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406 Biographical Account of (Dec. 
a taste for these sublime studies.’ He remembered doubtless what 
he himself had felt on reading the writings of Fontenelle. 
The first edition only bore the modest title of Essay. He ac- 
knowledged afterwards that he was satisfied with its success. His 
Essay had been translated into different languages. It was well 
arranged, clear, and well written. He acknowledges at the same 
time that the second edition, entitled General History, was less 
fortunate, and had been very severely criticised. The cause which 
he assigns for this difference is, that in the Essay he had refrained 
from speaking of living authors, whereas when he continued his 
history to our own time he could not but find judges more difficult 
to satisfy. Without denying absolutely the justice of this remark, 
we must acknowledge likewise that the reasons which he assigns for 
certain omissions appear very weak. The most disinterested readers 
must see that different modern works are not appreciated with a 
care and details proportional to their importance. The author, who 
had given an interesting account of the discussions between Newton 
and Leibnitz, and the more recent disputes of the two protectors of 
his youth, Clairaut and d’Alembert, was more sparing in speaking 
of authors whom he had studied with more care, and for whom 
perhaps he had not the same affection, ‘This restriction is equally 
apparent in what he says, and in what he suppresses ; and this part 
of the work requires to be done over again. ‘* His great age and 
his infirmities deprived him of the hope of doing better, or being 
more happy.” But he thinks that ‘ his work is of a nature to be 
perfected by successors more capable of fulfilling his intentions.” 
These intentions were to be just and impartial; but he wished 
that others should be with respect to him what he wished to be with 
respect to others. He acknowledges in a posthumous manuscript 
which has been sent us ** that he always had a harshness of cha- 
yacter, which often injured him with those who only knew him 
superficially. He did not easily grant his confidence; he believed 
all mankind in general dissemblers and deceivers ; but when he 
gave himself up to the natural frankness of his soul, he brought 
into the commerce of life an effusion of true feeling, which pro- 
cured him a great number of devoted friends, especially in the 
Military Corps of Engineers.” 
“ He abhorred impostors of all kinds,” said he, likewise; “ he 
had often the imprudence to make them acquainted with his 
opinions; but he was always in search of true merit.” 
* He was obliging; and he complains bitterly of ungrateful 
persons.” 
«© He was persuaded that men who owed every thing to him had 
shown the greatest rancour against him, and had given themselves 
a great deal of trouble to prevent him from obtaining places to 
which he had never aspired.” 
It is not surprising that with such opinions, embittered by soli- 
tude, and strengthened by the kind of abandonment in which he 
thought himself placed, after having enjoyed a rank and influence 
