| Citation |
SCAGG.780.023
23 Dec 1780:21 (23/1125)
London, August 16. the following is an extract of a letter
from Paris: When the Grand Monique was informed of the
capture of the sixteen West Indiamen by Admiral Gearyy's
fleet, his Majesty was immediately seized with horrid
paroxysms, indicating the most violent symptoms of that
species of madness which attends persons in the [East] when
bit by a tarantula. Dr. Sartine, the chief physician in
politicks, sent directly for the band of state fiddlers, who
having, as on such occasions is usual, played over several
delectable tunes to humour his Majesty's disorder; and
having at last fiddled him into his senses, some of them
unfortunately or maliciously struck up Britons Strike Home.
Upon this his Majesty instantly relapsed. Doctor Sartine
caught the disorder, and in a moment, with epidemick
swiftness, the whole Court by its baneful influence were in
a state of lunacy. Her Majesty the Queen leaped out of bed,
naked as Venus de Medicia; the Dauphine appeared as bare as
Apollo of Delphi; and Count D'Estaing [?] hopped in among
them like Vulcan upon crutches. The maids of honor forgot
their modesty, the Lords in waiting forgot their breeches.
A general tumult ensued. The Swiss body guards with their
whiskers, the Exemits [?] with their partizane, the menial
domesticks with their instruments in their hands, and the
Lords of the Council with their secretaries mingled together
in the great anti-chamber, rag\tag and bobtail, where they
danced and capered to and fro, belly to belly, back to back,
right and left, hands across, &c. At the time this dispatch
came away, the Doctors of the Sorbonne were disputing on the
nature of the distemper, the Doctors of Divinity were
preparing to exorcise the spirit of madness which
possessed the Court, the Doctors of Law were taking down
notes of the case, the Doctors of Physick were preparing
clysters and emeticks to drive the disorder up and down, and
the undertakers of the Kingdom were [snuffing] for the
funerals of such as might become defunct."
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