Le breviaire des politiques.

Bookseller Notes

The 'Politiques' of the title rather undersells the scope of this collection of maxims and anecdotes, some selected from the best authorities, others extracted from the author's own experiences. In the latter category, for instance - 'Des medecins' - he reports his astonishment at the medical men in London wearing swords - as if they did not already have sufficient means of killing people. Otherwise the gamut of court intrigue and imbroglio is amply covered, including such items as 'De la tolerance - Rois! permettez la Tolrance', quoting Voltaire, 'les disputes Thologiques ont plus fait du mal, que le vin, l'epe, le jeu, les procureurs, les mdecins & les femmes.'Gallien de Salmorenc was a natural son of the duc de Richelieu. In 1766 he entered the employ of Voltaire, but infuriated that luminary by his inattention to his duties. He was later rescued from debt, more than once, by Richelieu. He made many moves around France and Switzerland, before embarking on a journalistic career in Moscow in 1781. This book has a 3-page dedicatory epistle to Voltaire, in verse, in which he curries favour with his erstwhile employer:'Car Londre a, pour le moins, cinq six cent My Lords:Et l'univers n'a qu'un Voltaire.'