ON THE MEMOIRS OF LOUIS XIV

FOR some time past the Journals have announced to us Works of Louis XIV. This title shocked many persons who still attach some value to precision of terms and decorum of language. They observed that the term Works could only be applied with propriety to an author's own productions, when he presents them himself to the public; that this author besides must belong to the ordinary ranks of society, and that he must have written not merely Historical Memoirs but works of science or literature; that in any case a king is not an author by profession, consequently he never publishes Works.

It is true that, going back to antiquity, the early Roman emperors cultivated letters; but these emperors were only simple citizens before they were raised to the purple, Cæsar was merely the commander of a legion when he wrote his History of the Conquest of Gaul, and the commentaries of the captain have since contributed to the glory of the emperor. If the Maxims of Marcus Aurelius to this day reflect credit on his memory, Claudius and Nero drew upon themselves the contempt of the Roman people for having aspired to the honours of poets and literati.

In the Christian monarchies where the royal dignity

has been better understood, we have rarely seen the sovereign descend into those lists where victory could scarcely be obtained by them without some mixture of degrada tion, because the adversary was scarcely ever even noble. Some German princes who have governed ill, or who have even lost their sovereignty in giving themselves up to the study of the sciences, excite our contempt rather than our admiration: Denys, the master of a school at Corinth, was also a king and a man of letters. A Bible is still to be seen at Vienna illustrated with notes from the hand of Charlemagne; but this monarch wrote them only for his own use, as an effusion of his piety. Charles V, Francis I, Henry IV, Charles IX, all loved learning and patroniz. ed it, without ever pretending to become authors. Some Queens of France have left behind them verses, novels, memoirs; their dignity has been pardoned in favour of their sex. England alone, who has afforded us many dangerous examples, enumerates several authors among her monarchs; Alfred, Henry VIII and James I, really composed books. But the royal author, by distinction, in these modern ages is the great Frederick. Has this prince lost renown, or has he gained it by the publication of his Works?-this is a question we should answer without hesitation were we only to consult our own feelings.

We were at first somewhat consoled on opening the collection, which we are about to examine. In the first place the publication has no claim whatever to be called Works; it is simply memoirs compiled by a father for the instruction of his son. And who ought to watch over the education of his children, if not a king?-can a love for his duties, and an admiration of virtue ever be too warmly inculcated upon the mind of a prince, on whom the happiness of so many people depends. Full of a just respect for the memory of Louis XIV we ran over with some anxiety the writings of this great monarch. It

would have been mortifying to lose in any degree our admiration of him; and it was with extreme pleasure that we found Louis XIV here such as he has descended to posterity, such as Madame de Motteville has painted him: "His extraordinary good sense, and his good intentions," she says, "implanted in his mind the seeds of Universal science which were concealed from those who did not see him in private. To those who did thus know him he appeared at once a profound politician in State affairs and a deep Theologian in matters relating to the church; he was exact in concerns of finance, he spoke with justness, always took the good side in counsel, and entered warmly into the affairs of individuals; he was at the same time the enemy of all intrigue and flattery, and was very severe towards the great people of the country whom he suspected of having any ambition to govern. He was pleasant in his manners, polite and easy of access to every body, but with a serious and dignified air, which inspired the public with respect and fear."

Such are precisely the qualities we find, and the character we feel in the Collection of the Thoughts of this prince. The Works, as they are called, consist: 1st of Memoirs addressed to the Grand Dauphin. These begin in 1661, and conclude in 1665.-2ndly. Military Memoirs relative to the years 1673 and 1678.-3rdly. Reflections upon the trade of a king.-4thly. Instructions to Philip V.5thly. Eighteen letters to the same prince and one letter to Madame de Maintenon.

We were before in possession of a Collection of Letters of Louis XIV, and a translation by him of the Commentaries of Cæsar.* It is believed that Pelisson or Racine overlooked the Memoirs which are just published, but it is certain that the original sketch of them is from Louis

Voltaire denies this translation to be Louis the Fourteenth's.

himself.* We trace every where his religious, moral, and political principles, and the notes added with his own hand to the margin of the Memoirs are not inferior to the text either in the style or in the thoughts.

It is besides a fact well attested by all writers that Louis expressed himself in a style particularly dignified : "He spoke little and well," says Madame de Motteville, "There was in the words he used a force which inspired the heart with love or fear, according as they were wild or severe"--" He always expressed himself nobly and with great precision," says M. de Voltaire; he would even have excelled in the graces of language if he had chosen to make them his study." Monchenay relates that he was one day reading Boileau's Epistle upon the passage of the Rhine before Mesdames de Thiange and de Montespan" which he read with tones so enchanting that Madame de Montespan snatched the book from his hand exclaiming "that there was something supernatural in it, and that she had never heard any thing so well delivered."

That neatness of thought, that nobleness in the execution, that delicacy of ear so sensible to fine poetry, form at the first impression, a prejudice in favour of the style of these memoirs, and would prove, if farther proof were requisite, that Louis XIV was very capable of writing them. By citing some passages we shall make the work better known to the reader.

The king, speaking of the different measures which he

*To judge by the style I should believe Pelisson to have had a very large share in this work; at least it appears to me that his phrases so symmetrical, and arranged with so much art are in many places to be detected. Be this as it may, the Thoughts of Louis XIV, arranged by a Racine or a Pelisson form a monument which deserves to be highly prized by the world. It is very possible that the Memoirs might also be reviewed by Roses Marquis de Coye a man of considerable talents who was secretary to Louis.

pursued at the beginning of his reign, adds: "I must acknowledge that although I had reason before to be satisfied with my own conduct, the eulogiums which novelty now drew upon me, gave me continual subject of uneasiness, in the fears with which I was impressed that I did not merit them sufficiently. For, in short, and I am happy in an opportunity of observing this to you, my son, praise is a very delicate thing; it is far from an easy matter to restrain ourselves from being dazzled by it; much light is necessary to know how to discern truly those that flatter, from those that really admire us.

"But however obscure in this respect may be the intentions of our courtiers, there is a certain means of profiting by all they say to our advantage, and this means is no other than to examine ourselves very severely with reference to every word of praise bestowed on us. For when we hear any praise given which we are sure we do not deserve, we shall immediately consider it, according to the disposition of those by whom it is given, either as a malignant reproach for some defect, which we shall endeavour to correct, or as a secret exhortation to the acquisition of some virtue in which we feel that we are defective."

Nothing more delicate, or more discerning, was ever said upon the subject of flatterers; a man who could so justly appreciate the value of praise undoubtedly well deserved to be praised. This passage is particularly remarkable from a certain resemblance it bears to many of the precepts in Telemachus. At this illustrious period reason inspired the prince and the subject with the same language.

The following passage, written entirely by the hand of Louis, is not one of the least fine in the Memoirs. "It is not only in important negociations that princes ought to be cautious what they say, the same caution ought to be