CHAEACTEE OF MONSEIGNEUK.

189

was always afraid of falling, and if the path was not perfectly
even and straight, he called -for assistance. He was a good
horseman, and looked well when mounted; but he was not a
bold rider. When hunting—they had persuaded him'that he
liked this amusement—a servant rode before him; if he lost
sight of this servant he gave himself up for lost, slacked his
pace to a gentle trot, and oftentimes waited under a tree for
the hunting party, and returned to it slowly. He was very
fond of the table, but always without indecency. Ever since
that great attack of indigestion, which was taken at first for
apoplexy, ho made but one real meal a day, and was content,—
although a great eater, like the rest of the royal family. Nearly
all his portraits well resemble him.

As for his character he had none; he was without enlighten-
ment or knowledge of any kind, radically incapable of acquiring
any; very idle, without imagination or productiveness; with-
out taste, without choice, without discernment; neither seeing
tho weariness ho caused others, nor that he was as a ball moving
at hap-hamrd by the impulsion of others; obstinate and little
to excess in everything; amazingly credulous and accessible to
prejudice, keeping himself, always, in the most pernicious hands,
yet incapable of seeing his position or of changing it j absorbed
in his fat and his ignorance; so that without any desire to do
ill he would have made a pernicious King.

His avariciousness, except in certain things, passed all belief.
He kept an account of his personal expenditure, and knew to a
ponny what his smallest and his largest expenses amounted to.
lie spent large sums in building, in furniture, in jewels, and in
hunting, which he made himself believe he was fond of.

It is inconceivable the little he gave to La Choin, whom, he
so much loved. It never exceeded four hundred louis a quarter
in gold, or sixteen hundred louis a year, whatever the louis
might be worth. He gave them to her with his own hand,
without adding or subtracting a pistole, and, at the most, made
her but one present a year, and that he looked at twice before
giving. It was said that they were married, and certain cir-
cumatanccs seemed to justify this rumour. As, for instance,