The Archbishop of Rheims presided this year over the assembly of the clergy, which was held every five years.  It took place on this occasion at Saint Germains, although the King of England occupied the chateau.  M. de Rheims kept open table there, and had some champagne that was much vaunted.  The King of England, who drank scarcely any other wine, heard of this and asked for some.  The Archbishop sent him six bottles.  Some time after, the King of England, who had much relished the wine, sent and asked for more.  The Archbishop, more sparing of his wine than of his money, bluntly sent word that his wine was not mad, and did not run through the streets; and sent none.  However accustomed people might be to the rudeness of the Archbishop, this appeared so strange that it was much spoken of:  but that was all.

M. de Vendome took another public leave of the King, the Princes, and the Princesses, in order to place himself again under the doctor’s hands.  He perceived at last that he was not cured, and that it would be long before he was; so went to Anet to try and recover his health, but without success better than before.  He brought back a face upon which his state was still more plainly printed than at first.  Madame d’Uzes, only daughter of the Prince de Monaco, died of this disease.  She was a woman of merit—­very virtuous and unhappy—­who merited a better fate.  M. d’Uzes was an obscure man, who frequented the lowest society, and suffered less from its effects than his wife, who was much pitied and regretted.  Her children perished of the same disease, and she left none behind her.—­[Syphilis.  D.W.]

Soon after this the King ordered the Comtes d’Uzes and d’Albert to go to the Conciergerie for having fought a duel against the Comtes de Rontzau, a Dane, and Schwartzenberg, an Austrian.  Uzes gave himself up, but the Comte d’Albert did not do so for a long Time, and was broken for his disobedience.  He had been on more than good terms with Madame de Luxembourg—­the Comte de Rontzau also:  hence the quarrel; the cause of which was known by everybody, and made a great stir.  Everybody knew it, at least, except M. de Luxembourg, and said nothing, but was glad of it; and yet in every direction he asked the reason; but, as may be imagined, could find nobody to tell him, so that he went over and over again to M. le Prince de Conti, his most intimate friend, praying him for information upon the subject.  M. de Conti related to me that on one occasion, coming from Meudon, he was so solicited by M. de Luxembourg on this account, that he was completely embarrassed, and never suffered to such an extent in all his life.  He contrived to put off M. de Luxembourg, and said nothing, but was glad indeed to get away from him at the end of the journey.