eulogies, and published it in the "Journal des Savants" as he
wished it to go to the world. The diplomatic Marquise saved her
conscience and kept her friend.

The maxims of La Rochefoucauld, which are familiar to all, have
extended into a literature. That he generalized from his own
point of view, and applied to universal humanity the motives of a
class bent upon favor and precedence, is certainly true. But
whatever we may think of his sentiments, which were those of a
man of the world whose observations were largely in the
atmosphere of courts, we are compelled to admit his unrivaled
finish and perfection of form. Similar theories of human nature
run through the maxims of Esprit and Saint Evremond, without the
exquisite turn which makes each one of La Rochefoucauld's a gem
in itself. His tone was that of a disappointed courtier, with a
vein of sadness only half disguised by cold philosophy and bitter
cynicism. La Bruyere, with a broader outlook upon humanity, had
much of the same fine analysis, with less conciseness and
elegance of expression. Vauvenargues and Joubert were his
legitimate successors. But how far removed in spirit!

"The body has graces," writes Vauvenargues, "the mind has
talents; has the heart only vices? And man capable of reason,
shall he be incapable of virtue?"

With a fine and delicate touch, Joubert says: "Virtue is the
health of the soul. It gives a flavor to the smallest leaves of
life."

These sentiments are in the vein of Pascal, who represents the