Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive in 2011 witii funding from Duke University Libraries Iittp://www.arcliive.org/details/lettersofmounsie0104balz LETTERS 9J^A€/yif a r C' O F Moun(teur de "B A L Z imploycd in his Book, The ?riKCc\ \ elhem^d it to fmall purpofc to attend his health in this bufinefTe, and that it was now no longer any time to deferre the purging of thefe curious Letters from fuch blcmifhes as illimprcfTions had left upon them. They fhall therefore non appear in the parity wherein they were con- ceived, and with all their natural! ornaments : Belides, I have ^ddeddivcrs letters of his, not as yet come to light, which may ferve as a fubjed of greater fatisfadion to all men, and be as a rccompenfe of the honour wherewith he hath colle6led the for- mer. AndtrulyC my Lord) had it been pofTible to place in the Vron- / ^'^i To th CardinalL ""^ Frontifpiece of this Book? a more illuftrous name then yourS^ or fhould Mounlieur de Balz,ac*s inclination' and mine hive, been farrefrom any fuch intention, yet would not the order of things, or the law of decency have permitted any other refle- dion,then whati now make : Ifpeak not at this prelent, of that dazeling greatneiTe whereunto youaic elevated, nor of that fo rare and neceffary vertue, which rightly to recognize, the great- eft King on earth hath efteemed himfelf not to' be over able. I Will only lay, I had reaibn to lubmit an eloquence produced in the fhade? and formed in iblitarinelTe, to this other eloquence quicknedboth with voice and adtion, caufing you to reign in iovereignity at all afiemblies. Certainly, my Lord, you are more powetfull by this incomparable quality, then by the authority wherein the King hath placed you : The only accent of your voice hath a hidden property, to charm all fuch as hearken unto you; none can bepofleffed with any fowilfuU paflions, who vvill not be appealed by the realbns you propound ; and after you have fpoken, you willatall times remain mailer of that part of man,n6wayfubjev!rttothe worlds order> and which hath not any dependency upon lawfuU power, or tyrannicall ufurpation. Tliis is a truch, my Lord, as well known ai your name, and which you fo folidly confirmed at the lall: allembly of the Nota- bles j as chat m the great diverfity of humours and judgements^ whcicofitwascompofed, there was perad venture this-^only point well refolved on, ThM you are the mofl ehqaent metn livings This being true, I can no way doubt, but the perufall of this Book I oifer unto you, will extraordinarily content you, and tiiatycu Will be pleafed to retiie thither, fometimes to recreate your fpirics after agitation, and to fufpend thofe great thoughts^ who have for their obje61:the good of all Etiro^e. It is a book? my Lord, wherein you fhall find no common thing but the Ti- tle ; ( where entertaining fome particular perfon ) Mounlieur de Balz^ac reades Leflbns to all men ', and where amidll the beauty of Complements and dexterity of Jeaiting^ he often teacheth of the moit fublime point of Philofophy : I mean not that wrang- ling part thereof which rejecileth neceffary verities, to feek after unprofitable ones, which cannot cxcrcife the underltanding without provoking pallions, norfpeak of moderation without diitempei'jand putting the foul intodifoider : Butof tbat^where- - . by of Richelieu, by Pericles heretofore made ^ himfelf maftcr of Athens^ and wherev\ith Epaminondas railed himfelf to the prime place ef Greece : which tempereth the manners of particulars, reguiatedi the obligation of Princes, and necclTarily hrin^^eth with it the fe- licity of all States where they command. 'This book will make it apparent even to your enemies, that your life hath been at all times equally admirable, though not alwayes alike glorious:How you haveconferved the opinion of your vertue, even in the time of your hardcrt fortunes, and how in the gveatelt fury ofthetem- peR,and in the moft extreme violence of your affairs, the inte- grity of your adiions hath never been reduced to the onlytefti- monyofyourconfcience. To conclude. It is in this Book, my Lord, where I fuppofe you will be pleafcd to read the prelages of your prefent greatnefle, and what hath been foretold ; not by Afirologicall Rulesyor the afpedl of fomc Conftellation, but by atrue difccurfe founded upon the maximes of Realon, and ex- perience of things palt; cauiing himtoprelume> that God hath not conferred iuch extraordinary endowments upon you, to bt for ever encloiliercd within your fclf : And that he hath loved Fr^;/^^ better, then to deprive her of the good you ough: to pro- cure her. But all thefe verities fhall one day be comprifcd in thar work the King, by your mouth, my Lord, hath commanded Mounfieurde Balzjac to undertake, and which one >car of la- furc will effccl. There fhall it be, where he will caufeall men to conferte, that to have thepcurtradl of a perfect Prince, the reign of fo great a Monarch as ours, is to be attended ; that the Divine Providence never fliewed it felf more apparantly, then in the condudof hisdedgnesjand in the event of his enterprifes; and how Heaven hath fo farrc declared it felf in his favour, tiui': were his (tate affauked on all fides, and all ordinary meanes < . defence ftiould fail him ; he hath vertue fufHcient to fave himlclt', and perform miracles. Now as you arc the prime intelligence of his Councell, and your cogitations the firft caufes of the good ic- folutions therein taken, you are not to doubt, my Lord, but you likewife pofTefTethe principall place therein? after his Majelly ; and that you participate more then any other of his triumphs. There ihall you be revenged of allthofe wretched writings yon have formerly fleighted •• There the fpirits of all men fhall be fatil - , j[i^d in the j ultice of your deportments? and calumny it felf wil 1 thcic To the CardmdllcfRichelieH. there be fo powerfully convinced, that to cry down fo le^alla government as yours, ill affeaed French-men', and thole (han- gers enemies to this Crown, will find no further pretext in af- fairs, nor credulity among men. And truly, when I C on the onchde )confider how fatall it is to thofe who govern> to be ex- pofed to the envy of great ones, and complaints of meaner per- sons, and how Publick affairs have this fatality, as how pure foe- ver the adminiftration of the relt be, they ftill afford fufficient co- lour to calumny,!o difguife them and caufe them to appear un juft. And on the odierfidccwhen I confider that to guide this State is no leue then tomanagea body having no onz found part; and how there is no fickperfon who doth not fometimes murmure againll his Phyiician ; I dare be confident (my Lord^that fuch a man as Monfieur dc BjiUac will not prove unufefull unto you,and that the lufter of your adions, and glory of your life fliall receive no diminution in his hands. I would fay more, did I not fear to dif- oblige him in commending him, or if I believed him to be lb sreat a fejf admirer as his enemies figure him unto us. But I who have fufficiently (tudicdhimtoknow him, and who am acquainted with his rnoft fccret Inclinations, and the moft particular conce- ptions he hath in bis foul, and of a far different opinion to theirs. I will therefore relf there ( my Lord) and not to caufe you to loofe more time, and to the end you may thelboner enjoy the enter- tainment, this excellent Book prepareth for you: IwiUfatisfie my felfin letting you know,that I elkem not my fclf fo unfortu- nate as formerly I did, fince I have happened upon fo fair an oc- cafion> to let you know that I am^ My Lordy Toitr thrice humble-) a,nd moft obedient ferv4fJty Si L B O N. THE THE PREFACE Upon the Letters of ^SMounftcur de "BALZAC: By Mouufieur de la AioTTE AlGRON. Doubt not but amongft thofe who fliall fee thefe Works fome there arc vsho will cfteem them worthy a more advantagious Title then that of Utters, as well in regard of the greatneflc of thofe things therein frequently handled,as in rcfpcd oft he cxadneffe where- with they feem to have been compofed : But as 1 willingly ex- cufc thole, who with unapt complements imagine they have compofed a good Letter ; nor do any more blame fuch as there- in never digrefle from their particular aflfairs ; fo muft 1 like- wife acknowledge,that fuch writings as thefe, having not been made with any intention to be put in Print, the World might Well have paffed without them : And that it is onely allowed to the Germtms to give account to the age they live in, and to pofterity forfooth, concerning the affairs and fortunes of their particular T H 1 P R E F A C E. particular families, and of the filly a^s of their Colleagues Truly ic is an errour to believe, thac grave aod folcmn fubje^ts are to be baniflied out of all Letters, or that even elo- quence ought but flackly therein to appear ; and that the Ma- jefly of both thefe is onely referved for Pulpits and Panegyridc Orations ^as though valour never appeared fave only in pitch'd Battels ; and that in fingleCombates it were lawful! to run a- vvay,or that virtue therein were utterlyunuferullbecaufe it hath fewer witneffes^neitiier is fo fully regarded : But befides that, we are no longer in thofe times wherein the State gcvernment was publickly queflioned, where the Oiatours forced cheLieutenants generall of armies to render account of their feverail charges; and that confequently, there is no more any means remaining to become eloquent in that kind : Yet are there reafons,where- by we miy underrtand the merit of Litters to be of no leflfe re- gaid then chat of Orations. Howbeit, if there be any necellity CO find fome difference between thefe ; this at leaft can neither be in regard of the dignity of the Subje6l$,the for(;q of Reafons> the giacefulnefsof Dircourres,nor in the fublimity of Conceits. To IpeaK truth, when I confider the Orations yet^^gmaining a- mongthe ruines of former ajges, fome w'hereof^4«^ jublickly pronounced, others onely penned ; I am lb farrc ^^^'dmirlng any advantage they have over thofe Letters now ex^nt among us, both of the fame Authours and Ages, as I do not fo much as wonder at all, how the firft haying been armed with dif- courfc and voice, together with the geliure and motion of the body, have produced fuch prodigious effeds as wc all know and have fo often, as it were by main force, extorted the confents of all hearers ; yet the fecond, though they had not the like armes and allure.nents have notwichftanding not been any way deficient^ Tliofe fmooth Exordiums whereby they pre- pare, and put themfelves by eafie accedes, as it were intopof- lelilon ofxhe Readers, thole Hraites and paflages whereby they ccndu(5t the fpiritsof men from plealant to painfull, and from gricvous,to gracious objc6ls,to the end that hayingin a manner {hakcnj T H E P R E F A C E. fliakcn and caftthcm out of their former ftations, they may afterwards force them to fall on what fide they pleafe. Surely all thefe advantages are fo peculiar to Orations, as I ingeniouf- ly confefle, Letters do not !b much as know what they mean. In thefe, we enter at the firft da{h upon the matter, nor do we fcarccat any time, quit the fame ; the rcafons go altogether alone without a ffiftance, and all the ornament allowed them isonely freed ome of conceptions, the fecundity of langua^^e, and that they pa {Te not promi feu oufly. But as concerning the Subjects, they are common to both kinds of writings, and it is an errour to imagine^ there are iome particular to the one, that the other cannot touch upon the fame without injury thereunto. Upon the matter, Pancgyrickdifcourles, Apologies,Confulta- tions Judgements upon Morall adions, whether good or bad opinions and cenfures upon occurrcnts>of thofe which pleafc,and tfiofc we ought to dete(i,yea even indifferent accidents ; briefly whatlbever may fall into dilcourfe, and under reafon, are the objc6ls of Letters : So we fee, the greateft and moft important myfteries of our religion have been left unto us in Letters. All the wifdome of the Pagans is contained in thofc o^ Seneca^ and weovvetothofeC/r^rfl wroteto his friends, the knowlcdecof thcfcc^ts,^d certain inducements which caulcd theoreateft rcvbliitiins the world hath ever knoWn,to wit the f}iakinand in the prefence of diis man alone,he knew with whom he had to do : Now had he been timer ous, or fearfull to fail before hiis Mafter^yet impute not this apprehenfion of bis to proceed either out of confideration be had of his greatncffe, nor from the re- flections upon thole things he came co accomplifli : But it was in that he confidercd him as a man no leffe veried in the art of well- fpeaking then himiclf, and who had heretofore cpntribufed | to the rtudy of this fcknce, fo many rare gifts of fpirit, and fo many faire endowments of nature, that had he not afterward efteemed it more noble to conquer pien by armes, then to convince tVv^m by arguments, and if of the two moft excellent excrcil'es of tl:/.«; life , his fortune , and the famoufeefle of his courage, had i\ot cAufcd him to make choife Q't the for- aier, he might eafily have difpuccd for the glory of the j^t» ter with him. Or were it fo that tik; excellent Oratour might at this day return into the world, and ^t^ pcrfonally, or by bis Pen to dilcoutfc with tl^ofe cyvo great CardhAUs to whom the moft The Preface moft part of thefe Letters arc addre(i,ic is doc probable, coming to know them as we do, that he would imploy, and contribute a more exa^l ftudy and folicitude, then when he was onelyto plcafe a multitude of ignorant PlebetanSyZnA to fpeak to all that labble of ancienc^^jw^ywe fhall yet again be amazed at the per- fc(ftion of thefe Letters, fome whereof are written to the King, ;and appointed to be read ( as in truth they were ) with admi- ration in full counfell, and a great part of the reli addreffcd to the moft eminent perfons of outage. To Ipeak truth we may juflly fay, this is the firft time any thing of perfe(^ion hath ap- peared in cur language ; fo that if of all our ancient eloquence there be ought worthy of efteem in any equality with this, ic may be that with much labour you (hall produce fome one .Letter : For of all fuch who have hitherto written, we may af- firmc, that the moft fortunate among them, when they made thoifeoffubjeds able to lubfift ofthemfelves,havc not been ab- folutely condemnable,and that amidft their writings,thefolidi- ty of learning, and the favagencffe of language (to wit) the good and evill did equally appear. But when at any time they fell upon fubjeC^s where eloquence onely Iwayed the Scepter, there tiuly It was where fortune forfook them, and where the fecble- ncfle of their proper forces was manifeftly perceived,if they were not fome way aflifled by ftrange tongues. Seme of thcm(to fay the truth ) have doubted what way rhey were to cake, and have firivcn xo ihcw it to others,though themfelves were not in it. la a word, the greateft glory thofe gained who have written with moft perfci^ion and purity, is onely that which nature hath re- fer ved for women, to which fex eminent ad ions being denied, ic fecmeth they perform fufficient if they abftain from evil doing. But to fay that any hath joyned Art to abundance, and min- gled milancfle with Majeliy, or hath raifed his flilewichouc eithct loofing himfelf, or ftraying from his fubjed, that is ic which in ttuth We could not fee till this prefent. And qucftion- kffe thefe brave and generous formes of difcourie, and thole grcac and ftrange coaceptions wherevvich thefe Letters were (b curioufly The P r iE f a c e, cufioufly,limcd,and fo plentifully graced, have been vcryflcn- dcrly known in proceeding ages: This very order, and this number, whereof every tongue is not capable, and wherein ours owes nothing to the Latine, and which appeares in all his words, though diverfly, and as their gender requires, do righc haply appear in this place, though the moft part of writers be- fore him have efteemed thefc perfe^ions of Imall importance ; yetnotwithttanding , without the helpeof tkcfc tWo great (c- crets, nether ornaments of Art, nor graces of Nature, can be but in part pleafing ; nor can all the reafons the World can al- ledoe perfwad a Very woman refoluing to rcfifl: And to fpcakc ferioufly ,they are no leffeneceffary among excellent difcourfes, and conceits, then difcipline amongft Souldiers,without which, courage is of no etfea, and valour moft commonly proveth unprofitable. As for me who have known the Auchour from both our infancies, and who better then all others, can dcpofe in what faOiion he effeaeth his labours ; bcfides.knowing the great advantage he hath over all thofe who write at this day : I haue ever thought that if any were able to raife our Language to the merit and reputation of fuch Eloquence, wercwith the .Ancients were adorned.it (hould be to him alone to whom our aoeoweth this glory. Nordoldoubt, butthecomparifonco- mina in queftion at this prefent, between thefe his writings, and tho(e of others ; the difference will be eafily difcovcred, affu- rina my fclf, that all fplrits will difpole themfelves to be ranged hcran to mine opinion and voluntarily to give way thereunto. As for my lelf, who read the Ancients with all relpe^ due unto them,andthe Moderns without any prejudicate opinion, do notwithftanding confeffe, thatalllcan conceive in others is fo far fliort of the merit of thefe Letters, that abftrading from the pafTion I am pofleffed with,both for them, and their Authour, hardly couid I diipofe my felf to frame this Preface for them* And who is there will make any difficulty to give them theit due? Since he whofe very faults have been cftecmed fofair, that they caufed a Sea during his life, which yet continues The P r e f a c Ei after bis death ; having (at Meats ) feen certain difcourfes this Aurhour compofed in thole mifcrablc times.and which l^oodm -^ced of" another age to be gratefully regarded, was aftoniflicd 'ft his beginningSjConfeflfing it was wichunwilhngnelTe, that the j,oncly thing he fuppofcd to poflcflc by the genera II content of ' all, was raviflied horn him by one who as yet had lived but twfncy ycarcs. But furely.it was in iHs Hrain of writing which in that it is not retrained within To ftri6t iiniits as that ot Let- ters, is capable of all the motions, and ornaments oi Art ; and of the fame fort as was the other dUcourfe he addreffeth to the Pope who now is, upon the hkefubjec^, asthat of Saint ^r- ftards to Eugemus : And as God never chofe arp.ong men any foaccomphllied withal! perfeclions,as this perfon to command all others, fo can J not conceive any thing either more great, or extraordinary, then what appeareth in this work, nor more luta- ble to the excellency of the lubje6t,and to the Majcfty of him to whom he dedicated his difcourfe : But if ( to retura to the par- ticulars of thefc letters ) it were neceffary for the delivering an unpartiall judgement,to confiderthofe of the Antienrs,! fhould feem more refpe(^fuil then were requifite, if ( puting them all together } 1 fhould undertake to make them fo much as enter into comparifon with thefe ; excepting onely thole of Senec^t yea even in thole ( which in truth come not near theJe ) there is lb infinite abundance of matter,as can hardly be imagined, and fince all things therein appear lb confufedly, that it lecms thcy^ Were ther^n couched without choice,and to fay truth^as it were at adventure,lbme who will yet further tax his ihle will happily fay, they are rather matters then Works, But for my part, if there be any defe6^s therein, 1 hold they ought well to be borne with, in regard of fo many rarities therein concurring ; and when we have laid all, what appearance is thereto undei value any thing we receive from a man who was worth fcven Milli- ons of GoldPand who once in his life had the heart and amDiti- on to afpire to the Empire of the whole world? Let us therefore efkcm all wc rccciyc from him, and from thofc tim€$,yct fuffe: T H ij Preface. us to commend our own, wherein this fcience which meddleth with the commanding of ipirits, and which was but formerly in it*s infancy, is now found to be in his full matuiity, and as it were of ripe years. I f therefore you acknowledge any obliga- tion due ( as in truth there is ) to thcfe excellent Letters, you flialiin fhort timefcefofolid, and juft a judgement proceed from this Authour,that the Parliament it felf produced not any more able;and his folitarineflc will be fo fatisfadory unto you, that you will make no more difference then I do, to prefer the iame before the magnificence of Princely CourtSjand the Pomp of moft ftatelicft Cities. A Tabic . '\\ A Tabic of the letters (as they lie in ordct ) which arc contained in the firft volume^ Lib. I. A Letter ftom Cardinall o/Richc- licu, to the sig»eur of Bal- zac Page I. To the Lord Cardinall of Riche- lieu X j To the fame 4 i To the fame 5 I To the fame 4 I To the fame t ! To the fame 9 \ To the Lord Bifliop ofAk 1 1 I To the fame 14 To the fame 16 To the fame 17 To thefamt ao To the fame ai To the reverend Bifliop o/Air a a To Moun(ieur^(r /" fa r^f French King, pc^;^^^ ^^ Bal- zac 59 T(? the fame 4 1 To the fame ^3 Lib. 3. in the firft vol. Td /fee Duke ^e /j valete tf J 7 f /?e Signcur of Pleflis, ^a^'dr*- »d«/ o/Tollcmount ^7 To Hidafp . 6i To Hidafp 7a To Signeur de la Roche. 74 To Mounficur di B bis Robert 7 f To the fame 7S To the fame 79 To the fame 8t To the fame 8* T(> MounfieurGirard Secreta'/y to thi Dukic o/Efpcrnon ^ 8j To the fame 85 To Philander 87 To the fame 87 To Olympia 89 ToChrifolita 90 ToClorinda 9* To the fame 9* To the fame >3 To the fame 9\ To the fame 9% T(,Lidia , 96 T(^ f /;e B aron of Amblovile 97 To the Count of Schoinberg 99 A letter fron the Count of Schom- bcrg; to Mounficur de Balzac loo Lib. 4. in the fifth vol. To my LQt'd Marihal of Schom- xoi The Table. Tc tbe WiGaop of AngoMlcimc 1 03 To Mounfieur ^c Vaugclas \ 11% To Father G^rado I04 To Mouniieur flfe Racan iio To //?f Cardinall o/Valcte lo^ To fk Abbot o/S. Cyran izl; AjPothcr I07 To Mounfieur Ma herb I2tf To thcLord'Biihop of] Mounfieur Cocftctcan Bilhcp of To the fame I3*l Marlcillis 113 7 Hydaip 13*"' To Mounfieur Pouzct 114 Another 135 Ananfvpertoa letter fcnt to B^hac Another ^3f from a Ucrrncd old L.idy Mada- Another iSj nioifdle (^^Gourney 1 14 Another 138 To Mounfieur Bcrnierc 117 Another J$f TiMounfieur ^(r Voiturc 117 Another M^ A Table of the letters contained in the fecond volume. Lib. I. To ~ 31 TO Mounfieur Moreau Page I. To Mounfieur Godeau 3^ 7 Mounfieur Rgault 3 To Mounfieur ^e Thibaudicrc 38 To Mounfieur <5f^ Moulin 5 To Mounfieur Gyiard 3^ To Mounfieur the Abbot of To wy Lord ihz Bifhop of Nan- Eaume 8 tes 4} To Mou«fieurBouthilier lo Another 44 To Mounfieur the Earle of Exce- Another 45 tcr H 'To- ^ ■ 4^ To Mounfieur dt Boyflat I2 To Mounfieur du, PJeix 47 *; Mounfieur HugCTcns 1 4 To Mounfieur Mayr.ard 48 Tf)if? Faron "jS. Sarin i^ 7' Mounfieur rf^ /.^ Nauue 32 To my Lord the Earle of Exot- T-^ /fc^Bi{hop c/Nantcs To Mounfieur Hobblcr ij $ To Mounfieur ^f Cop iauvlllc IS Another 6 To Mounfieur de F©rguci if ToMounfieur dc la Nauve 7 To Madam d'Aiiguitur 20 T^ Mounfieur ^^^ /4 Mottc /f Voyer To Mounfieur Balthazar 2t 8 T<» Mounfieur ^ Scrizai aj To Madam ^^ Villefavin 9 Another 24 Dgier Another To MounficHi Another To Madam Deflogcs Another 2o . To Madam Deflogcs The Table. '- 25 To.MounfieurdcGhaftclct ^6 To Mouniieur dc Bois Robert Z7 To Mounfieur Favereau 28 Another u- - 29 To Mouniieur GIrard ■T^W4',*'>3o To yny Lord the Earle o/Port Another Another Another Another Another To Mounfieur de U Nouvc T<^ Madam Dcfloges Another Another Another Another Another Another Another Another Another -Another To -^ ' — ro. ^ 7^ 8r 8^ S7 88 ri/iu-M gi To my Lord tbs Biihop o/Nant«$ 52 89 3f To Mounfieur Scnnc . 90 3^ The opinion o/Ciccro concerning the 37 /?^/^ -iv/^if/; Philofophcrs a;^ i» 38 their writings, ^t, 39 To Moui.fieur Granlcr 92, 40 ^0 Mounfieur <:^f r! rye 93 41 i'o Mouniieur ^^c.Silhon 94 42 -'0 Mounfieur /i^S. Martc 99 43 To M "iUnfieur D* Argenten loo 44 To r/;e ;^'i?^ Reverend Father 45 Leon 10 1 4'> To Mounfieur Chaplain 102 47 To Mounfieur Bonnaud 16^ 48 To Mounfieur Souchote I06 49 To Mounfieur Tiflfander lo^ yo T/?e letter of Peter Bcmbo fo Her- 7o Mounfieur «'. __.^ Cojgncr. To Mounfieur ^.'? Nuiuic. To Madam Deflcges Another To Madam du, Pos 7 o_ -Ivladarn de fCampagnole Another. Another " " Anothd- ,, X The fccond part of the third ■S:i ' volume 5:1 cules Scrotius Ig8 51 Another loS -"-— 55 Another 109 5:4 To /k- Duke o/FaletB Ho 5 5 To the Bifhop of Poitiers 112 5^ To Mounfieur Guyct 113 .58 To Mounfieur de L'orme 1 44 ^9 To my Lard- — — — Hf 61 To Mounfieur Senne 6z To Mounfieur de Piles Clcreniont 63 : i fi^ 6?4 To Mounfieur^dc Voiturc ' ' 11 7 Another , " : • 11^ To Mounfieur Meftlvier 119 X9 my Lord the Cardinall Duke of To Mounfieur de Mefmes D'Auvttr*^ k -Richelieu, 6q ii6 Another 74 To Mounfieur ^^Thure ill Another 75 To Moupfieur ^t; Vouge las 122 ^ <^ Mounfieur Cycols - 77- Ti/ Mounfieur Cirdrd : -tzi' An* The Table: Another ^ 125 ToMounfieur Rousfiaes 131. Cla:tijpffio Ballad 0, r. unit as Thco- To Mounfieur Breton 135 loe,i^ Faricnjienfis ,5. I16 Anot her 134 Another X27 Another 13^ To Mounfieur Talon iz8 To Mounfieur Gerard 137 Arother 1 29 7 Mounfieur ^c Gues 139 To Mounfieur D'Efpernon iSoToMounf. dcBois Robert I45 A Table of the Letters contained in the fourth volume. TO Mounf. Conrart page I. ToMounf. Habert Abbot of Cc- To Mounfieur du Moulin 3 rizy 40 ToMounf. L'HuiJlier 4 To Mounf. ^e Galliard 4t To Mounfieur the Abbot o/Bois To the fame 41 Robert, 6 To Madam Dc([ogcs 45 To my Lord the Earle o/Exceter 7 To Mounf. de • 44 To my Lord the Duke de la Valctt 8 To ^" ounf. Girard 4^ ToMounf. Dro vet 9 To the fame 47 To Mounf. Df-Bonalr lo To the fame 48 Tv Mounf. Huggens 1 1 To the fame 49 To Mounf. (^^ Racan 12 To Madamoifel ^e Campagnole To Mounf De St. Chartrcs 33 jo To Mounf. Baudoin 14 To Mounf. the Abbot 0/ Bois Ro- To Mounf. de Coignec 15 bert? 51 To Madam Ccflogcs 16 To the fame 5r To my Lord iieepcr of the Seals Se- To the fame 55 guier. 17 To Mounf, fiff Savignac 54 To Mounfieur de Morins 18 To Mounf. Chaplain 5^ To Mounf. ^e Vaugulas 1 9 To the fame 57 To Mounf de U Motte Aigron 21 To the fame 58 To ^'ounf. dc Borftcl. 22 To the fame $9 To Mounf. the chief Advocate 23 To the fame ^o To Mounfieur de rv aury 24 To the fame 6% To Mounf. de Mondory 24 To the fame ^3 To Mounfieur Je Guay 2^ To the fame ^4 To N ounf. ^f Silhon 2^ To the fame 6$ To Mounf. de la Fofle 17 To the fame 6but that fide whereon you two/haU ^ B « agree 4 Letter^ of Monfieur* agree, ought to be univerfally followecj. For noy part (my Lord) let all men fay what they will, i fix riiy feff with doled eys there ; and what enemies focver the reputation you have allowed me procure me , yet knowing your abilities, andjwhatyou are, I will be no farther folicitous fcr mine own intereft, or future benefit, fmce it is become your caufe. lam ^y Lord, The 10. o( March '^^^^ ^^fi ^^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ 1(524. tbedient fervmtj Balzac. '—— ■ r ■ I ■ To the Cardinal ofK\ch^\it\xfrom Balzac. Letter III. ^y Lord, I Humbly intrcat you to be pleafed by thefe prcfents, to permit me to confirm unto you the alTurancc of my moft humble fervice, and that you would allow me to crave fome news from you : It is the onely thing wherein I am now curious, and which,in the very depth of my re- tirednefs , obligeth me to refleft fometimes upon worldly affairs. But happen what can , I am moft affured , you will remain conftant even amidft publick ruins, and that Fortune cannot bereave you of thofe advantages fhe never gave you. Yet could I wifh, that your life were fomewhat more calm , and lefs glorious : And I fuppofe that Artimi\^5 goodnefsjhaving fo great Affinity to what is infinitej& which is of power * to procure love even amidft the moft favage beafts ^ doth in right de- ferve to obtain truce,and repofe among realbnable Creatures. It is not in us to be Autbours of qereafter , nor do our wiflies rule the event of humane affairs. But furely ,if there be any fufiicc in Heaven , (whereof there is no doubt) asd if God have an eye to worldly matters *, we muft believe the tears of upright pcrfons fhall not be fhed in vain, or that your Queen ftiall wax old in her misfortunes : yet at the lcaft,fince our cogitations be ftill within our own compafs, and we being not forbid- den to hope well, let us make the beft ufe we may of this fnjall por- tion of Lioerty yet remaining. The virtue fhe hath hitherto made ufe of, in refifting her affliftionis, will happily one day ferve to ^ moderate her felicities. And if God ftrook a certain '*" Wo- a^f^^ man with fuddain death, for that fhe fhould have been fcatcd in the place, he deflinatcd to this great Princcfs j he furely will not Z)^ B A L Z A C^ 5 not fuffer that man to live long, who hath fo highly injured her. How- ever (my Lord)it is great honour unto you,not to havejfailcd her in her afflidtons, and to have under- valued all worldly Prerogatives^ to be un- fortunate with her. I know that herein you fatisfie your fclf with the tcftiiDony of a clear confclence, and that it is not fo much for opinion of men, you undertake rvorthy alliens, as for your own private fatisfafti- an» Nor are you a little to comfort your fclf, in that a: this prefenc you are praifed,even by your very enemits •, and to fee your rcfolufions rcdoubrable to thofe, who have great Armies on foot , and the chief forces of the Srace under their Command* I would fay more , did I not fear you might fuppofe I had fome private defign in my Difcourfe^ or feek hereby to prepare you to receive lomc kindc of importunity from me : But I mofl humbly befeech your Lordlhip to be confident, that I being oifrec condition,im little acquainted with fiMiciy-,znd that I am not fo given over to gain, but that notwithftanding you wcrcftiU in Avign'm, I would ever as really as at this hour remain. My Lord, The 1 5 • of ^iajy Tour mofi humble and moft 1 62 g, affi hionate fcrvant^ Balzac. To the Cardinal of K\Q\\t\{t\x from Balzac Letter IV. WEre I not well acquainted with my own infufficiency , I might well be polTellcd with no fmall vanity, upon the Letter you did me the Honour to write unto me, and might well imagine my fclf to be fome other thing than I was the day before I received it. But knowing it is no other than a meet favour you pleafcd to afford me, I will not flatter my felf in my good fortune , nor lefTen the Obligation due unto you, in prcfuming to merit the fame. Ml^irtue required any rccompence out of her felf, fhe would not receive it from other mouth than yours : and your reputation is at this day fo /«/? and Gc:jcral, as it is become a Fif^'i/)', wherein the Wife agree with the Vulgar. I do therefore account my felf very happy to be reputed of, byaPerfon who is able to give a value to things of themfclves worrhlefs ; and I at- tribute fo much to your fudge men t , that i will no longer hold any mean opinion of my felf,- left therein I fhoulJ contradi(Syou. Trucly, (my Lord) very difficultly will my parts any way anfwer your cxpefta-^. tion. The time, my Favour affoordcth me for teft, is fo fhort , L.^'^^"^^ B } hf r. - •■■■fit 6 The Letters ofMonJieur hardly iniploy it to other purpofe than to complain of its cruelty. I hate enough to do to live, and to make that good , I keep my felf as carefully as though I were compofed of Chn^nU or as if I were fome neceflary matter tor the good ot all men. Yet (my Lord) you hare fo great power over me, that I will ftrain my fclf to flicw my obedience, and to give you an account ofmyleafure, fince you pleafc to think I ought not to deprive the World thereof. It is better to utter glorious dreams, than to labour in grofs defigns, and there are certain Afts of the fpiri: fo excellent, that Princes are too poor 9 and their power too (lender to afford them their full merit. Bur, my Lord, you have ©fcea given fo great teftimonics of me , that if I fhould not have fome pre- fumption, it were fit I loft my memory j wherefore out of the alTurance you give me that my Stile doth not ftray from that perfeftion, which men imagine, but never faw, nor have attained unto *, I will enter upon a defign which fhall amaze our vulgar wits , and caufe thofe,who hare hitherto fuppofed they furmount others , to fee I have found what they feek for. Whatfoever 1 do , I will at leaft have you at all times prcfenc to my thoughts , thereby to oblige my felf not to come fhort before fo great an example, nor will I forget the place where at this prefent I am, to the end not to omit any thing worthy the Ancient 7(ome. It is im- poflfible at once to have fo glorious obje&s , and degenerous thoughts, or not to be tranfported with all thofe Triumphs of times part , and with the glory of our age. But this is not the place where I intend to fpeak, it being of toofmall extent to receive lb illimitable a fubjed: : It fhall therefore fuffice in conclufiion of this ttiy Letter to tell you, that fmce upon your advice all poflerity dcpendctf\, and the whole Co/^rr expefteth from you what they are, or are not to believe ; I cannot chufe (my Lord) but to efteem my felf right happy ,evcn amidfl my greatcft miferies, if you flill continue unto me Jyour equal Judgement with the honour of your favours. BALZAC. From?^omtthis\o» ef April 1523, To the Lord Cardinal o/Richelieu,/yow Monjienr Balzac, Letter V. <^iy Lord, MY purpofe was at my arrival in France to have prefented my Ser* vice unto you, in the place of your T^efidence, that I might have had the honour to fee you > but my health having not been fuch , as to afford me the free difpoflrion of my felf: I am forced to defer my con- tentment, in that l^inde, and to intreat to hear* fome news from you, till 1 be able to go to underftand them from your Self. In the interimj the better to chcar my SfiritSi I will believe they arc as good as I wifh them. D^ B A L Z A C. ^ them, and will imagine this CsU'ick of yours, v^ereof I had (6 great sp^ frebenfion,{hi\lbedTOwncd in the fountain of Pougucs. This truly is fo generally delired, and fought for at Gods hands, by fo many mouths, that I am confident he will not (in this point) leave the fetkity he hath prepared for our times imferft£t \ and that he loveth the ivorld too wcIJ, to deprive it of the good you are to Vcrform' Armies being defcared, new forces may be fet on foot, and a fccond Tien may be rigged, after the firft perifh : But if we fhould want your Lordjhip^ the World would not laft long enough to be able to repair fuch a lofs : And the King might have juft caufe to bewail the fame in the midftof hisgreareft triumphs. He hath indeed an inexhauftable Kingdom of men. The iTars do daily afford him C^tptms. The number of fudges is not much inferiour to that of Cnmnals, It is onely of wife men, and fuch as are capable to guide the Stern of States, whereof the fcarcity is great \ and without flattery to finde out your Equal herein , all ?{jiture had need lUt it felf into AClion^ and that God long promifed the fame to manl^ind efore he be pleafed to produce him. I fay nothing, (my Lord) I am t not ready to fwearin verification ofmy belief -^ or which I confirm not by the Teftimony of your very Enemies* The authority ^of Kings is not fo Sovereign^ as that is, you exercife over the Souls of fuch as hedrl^ai unto you. Your fpirir is right powerfuU, and daily imployed in great afairs^ and which refrefheth it felf in agiracion of ordinary occunenis : You arc deftinated to fill the place of that Cardinal, which at this prefcat , ma- keth one of the beautifuU parties of heaven, and who hath hitherto had no Succefour, though he have hid Heirs and Brothers. This being thus, who will doubt that publickPr^;rn arc to be ofered for fo pre- cious and neceflary a health zi yours "-, or that your life ought to be dear unto you^ within you are to confcrve the glory of our age. As for mc fray Lord) who am a (Taul ted on all fides, and to whom nothing is re- maining fave hope, being the onely benefit of thofe who are dcprized of all others : fince my misfortune will needs make me that publicly fjcri- fice, which is, to be charged with the pains of ail the people, and pay for all the World- I could be well content you fhould fend me your CoUictci and that it come to accompany the Feaver,zhe Scyatica, and the Stone, Since of fo many difcafcs, there can but one Death bs com- pofed. Nor is it time any longer, to be a good huft)and of what is al- ready lofl. But I will not enter further into thhdifcouyfcy whereof I fhtU finde no end *, and it were to Imall purpofe to tell you , he is the moft wretched man in the world, who fo much honourcth you, for fear you fhould rejeft my afe^ion^ as fome fatal thing, and lead it avail me not at all to proteft that I am,my Lord, rourlmo(i humble and Septemb.^* 1622. moji ebedient Servant. B A L 2 A C« B 4 8 The Letters of Momjteuy To the Lord Cardinal of Richelieu.^ ., ' LetterVI. My Lord, ''\\ AFterthe fealing of thefe prefents,a meflenger palTed by thi$ place , by whom I underftand that the Vope hath created you a Cardinal ', I make noqueftion but you received this news as a matter indifferent unto you : and that your fpirit being raifed above the things of this World , you behold them with one and the fame Afpeft. Yet fmce herein the publick good meeteth with your particular intercft,and that for your fake the Church re)oyceth,even in all the moft irkfome Prifons of Europe^ it is not reafonable you fhould deprive your felf of a contentment no lefs chart, than thok heaven itfclf affordcth us? and which proceedeth from the fame caufe- All good men (my Lord) ought in thefe times to defire great Dignities, as neceffary means to un- dertake great matters. If they do otherwife , bcfides that God will de- mand a Rvdi account from them of thofe his graces, whereof they have made no good ufe ; the World hath likewife )ufl fubjeft of complaint, feeing them abandon it as a prey to the wicked, and that their defire of eafe caufeth them to forfake the publick good* This (my Lord) is to let you know, you are to referve yom humility for thofe aftions, palling between God and your felf : 'Em that in other cafes you can neither have too much Wealth, nor over great power ; fmce obedience is due to rrifdom j there being certain virtues not praftifeable by the poor. I do therefore infinitely rcjoyce,to fee you at this prefent raifed to that emi- nent dignity, wherein you fill the Univcrfe with Splendor , and where your fole example will(l hope) carry fo great weight., as to caufe the Church to rfturn to the Purity of its firfl Infancy. Truely, if there be any hope to expeft this happinefs , and to fee rebellious fpirits per- fwaded,a5 we behold their Cities forced j you doubtlefs are the man, from whom we are to e^jpeft this felicity *, and who is onely able to fi- nifli the viftories of Kings by the fubverfion of misbelievers : To this cffcft doth all Chriflcndom exad: thefe atchievements at your hands, as a lafl inftruftion , and the general peace of confciences : and my felf, who have thus long been in fearch after the Idea of Eloquence^ without^ finding among us any,which is not either counterfeit, or imperfeft, am very confident you will bring it to light in the fame excellency as it was, when at 'B.ome the Tyrants were condemned, and when it defended the opprelTcd Provinces. Though Purple be very refulgent, yet will it receive a farther lufler by this your dignity, carrying command where- cytt itcometh > and which 15 particularly fo proper for the conduft of Souls, 2)^ B A L Z A C. 9 Souls , as it IS onely to that power whereto they will fubmit thcm- fclvcs. My Lord , if I have any hope to be known in after ages , or that my name may pafs to poftcrity > they (hall finde this confidcration to be the firft Obligation unto me of feeking the Honour of your ac- quaintance , and that having heard you fpeak, you did fo abfolutcly purchafe both my thoughts and affcdions , that fince then , I have ever rcfleftcd upon you , as on an extraordinary perfon, and have ever paflfionatcly remained , ^ ^My Lord^ ^k 1 6. of7)ecem' ' Your moft humble, mofl obedient, ber i622» and moft faithfull fervant, Balzac To the CarSrtalofKichtWeu from Balzac. Letter, VII. ,^y Lordy H Ad the ways been fafc, or if the good order you have taken for publick fecurio^ , had not been fubjcft to the like fuccefs as arc wholefome Laws , which are feldom well obferved , I fhould not be neceflicated to take a longer time than ycu allotted me when I pirred from Fountaineblcau^noT had 1 till now been conflrained to fpin out the time of my difpatch. But though your Commandments are all power- full in me , yet you know necefliry will firft be obeyed , nor will you . (I hope) be difpleafed that I have made choice of a Prifon, whereto I | am accuftomed, to avoid another not fo commodious for me. This hath not hapned but to my extreme grief, fince I have not been able to be a witnefs of the moft illuftrious life of our age, and have thereby loft half a year of your A5lionSjWhich (well nigh) fill up all our Hislorj. For though we are not fo remote from the World, that no news can come to us, yet they pafs fo many places, as it is impofTible they receive noc divers impreflions, or that they fhould arrive here in their purity, fince they are often altered from the very Lover \ yet I have underflood,and Fame\\3x\\ publifhed,even indefarts, the great conflifts by you un- dergone , and atchieved for the Honour and reputation of France, and how you have fubdued the fubtilcies of ftrangers , being in truth more to be feared than their Forces. I hear how Italy hath fpenc all her praftifcs without hurting any, and how thofe Sratef-men.who made account to Seignorize in all AlTTemblies , and to be Maiflers in all ■ reafons of State , were unable ro defend themfelves againfl you, but 1 with paflion and chollcr : nor to complain of any other thing , but thac L I o The Letters of Mounfieur you pcrfWaded them towhacfoever they were bcforc-hand refofrc^l, not to yield. So as (my Lord) thofc who tcarmed us Barbarians^ and by their treaties commonly took revenge of our vi^ories , have in the end found tvifdom on this fide the Alpes^ and have well perceived there is a man, who hath abilities to hinder them from deceiving others. They ftood amazedito fee a Servantjwhp would not fuffcr there fbould be any Mafter greater than his Sovereign, who was as fenfible of the leaft evils of his Counrrey, as of his proper forrows, fuppofing himfeK to be wounded upon the leaft apprchenfion , when any made fhew of trenching upon the dignity of this Crown. But when they found yoo applied prefent remedies to all fuch inconveniences as they objeded » that you prevented the difliculcies they offered to propofe , that you dived into their Souls, drawing thence their clofefl intentions, and how at the firft conference you made anfwer to what they refer ved for a fe- cond:Thenic was indeed, when their Flegm was turned into Choler^ and when you put their humane wiidoms and politick Maxims to a ftand. So as we fee it is fufficient onely to let Good appear , to caafe it to be beloved : and truly if Rcafon had the like power over the mil, as it hath over the under (landing , all thofe i^^/i who juflly admire your Virtues, Ifliall not (\ hope) prove theflackefk in the exprefiion of your Merits : Since therefore they (of right) exaft a general acknowledgement; if I fhould fail in my particular contribu- tion, I were for ever unworthy the Honour I fo ambitioufly afpire untoi th*; heighth whereof is to be eftecmed , Your Lordjhips mofi humble and mofi obedient fervant^ B A L Z A €• To the Lord JBiJhop of Air. Letter VII L ^jLord, IF at the firft fight, you know not my Lettert and that ycu defire to be informed who writes unto you : It is one more old-like than his Father^ and as over-worn as a Ship , having made three voyages to the Indies • and who is no other thing, than the Relicks of him, whom you faw at T{ome. In thofe days I foiMCtimes complained without caufc, and happily there was then no great difference between the health of o- thers,and my infirmity. Howroever,be it that my imagination is crazed, or that my prefent pain doth no longer admit of any comparifon, I be- gin to lament the Feaver and Scyatica as loft goods, and as pleafures of my youth now paft \ See here to what terms I am reduced , and how (as it were) I live , if it may be called living, to be in a continual con- teftation with death* True it is , there is not fulficicnt efficacy in all the Di? B A L Z A C 13 the words whereof this imid makes ufe,to exprefs the mlfcries I indure> they leave no place , either for the Pbyficians Ikill, or the^r^ mans pa- tience i nor hath Nature ordained any other remedies for the fame/fve onely poifon and precipices. But I much fear,!cafl I fuffer my felf to be tranfported with pain, or indure it Icfs Chriftianly than befcemeth me being a witnefs of your l^irtue i and having had the means to profit my felf by your exmp/e. My Lord, it is now time (or never) 1 fubdue this wicked fpirit , which doth forcibly tranfportmy will *, and that the old Adam obey the other. Yet doth it not a little grieve me, to be indebt- ed to my mifcrie for my Souls hcalth,and that 1 much defire it were feme other mote nobk conftderMti than wf^rir, fliould caufe me to become an honefl man. But fmce the means to fave us are beftowed upon us, and that we chufe them not, it is fitting that reafon convince our fenfi- bilities, caufmg us to agree to what is otherwife difiaftefull unto us. Ac the worfl:, we muft at ail times confefs, that we cannot be faid to perifh, when we are fafely caft on fhore by fome Shipwrack j and it may be, if God did not drive me,as he doth out of this iif,\ I fhould never dream of a bctte-u I will refer the reft to be related unto you at your return from luly^ with purpofe to lay open my naked Soui unto you , toge- ther with my thoughts in the fame fimplicitj they fpring in me : you arc the onely Terlon from whom I expeft relief; and I hold my felf richer in the poiTeffion of your good opinion^ than if I enjoyed the favours of all earthly Trinces^ and all the wealth oftheir Territories and Kingdoms. Truely this isthefirfttime (fmce I writ unto you ((om Lions) I have made ufe of my hands *, and I have received a hundred Letters from my Friends without anfwering one. Hereby (my Lord) you fee , there is no other confideration (your felf excepted) of force to caufe me to break filence , fmce for all others I have loft the uk of fpeaking. Yet I befecch you to think (notwithftanding all this) my affeaion to be neither penurious, nor ambitious. The .iches I crave at your no- ble hands, are purely fpiritual, and I am at this prefent inaneftate, wherein I have more need to fettle fome order for the affairs of my Confcience , than to refleft upon the eftablifhment of my world- ly Fortunes, But ( my Lord ) to change difcourfe , and a lirtle to retire ray felf from my pains , what do you thus long at Rome ? Doth the Tope dally with us > and will he leave to his fucceflbur the glorie of the bcft Eleftion can be made ? Is he not affraid , left it be given out he hath fome intelligence with his Adverfaries, and that he taketh not the advice of the holy Ghofl , in what con- cerncth the Churches Honour , for Gods caufe bring us with fpeed this news , provided it be the fame the King demands , and all good men defire. I hope it fhall not be faid , you have fpoken Italian all this while to no purpofe , or that you can accufe his pre- 1 4 The Lmtrs ofMmnpeur prediftions, aserroniousjwhoncverfalfificd his word with you, andi who is Pe^feftly : My Lord 7hc2. of Jifl^ _ Tour tnofi humble] 1622, fervmu 1 Balzao To the Lord Bijhof e/ Air. For the true under {landing of this Letter : it is necejjarie tt he acquainted ffith the Gibbrige theFtcnchirefiding at Komc 9- ufe to ^eal^ vpho^ frame a nen^k^nde * Enemies: if I have a mindc to it, I will make ic one day appear that C. C hath been as cruel a Moiificr as thofe who devour whole Cities^ and denounce ;r^i^ againfl all Humane and Divine things. One will ima- gine by the marks I give him , that i?. was a Magician , which dayly pricked fome7»»^5(? of Wax with needles, and whodifiurbcd the re- piofe of all Princes Courts of his time by the force of his Charms^ C 2 The J m 20 The Letters ofJi^onfienr The truth is J I will do great matters, provided my courags quail not on hispartjwhence lexpeft icfhouldcome , and to whom, by a kinde of ftrid Obligation , I am excited to undertake this Judgimeht^which will be no Icfs famous than that of ^IMicbael Angela. At our next meeting I will more particularly acquaint you with the whole delign of my »o/^^» with its ordery omammts^ and amfice ', you fhall there fee whether or no I make good ufe of thole hours I lomctimes obrainfrom the Tyranny of my P/i^//cw/7j, and lingring Maladies. In the interim do me the ho- nour to love me ftill '? nor think I (peak the Cou^n- language , or that I complcmeni with you , when I alTure you 1 am more than any man li- ving, flMy Uidy The 28. of De- Tcur mojl humble fervant^ ccmber, i522, BAlzAc. Another Letter to the Lord Bi/hoj> of Air. Letter XII. x!My Lord, TT muft needs be, your Oath of Ff/z/Zj doth yet continue , and that .|.thc Ceremony you are imployed in, be longer than I imagined, fince I have no news from you : for I muft freely confefs unto you, I am not fo flightly perfwaded of my fclf, as to have any thought, as that you negledme. Befidef J am certain that publick Faich, and wh.t hath ever been fworn upon Altars and rhe Gojpels , are not more inviolable than your word, and that it will (iind good, though i-Icuvcn and Sarth fhould flarf, Befides, Icanlelsconje^ure , that you arc hindred by wantof /;fa//^, whereof I hope you enjoy fo large a treafure, as it is like to continue as long as the M-'urld iaiteih. It were a wrong to me, lliould you allcadge ficlihcfiy and no lefs than to wrangle with me for a thing in fuch manner appropriated to my (elf, as I cannot communicate It to suy other. I will therefore imagine whatfocver ycu will have me to think i you may love me if you pleafe, without taking the pains to tell me fo: But for my parr, how importunate foever I am herein j yec am I refolute to write unto ycu , till you cut off mj hand?, and to pu- hhfh fo long as I have a tongue, that I am The Id. of De- Sir, etraber, 1622. Tmy ma^himhk ^ and moft affiUionaie jcrvarty B A L Z A C To 2>f B A L Z A C. 21 To the Lord Bijhop of Air frvm Balzac. Letter XIII. YOu cannot loofe me , how lirtle care foever you take to keep me ; The Heavens muft neccilarily infufe new afFcftions in me, and uc- tciiy alter my inclinations , if they intend to inhibitc me to be your (crvant. Yet doth it not a little grieve me, you do not teftific what I Jcnowyou believe *, and that having the power to make me happy by the lealt of your Letters , I have more trouble toimpetrate this favour, than I fhould finde in the obtaining of three Declarations from the J^ing , and as many Briefs from his Holinefs- Buc all this notwithfland- ing, I cannot be perfwaded you place me among matters of meer in- diffcrency, or that you no longer remember what you have promi led with fo large proteftations , which I hold to be molt Authenticai. I rather,for the fatisfaftion of my thoughts,will be confident you have re- folvcd to love me in fecret, thereby to avoid all jealoufie \ and will be- lieve there is more cunning, than coldnefs in your filencci were it other- wife, had I really lofl your Favours , certainly I would not furvivc fo deep a difcomfort, lince there is not any banifhment , fhipwrack, or fi- niflcr fortune,! could not rather require at Gods hands, than fuch a lofs! But thefe difcourfes are as much as to fuppofe impoflibilities , or to in- vent dreams : I will therefore leave them, to let you underfland forac news from me. I can onely ray,the Air of this Countrey is not offenfive unto me: for to aflTureyou rhacl am in health were too great a bold- nefsil confefs, I have now &: then feme pleafmg pauftsS^ I injoy certain good hours, which make me remember my former health : But there is great difference between this imperfed cftace of mine , and a confti- turion comparable to that of yours, who have life fufficient to vivifie thifty fuch worn bodies as mine, which needs but one blaft to blow it down. Howfoever, my P/;;'//':?^??^ have promi fed to make me a new man,and to reftore unto me what I have loft. I fhould be well content- ed they were men of their words, and that I might at my eafe attend all occafions, to teftifie how paflionatcly I am. The 5. of Jan* Tour mo(l humble and mofi 1^23. affcciianate Servant^ Balzac, C 5 T: 2-2- The Letters of Momjteur To the Reverend Bijhop ofAir from Balzac. Letter XIIII. f!My Lord, Since you have as much care of me as of your Diocefs, and in that I perceive you would imagine fome defed , even in the felicities you expcft in Heaven , fhould you be faved without me i I will ufe my ut- moft indeavours to caufe that your dcfire of my Spiritual good prove not unprofitable, and to make my' f elf capable of the good counfel you gave me by your Letter. True it is, I have been fo long habituated in wc, I have almoft utterly forgotten my ftace oUnnocencie, fo as a par- ticular fubtle for my felf onely , were no more than necelTary : On the other fide, the pious motions I have, are fo poor and imperfeft, that of alhheflimes thtPrimative chYtHians hiyefchzndcnduTcd, I fhould hardly fupport the meet fmoak. Yet (my Lord) even in this bad ftatc wherein I now fland , do I expeft a Miracle from my Maker, who is onely able to raife Children out of the'hardeft Quarries *, nor will I be- lieve his mercie hath finifhed what he intcndeth to effeft for the good of Mortals : For fince he hath placed Ports upon the fhoarsofmoft dan- gerous Seas , and given fome kinde of dawning , even to the darkeft nights jit rmyhc there is yet fomething rcferved for me in the fecrets of his Providence', and that if hitherto I have ranged out of the right way , he will not any longer fuffer me to ftray , or tire my felf in the track of vice. And truely , I muft here , though much to my fhame, acknowledge the truth unto you, with thofe few drops of corrupt bloud (which is all I have left) I am plunged in all thofe paflTions , wherewith the founded bodies are prefiedryeajTyrants, who burn whole Cities upon the firft motion of rage, and chollcr , and who allow themfclves to aft what unlawfull thing foever, do nothing more than my felf, favc onely to enjoy thofe things I defire , and to execute thofe defigns re- maining onely in my will, I wanting their power to perpetrate the like: Nor can the Feaver, the Stone^ nor the Scytica, as yet tame my rebel- lious fpirit, or caufe it to become capable of Difcipline ', and if time had added years to the reft of my infirmities , I verily think 1 fhould defire to behold unclean fights with fpeftacles, fach I mean as you ut- terly avoid , and caufe my felf to be carried to thofe lewd places, whe- ther alone I were unable to go : Infomuch that as there are divers paintings which arenccelTirily to be clean defaced , to take away the defcd:s i So I much fear, nothing but Death can flay the cur- rent of my crimes , unlefs by your means I enter into a fecond Jife, more fruithfull than the former. I therefore fpeak in good fadnefs, fee your whole Cltrgie to prayer, and command a publick Fafl in the fame 2?* B A L Z A C. C faaie flriftnefs, as though you were to impetratc at the hands of (God, ihe converfion of the great Tnrk » or of the Fcrfian Emperour. Pro- pound to your felf Monfters in ray will to be maftred,and an infinity of Enemies to overcome in mypaffions, and after all this you will bear roe witnefs , I have not made matters greater then they are, and fave onely a certain imperfeft defire I have to repent , and a kinde of fmall refiftance , 1 fometimcs make againft the beginnings and buddings of ■vice > there is not any difference at all between my felf and the greateft fmnet living : But take not (I befeech you) this I write , as a mark of my humility , for you never read a truer relation : and what St. Paul fpake in the perfon of Maniimde, accufmg himfelf of other mens offences , is my own (imple difpofition , which I deliver into the hands of the Dtjine Jufiice. 1 hate my felf; yet true it is, I fmde fo great coldnefs in the performance of pious aftions , that my minde feemcth to be imprifoned when at any time my duty draweth me to Churchy and when I am there , 1 rather feek diverfions and tempta- tions, then inf^ruftion or edification : Even mental prayer being an Oblation for all hours, and which may be performed without either burnt Incenje , or hloudy Sacrifices , and the finifhing whereof is fo near the firft motion *, is to me as laborious, as the Pilgrimage of Mount Serrat , or of our Lady of I oretta , would be to another. I am always fad 9 but never penitent ; I love foli tar inefs, but hate aufterity ; I fide with honeft men , but refide with the wicked : if at any time fome fmall rays of Devotion rcfleft upon my crazy confcience , they are of (o fhort continuance , and fo weak, as they neither aflford me light nor hcatj foasall this being but accident, and meet change, doth not anyway merit the name o( good , and it were great wrong to ^ij-f/zr, to rank it in the number of cafual occurrents. You are therefore ne- ceilarily to labour for my converfion , which I am unable to cfFcft of my felf, and that for my part , I onely aflFocrd matter whereon to make an honefl man. If there be certain Saints whom we owe to the tears and interctflion of others , and if fome Martyrs have made their very Executioners Companions of their Glorie, I may well hope you will be a powerfuU means to fave me with your fclfv and that one day (happily) I may be mentioned among the reft of your Miracles. Sir, I know your life to be fo fpotlefs , as though you were incorporeal, or never loved any other than that Supream beauty , from whence all others are derived : Wherefore there is no queftion but fo rare a yir- tue may eafily impctrate at Gods hands any fupplication you fhall exhi- bite,nor is there any doubt he hath (for you allotted) other limits to his bounty, fave his onely omnipotency. You fhall yet at the leaft findc in me Obedience & Docility,if I have not attained any firoriger habitudes. You (hall have to do with one who amidft the corruption of this Age, C 4 wherein 24 The Letters of Momfieur wheKia well nigh all Spirits revolt from the Fakh^ cannot be drawn to believe any truch to be grearcr, than what he hath undcrftood from his I^if'ffe or Mother, if in wha: concemetfi not Religion, I have fometimcs had my private fence and opinion , I do with my very heart leave the fame, to the end, to reconcile my felf with the Vulgar\m6 Icaft I fhould appear an enemy to my Comtrej for a flight word, or matter of fmall im- portance. I f (^fp(p had held himfelf to this Olaxim , he might fecurcly have lived among men,nor had he been profecuted with all txrreamicy, as the moft lavage of all beafts: But he rather chofe to make a Tragical cod, than to exped a death, wherewith the World was unacquainted, OB to execute onely ordinary anions. So far as I can learn , or if the report which pailfcth be current, he had a conceit he might one d^y prove to be that falfe Pfophet, wherewith the declining age of the Cku'fch is threatned : and though he be but of mean extraftion , an^ poor fortunes , he was notwithftanding fo prefumptuous , as to imagine himfelf to be the man, who is to come with armed forces to dtfturb the quiet ofconfciencts, and for whom the infernal Minifters keep all the Tteafures yet hidden in the earths entrails. So long as he contented himfelf in committing onely humane faults, writing as yet wiih a«un- tajjaced ?en, 1 often told him , his Verfts were not paffable \ and that he was in the wrong to efleem himfelf an undcrflanding man. But he per- ceiving that the rules I propounded to him , for bettering his abilkies, to be over-fharp and feverc for him , and finding fmall hope of arriving whether I defir cd to conduct him, he perhaps thought befl to Teek out feme other way to bring himfelf into a credit at Co^/t, hoping of a mean Voet CO become a mighty Prophet : So that (as it is generally reported) after he had perverted a number of filly Spirits, and long fhewed him- felf in the throng of tlic ignorant multitudeihc in conclufion did as one, who fhould caft himfelf into a bottomlcfspir, on purpole to gain the re- putation of being an admirable f temper. My Lord , you remember (I doubt not) what our joynt opinion hath been of fuch like perfons, and the weaknefs you fhewed there was in the principles of their wicked ! m^irine. Now truely how extravagant foevcr my 5/??-^?/ hath been, I have yet ever fubmitted the fame'to the Authority of G O D S Churchy and to the confent of T^ations '-, and as I have always held, that aii«gle drop of water , would more eafily corrupt, then the whole Ocean : So have 1 ever affured my fcIf , that particalar opinions could never be ei- ther fo found, or follid, as the general Tenets. A lilly man , whahath no further l^norfftedge of himfelf, than by the relations of others , who is at Mxiiafits end, and wholly confounded in the confideration, or refle- xion upon the meanefl works of Naf«>T ; who after the revolution of fo vmr\y Aqesy is not able to affign the caufe of a certain Rivets overflow ; Kor of theintcrvaleSjOr good days of a Tertian Ague : How dare he pre- s. > fume De B A L Z A C 25 fume to (peak confidently of chat infinite Majesfyy in whofe prefence the Angels themfelves cover their faces with their ^vings , and under whom the very Heavens crouch , even to the 6artbs lowed concavi-ies. There is no other thing remaining for, us, fave the onely glory of Ww- mUU)^znd Obedience^ within the limits whereof, we ought to contain our felvcs : And fince it is moft certain, that Humaiu reafon reacheth not to fo high a pich as to attain the perfedion oi Knowledge^ we ought inftcad of dilpufing, or queftioning points of T{eligion, to reft fatisfied in the adoration of the Myfterics:for doubtlefs, if we ftrive to enter further thereinto, Of fearch for a thing uctei ly unknown to all Phylofophy , and concealed from the Sages of this Woild , we fliiU by fuch prophane cu- riofity gain onely the dazeling of our eys, and confufion of our fences: God by the light of his Ga/pel hath revealed unto us divers Truths^ whereof we were utterly ignorant ; but he refervech for us far greater Mylienesy which we fhill never comprehend, but onely in that King- dom, which he hath prepared for his choph Servants , and by the onely vifion ot his Face. In the mean time : to the end , to augment the merit of our Faith, and the more to perfe(3io.iate our Piety , his pleafure is, that ^m^j^wwi fhould become as blinde Lovers , and that they have not any other defires, or hopes, but for thofe things above the reach of their under fta'/idings , and which they can no way comprehend by NaturaC reafoH, Sofoonasthe cimeyoti have prefixed me, fha II be expired, and the VTime-r^fes make the Spring appear , I will not fail to wait up- on you, and diligently to addrels my felf to the cOlled:ion of your grave and important D'pfcourfcs^ and to become an honeft man by hearing^{v\cc that is the Sence appointed for the apprehenfiOn of Chnftian virtues, and whereby the Son of God was conceived , and his Kingdom eftablifbed among men. But it is needlefs to ufe any artifice^ or that you paint the place of your abode in fo gloriom colnnrsy thereby to invite me to come : For though you preached in theDrp>'f,or were you hidden in fuch a corner of the irorld, where the Sim did onely fhire upon tiie fieri! Sands and fteep Rocl(s : you well know, I fhouldefteem my felf happy where you are. Your Co?fipany being of power to make cither a prifon, or pro- fcription pleafing unto me',and wherein I finde theLoover and the «vhole Court,w\\\ add (to the defcription you have made of Air) divers beau- ties which Geographers have not hitherto obrerved,as being far greater, than others, though more fecrer. Thofe Mountains which will not al- low F'/-ice of this place, here to cxercifc his patience, and to re- ceive from Gods hands, who loverh filence , and who isfourkl in folirary retirements, what Phylofopby affoordcth not, nor is to be pradifed among the throng of people, I would enlarge my felf upon other ex- amples, to /hew you how my Village hath at all times been frequented by Heroical Hermit s^ and how the fleps of Princes and great Siegniours, are (as yet) newly trodden in my ordinary paths. But the more toi enviteyou to come hicheri I fuppofe It fiiRicicnc to fay, that yirgiiandi my felf do here attend you : if therefore you be accompanied in this Voyage with your Mi^fcs ', and other Mznufcripts , we fhall not need to intcrtain the time wi:h Court news, nor with the Germain XKOuh\*iS, let me nor live , if ever I faw any thing comparable to your Spiritual Meditatmn^ and if the leaft part of the work youfhewed me, be not of more worth than all Franliferd Mart , and all thofe great Books which: '^ come to us from rhe North , bringing cold weather and Frofts along with them. I alTure you the Prefidcnt oil HO u^ who was as wor- thy Z)tf B A L Z A C. ip thy a Jadge oiLatlne Sloquence, as of the life and Fortunes of men j and who had left an cxaft Hiftory bchinde him , had he pleafed to rctraft fome things*, made no fmall cftccm ot thefe my Countrcy-mcn : But I cannot as yet conceive what caufed him to affcft certain wits (o contra- ry to his own , and who never were acquainted, nor did (o much as dream of that T^man purity , you purfue with fo great fcrupuloliry and exaft diligence. You will let thefe men fee I allure my fclf^ yea, and thofe wife Tranfalpines themfelves likewife, who think all fuch to be Scythians who are not Italians^ even in what fafliion they fpakc in Au- gnftm his age ; yea, and in a time more clear from the corrHption of good cuftoms. In a word, befides the propriety of terms, and chaftity of ftile, which lendeth a lufter^to your elaborate writings, your conceits arc fo fublime, and fo full of courage 9 that it is veiy probable the an- cient Republick of Kome was adorned with the like, at what time ic was ' viftorious ?over the world, and when the Senate conceived infcmblable terms, the Commandments they prefcribcd to greaccft Princes, and the I anfwers it addieilcd to all Nations on earth : I will fpeak further , when you appear where I cxpcd you \ and where inftead of FlorverSy Fruki, and Shades , which I prepare for you, I hope to receive from you all the riches of Art and Nature, In the interim ('to ufe my Lord the Cardinal d'ofats term) I bid you good night, and let you know^ that if you feek i cxcufes not to come, I am no longer I The 26. Septem- Tour mosi bumble and, j bcr, 1622. faithfuU fervanty BALZAC. To Mounjienr de boisKoh^i frsm B a l z a c. LitterXVI. Sir, I Was upon the point not to have written any more unto you, and to have contented my felf in fending you fingle commendations, fmce I ise my Letters procure you Enemies : and for that you are in day ly con- :eftation for defending them ; if therefore you defire continuance of Dur conference in this kindc, live hence-forward repofedly, and recon- :L!e your felf to choice wits, from whom I fliould be forry you fliculd fe- 5arate your felf for my fake \ it is far better to conceal a fmall truth, han to diflurb a general peace ; and I fhould hold my Eloquence !8 pernicious as the pcrfedions o{ Helena^ fhould it prove any caufc of 'our fjuarrels. Since there h^ve been found men who have carped ac the 30 The Lettersof Moknfiefir the Worlds compofurc , and fpied fpocs in the Sun 3 it is very likely inferiour things cannot be more perfcd ; and that there is nothing lo abfolucely approved , againft which there hath not been feme thing difputed , and certain weak reafons allcadged. 1 confefs 1 write as men build Temples and Pallaces,and that 1 fometimes fetch my Mate- rials a far off, as we are to make a voyage of two thoufand Leagues, to tranfporc the Treafures oiAmcdca mioSpain. But if Pearls be not precious bccaufe they grow not in the fands of Seme *, or if in what I do , (omc condemn me , it lufticeth that I am not of their mindej if the worft come, I appeal to my Lord the Cardinal of /(/f/;c/ir«, of whofe approbation 1 tfrcem more, thm of popular favour, or ap- plaufe of Theaters. It is long fince I underftood from him that I exceeded others, not excepting even thofe who firive to afpire tea kinde of Tyranny, and to uiurp s moreabloUite Authority over wits, than is either lawfull, or reafonablc. This being fo, Jfhouldmuch wrong that great perfon , on whofe books God hath placed the Truth wefctk after , as well as the Eloquence all of us imagine we have at-. rained fnould I digrcfs from his opinion , to regard what tour or five Oi thofe compofers of Rom-rad of the Rofe fay, who have [nO other. Language but Legends : if I would conrcnc n.y felf with my Infant conceptions, or determined to write as an horieft Woman fhould, fpeak, they would h?ppUy finde their own facility in my fTorks though trocly, if 1 take any pains therein , I alUire my felf they will fooner guefs at , then gain my conceptions. Euttruely, he who pur- poltth to himfelf the idea of perfce B A L 2 A C: ^j \ do fo,!t were no lefs than to retraft the rcfolotion I had taken to look upon things pafTing among us and our neighbours, as I doonrheHi- flory Jii^m^ or the affairs of another Woi Id. I ought to furrender this humour to vulgar fpirits, who intereft themfelves in all the quarrels of States and Princes, and who will always be parties, on purpofe to put themfelves into choler, and be miferablein the misfortunes of others. Tracly we fhall never have done, if wc will needs take all the affairs of the World to heart , and be paflionate for the publick i ^vhereof wc make but a fmall part. It may be at this very inflant wherein I wrire, \ the great Ind^im Fleet fuffereth fhipwrack within two leagues of Land : happily the great Turli hath furprifed fome Province from the Chr'u ^lam, and taken thence fome twenty thoufand Souls, to convey them to their Cittic of Cdnftantinople : It may be the Sea hath exceeded its li- mits, and drowned fome Cittic in Zealand. If we fend for mifchiefs fo far off, there will not an hour pafs,wherein fome difconfolation,or other will not come upon us. If we hold all the men in the World to be of our affinity, let us make account to wear Mournings all our life. As mine exptrience is not great , fo are my years not many : yet fince I came into the World, I have feen fo many ftrange accidents , and have underftood from my Father fuch flore of incredible cccurrents, as I fuppofe there can nothing now happen , able to caufe admiration in me. The Emperour C^ar/(?5 the fifth his:Grand-child, born to the hopes of fo many Kingdoms, was condemned to death, for having over-foon de- fircd them. The natural fubjeds of the King of Spain^ do at this day difpute with him for the Empire of the Sea •, nor will they reft fatisfied with their ufurped liberty. Surely, we Ihould hardly be drawn to be- lieve thefe things upon the credit of others , and thofein fucceeding ages will with much difficulty be perfwaded to receive them for truths y yet are thefe the ordinary recreations o( Fortune , taking pleafure in de- ceiving Manl(inde , by events far oppofite to all appearance > yea, and contrary to thtiT judgements. Hath flie not delivered over to the peo- ples fury, the man whom fhe had formerly raifed above the reft , to the end, we ftiould not prefume in greateft projpcritics ? And hath ftie not at the fame time taken out of the B^iiile , a Prifoner , to make him Ge- neral of a Royal Army, thereby to oblige us not at any time to dejpair? I do here confidcr all this with a repofed jplrlt , and as Fables prefented on the Stagt •, or Piftures in a Gallery. Now fmce the late Comet had like to have been as fatal unto me, as to the Emperour 7{odolphus, m that my curiofity to fee it, caufed me to rife in my fhirr, which gave me a cold all the iVmter after , I am hereafter refolved not to meddle with any thing above my reach \ but to refer all to G o D and Nature. So as Clar'mda fuffer me to ferve her , and that I underftand from her own naouch that fhe loves me, I will hearken to no other news, nor fearch a D ' fecond 34 The Letters of Monfieur \ fccond Fortune. I therefore moft humbly befeech your Lordfliip to cxcufe me, ifupontheic occaiion*. litre lyprefcuted, I cannof affoord yon my perfonal attendance, or refuie to follow you whither ycurrc- lolution leads you; my Miftrefs having commandtd me, .o render her anaccoujjchow I fhcd my bloud, aid enjoy -/ing me never to go the ^r^vj, but when Mufkets arecharged wiihry/^/rj/^oTirv.r-, I arp ra-her contented you fhould accuJe me oi CowardiZc, than fhe juftiy ro charge mewithdilobcdience. And atrer all this, tell me whether, or no, you think me to be in my right wits, and that I have not loft my rcafon, to- gether with the refpeft I owe you 1 herein do as a Delu.quent ; who fearing he fhould not be foon enough punifhed , purs himltlt into the hands of/«/r;tf, not flaying eithei for the rack,or examination of Judges^ for the difcovery of a crime whereof he was never acru75 •, and that you will make no great hafte to add your approbation to a thing already difpatched : I hadfent a Fo(i on purpofe to advertife ycu thereof-, hue my Lord EmbaiTadour thought it not fit , but hath encharged his own MeU'cnger to advertife ycu of all things in your Voyage this way, and to give you account of all occur- rents. This makes me think that the fubjcft of your voyage ceafmg, and the time of year being as yet fomewhat troublefome , for the un- dertaking thereof, you will rather refeive it fcr a fitter feafon , when you may perform it with lefs diforder, and more advantagioufly for the Ki ngs fervice. My meaning is, that I would have you fet forward about the 2?^ B A L Z A C. 37 the end o{ Autumne,thit you may fpend here with iis,one of thefe warm and fpringing Winters, laden with Rofes , wholy referved for our admi- rable Italic, And my Lord, though herein the confideration of my private incerefl may feem to make me fpeak thus , rather than my affe6lton to your fervicc j yet would I willingly tell you , that all kindc of contentments attend you here , and if your great Spi- m afpire to glorious things for the keeping it in a^inn , it fliall infallibly finde them at Rome. In the interim , how fhort ^ while foever you flay here, you fhall have the contentment to fee France change fome five , or lix times. At your return you will hardly finde any thing anfwerable to what you left there *, they fhall not be the fame men you formerly faw, and all things will appear unto you, as the affairs of another Kingdom. But before the matter be grown to that he? ' . it is fitting you reign here in Sovereigritie , and become the S«- p/ :.. /.-dgs of rhr<:e, or four Conclaves : And truly, it might fo happen (my Lord) chat i fhould do you fome acceptable fervice in thofe great occai.ons, if I had my health ; but to my great grief it is a happinefs, for which I envy my Grand- mother, and howfoevcr I have heretofore been little , or much cflimable : I confefs, that at this prefent , 1 am hut the half of whac I was. Ic is therefore in vain to exped: works of any grejt value from me , or that you importune me to take pains for the J/nh'tck. \ for in Confcknce what high dcfiz;iis can a man have,between the affliction of difeafes^und theapprehenlion of Death ? The one where- of doth never forfake me, and the other dayly affrights me? or how can you imagine I fliould conceive eminent matters , who am ready to die 2t every infant. True it is, that the ncceflity to obey ycu , which I have always before mine eys, is an extraordinary ftrong motive : buc (not ro diflemble) the impoflibilicy of my performance is yet more for- cible j and fo long as I continue in the ftate I now am , I cannot promife you lo much as the Hiftory of the Kingdom of ''' Tuc- * ^ ^{^' tot \ nor that of the Tapacie of Campora , though it continued cipJity'irt onelyonehalfquarterofanhour. France. Frow Rome this 27. of February 1622. Another Letter unto Cardind de U Valette from Balzac. Letter IV. CMy Lordy YOur Cafh keeper hath newly brought me the fum you command^' him to deliver unto me. I would willingly (hew fufficient thr D 3 / 38 The Letters of Monnfieur fulncfsfor this high favour: but befides that your benefits arebound- Icfs, and that you are fo gracious an obligcr, that it doth even augment the value of your bounty, I fhould fcem ovcr-prclumpiuous to think any words of mine valuable to the kaft of your aftions. 1 1 fhall there- fore fuffice me to proteft unto you, that the bounty, wherewith tht Let- ter I received from you, is fo i^ored, fbeing of force to infufe Love and Fidelity in the hearts of very Barbarians,) fhall work no leJs tfFeft in the fpiiit of a perfon, who hath learned both by Nature and Fhilo- fbphy not to be ingraxefull. Since I nnde my inttreft within my duty, I muft nccelTarily love you (if I hate not my (elf) and be an hoaeft man by the very Maxim of the wicked. Yet is not thib laft confidera- tion the caufe chitfly obliging me to your fcrvicc : For though 1 ac- knowledge divers defefts in my fclf 3 yet may 1 wirhouc vanity affirm, I was never befotted with fo bafc an attradion as than of gain. I there- fore reflcn bencdidion ; and as for me, I remain much fatisfied to fee Jurtice (o etaft at Home , that they will not con- demn the Devil himfeif wrongfully. I have heard how in fome places half hour Marriages are made , the conditions whereof are neirfier di- gefted into writing , nor any memorie thereof referved ', but ofthefe fccret myfteries, there are no other witnefles, fave oiiely the Night and Silence : And though the Court of T^orrn approve th them not , yet doth fhe fhut her eys, fearing to fee them. I am rcfolved not to be long in the defcription of K.KK* whom you know much better than my (elf: Yet thus much I will fay, that fince ^croas death , there never appear- ed in//^ft>aComedianof more honourable extraftion: And furely to make the Company at this prefent in Vvancc compleat , his perfonagc were fufficient: He makes Verfes, he hath read Ariftotle, and under- flands Mufick, and in a word he hath all the excellent qualities unne- cclTary in a Prince. I know here a German, called S. to whom he gi- veth an annual penfion of a thoufand Crowns, afligned unto him up- on an Abbey during life *, this he hath done , not that he intendeth ro ufe his fervice in his counfel , or with puipofe to imploy him in any important negotiation for the good of his affairs : his onely ambition is to have him make a book , whereby it might appear how thofe of MM M. are lineally defcended from fulius Cafar. I fhould be gladhe would yet aim at lome higher, or more eminent race, and • that he would purchafe a fecond fable at the like rare he payed forthefirft. I would willingly give him his choice of the ^^^^^, Per' fians, 6rcel(Sy or Troians , which of thefe he would have of his Kind- red, and without the relying upon the Authority of tradition, or te- ftimonie of Stories : I would draw his defcenc from Hfflor, or Achilles y which he beft liked. There are certain Princes who are neceflarily to be deceived, if you mean to do them acceptable fervice, being far bet- ter pleafed to be entertained with a plaufible lie , than ro be advertifed of an important truth. I hold my (elf right happy you are not of this humour : for whatfoever I fay, i fuppofe it would be very hard for me t*^ 4i The Letters of Monnftem be of a fools mindc, though he were a Monarch. I intend not to fteal your favours , but to purchafe them legally : and having ever believed flattery CO be as mi fchievous a means to gain affedion as charms , and forcery : I cannot (peak againfl my confcience , and were not this true I tell you, I would not a(Iu:c you, that I am From T^mz th i s i o . rour mo]l humble, moji obe- of DecembeY 1622. dient, and mo ft faithfuU [ervant, BALZAC. To the Lord Cardinal de V alette ^ from Balzac. Letter VI. t5^; Lord HOw great foever the fubjeft of my forrows be , yet do I finde in your Letters fufficicnt to make me happy in my hard fortune. The hfk. I received hath fo much obliged me, chat, but for the difpleafing news coming unto mt , which tempered my joy , my reafon had not been of fufficienr force to moderate it. But at this time the death of my poor Brother being inccffindy before mine eys, taketh from me the tafle of all good tidings :and the profperity even of tlie Kings affairs fcem difpleafing unto me, finding my felf to bear upon me the moarn- tngs of his Viftorie. Yet fmcc in this fatal agitation of Europe it is not I alone who bewail fome lofs , and linee your felf have not been able to preferve all that was dear unto you; I fhould fcem very unci- vil, if 1 prefumed to prefer my private interefl before yours, or refled upon my particular affliftion , liaving one common with yours. It is long fmce I have not meafured either the felicities, or fatalities of this World, but by your contentments , or difcomforts j and that I be- hold you as the whole workmanfhip God hath made. Wherefore my Lord, I will! lay afidewhatfoevcr concerns my felf, to enter into your refentments , and to tell you, fince you cannot make unworthy elcdi- on5, it mufl needs be that in death of your Friends you can fuflfcr no fmall lofTes. Notwithflanding as you tr.mfcend fublunary things, and in that all men draw e^i^mples out of the meancfl adions of your life : I afTure my felf they have acknowledged upon this occafion, that there is not any accident to furmountjagainfl which you have life of all your virtue. Afflidions are the gifts of God, though they be not of thofc we dcfire in our prayers j and fuppofing you fhould not approve this propoficion , yet have you ax all times fo little regarded death , as I cannoe 2)^ B A L Z A C. ^^ cannot believe you will bewail any ", for being in a condition yotir fclf cftccms not milcrable. My Lord , ic fufficeth you conferve the me- mory of thofe you have loved, in confequence of the proteftation you plcafed to make unto me by your Letter : And truly it the dead be any thing, (as none-can doubt) they cannot grieve for ought in this World, wherein they ftill injoy your favours. In the mean time I take this to my fclf, and am moll happy in havmg conferred my dutifull affcdions upon a man, who fetteth fo high a value upon thofe things he hath loft. For any thing (my Lord) 1 perceive, there is fmall difference be- tween good works , and the lervices we offer you > they having their re- wards boih In this life, and the o^her . your goodnefs being illimitable, as is the defire I have to tell you, 1 am From Rome the 29. Tour mfl humble^ and molt o/Decemb. 1621. faithfuU fcrvanty Balzac. To the LordBiJhop of Vsiktte from Balzac. Letter VII. M Y L O R D, T Hough 1 be not in ftatc, cither to perform any great exploit upon the perfon of any man j nor have any great force to defend my felf , yet cannot I touch upon the Count Mansfield without taking it to heart , and joyning my good affeftions to the Kings forces. If this were the firft tinae the Germans had exceeded their limits , and fenc their Armies to be overthrown in France \ the novelty of thefc Barba- reus faces, and of thofe great lubberly fwat-r utters, might cafily have affrighted us : But upon the matter , we have to do with known ene- mies , and who will (ufFer us to take fo fufficient advantages over them, beiides thofe we naturally injoy , as without being forced to make ufe of Arms, we may defeat them onely by their own evil conduft. I do not wonder there are men, who willingly forfake Frofl and Snow^ to feek their living under a more pleafing and temperate climate than their own j and who quit bad Countreys , as being well af- fured 3 the place of their banifhment fhall be mere blifTefuU unto them than that of their birth. Onely herein it vexeth me , in the behalf of the Kpngs honour , to fee him conftraincd to finifh the remainder of the Smperours viftones, upon a fort of beaten Soul- dicrs , and who rather fly the fury of Marques Spinola , than follow us. Thefe great Bulwarks , whofc neighbour I am , feeming rather the Fa- 44 5"/?^ Letters ofMonJiettr Fabricks of Gyd-nts^ than the fortifications of a Gardfon- Town , will not ever be looked upon with aniiZcment ', one day (I hope) there will appear nothing in their places buc Cabbins for }poor Fijhermen ; or if ic be requifice the works of Tltbcllio?i fhould flill remain , and the memory of thcfe troublefome people mdure yet longer , we fhail in the upfhoc fee them remove Mountains, and divc* into the Earths foundations to provide thcmfelv^s a Prifon at their ow*^ ciiarge. Buc withall (my Lord) 1 befeech you, let there be no further fpecch madeof occafionsjOr ex- peditions, and let a Fe.^re be concluded, which may continue till the HWlds end ; let us leave the ^rar to the Turl^, and King ofFcrfia , and caufe (i befeech you) that we may lofc the memorie of thefe miferable rimes, wherein Fathers fucceed their GhiLdreny and wherein France is more the Countrey of Lansfimghts and Swifes than ours. Though Feace did not turn the very Defarts into profitable dwellings, asjit doth, orcaufed noc the qiarrks^ or {Imts to become fruitfull , though it came Bnaccompanied, without being feconded mzhfccnr'ny and pUnty , yet wtrcit neceflary, onely to refrefh our forces ', thereby to enable us the longer to endure i^yar. As I was ending this lafi: word, I heard a voice which defired my difpatch, obliging me to end what I fuppofcd I had but begun. It is with much reludation (my Lord) I am deprived of the onely contentment your abfence affordeth me. Buc fince you could not receive this Letter^ were ic any longer, lam refolved ro lofc one part of my content, to enjoy the other ; and to fay fooner then I fuppofed, that I am ever ablolutely. The i6. of Tour moji humble, mofl ohedknt% Sept. 1 622, ' ^nd n:o5l faithfuUfervanty Balzac. To the Lord CArdinalde WdX^lt^ from Balzac. Letter VIII. <3ij Lord , YOu fhould oftner receive Letters from me, could I over-mafter my pain ', but to fay truch,it leaveth me not one thought free to rcfleft Dpon any thing clfe ; and what defirc foever I have to give you content, yet am I not able to do any thing, butatthePhyficians good pleafure, and at the Fervours leafurc ', whileft the Court affordeth you all con- tent, and prepareth whatfoever is pleafant for you, refervingdiftrufts and jealoufies for others : I here endure torments , foch as wherewith one would make confcience to punifh P«irricidcs,and which I would not ^ifh tomy worft enemies. If notwithftandingallthis (in obedience to Z)tf B A L Z A C. 45 to the Counfcl you give me in the Letter , you did me the honour to write unto me) I fliould make my felf mcrrie , I were necelTarily to take my Jelf for fome other body , and become a deeper diilembler than an honcft man ought tobe. My Melancholly is meerly corpo- real, yet doth my fpirit give place , though not confcnt thereto ', and of the two parts whereof 1 am compofed, the more worthy is over- born by the more weighty. Wherefore if the whole World Hiould aft Come- dies to make me laugh , and though St. Gcrmuns Fair were kept in all theftrects where 1 pafs, the objeft of death ever prefcnc before my eys , bereaving me of fight, would likewife bar me of content , and I fliould remain difconfolate amidft the publick Jubilations, Yea, if the flone I fo much dread, were a Dwmnd , or the Phylofophers Elixar^ I fliould therein take fmall comfort , but would rather befcech God to leave me poor , if he pleafc to bcflow no better Riches upon me. But when I have faid all, be it unto me as he fhall pleale to appoint, fince I am well alTured, my maladies will either end , or I fliall not for ever hold out : yet fliould 1 die with fome difcontent, if it happen before I tefti- fie my dutifuU affeftion towards you, and the ftnfibility I have of your noble favours. But howfoever it fare with me, 1 would willingly make a journey to Kofnc, there tofinifh the work I promifed you , and which you command me to undertake for the honour of this Crown. Cer- tainly if I be not the caufe to make you in love with our language, and to prefer it in your eftimation before our Neighbour Tongues *, I am afraid you will be much troubled ;to revolt from the Roman Empire, and that it will not be for theHiftorie oi^atthciv , or of Halliar, you will change that of Saltifl and Livie. I will not deceive you, nor delude my felf i yet may I tell you , that my head is full of inventions and de- figns,and if the Spring (for which I much long) would afford me the lea^ glimpfe of health , I would contefl with any v. ho fhould produce the rareft things. I have an infinite of loofe flowers , which onely want binding up into Nofegay s ; and I have fuflfered others to fpeak any time thcfe fix years , on purpofe to bethink my felf what I have to fay. But I well perceive the publick fhall have onely defires and hopes ; aad truely, if I fpring not afrefli with the Trees , in ftead of fo many books you expeft from me,you fliall not read any thing of mine, fave onely the end of this Letter ^ and the proteflation 1 here make unto you, to die The 7. of /ir- Your moft humble^ moflobe' mm) 1^23. dient , and moft faithfuU Servant^ Balzac. 46 The Letters of Mounfieur To the Lord CardinaldeVdWtttt from Balzac Letter IX, ^iy Lord, THe hope which any rime this three Moneths, I have had of your determination to come into this Countrey , hath hitherto hindred me from writing unto you , or to make ufe of the onely means remain- ing for me to be near your pcrfon : But fince you have fuppofed the fpeedy quitting the Courr, to be as fatal as to die a fuddcn death , and that no Icfs fortitude , or tim'^ is requifitc to refolvc to wean our felves from plcafing things , than to furmount painfull ones , I will by your pcrmiffion refumc the commerce the common rumour caufed me to fnr- ceafc, and will not hereafter believe you can with any lels difficulty get outlTari^s^ than can the ArfenaCyO: Lonifcr. Were it not a place all ftored with inchantments and chains, and which is of fuch power to attrad and retain men, as it hath been neceiTiry to hazard divers battels, to drive tht Spaniards further off: one might well wonder at the difficulty ybil finde to convey yonr felf thence. But in truth all the World doth there fiade both habitations and afFiirs :and for you my Lord, (ince in that Countrey our Kin^s both enter into iheir firfl infancy, and grow old, as being the feat of their Empire '7 no man can )uftly blame you for making over-long abode there, without accufmgyou of over- much love to your Maftcr, 2nd for defiring to be near his perfon. At Rome you Hiall tread upon flones, formerly the gods of C^far and Pempey , and fhall contemplate the ruins of thofe rare workmanfhips, the antiquity where- of is yet amiable, and fhall dayly walk among Hiftories and Fables : But thefeare the paflimes of weakfpirits , which are pleafed with trifles, and not the imployments of a Prince , who delighted in fayling on rough Seas, and who is not come into the World to let it reft idle: When you have feen the Tybcr^ on whofe banks the T^omans have per- formed the Apprentifhips of their rare viftories , and begun that high defign, which they ended nor, but at the extream limits of the Earth. When you fhall afcend the Capitol, where they fuppofed God was as well prefent as in Heaven ; and had there inclofed the fatality of the univerfal Monarchy : After you have crofTcd that great Circus, dedica- ted to (hew pleafures to the people, and where the bloud of Martyrs hath been often mingled with that of Malcfa<^curs and bruit beafts. I make no doubt but after you have feen thofe and divers other things, you will grow weary of the repofe and tranqnility of Rome : and will fay they are two things more proper for the Night and Church-yards, than for the Court and the worlds eye- Yet have I not any par- pofc to give you the leaft diftafte of a Voyage the Ring hath com- manded D^ B A I z A c. 47 roandcd you to undertake , and whereof I well hoped to have been the guide , if my crazy body would have feconded the motion of my Will. But truely my Lord , I am deeply ingaged in this bu- finefs, and when I look upon my felffmgle, I fomecimes have a de- fire to make you fufpicious of thofe felicities, I fear , I fliall not be able to enjoy with you j ye: whatfoevcr I fay, I am not fo far in love with my felf, as to prefer my private content before the general de- fires of all men , and the Churches nectfTines. It is requifire for infinite confiderations of importance , you fhould be prcfcnt at the firft Conclave , and that you appear ac a vi'ar not therefore Icfs con - fidcrable, in being compofed of difarmed perfons , or for that it makes no ividowes nor Orphans. I am certain you have elfcwhere feen more dangerous encounters , and have often defircd more bloudy Vi^lmci. But how great loever the ohjeft of your ambi- tion be, yet can it not conceive any thing of fuch Eminencyjas at once to give a SucceiTour to Conluls, to Empcrours , and Apo- ftles ', and to make with your breath [he man, who over-toppeth Ktngs^ and who commandeth over all rcajonable Souls : Though my health b« fo uncertain , as I cannot promife my felf three days continuance thereof, yet have I not loft all hope to fee you (one day) in this Countrey, the prefcribcr of L^rivi to inferiours, and of examples to Commanders. My Lord , it may be, God referveth me for your fake, that nothing be wanting to your glorie , and to the end there might be yet one man in the World , able to affoord you the praifcs proper to your merits. The 29. of My Lord, Tour mofi humble ^and June 1623, mofl fciithfuU Sc rvant , Balzac. To wj Lord Cardinal de Valette, Letter. X. f^ ^jtordy IT muft necelTarily be the grcateft affair at this prefent in agi- tation on Earth , that could oblige you to leave Varis j nor had you parted thence upon any flighter condition , than to make a head for all Chripndom. If you arrive there oppor- tunely to have your part in this great Ele^iion , and that the Con- clave attend your Frefence , on purpole to afford a more full Reputation and Authority , to what fhall there be refolved upon : I do no way doubt but you will maintain the fame advantage over the Italian wits, as 4S The Letters of Momfieur |H as you have obtained over ours j or that their policies will not be as inr- pertinent in your P re fence , as the Cbarmes of Magicians are frivolous, being confronted with Divine matters. You have fuflicient of their pa- tience to put ofFafFdirs when occafionisoffercd: but you have a con- rage they come fhortof, to carry matters by ftrong hand/if neceffity require. Therefore my Lord, to what part loever your opinion fhall incline, you will carry that with you which gaineth viftories , and cau- feth the greater parry to fide with the founder ; yea, if matters fhoold pafs without conteftation, yet fhould you at leaft take notice, that you arc intreated to rhata Lord) (ince one word of your mouth hath often cured my decayed fpirits, & hath many times made me happy without the help o{ Fortune: I freely confefs unto you, I cannot refolve to changt condft'on, as knowing rhe lofs of the Icafl of your favours cannot be little i Yer being fo innocent that I canr no way imagine my offence , and not acknowledging among men,other more allured verity then your word,I have a great relu.tation to be d'ffi- dent of a thmg,upon the certainty whereof half the Court is ingaged fot War, and the belieged would itwkc imall difficulty to furrender them- fclvcs. My Lord,, you have-pleafed to promifc you would love me al- ways;therefore I befcech you not'to be offended, if I put you in minde, that as the ancient Godsoitht Countrey where now you are^ fubmitted themfelves to T)::slmes^ after they had once afligned them: So you, though akove all other Laxxs^ are yet fubjeft to your word. lam confi- dent it cannot be revoked fo long as the order of fublunary things change not, and the Dcc/ff^of Gods providence remain immoveable: and if you repent any one aftion in your whole life, you therein do more then your very Enemies^ who never as yet called the leaft of them in queftion. For my part , I am far from thinking I have totally lofl your favours, left I fhould wrong yomjud^ementj which conferred them upon me , and blame the beft eysin the World, for having heretofore been blnjde. I will rather fuppofe, if you fend me no news, it is becaufe you think I know what will be done fonse ten years hence, and that I am brimfull of the Komm Court, and of the Ital'hm affairs. Truely I know the prefentT'opf, and I have ever believed, there is not any hu- mane wit more capable to carry fo ponderous a felicity, or to let us again behold the primitive beauty of religion, and the golden age of Gods Church, I know how at T^o/widlenefs is day and u'ght in aftion, and that the complements and ceremonies there,put you to more trou- ble then you fhould finde in governing the whole World,if God bad lef- 50 The Ltttersof MoHnJieuir it to youi condoft. Me thinks I yet fee this great Tyrant with fo many heads, (1 mean the Signoury of y'enke) together with all thofe petty Soveraigns , who would hazard more men in hanging one fingle per- fon, then the i{jng would venture in two battails , or at the taking in of four Ciries. But my Lord all this with the reft doth but (lightly touch i^y Ipiru, and asycu are the folc worldly caufe, which aflfoordeth me either joy, or difcomfort, fo ic is from you oneiy I expeft good, or ill news : 1 have made your affeftion in fuch fort ncceltary for my ltfe$ contentment, that without it I fhould findc defcfts even in felicity it fclf, and fhould have an impctfcft feeling of the mofl happy fuccciTcs could befall me. Reftore therefore, if fo you pleafe , or continue this your ancient favour towards me, which I cannot poflibly forbear. And fince you are part of that body to which God hath given infalibility, and fincc it is forbidden to call the certainty of your wifdom into the leaft qucftion : condemn not I befccch you, what you have formerly made as though your Italian favours were fome other things then your French ones. There, of D.i'.fv\^ tha^ 1 -"^ pafTionat- ly his fervanr, and rhar I finde here much fubtility and difTimularion, bur nor many fo pure and rrbic virtucSj as his are From Tronic 10. of February 1621. BALzAc- A Letter to Mounjieur de la Magdelene from Balzac Letter XIII. Sir, IAmextreamlygladyouarcnot of the number of thofe whom the Y^i.'g hath loft before S. John a^A'^itly : Conferve your felf therefore fo far forth as your Honou-r and Courage will fufFer, or permit.and con- tent your fcjf to have rafted what rvar is j which if you pleafe to be ad- vifed by me, you fhould do well never more to behold but with Flan- ders fpe^acles. You are bound to execute good J^lom , but you are to perform many, and permanently i and to be a better husband of a worthy mans life, than that ot an ordinary Souldier of the Guards. At leaftwile fo long as you continue at the aflembly of the Clergy , you fhall be fcrviceable to the Church at your own eafe,and there fhall com- monly be ten days journey between you and danger. Though I were not any more of this World then thofe who lived before the Jate K^r»g, or who are to come mro the World after the dcceafe of thiSjyet fhould I not fear to hazard my felf in this fort •, and to keep all my bicud for the Publick,as readily as the moft valiant Jcfuire of France. It is in this fort I have learned tofpeak in this Court, where honcft men are fo wed- ded to their particular interefts , and do fo litfle reficd upon the gene- ral affairs, as they think there « nothing beyond the tip$ of their up- E z moft 5 2 The Letters ofMomfienr mod hairs, fe fuppofe the World enderh at their feet. The C. I. dreams of no other thing,buchow to fortific himfclf with men and mony againft the CB. whom he takcth for the ThyIi^ an Herctick : And fay what you will, the fifry Abbies he hath gotrcn in one year, is that portion of the Church which pleafeth him better then all the reft. Behold in what terms Ave ftand at this prefent : inftead of procuring the converfion of Nations, and ro feek the means tofet the Levant at liberty : a P. thinks he hath worrhily acquitted himfelf of his charge, fo long as he provides to make his Nephew a greater man then his Predcceflburs was. But that I fear left my xeal fhould over- far tranfpert me, or that you fhould be- come as weary of my difcourfe as of a tedious Preacher ^ I would dilate my ftlf upon this Subjed \ but 1 know the affjirs in thefe parts are very indifferent unto you , 1 will therefore refer the further relation where- with 1 intended to acquaint you,to my Lord,thc CMarques o(Cauvre. In brief, there are none but himfelfand the Councel, who can caufe the Popccoinclinetoourreafonable demands, and I will tell you without flattering him, that fo long as he is here, the K^fig may glorie that he reigneth at Rome. As for other things, what beautifull objt^s focver | Jlome prefenteth to my view, and what pleafure foever each man findes - there conformable to his humour and inclination, yet cannot I receive any, being fo remote from perfons fo dear unto iiie, and fhall efteem my felf unhappy, fo long as I am neccfCraced to write Letters onto you, and oncly fay,what is not asyct inmy power to caufe to appear , that I am Mounfieur, Tour tnofl faith fuU fervant Balzac. To Mounfieur it Montigny' /row Balzac. Letter XIV- S IR, T Hough you ufe me ill, and that I have reafon to be fenfible of your negleds,yet I am rcfolved to fuffer from you with an obftinate patience, and to acquire youifarours by force, iince I cannot ob- tain them otherwifc. But I am aflured you are not fo uncivil , as not tofuffer your felf to be beloved, nor fo tidd to your own fancies,as that there remaincth no affeftion in you for whatfoever is feparate : Other- wife 1 fhould think your humour were as much changed as are the af- fairs of Frawff, or that you were fuddenly. become quite another man. I will thereforerefl confident in the opinion mofl pleafmg unto me, and imagine you are fufficiently my friend in your thoughts ; but that you arc oyer loyal a f^rmch mm to have any intelligence out of the D^ B A L 2 A C. 53 Kmgdom. It may be the example of the Duke of Bircn affrights you* and chac you take allfuch as are in Italit for Don Pcdros^ct conntcs of Fitcntcs : in this cafe in truth you have reafon, and it is far letter to write no Letters at all, rhen to be forced to explain them before the Court of Pay liament. But if you were of my humour, and that you would refer the whole State, and all the affairs therein to Mounfieur Luynes , me thinks our ^fnity could not pafs for confpiracy , and you might fafely let me have news from your felf,and the reft of our fiiends, without any hazard at all. I defueontly to know what you do, and wherein you imploy the faireft feafon of your life. Do you never part from the lips of Opala j whofe breath is f© fweet as it fcemsfhe feedeth oncly on Pwl^s and Fcr fumes ? are you in as high efteem in youx Mi- (irefes thoughts as your merics andfervice defcrves, and as your loyalty obligeth her unto ? Is cUtor^hon ftill in his generous mufings ? doth he daily take Towns at Table ? and doth he yet frame forreign defigns be- tween his Bed-curtains? Is there any good inclination in the Court for our great Cardinal ? and are they not perfwaded that if he were Pope^ the Church would foon be as well Miftrefs in Germany as at Komel After you have (atisfied me in all thefe points, I am contented to be ac truce with you as long as you pleafe j and if need be, will fuffer you to wax old upon the bofom of 0/>fl/^, without ever afkingyou what you do there. Tours ^ Balzac. Balzac hi^ Letter to the Dnks of Efpernon. Letter XV. ' ^iy Lord , WEre I not born (as I am) your moft humble fervant, yet fhould I fhew my felf a very degenerate French-man ^ if I did not much rejoyce in the happmefs of your Family, fince it is a publick Felicity, I have heard the profperous fuccefs of the voyage you made into Bearri, and of the great beginnings you have given, to what the King defireth there to undertake. And truly, the ELe6iion he harh made of you, to ferve him in an occafion of fuch importance^ hath been fo generally ap- proved, that, if heretofore there hath been any deftfts pretended in the conduft of our Affairs , we muft neccflarily avow, that this lafl A6lion hath fufficiently jufttfied all the former ;ir appearing plainly, that it is not onely favour which.fetteth the difference between men. I noway doubt,but right, and power fideing together, that the everu of things will be fuitable to our defires : Bur, howfoever ic happen, you hafe already the gloric of having facilitated the viftorie 3 and made ic E 5 ap- 54 The Letters of MoHnfieKr apif^ear how the Enemies of cheScatc have no ociicr force,buc what they dfaw ouc of our wcakncfs. It is now time {my Lord) ^ow take no ice of thole advantages God harh given you above rhc reft of men: You ughc at Icaft CO remember, how being rricd wirh worldly affairs , and retired from Courr,pub>ickneceflricy had not fouj^hcyou our in y-nir private repofedocfs at t\on\c , to pat ih^mgs royal A-^mits ino your hands, if you were not he onely min from whom all men expcft the rc-eftablifh- menr of chefe affairs. I will no-- fo far rely uion my own opinion, as to anfwcr for the future : Yet when \ confider the adioas of y^ur life, which are \o em.nnt^ that we finde difficulty to believe rhem , even af- ter tney have been jpcrformed , and thoie in fuch number, rhat (trangers may vvcll im.'f^ine you nave lived fiom rhe very beginning of our 3lO' naiuhy : I fuppofe I mignt boUiiy affirm, rhat, if there be yet any great matter remaining lo be archieved in the World, there is n'^ne hut your fell mud ar:tmpc ic. You have polferted the favour of K^n^^y as For- tunes wHic) mightj^ail you , and have not feared chat their pafTions couid our iaft y(v^^itocencie. This virtue we ( j much admire ,hach fuc- ceeded the /ame authorIty,our Fathers have adored. You have made no ufe of y-)ur power in State , which you have not ever iince conferved by the force of your cmrage. You have at all times prefcivcd the liber- ty of Fra?ice amiift the miferies of times, and the ufurpation upon law- full power. Who is there can fay this of himfelt? where are they that have flood firm between rebellion and fervirude ? where was there ever kno vn an old age fo necclTary for the World, or To much good and bad Fortune equally glorious-? My Lord, you know your fclf too well , to fufped: me of flattery, and my humour is fo alitne from any fervilc anions, as the Court hath not fufficient hopes to caufc me to do any thing againft my confcience. I then fpeak as \ do now *, for the onely intcrert of virtue *, and if rhat were not on your fide , I would fcek for ic among oar enemies to do it right : None will fufpeft I have any preten- tions at M<^ drill -^ or that I intend to make a Furrune in Hnllmd -, yet to hear me fpeakof the Prince of OrfTf^e, and the Marquefs S"/7w/.i; , one would fay that 1 didatonceexpeft Abbies from the Hollanders , and were a penfioner to Spain. In fum, I hold my felf obliged tothofe, who affoord me matter and means to reconcile the two rareft things in this world, to wit -, virtue and eloquence. Aid as their reputarion haih need of my Pen, to make it immortal; fo are their lives and anions right ulcfull unrome, when I imploy my pains on excellent fubjeds. You have ever done me the honour to wifh me well, and 1 have re- ceived innumtrahle favours from my Lord the Cardinal your Son *, but howfoever, I humbly bcfeech you to be confident that my affeftions are abfolutely pure, and that my particular inrerefts have not any al- liance therewith. I am fo happy as to have fcrved you in a trouble- fome 2J we require not a more rcr tain prefage of the end of our evils y nor is there any fo fick , or far flrucken in years, who hopeth nor to lurvive thefe inteftine troubles ; But we are not to ima- gine that viftory and pcice are two oppofice things, though they be different j for is the one which afl'ureth the other, and fetlcth it in fiate not to be any further either troubled, or threatned by any. When all is done, I finde it were much to oblige thefe malccontenrs , to give 9, fure repofe to their diflrufffull fpirits, and ac once to rid tliem of all their hopes and fears -.when they fhall no longer need to trouble themfelves with making alTen.blics, and that their lives fhill be free from the fear of punifhments. When I fay, both they and we fhall en- joy common fecurity, it isnot'^o be doubted but their condition will be much bettered, it being a much fairer fortune to be call on Hiore by a florra in a craifed VclTel, then to be flill in the power of windes and Sea-wracks. The word of Ki/;g5 ought not to contradift the funftions of Regality, nor can they oblige themfelves ro leave their Subjcds in miferableeflatcor to do contrary to what they ough:." And incon- fcience fmce theruine of Rebellion is written in Hc^iven, in the fame fortasisthedayof We as not making ulc of the ad- vantages which might arife by caufing mifchicf to continue , or by giving way to fuch defigns^ the event whereof would have lufficiently commended the rcfolucion , had they not been difadvantagious unto you: I have contented my fclf to teflifie to all F/-«wcr,that I had re* fpc'.„( i The I<55D . TheLetters of MouNsiEua dc BALZAC. The third Book. / , - ' To my Lord the Duke de la. Valete ; from Mounfienr De B A L Z A e. Letter I. N acquittance of my promife when I parted from MetSy I am to let your Lordfliip know, we are at this inflanc beyond ten Rivers, and now all things have been pro- pitious to my Lord your Fathers voyage. To be diffi- dent the condufion will noccorrefpond to thcfe fair be- ginnings : were either to make doubt of Gods provi- dence, or to diftruft his grace j but it hath pleafed his Divine MajeSiy ac all times to take fo particular care for the confcrvation of your Familie, that he will as foon permit his Altars and images to be irreverently in- treated J as perfons, who are fo high in his favour as all of you are. How- foevcr it happen (my Lord) if none but the profperous can lofe by alterations •, you will, I hope, confefs no fach change can any way hap- pen , whcreout wc fhall not draw fome advantage j and what interpreta- tions focver they give to my Lord your Fathers intentions , yet will all honefl men judge favourably thereof, nor will any man apprehend fail- ing after fo eminent an example. All France attends his refolution to be rightly informed in the truth of the J^i»^j affairs, and all men know he is of fuch confideration inthisState^ as his leaft difcontentments are to be reckoned among publick miferies. I will perfwade my fclf they will not proceed to any extreamity , and that there is not impu- dcncY enough in our Enemies to iranfport them to fo dangerous coun- F ftls' 66 The Letters of Momfieur fcls. If the worft conjcr yet muft this voyage neceffarily produce tfie one of .tvk'o things, equally neccffary in a troublefomc time, War, or' lAhBtjr I am not fo clear fighced in future events, as to anfwer for what fhall happen i yet fince the order of feafons are framed to facili* ; tatc our palTage, and that all things have changed more fuccesfijlly un- to us then we prefumed to defirc j there is fmall appearance that Hea- ven will declare it felf in favour of the Icfs fupportabl^caufe. But that which doth the rather fortifie my confidence, is the vigorous cftate wherein I finde my Lord your Father , he hath no (hew of old age, fave oncly experience and Authority. Thelate Liguc^ the Rebels, the Sword, nor poyfon have not been of power to kill him , nor was there ever man fo awfuU in his advcrfe fortune. As for you (my Lord) who are the objeft of his hopes and fcar$s and who are to perform one of the principal parts in his defigncd adion : remember you have the command of a place which hath been the difhonour of . JJj** ^'^ */ CharLs the fifth, and which afbardeth Vrance a revenge for *"' all the affronts he oflfered thereto. He who defended it againft him had no more then two arms as you have » and one fingle life, nor was he made of any other matter then other men are. It is true,he fought by the Kings fuccours , but it fufficcth you fight for his fervice, and that all men know you are refolved not to furvive your fortunes. Were you born to perform ordinarie aftions, Ifhouldhold itfittofpeak unto you in another ft rain ; but fince you purpofe not to excrcife any idle dignity in this World, nor are at this prefent in cafe to make ufe of the hands of "a great Army, or expeft reputation in your bed ; fpeak as highasyoupleafe, provided you aft accordingly ; and that out of your particular forces (fince thofe of the State fail you^ you make good unto the Kjvg , the laft conqueft of his Anceflors. One oncly worthy man hath heretofore been the whole Rcpublick of T{ome , and hath refifled the fury of a viftorious Army. So chough there were no more true Frcnc.h-men , but my Lord your Father , your felf, and my Lords your brothers^ I could no way difpair of publick affairs , nor of the furtune of tliis Kingdom. My Lord , I am fo weary , that I am forced to defer the continuation of this difcourfe till another time , and to reft a while to make a more ample relation. I will content my felf for the prefent, to pafs my promife unto you of that Hiftory, the fub- left whereof I require at your hands, anjd taalTure you it is irapoffiblc tobemorethenl am The 9. of '^01*^ ffio^ humble y mo ji obedient y Webr. i Si 9. Mttd mo!i affsCliomtefcrvant, BALZAC. ' Z)(? B A L Z A C. 67 To the Signiour o/Pleffis, Govemour o/ToUcmount, from Balzac. Letter II- Since it appears you have a will to tofe every hour what you can in cruth fpend but oncc,and that you fo (lightly cfteem your life , as though it were another mans',me thinks the War hath dealt very kindc- ly with you, in being contented to leave you half a face , and that you may well account what is left, as gotten goods. The Duke de Mayne^ and the reft were not quit at fo eafie a rate : and it hath picafed God to fhew examples in this kinde , to make it appear that he approveth not vanity ', nor that he ncedeththeadvifeof men for the defence of his own and his Churches caufe. Trudy , if thefe men had pra^ifed with the enemy, they could not have been more confident ; nor have gone more naked to War, had they fought;.againfl women : And in truth I am fo far from praifmg their defperate courfcs, as I do not fo much as pardon them their deaths ; and if my opinion had palled, 1 fhould have thought it fit to have accufed them as culpable of their own deaths,and as fudi who had committed the greatefl Parricides. It becomes me ill in this place to prefer ibe rules to myMafler^ for fhould I attempt to teach your courage how far it fhould extend itfelf , I might feem co do nolefsthenprefcribeLaws to what is illimitable. Yet be pleafed (I pray you) to be informed , that valour is fo tender and delicate a vir- tue, that if it be not fometimes well fhielded and concerved by fome others, it bccometh more hurtfull to him who hath it , then healthful! fsr the State , often endamaged by it, or to the Prince whomaketh ufe thereof. And furely without the alfiftance of rcafon , which ought to be its Governnefs , and Prudence as a guide unto it : there is not any paffion more blinde , nor which doth kfs differ from the fury of beafls, and the bruitifh ferocity of Barbarians: The latter of thefe think ic cowardife to quit the place, though the breach of a River rowl upon them ; or not to ftand firm though they fee a houfe falling on their heads. But thefe wretches, and we, have not the fame pretentions*, for as they propound tothemfclves, onely to kill, and to die, fo fliould wc onely aim atvi^ory, and neglcft therefl ; otherwifc to what end is the knowledge of virtue unto us, and of the limits which boundeth it, or to be born under a more happy Climate, then that of Polonia and Mu- fcovia. : if we draw no advantage either from the excellency of our in* flitutions,or extra^ions ^ I do not at all wonder, why there are men who prefer death before indigence, and who not finding any content- ment in their own Countries , are well pleafed to pafs beyond the F 3 U« 68 The Letters of Mounjtem Ice of their natural air,as willing to forgo the infelicity of their fortunes. But a man of worth, who at all hours injoyethboth perfcft and pure contents, and who hath a great fliare of this ages virtue to lofe,is a Ttai- tour to the Publickjand a Tyrant to himfelf , if he forfake all this for a meet fancy, and deprive the World thereof,onely for a flafh of Fame and vain Glory. You know this bettf r then I can tell it you,and if you fuppofe the Phylofophy you have heretofore fo highly efteemed, be yet wife enough to inftruft you , fhe will tell you that Life is the ground- work of all other good that can here befall us \ fwce by means thereof one may recover Kingdoms,though utterly lofl, and remain Viftor, after having been defeated in four battails. There is no queftion but a dead Lion is Icfs worth than a living Dog ,or that the moft part of thofe Princes of whom there hath been fo much fpeecli, & thofe valiant Ca- ptains with whofe Heroick afts fo many Hiftories are ftored, would not willingly change their Laurels for our lives. Rejoyce therefore (good Sir) together with Nature : in that you are as yet in the number of men* and comfort your felf with Hanibat^ and the Father of Alexander the great, for the lofs you have received : whatfoever you can fay, you have yet fight enough to caufe you to turn love-fick, and to contemplate the beauties of Heaven and Earth. But fuppofe you were wholy blinde, yet is it true, that the Night hath its pleafures as well as the Day ^ yea, and fuch as you beft love. Thti^.oi Decemb. 1622. Toitrs, Eal 2 Ac, Another Letter to Hidafp from B a l z a c. Letter III. MY dear Hidafp, thou canfl not imagine the content I take in thy Letter, and in the good news it brings me, it is the onely way to caufe me to contradift my felf, when I account my eftate mifc- rable , fince 1 hear thou art in healcb, and lovtft me. Were I not con- fident thereof, I fhould the next day drink poy Ton ', or if not valiant enough to attempt fo hardy an enrerprife , i fhould die with forrow. Thou art (then) as neceffary for my living as life it felf i fo as if thou defirefl my eftate, thou needeft not for that any other means, than to deprive me of thy good opinion : But truely I never had the leaft ap- prehenfion of fuch a lofs, and I aflure my felf if I were dead , thou (houldeft be double as rich as thou defireft to be. I have long fince been alTured, thy thoughts are not inthralled to the earth, or that thy paffions onely exceed thofe of the vulgar. Let me intrcat thee to cherilh them,my dear Hydajp j and though I be continually fad , and at all Z?^ B A L Z A C. 69 all times ill aflPcfted in my health j yet remember that the very ravings ofmy F^<7i^f y are fome times more prizeable then Vhylofophjcal Medi- tations •, and we fee beautiful! faces often weep fo gracefully^thac fome have been enamoured of their tears 1 have fully acquainted thee with our ©ccurrcnts here, by mylafl Lc«m,nor will 1 let any opportunity pafs without giving my felf the content of difcourfing with thee in that kindc y binde me fomuch unto thee, as to do the like on thy part : But if thy Letters be fo fliort,as ufually they are,l will now betimes tell thee, I will read them fo often , as they fhall become long enough in Ipite of thee. I know well how in the place where thou art , thou oughtcft notlofe any minute of time , fince opportunities laft no longer-, and rc- folvethyfelftotake a thoufand unprofitable journeys to t..y Lords Chamber, before thou makeft one topurpofe. Great men ufe not ro keepRegiftersof the abfenr, nor remembrancers of them they u.ually forget : but rather to the contrarie ', they imagining there is no other thing on earth but themfelves, and what concerns them ".(provided, thcyfinde any who look like men) they never trouble themfelves to enquire for others , fince with them afTiduity often works more than fcrviccj yea, and thofe whom they would not zffcft formerif, they will love by cuftom : It is therefore necelVary you be flill in fight, and al- ways at hand for the entertainment of F<7rf////r: Ic isa tradition the fub- tle Gafcoyns at their deaths leave to their Children: and trudy as choice alTumeth Arms out of whatfoever it encounters \ fo is it true , that oc- cafion takcth hold of all fuch as prcfent themfelves. We ought to con- traft Tpciied love with honeft men, but yet not to be at odds with others. Poifons themfelves are necelVary in fome cafes ; and fince we are forced to live among favage creatures , we had need have the in- duflry cither to familiarife, or force them. I advife thee not ro look before thee, behinde thee, and on every fide when thou fpeaktfi; or to be in fo great fear to be taken at thy word , as thou darcft noc tell what a clock it is if one afksthee. Thou fhalt gain much by being filenr, the dumbfliall at all times therein exceed thee: For my part, I never make queflion of fpeaking, when 1 have any thing in my head better than filence. I do not hereby mean that we ought to difcover our intentions by our looks, or that our intetiour conceptions appear out- wardly with alltheirpaflrions,namely, of fear, hatred, or diftemper. This were to betray our felves, and to give ill examples to others. But herein you are to make ele let us keep our rhoughcs to our fclvcs , and allow them our aftions and out- fides. As I have advifcd thee not to be over filent, fo would I not have thee over talkative,nor to weary anyone with thy difcourfeof ^o«m- tanban^ or the exploits thou haft there fecn performed. J alTure thee to avoid the company of thefcboaftmg companions j I would take port, go to Sea, or fly to the Worlds end. They feem to me to have gotten a patent for pratcing, and that it were no lefs then to take their purfc, if one fhould offer to fpcak a word in their prefencc : But above all, it is very death to me,whcn thefe fellows come frefh out oi Holland, or when they begin to ftudy the Matbematicks, From MtUan to SiemA I was haunted with one of thefe Chapmen j whofe company I fhall fo long as 1 have life, reckon among my greateft misfortunes. He would needs reform all the fortifications of thofe flrong places we paffed bys he trodc on no earth at which he carped not , nor travailed over any Mountain, on which he had not fomc defign j he fet upon all the Citties in the Dukedom of Florence -, he defired onely a certain fhort prefixed time, to take in all the States of Medenay Parma^ and Urbin : yea, I had much ado to draw him from cafling his defigns upon the lands of the Church, and S. Peters Patrimony. Thefe be difeafes the roots whereof are not to be cut up , without taking away the tongue withall : Nay , I fear when all this is done, there will be* yet need to pafs further into the cure, and to ufe means to bereave them of voyce , for the general good of fuch as can hear. There is yet another fore of importunate people, whofe number doth fo multiply in France^ it is almoft arrived to an infinity: Thefe have not one half hours interrainment for thee, wi chout telling thee the l^lng^ is raifing puiflTant forces ^ how fuch a one is out of credit with his fadion *, another is a great fearcher into , and mcdler in State- matters , and how a third diveth into all the intricacies of Court- bufmcflfes. If you can have the patience to bear them yer a while I 2?er B A L 2 A C 71 while longer, you fhall ftrair underftand how the Prcfidcnt Jannin was the man who had the trueft intentions of all the Miniftcrs of Ju(iice : That it is expedient to fhewa Mafter-piece of State^to give reputation to the pfefcnt o^irrenc of affairs: That the t^ingi Authority wa§ intc- refted in this aflion : and that thofe who fought to cry down the prefent gorernment, rather aimed at their particular adrantages, then rcdtefsof difordcrs. See here the ftile wherewith they perfccure me even ro my poor Village, and which is a caufe I loath State, and pablftk affairs. Tir»not therefore my ears at thine arrival, left you turn mine adverfary with intention to alTault me with thefe huge words. If you know not that thefe follies have not always the fame arpe(S, and that there are as well ferious follies, as flight ones, 1 would admonifh thee in this pbce : Now though a man at twenty can have no great experience of the World, yet have you a fufficient clear judgement to keep your felf from being deluded, by the appearance of good, or by the outward luflcr of evil. I had need of more time then the bearer allows me, and of more words then a Letter is capeablc of , fufficiently toinflruft thee what thou ou>,lircft to do, and what to avoid', or to learn thee a Science wherem my felf do ftudy in teaching thee. I will therefore onely fay, fince I am haftned to make an end , that before all other things thou art to offer thy whole will to God, if thou beefl not able to give the reft 9 and ro have (at leaft) good defigns, if it be not as yet in thy power to do any good deeds. I well know it is no flender tafk, to undertake to guard our felves from evil, where inticcments are extraordinary , and the danger extream, and where (thou wilt tell me) that if God will hinder thee from loving beauty , he had need make thee blinde. I having no pleafmg anf^cr to make thee hereto my dear Hydajpc^ I re- fer thee to thy €onfe(for : intreating thee to confider , how if the Kjng in the flower of his age wherein we fee him, and in the midfl of an in- finity of objects offering themfelves to give him content , is yet iiot- withflanding fo firm in the rcfolution to virtue, that he as cafily fur- mounteth all voluptuous irregularities, as he doth his mofl violent re- bels, and is not any way acquainted with forbidden pleafures , nor doth glut himfelf even with lawfull ones : If as I fay, this truth be generally avowed , 1 befeech thee tell me why continency may not be placed among things pofiible ? But I much fear, there is no means to gain this for granted at thy hands ^ fmce thou believefl as others do, that to bt chafie, were no lefs then to ufucp upon the poflcflion of married wives. Yet at the leafl Hyf/4j^^ if this body of thine, being of fufficient ability to fend Collonics into each corner of the Wor ld,and to people the moft defart places, willneedsbe imployed, I intreat thee to flay there, without being tranfported with the debauches of the mourh , which have no other limits then the lofs of rcafon, and ruine of health. I ■ fhouia yz The Letters of Momfieur fhouldbeinutter dcfpairwcreittoldmc, that my brother drinks as*. much as though he were in a continual Feaver , and were as great- a purvey er for his panch, as if he were to enter into a befieged Citty. I confcfsthy inclination doth of it felf fufficiently divert thee from thefe Germain virtues, and that thou art not much Icfs fobcr than my felf, who have pafled over three years without fuppers, and who would wil- lingly feed onely upon Fennill and pick-tooths,ifl thought I could thereby recover health. Yet truely this doth not hinder me from havc- ingfomeapprehenfion ,when I confider how the examples of greac ones doth often give Aothorsty to vice : and that to keep our felves up- right in the midft of corruption, is not an effcft of the ordinary force of men : Confider then once again (Hyda/p) that we arc powerfully to refift terr.ptations. Have an eye to the intereft thou haft to contain thy felf within the linaits of an orderly life ; and be well advifed , whe- ther thou couldft be contented to be of the proportion of thofe good fellows, whofe fpirits ate choaked in their own greafc, and who become fuch comely creatures , that if their bodies were pierced, there would nothing pafs forth of their wounds but wine and Porridge. Befidei, making profeffion as thou doft,to be a man of thy word,be not oflfeiided if I fummon thee to obferve what thou haft promifed mc : or that I freely tell tbce, that if thou fallcft again to the old game, I fhall have fmallfubjeft to afture my felf of thy fidelity in other thy former pro- mifcs. Wert thou the Kjng of the rndics, or thy life endlefs^I would not forbid thee this cxcrcifej butfince we have fcarce leafurc enough in this World to attain virtue, nor over great pofTtfTions to fecure us from poverty •, believe me Hjdafp,\t is very dangerous tofuffcrfhip-wrackon fhoari andbefides,theexpcnce of money, (which we efteem as dear unto us as life) to lofe our fences like wife, and our time, the laft where- of is irrecoverable, is both fhamefuU and finfuU. Having here admor nifked thee well near, though confufedly and fcatteredly of thofe things thou oughteft to flte,1t were requifite 1 fliould likewife advife thee of what were fit for thee tofoHow, and to caufe if I could, good Jaws to arife ou: of evil manners. • But it is fie to take time to deliberate upon a matter of fuch importancei and truely to fpeak herein to purpofe , all the wit I have,)oyned with that of others , were no more than fuffi- cient. The I. oifar?. 1^24. • rom, BALZAC. I To Hydafp from Balzac. Letter IV- Y dear Hidafp, if God had conferred a Kingdom upon mc , with Ik^'condition not to have me fleep more than I do : I fhould prove Z)^ B A L Z A C. 73 the moft vigilant Prince living , nor fhould I need either Guards , or Sentinels about my perfon. Surely there is not any (my felf excepted) for whom night was not made, fince when the windes are calm, and all nature quiet, I alone watch with the Stars. But I much fear left God will not be fatisfied herewith, fi«ce I fore-fee fo many mifcries ready totowluponme, as I have no fmall apprchenfion to become more wretched to morrow ,than I am at this prefent. The onely counte- nance of Hydafp wouM refrcfh me, and caufe my pain to be in fome. fort pleafing. But fmce there are now at leaft a dozen great Cities, and a hundred leagues of Snow between us, i have much ado to for- bcir dying, and to fuppoit my felf upon my weakeft part. Yet ray meaning is not to have thee return hither j for (were it poflible for me^ I had much rather corae to thee, and continually to gaze on that face whereof 1 have drawn io many fair poutraifts. It is true , there are few men living, whofe love wc fhould prefer before liberty. But allure thy felf thy Mafter is of thole *, be not therefore more proud then Henry the third , who firft obeyed him. For my part, though I be natural- ly refraftory, yet have I ever had a fpecial inclination tohislervice^ yea, when all things went crofs with him, and that his beft friends for- fook him, I took pleafure in peiifhing, on purpofe to afFoard hira fomc confolation in his calamities. Many dcfue a dependency on him ouc of their particular ends, but me thinks we fhould have more noble dcfigns, fmcc his onely virtue deferveth to be followed, and to caufe a prefs wherefoever it paffeth. In truth, the fervice we yield to fo great a perfon,ought to hold the rank of the chief recompenr es we are to cx- pcft *, yet after this, there followeth another feldoro failing any of good parts', yea, or thofe who have but patience. If thou beefl of the one, or other fort of fuch men, remember this maxime j and do not as thofe honeft perfons, who think they do good fervice to the State, when they betray their Maflers- Beafts themfelves are capeable of acknowledge- ment ', and that ltalia?i had fome fmall fhew of reafon, who called thofe Devils, who cured Agues, good Angels. Yet truely it is no lefs than to be over mannerly to gofo far, nor would J thank Gods enemies for thofe gracious favours I indeed receive from him onely. But as touch- ing t\)e reft of worldly affairs, there is no queftion , bur we are to re- fled upon the neareft occalions Fortune afFoardeth us •, and thole who feek after more remote means, fhall in conclufion finde from one de- gree to another, that it is to Hugh Capete to v/hom zhty ZTc obliged. I was affraid left I ftiould have left my fingers upon this paper, and have difenabled my felf forever writing more Letters after this, had I any longer continued my difcourfe. I tell thee no lie Hydafp , this is the third Winter we have had this year,and the greateft irregularity I ever obfcrved in nature, For Gods love inquire the caufe of Father fofeph, and 74 7*^^ Letters ofMounfiem and intreat him from mc, if your fclf be not acquainted -with him » thaci he would be plcafed to imploy the credit he hath in Heaven , to caufc * the return of warmer weather. The2s.of/rf».i^24. Balzac. Ti the Sei^fteur de laKoche from Balzac. Letter V. Sir, 1 Cannot conceive your meaning, when you fpeak of my friendfhfp, as of a favour, orpredcftination, orinbcing fo prodigal of your complements ajid commendations. There was (bfficient in the Letter you lately fent, to bereave me of fpeech, and to make me flie to the Indies, were I forced to frame you apun^ual anfwer. But (ince you are ufually viftorious, be pleafed, I befeech you, to permit your cour- tefie to work the fam^cfFeds, as doth your courage j and fuffer me to yield untoyouinthisoccafion,as I would do in thofc of RochtU or Mountuban, i onely intreat you, hence forward to love me with Icfs oftentationand lufter then you have done hitherto ; and fincc it is not in my power to hinder you from having me in eftimation, let me at the Icaft intreat you to carry the matter fo, as though you had committed fome fin •, that is, without calling witnefSjOr confirming the faft : other- wife, doubtlefs the World will fuppofe your affeftion to be injurious to your judgement j and I much fear, left i fhould be' blamed for blinding you, and for being more wicked then the late War , which was con- tented onely to make divers of our friends , blinkards. Truely that fo complear a perfonjwhofe acquaintance you commend unto me j not finding me futable to the pourtraid you Oiewcd him, may well fay, you are not onely fatisfied in being fingly feduced , but feek to raife Here- iies out of your errours , and a contagion out of your crazy conftitu- tion. This being fo, I fee not how I can better make good , cither mine own reputation, or your report, then by voluntarily banifliing my felf from the place where you are , and not by my prefence , to overthrow all the Honour you have hitherto acquired for me- If therefore you will not appear a deceiver , nor declare your k\f my ad- verfary,leavemeIprayyou,to my retirednefs, where I fludy onely tomaintainhcalth, and take no other pains then to procure my owft rcpofc, nor have any conference, but with my felf. The I o. of A^ril tmr mo ft humUe fervant^ 152?. Balzac. r# s Z)(f B A L Z A C 75 To Mounjieur de Bo is Robert from Balzac. Le'Kter VI. Ince the dead never return but they affright us : I was perfwadcd I _ fhould do you no fmall pleafure, nor a little oblige you, in forbear- ing to appear fo much as in Paper before you, fufftTing you purely to enjoy your accuftomed pleafures, without the mixrurc of any thing that might be diftaftefull unto you. But fince at tlisprefcnt you come to difturb the quiet of Church- yards, and to finde out a man, in affeding whofc memory you might well be fatisfied ? I am forced to tell you,thap the party you fo highly efteem,is wholy remaining beyond the Alps^tx\A how this is onely his Ghoft lately returned into France, I break all the Looking- glafles I meet with, I blunder the water of all Rivers I crofs, I ;avoid the fight of all Painters in any place where I come , left they fhew mc the pattern of my pale vifage. Yet if in the craxy cafe wherein 1 am, I were any way capeablc of confolation, I beleech you to be af- fured, I fhould take it as proceeding from the good fuccefs of your af- fairs, nor would I defire of my difcafe any long rcfpite, then what were requifite to rejoyce with you. But trucly , it is an enemy who knows DOC how to admit of conditions of peace, or truce, and I am fo happy as not to be fuffcred to quit my pains to refume them.* The meac I here cat for fuftenance, is to mc as pleafing as poyronj& I endure life out of pennance,whereas you (in the place where you live) fpcnd the remain- der of the Golden age^rdaCmg nothing to your fences you, lawfully may allow them. Though the Unecns Court be fo chaftc, as it were eaficr to drink drunk of a fountain, then to take any difhoneft pleafures there, and that to gain admittance, it is requifite to be firfl purified at the Porters lodge y yet are you allowed even there to have pleafing tem- ptations, and going elfewhere, to fcekoutmore folide contentments. But as for me in the cafe I am, I make no difference at all between lovely creatures/, and well limmed pidures : and the mifcry I endure, having bereaved me of ad:ion, my wretched virtue is as much con- ftrained, as the fobriety of the poor is neceffary. In all this I add not one word to the bare truth', and if the Count oi ?OHntgiba.ut had his pardon ro let you know how it is with me, he would tell you that I am more withered then the laft years Rofes, and how all the Ingcniers in an Army, were no more then fufticient to remove me. Butmy difcourfe will be more pleafing, if I fpeak of that head which deferveth to fill a Diadem , then in continuing this wretched complaint. When ac the firft I faw concurrent in him fo much valour , and fo great beauty , I neither took him for man nor woman ; but after having recollected my felf, I fuppofed him to be the Amazonian Qiicen : and doubtlefs in the World§ 76 The Letters of Momjteur . Worlds infancy, ic was to fuch faces onely, whereto all people yielded willing obedience, none quitting their fervice, every mans dat^ being conformable to his inclination', foas the onely means then to be re- bellious, was to be blinde. When this young Lord came to T^ow^ at his return from tebattail of Prague^l can well witnefs the jealoufie he at once affoarded both ro men and their wives, and of the great Frognofficlis all fuch gave of him, who prefumcd to have any experience in future occurrents , either by the afpeft of Stars , or fome more fu- blime underftanding< befides, to confider how at twenty years of age, there is fcarce any corner of the known World he hath not traced , to encounter honourable aftions j nor any fort of combate wherein for the molt part he hath not been Gonqucrour 3 that he hath born Arms zgiind TurliSy and Infidels, that he hath appeared both in battailsand fieges of Cities *, that he hath given life to fome enemies , and taken it from others. This (to fpeak truth) is a thing God fufFereth as rarely to be feen as deluges, and other great effefts of his power , or juflicc , in a long proccfs of time the meerefl Cowards may become Maflersi were it by no other means, but that by feeing all men die before them, they may inherit the whole World. Divers likewife have performed great exploits , who have begun their aftions either with grofs errours, or mean adventures. But as there are very few Rivers navigable even from their firft fountains,nor Countries where the Sun fendeth forth his full heat from the very day- fpring : fo are fuch men (doubtlefs) very rare and fingular , who have not any need either of growth , or years; nor arc fubjed either to the order of times, or rules of nature. But I have no put pofe to fold up a bock in a Letter : for though my grief do fometin>cs permit me to fpend fome fmall time upon pleafing fubjcfts, yet will it not allow me to make thereon any long ftay. I mufl there- fore leave off, during my fhort good day, left I fall Tick again in your prefence , and once more clogg you with my complaints , inftead of thanking you for yourkinde remembrance , and aiTuring you of the great dcfire I have to remain fo long as I live, . 'a Tour mo [l humble fervanty i6iS, BALZAC. A Letter from Balzac to Mounfeur de Boi6 Roberta L E T T E R ' VII. T Hough I receive no news from you , and howbeit thofe from Vark are generally naught : yet am I fo confident of your excellent con- ftitucion ,as I cannot imagine it can be endamaged by that contagious aire : De B A L Z AC. 77 aire \ Surely if it ht not in fuch fort infefled, that birds fall down dead, and that the Springs be not corrupted , you have fmall caufe to fear v and I have heretofore feen you of fo per fed a compoficion,and fo ftrong a fubftance , that an ordinary infcdion (I fuppofe) is unable to ftizc upon you : And rather than 1 will have any apprchenfion of your being carried away with the current of thofc who die of this great mor- tality > I fhall fooner believe that God referveth you to make the worlds Epitaphjand thofe laft Songs appointed for the catafirophe of all hu- mane joys. Yet ere it comes to this point, remember your promife, I pray you, and fend mefomething to rid me of the M-egreme I have ta- ken in reading the fotteries of thefc times- I cannot counterfeit the matter, but muft confefs 1 tafte Vcrfes as I doMellons; fo as if thefe two forts of Fruits have not a relifh nc/^r approaching to perfeftion, I know not how to commend ihcm though on the Kj-agsTzhh , or in Homers works. Whatfoever you do , yet at the leaft permit nothing to your fpirit which may wound your reputation \ and above all, let me iiitreat you not to be the man who may juffly be taxed of having vio- lated the chaftity of our language , or for inftrufting the Frmch in forrcign vices,utterly unknown to their PredccefTours. Poetry,which God hath fomctimes made choice of , for the uttering of Oracles , and to unfold his (ccrcts to mankinde, ought at the leafl to be imployed in honeft ufcs : Nor is it a lefs offence to make ufc thereof in vicious mat- ters, than to violate a Virgin. This I fpeak upon the fubjcd ot our friend, whofe end I fear will hardly be natural, if he die not the fooner of his fourth Pox. This is the fccond time he hath iflbed out of Tarn by a breach, having efcaped as furious a flame as that of Troy. For my part, 1 cannot conceive what fhould be his defign. For to war againft Heaven sbefidcs, that he fhall be but flackly accompanied in fuch an expedition, nor hath a hundred hands as it is faid of Gyants 5 he ought to underftandjitwasanaftion they could never atchieve : and how in Ciciiiaxhtxt are Mountains yet fmoaking with their MafTacre. We come not into this World to prefcribe Laws, but to (ubmit our felvesto^thofe we finde, and to content our felves with the wifdom ofour fore-fathers, as with their Land and Sun. And truely, fince in matters indifferent, novelties arc ever reprehenfible, and that our Kings quit not their Lit- lies to quarter Tulipans in their arms : by how much greater right are we obliged to confcrve the ancient, and fundamental points of religion, which are by fo much the more pure,i|j that by th^r anti^juity they ap- proach nearer to the Origine of things, and for that between them, and the beginning of all good, there is the lefs time fub)ed to corruption. To fpeak plainly, there is fmall appearance that truth hath from the be- ginning of the World attended this man, on purpofc to difcover it fclf UBCO him in a Brothell, orTavern jand tobe fcnc forth of a mouth which 7B The Letters of Mounjicur which comes fhort in fobriety to tharof a.5«;j/c. I intend not to irti rcrmeddic with the Ckjurts ot Parliament^ nor to prevent their decrees by mine opinion : And to think to make this man more culpable then he is, were as much as ro cafl Ink on an Ethiopians face j I owe fo much to the memory of our fore- part acquaintance, as I rather piety hira as a difcafed perfon. then purfuc him as an enemy. I confels he hath parts in him not abfolutcly ill , nor do I deny I have much Jpleafed my felf with his freedom of fpeech, fo long as he propofed onely men for his objed, and fparcd to fpeak of holy things. But when I heard fay, he exceeded the bounds of inferiour matters, and banded himfelf even againft what is tranfcendenc to Heaven, I inftantly quitted all acquain- tance with him, and thought the onely pleafure I could do him, was ro pray to God to rcftorc him to his right fences, and to rake pitry on him as he did of the Jews^ who crucified our Saviour. Hereafter I will be better advifed then to weary you with fo long a difcourfe, or to tire my felf in troubling you: But truely I thought I could do no lefs after three years filence, eftceming this not to be over much for a man who is fo flowapay mafter, for fo many Letters he oweth you. Yet cannot I conclude, before I inform you of.fome particulars touching the place where I am at this prefenr, and of my imploymcnts here. Firft there is no day paflerh wherein I fee not the rifing and fctting of the Sun, and how during that time, I withdraw my felf from all other diftraftions, to enjoy the purity of that fair light. Behold herein this prefent ftate wherein I am, all the Courtfhip I ufe, and the onely fubjedion 1 oblige my felf unto. When I defire to take' the air at other hours of the day, I mufl indeed conftfs my eys have no objefts fo vaft as the Sea, or Appcm?ics,noT do I behold Rome under my feet as formerly I have done: Yet do I on all tides difcoverfo pleafing a prorped,as thougeit fill not the capacity of my fpirit fo much as did the other , yet doth it far mor^ content mc. Painters come forty days journeys hence, to ftudy in my Chamber, and if nature caufe her greatnefs to appear, even from the • bottom of the dcepcft Adjfcs, and darkeft downfalls, fhe hath no lefs placed her rareft perfeftions under my windows. Moreover , I am plunged in abundance up to the eys, but my riches are tacked to the twigs and branches of Trees j for as Summer hath made me' plentiful!, fo will Winter reduce mc to my former poverty. In the mean time, I make Feafis of Figii^s & Mclionsy yea, out of the very ^ufcadine Grapes I eat, there iflucthjiquor enough to make half a Kingdom drunk j and the thing whereat happily you will wonder, is, that I put all this into a fick mans flomack, to whom well- nigh all good things are forbidden : yet have I found a means to reconcile my furfets with my Phylical re- ceits, and in one and the fame day Iboth enjoy pleafure, and endure pain ', for I nourifh my Fcaver with excellent fi uits, and purge it with De B AL Z AC, 79 7{uharbe : but howfocvcr I cannot baiard my health in more innocent debauches, fincc I perform them without troubling the tranquility ci- ther of earth or air, or without bereaving any thing of life. The firft nien the World produced , attained to cxtream age with fuch pure cates as mine are ', for as of all bloudy meats they onely ufed cherries and Mulberries *, fo was the fimplicity of their (ives accompanied with a perfeft repofedncfs i Nature as yet being void of all Monfters : There was ^s then no mention either of Geryon, or Minotaure, nor cf ^ p^9. The Inquifition and Parliament were onely in the Idea of things ; and of the two pjrts of Jufticc , there was that onely known which gave merits their due rewards. From BALZ A Cy 162^. Balzac Another Letter from Balzac to Monnfieur de Bois Robert, Le it e r VIIL Your Utter Qi the fifteenth of the laft Moneth , came «o my hands as 1 was ready to fcal thcfe Prefents. You might have juft caufc to tax me, fhould 1 let them go unanfwered, or if this dead man appear- ing in your prefence , did not give you thanks for the many excellent words you have ufed in the adorning his Funeral Oration. I fhould be but too proud if others were of your opinion, or were infefted with the like errour you are *, but 1 much fear you will not for the prefent herein finde a party equal to that of the Leaguc,and do much doubt if all of a contrary conceit, fhould be declared Criminals, there would hardly be any acquitted in this Kingdom. Howfoever, I hold my fclf much ob- liged unto you, in conferring lb liberally that upon me, you fo well know I vrant, andforbeftowing all your colours and mercurial mix- tures to make me Teem beautifull : I will be well advifed how I fall ouc with him who flatters me, and in the love I bear my felf , I fhall at all times fuffer a rival with much ratisfaou. Trus is to force ingratitude by cxcefs of obligation, and to reduce me to the neccfTity of being indebted unto you after I be dead. In truth it were neceflary I had the power to promife you felicity and ParadiCe, in requital of the vows and facrifices you offer unto me , and that I were in cafe to be your advocate , inftead of being thus put to iftand toaafweryou. It may be you have a minde in fuch fort to difguife me to my felf , as I fhall not hereafter know who I am , but be forced to forget my own name, by caufmg me to imagine I am not the fame man I was yeftcrday. Proceed at your pleafure to deceive me in this fort, for I am refolved not to conteft with you in this kinde , to the Worlds end : nor to arm my felf againfl an eiumy, who onely throws Rofes at my head. I fhould be very glad all my life would pafs. in fuch pleafing dreamland that I might never awake, for fear of know- ing the truth to my prejudice. But for the attaining this happinefs , ic is necelTary I do quite contrary to your ad|ice , and never quit my Countrcy-houfe , where none comes to enter into comparifons , or contefl with me , for the advantage 1 have over bruit beafls , or my lackeys. ! agree with yon that it is the Court-voice which either ap- proveth or condemneth all, and that out of its light, things thoOgh never fo perfcft, have no appearance : But I know no: whether it were my r De B At 2 A C\ 8^ «iy bcft,co make that my own cafe > fincc I fear ic/l my prcfcncc there, will rather prejudice my reputation & your judgcmentjthen make good your pofKion. Upon the matter, if there be any tollerablc parts in me, they appear (o little outwara{y, as I had need have my brcaft opened to difcovcr them : And in conclufion you will finde a fufficicnt obligation for me.co have you think my Soul is more eloquenr then my difcourfe^fc that the better part of my virtue is concealed : Yet iince my promiie is paft,I muft refolve for Paris^ though it prove asftrange a place unto me, as if I were out of the world, or as though they fhould chafe raw Cour- tiers thence,as they do corrupt Statef men. To tell you plainly how the cafe ftands , I am none of thoic who ftudy the flighttft anions of their lives, and who ufe Art in all they do, or do not. I cannot light upon that accent, wherewith they authorife their follies, noinukc of ev<^ry mean matter a myftcry by whifpering it in the eai : And Icis do I k ow how to palliate my faults *, or make fhewofanhoneA man, if really I be nocfo : Now though I could make my (elf capable of rhefe Arrs, yet would it anger me fhrewdly, if afrer having paiTcd nine Ports, .\d abidden many backcafls to gee thichcr, to be at laft ftayed ar the Tenth : Nay, fhould I chance to gtft admittance', what a Hell were ic for me to come into a Countrcy where Hats arc noi>madc to cover heads, and where all men grow crooked with cKtrea^i cringcing. Con- fider therefore , whether this humour of mine would fute with the place where you are i or if a man whofe points and garters fccm pon- derous unto him, and whofindes ic a difficult matter roobey Gods Commandments, and the Kings Edids, can be drawn to be obliged to new Laws, or procure to himfelf a third fervitudc. In the ftate where- in I now am, all the Princes in the World ad Comedies to make me fporr. 1 enjoy all the Riches of Nature, from the Heavens to River- waters, and I eafily obtain of my moderate fpir it, what I cannot attaia unto by the liberality of Fortune. This being thus, will you perfwade me to change thofe benefits none envy, with your fears, hopes, and fu" fpicionsj orrlbc thinlf ic fie I value Wbeityj (ot yvh'ich the HoUandcrs have made War (now this fifty years; againft the Kir^ of Spain ? But fmce I have parted my word, I am not refolved to revoke ic 9 yet when I muft needs bid adieu to my Woods and folitary places , which have thaught me fo many good things , and quit this inchanted Palace of mine , where all my thoughts are reall infpirations j I ftnll have a greac conflift within me, to keep my word with you. I wiJl believe none but your fclf, who befl know whether orno I havercafon to love this prifon my Father builded for me, or this little fpot of Land,where there is no defcft but a Fountain of Gold and other unnecelTary thingsjthere being elfc fiifficient here to fatisfie a fober Pcrfon 1 1 mufl confefs the M great rains hate blemifhed all the beauty abroad ; And Winter Q 2 wbiih 84 The Letters of Mcmjieur which by right fhould be condemned never co depart from Smdiand, is already come tocrofs the content I formerly enjoyed : But howfoever, there arc yet pleafing remedies to avoid thefc prefenr incommodities. The perfumes I burn, and whereof I am as prodigal, as though I exaft- cd tribute from the Countries from whence they come, maketh me the lefs to mifs the fwcetnefs of the Spring : And a grtac fire refembling the brightefl beauty, which 1 term the Sun of the night , and dark daycs, watchcth at all hours in my Chamber,and givcth light to my reft,as well as to my Srudie*. Before this wirnefs (which I never loofe fight of ) all Natureisthefubjcft ofmy meditation ^ & [conceive works,wh!ch hap- pily may merit a place in your Library, & to be chofen Citizens of that Divine Rcpublick. I know not what men do mofl efteem in books ,buc I am confident, that in this I compofe, fujtice and Maje(fy , fhall appear fo evenly ttrmpercd , as none fhail therein finde any thing either favo- ring of cowardize or cruelty. I take and make ufe of the art of Anci- ents*, as they would have done from mc^had 1 been the firfl man living. But I have no fervile dependancy upon their conceptions , nor am I born their vafral,to follow no other laws or examples jfave thtirs:To the contrary (if I deceive not my felf ) my invention is far more happy then my imitationi and as there have been in our age divers new Stasfi difco- vered, till this prcfent unperceived j fo I in matter of Eloquence , feck out fmgularities, hitherto unknown to any. It is certain,and you know it as well as my fclf, you who know good things when you fee them,and who are the Author of divers ; that there are none fo fevere Mufes as the Frenchy nor any tongue more hating afFc