first　maxims；　as　I　had　a　headache　yesterday；　but　those　I　have　read　appear　to　me　to　be　founded　more　upon　the　disposition　of　the　author　than　upon　the　truth；　for　he　believes　neither　in　generosity　without　interest；　nor　in　pity；　that　is；　he　judges　every　one　by　himself。　　For　the　greater　number　of　people；　he　is　right；　but　surely　there　are　those　who　desire　only　to　do　good。〃　　The　Countesse　de　Maure；　who　does　not　believe　in　the　absolute　depravity　of　human　nature；　and　is　inclined　to　an　elevated　Christian　philosophy　quite　opposed　to　Jansenism；　writes　with　so　much　severity　that　she　begs　her　friend　not　to　show　her　letter　to　the　author。　　Mme。　de　Hautefort　expresses　her　disapproval　of　a　theory　which　drives　honor　and　goodness　out　of　the　world。　　After　many　clever　and　well…turned　criticisms；　she　says：　〃But　the　maxim　which　is　quite　new　to　me；　and　which　I　admire；　is　that　idleness；　languid　as　it　is；　destroys　all　the　passions。　　It　is　true；　and　he　had　searched　his　heart　well　to　find　a　sentiment　so　hidden；　but　so　just　。　。　。　　I　think　one　ought；　at　present；　to　esteem　idleness　as　the　only　virtue　in　the　world；　since　it　is　that　which　uproots　all　the　vices。　　As　I　have　always　had　much　respect　for　it；　I　am　glad　it　has　so　much　merit。〃　　But　she　adds　wisely：　〃If　I　were　of　the　opinion　of　the　author；　I　would　not　bring　to　the　light　those　mysteries　which　will　forever　deprive　him　of　all　the　confidence　one　might　have　in　him。〃
  There　is　one　letter；　written　by　the　clever　and　beautiful　Eleonore　de　Rohan；　Abbess　de　Malnoue；　and　addressed　to　the　author；　which　deserves　to　be　read　for　its　fine　and　just　sentiments。　　In　closing　she　says：
  The　maxim　upon　humility　appears　to　me　perfectly　beautiful；　but　I　have　been　so　surprised　to　find　it　there；　that　I　had　the　greatest　difficulty　in　recognizing　it　in　the　midst　of　all　that　precedes　and　follows　it。　　It　is　assuredly　to　make　this　virtue　practiced　among　your　own　sex；　that　you　have　written　maxims　in　which　their　self…love　is　so　little　flattered。　　I　should　be　very　much　humiliated　on　my　own　part；　if　I　did　not　say　to　myself　what　I　have　already　said　to　you　in　this　note；　that　you　judge　better　the　hearts　of　men　than　those　of　women；　and　that　perhaps　you　do　not　know　yourself　the　true　motive　which　makes　you　esteem　them　less。　　If　you　had　always　met　those　whose　temperament　had　been　submitted　to　virtue；　and　in　whom　the　senses　were　less　strong　than　reason；　you　would　think　better　of　a　certain　number　who　distinguish　themselves　always　from　the　multitude；　and　it　seems　to　me　that　Mme。　de　La　Fayette　and　myself　deserve　that　you　should　have　a　better　opinion　of　the　sex　in　general。
  Mme。　de　La　Fayette　writes　to　the　Marquise：　〃All　people　of　good　sense　are　not　so　persuaded　of　the　general　corruption　as　is　M。　de　La　Rochefoucauld。　　I　return　to　you　a　thousand　thanks　for　all　you　have　done　for　this　gentleman。〃At　a　later　period　she　said：　〃La　Rochefoucauld　stimulated　my　intellect；　but　I　reformed　his　heart。〃　　It　is　to　be　regretted　that　he　had　not　known　her　sooner。
  At　his　request　Mme。　de　Sable　wrote　a　review　of　the　maxims；　which　she　submitted　to　him　for　approval。　　It　seems　to　have　been　a　fair　presentation　of　both　sides；　but　he　thought　it　too　severe；　and　she　kindly　gave　him　permission　to　change　it　to　suit　himself。　　He　took　her　at　her　word；　dropped　the　adverse　criticisms；　retained　the　eulogies；　and　published　it　in　the　〃Journal　des　Savants〃　as　he　wished　it　to　go　to　the　world。　　The　diplomatic　Marquise　saved　her　conscience　and　kept　her　friend。
  The　maxims　of　La　Rochefoucauld；　which　are　familiar　to　all；　have　extended　into　a　literature。　　That　he　generalized　from　his　own　point　of　view；　and　applied　to　universal　humanity　the　motives　of　a　class　bent　upon　favor　and　precedence；　is　certainly　true。　　But　whatever　we　may　think　of　his　sentiments；　which　were　those　of　a　man　of　the　world　whose　observations　were　largely　in　the　atmosphere　of　courts；　we　are　compelled　to　admit　his　unrivaled　finish　and　perfection　of　form。　　Similar　theories　of　human　nature　run　through　the　maxims　of　Esprit　and　Saint　Evremond；　without　the　exquisite　turn　which　makes　each　one　of　La　Rochefoucauld's　a　gem　in　itself。　　His　tone　was　that　of　a　disappointed　courtier；　with　a　vein　of　sadness　only　half　disguised　by　cold　philosophy　and　bitter　cynicism。　　La　Bruyere；　with　a　broader　outlook　upon　humanity；　had　much　of　the　same　fine　analysis；　with　less　conciseness　and　elegance　of　expression。　　Vauvenargues　and　Joubert　were　his　legitimate　successors。　　But　how　far　removed　in　spirit！
  〃The　body　has　graces；〃　writes　Vauvenargues；　〃the　mind　has　talents；　has　the　heart　only　vices？　　And　man　capable　of　reason；　shall　he　be　incapable　of　virtue？〃
  With　a　fine　and　delicate　touch；　Joubert　says：　〃Virtue　is　the　health　of　the　soul。　　It　gives　a　flavor　to　the　smallest　leaves　of　life。〃
  These　sentiments　are　in　the　vein　of　Pascal；　who　represents　the　most　spiritual　element　of　the　little　coterie　which　has　left　such　a　legacy　of　condensed　thought　to　the　world。
  The　crowning　act　of　the　life　of　Mme。　de　Sable　was　her　defense　of　Port　Royal。　　She　united　with　Mme。　de　Longueville　in　protecting　the　persecuted　Jansenists；　Nicole　and　Arnauld；　but　she　had　neither　the　courage；　the　heroism；　nor　the　partisan　spirit　of　her　more　ardent　companion。　　With　all　her　devotion　she　was　something　of　a　sybarite　and　liked　repose。　　She　had　the　tact；　during　all　the　troubles　which　scattered　her　little　circle；　to　retain　her　friends；　of　whatever　religious　color；　though　not　without　a　few　temporary　clouds。　　Her　diplomatic　moderation　did　not　quite　please　the　religieuses　of　Port　Royal；　and　chilled　a　little　her　pleasant　relations　with　d'Andilly。
  Toward　the　close　of　her　life；　the　Marquise　was　in　the　habit　of　secluding　herself　for　days　together；　and　declining　to　see　even　her　dearest　friends。　　The　Abbe　de　la　Victoire；　piqued　at　not　being　received；　spoke　of　her　one　day　as　〃the　late　Mme。　la　Marquise　de　Sable。〃
  La　Rochefoucauld　writes　to　her；　〃I　know　no　more　inventions　for　entering　your　house；　I　am　refused　at　the　door　every　day。〃　　Mme。　de　La　Fayette　declares　herself　offended；　and　cites　this　as　a　proof　of　her　attachment；　saying；　〃There　are　very　few　people　who　could　displease　me　by　not　wishing　to　see　me。〃　　But　the　friends　of　the　Marquise　are　disposed　to　treat　her　caprices　very　leniently。　　As　the　years　went　by　and　the　interests　of　life　receded；　Mme。　de　Sable　became　reconciled　to　the　thought　that　had　inspired　her　with　so　much　dread。　　When　she　died　at　the　advanced　age　of　seventy…　nine；　the　longed…for　transition　was　only　the　quiet　passing　from　fevered　dreams　to　peaceful　sleep。
  It　is　a　singular　fact　that　this　refined；　exclusive；　fastidious　woman；　in　whom　the　artistic　nature　was　always　dominant　to　the　extent　of　weakness；　should　have　left　a　request　to　be　buried；　without　ceremony；　in　the　parish　cemetery　with　the　people；　remote　alike　from　the　tombs　of　her　family　and　the　saints　of　Port　Royal。
  CHAPTER　VI。　MADAME　DE　SEVIGNE　Her　GeniusHer　YouthHer　unworthy　HusbandHer　impertinent　CousinHer　love　for　her　DaughterHer　LettersHotel　de　CarnavaletMme。　Duiplessis　GuenegaudMme。　de　CoulangesThe　Curtain　Falls
  Among　the　brilliant　French　women　of　the　seventeenth　century；　no　one　is　so　well…known　today　as　Mme。　de　Sevigne。　　She　has　not　only　been　sung　by　poets　and　portrayed　by　historians；　but　she　has　left　us　a　complete　record　of　her　own　life　and　her　own　character。　　Her　letters　reflect　every　shade　of　her　many…sided　nature；　as　well　as　the　events；　even　the　trifling　incidents；　of　the　world　in　which　she　lived；　the　lineaments；　the　experiences；　the　virtues；　and　the　follies　of　the　people　whom　she　knew。　　We　catch　the　changeful　tints　of　her　mind　that　readily　takes　the　complexion　of　those　about　her；　while　retaining　its　independence；　we　are　made　familiar　with　her　small　joys　and　sorrows；　we　laugh　with　her　at　her　own　harmless　weaknesses；　we　feel　the　inspiration　of　her　sympathy；　we　hear　the　innermost　throbbings　of　her　heart。　　No　one　was　ever　less　consciously　a　woman　of　letters。　　No　one　would　have　been　more　surprised　than　herself　at　her　own　fame。　　One　is　instinctively　sure　that　she　would　never　have　seated　herself　deliberately　to　write　a　book　of　any　sort　whatever。　　While　she　was　planning　a　form　for　her　thoughts；　they　would　have　flown。　　She　was　essentially　a　woman　of　the　great　world；　for　which　she　was　fitted　by　her　position；　her　temperament；　her　esprit；　her　tastes；　and　her　character。　　She　loved　its　variety；　its　movement；　its　gaiety；　she　judged　leniently　even　its　faults　and　its　frailties。　　If　they　often　furnished　a　target　for　her　wit；　behind　her　sharpest　epigrams　one　detects　an　indulgent　smile。
  The　natural　outlet　for　her　full　mind　and　heart　was　in　conversation。　　When　she　was　alone；　they　found　vent　in　conversation　of　another　sort。　　She　talks　on　paper。　　Her　letters　have　the　unstudied　freedom；　the　rapidity；　the　shades；　the　inflections　of　spoken　words。　　She　gives　her　thoughts　their　own　course；　〃with　reins　upon　the　neck；〃　as　she　was　fond　of　saying；　and　without　knowing　where　they　will　lead　her。　　But　it　is　the　personal　element　that　inspires　her。　　Let　her　heart　be　piqued；　or　touched　by　a　profound　affection；　and　her　mind　is　illuminated；　her　pen　flies。　　Her　nature　unveils　itself；　her　emotions　chase　one　another　in　quick　succession；　her　thoughts　crystallize　with　wonderful　brilliancy；　and　the　world　is　reflected　in　a　thousand　varying　colors