of M. de
Louvois, that I am at a loss how to speak of it. Dead, however, he
is, this great minister, this potent being, who occupied so great
a place; whose me (_le moi_), as M. Nicole says, had so wide a
dominion; who was the centre of so many orbs. What affairs had he
not to manage! what designs, what projects, what secrets! what
interests to unravel, what wars to undertake, what intrigues, what
noble games at chess to play and to direct! Ah! my God, grant me a
little time; I want to give check to the Duke of Savoy--checkmate
to the Prince of Orange. No, no, you shall not have a moment, not a
single moment. Are events like these to be talked of? Not they. We
must reflect upon them in our closets.

A glimpse of Bourdaloue:--

Ah, that Bourdaloue! his sermon on the Passion was, they say, the
most perfect thing of the kind that can be imagined; it was the
same he preached last year, but revised and altered with the
assistance of some of his friends, that it might be wholly
inimitable. How can one love God, if one never hears him properly
spoken of? You must really possess a greater portion of grace than
others.

A distinguished caterer or steward, a gentleman described as possessing
talent enough to have governed a province, commits suicide on a
professional point of honor:--

PARIS, Sunday, April 26, 1671.

I have just learned from Moreuil, of what passed at Chantilly with
regard to poor Vatel. I wrote to you last Friday that he had
stabbed himself--these are the particulars of the affair: The king
arrived there on Thursday night; the walk, and the collation, which
was served in a place set apart for the purpose, and strewed with
jonquils, were just as they should be. Supper was served; but there
was no roast meat at one or two of the tables, on account of
Vatel's having been obliged to provide several dinners more than
were expected. This affected his spirits; and he was heard to say
several times, "I have lost my honor! I cannot bear this disgrace!"
"My head is quite bewildered," said he to Gourville. "I have not
had a wink of sleep these twelve nights; I wish you would assist me
in giving orders." Gourville did all he could to comfort and assist
him, but the failure of the roast meat (which, however, did not
happen at the king's table, but at