POMPADOUR, Jeanne Antoinette Poissonle Normant d’Étioles, Marquise de (1721-1764), the most famous of all the mistresses of Louis XV., was born in Paris on 29th December 1721, and was baptized as the legitimate daughter of François Poisson, an officer in the household of the duke of Orleans, and his wife Madeleine de la Motte, in the church of St Eustache, but she was suspected, as well as her brother, afterwards marquis of Marigny, to be the child of a very wealthy financier, and farmer-general of the revenues, Le Normant de Tourne-hem. He at any rate took upon himself the charge of her education; and, as from the beauty and wit she showe I from childhood she seemed to be born for some uncommon· destiny, he declared her “un morceau de roi,” and specially educated her to be a king’s mistress. This idea was confirmed in her childish mind by the prophecy of an old woman, whom in after days she pensioned for the correctness, of her prediction. In 1741 she was married to a nephew of her protector and guardian, Le Normant d’Étioles, who was passionately in love with her, and soon became a queen of fashion. Y’et the world of the financiers at Paris was far apart from the court world, where she wished to reign; she could get no introduction at court, and could only try to catch the king’s eye when he went out hunting. But Louis XV. was then under the influence of Madame de· Mailly, who carefully prevented any further intimacy with “la petite L·tioles,” and it was not until after her death that the king met the fair qιieen of the financial world of Paris at a ball given by the city to the dauphin in 1744, and he was immediately subjugated. She at once gave up· her husband, and in 1745 was established at Versailles as. “maîtresse en titre.” Louis ...