us in the familiar letters of Mme。 de Graffigny； in the rather malicious sketches of the Marquise de Crequi； and in the still more strongly outlined portrait or Mme。 du Deffand； as a veritable bas bleu； learned； pedantic； eccentric； and without grace or beauty。 〃Imagine a woman tall and hard； with florid complexion； face sharp； nose pointedVOILA LA BELLE EMILIE；〃 writes the latter； 〃a face with which she was so contented that she spared nothing to set it off； curls； topknots； precious stones； all are in profusion 。 。 。 She was born with much esprit； the desire of appearing to have more made her prefer the study of the abstract sciences to agreeable branches of knowledge； she thought by this singularity to attain a greater reputation and a decided superiority over all other women。 Madame worked with so much care to seem what she was not； that no one knew exactly what she was； even her defects were not natural。〃 〃She talks like an angel〃〃she sings divinely〃〃our sex ought to erect altars to her；〃 wrote Mme。 de Graffigny during a visit at her chateau。 A few weeks later her tone changed。 They had quarreled。 Of such stuff is history made。 But she had already given a charming picture of the life at Cirey。
Mme。 du Chatelet plunged into abstractions during the day。 In the evening she was no more the savante； but gave herself up to the pleasures of society with the ardor of a nature that was extreme in everything。 Voltaire read his poetry and his dramas； told stories that made them weep and then laugh at their tears； improvised verses； and amused them with marionettes； or the magic lantern。 La belle Emilie criticized the poems； sang； and played prominent parts in the comedies and tragedies of the philosopher poet； which were first given in her little private theater。 Among the guests were the eminent scientist； Maupertuis； her life…long friend and teacher； the Italian savant； Algarotti； President Henault； Helvetius； the poet； Saint…Lambert； and many others of equal distinction。 〃Of what do we not talk！〃 writes Mme。 de Graffigny。 〃Poetry； science； art； everything； in a tone of graceful badinage。 I should like to be able to send you these charming conversations； these enchanting conversations； but it is not in me。〃
Mme。 du Chatelet owned for several years the celebrated Hotel Lambert； and a choice company of savants assembled there as in the days when Mme。 de Lambert presided in those stately apartments。 But this learned salon had only a limited vogue。 The thinking was high； but the dinners were too plain。 The real life of Mme。 du Chatelet was an intimate one。 〃I confess that in love and friendship lies all my happiness；〃 said this astronomer； metaphysician； and mathematician； who wrote against revelation and went to mass with her free…thinking lover。 Her learning and eccentricities made her the target for many shafts of ridicule； but she counted for much with Voltaire； and her chief title to fame lies in his long and devoted friendship。 He found the 〃sublime and respectable Emilie〃 the incarnation of all the virtues； though a trifle ill…tempered。 The contrast between his kindly portrait and those of her feminine friends is striking and rather suggestive。
〃She joined to the taste for glory a simplicity which does not always accompany it； but which is often the fruit of serious studies。 No woman was ever so learned； and no one deserves less to be called a femme savante。 Born with a singular eloquence； this eloquence manifested itself only when she found subjects worthy of it 。 。 。 The fitting word； precision； justness； and force were the characteristics of her style。 She would rather write like Pascal and Nicole than like Mme。 de Sevigne； but this severe strength and this vigorous temper of her mind did not render her inaccessible to the beauties of sentiment。 The charms of poetry and eloquence penetrated her； and no one was ever more sensitive to harmony 。 。 。 She gave herself to the great world as to study。 Everything that occupies society was in her province except scandal。 She was never known to repeat an idle story。 She had neither time nor disposition to give attention to such things； and when told that some one had done her an injustice； she replied that she did not wish to hear about it。〃
〃She led him a life a little hard；〃 said Mme。 de Graffigny； after her quarrel； but he seems to have found it agreeable； and broke his heartfor a short timewhen she died。 〃I have lost half of my being；〃 he wrote〃a soul for which mine was made。〃 To Marmontel he says： 〃Come and share my sorrow。 I have lost my illustrious friend。 I am in despair。 I am inconsolable。〃 One cannot believe that so clear…sighted a man； even though a poet； could live for twenty years under the spell of a pure illusion。 What heart revelations； what pictures of contemporary life； were lost in the eight large volumes of his letters which were destroyed at her death！
While Mme。 de Tencin studied men and affairs； Mme。 du Chatelet studied books。 One was mistress of the arts of diplomacy； gentle but intriguing； ambitious； always courting society and shunning solitude。 The other was violent and imperious； hated finesse； and preferred burying herself among the rare treasures of her library at Cirey。
The influence of Mme。 de Tencin was felt； not only in the social and intellectual； but in the political life of the century。 The traditions of her salon lingered in those which followed； modified by the changes that time and personal taste always bring。 Mme。 du Chatelet was more learned； but she lacked the tact and charm which give wide personal ascendancy。 Her influence was largely individual； and her books have been mostly forgotten。 These women were alike defiant of morality； but taken all in all； the character of Mme。 Chatelet has more redeeming points； though little respect can be accorded to either。 With the wily intellect of a Talleyrand； Mme。 de Tencin represents the social genius； the intelligence； the esprit； and the worst vices of the century on which she has left such conspicuous traces。
〃She knew my tastes and always offered me those dishes I preferred；〃 said Fontenelle when she died in 1740。 〃It is an irreparable loss。〃 Perhaps his hundred years should excuse his not going to her funeral for fear of catching cold。
CHAPTER XII。 MADAME GEOFFRIN AND THE PHILOSOPHERS Cradles of the New PhilosophyNoted Salons of this Period Character of Mme。 GeoffrinHer Practical EducationAnecdotes of her HusbandComposition of her SalonIts Insidious InfluenceHer Journey to WarsawHer Death
During the latter half of the eighteenth century the center of social life was no longer the court； but the salons。 They had multiplied indefinitely； and； representing every shade of taste and thought； had reached the climax of their power as schools of public opinion； as well as their highest perfection in the arts and amenities of a brilliant and complex society。 There was a slight reaction from the reckless vices and follies of the regency。 If morals were not much better； manners were a trifle more decorous。 Though the great world did not take the tone of stately elegance and rigid propriety which it had assumed under the rule of Mme。 de Maintenon； it was superficially polished； and a note of thoughtfulness was added。 Affairs in France had taken too serious an aspect to be ignored； and the theories of the philosophers were among the staple topics of conversation； indeed； it was the great vogue of the philosophers that gave many of the most noted social centers their prestige and their fame。 It is not the salons of the high nobility that suggest themselves as the typical ones of this age。 It is those which were animated by the habitual presence of the radical leaders of French thought。 Economic questions and the rights of man were discussed as earnestly in these brilliant coteries as matters of faith and sentiment； of etiquette and morals； had been a hundred years before。 Such subjects were forced upon them by the inexorable logic of events； and fashion； which must needs adapt itself in some measure to the world over which it rules； took them up。 If the drawing rooms of the seventeenth century were the cradles of refined manners and a new literature； those of the eighteenth were literally the cradles of a new philosophy。
The practical growth and spread of French philosophy was too closely interwoven with the history of the salons not to call for a word here。 Its innovations were faintly prefigured in the coterie of Mme。 de Lambert； where it colored almost imperceptibly the literary and critical discussions。 But its foundations were more firmly laid in the drawing room of Mme。 de Tencin； where the brilliant wit and radical theories of Montesquieu； as well as the pronounced materialism of Helvetius； found a congenial atmosphere。 Though the mingled romance and satire of the 〃Persian Letters；〃 with their covert attack upon the state and society； raised a storm of antagonism； they called out a burst of admiration as well。 The original and aggressive thought of men like Voltaire； Rousseau； d'Alembert； and Diderot； with its diversity of shading； but with the cardinal doctrine of freedom and equality pervading it all； had found a rapid