erected directly opposite the window. He held out his hand towards Kat, and fainted. The father was present at this spectacle, as well as at the punishment of the girl. It is easy to see, that the Marquis D'Argens had very solid reasons for not going to Prussia, under the Government of such a Prince. From the warmth and impetuosity of his character, he would most probably have lost either his hiberty or his life. But when Frederic the Second ascended the throne, in 1740, matters were changed, and the same dread ceased to exist. The new Monarch wrote iminediately to the young Marquis-" No longer, my dear Marquis, be afraid of the battalions of guards-come, and brave them even on the parade at Potzdam." When he received this letter, he was at Stutgard, in the service of the Duchess Dowager of Wirtemberg: she had a wish to visit Berlin, and see Frederic. The opportunity being favourable, they set out together. The King received him, (says Mons. Thiebault,) in the most flattering manner; he invited him to dinner every day; their conversation was lively and agreeable; nothing in appearance was more flattering, or more likely to satisfy the wishes, and flatter the ambition, of a philosopher: but weeks rolled on, and no mention was made of fulfilling the promises which had led the new guest from a situation less brilliant, but sufficient for his wants. The Marquis having vainly endeavoured to discover the cause of this neglect, and having waited six weeks, lost all patience; and, on returning home one day immediately after dinner, he sent a note to the King, couched in the following terms: "Sire! For six weeks that I have had the honour to be near your Majesty, my purse has suffered so rigorous a blockade, that if you gain so many battles, and také so many fortresses, and do not speedily come to its assistance, I shall be obliged to capitulate, and re-cross the Rhine within a week."The King had his friend Jordan with him when the note was brought to him" See here," said he, "what that fool D'Argens has written; he wishes to leave us."-Jordan esteemed the Marquis, and for that reason said to his master, after having read the note"I know the Provençals, and their impatience; but I particularly know the Marquis: while uneasiness torments him, and his mind is at a stand, he will never rest, and after having threatened to take his departure within eight days, he will be off in two or three days at the farthest." The King was alarmed lest Jordan should have prophesied too truly, and he returned these few words in an swer to his note." Be satisfied, my dear Marquis, your fate shall be decided tomorrow by dinner-time;" and, in fact, the next morning, the Marquis, on his arrival at the palace, received the key of office as chamberlain, with a salary of six thousand francs, and was also appointed director of the class of belles-lettres of the Royal Academy, which gave him an additional annual increase of eight hundred francs. This generosity on the part of Frederic soon changed the resolution of the Marquis. He settled at Berlin; he cultivated literature and the friendship of the Great Prince, who so well knew how to reward those who made it their occupation. He was constantly one of the King's social and private parties. At first, Algarotti, Voltaire, and Maupertuis, were the principal favourites of Frederic. The sprightly character and instruction of the former highly pleased the Prince. Voltaire captivated him by the brilliancy of his conversation, his pointed sallies, and the greatness of his talents. Maupertuis was in the habit of treating on subjects of profound learning and science. He was in some measure the minister of this party: he directed the academy, and informed the King of every valuable work of every description of science which came out. The Marquis D'Argens did not possess talents equal to any of those three; but his good nature, his pleasantry, and his wit, made him highly esteemed: to the pointed manners of high life, the Marquis added a facility of character, and a Provençal vivacity, which made his conversation very piquant and amusing. His writings, kuown throughout all Europe, which were both agreeable and instructive, were a strong title to Frederic's favour: the originality and eccentricity of his conduct, of which we shall give more than one instance, never lessened the esteem the King conceived for him, although he was more than once the object of his pleasantry and sarcasm. It was chiefly at the supper parties of Frederic, that he assembled these literary characters, and where those scenes of gaiety and wit passed, which, for nea thirty years were the objects of the at tention a tention, and sometimes the satire, of the of peace, which secured to him his dorest of Europe. They bore no resem minions. blance to the orgies of the Regent of But whatever opinion the Marquis France. There was more real wit, a va. D'Argens had upon the strange confiried conversation, and obscenity and iin- dence the Monarch placed in him, he piety were particularly banished; but was really alarmed: he delayed not a the freedom of discourse was sometimes minute in answering him, and made use carried too far, as at the suppers of the of every thing, which men who neither Duke of Orleans, so much so as to be believe in God, in the immortality of the come displeasing to the master. soul, nor in any species of revelation, In one of these supper parties, (said could make use of, under similar circumM. Thiebault,) which even till the Seven stances, to induce him to alter his deterYears' War were often prolonged to a mination. very late hour, Frederic asked each of his There was a company of dancers at companions, How be would govern if he Berlin, whom the King had always enwere a King? There was a lively argu- gaged for the opera. The family of Coment between them, in order for each lo chois was among the number. The faestablish their different maxims. The ther and mother died, and the two daugh. Margais, however, listened, and said no- ters remained at that theatre. The thing: the King at last observed his si- Marquis, whose faie seemed to be to atlence, and asked him, What would he tach himself to females of this descrip. do were he in his place? “ Sire," an- tion, when he was almost sixty years swered the Marquis, “ I would immedi. old, became in love with the eldest of ately sell my kingdom, and purchase a these two sisters. She was rather plain good estate in France." This pleasantry, than bandsome, about five and twenty, by means of which he escaped the ridiof an excellent understanding, and encule of advancing and supporting any dowed with considerable talents; she misplaced doctrine, oblained the King's crew very well, and was an excellent approbation, and put an end to the dis- musician; besides French, she knew the cussion. It was after some disputes of a German, Italian, and Latin languages, similar nature, that Frederic, in a mo- as well as a woman had occasion to do, ment of spleen or ill nature, wrote, that and even a little Greek, which she learne if he wanted to punish a province, he ed out of complaisance to the Marquis. would send philosophers to govern it. Her character was inild, and of a think During the Seven Years' War, that is, ing turn : she had the art of uniting, unfroin 1756 to 1763, when Frederic be- der the appearance of the greatest simheld his dominions invaded, and taken plicity, all those attentions which please from him, by the Russians, the Austrians, so well, and conciliate esteem. M. and the French, and that no hopes of Thiebault has furnished this account of safety remained, it was to the Marquis her. D'Argens that he imparted the design be The Marquis, after having paid his adbad formed of putting an end to his ex- dresses to her for some time, married istence. her: the marriage took place during the It was on this occasion that he ad course of the Seven Years' War, and with, dressed a long epistle in verse to the out the King's knowledge that was one Marquis D'Argens on this subject, the of the causes that lessened the friendship misfortunes of his life, and the principles of Frederic for him. They knew it would of stoicism : however trilling this reso- displease the King, consequently were lusion may appear, and however singular much embarrassed in making the dethe manner which Frederic made use of, claration. They waited till peace was to disclose it to one of his courtiers, it re. concluded, and then beld a meeting of sults however froin it, that the Marquis all those who belonged to the Philosophie D'Argens held a most distinguisbed cal Society of Sans Souci. After a long place in the esieem of the Prince, since consultation upon the best mode of acit was to him that he addressed himself quainting the King with what had hapin the agony of his soul. pened, it was agreed that the Marchion The happy events bich so quickly ness D'Argens should walk the gardens succeeded, drew, Frederic out of bis ein- of Sans Souci, at the hour when the barrassment, and the necessity of putting Monarch was accustomed to take the bis pesaducion into practice, by compel- air ; that her dress should be such as ling his enemies to enter into conditions might attract attention, but plain and elegans : elegant; and that Lord Mareschal should The King after some time grew calm, but the Marquis was a considerable time without seeing him; and, even afterwards, when their intimacy was resumed as before, Frederic never spoke to him of his wife. Not but that the King knew well that he lived with Mademoiselle Cochois. The Marquis had taken her with him in the journey he made to France in 1747; and it appears by his correspondence, that he frequently mentioned her to the King, who was afraid she would not return in time to perform in the opera at Berlin, as he wished her. D'Argens possessed that lively wit, and the vivacity so natural to his countrymen, the Provençals, which always raised a laugh: he often uttered his jests in such a stile of naiveté, as afforded the King ample matter; for he was fond of relating the adventures of his youth, and the anecdotes of his life, with which he instructed Europe, though he did not edify it, in the Memoirs of which he wrote. He had frequently some little whims, which, added to the assiduity which detained him near Madamoiselle Cochois, made him absent himself from the King, who wished to see the men of genius at his supper table, as exact, and with the same regularity, as the Secretaries of the different departments came to their offices in the morning. Having once asked the Marquis, why he had not seen him for some days, be excused inmself by saying, he had been unwell. The King knew to the contrary, and resolved to be revenged of him. Madamoiselle Cochois had made a present to the Marquis of a very fine mo ṛning loose dressing-gown, or wrapper-this was before their marriage. Delighted with this present, he put it on immechately, and found it so much to his taste, that he did not put it off the whole even ing. The King, however, sent to let hom know he expected him to supper. The same answer was returned, that he was ill. The Monarch, in order to disturb the felicity of the Marquis's little party, took it into his head to send him word, tiaat having heard of his ill state of health, fearful of the fatal consequences of so dangerous a disorder as that with which he was attacked, and anxious he should die like a good Christian, he had commaudled two catholic priests to administer the bacrament of extreme unction to him, and that they would visit him that very evening to fulfil this pious duty.-The Marquis knew not what to think of this intimation. He well knew the King was capable of giving similar orders to the catholic priests, but he doubted much whether he would dare to be guilty of such a scandal within the walls of his own palace. The most essential thing for him was, to make it appear as if he were really ill. He, therefore, wrapped up his head, and counterfeited the ap pearance of a man quite unwell, No one had any The King covered himself with a sunplice and a stole, put two or three persons who were in his confidence, into black cloaks, and the whole party descended in a solemn procession, as if they were bearing extreme unction to the Marquis, whose apartments were below the King's. The person who went first carried a small bell, which was heard in all the apartments, as soon as they got upon the staircase. doubt, but that it was the sacrament going to a person dangerously ill. La Pierre, the Marquis's servant, went to see the procession, and soon saw what it was. In order not to be found out, and consequently pass for a liar, the pretended sick man hastened to get into bed without undressing, or even taking off his fine dressing-gown with gold flowers. The procession immediately after entered the chamber in a slow and solemn maaner, and ranged themselves in order before the bed. The King, who closed. the procession, placed himself in the middle of the circle; and addressed the Marquis, telling him, that the churcb, al ways ways a tender mother, and full of anxiety for her children, had sent him that assistance the most proper to fortify him in the critical situation in which he was placed. He exhorted him strenuously to resign himself; and then raising the counterpane of the bed, he poured a whole flask of sweet oil over the fine dressing-gown, telling his dying brother, that this emblem of grace would infalli bly give him faith and courage, necessary to pass in a proper manner from this world to the next. After which the procession retired in the saine grave and solemn manner as it entered. It is by no means difficult to conceive what amusement this scene afforded to the whole Court, and at the Marquis's expense; but what afflicted him the most was the loss of the dressing-gown, which, by this farce, was so completely soiled as not to be fit to wear again. The Marchioness had no idea of such a complete and holy mystery; but Frederie had already played several such pranks, in which the Marquis himself had borne no inconsiderable part, and which made him fully acquainted with what he had to expect from him on similar occasions. D'Argens passed much of his time in reading ancient books and authors, particularly the Holy Fathers, from which he made several extracts, which he applied to the subjects he treated of, either in his writings or conversation. M. de Nicolai relates an anecdote on this subject, which deserves a place here. The King was fond of contradicting him on his taste for this species of eru dition—he used frequently to say to him, "Dont talk to me of your Fathers; they are bodies without souls."-When he al lotted him apartments in the new palace of Sans Souci, he himself conducted the Marquis and his Lady, and pointed out to them their agreeable situation and their convenience: he had given orders to have a handsome book-case, whereon folios handsomely bound appeared in large letters-" The Works of the Holy Fathers."-" Here Marquis," said the King, as they entered the room, “you will find here your good friends in all their glory." When they got to the bed-chamber-"It would be wrong." said he "to stay here long; we must not disturb the Marquis, but leave him to his ease and his night-cap"-so saying he withdrew. The King had no sooner retired, than the Marquis, in eager haste, flew to the bookcase to examine the works with which it was filled-he quickly opened one of the volumes of the "Holy Fa thers;" but in place of the homilies of St. Chrysostom, he found nothing but blank paper; and the same was the case with all the rest. The King amused himself much by playing similar tricks on the Marquis. We shall relate another, more pointed than the preceding one, and which was a subject of great mortification to the Marquis. One evening that he was at supper with Frederic, that Prince said to him-"Marquis, I have made a purchase for you near this, of a very neat house and garden-here is the deed; you may take possession of it when you please." The Marquis was not insensible to this mark of favour; he returned home full of impatience, and anxiously wished the night were over, that he might go and take a view of this new acquisition. Next morning, notwithstanding his laziness, he rose very early, and was driven to his new mansion he ran over the garden, examined the apartments, found every thing charming, and in the neatest taste; he went into the saloon, which was a very handsome room, and full of pictures: but what was his astonishment, when, on looking at them, instead of landscapes, battle, or sea-picces, he beheld the most humourous scenes, and most comic anecdotes of his life. Here, the Marquis, as an officer, found himself drawn at the siege of Philips bourg, and expressing strong symptoms of fear-there he was on his knees to his handsome comedian—a little further, his father disinherited him-another painting represented him at Constantinople-in another,a surgeon was seen performing an operation, which his adventures of gallantry had rendered necessary-again, nuns were seen pulling him up by night in a basket through the window of their convent. In all these pictures the Marquis, who was easily recognized, was represented in the most ludricous and comic attitudes. This unexpected spectacle put him into the most violent rage-he examined them all, and then sent for a housepainter, and made him efface them. The King informed of this scene, was highly delighted with it, and related it to every one who would have patience to hear it. It spite, however, of the species of warfare which the Monarch carried on, and 66 and the sarcastic jokes he passed upon his lazy habits, and his imaginary illness, still he loved him not the less. He one day wished to give him a fresh proof by augmenting the pension he had settled on him; but D'Argens answered him in presence of several persons, Sire, I have enough your Majesty has many poor but deserving officers; let it be given to them."-The King, charmed with this honourable and disinterested reply, esteemed him the more, without however ceasing from time to time to joke with and play tricks on him. The Marquis, on his part, appeared to be attached to the King as much, if not more, than to any of the wits who were about the Court. One of the most singular traits in the character of D'Argens, was that mixture of superstition and incredulity so remarkable in him, and which appeared in a thousand different circumstances he believed most firmly in predestination, and the knowledge of future events --a salt-cellar overturned, a sudden meeting with an old woman, a herd of hogs, or a man dressed in black, was enough to fill him with alarm and uneasiness: as soon as ever he got out of bed, he drew the curtains close with great care, and woe' to whoever opened them, either by accident or otherwise; it was a presage of the most fearful nature. He was no less alarmed at the appearance of a cold or cough; always ill through the fear of being so, and dreading death to such a degree, that he nearly died through the apprehension of it. Those who speak of him, all agree in relating the same weaknesses, and attesting his state of Hypochondriac. Nothing was more easy than to make him believe he was ill; and if he was only told that he, looked pale, no more was wanting to make him shut himself up in his room, and go to bed directly. He never went out of it, but when he went to visit the King: when he was in his bed-chamber, two or three loose morning-gowns heaped on each other, kept out the cold; a cotton night cap covered his ears, and over that was a thick woollen one which completed his headdress. If a few passing clouds, a slight rain, or a wind rather cold, or more violent than usual, were seen or felt, it was enough to chagrin him, and put him in a melancholy humour; to compel him to remain at home, and to resist even the pressing invitations of the King. He has been known to have remained thus im mured for whole weeks together, from similar causes. M. de Nicolai has furnished us with another example of his laughable suscep tibility, and of his ridiculous extravagant whims, in a like fact. During the Seven Years' War, the King had permitted him to reside at Sans Souci, and had given orders, that all the apartments of the palace should be open to him, as freely as if they were his own. Just about this time, Cothenius read a, treatise at the Academy, upon the danger of using copper utensils in kitchens. The Marquis was so struck with this treatise, that he was fearful every hour of being poisoned-could talk of nothing else every time he sat down to table, and made his wife promise most solemnly to banish every sort of copper utensil from her kitchen. The family of the Marquis, (continues. M. de Nicolai,) lived at Sans Souci in a very retired manner; and his wife though a reasonable woman enough loved amusement. One evening she took a fancy to give a little family dance at the house of the King's head-gardener. The Marquis gave his consent; but as they dreaded that his singularities might disturb the entertainment, they took great care to remark to him that the air was very cold, and that the sky was lowering-they were well aware, that an observation of that kind was sufficient to make him believe he was taken ill, and induce him to take to his bed immediately. This was exactly the case; and they went directly to the gardener's house, full sure that the Marquis would soon be fast asleep. He very soon was so; but before long he awoke, his thoughts sleeping, as well as waking, being fixed on copper and on poison, and loudly called for La Pierre, but no one answered him-all were at the ball. He recollected this, and was not sorry for it; but finding him-elf alone in the house, he took advantage of the circumstance to pay a visit to the kitchen at his ease, and to see if every article of copper was banished from it, as they had promised him it should be. He got up, and, without putting on his smallcloaths, wrapt himself up in a robe de chambre, and having lighted a wax taper at his night-lamp, he went straight to the kitchen. The first things that met his eyes were some copper sauce-pans; and to complete his terror, one of them con tained the remains of a ragout off which he had dined. Rage iminediately got full possession of him; he took up the stewe pan, |