ry soldiers, coming and going so
interminably, one hardly knows whether to or from battle with the
English and the Austrians, from victory or defeat:--Well! he has become
like one of our family. "He will go far!" my father declares. He would
go far, in the literal sense, if he might--to Paris, to Rome. It must
be admitted that our Valenciennes is a quiet, nay! a sleepy place;
sleepier than ever since it became French, and ceased to be so near the
frontier. The grass is growing deep on our old ramparts, and it is
pleasant to walk there--to walk there and muse; pleasant for a tame,
unambitious soul such as mine.

December 1792.

Antony Watteau left us for Paris this morning. It came upon us quite
suddenly. They amuse themselves in Paris. A scene-painter we have here,
well known in Flanders, has been engaged to work in one of the Parisian
play-houses; and young Watteau, of whom he had some slight knowledge,
has departed in his company. He doesn't know it was I who persuaded the
scene-painter to take him; that he would find the lad useful. We
offered him our little presents--fine thread-lace of our own making for
his ruffles, and the like; for one must make a figure in Paris, and he
is slim and well-formed. For myself, I presented him with a silken
purse I had long ago embroidered for another. Well! we shall follow his
fortunes (of which I for one feel quite sure) at a distance. Old
Watteau didn't know of his departure, and has been here in great anger.

December 1703.

Twelve months to-day since Antony went to Paris! The first struggle
must be a sharp one for an unknown lad in that vast, overcrowded place,
even if he be as clever as young Antony Watteau. We may think, however,
that he is on the way to his chosen end, for he returns not home;
though, in truth, he tells those poor old people very little of
himself. The apprentices of the M. Metayer for whom he works, labour
all day long, each at a single part only,--coiffure, or robe, or
hand,--of the cheap pictures of religion or fantasy he exposes for sale
at a low price along the footways of the Pont Notre-Dame. Antony is
already the most skilful of them, and seems to have been promoted of
late to work on church pictures. I like the thought of that. He
receives three livres a week for his pains, and his soup daily.

May 1705.

Antony Watteau has parted from the dealer in pictures a bon marche and
works now with a painter of furniture pieces (those headpieces