to North America. t6$ 



feldom ; for you know that the Gentry of France is in 

 no great Circumftances,and thefe greatLords have of- 

 tentimes poor Friends of their own, for whom they 

 are oblig'd to ask places, in order to their Subfiftence, 

 As the World goes now, the Minifters are upon fuch 

 a foot, that they'll refufe any thing to Perfons of 

 the higheft Dignity about Court, by replying, the 

 King will have it fo, or the King will have it other- 

 wife. And as for the Topick of Merit; that's fuch 

 a frightful Monfter, that it can have no Reception 

 in the Minifters Offices, nay, moft of the Minifters 

 areftruck with horrour when they think of it. 'Tis 

 the Minifters , in effed, that difpofe of all pla- 

 ces, though it appears as if 'twere the King. They 

 do what they pleafe, without being Accountable to 

 him, for he puts all upon the affeftion and zeal 

 they ought to have for his Service. They carry Ex- 

 tracts to him, in which the merit of the Officers 

 they mean to prefer, is either fuppos'd orextoIl'c|. 

 But the Memorials of thofe they do not like, are 

 far from appearing, 



I'm forry I fliould be oblig'd to lay this truth be(- 

 fore you; however, I mention no particular Mi 

 nifter, for they are not all of that kidney, Ikno\p 

 fome of 'em that would fcorn to do the leaf} in- 

 juftice to any Man whatfoever; and would not {of- 

 fer their Suiftes, or their Lackeys, or even their De- 

 puties or Clerks, to intrigue for the preferment o(f 

 fuch and fuch Perfons by the means of Piftoles. Thefe 

 dexterous Intriguers, do by indirect means make more: 

 Officers, than you have hairs on your Head ; and 1 

 'tis for that reafon they are faluted a League off, 

 and dignify 'd as ferioufly with the Title of Monfieur, 

 as their Mafters are with that of Monfelgneur or 

 Grandeur. Thefe laft Titles have been acquir'd by 

 our Minifters and Secretaries of State, with as 

 much glory, as by our Biihops. We muft not think 

 it ftrange therefore, that even our General Officers 



