"An ill-natured curiosity," he
writes, "makes me scrutinize every feature in her face, with a
design either to meet there some shocking irregularity, or some
disgusting disagreeableness. But how unluckily do I succeed in
my design. Every feature about her has a particular beauty, that
does not in the least yield to that of her eyes, which, by the
consent of all the world, are the finest in the universe. One
thing there is that entirely confounds me: her teeth, her lips,
her mouth, and all the graces that attend it, are lost amongst
the great variety of beauties in her face and what is but
indifferent in her, will not suffer us to consider what is most
remarkable in others. The malice of my curiosity does not stop
here. I proceed to spy out some defect in her shape; and I find
I know not what graces of nature so happily and so liberally
scattered in her person, that the genteelness of others only
seems to be constraint and affectation."
The king--to whom the presence of a beautiful woman was as
sunshine to the earth--at once offered her his affections, the
gallants tendered their homage, the ladies of the court
volunteered the flattery embodied in imitation. And by way of
practically proving his admiration, his majesty graciously
allotted her a pension of four thousand pounds a year, with
apartments in St. James's Palace.
The sovereignty which the Duchess of Portsmouth had held for five
years over the monarch's heart was now in danger of downfall; and
probably would have ended, but for Madame Mazarine's
indiscretions.
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