This Is No Bad Resource For The National Vanity Of
These People:
Though, in general, they are really persuaded, that
theirs is the richest, the bravest, the happiest, and the most
powerful nation under the sun; and therefore, without some such
cause, they must be invincible.
By the bye, the common people
here still frighten their wayward children with the name of
Marlborough. Mr. B - 's son, who was nursed at a peasant's house,
happening one day, after he was brought home, to be in disgrace
with his father, who threatened to correct him, the child ran for
protection to his mother, crying, "Faites sortir ce vilaine
Malbroug," "Turn out that rogue Marlborough." It is amazing to
hear a sensible Frenchman assert, that the revenues of France
amount to four hundred millions of livres, about twenty millions
sterling, clear of all incumbrances, when in fact their clear
revenue is not much above ten. Without all doubt they have reason
to inveigh against the fermiers generaux, who oppress the people
in raising the taxes, not above two-thirds of which are brought
into the king's coffers: the rest enriches themselves, and
enables them to bribe high for the protection of the great, which
is the only support they have against the remonstrances of the
states and parliaments, and the suggestions of common sense;
which will ever demonstrate this to be, of all others, the most
pernicious method of supplying the necessities of government.
Mons. L - y seasoned the severity of his political apothegms with
intermediate sallies of mirth and gallantry. He ogled the
venerable gentlewoman his commere, who sat by him. He looked,
sighed, and languished, sung tender songs, and kissed the old
lady's hand with all the ardour of a youthful admirer. I
unfortunately congratulated him on having such a pretty young
gentleman to his son. He answered, sighing, that the boy had
talents, but did not put them to a proper use - "Long before I
attained his age (said he) I had finished my rhetoric." Captain
B - , who had eaten himself black in the face, and, with the
napkin under his chin, was no bad representation of Sancho Panza
in the suds, with the dishclout about his neck, when the duke's
scullions insisted upon shaving him; this sea-wit, turning to the
boy, with a waggish leer, "I suppose (said he) you don't
understand the figure of amplification so well as Monsieur your
father." At that instant, one of the nieces, who knew her uncle
to be very ticklish, touched him under the short ribs, on which
the little man attempted to spring up, but lost the centre of
gravity. He overturned his own plate in the lap of the person
that sat next to him, and falling obliquely upon his own chair,
both tumbled down upon the floor together, to the great
discomposure of the whole company; for the poor man would have
been actually strangled, had not his nephew loosed his stock with
great expedition. Matters being once more adjusted, and the
captain condoled on his disaster, Mons.
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