Memoirs of the Comtesse Du Barry: With Minute Details of Her Entire Career as Favorite of Louis XVLamothe-Langon, Etienne-Léon, baron de
History
Memoirs of the Comtesse Du Barry: With Minute Details of Her Entire Career as Favorite of Louis XV
Lamothe-Langon, Etienne-Léon, baron de
Du Barry, Jeanne Bécu, comtesse, 1743-1793
If the dauphin was not gifted with a very extensive capacity, he was
possessed of sufficient plain sense to comprehend, and to enter into the
views of his grandfather, to whom he pledged his word, that henceforward
prince Max should be treated with more respect; and he kept his word,
for the instant he returned to his apartments, he commanded the duc
de la Vauguyon to add the name of prince Max to the list of invited
persons. When the paper was drawn out it was carried to the dauphiness,
who was with her husband. She read on till she came to the name
of prince Max, which she desired might be erased; but the dauphin
interfered. "Oblige me," cried he, "by suffering this name to remain;
his ancestors have for ages been the friends of our family, and his
alliance may one day be useful to us in Germany."
The dauphiness comprehended the signification of these words, and her
fine eyes were filled with tears. However, she no longer insisted upon
the erasure, when her husband, who most tenderly loved her, further
declared it to be the king's desire that nothing should be done which
could in any way displease the prince des Deux Ponts. He was, therefore,
from that period invited to the house of Marie Antoinette, who
indemnified herself for this compulsory civility, by refusing to bestow
upon him one single smile or gracious word. It must indeed be agreed
that the dauphiness had brought with her into France too many Austrian
notions, which she was long in losing for those of a wife and mother;
but now at the moment of my writing this, she is much changed, and is
as true a French woman as though she had been born and bred in Paris.
Unfortunately, the people appear slow in giving her credit for her
altered opinions, and to this mistake will she owe the loss of that
general love and popularity to which she has such just claims.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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