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My Plans to Obtain the Grandesse。Treachery of Dubois。Friendship of
Grimaldo。My Success。
CHAPTER CXII
Marriage of the Prince of the Asturias。An Ignorant Cardinal。I Am Made
Grandee of Spain。The Vidame de Chartres Named Chevalier of the Golden
Fleece。His ReceptionMy Adieux。A Belching Princess。
Return to France。
VOLUME 15。
CHAPTER CXIII
Attempted Reconciliation between Dubois and Villeroy。Violent Scene。
Trap Laid for the Marechal。Its Success。His Arrest。
CHAPTER CXIV
I Am Sent for by Cardinal Dubois。Flight of Frejus。He Is Sought and
Found。Behaviour of Villeroy in His Exile at Lyons。His Rage and
Reproaches against Frejus。Rise of the Latter in the King's Confidence。
CHAPTER CXV
I Retire from Public Life。Illness and Death of Dubois。 Account of His
Riches。His Wife。His Character。Anecdotes。Madame de Conflans。
Relief of the Regent and the King。
CHAPTER CXVI
Death of Lauzun。His Extraordinary Adventures。His Success at Court。
Appointment to the Artillery。Counterworked by Louvois。Lauzun and
Madame de Montespan。Scene with the King。Mademoiselle and Madame de
Monaco。
CHAPTER CXVII
Lauzun's Magnificence。Louvois Conspires against Him。He Is
Imprisoned。His Adventures at Pignerol。On What Terms He Is Released。
His Life Afterwards。Return to Court。
CHAPTER CXVIII
Lauzun Regrets His Former Favour。Means Taken to Recover It。Failure。
Anecdotes。Biting Sayings。My Intimacy with Lauzun。His Illness；
Death； and Character。
CHAPTER CXIX
Ill…Health of the Regent。My Fears。He Desires a Sudden Death。
Apoplectic Fit。Death。His Successor as Prime Minister。The Duc de
Chartres。End of the Memoirs。
INTRODUCTION
No library of Court documents could pretend to be representative which
ignored the famous 〃Memoirs〃 of the Duc de Saint…Simon。 They stand； by
universal consent； at the head of French historical papers； and are the
one great source from which all historians derive their insight into the
closing years of the reign of the 〃Grand Monarch；〃 Louis XIV： whom the
author shows to be anything but grandand of the Regency。 The opinion
of the French critic； Sainte…Beuve； is fairly typical。 〃With the Memoirs
of De Retz； it seemed that perfection had been attained； in interest； in
movement； in moral analysis； in pictorial vivacity； and that there was no
reason for expecting they could be surpassed。 But the 'Memoirs' of
Saint…Simon came； and they offer merits 。 。 。 which make them the most
precious body of Memoirs that as yet exist。〃
Villemain declared their author to be 〃the most original of geniuses in
French literature； the foremost of prose satirists； inexhaustible in
details of manners and customs； a word…painter like Tacitus； the author
of a language of his own； lacking in accuracy； system； and art； yet an
admirable writer。〃 Leon Vallee reinforces this by saying： 〃Saint…Simon
can not be compared to any of his contemporaries。 He has an
individuality； a style； and a language solely his own。。。。 Language he
treated like an abject slave。 When he had gone to its farthest limit；
when it failed to express his ideas or feelings； he forced itthe result
was a new term； or a change in the ordinary meaning of words sprang forth
from has pen。 With this was joined a vigour and breadth of style； very
pronounced； which makes up the originality of the works of Saint…Simon
and contributes toward placing their author in the foremost rank of
French writers。〃
Louis de Rouvroy； who later became the Duc de Saint…Simon； was born in
Paris； January 16； 1675。 He claimed descent from Charlemagne； but the
story goes that his father； as a young page of Louis XIII。； gained favour
with his royal master by his skill in holding the stirrup； and was
finally made a duke and peer of France。 The boy Louis had no lesser
persons than the King and Queen Marie Therese as godparents； and made his
first formal appearance at Court when seventeen。 He tells us that he was
not a studious boy； but was fond of reading history； and that if he had
been given rein to read all he desired of it； he might have made 〃some
figure in the world。〃 At nineteen； like D'Artagnan； he entered the
King's Musketeers。 At twenty he was made a captain in the cavalry； and
the same year he married the beautiful daughter of the Marechal de
Larges。 This marriage； which was purely political in its inception；
finally turned into a genuine love matcha pleasant exception to the
majority of such affairs。 He became devoted to his wife； saying： 〃she
exceeded all that was promised of her； and all that I myself had hoped。〃
Partly because of this marriage； and also because he felt himself
slighted in certain army appointments； he resigned his commissim after
five years' service； and retired for a time to private life。
Upon his return to Court； taking up apartments which the royal favour had
reserved for him at Versailles； Saint…Simon secretly entered upon the
self…appointed task for which he is now known to famea task which the
proud King of a vainglorious Court would have lost no time in terminating
had it been discoveredthe task of judge； spy； critic； portraitist； and
historian； rolled into one。 Day by day； henceforth for many years； he
was to set down upon his private 〃Memoirs〃 the results of his personal
observations； supplemented by the gossip brought to him by his
unsuspecting friends； for neither courtier； statesman； minister； nor
friend ever looked upon those notes which this 〃little Duke with his
cruel； piercing； unsatisfied eyes〃 was so busily penning。 Says Vallee：
〃He filled a unique position at Court； being accepted by all； even by the
King himself； as a cynic； personally liked for his disposition； enjoying
consideration on account of the prestige of his social connections；
inspiring fear in the more timid by the severity and fearlessness of his
criticism。〃 Yet Louis XIV。 never seems to have liked him； and Saint…
Simon owed his influence chiefly to his friendly relations with the
Dauphin's family。 During the Regency； he tried to restrain the
profligate Duke of Orleans； and in return was offered the position of
governor of the boy； Louis XV。； which he refused。 Soon after； he retired
to private life； and devoted his remaining years largely to revising his
beloved 〃Memoirs。〃 The autograph manuscript； still in existence； reveals
the immense labour which he put into it。 The writing is remarkable for
its legibility and freedom from erasure。 It comprises no less than 2；300
pages in folio。
After the author's death； in 1755； the secret of his lifelong labour was
revealed； and the Duc de Choiseul； fearing the result of these frank
revelations； confiscated them and placed them among the state archives。
For sixty years they remained under lock and key； being seen by only a
few privileged persons； among them Marmontel； Duclos； and Voltaire。 A
garbled version of extracts appeared in 1789； possibly being used as a
Revolutionary text。 Finally； in 1819； a descendant of the analyst；
bearing the same name； obtained permission from Louis XVIII。 to set this
〃prisoner of the Bastille〃 at liberty； and in 1829 an authoritative
edition； revised and arranged by chapters； appeared。 It created a
tremendous stir。 Saint…Simon had been merciless； from King down to
lady's maid； in depicting the daily life of a famous Court。 He had
stripped it of all its tinsel and pretension； and laid the ragged
framework bare。 〃He wrote like the Devil for posterity！〃 exclaimed
Chateaubriand。 But the work at once became universally read and quoted；
both in France and England。 Macaulay made frequent use of it in his
historical essays。 It was； in a word； recognised as the chief authority
upon an important period of thirty years （1694…1723）。
Since then it has passed through many editions； finally receiving an
adequate English translation at the hands of Bayle St。 John； who has been
careful to adhere to the peculiarities of Saint…Simon's style。 It is
this version which is now presented in full； giving us not only many
vivid pictures of the author's time； but of the author himself。 〃I do
not pride myself upon my freedom from prejudiceimpartiality；〃 he
confesses〃it would be useless to attempt it。 But I have tried at all
times to tell the truth。〃
VOLUME 1。
CHAPTER I
Birth and Family。Early Life。Desire to join the Army。Enter the
Musketeers。The Campaign Commences。Camp of Gevries。Siege of Namur。
Dreadful Weather。Gentlemen Carrying Corn。Sufferings during the
Siege。The Monks of Marlaigne。Rival Couriers。Naval Battle。
Playing with Fire…arms。A Prediction Verified。
CHAPTER II
The King's Natural Children。Proposed Marriage of the Duc de Chartres。
Influence of Dubois。The Duke and the King。An Apartment。Announcement
of the Marriage。Anger of Madame。Household of the Duchess。Villars
and Rochefort。Friend of King's Mistresses。The Marriage Ceremony。
Toilette of the Duchess。Son of Montbron。Marriage of M。 du Maine。
Duchess of Hanover。Duc de Choiseul。La Grande Mademoiselle。
CHAPTER III
Death of My Father。Anecdotes of Louis XIII。The Cardinal de
Richelieu。The Duc de Bellegarde。Madame de Ha