MADAME GEOFFRIN. 347 



agreeable anfwers, or of making a mifappiication of 

 one's generality. Befides, it not unfrequently Hap- 

 pens, that, in obliging fome people, we draw upon 

 ourielves the cenfures even of perfons that are not at 

 all interefted. in the affair.: The favour might have 

 been much better befcowed, fays one; another falls 

 foul on the perfon that has received it ; and wonders 

 how he could be fo mean as to accept of it. All thefe 

 inconveniences are avoided when we confer an obli^ 

 gation on the ungrateful. Your good action remains 

 in obfcurity. You enjoy it alone. Nobody detracts 

 from your merits. Nobody fays, that your kindnefs 

 was ill-beftowed. Nobody plagues you for others. 

 Therefore, I do riffht to love the ungrateful.*' 



Amongft the men of talents and learning, of whom 

 the conftant fociety of Madame Geoffrin was compofed, 

 we may mention, without reckoning fuch as are itill 

 living, the lift of whom would be too long to infert 

 here, Fontenelle, Montefquieu, the abbe de St. Pierre, 

 Mairan, Hume, Algarotti, Helved us, Maupertuis, 

 Count Caylus, Mariette, Bouchardon, Vanloo ; in 

 fhort, all that were of note in the feveral departments 

 of arts and literature. Perfons of the htft quality 

 courted her acquaintance, and the number of them was 

 very confiderable. The prefent king of Poland always 

 called her his mother. The emprefs of Ruffia wrote 

 her a great many letters, full of the mofr, flattering tef- 

 timonies of her efteem and affection. The franknefs 

 with which Madame Geoffrin anfwered her on a cri- 

 tical occafion brought on a coolnefs and put a flop to 

 the correfpondence. Madame Geoffrin, without being 

 fequired, fent back all the letters, not even keeping a 



copy. 



