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journey; and that the kindness of the Strashurghersmade him meditate passing the winter in their city. Hewas, in fact, deliberating between Prussia and England.He feared the influence of the Parisian philosophers onFrederic’s mind; he knew that the king preferred thewritings of Voltaire to his; he felt that they wouldnot suit — that Frederic would neither take pleasure inhis society, nor reverence him: he would fall into a sub-ordinate position and humble obscurity—not as a privateman, whose independence repays him for all, but as aneglected courtier and pensioner of royalty. These na-tural struggles, founded on common sense and knowledgeof the world, were misinterpreted by his enemies.—Horace Walpole , who did not appreciate his genius,wrote a burlesque letter, as if from the king of Prussia— the point of which was, that Rousseau could notbe happy unless persecuted: the sorrowful truth, andthe miserable effects of persecution which w T ere subvert-ing even his reason, found no pity at the hands of thesemen.

But he had friends. The duchess of Luxembourg (the duke had died in the interim) and the countess deBoufflers, who were aware of the generosity of his con-duct when he fled from France , exerted themselves toprocure him an asylum. David Hume offered to escorthim to England, and to establish him respectably there.Rousseau did not like the English ; but the plan offeredmany advantages, and he consented. He took Paris inhis way, where the prince of Conti received him withprincely hospitality. “ The prince,” Rousseau writes,“ chooses that I should be lodged and entertained witha magnificence which he well knows does not suit mytastes; but I comprehend that, under the circumstances,he wishes to give public testimony of the esteem withwhich he honours me.” He received a great many visits;crowds followed him when he walked in the streets; —it is no wonder that he loved a people and a countrywhere he received such flattering tokens of kindness andadmiration.