D'ALEMBERT. 455 



combined with the pleasure of his present relaxation 

 a pure mind, free from all passions, satisfied with itself 

 a gentle and equal spirit, ever true, ever simple and 

 natural, far removed from both pride and dissimulation, 

 such is the picture drawn of him by the Marmontels, 

 the Grimms, and the Diderots, who knew him best. His 

 conversation was admitted to be delightful by the mem- 

 bers of the most delightful and most fastidious circle in 

 the world. His favourite maxim contributed to the 

 charm of his conversation; he held that men should be 

 most careful what they did, less careful about what they 

 wrote, and least careful about what they spoke a maxim 

 to which he acted up in all respects himself. His in- 

 exhaustible memory his lively unexpected sallies that 

 never went a hair's-breadth too far his inimitable talent 

 of telling, and even of acting, a story his constant vein 

 of liberal and enlightened, but sound, and therefore 

 tolerant philosophy, are the themes of those who sur- 

 vived him, and found that the blank he had left could 

 not be supplied. That he possessed higher qualities 

 than these is certain, for he was the most kind and 

 charitable of men. Half his small income was given 

 away in beneficent acts as soon as it became greater 

 than his few wants and strict economy required. His 

 patronage was easily obtained for merit ; not easily, or 

 at all, by powerful solicitation. An instance, and a cele- 

 brated one, occurred of this difference. When Laplace 

 came to Paris as a young man, he brought letters of in- 

 troduction to him from persons of importance in his native 

 town ; but no notice being taken of these, he wrote him 

 a letter on the principles of mechanics. This produced 

 an immediate invitation to call upon the Secretary, who 



