Retrofpect of French Literature.—Mifcellanies. 
vers either obftacle or rebellion, it is the 
intereft of his glory, and even that of his 
people, that he fhould be fcrupuloufly 
obeyed. Itis generally agreed, indeed, 
that nothing fo fecurely e(tablifhes the 
happine(s and the repofe of the provinces, 
as the perfect union of all authori- 
ties inthe hands of one fovereign per- 
fon.” 
Notwithftanding Louis XIV. was a 
very obedient fon of the church, and in 
the latter part of his life became a perfe- 
cutor, yet he was careful on all occafions, 
during this period, to interdi&t the papal 
authority. It even appears pretty evi- 
dent, that his feverity againft duelling 
proceeded lefs from a diftalte to the crime, 
than from an averfion to thofe who dared 
to appeal to any other tribunal than that 
of his authority. 
A.D, 1666. 
In the firft part of thefe Memoirs, which 
comprehends a period of five years, his 
Majefty has developed his fyftem during 
peace: he now gives an account in what 
manner he condaéted himfelf in the time 
of war. Louis XIV. is pleafed to repre- 
fent himfelf, on the former occafion, as the 
father of a family, tranquilly occupied in 
the cares of his own domeftic economy ; he 
now appears the vigilant captain, chan- 
ging his poft and his conduét every hour, 
according to the pofition of his ennemies. 
*¢ Tn fine,’’ fays he to his fon, ** hereto- 
fore you have only found reforms in my 
troops, moderation in point of impotts, 
augmentation in refpect to revenues, re- 
gulations in regard to juftice, advantage- 
ous eftablifhments, and ufeful and pacific 
requifitions. Here, on the contrary, you 
will learn about levies of troops, the ar- 
mament of fhips of war, the fapplying of 
fortrefles, bloody combats, unceafing cares, 
and continual expences. But I am cer- 
tain, that amidift this diverfity of objects, 
you will always remark in me the fame 
conftancy in refpect to application, the 
fame firmnefs in point of refolution, the 
fame love for my people, the fame paflion 
tor the greatnels of the ftate, and the fame 
ardour for true glory.”’ 
The death of the King of Spain*, and 
the war betwee England and the United 
Provinces, having occurred nearly at the 
fame time, thefe events afforded his Ma- 
jefty an opportunity of fignalizing him- 
felf, and in fome meafure fatiating his 
love of glory, which appears to have been 
the mafter-paffion of his heart. The for- 
— 
* Philip IV. This event occurred Nos 
vember 17, 1665. 
635 
mer of thefe events furnifhed him wih a 
pretext for claiming certain rights, which 
had devolved on the Queen, in confe- 
quence of the demife of her Majefty’s ta- 
ther. A treaty newly entered into with 
Holland, on the other hand, enabled tne 
Monarch to take part in a war, which 
could not fail to weaken the maritime 
powers, and confequently to increale bis 
own comparative frength, 
He, however, affected at fir to aét asa 
mediator; tut finding, as he doubtieis 
forefaw, that this intervention was not 
altogether relifhed, ‘and fearing leit they 
fhould agree to his prejudice,” he deter- 
mined at length to declare openly, and 
thus began with two wars, one aguinil 
Spain, and the other with Engiand, ‘+f 
confidered,’* {ays this great and am}itious 
monarch, ‘* the profpect of thefe two 
wars with no common degree of pleafure, 
as it held out a vat field whence grand 
occafions ‘o fignalize myfelt migh: be oc- 
cafionally produced, as wellas to fulfil 
the expectations conceived of me by the 
public. So many gallant men who had 
armed in my fervice, feemed to iolicit me 
contiantly to furnifh fome aliment to their 
valour.” 
It appears that the monarch had deter- 
mined on, or at leaft forefeen the approach 
of a war, as he fays that he had incorpe. 
rated 200 new companies of infantry, 
during the preceding year, into the old 
regiments. Having alfo conceived the 
Notion, that the French infantry bad never 
as yet attained any confiderable degree of 
excellence, he determined to make it the 
firft in Europe. With a view of accoms 
plifhing this, a variety of new meafures 
were recuired to, and, as much depended 
on the colonels, care was taken to make a 
proper felection of them. His Majetty 
at the fame time declared his refolution to 
employ thofe alone in the cavalry who had 
formerly beenin the foot. He alfo eftab- 
lifhed a regular rotation of fervice, in re- 
{pect to all the regiments, each of which 
was to confit of 24 companies, and divided 
into two battalions. Sixteen Swifs com- 
panies, of 2co0 each, were ordered to be 
levied ;.a vegociation was entered inte 
with the Duke of Brunfwick, to take a 
body of his troops in‘o the fervice of 
France; whilethe Duke of Lorraine ex- 
prefled his eagernefs to treat on the fame 
footing. 
The following fentiments of a monarch 
of ancient France feem to have been felt 
and aéted upon, with but too-mach fuc- 
cels, by one of her modern Emperors: © 
“6 Te muft be grantedy that in all 
4M 2 poflibis 
