DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70301#0017
MEMOIRS OF THE CHEVALIER d’EON. 5
*
Chevalier, with a view of exculpating himself, or from a mo-
tive of revenge, or perhaps both, published a succinct account
of all the negociations in which he had been engaged, intitled,
V Lettres, Memoires, et Negociations particulieres de Cheva-
lier D’ Eon,” exposed some secrets of the French court, and
rather than spare his enemies, revealed some things greatly to
the prejudice of his best friends. Among other persons very
freely treated in this publication, was the Count de Guerchy;
and it was this treatment that drew on him a prosecution in
the Court of King’s Bench in July 1764, for a libel on his
Excellency of which he was found guilty. It was but natural
that this behaviour should draw on D’Eon the resentment of
the court of France; or, at least, that he should apprehend
it. Whether or not, therefore, that court solicited his being
given up, which is very probable, reports were spread, not
only that it had done so, but even had, on being refused, sent
over persons to kidnap the Chevalier, and carry him off by
force or fraud, since it could not come at him by fair means.
If the Chevalier himself was not the author of these reports,
he at least credited them so far, that he wrote four letters to
complain of these designs against him, as known to him by
undoubted authority: one to Lord Chief Justice Mansfield,
another to the Earl of Bute, a third to Earl Temple, and a
fourth to Mr. Pitt. The former he addressed as the supreme
interpreter of the laws of the kingdom, in whose equitable
hand justice beheld with pleasure the scale of impartiality
poised; the second he characterized for his attachment to
liberty and his love of justice; the third for the well-known
generosity of his disposition ; and the latter, as the glory andk
ornament of his country, the idea of whose excellency was
inseparably connected with that of liberty. “ I am,” says he,
*■ assured from undoubted authority, that my enemies have
resolved to carry me off by force or stratagem. London, at
this instant, swarms with officers and spies from the police of
Faris, with a captaii^at their head; they keep a boat between
*
Chevalier, with a view of exculpating himself, or from a mo-
tive of revenge, or perhaps both, published a succinct account
of all the negociations in which he had been engaged, intitled,
V Lettres, Memoires, et Negociations particulieres de Cheva-
lier D’ Eon,” exposed some secrets of the French court, and
rather than spare his enemies, revealed some things greatly to
the prejudice of his best friends. Among other persons very
freely treated in this publication, was the Count de Guerchy;
and it was this treatment that drew on him a prosecution in
the Court of King’s Bench in July 1764, for a libel on his
Excellency of which he was found guilty. It was but natural
that this behaviour should draw on D’Eon the resentment of
the court of France; or, at least, that he should apprehend
it. Whether or not, therefore, that court solicited his being
given up, which is very probable, reports were spread, not
only that it had done so, but even had, on being refused, sent
over persons to kidnap the Chevalier, and carry him off by
force or fraud, since it could not come at him by fair means.
If the Chevalier himself was not the author of these reports,
he at least credited them so far, that he wrote four letters to
complain of these designs against him, as known to him by
undoubted authority: one to Lord Chief Justice Mansfield,
another to the Earl of Bute, a third to Earl Temple, and a
fourth to Mr. Pitt. The former he addressed as the supreme
interpreter of the laws of the kingdom, in whose equitable
hand justice beheld with pleasure the scale of impartiality
poised; the second he characterized for his attachment to
liberty and his love of justice; the third for the well-known
generosity of his disposition ; and the latter, as the glory andk
ornament of his country, the idea of whose excellency was
inseparably connected with that of liberty. “ I am,” says he,
*■ assured from undoubted authority, that my enemies have
resolved to carry me off by force or stratagem. London, at
this instant, swarms with officers and spies from the police of
Faris, with a captaii^at their head; they keep a boat between