Courtiers and Favourites of Royalty

I CSburfiers and O/ •/vitlllVIll {IJ ith Contemporar ColL French V\ Lr iBRARUN AT T)l' " I Speak then ! am prepared for anything Froîn'th'e palîitîhg by E. Lami Socièf: a 0\4errtU tir 'Baker Courtiers and Favoimtes of T{oyalty Semoirs of the Court of France Witli Contemporary and IModern lUiistrations Colleôted from the French U^ational ^Archives BY Léon Vallée LIBRARIAN AT THE BIBLIOTHEQUE NATIONALE (Memoirs (•Madame d' Épinay In Three Volumes Vol. II Paris Société des bibliophiles New York zMerrill &- 'Baker EDITION T>U "PETIT TRIANON Limited to One TJiousand Sets ^^^ No._ ,VX aiuoJ ,3ni>I scil îêiIî §ni:>l2fi ,toiabiQ \o lallsJ ddt oi x^&iàli z'id Iha oi miri asnoritur; mzzu9\ lo 223iqm3 ;nq .xf .rM 9311b'.' ,. - . ««È««a4£g^ Letter of Diderot, asking that the King, Louis XV, authorize him to sell liis library to the Empres^ of Russia From the Bibliothèque Nationale of Paris "Manuscrits français, nouvelles acquisitions, j/r No. 31, page 57' Photographed under the direction of Léon Vallée especially for this work ^: ^ ^= V ^ s ^ ^ *^ ^ ^ •- N ^' '^^ N ^ ^ >^ 1 1 li > ^< i ^ ^ '^ 5 I ] f^N Ml ^ > "^ \ \ '^ -^ > ^ X y l ^ ^ .X ^ o LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS VOLUME n " SpEAK, THEN ! I ASI PREPARED FOR AnYTHING." FrOUtispieCe paqb FrANCCEIL PROTB8TING Hl8 INNOCENCE .12 Petrus Nicole 36 St. Germain . 42 Carlo Vanloo 48 Charles Pineau Duclos ......... 186 The Hermitaoe 230 Monsieur Grimm's Tête-à-tête with Madame d'Épinat . 264 Chantilly 328 MEMOIRS AND CORRESPONDENCE or MADAME D'ÉPINAY CONTENTS OF VOL. II Chapter VII {tontinued). PAOS Departure of the travellera—Madame d'Épinay hurries to Mailleraye •with her husband—M. d'Épinay too amiable—Francueil's sur- prise and embarrîissment—Does he or does he not love Madame de Versel ? —Return to Épinay—Madame d'Épinay and Madame • • Versel tête-à-tête—M. de V • . | Chaptbr VIII Madame d'Épinay has recourse to her mother—Madame d'Esda» velles and the Abbé Martin—Madame d'Épinay proposes to retire from the world and lead a reUgious life—Prudent advice—Re- awakening of passion—Mademoiselle Quinault leaves Paris—The last dinner of the society of the Bout-du-Banc—Dialogue about worship, religion, zmd atheism — Rousseau's outburst —A song- writer—A comic author—M. and Madame la Poplinière—Philoso- phical conversation between J. J. Rousseau and Madame d'Épinay —He sketches her portrait for her—Remarkable allegory told by Rousseau — Grimm's progress — Diderot — Madame de Jully'a •isters—The ChevsJier de V * * • —Madame de Jully breaks with Jelyotte—Diderot defended by Madame d'Épinay . «34 Chaptbr IX Brief account of the events of three years — Death of Madame de Maupeou — The door shut against Jelyotte, Maurepaire, and Madame de Versel—Madame de Jully takes to a quiet life, while M. de Jully indulges in dissipation—M. d'Épinay and the sisters Rose — Duclos visits them—So also does Francueil — Being in- formed of this by Duclos, Madame d'Épinay is attacked by a violent fever—On her recovery, she has an explanation with Francueil, who apologises and remains on friendly terms with her ^Grimm returns from Germany — Baron d'Holbach — Madame d'Houdetot—Her connection with Saint-Lambert—The Chevalier de V * * * on a mission—Madame de Jully's grief—Commencement of a moral treatise—Flattering portrait o£ M. Grimm , . 80 — vi CONTENTS Chapter X PAO! Madame de Jnlly's sudden illness and death — A mysterious key Madame d'Épinay cames out her lasf; wishes — M. de Jully's extraordinary grief—His wife's mausoleum—Rousseau's opinion of it —The inventory—Some papers relating to business matters are found to be missing — The whole family in a state of con- fusion—Conversations and portraits—Madame d'Épinay accused of having abstracted the papers — This créâtes a great stir in Society — A family council — M. d'Épinay's mean behaviour Duclos' language—Rousseau's anger—Francueil's offers—Grimm fights a duel on Madame d'Épinay's behalf, and is wounded Madame d'Épinay's émotion—The missing papers are suddenly found—Embarrassment of Madame d'Épinay's traducers , . gS Chapter XI (1754). Return of Jean-Jacques—Death of Madame d'Holbach—Grimm take« the Baron on a journey—Rousseau established at La Chevrette Diderot still sulky—Open intimacy of Madame d'Houdetot and Saint-Lambert—Duclos' opinion of Grimm—Madame d'Épinay's children play at writing letters to her—Her idea of giving them a regnlar course of éducation by means of letters—Madame Darty's visit—Two letters referred to Rousseau—His reasons for wishing Madame d'Épinay to discontinue this kind of correspondence . 130 Chapter XII Improvements at the château—M. d'Épinay's indelicacy—Madame d'Épinay instructress and pupil—Her winter visitors—Grimm still gains ground—He endeavours to gain M. d'Épinay's good grâces — Desmahis' return — Francueil's négligence — Duclos tortures Madame d'Épinay—His account of Grimm—Story of Mademoiselle Fel—Grimm enters the family—M. de V***'s brother—Duclos' last effort—Painful explanation with Francueil —Notes from Roussean—Francueil calmer 135 Chapter XIII Linant desires his pupil to be examined—Grimm amd Francueil présent — The little d'Épinay examined by Duclos, Grimm, Rousseau, and Madame d'Houdetot — Grimm apologises to Madame d'Épinay—She lets him see her fancy for him—He consequently acts against Duclos and Francueil—Francueil's délicate relations with Grimm— Illness and death of the Comte de Frièse—Grimm at Saint-Cloud—Rousseau's illness—Duclos driven from Madame d'Épinay's house—He stirs up Francueil against Grimm—M. de Valory leaves Mademoiselle d'Ette Grimm asks Madame d'Épinay not to see Francueil again Francueil's affecting farewell—Grimm's tyranny . , 155 — CONTENTS vii Chaptbr XIV PAGE Duclos' vengeance—He is disappointed with Francueil—His story to Diderot—Conversation between Diderot and Grimm—Madame d'Êpinay slandered—Duclos keeps one of her letters—Grimm's indignation—Diderot half won over—Duclos continues to play the same part—Desmahis reappears — Rousseau unsettled—He is called back to Geneva—The Tronchins—First mention of the Hermitage—Madame d'Épinay's proposais—Grimm's opinion of them — Desmahis' sensitiveness — Francueil s souvenir — M. d'Êpinay starts an operatic school — Correspondence between Rousseau and Madame d'Êpinay—He décides to accept the ofifer of the Hermitage—Hi« installation 213 Chaptbr XV Madame d'Êpinay spends the autumn in the country—Education of her children—Rousseau's music-copying—Diderot's literary ad- visers—Desmahis and his melancholy fancies—Attempt to pre- vent Rousseau from passing the winter at the Hermitage Beginning of the struggle—Diderot's déclarations—Reconciliation of Rousseau and Diderot—A code of friendship—Gauffecourt's illness—Rousseau goes to Paris to look after him—Madame d'Êpinay sees Diderot for the first time—She makes the ac- quaintance of M. and Madame d'Holbach—Rousseau returns to his forest—M. de Margency 259 Chapter XVI The Duc d'Orléans secures Grimm the appointment of secretary to the Maréchal d'Estrées—Commencement of the Seven Years' War— Gauffecourt's restoration to health — Madame d'Épinay's lamentations—Madame d'Houdetot at Eaubonne—Rousseau's compliment to Grimm—Farewells—Portrait of M. de Croismare — M. de Margency and Madame de Verdelin — The "Nouvelle Heloise " begun—Madame d'Esclavelles and her grandchildren La Chevrette at last let to the Baron d'Holbach—Grimm's letters —Madame d'Êpinay uneasy about the public opinion of her Duclos' fresh trick — Departure of Saint-Lambert — Anger of Rousseau ,. , ..311 MEMOIRS AND CORRESPONDENCE OF MADAME D'ÉPINAY CHAPTER VII (continued). Continuation of the Diary. Eight days later, O BRiLLiANT day which night and sorrow never darken, ever illumined by the suprême truth, by peace and repose ! O day of perfect security, ever free from change I O day of death, will you never corne ? Would to God that this happy day had already appeared, and that the course of time were over for me ! What ! the man who has betrayed me is the man for whom I hâve sacrificed everything—my duty, my peace of mind, my self- respect ? For him I hâve defied the opinion of the world : I hâve exposed myself to censure : I hâve stifled the cries of my conscience. Others hâve seen me carried away by the passion which ab- sorbed my whole being : they hâve dared to attack, to harass me : and I hâve lost the right to défend myself. I hâve endured ail, because he recompensed me for ail. VOL. II 1 s MEMOIRS AND CORRESPONDENCE They hâve gone : they are continually face to face. For a fortnight they will never leave each other, day or night. Everything around me is withered. I look for him : I do not find him : and that is my least sorrow. I cannot fix my eyes upon any spot which does not remind me how passionately I hâve been loved : the day he left, my grief was weari- some to him : he could not restrain his joy. Can I recall those moments without being ready to die of sorrow ? I do not wish to forget anything. May the excess of my grief either kill or cure me ! The two husbands left in a berlin with the two maids at seven o'clock in the evening : Madame de Jully, Madame de Versel, M. de Francueil, and M. de Maurepaire followed in another at three o'clock in the morning. This arrangement was made so as to make sure of post-horses. The distance is thirty- five leagues. Madame d'Houdetot lives close to the sea, and her house is the ostensible goal of this journey.

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