34& MADAME GE0FFRIN. 



copy of any one of them : a kind of facrifke of 

 which an elevated foul alone is capable, and which 

 vanity would never have made. The emprefs queen 

 and the emperor received her, on her return through 

 Vienna, with the moft gracious tokens of efteem. The 

 emperor paid her a yifit when he was laft at Paris, 

 though fhe had then been for feveral months labouring 

 -under a very painful diftemper, which entirely ex- 

 haufted ail the energy of her fpirit. We may add 

 to the number of great perfonages who went to vilit 

 iier, the late king of Sweden, and almoft all the 

 princes of Germany who travelled to France. 



Early in life Madame Geoffrin difcovered her fatis- 

 faction in the fociety of literary perfons. At Madame 

 de Tencin's fhe made acquaintance with feveral of the 

 moft famous men of the times, and thought them the 

 belt part of the legacy left her by that elegant lady. 

 Fontenelle, Monte fquieu, Mairan, &c. made it a rule 

 to meet once a week at her houfe ; on Wednesdays fhe 

 gave a dinner to the literati ; and every evening her 

 doors were open to all that were worthy of fuch com- 

 pany and of fuch a diftinclion. In thefe refpects fhe 

 was fo exact and regular, that fhe very rarely left 

 Paris, and when fhe did, fhe was fure to be at home 

 punctually at the hour appointed for the company to 

 meet. The artifts alfo found her a great friend to 

 them. She interefled herfelf in the fuccefs of their 

 performances, went to vilit them in their work-rooms, 

 and procured them opportunities for difplaying their 

 talents. Her apartments were decorated with their 

 moil: rmifhed pieces. Paintings and iketches by Van-, 

 loo, Greuge, Vernet, Vien, Grence, Robert, heads by 



St. 



