face of Government and a new system of affairs, would not, for their
own sakes, as well as for the sake of the public, venture to engage
far in any new measures. All I had to negotiate by myself first,
and in conjunction with the Duke of Ormond soon afterwards,
languished with the King. My hopes sank as he declined, and died
when he expired. The event of things has sufficiently shown that
all those which were entertained by the duke and the Jacobite party
under the Regency, were founded on the grossest delusions
imaginable. Thus was the project become impracticable before the
time arrived which was fixed by those who directed things in England
for putting it in execution.

The new Government of France appeared to me like a strange country.
I was little acquainted with the roads. Most of the faces I met
with were unknown to me, and I hardly understood the language of the
people. Of the men who had been in power under the late reign, many
were discarded, and most of the others were too much taken up with
the thoughts of securing themselves under this, to receive
applications in favour of the Pretender. The two men who had the
greatest appearance of favour and power were D'Aguesseau and
Noailles. One was made Chancellor, on the death of Voisin, from
Attorney-General; and the other was placed at the head of the
Treasury. The first passes for a man of parts, but he never acted
out of the sphere of the law: I had no acquaintance with him before
this time; and when you consider his circumstances and mine, you
will not think it could be very easy for me to get access to him
now. The latter I had known extremely well whilst the late King
lived: and from the same Court principle, as he was glad to be well
with me then, he would hardly know me now. The Minister who had the
principal direction of foreign affairs I lived in friendship with,