Chapter Lotus-Eaters to Louvre of L by Brewer's Readers Handbook

Lotus-Eaters to Louvre

Lotus-Eaters or Lotophagi, a people who ate of the lotus tree, the effect of which was to make them forget their friends and homes, and to lose all desire of returning to their native land. The lotus-eater only cared to live in ease and idleness.—Homer: Odyssey, xi.

(Tennyson has a poem called The Lotos-Eaters, a set of islanders who live in a dreamy idleness, weary of life, and regardless of all its stirring events.)

Louis, duc d’Orléans.—Sir W. Scott: Quentin Durward (time, Edward IV.).

Louis de Bourbon, the princebishop of Liège [Le-aje].—Sir W. Scott: Quentin Durward (time, Edward IV.).

Louis IX. The sum of the figures which designate the birth-date of this king will give his titular number. Thus, he was born in 1215, the sum of which figures is 9. This is true of several other kings. The discovery might form an occasional diversion on a dull evening. (See Louis XVIII.)

Louis XI. of France is introduced by sir W. Scott in two novels, Quentin Durward and Anne of Geierstein (time, Edward IV.).

(In Quentin Durward he appears disguised as Maitre Pierre, a merchant.)

Louis XIII. of France, “infirm in health, in mind more feeble, and Richelieu’s plaything.”—Lord Lytton: Richelieu (1839).

Louis XIV. It is rather remarkable that the number 14 is obtained by adding together the figures of his age at death, the figures which make the date of his coronation, and the figures of the date of his death. For example—

Age 77, which added together = 14.
Crowned 1643, which added together = 14.
Died 1714, which added together = 14.

Louis XIV. and La Vallière. Louis XIV. fell in love with La Vallière, a young lady in the queen’s train. He overheard the ladies chatting. One said, “How handsome looks the duke de Guiche to-night!” Another said, “Well, to my taste, the graceful Grammont bears the bell from all.” A third remarked, “But, then, that charming Lauzun has so much wit.” But La Vallière said, “I scarcely marked them. When the king is by, who can have eyes, or ears, or thought for others?” and when the others chaffed her, she replied—

Who spoke of love?
The sunflower, gazing on the lord of heaven.
Asks but its sun to shine. Who spoke of love?
And who would wish the bright and lofty Louis
To stoop from glory?
   —Lord Lytton: The Duchess de Vallière, act i. 5 (1836).

Louis degraded this ethereal spirit into a “soiled dove,” and when she fled to a convent to quiet remorse, he fetched her out and took her to Versailles. Wholly unable to appreciate such love as that of La Vallière, he discarded her for Mme. de Montespan, and bade La Vallière marry some one. She obeyed the selfish monarch in word, by taking the veil of a Carmelite nun.—Lord Lytton: The Duchess de la Vallière (1836).

Louis XIV. and his Coach. It was lord Stair and not the duke of Chesterfield whom the Grand Monarque commended for his tact in entering the royal carriage before his majesty, when politely bidden by him so to do.

Louis XVIII., nicknamed De-sh-uî tres, because he was a great feeder, like all the Bourbons, and was especially fond of oysters. Of course, the pun is on dixhuit (18).

N.B.—As in the case of Louis IX. (q.v.), the sum of the figures which designate the birth-date of Louis XVIII. give his titular number. Thus, he was born 1755, which added together equal 18.