156 HOUSSEAU. 



of whom Theresa was very fond, was, on pretext of 

 economy, sent at the age of 80 to the workhouse, where 

 the disgrace of this treatment immediately broke his 

 heart. 



After the battle of Fontenoy, in 1745, the Court 

 gave several theatrical entertainments, and Voltaire 

 contributed the ' Princesse de Navarre,' of which the 

 famous Rameau had composed the music ; it was now 

 changed into the ' Fete de Ramire,' and Rousseau be- 

 ing employed to complete the adaptation, which re- 

 quired considerable alteration both of words and airs, 

 Voltaire was extremely pleased with his work and with 

 his flattering letter respecting it. Rousseau composed 

 his own opera of * Les Muses Galantes' the same year ; 

 but after one or two rehearsals, apprehensive of its 

 fate, he withdrew it. The death of his father enabled 

 him to obtain a small sum which belonged to his 

 mother, and which the father had enjoyed for his life. 

 A small portion," which he sent to Chambery, was at 

 once devoured by the knaves who surrounded Madame 

 de Warens, and lived by pillaging her. 



The kindness of his steady friend M. Francueil, Re- 

 ceiver-General of Finance, placed him in the office of 

 his cashier (caissicr), one of great trust, which he 

 dreaded, and of considerable emolument, which, be- 

 cause he was starving and complained of being forced 

 to send his children to the Hospital, he altogether con- 

 temned. He resigned it in a few weeks, on the ground 

 that its duties were irksome, and prevented him from 

 fully enjoying himself as he liked> at a time when he 

 believed he had only a few months to live. Self-indul- 

 gence appears to have been erected by him into a kind 



