438 D'ALEMBERT. 



to such as have no families of their own. There is, 

 too, a variety always occurring, which no family circle 

 can possess. The knowledge of each other's charac- 

 ter, hahits, pursuits, tastes, renders the conversation 

 easy and interesting. The same subjects are continued 

 from day to day. The kind of wit or humour of the 

 circle is well known, and gives a zest to trifles, or sal- 

 lies of pleasantry, that would be little relished by 

 strangers. Add to which, that the familiarity of all 

 with one another, though giving all a considerable in- 

 terest in the welfare of each, stops short of inspiring so 

 great an interest as would too much excite the feelings ; 

 and in this quasi family circle none of the anxiety is 

 felt which often becomes too painful in the real do- 

 mestic relations. The national character is, perhaps, 

 better suited to such habits than ours Avould be. Cer- 

 tain it is that our neighbours consider us as having 

 nothing which can be, with any propriety of speech, 

 called society; for those whose lives are spent in 

 coteries, when not occupied with business, regard with 

 unmitigated aversion the large parties which, on rare 

 occasions, bring together hundreds of their countrymen 

 at some of our fair country-women's houses, and would 

 have joined a late chief-justice* in his description of 

 the obstruction which such assembled multitudes oc- 

 casion of our streets, if his lordship, passing through 

 the outer-door, had extended his definition of a nuis- 

 ance to the scenes which pass within the walls of those 

 fashionable and not inhospitable mansions. 



All accounts agree in describing D'Alembert as a 

 most agreeable and most acceptable member of those 

 circles, first at Madame du Duffand's, and afterwards 

 at Mademoiselle de 1'Espinasse's and Madame Geoff- 

 rm's. His wit was very playful and easy, and it was 

 without a particle of gall, though not unaccompanied 

 with traits of satire, from which his writings are en- 



* Lord Ellenborouiih. 



