252 



mother, the Duke of Medina Celi, and the other officers of state, follow ; 

 then the household of the king and queen ; the various councils, &c., 

 as in the other books. At folio 123 there is a list of " viceroys, capi- 

 taines, generaux, gouverneurs au dedans de I'Espagne," followed by 

 those ''Hors d'Espagne." Then comes a list of " Tropes" (corrected 

 ''Troupes" by a later hand), " au dedans de I'Espagne." At fol. 125 

 there is an elaborate list of " Ambassadeurs et Envoyez en la Cour 

 d'Espagne en I'annee 1679 et 1680." They are all described minutely, 

 even to their physical appearance, except the Marquis de Yillars, who 

 is given the third place. He is simply mentioned thus ; — " Le Marquis 

 de Yillars, ambassadeur de Erance pour la seconde fois." This re- 

 ticence in his favour may not be without significance. After this comes 

 a description of Madrid, and the palace, resembling, if not identical 

 with, that given by Madame d'Aulnoy ; this is at folio 126 ; references 

 are then given to the ports of Spain ; and the MS. ends with a recapi- 

 tulation of the state of the revenue, and the irregularities connected 

 with the administration of the law, justice, &c. 



In concluding this inquiry, I should perhaps apologize for the length 

 to which my report of it has run, and which to most persons, I am afraid, 

 will appear quite out of proportion to its importance. Truth, however, 

 is such a very precious material, that the preservation even of its most 

 minute particle is worth the sacrifice of some time and trouble. I feel, 

 nevertheless, that in this investigation I have not so much added to the 

 stock of truth as diminished a little the amount of error. The author 

 of ''Memoires de la Cour d'Espagne" still remains to be discovered. 

 That the papers of the Marquis de Villars may have largely assisted in 

 their compilation is very probable ; but that he himself could have been 

 their compiler, or that some of their most curious and interesting state- 

 ments could have had him for their author, I think I have disproved 

 upon good evidence. It is impossible now to fall back upon Madame 

 d'Aulnoy. The personal and private history of the court was as much 

 out of her reach, as the political reflections throughout the volume were 

 beyond her power. In seriousness, solidity, and reality, the " Memoires 

 de la Cour d'Espagne" differ as widely from the " Memoires de la Cour 

 d'Angleterre," or even the " Memoires de la Cour de Erance," ^' as 

 would one of her avowed fairj^ tales. The arguments which I have 



* I have before me three different Memoirs of the Court of France, two of which, at 

 least, are ascribed to Madame d'Aulnoy. One, which appears the oldest, is without date 

 — Memoires secrets de Mr. L. D. D. 0. ou les Avantures comiques de plusieurs grands 

 Princes de la Cour de France, Par Mad. D'Aunoy. Auteur de Mem. et Voyage 

 d'Espagne. A Paris, chez Jaques Bredou," 



" Memoirs of the Court of France, &c., written in French by Madame Da UNOis, the 

 Famous Author of the Letters of Travels into Spain ; and Done into English by Mr. 

 A, b:' London, 1697. 



" Memoirs of the Court of France, and City of Paris, &c., in two parts. Translated 

 from the French." London, for Jacob Tonson at Gray's- Inn- Gate, 1702. 



This last can scarcely be a translation of Madame d'Aulnoy's " Memoires de la Cour 

 de France," or, as it is more generally called, '* Memoires Historiques de ce qui s'est passe 



