house, that within
ten years from that time they would reign over France as absolute
ministers. There was one other individual of this brilliant circle worthy
of a passing notice, and this was an amiable and simple-minded poet, of
good appearance and the best temper in the world, named Gentil
Bernard.[A] Madame d'Etioles used to pet him like a spoiled child. Some
said he was her lover. However that may be, Madame de Pompadour, who,
whether she had or had not a secret penchant for the poet, never forgot
her old friends, procured for him, as soon as she came into power, the
appointment of librarian to the king at the chateau de Choisy, where she
built him, at her own expense, a little cottage _ornee_, named by the
poets of the time, the Parnassus of the French Anacreon. This appointment
was a complete sinecure, for we know that the king never opened a book,
and we are equally assured that Bernard never put his foot inside the
library.

[Footnote A: Pierre Bernard, nicknamed Gentil Bernard by Voltaire[1] was
born at Grenoble about the same time as Louis XV. "It is strange," said
Madame de Pompadour later, "that two lovers should be born for me during
the same season--a king and a poet." Bernard ever refused all favors, and
was singularly devoid of ambition. "What can I do for you, my dear poet?"
Madame de Pompadour is reported to have said on her coming into Power.
Bernard contented himself with kissing the hand of the marchioness. "Go
to," returned she, "you will never get on in the world."

[Footnote 1: This nickname was given in a poetical invitation to
a supper-party at Madame Duchatelet's, sent by Voltaire to the poet:

"Au nom du Pinde et de Cythere
Gentil Bernard est averti,
Que l'Art d'Aimer doit Samedi
Venir souper chez l'Art de Plaire."]]

We have already named the Abbe, afterward Cardinal, de Bernis; and as he
was the only individual who ever succeeded in being admitted into the
entire confidence of the royal favorite, a brief notice of his birth, and
rise and fall at court, may not be altogether out of place, so closely
linked for many years were his fortunes with those of Madame de
Pompadour.

Joachim de Pierres, abbe de Bernis, was born at Saint-Marcel, near
Narbonne, in the month of May, 1715. His family, which was of the most
ancient _noblesse_, was allied to the king through the house of Rohan; a
circumstance, however, which did not prevent it being one of the poorest
i