or the glory of
France. He had invited a newmarried couple, together with the husband's
mother and the lady's father, who was one of the noblesse of Montreuil,
his name Mons. L--y. There were likewise some merchants of the town,
and Mons. B--'s uncle, a facetious little man, who had served in the
English navy, and was as big and as round as a hogshead; we were
likewise favoured with the company of father K--, a native of Ireland,
who is vicaire or curate of the parish; and among the guests was Mons.
L--y's son, a pretty boy, about thirteen or fourteen years of age. The
repas served up in three services, or courses, with entrees and hors
d'oeuvres, exclusive of the fruit, consisted of about twenty dishes,
extremely well dressed by the rotisseur, who is the best cook I ever
knew, in France, or elsewhere; but the plates were not presented with
much order. Our young ladies did not seem to be much used to do the
honours of the table. The most extraordinary circumstance that I
observed on this occasion--as, that all the French who were present ate
of every dish that appeared; and I am told, that if there had been an
hundred articles more, they would have had a trial of each. This is
what they call doing justice to the founder. Mons. L--y was placed at
the head of the table and indeed he was the oracle and orator of the
company; tall, thin, and weather-beaten, not unlike the picture of Don
Quixote after he had lost his teeth. He had been garde du corps, or
life-guardman at Versailles; and by virtue of this office he was
perfectly well acquainted with the persons of the king and the dauphin,
with the characters of the ministers and grandees, and, in a word, with
all the secrets of state, on which he held forth with equal solemnity
and elocution. He exclaimed against the jesuits, and the farmers of the
revenue, who, he said, had ruined France. Then, addressing himself to
me, asked, if the English did not every day drink to the health of
madame la marquise? I did not at first comprehend his meaning; but
answered in general, that the English were not deficient in
complaisance for the ladies. "Ah! (cried he) she is the best friend
they have in the world. If it had not been for her, they would not have
such reason to boast of the advantages of the war." I told him the only
conquest which the French had made in the war, was atchieved by one of
her generals: I meant the taking of Mahon. But I did not choose to
prosecute the discourse,