FRAGMENT. 269 



moft authentic traditions of Hiftorians, which I 

 found, in great numbers, in the Voyage oiPaufanias 

 into Greece, the Works of Plutarch, and the Re- 

 treat of the ten thoufand by Xenophon ; (o that I 

 collefted, on the fubjeâ: of Arcadia, all that Na- 

 ture prefents moft lovely in our climates, and 

 Hiftory, moft probable in Antiquity. 



While I was engaged in thofe agreeable re- 

 fearches, I had the good fortune to form a per- 

 fonal acquaintance with John-James Roujfeau, We 

 very frequently went out a-walking, in the Sum- 

 mer time, in every diredion round Paris. I de- 

 rived inexpreffible fatisfadlion from his fociety» 

 He had nothing of the vanity of moft hterary cha- 

 radlers, who are continually difpofed to draw the 

 attention of other men to their ideas ; and ftill 

 lefs that of the men of the World, who imagine 

 tliat a man of letters is good for nothing but to 

 relieve their languor, by prattling to them. He 

 took his fliare of both the benefit, and the burthen 

 of converfation, talking in his turn, and atten- 

 tively liftening when others talked. Nay, he left 

 to thofe with whom he aflbciated, the fubjeâ: of 

 the converfation, regulating himfelf according to 

 their ftandard, with fo little arrogance of preten- 

 fion, that among thofe who did not know him, 

 perfons of moderate difcernment took him for an 

 ordinary man, and thofe who aflumed the lead, 



confidered 



