The Lady Marchioness D'o,
Lady of Honour to the Duchess of Burgundy.
Madam,
The great kindnesses I received from M. de Guilleragus, your
illustrious father, during my abode at Constantinople some years
ago, are too fresh in my mind for me to neglect any opportunity
of publishing what I owe to his memory. Were he still alive, for
the welfare of France, and my particular advantage, I would take
the liberty to dedicate this work to him, not only as my
benefactor, but as a person most capable of judging what is fine,
and inspiring others with the like sentiments. Every one
remembers the wonderful exactness of his judgment;--the meanest
of his thoughts had something in them that was shining, and his
lowest expressions were always exact and nice, which made every
one admire him; for never had any man so much wit and so much
solidity. I have seen him, at a time when he was so much taken up
with the affairs of his master, that nobody could expect any
thing from him but what related to his ministry, and his profound
capacity to manage the most knotty negotiations; yet all the
weight of his employment diminished nothing of his inimitable
pleasantness, which charmed his friends, and was agreeable even
to those barbarous nations with whom that great man did treat.
After the loss of him, which to me is irreparable, I could not
address myself to any other person than yourself, Madam, since
you alone can supply the want of him to me; therefore it is that
I take the boldness to beg of you the same protection for this
book that you was pleased to grant to the French translation of
the seven Arabian stories that I had the honour to present you.
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