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inspire me with these reflections. My people have suchridiculous care of me, that they guard me in theevening, completely armed, while the only enemy theyfind is a squirrel.” These twilight walks had a sor-

, . rowful conclusion. In January she was suddenly laid

1U I 6. , . . J i r» ... " ,

ifctat. prostrate by rheumatism : it was the hrst illness she50 . ever had — the first intimation she had received, shesays, that she was not immortal. Her son was withher: they were better friends than ever. “ Thereis no air of maternity,” she writes, “in our inter,course: he is excellent company, and he finds me thesame.” On this disaster, his tenderness and attentionswere warm and sedulous. “ Y our brother,” she writes,“ has been an inexpressible consolation to me.” She atfirst made light of her attack, in her letters, though shewas obliged to acknowledge that she could not move herright side, and was forced to write the few lines shewas able to trace with her left hand; and soon she losteven the power of using this. In the then state ofmedicine, her cure, of course, was long and painful.

This illness deranged many of madame de Sevigne’splans. On her return to Paris , she was ordered to takemedicinal baths, to complete her cure. She went toVichi, where her health mended, and then returnedto Paris , where she expected a speedy visit from herdaughter. Her letters during this period are very di-verting. She throws an interest over every detail. Theone that describes her visit at Versailles , on her return,gives us a lively and picturesque account of the eti-quette and amusements of the court.*

* “ Voici un changement de scfene qui vous paroitra aussi agreable qu’&tout le monde. Je fus samedi k Versailles avec les Villars. Vous connoissezla toilette de la reine, la messe, le diner: mais il n’est pas besoin de se faireetouffer pendant que leurs majestes sont d table; car k trois heures le roi,la reine, monsieur, madame, mademoiselle, tout ce qu’il y a de princes etde princesses, madame de Montespan, toute sa suite, tous les courtisans,toutes les dames, enfin ce qui s’appelle la cour de France, se trouve dans cebel appartement du roi que,vous connoissez. Tout estmeublfe devinement—tout est magnifique. On ne sait ce que c’est d’y avoir chaud ; on passed’un lieu a I’autre sans avoir presse nulle part. Un jeu de reversi donnela forme, et fixe tout. Le roi est aupr£s de madame de Montespan, quitient la carte ; monsieur, la reine, et madame de Soubise, Dangeau et com-pagnie, Langlee et compagnie. Mille louis sont repandus sur le.tapis. II n’ya point d’autres jetons. Je voyois Dangeau, et j’admirois combien nous