Descendants of the Stuarts

OP THE STUARTS. 199
Be it our place to note those whose careers promi-
nently bore on the Duchesse d' Orleans, and with
whom more particularly she was accustomed to
associate.
Elizabeth's greatest friend at the court was the
Dauphiness Mary Anne, who was like herself a Ger-
man, and a native of Bavaria.'* This princess, who
had espoused the dauphin in the spring of 1680,
assimilated more closely to her in disposition than
any other member of the royal family. Like
Madame, she was fond of rational amusements, and
despised the frivolities commonly indulged in by the
court. Though she had omitted no opportunity of
raising herself to the station she occupied, yet she
displayed great independence of character when she
had attained it. Fancy the astonishment of the
courtiers when they inquired of her, "Would her
highness please to play?" at her replying point
blank, " No, I do not like games." " Perhaps, then,
her highness would choose to hunt?" "By no
means, she never took pleasure in that exercise."
* Sometimes styled the " Grand Dauphiness." As neither the son
or grandson of Louis ascended the throne of France, the former prince
■was known as " The Dauphin," and the latter as " The Duke of Bur-
gundy ;" but when on the death of the former previously to his son,
the latter in turn assumed the title of dauphin, French writers, to
prevent the mistakes that would necessarily have been engendered,
styled the first dauphin " The Grand Dauphin," and the second (so long
known as Duke of Burgundy,) as " The Dauphin." The title of dauphin
was first assumed by the heirs presumptive to the French throne on
the cession of the province of Viennois by the last of its princes, who
ceded it to the King of France in perpetuity, on condition that the
eldest son of the monarch should bear the title.