me within the
territory, preparations were made to imitate the action of Paris,
Geneva, and Berne. It was only the king's express permission that
saved him from a fourth proscription. The minister at Motiers was of
the less inhuman stamp, and Rousseau, feeling that he could not,
without failing in his engagements and his duty as a citizen, neglect
the public profession of the faith to which he had been restored eight
years before, attended the religious services with regularity. He even
wrote to the pastor a letter in vindication of his book, and
protesting the sincerity of his union with the reformed
congregation.[135] The result of this was that the pastor came to tell
him how great an honour he held it to count such a member in his
flock, and how willing he was to admit him without further examination
to partake of the communion.[136] Rousseau went to the ceremony with
eyes full of tears and a heart swelling with emotion. We may respect
his mood as little or as much as we please, but it was certainly more
edifying than the sight of Voltaire going through the same rite,
merely to harass a priest and fill a bishop with fury.

In all other respects he lived a harmless life during the three years
of his sojourn in the Val de Travers. As he could never endure what he
calls the inactive chattering of the parlour--people sitting in front
of one another with folded hands and nothing in motion except the
tongue--he learnt the art of making laces; he used to carry his pillow
about with him, or sat at his own door working like the women of the
village, and chatting with the passers-by. He made presents of his
work to young women about to marry, always on the condition that they
should suckle their children when they came to have them. If a little
whimsical, it was a harmless and respectable pastime. It is pleasanter
to think of a philosopher finding diversion in weaving laces, than of
noblemen making it the business of their lives to run after ribands. A
society clothed in breeches was incensed about the same time by
Rousseau's adoption of the Armenian costume, the vest, the furred
bonnet, the caftan, and the girdle. There was nothing very wonderful
in this departure from use. An Armenian tailor used often to visit
some friends at Montmorency. Rousseau knew him, and reflected that
such a dress would be of singular comfort to him in the circumstances
of his bodily disorder.[137] Here was a solid practical reason for
what has us