blessings of liberty, I believed that by utilizing my capital I might
make a little income, and I began to lend money, on security. Relying on
my thrift, my judgment, and my, knowledge of the world, I chose this
business in preference to all others. I rented a small house in the
neighbourhood of the Royal Canal, and having furnished it I lived there
in comfort by myself; and in the course of two years I found I had made a
profit of ten thousand livres, though I had expended two thousand on
household expenses as I wished to live in comfort. In this fashion I saw
myself in a fair way of making a respectable fortune in time; but one,
day, having lent a Jew two sequins upon some books, I found one amongst
them called 'La Sagesse,' by Charron. It was then I found out how good a
thing it is to be able to read, for this book, which you, sir, may not
have read, contains all that a man need know--purging him of all the
prejudices of his childhood. With Charron good-bye to hell and all the
empty terrors of a future life; one's eyes are opened, one knows the way
to bliss, one becomes wise indeed. Do you, sir, get this book, and pay no
heed to those foolish persons who would tell you this treasure is not to
be approached."

This curious discourse made me know my man. As to Charron, I had read the
book though I did not know it had been translated into Italian. The
author who was a great admirer of Montaigne thought to surpass his model,
but toiled in vain. He is not much read despite the prohibition to read
his works, which should have given them some popularity. He had the
impudence to give his book the title of one of Solomon's treatises--a
circumstance which does not say much for his modesty. My companion went
on as follows:

"Set free by Charron from any scruples I still might have, and from those
false ideas so hard to rid one's self of, I pushed my business in such