278 
tention, and sometimes the satire, of the 
rest of Europe. They bore no resem- 
biance to the orgies of the Regent of 
France. 
ried conversation, and obscenity Abd Im-= 
piety were par ticularly banished ; but 
‘the freedom of discourse was sometimes 
carried too far, as at the suppers of the 
‘Duke of Orleans, so much so as to be- 
come displeasing to the master. 
Tn one of these supper parties, (said 
M, Thiebault,) which even till the Seven 
Years’ War a often prolonged to a 
very late hour, Frederic asked each of his 
companions, How he would govern if he 
were a King? There was a lively argu- 
«ment between them, in order for each Lo 
establish their different maxims. The 
Marquis, however, listened, and said no- 
thing: the King at last observed his si- 
lence, and asked him, What would he 
da were he in his place? “ Sire,” an- 
swered the Marguis, “I would ammedi- 
-ately sell my kingdom, and purchase a 
good estate in France.” This pleasantry, 
by means of which he escaped the ridi- 
cule of advancing and supporting any 
Misplaced doctrine, obtained the King’s 
approbation, and pat an end to the dis- 
cussion, It was after some disputes of a 
sunilar nature, that Frederic, in a mo- 
ment of spieen or ill nature, wrote, that 
if he wanted to punish a province, he 
would send philosophers to govern it, 
During the Seven Years’ War, that is, 
from 1756 to 1763, when Frederic be- 
held his domimions invaded, and taken 
from him, by the Russians, the Austrians, 
and-the French, and that no hopes of 
safety. remained, it was to the Marquis 
D’Argens that he imparted the design he 
had formed of putting an end to his ex- 
istence. 
It was on this occasion, that he ad- 
dressed ‘a long epistle in verse to the 
Marquis D’Argens on this subject, the 
misfortunes of ‘his life, and the principles 
ef stoicism ; however trifling this reso- 
Jation may ADREAT, and LM singular 
the manner which Frederic made use of, 
to disclose it to one of his courtiers, it re- 
sults however from it, that the Marquis 
D’Argens held a most distinguished 
lace 13 the esteem of the Prince, since 
it was to him that he .addressed himself 
jn the agony of his soul. 
The happy events which so quickly 
succeeded, drew Frederic out of his em- 
barrassment, and the necessity of putting 
his resolution into practice, by compel- 
ling his enemies to enter into conditions 
Memoir of the late Margqus D’ Argens. 
There was more real wit, a va-_ 
[July 1, 
of peace, which secured .to him his do- 
minions. ' 
But whatever opinion the Marquis 
D’Argevs had upon the strange confi- 
dence the Monarch placed in him, he 
was Teally alarmed : 
minute in answering him, 
of every thing, which men 
he delayed not a 
and made use 
who neither 
believe in God, in the immortality of the 
soul, nor in any species of revelation, 
‘could make use of, under similar circume- 
stances, to induce him to alter bis deter- 
mination, 
There was a company of dancers at 
Berlin, whom the King had always en- 
gaged for the opera. The family of Co- 
chois was among the number. The fa- 
ther and mother died, and the two daugh- 
ters remained at that theatre. The 
Marquis, whose fate seemed to be to at~ 
tach himself to females of tiis descrip- 
tion, when he was almust: sixty years 
old, became in love with the eldest of 
these two sisters. She was rather plain 
than handsome, about five and twenty, 
of an, excellent understanding, and en- 
dowed with considerable talents; she 
dew very well, and was an excellent 
musician ; besides French, she knew the 
Gerinan, Italian, and Latin languages, 
as well as a woman had occasion to do, 
and even a little Greek, which she learn- 
ed out of complaisance to the Marquis. 
Her character was mild, and of a think- 
Ing turn.: she bad the art of uniting, un- 
der the appearance of the greatest sim- 
plicity, all those attentions which please 
so well, and conciliate esteem. M. 
Thiebault has furnished this account of 
her. 
The Marquis, after having paid his ad- 
dresses to her for some time, married 
her: the marriage took place during the 
course of the Seven Years’ War, and with 
out.the King’s knowledge—that was one 
of the causes that lessened the friendship 
of Frederic for him. They knew it would 
displease the King, consequently were 
much embarrassed in making the de- 
claration. They waited till peace was 
concluded, and then held a meeting of 
all those who belonged to the Philosopvhi- 
cal Society of Sans Souci. After a long 
consultation upon the best mode of ac- 
guainting the King with what had hap- 
pened, it was agreed that the Marchio- 
ness D’Argens should walk in the gardens 
of Sans Souci, at the hour when the 
Monarch was accustomed to take the 
alr; that her dress shauld be such as 
might attract abenvan but plain and 
— €legant 
