ROUSSEAU.

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often said, r are equivalent to two pair, because one issooner worn out than the other;’ and he therefore alwayshad three shoes made at a time.” This man, silly,insolent, and grasping, crushed the last ambition ofRousseau . lie treated him with such indignity thathe was forced to leave him. Plundered and ill treated,while every one at Venice at the time was eager tofurnish testimonials of his excellent conduct — and hisdispatches had merited high praise — he received nocompensation from the court he served. The iniquit-ous maxim of the French government, never publiclyto acknowledge the misconduct of those whom it em-ployed, joined to the circumstance that Rousseau wasnot a Frenchman, sufficed to render his representationsof no avail. This thoroughly, and with reason, dis-gusted him from seeking employment under a systemW'here all worth w r as trampled on by rank and wealth.

Fie returned to Paris , and was kindly received by allhis friends, with one exception only, of a highborn lady,who could not imagine that a roturier had any right toquarrel with a noble. His friends madame Dupin and M.Franceuil continued their employment; the latter sub-sequently endeavoured to place him advantageously ascashier in his office, he being farmer-general; but Rous-seau could neither rest nor sleep while the money-chestwas under his care ; and falling ill in consequence, gaveup his situation. M. de Franceuil was somewhatalienated by this act; he began to think that there wereno means of befriending a man who shrunk from a[ lucrative and easy employment.

On his first arrival from Venice, Rousseau enjoyedthe intimate friendship of an enlightened Spaniard, aman of noble nature and great powers of mind. Theyagreed to live under the same roof, and allied themselvesin the closest friendship. D’Alcuna was recalled to hisnative country, and Rousseau felt the void. He had; been accustomed to domestic society, and in addition hefelt that he needed the kind attentions of a woman, and

VOL. II. K