ess conciseness and elegance of expression. Vauvenargues
and Joubert were his legitimate successors. But how far removed in
spirit!

"The body has graces," writes Vauvenargues, "the mind has talents; has
the heart only vices? And man capable of reason, shall he be incapable
of virtue?"

With a fine and delicate touch, Joubert says: "Virtue is the health of
the soul. It gives a flavor to the smallest leaves of life."

These sentiments are in the vein of Pascal, who represents the most
spiritual element of the little coterie which has left such a legacy of
condensed thought to the world.

The crowning act of the life of Mme. de Sable was her defense of Port
Royal. She united with Mme. de Longueville in protecting the persecuted
Jansenists, Nicole and Arnauld, but she had neither the courage, the
heroism, nor the partisan spirit of her more ardent companion. With all
her devotion she was something of a sybarite and liked repose. She had
the tact, during all the troubles which scattered her little circle, to
retain her friends, of whatever religious color, though not without a
few temporary clouds. Her diplomatic moderation did not quite please the
religieuses of Port Royal, and chilled a little her pleasant relations
with d'Andilly.

Toward the close of her life, the Marquise was in the habit of secluding
herself for days together, and declining to see even her dearest
friends. The Abbe de la Victoire, piqued at not being received, spoke of
her one day as "the late Mme. la Marquise de Sable."

La Rochefoucauld writes to her, "I know no more inventions for entering
your house; I am refused at the door every day." Mme. de La Fayette
declares herself offended, and cites this as a proof of her attachment,
saying, "There are very few people who could displease me by not wishing
to see me." But the friends of the Marquise are disposed to treat her
caprices very leniently. As the years went by and the interests of
life receded, Mme. de Sable became reconciled to the thought that had
inspired her with so much dread. When she died at the advanced age of
seventy-nine, the longed-for transition was only the quiet passing from
fevered dreams to peaceful sleep.

It is a singular fact that this refined, exclusive, fastidious woman, in
whom the artistic nature was always dominant to the extent of weakness,
should have left a request to be buried, without ceremony, in the parish
cemetery with the people, remote alike from the tomb