Eminent literary and scientific men of France.

Date:
1838-1839
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Eminent literary and scientific men of France. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    the capacity for which he was thus led to deny.* Madame de Maintenon adds, in her portrait, “ M. de Roche- foucauld had an agreeable countenance, a dignified man- ner, much intellect, and little knowledge. He was in- triguing, supple, foreseeing. I never knew a friend more constant, more frank, nor more prudent in his ad- vice. He loved to reign : he was very brave. He pre- served the vivacity of his mind till his death ; and was always lively and agreeable, though naturally sprious.” The latter part of his life was embittered by the gout, which seldom left him free from pain. The society of madame de la Fayette and other friends were his re- source during the intervals of his attacks, and his comfort throughout. Madame de Sevigne makes frequent men- tion of him in her letters, and always in a ivay that marks approbation and respect. She often speaks of his fortitude in suffering bodily pain, and his sensibility when domestic misfortunes visited him severely. His courage never abandoned him, except when death de- prived him of those he loved. One of his sons was killed and another wounded in the passage of the Rhine. “ I have seen,” writes madame de Sevigne, “his heart laid bare by this cruel disaster. Fie is the first among all the men I ever knew for courage, good- ness, tenderness, and sense. I count his wit and agreeable qualities as nothing in comparison.” It is from her letters that ive gather an account of his death. Men- tion is made of him, as well and enjoying society, in the * We doubt the exact truth of these assertions even while we write them It is true that Rochefoucauld detects self-love as mingling in many of our actions and feelings, but he does not advance the opinion that no disinterested virtue can exist, and, still less, the Helvetian metaphysical notion that self-love.is the spring of every emotion, which it is, inasmuch as it is we that feel,' and that our emotions cause our pulses to beat, not another’s; but is not, inasmuch as we do not consult our'own interest or pleasure in all we feel and do. Madame de Sevigne relates an anecdote of an officer who had his arm carried ofFby the same cannon-ball that killed Turenne, but who, careless of the mutilation, threw himself weeping on the corpse of the hero She adds that Rochefoucauld shed tears when he heard this told. Such tears are a tribute paid to disinterested virtue; and prove, though the author of the “ Maxims ” could trace dross in ore wherever it existed, yet that he believed that virtue could be found in entire purity..
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