f the best work
of his life. It was Mme. du Chatelet who encouraged him, sympathized
with him, and appreciated his mobile humor as well as his talent. During
these years, while he was under the influence of madame, appeared_
Merope, Alzire, _the_ Siecle de Louis XIV, _etc._]

In matters literary, Mme. du Deffand preserved an absolute liberty
and independence of opinion. She refused to accept the verdicts of the
most competent judges; with instinctive attractions and repulsions,
she found but few writers that pleased her. Boileau, Lesage, Chamfort,
were her favorites. She said that Buffon was of an unendurable
monotony. "He knows well what he knows, but he is occupied with beasts
only; one must be something of a beast one's self in order to devote
one's self to such an occupation."

As a writer, she showed remarkable good sense, admirable sincerity,
rare judgment, justness, and precision; depth and charm were present
in a less degree than were other desirable qualities, but she
exhibited excellent _esprit_. She was probably the most subtile, and
at the same time the most fastidious person of the century. The best
portraits of her were written by her own pen; two of them we give, one
written at the beginning of her career in 1728, the other at its end
in 1774.

"Mme. la Marquise du Deffand is an enemy of all falseness and
affectation. Her talk and countenance are always the faithful
interpreters of the sentiment of her soul. Her form is not fine nor
bad. She has _esprit_, is reasonable and has a correct taste. If
vivacity at times leads her off, truth soon brings her back. After she
falls into an ennui which extinguishes all the light of her mind, she
finds that state insupportable and the cause of such unhappiness, that
she blindly embraces all that presents itself, without deliberation."

(1774.) "They believe Mme. du Deffand to possess more _esprit_ than
she really has; they praise and fear her, but she merits neither the
one nor the other. As far as her _esprit_ is concerned, she is what
she is; in regard to her form, to her birth and fortune--nothing
extraordinary, nothing distinguished. Born without great talent,
incapable of great application, she is very susceptible to ennui, and,
not finding any resource within herself, she resorts to those that
surround her and this search is often without success."

Mme. du Deffand arouses our curiosity because she was such an
exceptional character, led such a strange lif