JOURNEY OVER MOUNT GOTTTI ARD» 33 1 



The remaining part of my journey was equally rich 

 in charming profpecls, but which it is impoffible to 

 defcribe. About nine o'clock, at the coming on of 

 night, I happily arrived at Lucern, highly delighted 

 with my clay's journey, which, though fo little fa- 

 tiguing, abounded in fuch beautiful and various fcenes, 



MADAME GEOFPRIN. 



When the activity of virtue in the middling 

 ranks of life goes beyond its ufual fphere ; when it 

 fiiarts from obfcurity, and creates itfelf a kind of em- 

 pire ; when a refpeelable fociety of a great city, when 

 even foreigners cannot refufe it the tribute of reve- 

 rence and efteem ; it has a right to public praife, and 

 one cannot but be glad to fee friendfhip place a modeft 

 infcription on its monument, and take pains to perpe- 

 tuate a memory fo dear, and a pattern lb worthy of imi- 

 tation. This is the cafe with Madame Geoffrin, whofe 

 biography I fhall here prefent to the reader, upon the 

 mbft undoubted authorities. 



If it be true that education has an influence on our 

 tinderftanding and character, we may already perceive 

 the likenefs of Madame Geoffrin in the account fhe 

 gave to fome of her friends of the manner in which 

 fhe was brought up. On this fubjecT: we have the fol- 

 lowing fragment of one of her letters to the prefent 

 emprefs of Ruffia. a I loft my father and mother 



while 



