Retrofpe of French Literature,—-Mifeellanies. 625 
The reign of Louis le Grand eee 
an ample hufvelt of this kind ; for Franc 
at that period abounded wih fexnadtiats 
anecdotes, political longs, cauftic remarks; 
and piquant bon-mols. Unfortunate ge- 
nerals, arrogant miftreffes, incapable or 
worthlefs mtnifters, and flattering cour- 
tiers, were fure to experience all the fe. 
verity of fatire. The pesple were, in 
fome meafure, confoled for the evils under 
which the cy laboured, by a laugh. Cardi- 
nal Mazarin, who knew them we} i, and 
who turned his knowledge to the advan- 
tage of himflelf and the crown, was ac- 
cultomed to fay, ‘If they moft fing, they 
fhal! pay for it.” 
The editor of this work has here col- 
leSted all the remarkable pieccs of poetry 
of a certain defcription, which were pub- 
lified between the regency of Anne of 
Auftria, and that of the Duke of Or! leans. 
One of the mof celebrated fong writers s of 
that day pr roved to be the Baron de Blot, 
valet-dewchambre to Gatton, brother to 
ze uis XIII. In his hours cf gaiety he 
pared no one, not even his own mailer. 
Flere’ follow fome fatirical veries which he 
wrote relative to the Duke of Orieans 
and the Abbé de la Riviere, who poflcfied 
a great {way over the mind cf Gandn': 
Adieu la France, adieu l’Efpagne ! 
shane va fe mettre en campagne, 
Accompagné de fon pédant; 
Flandre, ta ruine eft certaine, 
Parles confeils du confident 
Et la valeur du capitaine.” 
The. Prince, thinking this pleafantry 
rather too high-feafoned for his palate, 
intimated to Blot that he~intended to dif- 
mifs him; but, inftead of being corrected 
by this theat, he immediately fat aown 
and wrote thefe lines : 
** Son Alreffe me congédie, 
Creft le prix de l’avoirfervi 5 
Depuis dix ans j’ai cet honneur. 
Nous devons tous deux nous connoitre 3 
Sil perd un mauvais ferviteur, 
Ma foi, je perds un mauvais maitre.” 
The follewing i the epitaph which he 
. Compoled on Mazarin « : 
«© Enfin la tardinal a terminé fon fort. 
Que direz-vous, Francais, de ce grand per- 
fonnage ? 
Hi a fait le paix, il eft mort ; 
I} ne pouvoit pour vous.en faire davantage.” 
Biot appears to have belonged to the 
party of the Fronde; but he neither re- 
joiced at its fuccefs, nor was afflicted on 
account of its difafters. Here follows 
$ me advice on his part, and alfoa little 
MonTuLly Mac.) Nov 145. 
compliment, after his manner, when Ag 
leaders affembied at the Hotel de Vills 
‘¢ Frondeurs, fi votre remontrance 
Peut faire chaffer le: minence, 
Je ferai de votre cote ; 
Mais fi Pon n’en eonicie rien faire, 
Od trouverez-vous fureté ? 
Penfez-y bien, c’est votre affaire. 
Je ne crains point qu’en cette guerre 
On jette mes chateaux par terre, 
Ow on vende mes biens a l’encan 5 
Je marcherai comme un apotre; 
Et fi je dine daris un camp, 
Fe pourrait bien fouper dans Pautre.” 
« Cette cabale eft mal habile 
D’avoir choifi Phérel-de-ville 
Pour conftater de fes alti : 
Leur efprit, qui par trop s’él eve, 
Ne devroit pas avoir fait chore 
D'un lieu fi voifin de la Gréve.” 
‘The very wicked epigram inferted be. 
low, was made on the Countefs de Cau 
mont: 
**¢ Ouand PEternel nor fans remords, 
De ja Caumont eut fait le corps, 
Sentant quase ame raifonnable 
Ne pourroit fans d’affreux degotits 
Habiter dans un corps femblable,” 
Vien fit la prifon dun diable, 
Et efi le plus damné de tous.” 
Coulange, one of the writers of thofe 
days, wis related both to Louvois and 
Letellier, neither of whom did anything 
for hisadvancement in fife. Being a lime 
chaprined at this Pement he rehoned 
the office of maties of ee in order 
to live with greater tranc Mucitey: and make 
verfes at his leifure. Here toilowsa dia- 
Jogue between Bully and him on this very 
fubjedt. 
B. Or, dites-nous, Coulange, 
Magiftrat fans pareil, 
Par quel deftin étranze 
Ouittez-vous Je confcil Pa 
C. Lifcz, lifez Phifoire, 
Vous verrez qa‘avant nous 
Les hé:os, lis de gicire, 
Alicient planter des choux.-—« 
B. Le wel exemple & fuivre 
> Que Dioclé&ien! 
Bit-ce ainfi gull faut vivre? 
Jl n’étoit pas chrétien.— 
C, Charles Quint, qu’on admire, 
En a bien fait aucant, 
Puisgu’il quitta empire 
Pour vivre plus contentie 
B. Ou', mais dans {4 retraite 
Savez-vous ce qu'il fit ? 
Chagrin dans fa chamhbrette 
Souvent s’en repentit, am 
C, La’ favante Chriftine 
We s’en repentit pas 5 
4 
Ra. Wa SOS 
(SS ee See ee eee 
