Venussprangfromthefoamoftheoceanwave。
Allthegodspaytheirhomageatherbeauteousshrine，
Andadoreheraspotent，resistless，divine！
ToherParis，theshepherd，awardedtheprize，
SoughtbyJunotheregal，andPallasthewise。
Whoruleso’erherlordintheTurkish，
Reignsqueenofhisheart，ande’erbasksinhissmile？
’Tisshe，whoresplendent，shinesloveliestofall，
Andbeautyholdspowerinhermagicthrall。
ThenheednottheclamorsthatGrammontmayraise，
Hownaturalheranger！
howvainherdispraise！
’Tisnotameremortalourmonarchcancharm，
Freefromprideisthebeautythatbearsoffthepalm。
ThissongwastobefoundinalmosteverypartofFrance。
Altho’
thelastcoupletwasgenerallysuppressed，soevidentwasits
partialtonetowardsme，inthemidstofitallIcouldnothelp
beinghighlyamusedwiththesimplicityevincedbythegood
peopleofFrance，who，incensuringtheking’sconduct，found
nothingreprehensiblebuthishavingomittedtoselecthismistress
fromelevatedrank。
Thecitizensresentedthisfallingoffinroyaltywithasmuch
warmthandindignationasthegrandeesofthecourt；andIcould
enjoyalaughonthesubjectoftheirangrydispleasureassoon
asmypresentationwasdecidedupon。
Theintriguescarriedonbythoseabouttheprincesses，andthe
necessityofawaitingtheperfectrecoveryofmadamedeBearn，
delayedthistomeimportantdaytilltheendofthemonthof
April，1770。
Ontheeveningofthe21sttheking，accordingto
custom，announcedapresentationforthefollowingday；buthe
durstnotexplainhimselfmorefrankly；hehesitated，appeared
embarrassed，andonlypronouncedmynameinalowanduncertain
voice；itseemedastho’hefearedhisownauthoritywasinsufficient
tosupporthiminsuchameasure。
ThisIdidnotlearntillsome
timeafterwards；andwhenIdidhearit，Itookthelibertyof
speakingmyopinionuponitfreelytohismajesty。
Onthenextday，the22d，Iwassolelyengrossedwithmydress:
itwasthemostimportanteraofmylife，andIwouldnothave
appearedonittoanydisadvantage。
Afewdayspreviously，the
kinghadsentme，bythecrownjeweller，Boemer，asetofdiamonds，
valuedat150，000livres，ofwhichhebeggedmyacceptance。
DelightedwithsomunificentapresentIsetaboutthedutiesof
thetoilettewithazealanddesireofpleasingwhichtheimportance
oftheoccasionwellexcused。
Iwillspareyouthedescriptionof
mydress；wereIwritingtoawomanIwouldgointoallthese
details；butasIknowtheywouldnotbetoyourtaste，Iwill
passalltheseuninterestingparticularsoverinsilence，and
proceedtomoreimportantmatter。
ParisandVersailleswerefilledwithvariousreports。
Thro’out
thecity，within，withoutthecastle，allmannerofquestions
wereasked，astho’themonarchyitselfwasindanger。
Couriers
weredispatchedeveryinstantwithfreshtidingsofthegreat
eventwhichwasgoingon。
Astrangerwhohadobservedthegeneral
agitationwouldeasilyhaveremarkedthecontrastbetweentherage
andconsternationofmyenemiesandthejoyofmypartizans，who
crowdedinnumberstothedifferentavenuesofthepalace，in
ordertofeasttheireyesuponthepageantryofmytriumphal
visittocourt。
NothingcouldsurpasstheimpatiencewithwhichIwasexpected；
hundredswerecountingtheminutes，whilstI，underthecareof
myhairdresserandrobemaker，wasinsensibletotherapidflight
oftime，whichhadalreadycarriedusbeyondthehourappointed
formyappearance。
Thekinghimselfwasapreytoanunusual
uneasiness；thedayappearedtohiminterminable；andtheeagerness
withwhichheawaitedmemademydelaystillmoreapparent。
A
thousandconjectureswereafloatastothecauseofit。
Some
assertedthatmypresentationhadbeendeferredforthepresent，
and，inallprobability，wouldnevertakeplace；thattheprincesses
hadopposeditinthemostdecidedmanner，andhadrefusedupon
anypretensewhatevertoadmitmetotheirpresence。
Allthese
suppositionscharmedmyenemies，andfilledthemwithhopes
whichtheirleaders，betterinformed，didnotpartake。
Meanwhiletheking’srestlessnessincreased；hekeptcontinually
approachingthewindowtoobservewhatwasgoingoninthe
court-yardofthecastle，andseeingtherenosymptomsofmy
equipagebeinginattendance，begantolosebothtemperand
patience。
Ithasbeenasserted，thathegaveorderstohavethe
presentationputofftillafutureperiod，andthattheducde
Richelieuprocuredmybyforce；thisispartlytrueand
partlyfalse。
Whilstinignoranceoftherealcauseofmybeing
solate，thekingsaidtothefirstgentlemanofthechamber，
“Youwillseethatthispoorcountesshasmetwithsomeaccident，
orelsethatherjoyhasbeentoomuchforher，andmadehertoo
illtoattendourcourtto-day；ifthatbethecase，itismypleasure
thatherpresentationshouldnotbedelayedbeyondto-morrow。“
“Sire，“repliedtheduke，“yourmajesty’scommandsareabsolute。“
Thesewords，buthalfunderstood，wereeagerlycaughtup，and
interpretedtheirownwaybythosewhowereeagertoseizeanything
thatmighttelltomyprejudice。
AtlengthIappeared；andneverhadIbeenmoresuccessfulin
appearance。
Iwasconductedbymygodmother，who，deckedlike
analtar，wasalljoyandsatisfactiontoseeherselfasharerin
suchpompandsplendor。
Theprincessesreceivedmemostcourteously；
theaffability，eitherrealorfeigned，whichshoneintheireyes
astheyregardedme，andtheflatteringwordswithwhichthey
welcomedmyarrival，wasamortalblowtomanyofthespectators，
especiallytotheladiesofhonor。
Theprincesseswouldnotsuffer
metobendmykneebeforethem，butatthefirstmovementI
madetoperformthisactofhomage，theyhastenedtoraiseme，
speakingtomeatthesametimeinthemostgraciousmanner。
Butmygreatesttriumphwaswiththeking。
Iappearedbeforehim
inallmyglory，andhiseyesdeclaredinamannernottobe
misunderstoodbyallaroundhimtheimpetuouslovewhichhefelt
forme。
Hehadthreatenedthepreviouseveningtoletmefall
athisfeetwithouttheleasteffortonhisparttopreventit。
ItoldhimthatIwassurehisgallantrywouldnotallowhimto
actinthismanner；andwehadlaidabetonthematter。
Assoon
asIapproachedhim，andhetookmyhandtopreventme，asI
begantostoopbeforehim，“Youhavelost，sire，“saidItohim。
“Howisitpossibletopreservemydignityinthepresenceofso
manygraces？“
washisreply。
Thesegraciouswordsofhismajestywereheardbyallaround
him。
Myenemieswerewofullychagrined；butwhatperfectedtheir
annihilationwasthepalpableliewhichmyappearancegaveto
theirfalseassertions。
Theyhadblazonedfortheverywherethat
mymannerswerethoseofahousemaid；thatIwasabsurdand
unladylikeinmyconduct；andthatitwasonlyrequisitetohave
aglimpseofmetorecognizeboththebasenessofmyextraction，
andtheclassofsocietyinwhichmylifehadbeenhithertospent。
ButIshowedmannerssoeasyandsoelegantthatthepeoplesoon
shookofftheirpreconceivedprejudiceagainstme。
Iheardmy
demeanorlaudedasgreatlyasmycharmsandthesplendorofmy
attire。
Nothingcouldbemoreagreeabletome。
Inaword，I
obtainedcompletesuccess，andthenceforwardlearntexperimentally
howmuchtheexteriorandanoblecarriageaddtotheconsideration
inwhichapersonisheld。
Ihaveseenindividualsofhighrank
andproudbehaviorwhocarriednoinfluenceintheirlooks，
becausetheirfeatureswereplainandcommonplace；whilstpersons
oflowstation，whosefacewasgiftedwithnaturaldignity，had
onlytoshowthemselvestoattracttherespectofthemultitude。
NothingaboutmebespokethatIwassprungfromavulgarstock，
andthusscandalofthatkindceasedfromthedayofmypresentation；
andpublicopinionhavingdonemejusticeinthisparticular，slander
wascompelledtoseekforfoodelsewhere。
ThateveningIhadalargecircleatmyhouse。
Thechancellor，
thebishopofOrleans，M。deSaint-Florentin，M。Bertin，the
princedeSoubise，theducsdeRichelieu，delaTrimouille，de
Duras，d’Aiguillon，andd’Ayen。
Thislastdidnothesitateto
cometospyoutallthatpassedinmyapartments，thathemight
goandspreaditabroad，augmentedbyathousandmalicious
commentaries。
IhadalsoM。deSartines，mybrother-in-law，
etc。
TheducdelaVauguyonalonewasabsent。
Iknewbeforehand
thathewouldnotcome，andthatitwasasacrificewhichhethought
himselfcompelledtomaketothecabal。
Theladiesweremesdames
deBearnandd’Aloigny，withmysisters-in-law。
Amongstthe
ladiespresentedtheyweretheonlyoneswithwhomIhadformed
anyintimacy；asfortherestIwasalwaysthe“horriblecreature，“
ofwhomtheywouldnothearonanyaccount。
Theking，onentering，embracedmebeforethewholeparty。
“You
areacharmingcreature，“saidhetome，“andthebrilliancyof
yourbeautyhasto-dayremindedmeofthedeviceofmy
gloriousancestor。“
Thiswasaflatteringcommencement；therestofthecompany
chimedinwiththeirmaster，andeachtriedtotakethefirst
partinthechorus。
Theducd’Ayeneventalkedofmygraceof
manner。