KOUSSEAU.

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morse from defacing it still more; he felt it in his ownperson, when his unguarded and softened heart was sud-denly possessed by a passion the most vehement andunfortunate that ever caused a frail human being tothrill and mourn.

The countess d’Houdetot was the sister of M. d’Epi-nay, and was married to a young noble, who had beengiven her as a husband in her youth, in the way mar-jriages were made in France , neither knowing nor caringfor the other. He was an insignificant person, veryfond of money, and totally neglectful of his wife. The(usual course in such marriages was, that the wife should■have a lover, and if the husband were content to shuthis eyes, and she continued constant to one person, shewas looked on as living respectably. Madame d’Hou-detot was not even pretty ; but she had a look of youth,preserved by the ingenuousness of her mind and the kind-ness of her heart. Every one loved her. Gay, gentle, fullof tenderness, and admirably true and sincere ; she addedto these qualities a giddiness of disposition — a childishbut bewitching frankness — a wit that never hurt, butalways charmed, as springing from the natural gladnessof an innocent heart; and, protected by these genuinevirtues, she escaped the contamination of Parisian society.Her lover, M.de Saint Lambert, was a man distinguishedfor his talents, moving in the highest society, a gallantsoldier, an admired poet, a handsome man ; his attach-ment, according to the code of morals of the society towhich they belonged, reflected honour on its object.

She came several times, at the desire of Saint Lam-s'bert, to visit Rousseau at the Hermitage. He had de-^sired her to go, believing that the ties of friendship es-, tablished between the three would be of mutual benefit;•and Rousseau being aware of their attachment, the open-ness of heart that reigned in the intercourse was another(attraction. She spoke of her lover with enthusiasm :Rousseau listened, and before he was aware, felt for herall that she expressed for another. When, after herMepartuie, he turned his thoughts to Julie, hitherto the

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