up* NOTES. . 



To return to John-James : he was moft fincere in denying 

 himfelf to the gratification of vanity ; he referred his reputation 

 not to his perfon, but to certain natural truths, difFiifed over 

 hià writings ; but, in other refpecls, fetting no extraordinary 

 value on himfelf. I told him, one day, that a young lady had 

 faid to me, fhe would think hcrfelf happy in attending him 

 as his fervant. "Yes," replied he, " in order to hear me talk 

 *' fix or feven hours on the fubjeèt of the Emilius." I have 

 oftener than once taken the liberty to combat fome of his opi- 

 nions; fo far from being offended, he with pleafure acknow- 

 ledged his miftake, the moment that he was made fenfible of it. 



Of this, I beg leave to quote one inftance, which reflefts fome 

 credit on myfelf, though it may favour of vanity ; but, in fin- 

 cerity, my fole intention in producing it, is to vindicate his cha- 

 raéler from that charge. Wherefore, faid I to him, once that the 

 fubjeft happened to come in the way, have you, in your Emi- 

 lius, reprefented the ferpent in Pou[firC% Deluge, as the principal 

 objeél of that Painting ? It is not fo, but the infant, which it's 

 mother is ftraining to place on a rock. He meditated for a mo- 

 ment, and faid to me : " Yes. ...yes, you are in the right : I was 

 " miftaken. It is the child ; undoubtedly, it is the child;" and 

 he appeared to be perfectly overjoyed that I had fuggefled the 

 remark. But he flood in no need of my fuperficial obfervations, 

 to bring him to the acknowledgment of the little flips which had 

 efcaped him. He faid to me one day : " Were I to undertake 

 " a new Edition of my Works, I would certainly foften what I 

 " have written on the fubje6l of Phyficians. There is no one 

 *' profeflion which requires fo much clofe Ihidy and application 

 *' as theirs. In all Countries, they are really the men of the 

 " moft cuhivated underftanding." Upon another occafion, he 

 faid to me : "I mingled in my quarrel with Mr. Hume too 

 " ftrong an infufion of fpleen. But the dull climate of England, 

 *' the ftate of my fortune, and the perfecutions which I had juft 

 " been enduring in France, all contributed to plunge me into 

 " melancholy." He has faid to me oftener than once, " I am 

 '• fond of celebriry ; I acknowledge it ; but," added he, with 



a figh. 



