the
king an hotel at Paris and one at Fontainebleau; the estate of Crecy, the
chateau of Aulnay, Brimborion sur Bellevue, the seigniories of Marigny
and of Saint-Remy; an hotel at Compiegne, and one at Versailles; without
counting the millions of francs in money bestowed at various times in
addition to her regular income, for they never counted francs at
Verseilles then.[F] For all this, we find Louis XV. giving the Marquis de
Marigny, her brother, an order for two hundred and thirty thousand
francs, _to assist him in paying the debts of the marchioness_. (_Journal
of Louis XV._, published at the trial of Louis XVI.)

[Footnote F: Except Louis XV., who, it is said, used to amuse himself by
making a private treasury. When he lost at play, he used always to pay
out of the royal treasury.]

The marchioness was interred in a vault of the church of the Capuchins;
by dint of interest and money her family had obtained the privilege of
having a funeral oration pronounced over her mortal remains. This oration
was a _chef d'oeuvre_, which ought most certainly to have been preserved
for the honor of the Church. Unfortunately, this curious and most
remarkable piece of eloquence was never printed, and history has
inscribed but a few lines in its annals. When the priest approached the
bier, he sprinkled the holy water, made the sign of the cross, and
commenced his discourse in the following terms:--"I receive the body of
the most high and powerful lady, Madame le Marquise de Pompadour, maid of
honour to the queen. She was in the school of all virtues," &c. The
remainder of this most edifying discourse is lost in oblivion, but surely
the force of humbug could no further go.

Montesquieu's prediction concerning two remarkable personages of the
eighteenth century (Voltaire and Madame de Pompadour) is
curious,--curious alike for its truth, and for the knowledge of the world
displayed by it.

One day, while on a visit to Ferney, Montesquieu being alone in
Voltaire's magnificent saloon, which opened on the Lake of Geneva, was
surprised by Marshal Richelieu (who had come over from Lyons to see how
Voltaire would play in the _Orphan of China_) standing in deep thought
before a pair of portraits which hung upon the wall.

"Well, Monsieur le President," said he, "you are studying, I perceive,
Wit and Beauty."

"Wit and Beauty, Marshal!" replied Montesquieu; "you see before you the
portraits of a man and a woman who will be the repre