imagine the reſt with &c.

LETTER XXI.
To the ſame.

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SIR,

YOur writing to me has given me the greateſt ſatisfaction I could have expected. My generous Friends are all the Eſtate I have in this World; and when you aſſure me that you are of that number, I cannot forbear aſſuring you again, That you give me a greater occaſion of rejoycing, than I ſhall derive from the General Peace, which is now ſo near its concluſion. The compariſon will poſſibly, at firſt ſight, ſeem weak to you, and I muſt acknowledg, that the Affairs of Europe might change face a hundred times, ere ever mine look any better. But I am over head and ears in deſires, to ſee your Prince once more in France, though it were only for this reaſon, That France is this Year but poorly furniſh'd with Princes, and yet there are as many as ever there were, and the ſubſequent years will haply prove no better than this: and if I have my ſatisfaction in that, I ſhall have it alſo, in embracing my tall, my corpulent, and my fat Monſieur [...]. For [Page] I queſtion not, but ſtrong Beer has made ſome additionals to his former bulk. But is it poſſible, the great and Heroick Condé ſhould know, that I am yet among the living? My Friend Guenault told me ſo, and that he had ſeen lying upon his Table the Second Part of my Comical Romance. It put me into ſuch an humour, as I never was in twice before; I was ſo tranſported with Heroick thoughts of my ſelf, and if my Diſeaſes had not faſten'd me to my Chair, I would have ſtollen upon him to ſee how he would have been frighted at the monſtrous appearance of the Author. Theſe Heroes are an odd ſort of people, and would be worth the whiſtling after, if they could but be brought to love the indigent part of Mankind, as well as the others love them. As for yours, he ſeems to have heroify'd himſelf a hundred times over, ſince he has taken upon him the Conduct of our Invincible Troops; and it may be ſaid of him, That if he were a great Prophet in his Country, where the Scripture ſayes that no man is, he prov'd much more ſuch a one in a ſtrange Country. If he take the pains to read any thing of the five Epiſtles, in Verſe, which you receive herewith, be pleas'd to let me know what he ſayes of [Page] them. The Melancholy Invective comes piping hot out of my Study, the others were the laſt Years productions. 'Tis pity the Perſon who is the ſubject of it had not been ſome more notorious Raſcal. But this is only a damn'd Tax-gatherer, who owes me ſix hundred Piſtols, and would conſcientiouſly chowſe me of that ſmall Summe. You tell me of a Lady that's fallen in love with me, I intreat you to give her timely notice, that my Diſeaſes have rendred me of ſo irregular a Figure, that Women with Child are forbidden acceſs to me, for fear of Monſtrous Births, and Miſcarriages. But for your part, I adjure you to be kind to

Your Lazarillo di Tormes.

LETTER XXII.
To the Mareſchall D'Albret.

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My Lord,

YOu are not to be ſo much bemoan'd by others, as you imagine to your ſelf, ſince that if your abſence, or exile, or what elſe you pleas'd to call it, were not voluntary, you might eaſily find an occaſion to quit the Campagne: But it is to be fear'd, that ſome beautiful Eyes at Xaintonge have made a conqueſt over yours, and you have the ambition to have your Military Trophies interwoven with Points de Venize. Your Friends therefore here are much more to be bemoan'd than you are, and their complaints are more preſſing. For my part, I am clearly daſh'd out of all countenance. When you were pleas'd to honour me with your Viſits, I thought it the greateſt happineſs I could make by braggs of. The appearance of your Coach at my little door rendred it venerable to all the Inhabitants of the Street I live in; and I am told, that it procur'd me the envy of ſeveral great Gates, whoſe Owners think themſelves better accommodated to entertain Perſons of your [Page] Quality. Nay, the ſtanding of Rincy's Coach at the ſame place ſome time ſince, does ſtill keep my Neighbours in awe: but it is to be fear'd, that they will forget themſelves again, if ſome Courtiers make not a ſpeedy return to Paris, and, till yours happen, keep up our glory and repute, which, for want of ſuch Viſitants, is much eclips'd. But though it ſhould be ſo darkned, as that I might never recover ought of my former luſtre, yet is it poſſible, that a man may be comforted with a little Philoſophy. But the caſe is quite otherwiſe, when a man is forc'd to be Six months together without ſeeing the perſons he loves. Were it not for the kindneſs of your writing to me ſometimes, I ſhould ſoon make it known to all the World, by a generous act of deſpair, that my Heroes are not ſuch Idols, as a fantaſtical humour, or Time can deſtroy; that Madam Scarron ſpeaks againſt her Conſcience, or knowes not well the internal concerns of a man, with whom ſhe ſpends the beſt part of her life, when ſhe tells you, that my affection to you will not laſt above Six Months. That will be try'd by the effect. But now I ſpeak of Heroes, you tell me, that Monſieur the Surintendant, who is alſo one of my Heroes, and which is more, my only [Page] Benefactor, will take his way through Pons. I queſtion not but you will recommend to him the concerns of your humble Servant, and the concluſion of his fatal Affair. There never was a more favourable opportunity for the ſettlement of it; Julian Colas the moſt inſolent perſon that ever got his livelihood by the retayling of Bread and Wine, and one that would prefer the moſt deſpicable Carman, or Porter, before the greateſt Virtuoſo in the Kingdom, and the only perſon who obſtructed the eſtabliſhment of my affair, has taken his laſt draught in this mortal life. The Unloaders are as deſirous to ſee it eſtabliſh'd, as I am my ſelf. But Monſieur the Surintendant has told our Friend Peliſson, that it could not be compleated till after the return of the Court. 'Tis poſſible, his late being there may have ſomewhat advanc'd it, and that the moſt wretched perſon, of all thoſe to whom he has ſhewn any kindneſs, will ſoon be at ſome eaſe in his Mind, and will find himſelf out of danger of dying, for want of employment for his Jaws. Madam Scarron has been at St. Mandé's. She is extreamly pleas'd with the Civil Entertainment ſhe receiv'd from Madam the Surintendant's Lady; and I find her ſo ſmitten with her attractions, [Page] that there is ſome ſuſpition there might be a little touch of impurity in the interview. But that danger muſt be the leſs, ſince ſhe cannot wait upon her as often as ſhe wiſhes, becauſe, for want of a Coach, ſhe cannot go abroad, but when her Friends are pleas'd to take her along with them. I am forc'd to write things to you that have no relation to your Concerns, for want of ſomething that has. When I meet with any more worthy your knowledg, you will hear further from

My Lord,

Your moſt Submiſſive of all your Adorers, S.

LETTER XXIII.
To the ſame.

My Lord,

WE muſt needs be extreamly exhauſted of Advertiſements, when we cau only tell you, That Bon-coeur, and Charleval [Page] are ſtill in Normandy, and that Madam de Martel, and her Daughter, return'd hither but yeſterday. Yet is there a neceſſity, that I ſhould ſend you a large Letter, and that I ſhould give ſome aſſurance, at leaſt by the endeavours I ſhall uſe to divert you, as far as one of my Letters can do it, that it is not altogether my fault, if I do not ſtand you in ſome ſtead. You muſt therefore give me leave to catch at any thing that offers it ſelf: and though the ſpectacles of the violent diſſolutions which are ſeen at the Greve, are not things that can be recommendably communicated to the knowledg of a Perſon of your Quality, yet ſhall I not ſtick, out of pure ſterility of matter, to give you an account of what has happen'd there. There has been lately, for ſeveral dayes together, ſo much hanging, and breaking of perſons on the Wheel, that the common Executioner himſelf is weary of his Office, Madam [...] who, next to Monſieur [...] is not ſo much pleas'd at any ſight, as that of publick Executions, begins to be cloy'd with the divertiſement, and will hardly be ſeen this good while in the Greve again. The Martyrs are all of the true Pariſian breed, moſt of them the Sons of that kind of Cooks, who ſell only Roaſt-meat, becauſe [Page] they have no convenience for any other way of Cookery. They were convicted of the robbing of Coaches and Sedans, and other Crimes ordinarily committed in the Night-time, and many of other denominations in the faculty of Stealing, are in great danger of dying in the Air. I am to tell you, by way of Digreſſion, That the Cockneys of Paris, my Countrymen, are valiaut enough, more apt to ſteal, then beg, as being of a very patibulary inclination. But now I am fallen upon the ſubject of violent Deaths, I cannot forbear giving you the relation of one, which was not ſo ignominious, as that of the foreſaid Criminals, yet was not leſs cruel. Before I come into the Story, you are to underſtand, by way of preadvertiſement, that the next ſubſequent days after Sundays, and Feſtival days, there is a great ſcarcity of all Proviſions at Charenton, and particularly of new bread above all things. 'Twas upon a Munday, not long ſince, that the Impetuous Du Rincy, the Eloquent Peliſson, the Incomparable Scudery, and the Diſcreet Madam Bocquet, about half an hour paſt Ten in the Morning, ſent a Meſſenger expreſs to the beautiful Izar, who ſome days before had retir'd to Charenton, for the Air's ſake, to tell him, that [Page] they would dine with him that day, and that he ſhould not give himſelf the trouble of getting any thing but a good Potage and a Deſsert, for as to Meat they would bring it along with them from the Cooks. Izar, and a certain Advocate of the Counſel, named Du Mas, whom he had taken for his Country-Companion, during that retreat, beſet and beſtir themſelves for the more ſplendid Reception of ſo great a Party of Illuſtrious Perſons, for we do not every day ſee four ſuch together. To give a greater fortification to the Potage, they put in three Pullets, and a conſiderable quantity of green Peaſe; and while a certain perſon is ſent away Poſt to Bagnolet, for Raſpices, they employ the moſt experienc'd Paſtry-Cooks of Charenton, in the making of Tarts and Cakes. The Cloath is laid in the Garden, and to take away the ſcent of the Lavender, wherein the Linnen had long lain, the Table, Cloth, and Napkins, are all beſtrew'd with ſuch Flowers newly gather'd as the Garden afforded. About Noon the Quinteſcence of all that dare aſſume to themſelves the title Ingenious, or Virtuoſo, arrive at Charenton. Du Rincy, as ſoon as he was got out of the Coach, went directly into the Kitchin, where he is little ſatisfy'd with the [Page] Potage, much leſs with the diligences and ſollicitude of Izar and Du Mas, in all the preparations they had made, and ſpeaks thereof with ſo great indignation, ſuperciliouſneſs, and authority, that Du Mas began thereupon to reſpect and to fear him. They who had a mind to waſh their hands, did ſo; and all ſate down. Du Rincy ſlighting the Country-Soupe, would have broke one of the Loaves; but finding it hard and ſtale, he flings it at an Apricock Tree that ſtood near him, and renders it uncapable of bearing fruit any more, having bruis'd the greater branches of it. He goes to break a ſecond loaf, which he finds of the ſame date of baking, and conſequently as far from being new as the other, and with the ſame vigour and promptitude he flings it at another Tree. In ſhort, with ſix or ſeven loaves, which he found equally hard and ſtale, he lames ſo many Fruit-Trees, to the great diſcontent of the Miſtreſs of the houſe, who made extraordinary clamours at the deſolation of her Garden. Du Rincy, in the mean time, was not in the leaſt concern'd at it, ſave only that he proteſted, no body ſhould eat, till he had new bread brought him. They ſent to all the Bake-houſes about the Town, till at laſt they came to one, [Page] where they were taking the bread out of the Oven, which was brought to du Rincy, piping hot, and ſmoaking, ſo that the reſt of the Company went and gather'd up the loaves amongſt the bruis'd branches, which were more eatable than the new bread, which burnt their Lips. The brisk deportment of Du Rincy, both as to action and diſcourſe, extreamly ſurpriz'd the Advocate Du Mas, and the imperious Aire of his Countenance was no leſs dreadful to him. From that very time, he always had Du Rincy in his imagination. He never ſlept without turbulent Dreams, and thoſe Dreams were never without Du Rincy. In fine, the very fright he took at the demeanour of du Rincy put him into a Feaver, and that Feaver prov'd ſo violent, that it carry'd him off in leſs than fifteen days, and he dy'd in a raving and diſtracted condition, talking perpetually of Du Rincy. And this, my Lord, is all the account of our Concerns, that I can ſend you at the preſent. Madam Scarron ſayes, that ſhe cannot find any inclination in her ſelf to write to you, till ſhe meets with ſomething that is divertive in your Letters. That reflection makes me think, that if you are as much afflicted at Pons, as you were at Paris, my Letter will be impertinent, [Page] and moſt unſeaſonable. But Time, yet much more your own Reaſon, will ere this have wrought their ordinary effect, upon an affliction that admits of no remedy. I ſend you my ſecond Epiſtle. The Areopagus of good Judges in this Profeſſion, will have it to be better than the former: but I am not of their opinion. I am ſtill in expectation of the effects of Monſieur the Surintendant's fair promiſes.

Poſt-ſcript.

IT were very unſeaſonable at this time to ſpeak to you of a thing which I ſhould wiſh that you had forgotten. Yet can I not forbear telling you, that I, certainly, am, of all the World, the perſon who has been moſt concern'd at the misfortune that has happen'd to you; and, upon that occaſion I found, that I have for you all the ſentiments which I ought to have, for the moſt generous Perſon in France, and one to whom I am the moſt oblig'd.

LETTER XXIV.
To the ſame.

[Page]

My Lord,

AFter the Paſtey you were pleas'd to ſend me, I have alſo receiv'd your excellent Cheeſes. I am apt to imagine, that you have made it your deſign, to ſuſtain us with the beſt things that can be made, in their kind. Your Liberality has been communicated to all my Fellow-Commoners, who are not the moſt inconſiderable perſons in the World, upon the ſcore of their good qualities. At the conſumption of your Preſent, we liberally drunk the health of our grand Benefactor. As for the Paſtey, it was as good as ever came out of Oven, and the Cheeſes were ſuch as the beſt Dairy in the World, and that order'd by the moſt experienc'd Dairy-Woman in the World, could have afforded. For my part, without any diminution of the Commendations which your noble Preſents deſerve, give me leave, to recreate my ſelf upon the Letter you were pleas'd to honour me with, and to tell you, that there is not any thing in that kind could have been more gallant, [Page] or more ingenious. Among other paſſages, that, where you tell me, that you leave to thoſe of tranſcendent Wits the care of diverting mine, and that you make it your buſineſs, only to divert my guſt. I leave it to the moſt expert in the Chimiſtry of Complements to write more ſmartly upon ſuch a ſubject. By this may it be ſeen, my Lord, that you have an inſatiable ambition, and that not being content with the Military Glory you have acquir'd during the Warr, you would alſo in the times of Peace carry away from us poor Penſioners of the Pen, the Trophies of Literature. I wiſh I had ſomewhat of News to write to you. All the talk about Paris is, that Meneville's ſickneſs is very dangerous, and that all the Courtiers are like to return to Paris, ſave only the Mareſchal de Villeroy. Aſſoon as I have any thing worth the writing to you, I ſhall make it appear, by that only ſmall ſervice which I am capable to render you, how much I am,

My Lord,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER XXV.
To the ſame.

[Page]

My Lord,

I Have no certain account of your reception of a Letter of Eight and twenty Pages, which I writ to you by the laſt Ordinary: however, you will excuſe me, if this be ſo much the ſhorter. And becauſe it is ſo, it comes to you attended by my Epigrams againſt B [...], and tells you withal, that I ſhall ſend the Baronade by the next Poſt. I now ſend you alſo a Ballad, which may paſs Muſter; ſome Verſes of M. Benſerade's, being a Continuation of thoſe he made upon the Peace; and a Sonnet of Exultation, made by a young Laſs of Nineteen years of age, whoſe name is [...]. 'Tis to be lamented that ſhe is not as pretty, as I think her well inclin'd. I expect, with as much impatience as the Jewes do the Meſſias, the effects of M. the Surintendant's promiſes. A man may languiſh, while he hopes: nay ſomtimes he may ſuffer; and delayes in ſuch affairs never come to any good, but are for the moſt part dangerous and prejudicial. But, it was never yet my [Page] fortune to obtain any thing of happineſs, without the conqueſt of incredible obſtructions. Be pleas'd to pardon this melancholy reflection, in a wretched perſon who is ready to ſtarve. Threeſcore and ſixteen days have I been in continual hoſtility with a hard Froſt. The Duke of Orleans is out of all hopes of recovery. Yeſterday morning, the Duke of Lorrain took Poſt for Blots. Villarceau is ſtill a Priſoner in the Baſtile, though the Mareſchals of France, who conducted him thither, had put him in hopes, that he ſhould only make a Viſit to the place, and come out again. This is all I have to ſay to you at the preſent. If there be any of my Letters which have not been employ'd in the lighting of fire, or put to ſome other culinary uſe, I deſire you would ſend them to me. I ſhall find ſome fragments therein, which may be ornamental to the Collection I am now putting into the Preſs. I am,

Your, &c. S

LETTER XXVI.
To [...]

[Page]

My Lord,

IT belongs only to thoſe of your Houſe to make the higheſt demonſtrations of kindneſs and generoſity that can be made. Monſieur the Procurator General, your Brother, has ſettled a Penſion upon me, without the leaſt application, or ſo much as a previous deſire on my ſide, for his ſo doing; and you were pleas'd to give me a viſit, without any perſon's Solicitation on my behalf, to induce to a guilt of ſo great a conſideration. What can I do leſs then acknowledge my ſelf your humbleſt Captive, upon a favour done me with ſo great a ſurprize? I would make you a greater preſent then that of my ſelf, were it in my power; but you muſt be content with that, ſince I make it with ſo good a heart, that you muſt needs have a very hard one of your own, if you do not vouchſafe it a reception, and give me leave withal, while [Page] I am in this World, to let it know, that it is not without reaſon I aſſume the quality of

My Lord,

Your moſt humble, &c. SCARRON.

LETTER XXVII.
To Monſieur Procurator-General, and Surintendant of the Finances.

My Lord,

IT argues, at the firſt bluſh, a great indigence of civility, in a perſon ſo inſignificant and ſuperfluous in the World as I am, to importune you, who are perpetually imploy'd about the publick concerns, to do me a kindneſs. But I conceive my my ſelf to be already in a fair way of receiving ſomewhat of that nature, and you have already given me ſo many aſſurances of the kindneſs you have for me, and the compaſſion, which the misfortunes under which I groan, have raiſed in you, that without uſing the Mediation of thoſe Perſons [Page] who are moſt dear to you, and are pleas'd to honour me with their good wiſhes; I am ſufficiently preſumptuous, upon the intereſt I have in you my ſelf, to beg a favour of you. It is one of thoſe which you ſometimes grant, as you will find by the Petition you receive herewith, and which I deſire you will be pleas'd to look upon a perſon with all the favour you can. It is for a Relation of my Wifes, remarkable for his conſtant fidelity to his Majeſtie's Service, and one who is of an obſtinate perſwaſion, that you have a reſpect for me. It will ly upon you, my Lord, to let him know, that he is not miſtaken; and upon me, to make all France ſenſible, that you are not only the moſt experienc'd Perſon of this Age in State-Affairs, but have alſo that more endearing quality, of being, of all men, the moſt generous, particularly to

My Lord,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER XXVIII.
To the ſame.

[Page]

My Lord,

I Heard not till yeſterday of the great loſs that has happen'd to you; and yet, conſidering the ſhort time I have had to be afflicted thereat, I have acquitted my ſelf as well as thoſe who had the knowledg of it much more ſooner than my ſelf. I have great reaſon to charge Monſieur de Chaulne, with his negligence in not giving me a more timely advertiſement thereof, that I might have had the advantage of being one of the firſt, to make a diſcovery, how much I am concern'd in whatever relates to you. This no doubt is a miſchievous turn, which my implacable ill fortune has done me, alwaies endeavouring to render me deficient iu the duty I owe you, purpoſely to make me unworthy of the aſſiſtances I receive from you, which are ſuch as I never receiv'd from any other. Monſieur des Marés, who yeſterday honour'd me with a Viſit, will, if he pleaſe, aſſure you of the affliction it was to me, that I ſhould be ignorant of what all the World [Page] knew. He put me into the confidence of writing an extemporary Sonnet, which I made ſome difficulty to ſend you, out of a fear of renewing your grief. But, at laſt, I choſe rather to run the hazard of doing a thing unſeaſonably, than that of ſeeming indifferent in an affliction, whereof you muſt needs be ſo ſenſible I am,

My Lord,

Your, &c.

LETTER XXIX.
To the ſame.

My Lord,

I Was but too true a Prophet, to my ſorrow, when I heretofore writ to you, that my misfortune could not be overcome by any perſon of generoſity and prevalence not equivalent to yours. It ſtill ſtands out againſt you, though it be a conſiderable time ſince you firſt took it into task. Some eight dayes ſince my Lord Chancellour was pleas'd to ſtrike out my Fatal Affair, the Propoſals made by Monſ. Doublet, conceiving [Page] haply, that it would be a new grievance upon the People. It was concerning thoſe Perſons that ſhould be impowr'd to overſee the unloading of Carts; and it would have been an eaſie matter, if ſome would have taken the pains to do it, to make it appear to him, that the function of Unloaders or Diſchargers is ſo far from being a charge or grievance, that it is a publick convenience, and has eſtabliſh'd it ſelf, time out of mind; that without it, a thouſand Carts and Waggons would remain at the Gates of the City without getting in, becauſe it is not thought fit that the Waggoners ſhould be truſted with the Money due for their entrance, and that the Diſchargers ſhould pay, and be anſwerable for them, and conduct them to the Houſes of Merchants and Citizens, whoſe habitations the others are ignorant of, and diſcharge the Commodities at their own perils; That the mony which is given them, is not exacted, but voluntarily given, as a kind of Largeſs, beſtow'd only by thoſe that are willing, without any obligation forcing them thereto; And, in ſhort, that it paſs'd at the Guild-Hall of the City, aſſoon as the Provoſt of Merchants, who, before had oppos'd it, for want of throughly examining [Page] the affair, was fully ſatisfy'd, that there was a neceſſity of creating thoſe functions into Offices, and that they ought to be exercis'd, by Perſons who had ſettled habitations, and took their Oaths before him, for the due execution of their Charges, becauſe people of all conditions employ'd themſelves therein, even to Souldiers of the Foot-Guards; and that while thoſe Raſcals were quarrelling at the Gates, to get the cuſtome one from the other, and went a League out of Paris, to prevent one the other's getting of it, the Waggons remain'd at the Gates, without either being diſcharg'd, or getting into the City, to the prejudice of Waggoners, and the Merchants. And now, my Lord, I think you are as well inſtructed in the Affair of the Unloaders, as I am my ſelf; and I would to God, my Lord Chancellor had had the ſame account of it. I ſhould have ſufficiently ſatisfy'd him therein, if I had had but notice of what has happen'd, or rather, if I had not been afraid to have my name mention'd in that affair, contrary to my intention. My Lord, I beg your pardon for the tediouſneſs of the relatiion I am forc'd to make you, ſince you might have done well enough without it: but it is always obſervable, that when a [Page] miſerable perſon has ſome affair wherein he is deeply concern'd, he derives a priviledg from that miſery, to be talking of it. This is the laſt hope of my Wife and my ſelf; and I muſt needs tell you, that I ſhould hardly admit of any conſolation, if I did not repreſent to my ſelf, that I ſerve a Maſter, whoſe promiſes are inviolable, and one who is able to do me right. Yet can I not ſtave off the diſcontent, occaſion'd by ſo ſenſible a diſappointment. For, my Lord, if you but imagine what will become of us, if this Affair miſcarries, you would not be much aſtoniſh'd at the deſpair of Monſ. Viſsins and my ſelf, ſince there will be a great probability that our mouths may be ſow'd up. By this, you may meaſure how long I ſhall be,

My Lord,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER XXX.
To the ſame.

[Page]

My Lord,

I Cannot imagine to my ſelf a better way to requite Monſieur Peliſson for his kindneſs in ſpeaking to you concerning my Affair, and in giving me an account of the obliging anſwer you were pleas'd to make him, then in communicating to you the ſhort Complement he has written to me upon it. He therein ſo handſomely diſcovers the true ſentiments he has for you, that I think, I do him a very kind office, by telling you ſo, without his knowing any thing of it; and yet haply he would be glad that you knew it, provided it were done without his hazarding himſelf to tell you ſo. It is a difficult matter to ſpeak of you, even though it were done to your ſelf, without falling into your praiſes; and it is as difficult to give you any without diſpleaſing you, and yet much more difficult to forbear giving them. I ſhould therefore wiſh, as to my own particular, that ſome body would do ſo much for me, as to tell you, that you are the moſt generous Perſon [Page] in the World, and that all the Favours you do me, go infinitely beyond the intreaties I make for them. But will not your Lordſhip ſuſpect the good office which I think to do my Friend, may not have the tincture of ſome concern to my ſelf? And will you not be apt to imagine, that to ſhew you his Letter, and give it the great Commendations I do, is, in ſome ſort, a dextrous way of making uſe of his reflections, that I might the better expreſs my own, without running the hazard of doing any violence to your modeſty? I muſt acknowledg there is ſomething of that in the wind; but ſince it has not been in my power to conceal it from you, be pleas'd to imagine, by this ingenuous confeſſion, the ſincerity of my Soul, and aſſure your ſelf, that I am, above all others,

My Lord,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER XXXI.
To the ſame.

[Page]

My Lord,

I Am uncertain, whether you will be in a condition to read my Letter. The laſt time I ſent to enquire of your health, the account I receiv'd was, That you were no fully recover'd of an indiſpoſition which had, for ſome time, confin'd you to your Chamber. It will be no hard matter for you to imagine, what alarms that ill news muſt bring to a man, who at the preſent is oblig'd to you for all he has in the World, and who, without you, would be more wretched than he is, though his misfortunes be in a manner beyond all example: Thoſe who have honour'd me with their love, as you have done, may have been themſelves fully ſatisfy'd, that my affection for them has been very great, and it is not to be thought, that I ſhould now begin to be ungrateful, towards the moſt generous Perſon of all thoſe who ever had pity on me. I think every hour a thouſand, till I get to Paris, to take my Oath of fidelity to you, which I have not yet done. Mean [Page] time, I humbly beſeech you to compleat the Favour, whereof you have made a beginning in the buſineſs of the Waggons, and to procure that Juſtice be done to thoſe, to whom that Affair has been confirm'd. Monſieur Poncet will make a Report of it on Saturday next, if the Councel ſits. They who are proſecuted are fully convinc'd, that there are above four thouſand Livers due to the King; and it is a concern that may extend much further, as you will find by the account which the Bearer of this Letter is able to give you of it. I am,

My Lord,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER XXXII.
To the ſame.

My Lord,

IF there be not ſome great ſelf-ſatisfaction in obliging people, I know not upon what grounds you ſhould do me any kindneſs. [Page] I am not a perſon any way uſeful to you, and I dare not wiſh that I were, leſt I ſhould make a wiſh that might be diſadvantageous to you. Nor am I ſo fondly conceited of my ſelf, as to hope that I can contribute much to your divertiſement, ſince I cannot have the honour of coming near you, or making my ſelf otherwiſe known to you, then as all others know me, to be, even in this life, not much inferiour in torments, to a damned Soul, and ſometimes by the making of Books, that is (by the permiſſion of God Almighty) by being one of the greateſt inconveniences that can happen to Mankind. But though I ſhould be Maſter of ſome Qualities that were more conſiderable, and though a particular acquaintance of many years ſtanding ſhould have brought me into ſome favour with you, and that I ſhould cultivate that favour by a conſtant Commerce of Letters; yet would all this amount to little, if the Affairs of the publick Miniſtery be ſo preſſing upon you, as that you cannot afford them the reading. Well, my Lord, theſe Reflections give me a great deal of trouble, as often as the remembrances of your Liberality raiſe them in me; and I am extreamly out of countenance, to think that I cannot preſerve [Page] my ſelf in your memory, otherwiſe then by the miſerable Productions of a Mind, which, by reaſon of a Body much more miſerable, and a Deſtiny yet more miſerable than that ruin'd Body, muſt not ever expect much tranquility. But, now I ſpeak of thoſe Productions of the Mind, am I to believe, that you lik'd my Fable of Hero and Leander? Monſieur de Chaulne would perſwade me to believe it; but poſſibly, it was only his kindneſs to flatter an indiſpos'd perſon. I humbly beg your Lordſhips condeſcention ſo far, as to give me under your own hand an approbation of it, which I ſhall prefer before that of all the Academiſts in the World, or that by your Cenſure thereof, I may ſo much the better know my ſelf. Howere it happen, I am,

My Lord,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER XXXIII.
To the ſame.

[Page]

My Lord,

THe favour you were pleas'd to do me, in not ſlighting the Comedy which I dedicated to you, was enough to induce me to be abſolutely at your diſpoſal, without any neceſſity of your having engag'd me further by a new obligation. I think it one way to give you my thankfulneſs for it, when I acknowledg, that I cannot ſufficiently do it; and that I more fully expreſs my reſentment by that confeſſion, than by all the Complements in the World. I am,

My Lord,

Your, &c. S.

LETTER XXXIV.
To the ſame.

[Page]

My Lord,

I Am ſo far from deſerving the kindneſs you have lately done me, that I ſhould have been much ſurpriz'd thereat, if I had not already receiv'd other aſſurances of your Liberality, or if I were the only perſon in the Nation who knew not, that you are continually obliging all the World. All I deſire at preſent is, to conjure you into a perſwaſion, that the reſentments I have thereof, are the greateſt I am capable of. But, my Lord, if, on the one ſide, I am overjoy'd to ſee that all the Affairs of State, the management whereof lies upon your ſhoulders, divert you not from thinking of mine; ſo, on the other, it is no ſmall affliction to me, that I can neither forbear ſpeaking of your munificence, without ingratitude, nor publiſh it without raiſing a certain jealouſie, that it is not ſo much out of inclination, as intereſt, that I have ever been, and ever ſhall be,

My Lord,

Your, &c. S.

LETTER XXXV.
To the ſame:

[Page]

My Lord,

WE never ſaw any Surintendant in France belov'd and eſteem'd, as you are; and the reaſon is, that we have not ſeen any ſo generous and obliging, as you are: but I doubt you pay dearly for it, and that cannot acquire ſo noble a reputation, without the enduring of great importunities. For my part, it would be a continual remorſe to me, that I have been importunate through the whole courſe of my life, and that I am not in a way to reform, if I did not at the ſame time ſee the wealthieſt perſons, and thoſe of the higheſt quality, beg favours of you with leſs reſervedneſs and caution than I do, though they have not ſo much right to pretend to your kindneſſes, as ſuch an unfortunate man as I am, whom you have promis'd to give his Mind ſome tranquility. That, my Lord, is an enterprize worthy your great Self, and that you may the ſooner be ſatisfy'd that you have compleated it, I recommend to you my Concerns in the Affair of the Debets. [Page] Your Lorſhip may be pleas'd to remember, that it was upon my entreaty you granted the confirmation of it. The perſons, for whom I ſollicited your furtherance of it, proffer'd me a ſmall part in the Affair; but, when I conſider that I am but ſlowly happy in all my undertakings, and that I could not imagine it ſhould come to what it now is, I choſe rather to content my ſelf with the payment of ſix hundred Piſtols, which they have promis'd, by a writing to that purpoſe, out of the firſt mony that ſhall be receiv'd. I have now neither any concern in the affair, nor the mony, which had been promis'd me for the facilitation of it. If your Lordſhip will but vouchſafe to ſpeak one word to the Projector who is to have the benefit of it, I ſhall have either the one, or the other, or both. I queſtion not but you will grant me that favour, ſince I am, more than any other,

My Lord,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER XXXVI.
To the ſame.

[Page]

My Lord,

I Take the liberty to make a requeſt to you with as much confidence, as if, after the courtſhip of many years ſtanding, I had done you ſome ſervice of great importance. But perſons of your quality, that is, ſuch, whoſe generoſity is ſo tranſcendent as yours, are not only forward to oblige their Servants, and their Friends, but their favours are extended alſo to all thoſe that ſtand in need thereof. They are the perpetual Sanctuaries and Protectors of the Unfortunate, and the conſtant Repairers of their Breaches; and for your own part, my Lord, I think there paſſes not a day, but ſome diſtreſſed Knight or Lady comes to beg a Boon of you. I intreat you therefore, as an unfortunate perſon, and one, who, of all the World has the greateſt honour for you, to grant me one. 'Tis only, this, my Lord, that you would uſe your perſwaſions to the Provoſt of the Merchants, to forbear oppoſing the eſtabliſhment of certain Offices relating to good Government, of which [Page] Offices I have acquir'd the propriety. 'Tis an Affair which would contribute highly to the eſtabliſhment of my Concerns, and ſupply me with four or five thouſand Livers of annual Rent. But my unhappy Deſtiny, which does not let ſlip the leaſt occaſion of doing me an ill turn, has rais'd up a Polypragmatical fellow, who without any engagement in the Affair himſelf, has prepoſſeſs'd the Provoſt, and made him averſe to the deſign. I have employ'd, to ſollicite him, Monſieur the Preſident de Guenegaut, who had been ſo kind as to take along with him Monſieur de Franquetot, and my Wife; but his recommendation of the buſineſs has prov'd leſs prevalent then a bare Factum. I expect a quite different effect from the Letter, which I intreat you to write to him, and to ſend by ſome one of your own Menial Servants. It will be ſufficient, if he does but know, that I have the honour of being known to you, to raiſe in him a thought of my being a perſon worth obliging. But if you will be farther pleas'd to tell him, That you look not on me with an indifferent eye, he will make my affair his own, ſince he will conceive it in ſome ſort to be yours, and you will have this ſatisfaction thereby, that the moſt zealous of [Page] your Servants will not be the pooreſt of that number, and conſequently, that it may ſpare you much of the future addreſſes, which you muſt otherwiſe expect from,

My Lord,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER XXXVII.
To the ſame.

My Lord,

THough, you are the moſt experienc'd perſon of all thoſe that are now entruſted with the management of State-Affairs, yet you muſt give me leave to tell you, that you did not throughly reflect on what you did, when you would needs make me believe, and that by the moſt obliging Letter in the world, that I had ſome place in your Affection. Unfortunate perſons, ſuch as I am, are many times importunate, contrary to the bent of their own Inclinations; [Page] and generous perſons, ſuch as you are, have ſometimes occaſion to repent of their being too highly generous. After what you have already done for me, which was enough to make me your moſt humble, ...... moſt obedient ...... moſt obſervant ..... and moſt oblig'd Creature, as long as I ſhould continue in this wretched ſtate of mortality, (though the ſucceſs ſhould not prove anſwerable to my expectation) I ſhould not have had any ground to importune you any further, if the calamity of my condition did not in ſome ſort give me that priviledge, or if I were not encourag'd thereto, by a conſideration that your Generoſity is not tir'd out. But, my Lord, that has promis'd ſo much, that I cannot harbour the leaſt fear of my ever deſiring too much of you; beſides that the Affair, whereof I beg your facilitation on my behalf, is one of thoſe that ſeldome deny'd in Council. It is contributory to good Government, it brings conſiderable Summes in a ſhort time into the Exchequer; and if it ſucceed, I ſhall have as great reaſon to celebrate the greatneſs of your benefits, as I do already that of your Civility. But whatere may happen to [Page] me, I muſt be the moſt ungrateful perſon in the World, if, while I am, I am not,

My Lord,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER XXXVIII.
To the ſame.

My Lord,

AM I not guilty of too much freedom and familiarity, to beg a great kindneſs, of a great Perſon, in a ſhort Note? I know there is a vaſt diſtance between a Grandee, a Privy Councellor, a Miniſter of State, and poor Paul Scarron; and yet, to make an ingenuous acknowledgment of my natural infirmity, I can as well forbear breathing, as being ſomewhat jocoſe and familiar with thoſe perſons, for whom I have a great affection, or continuing in a ſerious humour to the end of a Letter, which I may have begun with MY LORD, or, MAY IT PLEASE YOUR LORDSHIP, [Page] in Capitals. I would not therefore have you imagine, from what I have ſaid, that I am thrifty or forgetful of the reſpect I owe you; I ſhall ever render what is due to your Character, anſwerably to my Abilities, and I know how to make my Addreſſes to you in the ſublimeſt kind of writing, when occaſion ſhall require it. But the very ſame man, who ſhall ſometimes leave half a foot diſtance between MY LORD, and the beginning of the Letter he is writing to you; who ſhall drain the Academy of Complements to fill it with Rodomontades and Hyperboles; and ſhall not omit the leaſt of your Qualities, leaſt the ſuperſcription of it ſhould not be ſufficiently authentick, will, after all that ceremony, fly out, and entertain you with trifles, and a little diſſuperciliate that ſerious countenance, which methinks you ought to have, when you give a concluſion to ſome great Affair. In a word, he will endeavour to uncatonize you, if I may preſume to uſe that expreſſion; but that muſt not be, when the important Concerns of State are under deliberation; that is, when you are Procurator-General, Surintendant of the Finances, and Miniſter of State, ſuch a Triumvirate of Offices, as none ever exercis'd ſo [Page] well before. Monſieur de Chaulne will take a fitter opportunity, and will not ſuffer me to appear before you, till you have deveſted your ſelf of thoſe Titles, and aſſume the place of Monſieur Fouquet, I mean the moſt excellent Perſon in the World; when you ſhine in your own proper luſtre, without borrowing that of your Charges and Dignities; when having quitted the Conſular Robe, you are at St. Mandés, or Paris, in your withdrawing-Room, clad according to the ordinary mode of private perſons, and ſomewhat in the ſame equipage and humour, as Scipio was in, when he gather'd ſhells on the Sea-ſide with his Friend Loelius. Could I have the happineſs, my Lord, to be admitted to you, at ſuch a time, I ſhould make no difficulty to entertain you with any thing that came firſt into my head, and be the frolickeſt perſon alive, as long as Heaven were pleas'd to continue me in the humour. Yet ſhould not that be, till I had firſt begg'd your permiſſion to be ſo, ſuch as was given me by the late Cardinal of Lyons, and ſuch as I took my ſelf, without asking, with the Cardinal de Retz, when he lay by me upon my little yellow Couch, and talk'd of things no way relating to the Cabals of Paris. I dare [Page] boldly own it, that, in thoſe two Eminences, I triumph'd over the Stoiciſme, and ſerious temperament, which attends the red Cap. Time was, when they would have it to be an Article of my Faith, that they had a love for me; you may follow their example, and afford me a little of your affection, without either bluſhing or diſparagement, and by the extraordinary care I took to deſerve their careſſes, imagine with what zeal I ſhall be inclin'd to love you. You have a kindneſs for me, upon this particular ſcore, that I am a wretched perſon, and you have done me more in the ſpace of fifteen dayes, than the greateſt part of the Peerage of France promis'd me, ever ſince the time I was condemn'd to the poſture of perpetual ſitting. Of the laſt Twenty years which I ſhuffled away of my weary life, there has not paſt one, but ſome great Lord among thoſe that come to ſee me at my Chamber, as people went heretofore to ſee Elephants, and Eſtriches, or popp'd in thither to paſs away the afternoon, when they had made bilk Visits, or have nothing elſe to do; there has not. I ſay, one year paſs'd, but ſome one of thoſe titulary Grandees, and mountainous promiſers of Friendſhip and all the [Page] conveniences conſequent thereto, hath ſhamefully broke his word with me, and has as often proffer'd either for my Friends or my ſelf, what I deſir'd not of them. And yet Monſieur the Firſt Preſident, whom I never had the honour to ſee in my life, ſent me this laſt Year a conſiderable Preſent by the Abbot of Menagius, and that within a very ſhort time after I had dedicated a Book to him; whereas you your ſelf, who were ignorant of my being in the world, have honour'd me with your kindneſſes, and that after a manner yet more obliging, than thoſe very kindneſſes. I think, my Lord, that I am not engag'd to make a more particular diſcovery of what I deſire of you, whatever Command you have laid on me to do it: I ought to receive the favours you ſhall do me with all the reſentment of gratitude that I am capable of; but I have not any right to preſcribe them to you, nor yet to demand any of you. Your own Generoſity knowes well enough what it has to do. It is ſufficient, for the quiet remainder of my life, that, from the place where you are, you have caſt an eye upon me in that where I am; and I queſtion not, after the obliging Note you were pleas'd to write to me, and which I ſhall [Page] dearly keep, but that I may ſhortly ſay, when I ſpeak of you, ‘—Deus nobis haec otia fecit.’ Mean time, to importune you no farther, I am,

My Lord,

Your moſt humble, &c. SCARRON.

LETTER XXXIX.
To the ſame.

My Lord,

I Queſtion not, but you may have heard, that I was as kindly entertain'd by the late Queen of Sweden, Chriſtina, as I could expect, when I was carried to the Lowvre, to ſatisfie her Curioſity. Nor is it to be doubted, but that the relation ſhe made in her own Country, and the many others through which ſhe has once travell'd, of that important Viſit, was extreamly divertive to [Page] all that heard it. A good Sedan, and two luſty Fellows to carry it, and a third, to convey my own great Chair, out of which I have dictated more Burleſquery, than any other Author has done, might with as much eaſe bring me to your Palace, that my Curioſity may be once ſatisfy'd with the ſight of in ſeeing that Perſon, to whom, of all the World, I am the moſt engag'd. I ſhould have already ſatisfy'd the impatience I am in to do it, if my health had not oblig'd me to take a little change of Air, at a place, about a League from Paris, where I hope to put a period to a Comedy I have in hand. Mean time, I beg your Lordſhips remembrance of the Promiſe you have made my Wife, concerning the Marquiſate of her Couſin de Circe, and to be pleas'd, that Monſieur Patriau may make you a report of that affair. The favour we beg of you herein, is one of the greateſt; but, if I am not miſtaken, I have already told you, That you could not do ſmall ones. And I once more proteſt to you, That if I were not fully perſwaded, that the Lands, for which we beg your final concluſion, are as much our rightful Freehold, as any man's can be in France, I ſhould not have undertaken to ſpeak to you of it, though all my Wife's [Page] Relations in Poictou have importun'd me to do it. I ſhall forbear further abuſing your patience, and remain,

My Lord,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER XL.
To Monſieur Peliſson.

SIR,

AFter all the good Offices you do me with our Noble Patron, the Surintendant, methinks you might well have taken the freedom to open the Letters he writes to me, before they came to my hands; and I have ſome reaſon to complain, that you had not the firſt reading of that which I receiv'd this day. It ſpeaks ſo much of Kindneſs intended to me, and that does ſo enflame my gratitude, and puts me to ſo great a loſs, that, if he often write me the like, he, I ſay, whom I ought to love above all the World, I think I ſhould come and [Page] run my ſelf through with a Stilletto at his feet, not knowing any thing elſe efficacious enough fully to expreſs a reſentment ſo real [...]nd ſincere as mine is. I ſend you the Letter it ſelf, that I may have your joynt-affirmation of its being the moſt obliging Miſſive that ever was. When you have return'd it, I will have it put up amongſt my greateſt Rarities, as a Teſtimonial to all Poſterity of the Kindneſs, which the moſt Generous of all men is pleas'd to have for me. I deſire to know, Whether he were much diverted with my Epigrams, againſt Monſieur B [...], among which there are two very pleaſant ones. I am

Your, &c. S.

LETTER XLI.
To [...]

[Page]

SIR,

IT is in a manner impoſſible for a man to be ſo tranſcendently obliging as you are, and not be often importun'd. For my part, I am very ſenſible, that I importune you often; but I have this apology to make for my ſelf, that importunities are in ſome ſort allowable in perſons, remarkable for their calamities as I am; and you would think it ſtrange your ſelf, if I ſhould not make the beſt advantage I can of the honour of your acquaintance, and the kindneſſes you have for me. Two days ſince, my Servant left at your houſe a breviat, concerning the affair I may have with Monſieur le Tardif, who doubtleſs would not deny you a thing of greater conſequence, and whom I ſhall ſatisfie, when he pleaſes, upon what I have grounded my pretenſions. It is my deſire, Sir, that you would ſpeak a word with him concerning it, and give me leave to ſend ſome perſon to him, as if it were from your ſelf to requeſt of him, what you will find in the Memorial which I now [Page] ſend you. 'Tis one of my Friends of Dreux who has made the diſcovery of it, and is con [...]nt that I ſhould make ſome advantage thereby, beſides the ſatisfaction it will be to me, that I have endeavour'd to ſerve him. I am,

Sir,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER XLII.
To [...].

SIR,

IT has been extreamly to my prejudice that I am not ſo well known to you, as you are to me; I preſume you would make no queſtion, but that I ſhould have for yonr Generoſity all the ſentiments it deſerves, and for the Obligations you have laid on me, all the acknowledgments I am able to make. I am this day advertis'd by Monſieur le Tardif, how earneſtly you beſtir your ſelf to do me a kindneſs, and I have thereupon [Page] acquainted him, how far thoſe obliging procedures of yours are free from all ſuſpition of any benefit or intereſt to your ſelf, ſince I am the moſt uſeleſs perſon in the World. Sir, it is my ſuit to you, that you would continue them, and compleat a work, which could not have been undertaken by any man who had not a Soul of the ſame mold with yours. If you will appoint a day for that purpoſe, I will give Monſieur le Tardif notice of it. I am ſomewhat in haſte to acknowledg my ſelf indebted to you for my tranquility, not ſo much out of a deſire to ſee my ſelf in a ſhort time well eſtabliſh'd, as that of having a greater inducement, to aſſume the quality of

Sir,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER XLIII.
To [...].

[Page]

SIR,

IT was my fortune this day to be quite out of mony, a thing not extraordinary to me. I thereupon ſent my Servant to Monſieur de Richemont, to entreat him to advance one Quarters Rent of my Penſion, eleven dayes before it became due. Monſieur [...] happen'd to be there, a Perſon I have not the honour to be acquainted withal, and I think it is not my fault. However, he took occaſion to reproach me with it, as a great miſdemeanour, and moſt unmercifully ſent me word, that he knew me not; That I was acquainted only with Monſieur de Lorme, and that I had never dedicated a Book to him. What ſay you to the brutality of this gallant Perſon? But this is not the firſt affront I have receiv'd from him. I would gladly have a particular Character of this unpoliſh'd Lord, and know, how he ſtands in point of reſpect with a Maſter ſo eminent for civility, as Monſieur the Surintendant. I am reſolv'd to make my complaints to him againſt a [Page] man ſo cruel and tyrannical to poor people. But if ever you ſee any Dedicatory of mine to Monſieur [...], ſet me down for the greateſt Raſcal and Scoundrel, not only of all the Province of Scarroneria, but alſo of all the voluntary Raſcals of fair France, the moſt fertile of all Countries in Perſons of that Qualification. I hope towards the end of the Week to have my Preſent ready for Madam, the Surintendant's Lady. Mean time I remain,

Sir,

Your humble Servant, &c. S.

LETTER XLIV.
To [...].

Sir,

I Would fain write a Letter which were worth the communicating to your noble Patron, and ſuch as might procure a ſecond order to be given to Monſieur Bruant. But is there any poſſibility of writing good Letters, when a man is quite moneyleſs? [Page] I was never ſo much fallen out with proſperity as I am this day. In three Lotteries it was my chance to meet with pure Blanks, and the two ſilver bowls, which Madam Scarron has got, and which muſt not come into the common ſtock, have only given me occaſion to envy her good luck, and to deteſt my own misfortune. Add to this that the Bois Roberts, and the Corneilles, to whom your dear Patron has been manificent beyond all that ever were celebrated by the name of Mecoenas, diſturb my reſt, as much as the Triumphs of Miltiades did that of another Athenian. Could I have gone and come, as another man, you had ſcap'd the importunity of above twenty of my Letters, and I would have made my Addreſſes to you in my own, I may ſay proper, but I muſt add withal, very irregular figure.

But when poor Scarron thinks to wait

On that great Miniſter of State,

Thy Patron, who, with candid looks,

Deigns to peruſe his worthleſs Books;

Nay when he thinks (ſo fair's the weather)

Himſelf now got neer half-way thither;

For he by this time is 'ith'aire,

Truſs'dup in his eternal Chair,

[Page] Supported by two luſty Fellows,

Who trudging make a noiſe like Bellowes:

By ſudden torment he is croſt,

And all precedent labour's loſt.

For two hours had been idly ſpent,

To give his Carcaſs ornament,

That what before was execrable,

Might be 'mong Grandees more paſſable;

But all the waſhing, rubbing, ſhaving,

Is ſpoil'd by ſwearing, curſing, raving;

For he muſt do, as he was wont,

Though Heaven, aud Hell, and all, lay on't.

Which made ſome ſay, alas! poor Scarron hath

Expiring, now renounc'd the Chriſtian Faith.

Now, in the Bigotian Dialect of the ſurcengled Tribe, what I have told you in Verſe, is call'd Being viſited of the Lord. Nay, it has happen'd to me many times, that ſome good Religious men have come purpoſely to congratulate the happineſs I had that the all-merciful God was pleas'd to viſit me, oftner then any other; and ſeem'd to envy me a felicity, which I would have heartily reſign'd to any of them, with all the advantages I had thereby, of promoting my future well-fare. For my part, I wiſh there were ſome leſs painful expedient [Page] then thoſe Viſitations, for me to ſecure my ſalvation, and I find my ſelf at a great diſtance from that high degree of perfect reſignation to the Lord's will. For I muſt ſeriouſly acknowledge, that I languiſh and pine after what you have put me in hopes to receive from Monſieur Bruant. I am willing to believe, as you write to me, that he would oblige me; but I queſtion whether he will do it much. I believe alſo that he finds it ſome trouble to raiſe money at the beginning of a Campagne; but there wants ſo ſmall a ſum for me to begin mine, and what I expect from him would contribute ſo little to the diſtraction he is in, that he might put a period to mine, without much augmenting his own. It is your concern to ſolicite him herein, were it only that you may be deliver'd from the perſecution of my Letters. To excite you the more, I am to tell you, that I was yeſterday put into a great fright; word was brought me, that Monſieur Meraut, Maſter of the Accompts, was deſirous to ſee me. I was much troubled to think what might be the conſequence of my Landlord's viſit. But his diſcourſe was only concerning the reparations of his houſe, the innundation of the River Seine; and his laſt complement was, That, though [Page] unhappy in other things, I was a happy man in being ſo ingenious. I am,

Sir,

Your moſt humble, &c.

LETTER XLV.
To [...].

Sir,

I Have a ſtory to tell you, which, if I miſtake not, will find you ſome diverſion. Some three dayes ſince, I was fallen very low in the purſe, an accident which is very ordinary to me. I ſent my ſervant to Monſieur Richemont, of whom I receive every Quarter four hundred Livers, a Penſion beſtow'd on me by Monſieur the Surintendant. I deſir'd him to do me the favour, to make me ten dayes advance of the Quarter now current. There happen'd to be with him one Monſieur [...]. a perſon I know not, and he reproach'd me with it, as a great fault, whereof I have yet but little thought to reform my ſelf. This man [Page] meeting with my ſervant, entertain'd him with this diſcourſe. I know not your Maſter; He knowes none but Monſieur de Lorme, and never either dedicated to, or preſented me with any of his Books; tell him, that he ſhall not have his mony till the end of this month. You ſee, Sir, how that Poverty makes men deſpicable; and though Queens, and Princes, and all the greateſt perſons of quality in the Kingdom have had the curioſity to come and ſee me, honour me with their Viſits; and diſpenſe with my rendring of any to them, I find an unciviliz'd Lord in Monſieur [...]. And you ſee alſo, Sir, that though you are eſteem'd and belov'd of all the World, yet is there an envious Brute, to whom your noble repute gives ſome diſturbance. I ſhall forbear giving further occaſion of grumbling, to the people of buſineſs, who wait in your Antichamber, by amuſing you any longer with the reading of a Letter of no great importance. I am,

Sir,

Your moſt humble, &c.

LETTER LXVI.
To [...].

[Page]

Sir,

I Am much troubled to hear of the ſoarneſs of your Eyes: But what addes to the trouble, is, that having a great likelihood of doing much miſchief, they are the leſs bemoan'd by divers other perſons. It concerns you to examine whether they have deſerv'd what they endure, and ſo ſeek out, in your own virtue, for all the patience, you now ſtand in need of. For my part, it is the greateſt of my afflictions, partly out of a conſideration of my preſent intereſt, and partly out of that of my future expectation. For ſince it has been known, that you have honour'd me with your acquaintance, I find that I am more conſiderable among ſeveral perſons. The other day, I only took occaſion to ſpeak of you, as I ought to do, before Monſieur de Scudery, and this day, I receiv'd from him the Letter I now ſend you, by which you will ſee, that he hopes great things from you, if you but ever ſo little promote the requeſt which Monſieur Menagius has made for him. No doubt but Monſieur [Page] Servient will tell you, that theſe Briefs from Rome are very troubleſome, and I am ſo more then any one, in recommending two affairs to you, in the ſpace of eight dayes. But when I ſolicite for other perſons, I am as fierce as a Lyon, but for my ſelf, I am ſo baſhful, that it is with the greateſt repugnance in the World, I importune any man with my concerns. Since my Letter is grown ſo long, I muſt tell you further, that upon the firſt ſight of Monſieur Servient, I conceiv'd he would be a perſon anſwerable to my inclination; his merit has ſince rais'd in me a veneration for him; and the kindneſs he has expreſs'd, in enquiring whether I were alive, has made an abſolute acqueſt of me to his ſervice. This proteſtation of mine is as ſincere, as that of my being,

Sir,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER XLVII.
To [...].

[Page]

Sir,

I Send you the two Letters which I read to you yeſterday, becauſe I obſerv'd, that you expreſs'd a certain liking of them, with this promiſe, that I ſhall cauſe ſome others to be tranſcrib'd for you, as alſo ſome Verſes. But at the preſent, the greateſt part of my employment is the writing of Comedies, becauſe my principal ſubſiſtance depends on it. 'Tis a wretched kind of Labour, which is not of any great advantage, though a man beſtowes much of his time in it, and gains him but little reputation, when he makes too great expedition. The others require a great repoſe and ſerenity of mind: and a man has but little of either of them, when he is as much diſcompos'd in his health, as in his affairs. And for my part, I muſt acknowledge, that I find a great diminution of that facetious humour, for which I am ſo remarkable, ever ſince I have been reduc'd to a neceſſity of making verſes for my livelihood, as a perſon damn'd to a Trade. I am extreamly at a loſs, when I [Page] reflect, that if I expreſs not my thankfulneſs to Monſieur the Procurator General, as highly as my reſentment of his favours adviſes me to do, he may ſuſpect, I have it not to the degree I ought; and if I do thank him anſwerably to the deſires I have to do ſo, he may imagine, that I have a mean and mercenary ſoul. I am ſufficiently ſatisfy'd that he is ſo tranſcendently generous, as not to expect Complements from thoſe whom he obliges, and goes by this principle, that that is properly giving, when a man gives to an uſeleſs perſon, ſuch as I am; whereas to be liberal to one from whom he may receive ſome ſervice, implies ſomewhat of Commerce, rather then the beſtowing of a kindneſs. In a word, Sir, there is in this point a certain nicety which I ought to obſerve, and which I deſire to be inſtructed by you, who have known him ſo well, and ſo long. I did not make account to have written to you ſo ſeriouſly; but ſometimes there riſes a certain cloudineſs in a man's mind, which cannot preſently be diſpell'd. I am,

Sir,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER XLVIII.
To [...].

[Page]

SIR,

I Make no queſtion, but you have long ſince aſſign'd me a place among your Friends; how well I deſerve it, will appear by the demonſtration I now make of the deſires I have to ſerve you, in giving you the knowledge of a Son of Madam Mongerons, and withal the opportunity to oblige a Lady of her merit, in the perſon of her Son, a perſon highly meriting the Friendſhip I expect you ſhould have for him. You will thereby give ſome aſſurance of that which you have promis'd me; and I expect great acknowledgments of the kindneſs I do you both, at the end of the Campagne. Of all the good qualities which the Gentleman I recommend to you is maker of, I ſhall only mention one, which he himſelf would have conceal'd from you. 'Tis this, that he commands the Lute better then any perſon of his quality, yet has not the time, he has ſpent in that exerciſe, diverted him from perſecuting all the others, nor yet his Studies, and Travels into Spain, Germany, and [Page] Italy. I might have ſaid more of him, but I leave it to your own perſpicacity, to find in him thoſe accompliſhments, whereof I ſhall give you a farther account the next Winter. In the mean time, be jocund, O moſt paſſionate of all men, and leaſt punctual in all things, unleſs it be in the Friendſhip you have for,

Sir,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER XLIX.
To [...].

Sir,

I Am in ſome degree uſeful to you, ſince I find you the means of obliging an excellent Perſon▪ concerning whom we had ſome diſcourſe two dayes ago. 'Tis Monſieur R. one who is as much my Friend, as I am deſirous to be yours. I think that I have hereby made a ſufficient diſcovery of his being a perſon of more then ordinary merit; For it will not be for your honour to ſuſpect, [Page] that I underſtand it not; I, who had at the firſt ſight ſo perfect a knowledge of your worth, and would have purchac'd your friendſhip at any rate you would have ſet upon it, if I had had wherewithal to pay for it. Monſieur Roſteau will tell you the reſt.

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER L.
To [...]

Sir,

MY wife has given me an account of the obliging deſignes you have for us. Theſe new demonſtrations of your kindneſs have not added any thing to what I already knew of it. During the ſhort time I had the honour to ſee you, I had an abſolute perſwaſion, of what your precedent repute would have induc'd me to believe; and I muſt make this proteſtation to you, that, though the hopes which your Friendſhip and protection raiſe in me, ſhould not be [Page] attended with that good ſucceſs which in all probability will follow, yet ſhould I impute it wholly to my own misfortune, and make never the leſs acknowledgments of your Generoſity. I have not the repute of an ungrateful perſon in the World, and I cannot give a greater aſſurance of it, then by repreſenting to you, that though I am the moſt uſeleſs of all Men, yet is there a great number of Perſons of Quality and merit, who are my Friends, or pretend to be ſo. But I muſt withal avow, that among thoſe that ſeem to be moſt earneſt & preſſing to do me good, there is not any that proffers the doing of it, in ſo obliging a manner as you do. You beſtow much leſs of your time on your ſelf then you do on others, and I ſhould put you to expend too much of it, if I ſhould ſet down here all that my gratitude does inſpire me withal. Till I can make a publick declaration thereof, be pleas'd to content your ſelf with the ſincere proteſtation you now receive of my ever being, while I live,

Sir,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER LI.
To [...]

[Page]

Moſt Reverend Father,

I Have receiv'd an Advertiſment from you, that Father Vavaſſeur had written a Tract againſt the Burleſque Stile. He has done well. I find in my ſelf ſome inclination to envy ſo Noble a Deſign; and you will do me a pleaſure to afford me the peruſal of a Work, for which the Publick ought to think it ſelf oblig'd to him. If I were to write againſt ſome inconvenience incident to Mankind, it ſhould be againſt the Burleſque Poeſy: but you have an ill opinion of me, if you think that I bear him the leaſt ill will. Next to ſtinking Breaths, and moroſe Company, I know not any greater inconvenience, than the Burleſque Verſes; and ſince I am in ſome ſort the cauſe of the great overflux which hath happen'd of that kind of Poetry, I have no great occaſion to quarrel at Father Vavaſſeur's falling upon me. They, who told you, that I was incens'd againſt him, know me not, and I ſhould ſtill have been ignorant of his having [Page] written againſt the Inſects of Parnaſſus, if you had not inform'd me. The World is much oblig'd to him, for having ſet forth a Work, which tends to the reformation of ſo great an abuſe. You might well have given me a ſight of it, were it only to make amends for the injury you have done me, in thinking me capable of ſo great an impatience. Be pleas'd to let Father Vavaſſeur know, that I am his, and

Moſt Reverend Father, Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER LII.
To [...]

Madam,

I Muſt needs have a very advantageous conceit of Madam d' Aiguillon, for after I have ſeen her, heard her, and read the Letter which you ſhew'd me of hers, I cannot abate any thing of what I have ſaid of her. For Godſake, Madam, let me intreat [Page] you, to make it your ſerious buſineſs not to ſpoil my Verſes, by changing a word, without which they would be defective. Her act of humility would make me commit one of injuſtice, and you may tell her from me, that it has already had its effect towards God. I aſſure her of it, with as much certainty, as many others might do, who think themſelves better inform'd, than I am, of what paſſes in the Celeſtial Court. She is but the ſecond of thoſe Ladies, whom I have canoniz'd before their death; but ſhe is that of the two, of whoſe Virtue I am moſt aſſur'd: and I dare affirm, that though ſhe ſhould, during her life, leave a ſum, to defray the charges of her Canonization after her death, yet would it not be ſo much the effect of her preſumption, as of her wiſdom. I will tell you more of it, when I ſhall have the honour to ſee you. But though I am ſmitten with her merit, more than any other perſon ever was, yet ſhall I believe more of her, then I ſhall tell you of her; I, who cannot ſpeak meanly of what I eſteem, and who am the moſt tender of the intereſts of perſons that are like her, when they have gain'd me by their goodneſs. Oh! that ſhe had but ſome quarrels that were to be decided with Pen in hand, you ſhould [Page] ſee, how I would beſtir my ſelf in her ſervice. I am, in the mean time,

Madam,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER LIII.
To [...]

Sir

THe former Letters we receiv'd from you were ſo divertive, that we look'd on it as an argument of your, and Monſieur [...]'s being not only in health, but alſo in a more than ordinary good humour: but there is ſo much diſcontent in the laſt, as gives us occaſion to fear, that now you are not in either. True it is, that for your part, you have overcome your indiſpoſition, nay I am apt to think that you are not troubled with any, ſince you underſtand Raillery. But as to Monſ▪ [...]I would adviſe him to breath a Vein, and I promiſe him, not to endanger the enflaming [Page] of his blood hereafter, by the ſatyrical freedome of my diſcourſe. My raillery is alwayes directed to my Friends, becauſe it is my preſumption, that they are not diſpleas'd therewith; and I ſhall not take it amiſs, if they give me as good as I bring. I ſhall not therefore ſtick to tell you, that as pleaſant as your Friend [...] thinks me. I cannot pretend to be half ſo pleaſant as he; and that during the ſpace of ſeven or eight months, that he has made his reſidence at Paris, like a Rinegrave, and carrying on Amours by Placets, Factums, and Letters of Recommendation, he has given the World a greater diverſion, than I ſhall do while I live, with all the Burleſque and facetious humour that God has beſtow'd on me. He has further this advantage over me, that it is with ſome violence to my ſelf, that I am pleaſant, whereas he is naturally ſuch, and without ſo much as thinking of it. But leaſt my Letter may ſeem as undivertive to you, as what he writ in yours, upon the innocent raillery of his moſt humble Servant; I ſhall ſpeak of ſomething elſe. I ſend you a Pourtraiture of Madam Bonneau, which I did upon the perſwaſion of Madam Scarron. Some have thought it not unlike her, and written naturally enough. Commendations [Page] do not divert much, and are but perpetual repetitions of the ſame thing. The Baronade is finiſh'd; I ſhall ſend it you, as ſoon as I have ſhewn it to Monſieur the Procurator-General. I am much troubled concerning Monſieur the Mareſchal d' Albret; 'tis the common report at Paris, that he lies very ſick, and ſome ſay, he is to be brought thither in a Letter. The loſs of ſo generous a Friend would not be one of the leaſt misfortunes, of the moſt unfortunate Perſon in the World.

Sir,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER LIV.
To [...]

Madam,

THough the affair I have propos'd to you come to nothing, as to the ſucceſs I expected from it, yet ſhould I prefer it before the moſt advantageous one I [Page] could do, ſince it has procur'd me the reception of one of your Letters. It was poſſibly your intention to write me only a Miſſive full of civility; but you have done much more, inſomuch, that I muſt acknowledge, Madam, that of the moſt unhappy of all men, you have given me ſo great a ſatisfaction of my own fortune, that I now think my ſelf the object of envy, rather than compaſſion. In ſhort, the effort which your kindneſs hath wrought in my mind, is my moſt important Affair, and ſo takes up my thoughts, that I know not how I can ſpeak to you of that which I have in the hands of Monſieur de la Nouë Renart: But, ſince you enjoyn me to do it, and that it is more juſt I ſhould comply with your deſires, than follow the bent of my own inclination, I ſhall only tell you, Madam, that if you do but ſatisfie M. de la Nouë Renart, of Madam Scarron's, and my being ſomewhat in your favour, it is impoſſible my affair ſhould prove unſucceſsful in his hands, though he ſhould oppoſe me, as much as I find him diſpos'd to ſerve you. In that expectation, or rather aſſurance, I remain,

Madam,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER LV.
To [...]

[Page]

Sir,

I Know not whether you are as much loſt to your other Friends, as you are to me. I have no more ſight of you, then if you were already admitted into the Celeſtial Court, to which place you are making all the haſt you can. And yet it was my opinion, that you were ſufficiently accommodated, as to the concerns of this lower World, and methinks twelve thouſand Livers of an Annual Rent in Spiritual Promotions, and eight hundred thouſand Livers of Temporal Eſtate, might have been a great temptation, for your making a longer aboad amongſt us poor Mortals. But without any further Raillery, why are you no longer viſible? Is it that your fits of Devotion continue ſtill, and that you would break off all correſpondence with ſo great a Sinner as I am? It were a Phariſaical action in the higheſt degree, and you ſhould rather think of promoting my Salvation, [Page] as a thing of much difficulty, and not have forſaken me, till you had as much ſecurity as this World could give you, of my happineſs in the other: for you will be much troubled, if we do not both receive the ſame bleſt invitation at the laſt day. Mean time I am,

Sir,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER LVI.
To Monſieur de Segrais.

Sir,

HEr Highneſs does me a great honour in but thinking that I am in the World, and it is no ſmall one you do me, in believing me capable of drawing a Pourtraiture well. But though I ſhould be ſo fondly conceited of my ſelf, as to be perſwaded of my ability as to that point, and that my earneſt inclination to pleaſe you, ſhould give me that Painting; yet would [Page] the Pourtraitures which her Highneſs has made, quite diſcourage me from making any. They are, as far as I am able to judge of them, the nobleſt of all thoſe that were ever yet made; and the Virtuoſo's of the preſent Age were to be bemoan'd, that a Princeſs ſhould tranſcend them in the glory of writing well, if it were not highly to their glory, to ſee her meddle with their Profeſſion. There is a greater difficulty in making a good Pourtraiture, then is imagin'd. A man ſhould have a perfect knowledge of what he is to draw; and methinks that commonly people know not any well but themſelves, and ſometimes their intimate friends. Can any perſon of excellent parts commend himſelf without much vanity? Or ſhould one make a diſcovery of his imperfections to any but his Confeſſor? In like manner, can a man celebrate the accompliſhments of friends, without importuning him? Or tell them ſome truths without hazard of incurring their diſpleaſure? Nor are the inconveniencies occurrent in the commending of indifferent perſons leſs conſiderable. For, as Portraitures ought to be made of ſubjects that are well known, and that men are remarkable upon the ſcore of their [Page] Quality and Merit; ſo a man runs the riſque of diſobliging thoſe perſons to whom he owes reſpect and eſteem, if he gives them not the commendations they deſerve; he muſt expect the character of an impertinent perſon, if he gives them thoſe that are not truly applicable to them; and how cautiouſly ſoever commendations may be given, it is my imagination, that there is not any thing more troubleſome, to him that receives them, to him that gives them, and to thoſe perſons who hear them given. Beſides theſe general reaſons, upon which I have taken a reſolution not to make any Pourtraitures, I have ſome particular ones, which I queſtion not but you will approve. A wretched perſon, ſuch as I am, who never goes out of his chamber, has no exact knowledge of things, but what is had by the relations of others. I doubt not but you will grant that to be a great defect in a Painter, who ought to have his fancy fraught with a great number of Idaea's, and apprehenſions, which are not to be acquir'd otherwiſe then in the converſations of the greateſt perſons; and I am ſufficiently ſenſible, to my great regret, that in proceſs of time, a man may grow dull and ruſty, in his chamber, as much as if he [Page] were in the Country. A Man ſhould have a ſmartneſs of wit and diſcernment equal to that of ſo excellent a Princeſs, to make good Pourtraitures, and be of a quality not inferiour to hers, ere he ſhall be able either to commend or diſpraiſe, ſo as that there ſhall be no occaſion to quarrel at it. I am,

Sir,

Your moſt humble, &c.

LETTER LVII.
To the Duke d'Elboeuf.

My Lord,

I Am not to be inſtructed what reſpect I owe ſo great a Prince, and ſo great a Benefactor as you are, and it ſhall be my care not to abuſe it: but it would be withal impoſſible for me, to forbear exerciſing my jocoſe humour in a Letter, though I begin it with MY LORD, and cannot avoid trembling for the firſt four Lines. But at the preſent, you will be pleas'd to content your ſelf with a Million [Page] of humble Thanks, which I now ſend you, for the honour of your remembrances of me, for all the excellent Paſties, which you ever ſent me, and particularly, for the laſt of them all, which is juſt now brought to the Table. There are preſent at the opening of it, Meſsieurs de Vivonne, de Mata, d Elbene, de Chaſtillon, not reckoning your humble Servant, to whom you were pleas'd to ſend it. I queſtion not but it will be a great ſatisfaction to you, to find that the goodneſs of the Company is ſomewhat anſwerable to that of the Paſtey; and it is but juſt, that the Founder of ſo noble a Treat, ſhould have an account who are the Confounders of it. You may be aſſur'd alſo, that we ſhall have more than one remembrance of your good health; and thoſe Commemorations will be a perfect comfort to me, for the abſence of Madam Scarron, whom Madam de Mont-chevreüil has carry'd away from me by main force. I have apprehenſion, that that debauch'd Lady may occaſion her being addicted henceforth to Wine and Women. But for your part, my Lord, I ſhall preſume to give one word of good Counſel, as to the latter of thoſe two enjoyments: which is, that you be not ſo liberal of your radical moiſture [Page] among the Provincial Beauties of Picardy, as not to reſerve a little of it, for the Coy Dames of Paris, who in the mean time languiſh for your return. Of fall your moſt humble, moſt obedient, moſt reſpectful, and moſt obliged Servants, I am the moſt zealous,

Scarron.

LETTER LVIII.
To Monſieur de Villette.

Sir,

SInce the laſt you receiv'd from me, you were pleas'd to write to Madame Scarron, and to Monſieur de Noſſac. Thoſe two Letters are admirable things, worthy to be learnt by heart, and in a word, ſuch as may well deſerve the title of Opera. A Perſon of excellent parts, whom you very well know, ſaid, at the reading of them, that you muſt needs be in an exquiſite temperament, both as to health, and affairs, when you could write ſo tranſcendently well. For my part, were I not throughly acquainted [Page] with your accompliſhments in the ſeveral kinds of writing, I ſhould ſay of thoſe excellent works in Proſe, which you dayly poſt up to Paris, what the ſame Monſieur d'Elbene ſometime ſaid very pleaſantly, of ſome perſons, who make it their ſtudy to be of the firſt magnitude in Company, that is, to be moſt conſpicuous for their drollery, and witty reparties; That indeed there was much reputation to be acquir'd by a continual advancing of things remarkable and ingenious; but that the toil of it much exceeded the pleaſure; and he had obſerv'd, that perſons of ſuch an humour were not long liv'd. I make it my earneſt ſuit to that power which can do all things, that it would be pleas'd to continue to you that great fecundity of wit, and indefatigability of hand, which you have at preſent, and that, ſome fifty years hence, I may be refreſh'd and ſatisfi'd with their happy productions. But be this ſaid only en paſſant; though fifty years will make no great hole in eternity. In the mean time, Madam Scarron is very unfortunate, that ſhe has not a competent eſtate, and all the equipage and accommodations requiſite, to take her progreſs, when ſo great a felicity is proffer'd her, as that of being wiſh'd at Brouage, by ſo great a Princeſs, [Page] as Mademoiſelle de Manchini.

Tyber's rich preſent, the Glory now of France.

But I hope ſhe will recover that ſo great a loſs, when the Court returns to Paris, and that aſſoon as ſhe ſhall have the honour to be known to that incomparable Romane, ſhe will allow her a place among thoſe; for whom ſhe has ſome kindneſs. For my part, I would alſo offer her of my incenſe; for you know, that we Poets muſt have ſome Divinity, on whom we may beſtow it. But I am diſtruſtful of the merit of my Preſent, as much as I am perſwaded, that ſhe deſerves, above any perſon in the World, all the Hyperboles of the Poets; and you know that our Ware is contemptible, when it is directed to any one, before it be deſir'd. The fulneſs of your Brouage cauſes a ſolitude here in Paris. Yet can I not perceive any ſuch thing in one little houſe; for the ambition of being admitted into our ſmall ſociety, grows warmer and warmer, both in the Court and the City. Not that we and our Paris would at the preſent enter into any competition with your Divinities of Brouage; but their true Element is Paris, [Page] or the Court; and when by their removal from Brouage they ſhall leave you as naked as they found you, we can afford you no other quality, then that of Provincialiſts, and wretched Iſlanders. Adieu; my hand growes weary, and I can hardly tell you that I am,

Sir,

Your moſt humble, &c. S.

LETTER LIX.
To the Count de Vivonne.

[Page]

Sir,

I Have met with the firſt draught of the Letter, which I had written to you. Upon ſecond thoughts it ſeems to me very impertinent; but ſince you are ſo deſirous to ſee it, I ſend it you as it is. You have done me a ſingular pleaſure, in having me in your remembrance, and it is withall a great act of juſtice; for you are ſo far oblig'd to a perſon who eſteem you to the degree that I do, as ſometimes to think that he is in the World: and I muſt intreat you to be aſſur'd, that your retirement at Roiſſy is not a greater affliction to your ſelf, than it is to me, who am apt to hope, that ſometime or other you would give me a Viſit at my little Chamber, if your reſidence were at Paris. This is to be underſtood, when you were diſappointed of all other meetings and aſſignations, and could not beſtow your time elſewhere. The actions of our Neighbours ſhould be the Subject of our diſcourſe; and many times we ſhould recreate our ſelves [Page] by ſome little circumventing tricks, without which, I maintain, that all converſation muſt be loſt in proceſs of time. Mean time, Monſieur d'Elbene and my ſelf often remember you over a glaſs of Frontiac; wiſhing you were here to do us reaſon. Monſieur de Mata is in Xaintonge; I wiſh that he alſo were at Paris; his company would make your hours ſlide away ſomewhat the more merrily, whenever you had the kindneſs to viſit,

Your moſt humble ſervant. S.

FINIS.

Books Printed for, and ſold by George Dawes at his Shop over againſt Lincolns-Inn Gate in Chancery Lane.

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THE Hiſtory of the World in Five Books; The firſt Intreating of the beginning and firſt Ages of the ſame from the Creation unto Abraham. The ſecond of the Times from the Birth of Abraham, to the Deſtruction of the Temple of Solomon. The third from the Deſtruction of Jeruſalem, to the time of Philip of Macedon. The fourth from the Reign of Philip of Macedon, to the Eſtabliſhing of that Kingdome in the Race of Antigonas. The fifth from the ſetled Rule of Alexander's Succeſſors in the Eaſt, until the Romans (prevailing over all) made Conqueſt of Macedon. Written by Sir Walter Raleigh Knight, in Folio.

The Second Part of the Inſtitutes of the Lawes of England, containing the Expoſition of Magna Charta; and many Ancient and other Statutes. Written by the Lord Chief Juſtice Coke. The 3d. Edition, with an Alphabetical Table; in Folio.

The Third Part of the Inſtitutes of the Laws of England concerning High Treaſon, and other Pleas of the Crown, and Criminal Cauſes. The Fourth Edition. Written by the Lord Chief Juſtice Coke, in Folio.

[Page] The Fourth Part of the Lawes of England concerning the Juriſdiction of Courts. Written by the Lord Chief Juſtice Coke. The 4th Edition, with an Alphabetical Table not heretofore Printed, in Folio.

Brief Animadverſions on, Amendment of, and Additional Explanatory Records to the Fourth Part of the Inſtitutes of the Laws of England concerning the Jurisdiction of Courts, by William Prynn Eſq; in Folio.

A Second Book of Judgments in Real, Perſonal, and mixt Actions, and upon the Statute, all or moſt of them Affirmed upon Writs of Error; Collected out of the Choice Manuſcripts of Mr. Brownloe, and Mr. Moyle, ſometimes Prothonotaries of the Common Pleas. As alſo of Mr. Smither, formerly Secondary of the ſame Court. Peruſed, Tranſcribed, Corrected and Tabled, with Addition of ſome Notes, by George Towneſend, Eſq; Second Prothonotary of the Common Pleas. Very uſe and neceſſary for all Prothonotaries, Secondaries, Students, Clerks of Judgments, and all ſorts of Perſons any way relating to the Law; in Quarto, price bound 5 s.

De Jure Maritimo et Navali: Or, a Treatiſe of Affairs Maritime, and of Commerce. In three Books.

Modus Intrandi Placita Generalia: The Entring Clerks Introduction; Being a Collection of ſuch Preſidents of Declarations and other Pleadings [Page] with Proceſſe as well Meſne as Judicial, as are Generally uſed in every dayes Practice; With Notes and Obſervations thereupon. Compoſed for the Benefit of the Students of the common Law of England; as alſo of the Attorneys Entring Clerks and Solicitors of the Courts of Common Pleas and Kings Bench, 'Acquainting them with the Rudiments of Clerkſhip, and ſuch General-Pleadings and Proceſſe as are uſed at this day in the Courts of Record at Weſtminſter; By William Brown, Gent. Author of Formulae Bene Placitandi; in Large Octavo. Price bound 5 s.

Jus Imaginis apud Anglos; Or, the Law of England, Relating to the Nobility and Gentry. Faithfully Collected, and Methodically Digeſted for Common Benefit, by John Brydall of Lincolns-Inn, Eſ (que) in Large Octavo. Price bound 12 d.

Parſons Law, or a View of Advowſons; Wherein is contained the Rights of Patrons, Ordinaries, and Incumbents to Advowſons of Churches. Collected by William Hughes of Grayes-Inn Eſq; The third Edition Reviewed and much Enlarged by the Author in his Life-time; in Large Octavo.

An Exact Abridgment in Engliſh of the Eleven Books of Reports of the Learned Sir Edward Cook Knight, late Lord Chief Juſtice of England, and Compoſed by Sir Thomas Ireland Knight, and Reader of the Honourable Society of Greys-Inn, in Octavo.

Tryals per Pais, or the Law concerning [...]uries [Page] by Niſi Prius. By S. E. of the Inner Temple Eſq; in Octavo.

Of the Office of the Clerk of the Market of Weights and Meaſures, and of the Laws of Proviſion for Man and Beaſt, for Bread, Wine, Beer, Meal, &c. by William Shepheard Eſq; in Octavo.

There may be had all ſorts of Blank Bonds, and Blank Sheriffs Warrants.

FINIS.

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Information about this book

Title statement

Monsieur Scarron's letters, to persons of the greatest eminency and quality rendred into English by John Davies ...Correspondence. English. Selections

Scarron, Monsieur, 1610-1660.

Edition statement

1677

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2005-12 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A62313

ID [STC]

Wing S832

ID [STC]

ESTC R13034

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

12388855

ID [OCLC]

ocm 12388855

ID [VID]

60941

Availability

This keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the Early English Books Online Text Creation Partnership. This Phase I text is available for reuse, according to the terms of Creative Commons 0 1.0 Universal. The text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission.

Series

Early English books online.

Notes

(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A62313)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 60941)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 227:17)

Source

— Monsieur Scarron's letters, to persons of the greatest eminency and quality rendred into English by John Davies ..., Correspondence. English. Selections, Scarron, Monsieur, 1610-1660., Davies, John, 1625-1693..

Extent

[15], 140, [4] p. : port.

Printed for George Dawes ...,. London :: 1677.. (Advertisement: p. [8]-[10] at beginning pagination and p. [1]-[4] at end.) (Reproduction of original in British Library.)

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