de Linant, tutor to the son, and confidant to the mother.
NOTE FROM DIDEROT.
Packet A, No. 52.
"I am naturally disposed to love you, and am born to give you
trouble. I am informed Madam d'Epinay is going to Geneva, and do not
hear you are to accompany her. My friend, you are satisfied with Madam
d'Epinay, you must go with her; if dissatisfied you ought still less
to hesitate. Do you find the weight of the obligations you are under
to her uneasy to you? This is an opportunity of discharging a part
of them, and relieving your mind. Do you ever expect another
opportunity like the present one, of giving her proofs of your
gratitude? She is going to a country where she will be quite a
stranger. She is ill, and will stand in need of amusement and
dissipation. The winter season too! Consider, my friend. Your ill
state of health may be a much greater objection than I think it is;
but are you now more indisposed than you were a month ago, or than you
will be at the beginning of spring? Will you three months hence be
in a situation to perform the journey more at your ease than at
present? For my part I cannot but observe to you that were I unable to
bear the shaking of the carriage I would take my staff and follow her.
Have you no fears lest your conduct should be misinterpreted? You will
be suspected of ingratitude or of a secret motive. I well know that
let you do as you will you will have in your favor the testimony of
your conscience, but will this alone be sufficient, and is it
permitted to neglect to a certain degree that which is necessary to
acquire the approbation of others? What I now write, my good friend,
is to acquit myself of what I think I owe to us both.
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