l woman of her time, had not lack
of moral principles and an intense love of power led her to seek the
gratification of her ambitions in the much envied position of mistress
of the king. To assist at her toilette became a favor more eagerly
desired than presence at the _petit lever_ of the king. The court
became more brilliant, the middle class rose, the prestige of the
nobility declined; the last became, in general, but a crowd of
_cordons bleus_, eager to claim the favor of any of her proteges.
Every noble house offered a daughter in marriage to her brother, whom
she made _intendant_ of public buildings, and who looked with much
displeasure upon the actions of his sister.

Mme. de Pompadour made a thorough study of the politics of Europe in
relation to the affairs of the nation--a proceeding in which she
was aided by her extraordinary intelligence, acute perception of
difficulties and conditions, domestic and foreign; by the exercise of
these qualities, she put herself in touch with the politics of France,
always consulting the best of minds and winning many friends among
them. In 1749 she succeeded in ridding herself of her pronounced
enemy, Maurepas, minister and confidential adviser of the king, and
subsequently began her reign as absolute mistress and governor of
France.

Her life then became one of constant labor, which gradually undermined
her health. Appreciating the mental indolence of Louis, she would
place before him a clear and succinct resume of all important
questions of state affairs, which she, better than any other, knew
how to present without wearying him. Realizing that her power depended
upon her influence over the king, and that she was surrounded by men
and women who were simply waiting for a favorable opportunity to cause
her downfall, she was constantly on the defensive. She considered it
"the business of her life to make her yoke so easy and pleasant, and
from habit so necessary to him, that an effort to shake it off would
be an effort that would cause him real pain." Her happiest hours--for
she did not love the king--were those spent with her brother, the
Marquis de Marigny, in the midst of artists, musicians, and men of
letters.

As for the queen, she was in the background, absolutely. "All the
prerogatives of a princess of a sovereign house were, at this time,
about 1750, conferred by the king upon Mme. de Pompadour, and all
the pomp and parade then deemed indispensable to rank so exalte