292 [=294]

[292]

[Letters Historical and Galant. Vol. 5.]

"the Secret of fixing him; for tho' he gave always incognito into Adventures, she was his favourite Sultana, and had
"no declared Rival. The Reign of the Countess d'Arcos was not so happy. Whilst her lease held the Elector had
"several Intrigues. La Mopin stabb'd her self for him on the Stage, as she played the Part of Dido in the Opera
"of Eneas. That Girl, whose passions were always violent, finding that La Merville one of her Dancers had Sup-
"planted her in the heart of that prince, resolved to kill her self before his Eyes, and gave an Extraordinary
"Scene enough to the Spectators. The Wound was not mortal: but after so publick an Action, the Elector had no
"mind that she should stay longer at Brussels, so she as obliged to leave the field free to Merville, who by an
"infidelity she did the Elector sometime after in favour of the Count de Dohnna, punished his to La Mopin. But
"she was as punished in her turn too; for being accused and Convicted of having shared her favours with the Count,
"she was shut up between four Wall, and it was not till after five years Pennance, that the Elector Consented to set
"her at Liberty, on condition she quitted his Dominions. One would never have done, if he was to relate all the Elector's
"Adventures of Gallantry, and give an Inventory of his Good fortunes. His Misfortunes engaged me in this little digression,
"and I cannot but admire the Caprice of his fate, that made him an Enemy to France when the Dauphiness was alive, and
"sacrificed all to the Interests of this dear brother! Tis well known what Chagrins she exposed herself to in sending him important advice, and that she
"was a Victim to her tenderness for him! She Dies, and the Elector thinks proper to join France, when he had much
"less reason. Is not this determining out of time, and choosing a party very ill.

"They would make us believe here that the Plague rages over all Germany; yet it did not spread much, and
"I am assured tis now over. I was told a story about it that seems to have all the Air of a Romance. That a Stranger
"arriving at Prague in a travellers habit, and allighting at an Inn at dinner time, sat down to table with several
"others that lodged in the same house: The Conversation turned upon the News of the times, and among other things
"upon the Alarms occasioned by the Neighbourhood of the Plague. They pretend that the Stranger began to make a
"joke of it, and after being warm'd with some Glasses of Wine, he turned about to the honest Germans, and told
"them with a fury tone: "Tis I, Gentlemen, that am the plague, you need only look at me pretty Closely" --
"Such a Declaration was not very agreeable to the Company, and one of the most zealous for the safety of the
"publick, drew his Sabre and pronouncing some dat is der Duvel, made at My Lord Plague's head, who fell
"dead on the other side. After this Expedition, they wanted to see who the unhappy wretch was, they search'd
"him and found a number of little Boxes in His Pockets; which made them think it was some poor Merchant,
"that was going to a fair; but they were greatly surprized to find the boxes full of an Infectious Wind, that
"instantly killed the persons that smelt it. They made no doubt then but that the fellow was actually a walking
"plague, sent to poison the Court of Vienna, and were Confirmed in their thought, by finding a great number
"of Louidores about him. I believe, however, that this whole Adventure is nothing but a joke, and an Inven
"tion of our Enemies to try to blacken us among foreigners by making them believe, that his Excellence the
"Plague was an Envoy Extraordinary from France, a very Injurious and ill grounded Suspicion. Be that
"as it will the Distemper did not spread, and Fire has made more ravages in that Country; since it has consumed
"two Cities in Saxony, one of which is Socheau in Lusatia and the other Scheibemberg, in the Circle of the Mine
"Mountains.

"All this does not hinder their diverting themselves greatly at Dresden, where the hereditary Prince of Moscovy,
"makes love to his future Spouse the Princess of Wolfembutel, whose Sister has espoused Charles the third, King of
"Spain, or the Archduke as we call him. There is no great likelyhood of the King of Sweden's troubling the feast;
"for he is still at Bender, making his Efforts to engage the Turk, whose protection he has implored, to revenge his
"Quarrel with Poland and Moscovy. I see no great likelyhood however of the fullfilling a Dream the Great Gustavus
"Adolphus had formerly, in which after seeing the Exploits of his Successors pass in review before him, He saw
"the present King of Sweden entring Rome in Triumph, turning out the Pope, and making himself Master of
"this Mistress of the World. Things must change greatly before this Prophsey comes to be accomplished: and
"the Czar of Moscovy thougth nothing of it at the time of the last Revolution in Poland; for being
"on Day at Table with King Augustus, and vixed to see a Courier he had dispatched to the King of Sweden,
"arrive without bringing an Answer, he turned towards his Polish Majesty and said: "In truth, In truth,
"(which is the greatest Oath among the Moscovites) I assure you he shall repent of it; he has put a King in
"your place, and I will put one in his, with this Difference, that the one he has now fixed in Poland will not
"continue there long, and the one I fix in Sweden shall always hold." Part of this Promise is already