This was one of the atrocious accusations from which he did not
except me in his remark; that none but the wicked were alone: and
the meaning of his pathetic exclamation with the et caetera, which
he had benignantly added: A woman of eighty years of age, etc.
I thought the best answer that could be given to this reproach would
be from Madam le Vasseur herself. I desired her to write freely and
naturally her sentiments to Madam d'Epinay. To relieve her from all
constraint I would not see her letter. I showed her that which I am
going to transcribe. I wrote it to Madam d'Epinay upon the subject
of an answer I wished to return to a letter still more severe from
Diderot, and which she had prevented me from sending.
Thursday.
"My good friend. Madam le Vasseur is to write to you: I have desired
her to tell you sincerely what she thinks. To remove from her all
constraint, I have intimated to her that I will not see what she
writes and I beg of you not to communicate to me any part of the
contents of her letter.
"I will not send my letter because you do not choose I should;
but, feeling myself grievously offended, it would be baseness and
falsehood, of either of which it is impossible for me to be guilty, to
acknowledge myself in the wrong. Holy writ commands him to whom a blow
is given, to turn the other cheek, but not to ask pardon. Do you
remember the man in comedy who exclaims, while he is giving another
blows with his staff, 'This is the part of a philosopher!'
"Do not flatter yourself that he will be prevented from coming by
the bad weather we now have.
Pages:
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655
656
657
658
659
660
661
662
663
664
665
666
667
668