The sun., 1893-11-05


cumstances compelled society 10 be its own
organ OF criticism. The result was that dis
cussons, through long practice were carried
on with roiteness and courtly ease now un-
known in France owing 10 the political
changes which have since occurred. In ma
ton automatically governed. PARTY spirit never
could run high: the revolution, by rouBing the
passions of the masses substituted more
energetic but less elegant modc ol expressing
them. Mile. dc Lespinasse encouraged tho
habit Of discussing tho questions Of the day:
it imrarted to tho men who assembled in her
house social rower hy which thoy atterward
attained TO political emncnce.
VII.
Tho third bureau d'esprit which calls for
particular notice. was that OF Nine GeofIrin
She was a quiet. middlc-aged bourgcoise un-
assuming alike in dress and manner and had
been one Of the few women whom Nine. do
Tencin admitted to her reunions toward the
close OF hcr lifo She comes here to see what
she can inherit from me-" Mme. do Tencin
often observed with n smile. II was in truth.
Nine. Gcofrrn's object to become personally
acIuainte cd with the eminent men who met Mt
the house Of tho eX-nun in order. whenever tho
latter's demise should occur. to gather them
around herself. On he death OF Nine de Ten
cin the hourgeoiso Effected the long cherished
project OF succeeding to her power. She
greatly enlarged tho circle OF her predeces-
sor. and may lie suid to have founded n new
society. which rivalled that OF Nine. du
Detrand. between whom and hcr, accordingly.
there srrang up a feeling OF enmity.
Notwithstanding the deficiencies OF her educa-
tion. Nine Geofrrin was we'll fitted for her self
appointed task; her excellent sense. benevo-
lence. and deep knowledge Of the world
aia mi to6 kar I,nir iroI ly t, io,1 nd M
the vain and irritable sect she had undertaken
20 patronize. Her tact and kindness soon
rendered her house one of the rendezvous OF
the Parisian world. Her power in time even
became so high that all the German courts
that had any pretenslons to philosophy paid
correspondents to inform them OF tho subjects
discussed by her circle. One OF tho first acts
OF Catharine H.. for example. on ascending
tho imperial throne Of Russia was to send n
saaried commissioner to the court Of Nine.
Geoffrin. who by her consummate address had
succeeded in making it the European school OF
bon ton. Though she was not versed either in
literature or In art Mme. Geofrrin drew around
her authors and artists. and. by listening at
tentively and never speaking on what she did
not understand succeeded in presiding with
remarkable grace and Judgment over their
meetings. She was not. however. a mere
silent listener she had learned. in the inter-
course With persons OF Dlgn rank Wn Nfn Sne
adrotly. induced to visit her. the peculiar
phraseology. eXluisitely polished even In its
incorrectness. known rs tho sty 70 de grand
sc!gEeur. NO one SURPASSED her in tho art OF
story toll inG: her language was clear. concise.
and displayed the mingled sense and shrewd-
moss Of her mind. Ter wit was like every
thing about her quiet and unpretending: it
never scared above certain plane: she often
even comm onplace form A person was once
spenkins In her presence Of the Abh6 Trublet.
n good laal Df Ipptp nall nd nj hpr IA fn1
%nd @ eisvernsSs Ah SAID ams SeHi $eolrrin; o tf'
oyer with wit. II, was not often. however. that
Nine. Geotrrn ndulged in witticisms. She was.
temper. which she took great pains to suhdue.
was by nature somewhat brusque and impa-
tent; but her Judgment was s'IeT and as she
ccved in her opinion OF the characters ofthose
around her Bpt. while exnerience Of the
foibles. her Kindness of heart made her deal
gently with the errors she detected. To give
and forgive was her maxim. and so far did sho
extend forbearanee, even with regard to triv-
ial matters. that she held 1t duty to listen as
to the bril- liant and amusing discourse r 60 Of :" a
i YOU lei fool a ono he will talk about him:
self; and. let him be ever SO foolish. this Is
subject on which he, can scarcely fail to be-
come instructive and elouuont."
Geonrin was composed partly OF the disciples
q tol,aire and lartly OF those Of Rousseau.
Dul. tHOupu sue tOleTaItu tnb IIlenuS OF me
Gcnevese she had very i'll opinion Of his
character. nor was the violent nd declamatory
tone of his writings likely to please her sober
one, 10 artists and tho other to men men
Of letters. i Alemocrt and Mile. de Les.
tho.e dinners. Marlvnux. who saw a iinesse
IN all that was said or done. and who tortured
his subtle mind in order to give an ingenious
turn to everything he uttered. was also there.
has Ihe cold ,IoI and resorted Thomas whose fame
DInypi for the woman az his time ia dpc In a,Dn-
tory liaynaI; Marian. the learned antagonist
Of Nine du Chateiet: tho latter's lover. Saint
Of Nine. Geoir!n; Besides the distinction
ierred on her. the gentle Nine Geoirrin had had
her Der shnre OF worldly honors; ,slanIslaus
no6s sTeat Me Soris SsS Of S hers and al
ways called her by the cndearing name OF
Gn m9heT Mm once eoT Then he Mas for
his creditors and released him. After he had
been raisad to the throne OF Poland, one Of
your SON is King" In the same letter he
invited her 70 come and visit him in Warsaw
complied with his request. Her journey
through n; Germany was triumph: she was re-
press: Maria Theresa and on her arrival In the
Kings palace at Warsaw she was touched to
find herself introduced into an apartment alb
solutely similar to that which sho occupied in
again saw Maria Theresa. Who presented Flo 10
tonette. who attorward. meeting Nine. Geof-
frln, in France, reminded her OF. the Incident
Such was the place which the quiet bourGeoise
held in tho esteem OF society that the small
est detai lis OF her journey TO Poland and tho
letters she wrote to her friends at home oc-
cupied the parisiun world during her absence.
VIII.
Nine. dc Gcoffrin died in theautumn OF 1777.
being then In the seventy eighth yoar OF her
age. Tho deaths OF Hume, Mile. de Lespi-
nasse. and Nine. Geoflrin. occurring as they
did. within the space OF ono year. we're serious
losses TO tho philosophc party which gradu-
ally declined IN strength as compact body.
although it daily acquired new power by dis
sc!ninn'ing It's doctrines more widely. Tho
bureau d'esprit OF Nine. Geoirrin may almos st be
considered the last OF it's class. 1t is true that
she was outllved bv Nine. du Defrand. but the
lnti nrs ROnIaIY MAA inMRrl tina and nnIr tho