ROCHEFOUCAULD.

91

a writing of M. tie la Rochefoucauld had fallen into herhands which surprised and afflicted her.” We are nottold the subject of this paper, nor the cause of heraffliction : was it some trace of past unkindness or secretinjustice? These are the stings, this the poison, of death.There is no recal for a hasty word ; no excuse, no par-don, no forgetfulness, for injustice or neglect; — thegrave that has closed over the living form, and blockedup the future, causes the past to be indelible; and, ashuman weakness for ever errs, here it finds the punish-ment of its errors. While we love, let us ever remem-ber that the loved one may die,— that we ourselves maydie. Let all be true and open, let all be faithful andsingle-hearted, or the poison-harvest reaped after deathmay infect with pain and agony one’s life of memory.We may say, in defence of Rochefoucauld , that Gour-ville, in his memoirs, alludes to a circumstance thatannoyed him with regard to madame de la Fayette:he says that, taking advantage of Gourville’s attachmentto his former master, she and M. de Langlade plottedtogether to do him an ill turn, which would have turnedgreatly to the lady’s advantage; and that, at the timeof the duke’s death, it was said that he was much hurtat having discovered this little intrigue. At the sametime madame de la Fayette may have been innocent ofthe charge. Gourville disliked her, and might accuseher unjustly, and have deceived Rochefoucauld by repre-sentations which were false, though he believed in themhimself.

We have entered thus fully into all the details knownof Rochefoucauld ’s life, that we might understand betteron what principles and feelings the “ Maxims ” werefounded. We find a warm heart, an impetuous temper,joined to great ductility, some insincerity, and no ima-gination ; —we find a penetrating understanding, joinedto extreme subtlety, that might well overshoot itself inits aim;—strong attachments, which took the colourgreatly of their object. Disease tamed his passions; buthis mind was still free to observe, and to form opinions.