of the reputation he enjoyed as a general, to the brilliant verses
in which Voltaire had celebrated his exploits.

*--tr.

The marquis de Chauvelin was equally skilful as a warrior and
diplomatist. Gentle, graceful, and witty, he joined to the most
extreme versatility of talent the utmost simplicity of character.
Once known, he could not fail of being valued and esteemed, and
the king entertained the most lively regard for him. The noble
minded marquis was far from taking advantage of his sovereign's
favor, far from it; he neither boasted of it, nor presumed upon
it. This truly wonderful man died, unhappily, too soon for me,
for the king on whom he bestowed the sagest counsels, and for
foreign courts who knew and appreciated his worth. I shall have
occasion to speak of him hereafter; he had a brother, a wicked
little hump-backed creature, brave as Caesar, and a bitter enemy
to the Jesuits, whom he did not a little contribute to overturn in
the parliament of Paris, to which he belonged. The king detested
this man as much as he loved and cherished the brother, and that
is saying not a little.

The fourth guest was the duc de la Vauguyon, the really
tutor to the princes of France, for he had educated
four successively. He had displayed in the army both bravery and
talent, but he was a confirmed Jesuit, and conducted himself
towards me upon the strictest principles of his order. He will
appear again on the scene hereafter, but for the present I must
lay him aside, whilst I return to my to the saloon, which
I was about to enter.