376 LIFE OF HORACE BENEDICT DE SAUSSURE 



interests and lightened his last days by her affectionate and 

 untiring care. 



In May 1794 Madame Necker, the wife of the financier, died, 

 and in her the de Saussures lost a true and valuable friend. 



In the summer of that year Theodore returned to Geneva. 

 His parents, in order to reduce their expenses, had retired to their 

 farm at Conches, while Frontenex, the home of de Saussure's 

 childhood, was sold. We also hear of the sale, through a Frankfort 

 bookseller, of part of his library. 



The first waters de Saussure visited in search of health were 

 those of Aix in Savoy, where we find him in May 1794. His wife 

 did not accompany him. The explanation is contained in a 

 letter from which we learn that the de Saussures hesitated both to 

 leave Geneva at the same time on account of the risk of their 

 properties being confiscated as those of emigrants. Empty houses 

 were the first to be seized by the Revolutionary Government. 



On the 28th June Madame de Saussure wrote from Conches 

 to her husband at Aix. As usual there had been a festival, the 

 second in twelve months, in honour of Rousseau. 



' A great deal of powder was burnt to-day. I am told it was very 

 successful ; a procession of girls, some crowned, others half veiled, 

 all carrying garlands they piled on the monument ; another of old 

 men leaning on sticks and supported by boys ; then the crowd and 

 bands. As there was no rain and no feasting, the festival went ofi 

 better than that of last year ! ' 



A week later Madame de Saussure was recording the departure 

 for America of several of their friends. The coming storm was 

 throwing its shadow in advance. Before it broke de Saussure had 

 returned to his family at Conches. 



A city distracted by civil broils, in the course of which all its 

 ancient institutions had been thrown into the melting-pot, was in 

 no condition to resist the contagion on its borders. The Revolu- 

 tion in France had excited class hostility and suggested the 

 spoliation of the well-to-do ; the fumes of the Terror had infected 

 the brains of the Genevese rabble, and made it eager to emulate 

 the crimes of Paris on the peaceful shore of Lake Leman. 

 There was no leader and no force at hand capable of controlling 

 the situation. On the evening of July 19th the town was in the 



