John Law Volume 1; The Projector [A Novel]. (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1864 Excerpt: ... IV. THE DUC DE NOAILLES AND THE MARECHAL DE VILLEROI. The Due de Noailles, who now entered, was a tall, portly personage, of martial air and deportment. He was clad in rich military array, and wore a peruke a la brigadiere--a wig ample in front, and turned up behind. The duke had figured in the late wars with Spain, and had obtained some unimportant victories, but he was but a mediocre general, lacking the coup d'oeil of genius, and the power of bold and rapid execution that mark the great commander. Yet in liberating Languedoc from the descent made upon it by the English in the winter of 1709, he displayed energy and promptitude. Speaking of him at the head of the army, Saint-Simon says, "that he harassed his troops by useless movements, by marches and counter-marches which none could understand, sometimes ordering the whole army to march and then suddenly to halt, driving the men to despair." In state affairs, he pursued the same course, would seize a project, follow it ardently for some days, and then lay it aside for another, which in its turn was abandoned. "He has always some new hobby," adds SaintSimon, "some fresh fancy, and has no consecutive ideas except for plots, cabals, and snares, and is ever digging mines under our feet." But though unstable, the Due de Noailles was fond of business, and possessed extraordinary powers of application. Easy and agreeable in manner, though not profound, he talked well on most subjects. He was greedy and ambitious, and had made the post of prime minister the price of his defection from the Due du Maine, but he accepted the presidency of the finances provisionally. The Regent disliked and distrusted him, but was obliged to yield to his demands. Dubois, however, resolved to thwart the aim of the insatiate duke, and...