all the artists who had counterfeited him, the sculptors who had represented him, the actors and prima donnas who had amused him, were rewarded with truly royal gifts. Even the Dames de la Halle, who had employed their old privilege of handing a bouquet to crowned heads, and whose leader also requested permission to give him a kiss, were willingly received by the fun-loving youth.[85] When the pretty spokeswoman had expressed her wish, he laughingly offered her first one cheek and then the other, with the words: "Eh bien, madame, choisissez!" The clever Parisienne, however, took the liberty of kissing both cheeks, and received as reward 20 louis d'or. The king left a present of 6,000 livres for the poor of Paris, though his own were starving. On the last day of his stay in the world's capital, Christian gave the Duc de Duras--in addition to his miniature painted by the Danish artist Jans Juel, and set in diamonds--a gold-mounted sword of honour set with pearls and jewels, valued at 20,000 livres. The duc's wife received a diamond necklace, and Madame de Flavecourt, whose beauty had attracted the king on his first arrival, a valuable suite of pearls. The king's portrait was displayed in all the windows, and under it could be read the lines:-- "Les roses d'Hymen et le trône des Rois Ne l'ont pas retenu dans leur chaine flatteuse, Il voyage, il instruit sa raison lumineuse Par des tableaux divers et des mœurs et des lois. S'il s'arrête en ces lieux, séduit par notre hommage, Heureux peuple Danois, n'en soyez par jaloux: Le destin l'a formé pour regner parmi vous, Notre art ne peut içi fixer que son image."[86] It is really a painful task to dispel the favourable opinion expressed of Christian VII. in these verses, but I am bound to be impartial. Reverdil tells us bluntly that in France, in spite of the flattery employed, and the prejudice in the king's favour entertained by those who only caught a transient glance of him, such persons as were in daily intercourse with him, and were able to watch him closely, detected in him an incipience of mania, and heard him make extravagant remarks. They also noticed that in his moments of aberration, a glance from Holck recalled him to his senses.