Venussprangfromthefoamoftheoceanwave。
　　Allthegodspaytheirhomageatherbeauteousshrine，
　　Andadoreheraspotent，resistless，divine！
　　ToherParis，theshepherd，awardedtheprize，
　　SoughtbyJunotheregal，andPallasthewise。
　　Whoruleso’erherlordintheTurkish，
　　Reignsqueenofhisheart，ande’erbasksinhissmile？
　　’Tisshe，whoresplendent，shinesloveliestofall，
　　Andbeautyholdspowerinhermagicthrall。
　　ThenheednottheclamorsthatGrammontmayraise，
　　Hownaturalheranger！
　　howvainherdispraise！
　　’Tisnotameremortalourmonarchcancharm，
　　Freefromprideisthebeautythatbearsoffthepalm。
　　ThissongwastobefoundinalmosteverypartofFrance。
　　Altho’
　　thelastcoupletwasgenerallysuppressed，soevidentwasits
　　partialtonetowardsme，inthemidstofitallIcouldnothelp
　　beinghighlyamusedwiththesimplicityevincedbythegood
　　peopleofFrance，who，incensuringtheking’sconduct，found
　　nothingreprehensiblebuthishavingomittedtoselecthismistress
　　fromelevatedrank。
　　Thecitizensresentedthisfallingoffinroyaltywithasmuch
　　warmthandindignationasthegrandeesofthecourt；andIcould
　　enjoyalaughonthesubjectoftheirangrydispleasureassoon
　　asmypresentationwasdecidedupon。
　　Theintriguescarriedonbythoseabouttheprincesses，andthe
　　necessityofawaitingtheperfectrecoveryofmadamedeBearn，
　　delayedthistomeimportantdaytilltheendofthemonthof
　　April，1770。
　　Ontheeveningofthe21sttheking，accordingto
　　custom，announcedapresentationforthefollowingday；buthe
　　durstnotexplainhimselfmorefrankly；hehesitated，appeared
　　embarrassed，andonlypronouncedmynameinalowanduncertain
　　voice；itseemedastho’hefearedhisownauthoritywasinsufficient
　　tosupporthiminsuchameasure。
　　ThisIdidnotlearntillsome
　　timeafterwards；andwhenIdidhearit，Itookthelibertyof
　　speakingmyopinionuponitfreelytohismajesty。
　　Onthenextday，the22d，Iwassolelyengrossedwithmydress:
　　itwasthemostimportanteraofmylife，andIwouldnothave
　　appearedonittoanydisadvantage。
　　Afewdayspreviously，the
　　kinghadsentme，bythecrownjeweller，Boemer，asetofdiamonds，
　　valuedat150，000livres，ofwhichhebeggedmyacceptance。
　　DelightedwithsomunificentapresentIsetaboutthedutiesof
　　thetoilettewithazealanddesireofpleasingwhichtheimportance
　　oftheoccasionwellexcused。
　　Iwillspareyouthedescriptionof
　　mydress；wereIwritingtoawomanIwouldgointoallthese
　　details；butasIknowtheywouldnotbetoyourtaste，Iwill
　　passalltheseuninterestingparticularsoverinsilence，and
　　proceedtomoreimportantmatter。
　　ParisandVersailleswerefilledwithvariousreports。
　　Thro’out
　　thecity，within，withoutthecastle，allmannerofquestions
　　wereasked，astho’themonarchyitselfwasindanger。
　　Couriers
　　weredispatchedeveryinstantwithfreshtidingsofthegreat
　　eventwhichwasgoingon。
　　Astrangerwhohadobservedthegeneral
　　agitationwouldeasilyhaveremarkedthecontrastbetweentherage
　　andconsternationofmyenemiesandthejoyofmypartizans，who
　　crowdedinnumberstothedifferentavenuesofthepalace，in
　　ordertofeasttheireyesuponthepageantryofmytriumphal
　　visittocourt。
　　NothingcouldsurpasstheimpatiencewithwhichIwasexpected；
　　hundredswerecountingtheminutes，whilstI，underthecareof
　　myhairdresserandrobemaker，wasinsensibletotherapidflight
　　oftime，whichhadalreadycarriedusbeyondthehourappointed
　　formyappearance。
　　Thekinghimselfwasapreytoanunusual
　　uneasiness；thedayappearedtohiminterminable；andtheeagerness
　　withwhichheawaitedmemademydelaystillmoreapparent。
　　A
　　thousandconjectureswereafloatastothecauseofit。
　　Some
　　assertedthatmypresentationhadbeendeferredforthepresent，
　　and，inallprobability，wouldnevertakeplace；thattheprincesses
　　hadopposeditinthemostdecidedmanner，andhadrefusedupon
　　anypretensewhatevertoadmitmetotheirpresence。
　　Allthese
　　suppositionscharmedmyenemies，andfilledthemwithhopes
　　whichtheirleaders，betterinformed，didnotpartake。
　　Meanwhiletheking’srestlessnessincreased；hekeptcontinually
　　approachingthewindowtoobservewhatwasgoingoninthe
　　court-yardofthecastle，andseeingtherenosymptomsofmy
　　equipagebeinginattendance，begantolosebothtemperand
　　patience。
　　Ithasbeenasserted，thathegaveorderstohavethe
　　presentationputofftillafutureperiod，andthattheducde
　　Richelieuprocuredmybyforce；thisispartlytrueand
　　partlyfalse。
　　Whilstinignoranceoftherealcauseofmybeing
　　solate，thekingsaidtothefirstgentlemanofthechamber，
　　“Youwillseethatthispoorcountesshasmetwithsomeaccident，
　　orelsethatherjoyhasbeentoomuchforher，andmadehertoo
　　illtoattendourcourtto-day；ifthatbethecase，itismypleasure
　　thatherpresentationshouldnotbedelayedbeyondto-morrow。“
　　“Sire，“repliedtheduke，“yourmajesty’scommandsareabsolute。“
　　Thesewords，buthalfunderstood，wereeagerlycaughtup，and
　　interpretedtheirownwaybythosewhowereeagertoseizeanything
　　thatmighttelltomyprejudice。
　　AtlengthIappeared；andneverhadIbeenmoresuccessfulin
　　appearance。
　　Iwasconductedbymygodmother，who，deckedlike
　　analtar，wasalljoyandsatisfactiontoseeherselfasharerin
　　suchpompandsplendor。
　　Theprincessesreceivedmemostcourteously；
　　theaffability，eitherrealorfeigned，whichshoneintheireyes
　　astheyregardedme，andtheflatteringwordswithwhichthey
　　welcomedmyarrival，wasamortalblowtomanyofthespectators，
　　especiallytotheladiesofhonor。
　　Theprincesseswouldnotsuffer
　　metobendmykneebeforethem，butatthefirstmovementI
　　madetoperformthisactofhomage，theyhastenedtoraiseme，
　　speakingtomeatthesametimeinthemostgraciousmanner。
　　Butmygreatesttriumphwaswiththeking。
　　Iappearedbeforehim
　　inallmyglory，andhiseyesdeclaredinamannernottobe
　　misunderstoodbyallaroundhimtheimpetuouslovewhichhefelt
　　forme。
　　Hehadthreatenedthepreviouseveningtoletmefall
　　athisfeetwithouttheleasteffortonhisparttopreventit。
　　ItoldhimthatIwassurehisgallantrywouldnotallowhimto
　　actinthismanner；andwehadlaidabetonthematter。
　　Assoon
　　asIapproachedhim，andhetookmyhandtopreventme，asI
　　begantostoopbeforehim，“Youhavelost，sire，“saidItohim。
　　“Howisitpossibletopreservemydignityinthepresenceofso
　　manygraces？“
　　washisreply。
　　Thesegraciouswordsofhismajestywereheardbyallaround
　　him。
　　Myenemieswerewofullychagrined；butwhatperfectedtheir
　　annihilationwasthepalpableliewhichmyappearancegaveto
　　theirfalseassertions。
　　Theyhadblazonedfortheverywherethat
　　mymannerswerethoseofahousemaid；thatIwasabsurdand
　　unladylikeinmyconduct；andthatitwasonlyrequisitetohave
　　aglimpseofmetorecognizeboththebasenessofmyextraction，
　　andtheclassofsocietyinwhichmylifehadbeenhithertospent。
　　ButIshowedmannerssoeasyandsoelegantthatthepeoplesoon
　　shookofftheirpreconceivedprejudiceagainstme。
　　Iheardmy
　　demeanorlaudedasgreatlyasmycharmsandthesplendorofmy
　　attire。
　　Nothingcouldbemoreagreeabletome。
　　Inaword，I
　　obtainedcompletesuccess，andthenceforwardlearntexperimentally
　　howmuchtheexteriorandanoblecarriageaddtotheconsideration
　　inwhichapersonisheld。
　　Ihaveseenindividualsofhighrank
　　andproudbehaviorwhocarriednoinfluenceintheirlooks，
　　becausetheirfeatureswereplainandcommonplace；whilstpersons
　　oflowstation，whosefacewasgiftedwithnaturaldignity，had
　　onlytoshowthemselvestoattracttherespectofthemultitude。
　　NothingaboutmebespokethatIwassprungfromavulgarstock，
　　andthusscandalofthatkindceasedfromthedayofmypresentation；
　　andpublicopinionhavingdonemejusticeinthisparticular，slander
　　wascompelledtoseekforfoodelsewhere。
　　ThateveningIhadalargecircleatmyhouse。
　　Thechancellor，
　　thebishopofOrleans，M。deSaint-Florentin，M。Bertin，the
　　princedeSoubise，theducsdeRichelieu，delaTrimouille，de
　　Duras，d’Aiguillon，andd’Ayen。
　　Thislastdidnothesitateto
　　cometospyoutallthatpassedinmyapartments，thathemight
　　goandspreaditabroad，augmentedbyathousandmalicious
　　commentaries。
　　IhadalsoM。deSartines，mybrother-in-law，
　　etc。
　　TheducdelaVauguyonalonewasabsent。
　　Iknewbeforehand
　　thathewouldnotcome，andthatitwasasacrificewhichhethought
　　himselfcompelledtomaketothecabal。
　　Theladiesweremesdames
　　deBearnandd’Aloigny，withmysisters-in-law。
　　Amongstthe
　　ladiespresentedtheyweretheonlyoneswithwhomIhadformed
　　anyintimacy；asfortherestIwasalwaysthe“horriblecreature，“
　　ofwhomtheywouldnothearonanyaccount。
　　Theking，onentering，embracedmebeforethewholeparty。
　　“You
　　areacharmingcreature，“saidhetome，“andthebrilliancyof
　　yourbeautyhasto-dayremindedmeofthedeviceofmy
　　gloriousancestor。“
　　Thiswasaflatteringcommencement；therestofthecompany
　　chimedinwiththeirmaster，andeachtriedtotakethefirst
　　partinthechorus。
　　Theducd’Ayeneventalkedofmygraceof
　　manner。