CHAPTER XVII.
Madame de Guimenee resigns the Office of Governess of the Royal Children.
-- Madame de Polignac succeeds her .-- Marie Antoinette's Views of Education .-- Character of Madame Royale .-- The Grand Duke Paul and his Grand Duchess visit the French Court .-- Their Characters .-- Entertainments given in their Honor .-- Insolence of the Cardinal de Rohan .-- His Character and previous Life .-- Grand Festivities at Chantilly .-- Events of the War .-- Rodney defeats de Grasse .-- The Siege of Gilbralter fails .-- M.

de Suffrein fights five Drawn Battles with Sir E.Hughes in the Indian Seas .-- The Queen receives him with great Honor on his Return.
The post of governess to the royal children was one which was conferred for life, and did not even cease on the accession of a new sovereign, and the birth of a new royal family.

Madame de Guimenee, therefore, having been appointed to that office on the birth of the first child of the late dauphin, the father of Louis XVI., still retained it, and on the birth of Madame Royale transferred her services to that princess.

The arrangement had been far from acceptable to Marie Antoinette, who had no great liking for the lady, though, with her habitual kindness of disposition, she had accepted her attentions, and had often condescended to appear as a guest at her evening parties, taking only the precaution of ascertaining beforehand whom she was likely to meet there.[1] But, in the spring of 1782, the Prince de Guimenee became involved in pecuniary difficulties that compelled him to retire from the court, and his princess to resign her appointment, which Marie Antoinette at once bestowed on Madame de Polignac.

Her attachment to that lady affords a striking exemplification of one feature in her character, a steady adherence to friendships once formed, which can never be otherwise than amiable, even when, as it may be thought was the case in this and one or two other instances, she carried it to excess; for she could hardly fail to be aware that Madame de Polignac was most unpopular with all classes, and that her unpopularity was not undeserved.