There appeared at this time a book entitled “Probleme,” but without name of author, and directed against M. de Paris, declaring that he had uttered sentiments favourable to the Jansenists being at Chalons, and unfavourable being at Paris.  The book came from the Jesuits, who could not pardon M. de Paris for having become archbishop without their assistance.  It was condemned and burnt by decree of the Parliament, and the Jesuits had to swallow all the shame of it.  The author was soon after discovered.  He was named Boileau; not the friend of Bontems, who so often preached before the King, and still less the celebrated poet and author of the ‘Flagellants’, but a doctor of much wit and learning whom M. de Paris had taken into his favour and treated like a brother.  Who would have believed that “Probleme” could spring from such a man?  M. de Paris was much hurt; but instead of imprisoning Boileau for the rest of his days, as he might have done, he acted the part of a great bishop, and gave him a good canonical of Saint Honore, which became vacant a few days afterwards.  Boileau, who was quite without means, completed his dishonour by accepting it.

The honest people of the Court regretted a cynic who died at this time, I mean the Chevalier de Coislin.  He was a most extraordinary man, very splenetic, and very difficult to deal with.  He rarely left Versailles, and never went to see the king.  I have seen him get out of the way not to meet him.  He lived with Cardinal Coislin, his brother.  If anybody displeased him, he would go and sulk in his own room; and if, whilst at table, any one came whom he did not like, he would throw away his plate, go off to sulk, or to finish his dinner all alone.  One circumstance will paint him completely.  Being on a journey once with his brothers, the Duc de Coislin and the Cardinal de Coislin, the party rested for the night at the house of a vivacious and very pretty bourgeoise.  The Duc de Coislin was an exceedingly polite man, and bestowed amiable compliments and civilities upon their hostess, much to the disgust of the Chevalier.  At parting, the Duke renewed the politeness he had displayed so abundantly the previous evening, and delayed the others by his long-winded flatteries.  When, at last, they left the house, and were two or three leagues away from it, the Chevalier de Coislin said, that, in spite of all this politeness, he had reason to believe that their pretty hostess would not long be pleased with the Duke.  The Duke, disturbed, asked his reason for thinking so.  “Do you wish to learn it?” said the Chevalier; “well, then, you must know that, disgusted by your compliments, I went up into the bedroom in which you slept, and made a filthy mess on the floor, which the landlady will no doubt attribute to you, despite all your fine speeches.”

At this there was loud laughter, but the Duke was in fury, and wished to return in order to clear up his character.  Although it rained hard, they had all the pains in the world to hinder him, and still more to bring about a reconciliation.  Nothing was more pleasant than to hear the brothers relate this adventure each in his own way.