ItwasafterthisrepulsethathevisitedItaly。Hismindbeingstilloccupiedwithschemesoffinance，heproposedtoVictorAmadeus，DukeofSavoy，toestablishhisland-bankinthatcountry。TheDukerepliedthathisdominionsweretoocircumscribedfortheexecutionofsogreataproject，andthathewasbyfartoopoorapotentatetoberuined。Headvisedhim，however，totrytheKingofFranceoncemore；
forhewassure，ifheknewanythingoftheFrenchcharacter，thatthepeoplewouldbedelightedwithaplan，notonlysonew，butsoplausible。
LouisXIVdiedin1715，andtheheirtothethronebeinganinfantonlysevenyearsofage，theDukeofOrleansassumedthereinsofgovernment，asRegent，duringhisminority。Lawnowfoundhimselfinamorefavourableposition。Thetideinhisaffairshadcome，which，takenattheflood，wastowafthimontofortune。TheRegentwashisfriend，alreadyacquaintedwithhistheoryandpretensions，andinclined，moreover，toaidhiminanyeffortstorestorethewoundedcreditofFrance，boweddowntotheearthbytheextravaganceofthelongreignofLouisXIV。
Hardlywasthatmonarchlaidinhisgraveerethepopularhatred，suppressedsolong，burstforthagainsthismemory。Hewho，duringhislife，hadbeenflatteredwithanexcessofadulation，towhichhistoryscarcelyoffersaparallel，wasnowcursedasatyrant，abigot，andaplunderer。Hisstatueswerepeltedanddisfigured；hiseffigiestorndown，amidtheexecrationsofthepopulace，andhisnamerenderedsynonymouswithselfishnessandoppression。Thegloryofhisarmswasforgotten，andnothingwasrememberedbuthisreverses，hisextravagance，andhiscruelty。
Thefinancesofthecountrywereinastateoftheutmostdisorder。Aprofuseandcorruptmonarch，whoseprofusenessandcorruptionwereimitatedbyalmosteveryfunctionary，fromthehighesttothelowestgrade，hadbroughtFrancetothevergeofruin。Thenationaldebtamountedto3000millionsoflivres，therevenueto145