Boissier heiresses, de Saussure was closely connected with three 

 of the most distinguished families in the city, the Tronchins, the 

 Turrettinis, and the de la Rives. As the host and more or less 

 the master of the mansion in the Rue de la Cite" and the beautiful 

 country home on the lakeshore at Genthod, the young philosopher 

 was obviously called on to take a conspicuous part in the social 

 life and gaieties of the Upper Town. There was in Geneva at 

 that time, before the troubles of the end of the century, a some- 

 what exclusive set of the ' best families/ the ' Nobles ' and 

 ' Spectables ' of the old aristocracy, which was celebrated both 

 for its agreeable and informal character and for its literary culture . 

 It was one of the attractions that drew Voltaire to take up his 

 abode in the neighbourhood. In the letters of the day we read 

 of constant picnics and exchanges of visits between the inmates 

 of the neighbouring country-houses in summer, and of afternoon 

 assemblies and tea-parties in town during the winter. 



The long-standing connection between England and Geneva 

 had grown very intimate. A common form of religion, coupled 

 with educational advantages, drew many of our countrymen to 

 the pleasant town on Lake Leman. But the particular magnet 

 that brought some of the first families in France and England 

 about 1760 was Dr. Tronchin. He made Geneva a fashionable 

 health resort, and the ' world ' flocked to its favourite doctor as in 

 later years it did to mineral spas to Homburg, Marienbad, and 

 St. Moritz. So great was the crowd that lodgings were scarce 

 and dear, and the Genevese, when they went out to their country 

 villas for the summer, had no difficulty in letting their town houses . 

 Voltaire and his theatre no doubt added to the double attraction 

 of society and scenery. 



All our evidence and there is a good deal goes to show 

 that de Saussure thoroughly enjoyed the social atmosphere by 

 which he found himself surrounded. He was himself by all 

 accounts an attractive personality, with a rare power of giving out 

 the best of himself, full of sympathy among his friends and of 

 natural gaiety in general society. In a note in an unusually 

 lively strain written during his stay in England to Haller's son 

 in Holland, he shows an eye keenly observant of personal traits. 

 * If you meet on your way the wig of M. Biermann, the sword of 

 M. 1'Amiral, the wife of M. Van der Meulen, or the eyebrows of 



