I
did not quit it without kissing the very earth and trees, casting back
many a wishful look as I went towards Chambery.
Having left my scholars for so long a time, and lost my relish for
the amusements of the town, I seldom went out, conversing only with
Madam de Warrens and a Monsieur Salomon, who had lately become our
physician. He was an honest man, of good understanding, a great
Cartesian, spoke tolerably well on the system of the world, and his
agreeable and instructive conversations were more serviceable than his
prescriptions. I could never bear that foolish trivial mode of
conversation which is so generally adopted; but useful instructive
discourse has always given me great pleasure, nor was I ever
backward to join in it. I was much pleased with that of M. Salomon; it
appeared to me, that when in his company, I anticipated the
acquisition of that sublime knowledge which my soul would enjoy when
freed from its mortal fetters. The inclination I had for him
extended to the subject which he treated on, and I began to look after
books which might better enable me to understand his discourse.
Those which mingled devotion with science were most agreeable to me,
particularly the Oratory and Port-Royal, and I began to read or rather
to devour them. One fell into my hands written by Father Lami,
called Entretiens sur les Sciences, which was a kind of introduction
to the knowledge of those books it treated of. I read it over a
hundred times, and resolved to make this my guide; in short, I found
(notwithstanding my ill state of health) that I was irresistibly drawn
towards study, and though looking on each day as the last of my
life, read with as much avidity as if certain I was to live forever.
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