“Sire，“repliedI，“thatonlyproveshowmuchdangeryouincurred
　　bykeepingsuchamaninyouremployment。“
　　“Why，yes，“answeredLouisXV；“itreallyseemasthough，hadhe
　　chosensomefinemorningtoproposemyabdicatingthethronein
　　favourofthedauphin，hewouldonlyhaveneededtoutterthe
　　suggestiontohaveitcarriedintoexecution。
　　Fortunatelyforme，
　　mygrandsonisbynomeanspartialtohim，andwillmostcertainly
　　neverrecallhimaftermydeath。
　　Thedauphinpossessesallthe
　　obstinacyofpersonsofconfinedunderstanding:hehasbutslender
　　judgment，andwillseewithnoeyebuthisown。“
　　LouisXVauguredillofhissuccessor’sreign，andimaginedthat
　　thecabinetofViennawoulddirectthatofVersaillesatpleasure。
　　Hislatemajestywasmistaken；LouisXVIisendowedwithmany
　　rarevirtues，buttheyareunfortunatelycloudedoverbyhis
　　timidityandwantofself-confidence。
　　Theopenandundisguisedcensurepassedbythewholecourtupon
　　theconductofLouisXVwasnottheonlythingwhichannoyedhis
　　majesty，whoperpetuallytormentedhimselfwithconjecturesof
　　whattherestofEuropewouldsayandthinkofhislatedeterminations。
　　“Iwillengage，“saidhe，“thatIamfinelypulledtopiecesat
　　Potsdam。
　　MydearbrotherFrederickisaboutassweet-temperedas
　　abear，andImustnotdismissaministerwhoisdispleasingto
　　mewithouthispassingahundredcommentsandsarcasticremarks。
　　Still，asheisabsoluteastheMedesandPersians，surelyhecan
　　Havenoobjectiontouspoormonarchsimitatinghim；andallowme
　　thesameprivilegeinmine。
　　Afterall，whyshouldIneedhisor
　　anyotherperson’sopinion；letthewholeworldapplaudorcondemn，
　　Ishallstillactaccordingtomyownbestjudgment。“
　　OnmysideIwasfarfromfeelingquitesatisfiedwiththe
　　accountsIcontinuedtoreceivefromChanteloup；aboveallI
　　felt
　　irritatedattheparadeofattachmentmadebytheprince
　　deBeauvau
　　fortheexiles，andIcomplainedbitterlyofitto
　　themarechaledeMirepoix。
　　“WhatcanIdotohelpit，“saidshe；“mysister-in-lawisa
　　simpleton；who，afterhavingruinedherbrother，willcertainly
　　causethedownfallofherhusband。
　　Ibeseechyou，mydear，out
　　ofregardforme，toputupwiththeunthinkingconductofthe
　　princedeBeauvauforalittlewhile；hewillsoonseehiserror
　　andamendit。“
　　Hedidindeedreturntoourparty，buthis
　　obediencewaspurchasedataheavyprice。
　　SomedaysafterthedisgraceoftheducdeChoiseul，Ireceived
　　aletterfromM。deVoltaire。
　　Thiswriter，whocarpedatand
　　attackedallsubjects，whethersacredorprofane，andfromwhose
　　satiresneithergreatnorsmallwereexempt，hadcontinualneed
　　ofsomepowerfulfriendatcourt。
　　Whenhisprotector，M。de
　　Choiseul，wasdismissed，hesawclearlyenoughthattheonly
　　persononwhomhecouldhenceforwarddependtoaidandsupport
　　him，wasshewhohadbeenchieflyinstrumentalinremovinghis
　　firstpatron。
　　Withtheseideasheaddressedtomethefollowing
　　letterofcondolenceor，tospeakmorecorrectly，ofcongratulation。
　　Itwasasfollows:——
　　“MADAMELACOMTESSE，——Fame，withherhundred
　　tongues，hasannouncedto，meinmyretreatthefall
　　ofM。deChoiseulandyourtriumph。
　　Thispieceof
　　newshasnotoccasionedmemuchsurprise，Ialways
　　believedinthepotencyofbeautytocarryallbefore
　　it；but，shallIconfessit？
　　Iscarcelyknowwhether
　　Ioughttocongratulatemyselfonthesuccess
　　youhaveobtainedoveryourenemies。
　　M，de
　　Choiseulwasoneofmykindestfriends，andhis
　　all-powerfulprotectionsufficedtosustainme
　　againstthemaliceofmynumerousenemies。
　　Mayahumblecreaturelikemeflatterhimself
　　withthehopeoffindinginyouthesamegenerous
　　support？
　　forwhenthegodMarsisnolonger
　　tobefound，whatcanbemorenaturalthanto
　　seektheaidofPallas，thegoddessofthelinearts？
　　Willsherefusetoprotectwithheraegisthe
　　mosthumbleofheradorers？
　　“Permitme，madam，toavailmyselfofthis
　　opportunitytolayatyourfeettheassurance
　　ofmymostrespectfuldevotion。
　　Idarenot
　　giveutterancetoallmyprayersinyourbehalf，
　　becauseIamopentoachargeofinfidelity
　　fromsome，yetnoneshalleverdetectme
　　unfaithfulinmypresentprofessions；atmy
　　age，’tistimeourchoicewasmade，andour
　　affectionsfixed。
　　Beassured，lovelycountess，
　　thatIshalleverremainyourattachedfriend；
　　andthatnodaywillpasswithoutmyteaching
　　theechoesoftheAlpstorepeatyour
　　much-esteemedname。
　　“Ihavethehonourtoremain，malady，yours，etc。，etc。“
　　Youmaybequitesure，myfriend，thatIdidnotallowsosingular
　　anepistletoremainlongunanswered。
　　Irepliedtoitinthe
　　followingwords:——
　　“SIR，——Theperusalofyouragreeablelettermademe
　　almostgrieveforthedisgraceoftheducde
　　Choiseul。
　　Beassured，thattohisownconduct，
　　andthatofhisfamily，maybealoneattributed
　　themisfortuneyoudeplore。
　　“Theregretsyousofeelinglyexpressforthe
　　calamitywhichhasbefallenyourlateprotector
　　dohonourtoyourgenerousheart；but
　　recollectthatyouroldfriendswerenotthe
　　onlypersonswhocould
　　appreciateandvalueyourfinetalents；to
　　beesteemedworthythehonourableappellation
　　ofyourpatronisaglorywhichtheproudest
　　mightenvy；and，althoughIcannotboastof
　　beingaMinerva，who，afterall，waspossibly
　　nowiserthantherestofus，Ishallalways
　　feelproudandhappytoserveyouwithmy
　　utmostcreditandinfluence。
　　“Ireturnyoumybestthanksforthewishes
　　youexpress，andtheattachmentyousokindly
　　profess。
　　Youhonourmetoomuchbyrepeating
　　mynameamidstthebosomoftheAlps！
　　beassured，
　　thatIshallnotbebehindhandinmakingthesaloons
　　ofParisandVersaillesresoundwithyours。
　　HadI
　　leisurefortheundertaking，Iwouldgoand
　　teachittotheonlymountainworthyofre-echoing
　　it——atthefootofParnassus。
　　“Iam，sir，yours，etc。，etc。“
　　Youperceive，myfriend，thatIintendedthisreplyshouldbe
　　couchedinthewittieststyleimaginable，yet，uponreadingit
　　overatthislapseoftime，itappearstomethesilliestthing
　　everpenned；nevertheless，IflatteredmyselfIhadcaughtthe
　　toneandmannerinwhichM。deVoltairehadaddressedme:he
　　perceivedmyintention，andwasdelightedwiththeflattering
　　deferenceitexpressed。
　　Youknowthevanityofmenofletters；
　　andM。deVoltaire，asthefirstwriteroftheage，possessed，
　　inproportion，thelargestportionofconceit。
　　AfewwordsrespectingJeanJacquesRousseau——ThecomtesseduBarry
　　isdesirousofhisacquaintance——ThecountessvisitsJeanJacques
　　Rousseau——Hishouseholdfurniture——Hisportrait——Therese——second
　　visitfrommadameduBarrytoJeanJacquesRousseau——Thecountess
　　relateshervisittotheking——BilletfromJ。
　　J。
　　Rousseautomadame
　　duBarry——Thetwoduchessesd’Aiguillon
　　SpiteofthelittleestimationinwhichIheldmenofletters，
　　generallyspeaking，youmustnottakeitforgrantedthatI
　　entertainedanequalindifferenceforallthesegentlemen。
　　I
　　havealready，Ifear，tiredyourpatiencewhendwellinguponmy
　　ardentadmirationofM。deVoltaire；Ihavenowtospeaktoyou
　　ofthatwithwhichhisillustriousrival，JeanJacquesRousseau，
　　inspiredme——themanwho，afteralifesofilledwithconstant
　　troubleandmisfortunes，diedafewyearssinceinsodeplorable
　　amanner。
　　AttheperiodofwhichIamnowspeakingthisman，
　　whohadfilledEuropewithhisfame，waslivingatParis，ina
　　stateborderinguponindigence。
　　Imustheremention，thatitwas
　　owingtomysolicitationthathehadbeenpermittedtoreturn
　　fromhisexile，Ihavingsuccessfullyintercededforhimwith
　　thechancellorandtheattorney-general。
　　M。Seguiermadeno
　　difficultytomyrequest，becausehelookeduponJeanJacques
　　Rousseauasthegreatestenemytoasetofmenwhomhemortally
　　hated——thephilosophers。
　　NeitherdidM。deMaupeou，fromthe
　　momentheeffectedtheoverthrowoftheparliament，seeany
　　objectiontobestowinghisprotectionuponamanwhomthe
　　parliamentshadexiled。
　　Inthismanner，therefore，withouthis
　　beingawareofit，Rousseauowedtomethepermissionto
　　re-enterParis。
　　Spiteofthemortifyingtermsinwhichthis
　　celebratedwriterhadspokenoftheking’smistresses，Ihada
　　livelycuriositytoknowhim；allthathisenemiesrepeatedof
　　hisuncouthness，andevenofhismaliciousnature，farfrom
　　weakeningthepowerfulinterestwithwhichheinspiredme，rather
　　augmentedit，bystrengtheningtheideaIhadpreviouslyformed
　　ofhishavingbeengreatlycalumniated。
　　Thegenerousvengeance
　　whichhehadrecentlytakenfortheinjurieshehadreceived
　　fromVoltaireparticularlycharmedme。*
　　IthoughtonlyhowI
　　couldeffectmydesignofseeinghimbyonemeansoranother，
　　andinthisresolutionIwasconfirmedbyanaccidentwhichbefell
　　meoneday。
　　*JeanJacquesRousseauinhisjourneythrough
　　LyonsinJune1770subscribedforthestatue
　　ofVoltaire——author
　　ItwasthecommencementofApril，1771，Iwasreadingforthe
　　fourthtime，the“，“andforthetenth，or，
　　probably，twelfth，theaccountofthepartyonthelake，when
　　themarechaledeMirepoixenteredtheroom。
　　Ilaidmyopen