friends; and I love them in so great a degree, that I would not hesitate a moment to sacrifice my own interests to theirs. I am complaisant towards them; I put up patiently with their ill humors; but I never take much pains to please them when they visit me, and I am never much disquieted at their absence. I have naturally very little curiosity about the greater part of what excites it in others. I am very close; and have less difficulty than others in not revealing what has been told me in confidence. I am rigidly observant of my word; and I would never fail to keep my promises at any sacrifice and this has been my constant rule through life.

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I observe the most punctilious civility towards women; and I believe I never uttered a syllable in their presence which could give them a moment's pain. When they are endowed with mind, I like their conversation better than that of men: there is a certain sweetness about it which is not to be found among ourselves; and besides, they appear to me to express themselves more distinctly, and give a more agreeable turn to every thing they say. As to gallantry, I formerly practised it: at present, young as I am, I think no more of it. I have given up flirtations; and I only wonder that there are so many sensible people who can occupy their time with them. I extremely approve of the belles passions; they exhibit greatness of mind; and although in the inquietudes they produce there is something

λωλεκότος τὰ ἑαυτοῦ, πρόσεχε, μή σε ἡ φαντασία συναρπάσῃ, ὡς ἐν κακοῖς ὄντος αὐτοῦ, τοῖς ἐκτός· ἀλλ ̓ εὐθὺς διαίρει παρὰ σεαυτῷ, καὶ λέγειν ἔστω πρόχειρον, ὅτι, τοῦτον θλίβει οὔ τὸ συμβεβηκὸς [ἄλλον γὰρ οὔ θλίβει] ἄλλα τὸ δόγμα τὸ περὶ τούτου· μέχρι μέν τοι λόγου μὴ ἔκνει συμπεριφέρεσθαι αὐτῷ, κἄν οὕτω τύχῃ, συνεπιστενάξαι. Πρόσεχε μέν τοι, μὴ καὶ ἔσωθεν συνεπιστενάξῃς.—ΕPICTETI Enchiridion, cap. xxii.

opposed to the strict rule of wisdom, yet they accommodate themselves so well to the most austere virtue, that I conceive it would be unjust to condemn them. Having experienced all that was delicate and forcible in exalted sentiments of love, if ever I should fall in love, I believe it would be in that way, but according to my present way of thinking, I am of opinion that the knowledge which I possess of these matters will never pass from the head to the heart.

CHARACTER

OF

THE DUKE DE LA ROCHEFOUCAULD,

BY CARDINAL DE RETZ.

(From De Retz's Mémoires.)

THERE was always something incomprehensible in the whole character of M. de la Rochefoucauld. He was fond of being mixed up with intrigues even from his childhood; a time when he could not discern petty interests, which, indeed, have never being his failing, nor comprehend greater ones, which, in another sense, have never being his strong point. He was never capable of carrying on any affair; and I know not why, for he possessed qualities which, in every one else, would have supplied the place of those he wanted. His discernment was not extensive; and he could not even take in at once the whole of what was within his range: but his good sense, excellent in theory, united to his gentleness of character, to his insinuating address, and to an admirable ease of manners, ought to have made more amends than it did for his want of penetration. He had always an irresolution, which was habitual to him; but I do not even know to what to attribute this irresolution. I cannot assign it to the fertility of his imagination, which was any thing but lively. I cannot assign it to the sterility of his judgment; for though not happy in working it out, he had a good store of reason. We see the effects of this irresolution, although we know not the cause.

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He was never a general, though an excellent soldier. He was never of himself a good courtier, though he always had a great mind to become one. He was never a good partisan, though his whole life has been spent as such. That air of bashfulness and timidity which he has in society, becomes in business apologetic. He always fancied he had need of it; and this circumstance, together with his "Maxims," which do not exhibit sufficient faith in virtue, and his practice of always quitting an affair with as much impatience as he had entered into it, makes me conclude that he would have done better to have become acquainted with his own character, and to have been content to pass, as he might have done, for the most accomplished courtier, and the most amiable man in private life, that had appeared in his age.

PAUL DE GONDI CARDINAL DE RETZ possesses great elevation of character, a certain extent of intellect, and more of the ostentation than of the true greatness of courage. He has an extraordinary memory, more energy than polish in his words, an easy humor, docility of character, and weakness in submitting to the complaints and reproaches of his friends, a little piety, some appearances of religion. He appears ambitious without being really so; vanity and those who have guided him have made him undertake great things, almost all opposed to his profession. He excited the greatest troubles in the state, without any design of turning them to account; and, far from declaring himself the enemy of Cardinal Mazarin with any view of occupying his place, he thought of nothing but making himself an object of dread to him, and flattering himself with the false vanity of being his opponent. He was clever enough, however, to take advantage of the public calamities to get himself made cardinal: he endured his imprisonment with firmness, and owed his liberty solely to his own daring. In the obscurity of a life of wandering and concealment, his indolence for many years supported him with reputation: he preserved the archbishopric of Paris against the power