FRIENDS AND COADJUTORS AT PARIS. 43 



filled the position of tutor, he made the acquaintance of Made^ 

 moiselle Pauline de Meulan, engaged in the editorship of the 

 periodical c Le Publiciste.' To this lady, equally distinguished 

 with himself for the most enviable qualities of mind and heart, 

 he was united in marriage in 1812. On receiving the an- 

 nouncement of his friend's engagement, which had been con- 

 fidentially communicated to him by Frau Stapfer, he penned 

 the following letter to Gkiizot : ' 



k I will not quarrel with you for having somewhat neglected 

 me since the arrival of Herr Stapfer. I suspected the cause, 

 and congratulated myself both on my own sagacity, and on 

 your happiness. While all the world is talking of your talent 

 and the extensive range of your knowledge, it is left to me to 

 give you the simple assurance of the affectionate interest you 

 have been able to inspire. My curiosity had become excited, 

 as Frau Stapfer would tell you. You are about to .enter upon 

 a new existence, and everything around you will be changed. 

 The world will dress itself in smiles, and life itself will assume 

 a new charm. One cannot avoid interesting oneself in an 

 event of so much importance both to you and to your friends. 

 It is indeed rare to see the noblest qualities of head and heart 

 united to the charm of imagination and the highest gifts of 

 reason, whereby everything in life is estimated at its true value. 

 Mademoiselle de M. possesses also another heritage, difficult to 

 preserve in an age which, already weary with levelling fortunes 

 to one uniform standard, seeks to abase everything that is 

 exalted in the world of morality. The world is unanimous 

 in according its homage to the lady of your choice, not only 

 for the generous devotion she has displayed in the midst of 

 turbulent events, but also for a nobility of character, and 

 an unexampled courage, which gain in lustre from the sim- 

 plicity to which they are united. It is a matter for congratula- 

 tion when honour and virtue are so exemplified as to command 

 the admiration of the public. 



6 I shall continue to feign ignorance of your engagement. In 

 the midst of your preoccupation there will doubtless be 

 moments which you can still devote to friendship ; I shall 

 then be glad to hear when I may have the honour of being 



1 De la Roquette, vol. ii. p. 48. 



