and events with such prophetic vision。 The note of bitterness and cynicism is always there。 The nature of the woman reveals itself in every line： keen； dry； critical； with clear ideals which she can never hope to attain。 But we feel that she has stripped off the rags of pretension and brought us face to face with realities。 〃All that I can do is to love you with all my heart； as I have done for about fifty years；〃 wrote Voltaire。 〃How could I fail to love you？ Your soul seeks always the true； it is a quality as rare as truth itself。〃 So far does she carry her hatred of insincerity that one is often tempted to believe she affects a freedom from affectation。 〃I am so fatigued with the vanity of others that I avoid the occasion of having any myself；〃 she writes。 Is there not here a trace of the quality she so despises？
But beneath all this runs the swift undercurrent of an absorbing passion。 A passion of friendship it may be； but it forces itself through the arid shells of conventionalism； it is at once the agony and the consolation of a despairing soul。 Heartless； Mme。 du Deffand is called； and her life seems to prove the truth of the verdict； but these letters throb and palpitate with feeling which she laughs at； but cannot still。 It is the cry of the soul for what it has not； what the world cannot give； what it has somehow missed out of a cold； hard； restless； and superficial existence。 With a need of loving； she is satisfied with no one。 There is something wanting； even in the affection of her friends。 〃Ma grand'maman；〃 she says to the gentle Duchesse de Choiseul； 〃you KNOW that you love me； but you do not FEEL it。〃
Devouring herself in solitude； she despises the society she cannot do without。 〃Men and women appear to me puppets who go； come； talk； laugh； without thinking； without reflecting； without feeling；〃 she writes。 She confesses that she has a thousand troubles in assembling a choice company of people who bore her to death。 〃One sees only masks； one hears only lies；〃 is her constant refrain。 She does not want to live； but is afraid to die； she says she is not made for this world； but does not know that there is any other。 She tries devotion； but has no taste for it。 Of the light that shines from within upon so many darkened and weary souls she has no knowledge。 Her vision is bounded by the tangible； which offers only a rigid barrier； against which her life flutters itself away。 She dies as she has lived； with a deepened conviction of the nothingness of existence。 〃Spare me three things；〃 she said to her confessor in her last moments； 〃let me have no questions； no reasons； and no sermons。〃 Seeing Wiart； her faithful servitor； in tears； she remarks pathetically； as if surprised； 〃You love me then？〃 〃Divert yourself as much as you can；〃 was her final message to Walpole。 〃You will regret me； because one is very glad to know that one is loved。〃 She commends to his care and affection Tonton； her little dog。
Strong but not gentle； brilliant but not tender； too penetrating for any illusions； with a nature forever at war with itself； its surroundings； and its limitations； no one better points the moral of an age without faith； without ideals； without the inner light that reveals to hope what is denied to sense。
The influence of such a woman with her gifts； her energy； her power； and her social prestige； can hardly be estimated。 It was not in the direction of the new drift of thought。 〃I am not a fanatic as to liberty；〃 she said； 〃I believe it is an error to pretend that it exists in a democracy。 One has a thousand tyrants in place of one。〃 She had no breadth of sympathy； and her interests were largely personal； but in matters of style and form her taste was unerring。 Pitiless in her criticisms； she held firmly to her ideals of clear； elegant； and concise expression； both in literature and in conversation。 She tolerated no latitudes； no pretension； and left behind her the traditions of a society that blended； more perfectly； perhaps； than any other of her time； the best intellectual life with courtly manners and a strict observance of les convenances。
CHAPTER XV。 MADEMOISELLE DE LESPINASSE A Romantic CareerCompanion of Mme。 du DeffandRival Salons Association with the EncyclopedistsD'AlembertA Heart TragedyImpassioned LettersA Type Unique in her Age
Inseparably connected with the name of Mme。 du Deffand is that of her companion and rival； Mlle。 de Lespinasse； the gifted； charming； tender and loving woman who presided over one of the most noted of the philosophical salons； who was the chosen friend and confidante of the Encyclopedists； and who died in her prime of a broken heart； leaving the world a legacy of letters that rival those of Heloise or the poems of Sappho； as 〃immortal pictures of passion。〃 The memory of her social triumphs； remarkable as they were； pales before the singular romances of her life。 In the midst of a cold； critical； and heartless society； that adored talent and ridiculed sentiment； she became the victim of a passion so profound； so ardent； so hopeless； that her powerful intellect bent before it like a reed before a storm。 She died of that unsuspected passion； and years afterwards these letters found the light and told the tale。
The contrast between the two women so closely linked together is complete。 Mme。 du Deffand belonged to the age of Voltaire by every fiber of her hard and cynical nature。 What she called love was a fire of the intellect which consumed without warming。 It was a violent and fierce prejudice in favor of those who reflected something of herself。 The tenderness of self…sacrifice was not there。 Mlle。 de Lespinasse was of the later era of Rousseau； the era of exaggerated feeling； of emotional delirium； of romantic dreams； the era whose heroine was the loving and sentimental 〃Julie；〃 for whose portrait she might have sat； with a shade or so less of intellect and brilliancy。 But it was more than a romantic dream that shadowed and shortened the life of Mlle。 de Lespinasse。 She had a veritable heart of flame； that consumed not only itself but its frail tenement as well。
Julie…Jeanne…Eleonore de Lespinasse； who was born at Lyons in 1732； had a birthright of sorrow。 Her mother； the Comtesse d'Albon； could not acknowledge this fugitive and nameless daughter； but after the death of her husband she received her on an inferior footing； had her carefully educated； and secretly gave her love and care。 Left alone and without resources at fifteen； Julie was taken； as governess and companion； into the family of a sister who was the wife of Mme。 du Deffand's brother。 Here the marquise met her on one of her visits and heard the story of her sorrows。 Tearful； sad； and worn out by humiliations； the young girl had decided to enter a convent。 〃There is no misfortune that I have not experienced；〃 she wrote to Guibert many years afterwards。 〃Some day； my friend； I will relate to you things not to be found in the romances of Prevost nor of Richardson 。 。 。 I ought naturally to devote myself to hating； I have well fulfilled my destiny； I have loved much and hated very little。 Mon Dieu； my friend； I am a hundred years old。〃 Mme。 du Deffand was struck with her talent and a certain indefinable fascination of manner which afterwards became so potent。 〃You have gaiety；〃 she wrote to her； 〃you are capable of sentiment； with these qualities you will be charming so long as you are natural and without pretension。〃 After a negotiation of some months； Mlle。 de Lespinasse went to Paris to live with her new friend。 The history of this affair has been already related。
Parisian society was divided into two factions on the merits of the quarrelthose who censured the ingratitude of the younger woman； and those who accused the marquise of cruelty and injustice。 But many of the oldest friends of the latter aided her rival。 The Marechale de Luxembourg furnished her apartments in the Rue de Belle…Chasse。 The Duc de Choiseul procured her a pension； and Mme。 Geoffrin gave her an annuity。 She carried with her a strong following of eminent men from the salon of Mme。 du Deffand； among whom was d'Alembert； who remained faithful and devoted to the end。 It is said that President Henault even offered to marry her； but how； under these circumstances； he managed to continue in the good graces of his lifelong friend； the unforgiving marquise； does not appear。 A letter which he wrote to Mlle。 de Lespinasse throws a direct light upon her character； after making due allowance for the exaggeration of French gallantry。
〃You are cosmopolitan； you adapt yourself to all situations。 The world pleases you； you love solitude。 Society amuses you； but it does not seduce you。 Your heart does not give itself easily。 Strong passions are necessary to you； and it is better so； for they will not return often。 Nature； in placing you in an ordinary position； has given you something to relieve it。 Your soul is noble and elevated； and you will never remain in a crowd。 It is the same with your person。 It is distinguished and attracts attention； without being beautiful。 There is something piquante about you 。 。 。 You have two things which do not often go together： you are sweet