MADAME GEOFFRIN. 349 



St. Moine ; articles of furniture and bronzes executed 

 in the higheft tafte ; all announced her affection for the 

 arts and artifts. The day appointed for the artifts to 

 affemble at her houfe was Thurfday. When any one 

 wanted to purchafe a painting or any other performance 

 of art, it was fent on that day to Madame Geoffrin's, 

 where it was fubmitted to the judgement of the mafters 

 in that department. M. Mariette commonly brought 

 with him a great number of drawings by the principal 

 mafters, which afterwards compofed that large and va- 

 luable collection which he left behind him at his death. 

 Perfons of rank, amateurs, and others, who had accefs 

 to thefe meetings, here became perfonally acquainted 

 with the artifts themfelves, and were thereby the more 

 readily induced to fet their talents at work. It may 

 with juftice be affirmed, that the GeofTrine Thurfday s 

 contributed greatly to the execution of the major part 

 of the performances of the modern french fchooi, 

 which are now the ornaments of the cabinets of 

 Europe. 



Not only all that had any pretentions to tafte and good 

 company in Paris met together at Madame GeofFrin's, but 

 likewife all foreigners, whom bufinefs, or an attachment 

 to the arts and fciences and to the charms of fociety, 

 had brought to that capital. The ambafXadors and mi* 

 nifters from the feveral courts, foreigners of fafmon t 

 travellers of diftinction, all ftrove for admiffion into a 

 houfe, where they were received with a noble hofpita- 

 lity, and where the moft refpeetabk and celebrated 

 geniufes in every department of the arts and fciences, 

 and a great number of perfons of the ntft rank, were 

 continually reforting. All thefe together formed fo 



complete 



