can hope for admittance.  Thence you go to the Dauphin, for all is done in an hour.  He scarce stays a minute; indeed, poor creature, he is a ghost, and cannot possibly last three months.  The Dauphiness is in her bedchamber, but dressed and standing; looks cross, is not civil, and has the true Westphalian grace and accents.  The four Mesdames, who are clumsy plump old wenches, with a bad likeness to their father, stand in a bedchamber in a row, with black cloaks and knotting-bags, looking good-humoured, not knowing what to say, and wriggling as if they wanted to make water.  This ceremony too is very short:  then you are carried to the Dauphin’s three boys, who you may be sure only bow and stare.  The Duke of Berry(880) looks weak, and weak-eyed:  the Count de ProvenCe(881) is a fine boy; the Count d’Artois(882) well enough.  The whole concludes with seeing the Dauphin’s little girl dine, who is as round and as fat as a pudding.

the Queen’s antechamber we foreigners and the foreign ministers were shown the famous beast of the Govaudan, just arrived, and covered with a cloth, which two chasseurs lifted up.  It is an absolute wolf, but uncommonly large, and the expression of agony and fierceness remains strongly imprinted on its dead jaws.

I dined at the Duc of Praslin’s with four-and-twenty ambassadors and envoys, who never go out but on Tuesdays to court.  He does the honours sadly, and I believe nothing else well, looking important and empty.  The Duc de Choiseul’s face, which is quite the reverse of gravity, does not promise much more.  His wife is gentle, pretty, and very agreeable.  The Duchess of Praslin, jolly, red-faced, looking very vulgar, and being very attentive and civil.  I saw the Duc de Richelieu in waiting, who is pale, except his nose, which is red, much wrinkled, and exactly a remnant of that age which produced General Churchill, Wilkes the player, the Duke of Argyle, etc.  Adieu!

(880) Afterwards the unfortunate Louis xvi.-E.

(881) Afterwards Louis XVIII.-E.

(882) Afterwards Charles X.-E

Letter 273 To The Hon. H. S. Conway.  Paris, Oct, 6, 1765. (page 431)

I am glad to find that you grow just, and that you do conceive at last, that I could do better than stay in England for politics.  “Tenez, mon enfant,” as the Duchesse de la Fert`e said to Madame Staal;(883) “comme il n’y a que moi au monde qui aie toujours raison,” I will be very reasonable; as you have made this concession to me, who knew I was in the right I will not expect you to answer all my reasonable letters.  If you send a bullying letter to the King of Spain,(884) or to Chose, my neighbour here,(885) I will consider them as written to myself, and subtract so much from your bill.  Nay, I will accept a line from Lady Ailesbury now and then in part of payment.  I shall continue to write as the wind sets in my pen; and do own my babble does not demand much reply.