293 
mer kings. The canting Madame Maintenon spared 
no pains to entrap and to confine for life a Dutch 
bookseller, who had exposed her character: but 
Marie Antoinette took not the least vengeance of 
the most abusive things, written and published by 
persons within her own power.” 
Vol.i.p. 110. ‘“ With respect to the character 
of Rousseau, about which the opinion of the world 
is so much divided, I have found it improve ona 
near examination. Every one who knew him speaks 
of him with the most affectionate esteem, as the 
most friendly, unaffected and modest of men, and 
the most unassuming in conversation. Enthusias- 
tically fond of the study of Nature, and of Linneus 
as the best interpreter of her works, he was always 
warmly attached to those who agreed with him in 
this taste. The amiable and accomplished lady* to 
whom his Letters on Botany were addressed, con- 
curs in this account, and holds his memory in the 
highest veneration. I have ventured to ask her:opi- 
nion upon some unaccountable actions in his life, 
and especially about those misanthropic horrors and 
suspicions which embittered his latter days. She 
seemed to think the last not entirely groundless; but 
still, for the most part to be attributed to a some- 
thing not quite right in his mind, for which he was 
to be pitied, not censured. Her charming daughter 
showed me a collection of dried plants, made and 
presented to her by Rousseau, neatly pasted on 
small writing-paper, and accompanied with their 
Linnean names and other particulars. 
* Madame de Lessert. 
