§f@ MADAME GE0FFRIN. 



Titus comptoit les jours, vous comptez les momens, 

 was juftly faid to her by a celebrated poet. Though " 

 fhe would occafionally fpeak, with her ufual naivete, 

 of her bounty in general, yet fhe carefully concealed 

 the particulars of her good actions ; and, in the proper 

 fenfe of the words, did not let her left hand know what 

 her right hand gave. On this fubject fhe fometimes 

 quoted an oriental fentence, which fhe had even wrote 

 out and hung up in a frame, iignifying, that the good 

 we do, though it be loft among men, will certainly be 

 recollected in heaven. Particularly with her friends, 

 and the men of letters of whom her fociely was com- 

 pofed, fhe indulged what fhe called her giving humour. 

 She vilited them frequently in this view alone. On 

 thefe occafions fne would take notice of the furniture 

 of their apartment, obferve whether this thing or the 

 other was wanting, a fcreen, a fpring-clock, a writing- 

 table, &c. or whether fhe could not yet add fome piece 

 of ufeful furniture to what fhe faw there ; and when 

 fhe had thought of fomething of the kind, fhe gave 

 herfelf no reft till fhe had made the intended prefent, 

 and it fat upon her mind as heavily as the clamours of 

 a creditor would have done on that of any other. 

 Whatever fhe gave, was always with the utmoft difin- 

 tereftednefs. She was out of temper in earner! when 

 any one wanted to return prefeht for prefent ; and faid 

 that it was a defign to fpoii her pleafure. On her lea^ 

 ving Warfaw, the king of Poland gave her his picture 

 fet with diamonds of very great value. She obftinately 

 refufed the diamonds, and would only accept of the 

 picture with a limple border. &he was preffed to re- 

 ceive 



