1660-72.] FRONTENAC AS A SOLDIER. 11 



they would not take such a view of the matter as 

 I wished." J 



With the close of her relations with " La Grande 

 Mademoiselle," Madame de Frontenac is lost to 

 sight for a while. In 1669. a Venetian embassy 

 came to France to beg for aid against the Turks, 

 who for more than two years had attacked Canclia 

 in overwhelming force. The ambassadors offered 

 to place their own troops under French command, 

 and they asked Tureune to name a general officer 

 equal to the task. Frontenac had the signal honor 

 of being chosen by the first soldier of Europe for 

 this most arduous and difficult position. He went 

 accordingly. The result increased his reputation 

 for ability and courage ; but Candia was doomed, 

 and its chief fortress fell into the hands of the 

 infidels, after a protracted struggle, which is said 

 to have cost them a hundred and eighty thousand 

 men. 2 



Three years later, Frontenac received the ap- 

 pointment of Governor and Lieutenant-General 

 for the king in all New France. " He was," says 

 Saint-Simon, " a man of excellent parts, living 

 much in society, and completely ruined. He found 

 it hard to bear the imperious temper of his wife ; 

 and he was given the government of Canada to 

 deliver him from her, and afford him some means 

 of living." 3 Certain scandalous songs of the day 



1 Me'moires de Mademoiselle de Montpensier, III. 270. 



2 Oraison funebre da Comte de Frontenac, par le Pere Olivier Goyer. A 

 powerful French contingent, under another command, co-operated with 

 the Venetians under Frontenac. 



3 Me'moires du Ducde Saint-Simon, II. 270 : V. 336. 



