ed the plans of battle. Absolute mistress of the
ministry, she satisfied all demands of the Austrian court, a move
which brought her the most flattering letter from Kaunitz, in which he
gives her the credit for all the transactions between the two courts.

Despite all her political duties and intrigues, she found time for art
and literature. Not one minute of the day was lost in idleness, every
moment being occupied with interviews with artists and men of letters,
with the furnishers of her numerous chateaux, architects, designers,
engineers, to whom she confided her plans for embellishing Paris.
Being herself an accomplished artist, she was able to win the respect
and attention of these men. Her correspondence was immense and of
every nature, political and personal. She was an incessant reader,
or rather student, of books on the most serious questions, which
furnished her knowledge of terms of state, precedents of history,
ancient and modern law; she was familiar with the contents of works
on philosophy, the drama, singing, and music, and with novels of all
nations; her library was large and well selected.

During the latter years of her life she was considered as the first
minister of state or even as regent of the kingdom, rather than as
mere mistress. Louis XV. looked to her for the enforcement of the laws
and his own orders. She was forced to receive, at any time, foreign
ambassadors and ministers; she had to meet in the Cabinet de Travail
and give counsel to the generals who were her proteges; the clergy
went to her and laid before her their plaints, and through her the
financiers arranged their transactions with the state.

Notwithstanding all this influence and power, the record of her last
years is a sorrowful one. More than ever queen, she was no longer
loved by the king, who went to Passy to continue his liaison with
a young girl, the daughter of a lawyer. When Louis XV. as much as
recognized a son by this woman, Mme. de Pompadour became deeply
concerned; but the king was too much a slave to her domination to
replace her, so she retained favor and confidence; the following
letter shows that she enjoyed little else:

"The more I advance in years, my dear brother, the more philosophical
are my reflections. I am quite sure that you will think the same.
Except the happiness of being with the king, who assuredly consoles me
in everything, the rest is only a tissue of wickedness, of platitudes,
of all the miser