“After the death of his grandfather, Louis the Sixteenth consulted Mesdames his Aunts, upon the person whom he should place at the head of the Ministry, and it was in consequence of their advice that he fixed upon M. de Maurepas, though he was at first undecided whether he

should select him or M. de Machault.

"The young Queen was pleased at the respect which the King had shown for Mesdames' advice. At a later period, however, when she found herself surrounded by those who strove to get M. de Choiseul created minister, she began to share their desire that he might be elected. There is little doubt but that she spoke to the King on the subject, but she discovered immediately on broaching it, that Louis the Sixteenth entertained the most decided aversion to M. de Choiseul, which may be accounted for by the great dislike which his father, the grand-dauphin, even till his death, experienced towards this minister. But this I know for certain, as I learnt it from the Count de Mercy, that a few months after the death of Louis the Fifteenth, the Queen expressed herself very clearly with regard to the reception with which her petition in M. de Choiseul's favour had met, and declared that she had resolved never to speak to the king again on the subject.

"M. de Maurepas, who did not desire to have M. de Choiseul associated with himself in the Ministry, was accused at the time of strengthening the King's dislike to him. But however the case stood, M. de Maurepas was getting very old, so that the Choiseul party did not give up its ultimate aim, and only awaited the death of the minister to renew all its former intrigues. When this event happened, however, all manœuvres were useless, for the Queen resolutely refused to move in the matter, and the Abbé de Vermont, who was well acquainted with her sentiments, warned M. de Mercy that it would be impossible to make her alter her determination. The ambassador, accordingly,

placed this view of the case before the Court of Vienna, and induced it to relinquish all hopes of M. de Choiseul being raised to the Ministry. Meanwhile, another ambitious and intriguing person was working silently, yet actively, in order that he might one day, by the influence of the Court of Vienna, and through the medium of the Abbé de Vermont, be placed at the head of the Ministry, this was M. de Brienne, Archbishop of Toulouse. He humoured and managed the Abbé with great judgment; it was by his (the Abbé's) means that he had broached the subject to the Count de Mercy, and that he had succeeded in persuading him that were he once minister he would firmly uphold the Treaty of 1756. The ambassador did not omit to inform the Court of Vienna of this circumstance, who, from that time, seriously entertained the project of raising M. de Brienne to the Ministry, through the influence of the Queen. But as long as M. de Maurepas lived they kept their scheme secret; the great age of the minister gave birth to the same feelings in the minds of its authors, as in those of the Choiseul camp. They resolved to wait patiently; they contented themselves with enumerating to the Queen the various merits of the Archbishop; they represented him to her as a man endowed with great intelligence, with a strong and comprehensive mind, and as likely one day to make a firstrate minister.

The Count de Mercy sometimes spoke to her on this subject, and he

found himself warmly seconded by the Abbé de Vermont, who, being deluded by his attachment to the Archbishop, really considered him the

greatest man in France. The Queen, whose mental vision was somewhat blinded by these subtle insinuations, began at length to form a high opinion of M. de Brienne.

"On the death of M. de Maurepas, these intrigues, and M. de Mercy's support, caused the Archbishop to entertain great hopes of success, but this time they were soon overthrown; the king bestowed his confidence at once on M. de Vergennes, a man who was a perfect stranger to those persons who habitually surrounded the Queen. As soon as Marie Antoinette became acquainted with the king's choice, she not only gave up all thoughts of endeavouring to change his resolution, but she also immediately relinquished the idea of further exerting her influence in M. de Brienne's cause, in whose favour it must be confessed she had previously spoken to the King on several occasions. Even the answer which the King made her on this point I can positively state; he replied as follows, 'that it would not do to make an Archbishop or a Bishop, Minister, for, as soon as they had attained this position, they would be eagerly looking forward to the Cardinal's hat, and when once this dignity had been bestowed on them, they would put forth pretensions to precedence and importance in council, which would inevitably lead to their being created prime Minister; and for this very reason he would not have M. de Brienne in the Ministry, as he did not intend to have a prime Minister."

"When this reply came to M. de Mercy's and the Abbe de Vermont's ears, it vexed them exceedingly, but they did not attempt to challenge it. They still, every now and then, used fresh exertions, but they could never succeed in inducing the Queen to speak to the King on the subject, though she still maintained her good opinion of M. de Brienne. He, in fact, at a later period, did attain his end, but owing to circumstances which had nothing whatever to do with the Queen, and which I shall here relate.

"In 1787 M. de Calonne, then Minister of Finance, had persuaded the King to convoke an assembly of the Notables. This measure had been concocted with the greatest secrecy between the King, the Count de Vergennes, M. de Calonne, and the keeper of the seals, M. de Miroménil. The Queen was not even informed of it by the king, till a few days after the letters of convocation were issued, which is yet another proof of how little she mixed herself up in political questions, and that at this time the King certainly did not consult her with regard to state affairs, for which I again declare she had very little taste. If at a later period she interfered in them, it was rather, as I shall afterwards show, as the King's confidant, and in circumstances so serious that she was only too well justified in mixing herself up in them.

"The Notables were scarcely assembled when the frivolity, the thoughtlessness, and the inconsistency of M. de Calonne's proceedings, and above all, the death of M. de Vergennes, placed the King in the most embarrassing situation. He found himself compelled, on account of the general feeling of animosity which was displayed towards M. de Calonne, to dismiss him; but being deprived of the able advice of M. de Vergennes, he scarcely knew to whom to apply to assist him in his choice of a successor to M. de Calonne.

"And now intrigue went forward with greater activity than ever. One party was eager that M. Necker should be Minister of Finance, and another the Archbishop of Toulouse. Meanwhile, till a fitting person

could be fixed upon, the post was given to M. de Fourqueux, and M. de Lamoignon was made keeper of the seals.

"In all these proceedings, however, the Queen took no share. But the rival parties of MM. de Brienne and Necker were still on the stage, and employed themselves in negociating with each other. Madame la Marechale de Beauvau, a great friend of Necker's, was the most active person in endeavouring to bring about a reconciliation between the two aspirants. She held also close relations with the Archbishop, therefore she persuaded him to unite his exertions to those of M. Necker's friends, with the view of their both being raised to the ministry.

"As Louis the Sixteenth's dislike to M. Necker was well known, it was agreed that the Archbishop should be first elected Minister, and when he was once installed in this position, that M. Necker should be

chosen to the like office.

"While these intrigues were going forward, the Archbishop, who did not hesitate to make promises which cost him little, in order that he might obtain the power which he desired, bound himself that M. Necker should be placed at the head of the financial department three months after he (M. de Brienne) had been created Minister.

"These two parties completely beset the King, who at last began to be deceived by these reiterated addresses in their favour, and who at length thought that the election of M. de Brienne was generally desired by the public. He determined to fix upon him therefore, and it was only after he had come to this decision that he spoke to the Queen on the subject. She answered, 'I have always heard M. de Brienne mentioned as a man of distinguished merit; and I confess it gives_me pleasure to learn that he is about to form part of the Ministry. The Archbishop was elected head of the conseil des finances, which was left vacant by the death of the Count de Vergennes, but far from keeping the promise which he had given to M. Necker, he did all he could to injure him in the King's opinion. M. de Villedeuil consequently took M. de Fourqueux's place as superintendent of the financial department, and M. Necker's hopes, therefore, were, for the present, overthrown.

"Everybody is well acquainted with the manner in which M. de Brienne conducted himself during the short time he remained in the ministry. His utter incapacity rendered it absolutely impossible for the King to retain him in office, so that Louis the Sixteenth found himself once more plunged into fresh difficulties and uncertainty as to the person who should fill his place. On all sides he was again told that public opinion was universally in favour of M. Necker. The poor King, therefore, only imagined that he was yielding to the general wish in endeavouring to overcome his personal dislike to M. Necker and in electing him. He fancied that M. Necker might be disinclined to accept the office, on account of his being aware of the King's antipathy to him, and when he remembered the discussions they had together at the time he was first in office: the King, however took the best means to remove any unpleasant feeling. He sent to the Count de Mercy and begged him to come to the Queen. On his arriving, the King explained to him the awkward position in which he was placed, and asked him to act as mediator between himself (the King) and M. Necker. M. de Mercy, who thoroughly understood M. Necker's character, hastened to remove all doubts from the King's mind, but he refused at first to un

dertake the mission that was confided to him. The King, however, insisted on his executing it, consequently he was obliged to accede to his request. Accordingly he set out for Saint Ouen in order to sound M. Necker. His conjectures were quite correct; he met with few obstacles, and after a few vague remarks as to the state of public affairs, and the necessity of the King's not opposing his views, M. Necker accepted the office, and did not attempt to disguise the satisfaction he felt at the cause of M. de Mercy's visit.

"The circumstances which I have just related are known only to a few persons, but I can vouch for the truth of all I have stated, and I trust that in mentioning these facts I shall have completely vindicated the Queen from the reproach of having meddled with the internal politics of the country, as I have previously endeavoured to do with regard to foreign affairs. What the Queen eagerly strove for, and felt pleasure in obtaining, was some place or other for those persons whom she liked, or who sought her protection; but her wishes were chiefly confined to the object of procuring some post in diplomacy, or in a regiment, or some few advantages at court for her friends. If the Minister to whom she applied on such occasions assured her that in bestowing the place on her protégé he should be guilty of injustice to somebody else who possessed more merit and more claims to it, she never pursued the matter. If errors of this kind were committed, it is not the Queen who ought to be blamed, for she only imagined she was doing a good action in soliciting a position for her friend; but those servile ministers who were only too eager to please the Queen, who did not refuse to grant her desire, and did not represent the true state of the case to her, to which she would certainly have listened. Under what rule, however, has not favouritism triumphed over merit? When a King or Queen has not bestowed protection and favours on an object who has little deserved them, has not a minister perhaps, or his wife, or mistress, or even an agent, or some one in a still lower degree?

"On looking back to the time of which I am speaking, and in reflecting what the position of a Queen of France was at that period, ought she not to be viewed with impartial indulgence, when she is known to have solicited offices for her friends, or for those whom she deemed worthy of the favours they asked for themselves? But in fact, the coryphées of the Polignac society, often found that the Queen refused their demands, consequently they coaxed and flattered M. le Count d'Artois, much more than herself, because he lent himself much more willingly, to assist them in their plans.

"I cannot resist mentioning another fact, which will serve to prove that the King knew how to set limits to the influence which the Queen was supposed to exercise, on occasions when it was necessary to elect somebody to an important post.

"The place of grand maitre de poste et relais had been left vacant ever since Louis the Fifteenth had deprived the Duke de Choiseul of it, at the time of this Minister's disgrace and exile. M. d'Ogny, a magistrate of great integrity and worth, fulfilled the duties of it, but he was invested with a subordinate rank. This post, which was very lucrative, was also one of great importance, as it concerned the opening of letters, this being one of its duties. In fact, it has been declared that this opening of letters served to feed the King's curiosity, with regard to private matters in families, and that it furnished him with a kind of

chronicle of scandal. But, I am quite certain, that when Louis the Sixteenth came to the throne, that this particular portion of the police's surveillance was abolished, except as far as the interests of the kingdom and of public tranquillity were concerned; yet this still left the place one of great confidential importance. When the family of the Polignacs had reached the height of the King's and Queen's favour, the Duchess de Polignac entreated the Queen to procure the grande maîtrise de postes for her husband. Marie Antoinette made several attempts to interest the King in the Duke de Polignac's favour, but did not succeed in gaining her point; still she was continually importuned by the Duchess, and therefore she was ever seeking to change the King's determination. At length Louis the Sixteenth had the weakness to yield, and promised that the place should be bestowed on the Duke de Polignac; nevertheless, he did not fulfil his word, till several weeks afterwards, and then, unable to resist any longer the frequent solicitations which were made to him on the subject, he suddenly created the Duke de Polignac grand maître des relais de France, but did not invest him with that portion of the office which concerned the letters which arrived by post. Polignacs, who were very disappointed and discontented at the division of the duties of this position, urged the Queen to speak again to the King on this head, in order that everything might go on as it did during the time of the Duke de Choiseul, but in this instance Louis the Sixteenth would not allow his resolution to be shaken. He observed to the Queen, that the business of opening letters was too important to be confided to anybody who lived in the great world, that this particular duty ought to be left in the hands of that person, who had already proved himself to possess sufficient tact and discretion, to avoid all the embarrassments of so delicate an office. The Queen, who was thoroughly convinced of the justice of the King's remarks, declared to the discontented Polignacs, that she would not permit the subject to be further discussed.

The

"M. and Madame de Polignac were not always careful to assemble about them those persons whom the Queen liked to meet, and she was often pained when she noticed this circumstance. The Count de Mercy, who was well aware of this peculiarity in the society of the Polignacs, joined it as seldom as possible, and only visited them occasionally, to prevent his absence from being too much remarked.

"The Count de Fersen, influenced by the Queen, declined to frequent their circle, though they had made all kinds of advances to induce him to do so. At length, four years before the revolution, that is to say, in 1785, things had come to such a point, that the Queen, previously to visiting Madame de Polignac, always sent one of her valets de chambre to inquire the names of those persons whom she should find in her society, and very frequently on learning them, she gave up the idea of joining it. She had taken a profound dislike to M. de Calonne, and had begun to entertain the same feeling towards M. de Vaudreuil, whose imperious and exacting disposition had extremely displeased her. M. de Calonne, however, took great pains to get into her good graces, he seemed to guess her least wish, and to know beforehand what she was going to ask. It was this superfluity of attention on his part, I think, which disgusted the Queen with him, at any rate she seemed scarcely to endure it with patience. He was very anxious to be of some importance in the Polignac society, in order that he might obtain the Queen's