$36 
very little todo. Charles VI. displayed 
his magnificence at the marriage of his 
niece. I yvave entertainments too, and 
must confess that I was delighted with 
my military court, and my old comrades, 
. That of the emperor was naturally more 
iJustrious in point of rank, but not in 
merit. All the most distinguished per- 
sons in the empire were there. But the 
situation of La Favorita, in a street of 
the suburbs, was not faverable either to 
diversions or dignity. The dresses were 
all superb ; but taking no pleasure in pas 
rade of that kind, I often wore my uni- 
form, and some of the generals followed 
my example, 
I received a great deal of company at 
my house between dinner andthe play, 
because I find that more business may be 
done in a drawing-room than in a closet. 
I waiked about-with some foreign mi- 
nister, or sat down in a corner with one 
of our own people; and a communicative 
air makes others talkative. On the other 
hand, I often see the reserve of others re- 
pel every body; and, concealing their me- 
diocrity under the cloak of gravity and 
discretion, these gentlemen know no one, 
_they are unacquainted with ‘public and 
private opinion ; and less secret than dis- 
creet, they are strangers to all that is pass- 
ing. Tis thus that sovereigns are often 
deceived for want of mixing with society. 
4723.—Charles VI. went to be crown- 
ed king of Bohemia: more pleasures and ce- 
remonies. Charles had a reserved Spa- 
nish air, and took but little pains to laugh, 
though he was very fond of buifoons. 
This is always the case with people who 
are not naturally cheerful. He was good 
and just. vt ; 
Leopold, in my opinion, had more un- 
derstanding; but Joseph, who possessed 
still more than either, was amiable, and 
would have governed in his own person. 
I said to him, shortly before- his death: 
© Employ, sire, none but honest men; 
but if you sometimes find a scoundrel 
willing to undertake the dirty work of in- 
trigues, and not ashamed to have his con- 
duct disavowed, make use of such an one 
without esteeming him. The honor of 
states is not so ticklish as that of indivi- 
duals, Bad faith and meanness, inde- 
pendently of the abhorrence which they 
excite, are not sound policy. But address 
“and dissimulation are allowable. You do 
not love France; that I think perfectly 
natural, for though beaten by us at pre- 
sent, she possesses more resources than 
your Majesty. If we continue success- 
ful, notwithstanding the change which 15 
Menwirs of Prince Eugene, of Savoy. 
[Nov. Y, 
preparing in England, after you have 
made peace, do not begin again; and 
never threaten any power, till you. are 
ready to strike. A young and ambitious 
monarch at the head of that, would con- 
quer the world. Fortunately when Louis 
XIV. was young, he speedily returned to 
Versailles to dance l’aimable vaingueur, 
and to hear an opera by his panegyrist 
Quineu!t: and at present he has not long 
to live.” Though Joseph was not a 
bigot like his successor, he would never 
have deceived the share-holders of the. 
company of Ostend, and with his magna- 
nimous character he would not have 
crouched, like him, to the maritime 
powers. He one day said to me: “ Had 
I been in my father’s place, I should not 
have run away to Lintz, when you entered 
into our service. I would not have suf- 
fered myself to be shut up in Vienna; but 
would have acted as aid-de-camp to the 
duke of Lorraine, at the battle of Vienna, 
I know what courtiers are. Isaw enough 
of them at the siege of Landau. They 
pretend to tremble for us, and it is for 
themselves they tremble all the while.” 
The severe and frigid Leopold was not 
fond of Joseph. He was more partial to 
Charles, his younger brother, who was less 
petulant, and more of a Spaniard in every 
respect, and could not forgive his love of 
pleasure, and his bursts of passion. It is 
true he was once guilty of great indeco- 
rum in beating, in his presence, and that 
of a large company at a public entertain- 
ment, one of his people who did nut pay 
proper attention to him. 4 
1724.—-I applied myself a good deal 
to internal affairs. I said to the ministers: 
‘Cannot you disband this host of under- 
lings, who prevent the money from reach- 
ing the pocket of the sovereign} con- 
trive a tax proportionate to. the income or 
earnings of each individual; provide ha- 
bitations for paupers, and set them to 
work; consult the English, the Dutch, 
the bankers, for a good system of finance 
and manufactures; invite Flemings to im 
prove our agriculture; bring our heaths 
into cultivation by means of the monks 
or the soldiers, for whom villages might 
be built on them; borrow of the clergy — 
at two per cent.; dig a bed for the river 
Wien, to carry off the filth of the es- 
planade, which infects'the city, and con= 
struct a fine quay planted with four alleys 
of plantain-trees or acacias; join the 
rivers by canals; eause the roads to be 
repaired by the proprietors of the adjae 
cent lands, without ruining the governs 
ment by constructing them; double oer 
population 
