Memoirs of Count Grammont, Volume 1

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Page 27 - What are you about now, sir?' said he. 'Are you going to tramp about the town? No, no; have we not had tramping enough ever since the morning ? Eat a bit of supper, and go to bed betimes, that you may get on horseback by daybreak.
Page 229 - He seemed a rough man, and to have more of the camp, but in truth knew the intrigues of a court better than most Spaniards ; and, except when his passion surprised him, wary and cunning in his negotiation.
Page 4 - J. ¿ pictures, have done greater honour to themselves than justice to their hero. It is, therefore, to the Count we must listen, in the agreeable relation of the sieges and battles wherein he distinguished himself under another hero ; and it is on him we must rely for the truth of passages the least glorious of his life, and for the sincerity with which he relates his address, vivacity, frauds, and the various stratagems he practised either in love or gaming. These express his true character, and...
Page 253 - Albans, had the queen greatly in awe of him, and, indeed, it was obvious that he had great interest with her concerns ; but that he was married to her, or had children by her, as some have reported, I did not then believe, though the thing was certainly so.
Page 46 - ... in order to fall asleep, while the Chevalier was stripping the poor Count of his money. They only staked three or four pistoles at first, just for amusement; but Cameran having lost three or four times, he staked high, and the game became serious. He still lost, and became outrageous; the cards flew about the room, and the exclamations awoke Matta. As his head was heavy with sleep, and hot with wine, he began to laugh at the passion of the Piedmontese, instead of consoling him. " Faith, my poor...
Page 35 - I would play him a single game for his four pistoles. He raised some objections, but consented at last, and won back his money. I was piqued at it. I played another game: fortune changed sides; the dice ran for him; he made no more blots. I lost the game; another game, and double or quit; we doubled the stake, and played double or quit again. I was vexed; he like a true gamester took every bet I offered, and won all before him, without my getting more than six points in eight or ten games. I asked...
Page 209 - London : his strength and agility charmed in public, .even to a wish to know what he was in private ; for he appeared, in his tumbling dress, to be quite of a different make, and to have limbs very different from the fortunate Jermyn. The tumbler did not deceive Lady Castlemaine's expectations, if report may be believed ; and, as was intimated in many a song, much more to the honour of the rope-dancer than of the Countess ; but she despised all these rumours, and only appeared still more handsome.
Page 247 - The Duke of Buckingham gave me once a short but severe character of the two brothers. It was the more severe, because it was true : the king, (he said,) could see things if he would : and the duke would see things if he could.
Page 260 - His are so bad, sure he ne'er thinks at all. The flesh he lives upon is rank and strong, His meat and mistresses are kept too long. But sure we all mistake this pious man, Who mortifies his person all he can: What we uncharitably take for sin, Are only rules of this odd capuchin; For...
Page 240 - With the restoration of the king, a spirit of extravagant joy spread over the nation, that brought on with it the throwing off the very professions of virtue and piety : all ended in entertainments and drunkenness, which over-ran the three kingdoms to such a degree, that it very much corrupted all their morals.

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