: 
_ 
1310.} 
is generally believed, madam, that you 
have married Prince Eugene.” ‘‘ [ love 
him much too well for that,” replied she; _ 
“ T would rather have a bad reputation, 
than take away his.” | 
~ « Tf yay were not religious, and [ was 
five-and-twenty, what would be the con- 
sequence?” said I one day to Madame 
de Bathianys ‘ Nothing,” replied she, 
“things would be just as they are. I 
am religious, in the first place, because I 
love God, and because I believe and put 
my trust in him; in the next place, be- 
cause this is the safe-guard of my peace, 
which comes to the aid of my wounded 
self-love, if I were to be forsaken; and 
then, that I may. be able to. scoff at 
women who have lovers. I am religio¥s, 
because I have neither fear, nor hope, 
nor desire, in this life; and because the 
good which I do for the poor, fromm hu- 
manity, is of benefit to my soul. [am 
religious, because the wicked fear me, 
and are disgusting to me. I am reli- 
gious, that 1 may not have. oceasion 
to be continually watchful of my reputa- 
tion; women who are not, dare not say 
or do any thing: they are like thieves 
who think themselves pursued by the 
olice wherever they go. But I detest 
those who assume the mask of piety, or 
are religious only on account of the im- 
mortality of the soul. Were mine to 
perish with me, [ would nevertheless 
endeavour to be virtuous as [ do at. pre- 
sent. It is not so much for fear of God, 
as out of gratitude for his favors, and 
love to him, that I am religious, without 
publicly proclaiming it like those ladies 
who make a trade of the thing to please 
the court, rather than to please heaven,” 
[have been happy in this life, and J 
wish to be so in the other. There are 
old dragoons who will pray to heaven 
for me, and I have more faith in their 
prayers than in those of all the old wo- 
men of the court and of the city clergy. 
The fine music, whether simple er more 
obstreperous, of the. divine service, de. 
lights me. ‘The one has something re- 
ligious, which awes the soul; the other 
reminds me, age flourishes of trumpets 
and kettledrams, which bave so often led 
my soldiers to victory, of the God of 
hosts who has blessed our arms, I have 
scarcely had time to sin; but I have set 
a bad example, perhaps, without knowing 
it, by my negligence of the forms of re- 
ligion, in which I have, however, inva- 
riably believed. I have sometimes spo- 
ken evil of people, but only when IL 
thought myself obliged to do so; and 
have said; Such an one 1a a coward, and 
Memoirs of Prince Hugene; of Savoy. 
341 
such an one a scoundrel. I have somes: 
times given way to passion; but wha. 
could help swearing to see a general or a 
regiment that did, not do their duty, or 
an adjutant who did not understand you # 
T have been.too careless as a soldier, and 
lived like a philosopher. -I wish to die 
as achristian. I never liked swagverers 
either in war or In religion, and it is per- 
haps from having seen ridiculous impieticg 
like those of certain Frenchmen on the 
one hand, and Spanish bigotries on the 
other, that I have always kept myself 
aloof from both. I have su often beheld 
death negr at hand, that I had become 
familiar wi im. But now it is no 
longer the same thing: Then I sought 
him, now [ wait for him; and meanwhile 
I live in peace. I look upon the past as 
a pleasing dreath. I goto court only on gala 
days, and to the theatre when there is 
an Italian opera, serious or comic, or a 
fine ballet. If we had a French come 
pany, | would go to see A/halie, Esther ° 
and Polyeucte, Lam delighted with the 
eloquence of the pulpit. When Boure- 
daloue inspires me with terror, Massillon, 
fills me with hope. We,were born in 
the same year, and I knew bim on his 
entrance into the world—a perfectly 
amiable man. Bossuet astonishes—Fe- 
nelon affects me. I saw them also in 
my youth; and Marlborough and I paid 
the latter all possible honors when we 
took Cambrai. I have forgotten the 
epigrams of Rousseau, and even his ode 
for me; burt I read his psalms and hymns 
over and over again. 1 still retain my 
memory, as it appears; and EF think ¥ 
have forgotten nothing except my ene. 
mies in this country, whom I forgive with: 
all my heart. 
ful!—This was too much for them. My 
health is very good, considering my age 
of seventy-two years, the fatigues of I 
know not how many campaigns, and the 
effects of I can’t tell how many wounds, 
The Chevalier Carelli, my physician and 
friend, furnishes me with a sure remedy 
for curing what he calls the radical humie 
dity, which he says is somewhat wasted. 
I have yet many things to do for the eme 
bellishment of, my gardens and palace; 
for instance, I mean to buy all the ground: 
in front of that in which T live, and at 
which I have employed 1500 workmen, 
(because it wasa time of dearth,and this 
was beneficial to the city of Vienne,) to 
form a fine square, with a splendid foun- 
tain inthe middle. If f should livea little 
longer, I shall not fail to write down whate 
ever Trecoliect, and what comes into my 
head, which is still pretty strong, though, 
ta. 
A foreigner, and success - 
