Men would be fierce and savage,
were it not for the society of the other sex, as may be seen among the
Turks and Moors, who must not visit their own wives, when other men's
wives are with them. In France, the Lady's bed-chamber is always open,
and she receives visits in bed, or up, with perfect ease. A noble Lord,
late ambassador to this country, told me, that when he visited a young
and beautiful woman of fashion, (I think too it was a first visit after
marriage) she received him sitting up in her bed; and before he went,
her _fille de chambre_ brought his Lordship _Madame le Comtesse_'s shift
elegantly festooned, which his Lordship had the honour to put over the
Lady's head, as she sat in bed!--nor was there, by that favour, the
least indecency meant; it was a compliment intended; and, as such only,
received. Marks of favour of _that_ sort, are not marks of _further
favours_ from a French Lady.
In this vast city of amusements, among the _other arts_, I cannot help
pointing out to your particular notice, _Richlieu_'s monument in the
_Sorbonne_, as an inimitable piece of modern sculpture[G] by
_Girardeau_; and _Madame la Valliere's_ full-length portrait by _le
Brun_: She was, you know, mistress to _Lewis_ the XIVth, but retired to
the convent, in which the picture now is, and where she lived in
repentance and sorrow above thirty years.
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