登陆注册
25527900000529

第529章

At last all my preparations were finished, and I left Paris with a hundred thousand francs in bills of exchange and jewels to the same amount. I was alone in my post-chaise, Le Duc preceding me on horseback, which the rascal preferred to being shut up in a carriage.

This Le Duc of mine was a Spaniard, aged eighteen, a sharp fellow, whom I valued highly, especially because he did my hair better than anyone else. I never refused him a pleasure which a little money would buy. Besides him I had a good Swiss servant, who served as my courier.

It was the 1st of December, 1759, and the air was frosty, but I was fortified against the inclemency of the season. I was able to read comfortably, and I took Helvetius's "Esprit," which I had never had time to read before. After perusing it I was equally astonished at the sensation it created and at the stupidity of the High Court which condemned it. Of course that exalted body was largely influenced by the king and the clergy, and between them all no effort was spared to ruin Helvetius, a good-hearted man with more wit than his book. I

saw nothing novel either in the historical part relating to the morals of nations (in which Helvetius dismisses us as triflers), or in the position that morality is dependent on the reason. All that he says has been said over and over again, and Blaise Pascal went much farther, but he wrote more skilfully and better in every way than Helvetius, who, wishing to remain in France, was obliged to retract. He preferred a quiet life to his honour and his philosophy.

His wife had a nobler soul than he, as she wanted to sell all they had, and to take refuge in Holland rather than submit to the shame of a recantation. Perhaps Helvetius would have followed the noble advice of his wife if he had foreseen that this monstrous recantation would make his book into a fraud; for he had to confess that he had written without due reflection, that he was more in jest than earnest, and that his arguments were mere sophisms. But many men of keen intellects had not waited for him to recant before exposing this wretched system of his. And admitting that whatever man does is done for his own interest, does it follow that gratitude is a folly, and virtue and vice identical? Are a villain and a man of honour to be weighed in the same balance? If such a dreadful system were not absurd, virtue would be mere hypocrisy; and if by any possibility it were true, it ought to be proscribed by general consent, since it would lead to general ruin and corruption.

It might have been proved to Helvetius that the propositions that the first motive is always self-interest, and that we should always consult our own interest first, are fallacious. It is a strange thing that so virtuous a man would not admit the existence of virtue.

It is an amusing suggestion that he only published his book out of modesty, but that would have contradicted his own system. But if it were so, was it well done to render himself contemptible to escape the imputation of pride? Modesty is only a virtue when it is natural; if it is put on, or merely the result of training, it is detestable. The great d'Alembert was the most truly modest man I

have ever seen.

When I got to Brussels, where I spent two days, I went to the "Hotel de l'Imperatrice," and chance sent Mdlle. X. C. V. and Farsetti in my way, but I pretended not to see them. From Brussels I went straight to the Hague, and got out at the "Prince of Orange." On my asking the host who sat down at his table, he told me his company consisted of general officers of the Hanoverian army, same English ladies, and a Prince Piccolomini and his wife; and this made me make up my mind to join this illustrious assemblage.

I was unknown to all, and keeping my eyes about me I gave my chief attention to the observation of the supposed Italian princess, who was pretty enough, and more especially of her husband whom I seemed to recognize. In the course of conversation I heard some talk of the celebrated St. Germain, and it seemed that he was stopping in the same hotel.

I had returned to my room, and was thinking of going to bed, when Prince Piccolomini entered, and embraced me as an old friend.

"A look in your face," said he, "tells me that the recognition has been mutual. I knew you directly in spite of the sixteen years that have passed since we saw each other at Vicenza. To-morrow you can tell everybody that we are friends, and that though I am not a prince I am really a count; here is my passport from the King of Naples, pray read it."

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 剑魂归袭

    剑魂归袭

    剑术乃中华之瑰宝,冷兵器时代已过去,但他不该被忘记。
  • 超完美暗恋手册

    超完美暗恋手册

    关于爱情其实没有所谓的定义,而暗恋这件事情似乎更没有什么道理。如同他暗恋她很久了一样,即使知道她身边已经有了一个男生,他还是无法阻止自己想她的一切。如同她暗恋他很久了一样,即使知道他很讨厌女生也不愿意放弃心中的爱恋。他,睿智而深沉;她,美丽而聪慧。其实,暗恋很简单,但是他们却都害怕得到的是一句抱歉,谁也不愿意将心中的想法说出来。
  • 基督山伯爵下卷

    基督山伯爵下卷

    小说主要讲述的十九世纪一位名叫爱德蒙·堂泰斯的大副受到陷害后的悲惨遭遇以及日后以基督山伯爵身份成功复仇的故事。
  • 我的女友是警察

    我的女友是警察

    她,是刑警重案组副组长,一个貌美如花的女警察。他,是从美国学业归来,行走在正义与罪恶之间的职业催眠师。她是正义的代表,他是恶魔的化身。当正义和恶魔,交织在一起,又会发生怎样的故事呢?
  • 为了你,我什么都愿意

    为了你,我什么都愿意

    倩,我们的女主角,生活在一个普通的不能再普通的家庭里,有点任性,可就在几天前她失去了你这一生中最宝贵的人,她以前一直想要的,现在无处不在,可为什么,她的心空荡荡的呢,这不就是她想得到的吗,究竟是怎么了......
  • 郡主有喜,风光再嫁

    郡主有喜,风光再嫁

    她乃是皇帝亲封的寿昌郡主,却不受夫家待见,萧玉琢抖了抖衣袖,身为穿越女怎么能丢了现代人的脸面,喂,那个谁,你不是要休妻么?休书拿来,什么,你后悔了?来人,本郡主要休夫,踹开了渣男,肚子里却冒出一个孩子来“禀郡主,您已有身孕两月余。”萧玉琢瞪着太医,眼角抽搐,这是摆明了不让她当私敛面首的单身贵族啊,只是杵在眼前,非说自己是孩子他爹的这位将军,说好的两不相欠,相忘江湖呢?他说,阿玉,我官拜大将军不为光宗耀祖,只愿护你母子周全。她说,我不用你保护,只愿得一人心。【情节虚构,请勿模仿】
  • 无限之幸运者

    无限之幸运者

    一个谜一样的少年杀神,意外进入了主神空间,成为了一支特殊小队的队长,这个小队居然没有新人!少年将如何在主神空间生存?主神空间的目的究竟是什么?基因锁五阶真的是顶点么?各位书友敬请期待!本书是小风我的练笔作,有什么不足请各位书友尽管提出,小风我会努力的!
  • 五凰啸天:嚣张公子妃

    五凰啸天:嚣张公子妃

    “这位爷,你在大街上牵本公子的手不太好吧?”她痛恶地盯着某只妖孽百般揉捏她的小手,“嗯?”某妖孽继续揉捏,丝毫不介意某女仇恨的目光。顾思齐穿越之后,很是惬意。一边做她的大小姐(公子哥),一边修炼五凰真经,在自家空间里养神兽。闲来无事踩渣男,手撕白莲花,调戏一下美娇娘。无意间解救了一只昏死在温泉的妖孽,没想到妖孽一睁眼,邪魅一笑,“原来是你。”翻身就把她吃干抹净了。顾思齐很烦恼,白天要养神兽,晚上还要填饱这个妖孽,她是不是要考虑一下跑路?看懂某女心思的某只妖孽一点也不急,她逃他追,她敢出墙,他敢挪墙。不过..某妖孽眯起墨玉雕刻般的眸子,既然敢出墙说明还是欠管教!
  • 惊宠毒爱:总裁请淡定

    惊宠毒爱:总裁请淡定

    麻……!感觉手臂麻地快要断了!抽出环住他的手,甩了两下,重新换个地方放着。头顶上的男人看着她做完一系列动作却仍然没有睁开眼睛!诶?不对啊……感觉到手上触碰到什么东西,开始还没有,怎么越来越……硬邦邦地……?好奇那是什么她又往下按了按,可是那东西像是跟她作对,不仅越来越硬……还越来越大!?该死,她一把握住那个东西,攒起劲儿往上拔……手腕被一股大力扼住!“疼!”她倏然睁开眼睛。南宫麟天脑袋上布满黑线,一双眼睛直直逼视她:“舍得醒了?”
  • 挽歌天空

    挽歌天空

    当迷雾褪去,黑暗里开始坠落金色的火焰,这个蛮荒之地终于迎来它的来客,可是,这些陌生的来客给它带来的是福是祸,是爱是恨,亦或是毁灭?很多年后,我遥望着洁净无暇的苍宇,那里坠落的天使终于荡在了尘埃里,不会在归来……