FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   2275   2276   2277   2278   2279   2280   2281   2282   2283   2284   2285   2286   2287   2288   2289   2290   2291   2292   2293   2294   2295   2296   2297   2298   2299  
2300   2301   2302   2303   2304   2305   2306   2307   2308   2309   2310   2311   2312   2313   2314   2315   2316   2317   2318   2319   2320   2321   2322   2323   2324   >>   >|  
g Princess who was indebted to him for her elevation to the throne of France, and all concurring circumstances, seemed to foretell his return; the Queen earnestly entreated it of the King, but she met with an insurmountable and unforeseen obstacle. The King, it is said, had imbibed the strongest prejudices against that minister, from secret memoranda penned by his father, and which had been committed to the care of the Duc de La Vauguyon, with an injunction to place them in his hands as soon as he should be old enough to study the art of reigning. It was by these memoranda that the esteem which he had conceived for the Marechal du Muy was inspired, and we may add that Madame Adelaide, who at this early period powerfully influenced the decisions of the young monarch, confirmed the impressions they had made. The Queen conversed with M. Campan on the regret she felt at having been unable to procure the recall of M. de Choiseul, and disclosed the cause of it to him. The Abbe de Vermond, who, down to the time of the death of Louis XV., had been on terms of the strictest friendship with M. Campan, called upon him on the second day after the arrival of the Court at Choisy, and, assuming a serious air, said, "Monsieur, the Queen was indiscreet enough yesterday to speak to you of a minister to whom she must of course be attached, and whom his friends ardently desire to have near her; you are aware that we must give up all expectation of seeing the Duke at Court; you know the reasons why; but you do not know that the young Queen, having mentioned the conversation in question to me, it was my duty, both as her preceptor and her friend, to remonstrate severely with her on her indiscretion in communicating to you those particulars of which you are in possession. I am now come to tell you that if you continue to avail yourself of the good nature of your mistress to initiate yourself in secrets of State, you will have me for your most inveterate enemy. The Queen should find here no other confidant than myself respecting things that ought to remain secret." M. Campan answered that he did not covet the important and dangerous character at the new Court which the Abbe wished to appropriate; and that he should confine himself to the duties of his office, being sufficiently satisfied with the continued kindness with which the Queen honoured him. Notwithstanding this, however, he informed the Queen, on the very same evening, of the injunction he had received. She owned that
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   2275   2276   2277   2278   2279   2280   2281   2282   2283   2284   2285   2286   2287   2288   2289   2290   2291   2292   2293   2294   2295   2296   2297   2298   2299  
2300   2301   2302   2303   2304   2305   2306   2307   2308   2309   2310   2311   2312   2313   2314   2315   2316   2317   2318   2319   2320   2321   2322   2323   2324   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Campan

 
secret
 

memoranda

 

injunction

 

minister

 

possession

 

conversation

 

particulars

 

friends

 

mentioned


ardently
 
desire
 

communicating

 

expectation

 
preceptor
 
friend
 

remonstrate

 
indiscretion
 

question

 

continue


severely

 

reasons

 
confidant
 

duties

 

office

 

sufficiently

 
confine
 
dangerous
 

character

 

wished


satisfied

 

continued

 

evening

 

received

 
informed
 

kindness

 

honoured

 
Notwithstanding
 

important

 

inveterate


secrets

 

nature

 

mistress

 

initiate

 

remain

 
answered
 
things
 

respecting

 

attached

 

Vauguyon