138

LITERARY AND SCIENTIFIC MEN.

any taint of envy, Rousseau might naturally shrink fromliving under his shadow. Older than him, rich, of es-tablished reputation, arrogant beneath all his playful-ness, and so mischievously meddling, that even the kingof Prussia found him a troublesome inmate, a very littleknowledge of the world would have told Rousseau thatthey could only agree, when in vicinity, through con-tinual deference on his part; and the views they tookof the social system were so different, and both wereby disposition so eager to disseminate their respectiveopinions, that deference was out of the question, andopen hostilities must have been the consequence.

Still Rousseau doubted, and was disturbed. Madamed’Epinay relates the nature of his deliberations, whichbetray great foresight and prudence. “ Rousseau isperplexed/’ she says; “ nor am I less, with regardto the advice that he asks of me. He has receivedletters pressing him warmly to return and live in hisnative country. ‘ What ought I to do ? ’ he said, ‘ Ineither can nor will reside in Paris , I am too miserable.I should be glad to visit and to pass several months inmy republic ; but the propositions made me are of anature to fix me there; and if I accept them, I mustremain. I have some acquaintance, but no friends.These people scarcely know me, and they write to meas a brother ; this I am aware is the result of the repub-lican spirit, but I distrust such warm friends. On theother hand, my heart warms at the idea, that my coun-try invites me; but how quit Grimm, Diderot , andyourself ? ’ ”

Madame d’Epinay was, when left to herself, a wo-man of generous impulses and an affectionate heart.She conceived a method of cutting the gordian knot, andacted on it at once. At the entrance of the forest ofMontmorenci, there was a small house belonging toM. d’Epinay, called the Hermitage. M. d’Epinay wasadding a new wing to the chateau ; his wife persuadedhim to allow some of the workmen to enlarge and fit upthis house : all was executed with zealous speed. She