232 CONDOECET : A BIOGRAPHY. 



give the portrait of the man of society, to speak of his exterior appear- 

 ance and of his manners. At one time I was in despair of fulfilling 

 this part of my task, for I had not known personally the secretary of 

 the Academy. I had never even seen him. I knew too well, besides, 

 that books are very unfaithful guides to a knowledge of their writers ; 

 that authors can assume sometimes in their works a character totally at 

 variance with their habitual actions. The maxim of Buffou had often been 

 contradicted by fact: "A man's style is the man himself." Happily, 

 unpublished correspondence has in a manner transferred me into the 

 family of Condorcetj has shown him to me surrounded by his relations, 

 his friends, his confreres, his subordinates, and his clients ; has made 

 me the witness, the confidant, I had almost said, of all his actions. So 

 I feel reassured. Need I fear to speak with boldness of the most secret 

 thoughts of the illustrious academician, of his private life, of his most 

 sacred feelings, when I have for guides and references Turgot, Voltaire, 

 d'Alembert, Lagrange, and a woman (Mademoiselle de L'Espinasse) 

 celebrated by the extent, the penetration, and the delicacy of her mind? 



Condorcet was of large stature ; the immense size of his head, his large 

 shoulders, his robust body, contrasted with limbs which had always 

 remained slight on account, our brother thought, of the inactivity which 

 his costume of a girl, and the too great solicitude of his mother, im- 

 posed upon him during the first eight years of his life. 



Condorcet always retained, with great simplicity, something a.i>proach- 

 ing to awkwardness. To see him only in passing, it would have been said. 

 That is a good man, rather than. That is a wise man. Ilis principal trait, 

 his truly characteristic quality, was an extreme kindness, which was in 

 accordance with the gentle expression of a beautiful face. 



Condorcet was considered by his mere acquaintances as cold and in- 

 sensible. This was a great mistake. He never, perhaps, addressed affec- 

 tionate expressions to his relatives and friends; but he never lost an 

 opportunity of giving active proof of his attachment. He was afflicted 

 with their afflictions; he sulfered from their misfortunes to such a degree 

 that his sleep was often disturbed and his health affected. 



How does it happen, then, that our confrere has been so frequently 

 accused of insensibility ? Because the emotions of his noble soul were 

 not manifested readily in his countenance. He would listen with an 

 air of the utmost indifference to the story of an unfortunate; but while 

 others were content to manifest their sympathy in vain words, he, with- 

 out saying anything, would bring succor and consolation of all kinds 

 to relieve the sufferings which had been revealed to him. You know now 

 the true meaning of the words of d'Alembert, "Condorcet is a volcano 

 covered with snow." It is a great mistake to suppose the immortal 

 geometer, by his picturesque simile, meant to indicate violence of char- 

 acter, disguised by coldness. 



D'Alembert had seen the volcano in full action in the year 1771. The 

 geometer, the metaphysician, the political economist, the philosopher, 



