It was Colbert who improved his finances, and enabled him
to pay his army. It was Louvois that provided all the necessaries
of war. It was a Conde, a Turenne, a Luxemburg, a Vendome, who
fought his battles; and his first conquests, for which he was
deified by the pen of adulation, were obtained almost without
bloodshed, over weak, dispirited, divided, and defenceless
nations. It was Colbert that improved the marine, instituted
manufactures, encouraged commerce, undertook works of public
utility, and patronized the arts and sciences. But Louis (you
will say) had the merit of choosing and supporting those
ministers, and those generals. I answer, no. He found Colbert and
Louvois already chosen: he found Conde and Turenne in the very
zenith of military reputation. Luxemburg was Conde's pupil; and
Vendome, a prince of the blood, who at first obtained the command
of armies in consequence of his high birth, and happened to turn
out a man of genius. The same Louis had the sagacity to revoke
the edict of Nantz; to entrust his armies to a Tallard, a
Villeroy, and a Marsin. He had the humanity to ravage the
country, burn the towns, and massacre the people of the
Palatinate. He had the patriotism to impoverish and depopulate
his own kingdom, in order to prosecute schemes of the most
lawless ambition. He had the Consolation to beg a peace from
those he had provoked to war by the most outrageous insolence;
and he had the glory to espouse Mrs. Maintenon in her old age,
the widow of the buffoon Scarron.
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