(See Packet A, No. 59.)
* * * * *
"The departure of Madam d'Epinay is postponed: her son is ill, and
it is necessary to wait until his health is reestablished. I will
consider the contents of your letter. Remain quiet at your
Hermitage. I will send you my opinion as soon as this shall be
necessary. As she will certainly not set off for some days, there is
no immediate occasion for it. In the meantime you may, if you think
proper, make her your offers, although this to me seems a matter of
indifference. For, knowing your situation as well as you do
yourself, I doubt not of her returning to your offers such an answer
as she ought to do; and all the advantage which, in my opinion, can
result from this, will be your having it in your power to say to those
by whom you may be importuned, that your not being of the traveling
party was not for want of having made your offers to that effect.
Moreover, I do not see why you will absolutely have it that the
philosopher is the speaking-trumpet of all the world, nor because he
is of opinion you ought to go, why you should imagine all your friends
think as he does? If you write to Madam d'Epinay, her answer will be
yours to all your friends, since you have it so much at heart to
give them all an answer. Adieu. I embrace Madam le Vasseur and the
Criminal."*
* M. le Vasseur, whose wife governed him rather rudely, called her
the Lieutenant Criminal. Grimm in a joke gave the same name to the
daughter, and by way of abridgment was pleased to retrench the first
word.
Pages:
680
681
682
683
684
685
686
687
688
689
690
691
692
693
694
695
696
697
698
699
700
701
702
703
704