Memoirs of Louis XIV and His Court and of the Regency   By: Louis de Rouvroy Saint-Simon (1675-1755)

BY THE DUKE OF SAINT SIMON

CONTENTS OF THE 15 VOLUMES

VOLUME 1.

CHAPTER I

Birth and Family. Early Life. Desire to join the Army. Enter the Musketeers. The Campaign Commences. Camp of Gevries. Siege of Namur. Dreadful Weather. Gentlemen Carrying Corn. Sufferings during the Siege. The Monks of Marlaigne. Rival Couriers. Naval Battle. Playing with Fire arms. A Prediction Verified.

CHAPTER II

The King's Natural Children. Proposed Marriage of the Duc de Chartres. Influence of Dubois. The Duke and the King. An Apartment. Announcement of the Marriage. Anger of Madame. Household of the Duchess. Villars and Rochefort. Friend of King's Mistresses. The Marriage Ceremony. Toilette of the Duchess. Son of Montbron. Marriage of M. du Maine. Duchess of Hanover. Duc de Choiseul. La Grande Mademoiselle.

CHAPTER III

Death of My Father. Anecdotes of Louis XIII. The Cardinal de Richelieu. The Duc de Bellegarde. Madame de Hautefort. My Father's Enemy. His Services and Reward. A Duel against Law. An Answer to a Libel. M. de la Rochefoucauld. My Father's Gratitude to Louis XIII.

CHAPTER IV

Position of the Prince of Orange. Strange Conduct of the King. Surprise and Indignation. Battle of Neerwinden. My Return to Paris. Death of La Vauguyon. Symptoms of Madness. Vauguyon at the Bastille. Projects of Marriage. M. de Beauvilliers. A Negotiation for a Wife. My Failure. Visit to La Trappe.

CHAPTER V

M. de Luxemhourg's Claim of Precedence. Origin of the Claim. Duc de Piney. Character of Harlay. Progress of the Trial. Luxembourg and Richelieu. Double dealing of Harlay. The Duc de Gesvres. Return to the Seat of War. Divers Operations. Origin of These Memoirs.

CHAPTER VI

Quarrels of the Princesses. Mademoiselle Choin. A Disgraceful Affair. M. de Noyon. Comic Scene at the Academie. Anger and Forgiveness of M. de Noyon. M. de Noailles in Disgrace. How He Gets into Favour Again. M. de Vendome in Command. Character of M. de Luxembourg. The Trial for Precedence Again. An Insolent Lawyer. Extraordinary Decree.

CHAPTER VII

Harlay and the Dutch. Death of the Princess of Orange. Count Koenigsmarck. A New Proposal of Marriage. My Marriage. That of M. de Lauzun. Its Result. La Fontaine and Mignard. Illness of the Marechal de Lorges. Operations on the Rhine. Village of Seckenheim. An Episode of War. Cowardice of M. du Maine. Despair of the King, Who Takes a Knave in the Act. Bon Mot of M. d'Elboeuf.

CHAPTER VIII

The Abbe de Fenelon. The Jansenists and St. Sulpice. Alliance with Madame Guyon. Preceptor of the Royal Children. Acquaintance with Madame de Maintenon. Appointment to Cambrai. Disclosure of Madame Guyon's Doctrines. Her Disgrace. Bossuet and Fenelon. Two Rival Books. Disgrace of Fenelon.

VOLUME 2.

CHAPTER IX

Death of Archbishop Harlay. Scene at Conflans. "The Good Langres." A Scene at Marly. Princesses Smoke Pipes! Fortunes of Cavoye. Mademoiselle de Coetlogon. Madame de Guise. Madame de Miramion. Madame de Sevigne. Father Seraphin. An Angry Bishop. Death of La Bruyere. Burglary by a Duke. Proposed Marriage of the Duc de Bourgogne. The Duchesse de Lude. A Dangerous Lady. Madame d'O. Arrival of the Duchesse de Bourgogne.

CHAPTER X

My Return to Fontainebleau. A Calumny at Court. Portrait of M. de La Trappe. A False Painter. Fast Living at the "Desert." Comte d'Auvergne. Perfidy of Harlay. M. de Monaco. Madame Panache. The Italian Actor and the "False Prude".

CHAPTER XI