My son has not yet released the three rogues of the Parliament, although their liberation has been twice petitioned for.

The Duc du Maine and the cabal have made his sister believe that if my son should die they would make her Regent, and would aid her with their counsel to enable her to become one of the greatest persons in the world.  They say they mean no violence towards my son, who cannot live long on account of his irregularities; that he must soon die or lose his sight; and in the latter event he would consent to her becoming Regent.  I know a person to whom the Duc du Maine said so.  This put an end to one’s astonishment, that she should have wished to force her daughter to marry the Duc du Maine.

All this gave me great anxiety.  I foresaw it all and said to my son, “You are committing a folly, for which I shall have to suffer all my life.”

He has made great changes; instead of a great number of Councils he has appointed Secretaries of State.  M. d’Armenouville is Secretary of State for the Navy; M. le Blanc, for the Army; M. de la Vrilliere, for the Home Department; the Abbe Dubois, for Foreign Affairs; M. de Maurepas, for the Royal Household; and a Bishop for the Church Benefices.

Malezieux and the Cardinal de Polignac had probably as great a share in the answer to Fitz-Morris as the Duchesse du Maine.

The Duc de Bourbon and the Prince de Conti assisted very zealously in the disgrace of the Duc du Maine.  My son could not bring himself to resolve upon it until the treachery had been clearly demonstrated to him, and he saw that he should lend himself to his own dishonour if he did not prevent the blow.

My son is very fond of the Comte de Toulouse, whom he finds a sensible person on all occasions:  if the latter had followed the advice of the Duc du Maine he would have shared his fate; but he despised his brother’s advice and followed that of his wife.

My son believes as firmly in predestination as if he had been, like me, a Calvinist, for nineteen years.  I do not know how he learnt the affair of the Duc du Maine; he has always kept it a great secret.  But what appears the most singular to me is that he does not hate his brother-in-law, who has endeavoured to procure his death and dishonour.  I do not believe his like was ever seen:  he has no gall in his composition; I never knew him to hate any one.

He says he will take as much care as he can; but that if God has ordained that he shall perish by the hands of his enemies he cannot change his destiny, and that therefore he shall go on tranquilly.

He has earnestly requested Lord Stair to speak to the King of England on your account.—­[This passage is addressed to the Princess of Wales.]—­He says no one can be more desirous than he is that you should be reinstated in your father’s affection, and that he will neglect no opportunity of bringing it about, being persuaded that it is to the advantage of the King of England, as well as of yourself, that you should be reconciled.