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of the intricacy of Greek abbreviations and Gothic alphabets, since every day, in a familiar language, I

a qu'on lit; il y en a enfin qu'on doit étudier. Mes observations sur ceux de la première classe ne peuvent qu'être courtes et détachées. Elles conviennent au journal. Celles qui regardent la seconde classe n'y entreront qu'autant qu'elles auront le même caractère. Vment, Mes refléxions sur ce petit nombre d'auteurs classiques, qu'on médite avec soin, seront naturellement plus approfondies et plus suivies. C'est pour elles, et pour des pièces plus étendues et plus originales, auxquelles la lecture ou la méditation peut donner lieu, que je ferai un recueil séparé. Je conserverai cependant sa liaison avec le journal par des renvoi constans qui marqueront le numéro de chaque pièce avec le tems et l'occasion de sa composition. Moyennant ces précautions mon journal ne peut que m'être utile. Ce compte exact de mon tems m'en fera mieux sentir le prix; il dissipera par son détail, l'illusion qu'on se fait d'envisager seulement les années et les mois et de mépriser les heures et les jours. Je ne dis rien de l'agrément. C'en est ua bien grand cependant de pouvoir repasser chaque époque de sa vie, et de se placer, dès qu'on le veut, au milieu de toutes les petites scènes qu'on a joué, ou qu'on a vu jouer.

Avril 6, 1764.]—J'ai été éveillé par Pavilliard et Holroyd, arrêter une fâcheuse affaire qui s'étoit passé au bal après notre départ. Guise, qui faisoit la cour à mademoiselle d'Illens depuis long tems, voyoit avec peine que Van Berken (un Hollandois) menaçoit de le supplanter. Il ne répondoit jamais aux politesses de son rival, que par des brusqueries; et à la fin à l'occasion de la main de mademoiselle d'Illens il s'emporta contre lui le plus mal à propos du monde, et le traita devant tout le monde d'impertinent, &c. J'ai appris de Pavilliard que Van Berken lui avoit envoyé un cartel, et que la réponse de Guise ne l'ayant pointe contente, ils devoient se rencontrer à cinq heures du soir. Au désespoir de voir mon ami engagé dans une affaire qui ne pouvoit que lui faire du tort, j'ai couru chez M. de Crousaz où demeuroit Van Berken. J'ai bientôt vu qu'il ne lui falloit qu'une explication assez légère, jointe à quelque apologie de la part de Guise pour le désarmer, et je suis retourné chez lui avec Holroyd pour l'engager à la

am at a loss to decypher the hieroglyphics of a female note. In a tranquil scene, which revived the memory

donner. Nous lui avons fait comprendre que l'aveu d'un véritable tort ne blessoit jamais l'honneur, et que son insulte envers les dames aussi bien qu'envers Van Berken étoit sans excuse. Je lui ai dicté un billet convenable, mais sans la moindre bassesse, que j'ai porté au Hollandois. Il a rendu les armes sur le champ, lui a fait la réponse la plus polie, et m'a remercié mille fois du rôle que j'avois fait. En vérité cet homme n'est pas difficile. Après dîner j'ai vu nos dames à qui j'ai porté une lettre d'excuses. La mère n'en veut plus à Guise, mais mademoiselle d'Illens est désolée du tort que cette affaire peut lui faire dans le monde. Cette négociation m'a pris le jour entier; mais peut on mieux employer un jour qu'à sauver la vie, peut-être à deux personnes, et à conserver la réputation d'un ami? Au reste j'ai vu au fond plus d'un caractère. Guise est brave, vrai, et sensé, mais d'une impétuosité qui n'est que plus dangereuse pour être supprimée à l'ordinaire. C***** est d'une étourderie d'enfant. De Salis d'une indifférence qui vient plus d'un défaut de sensibilité, que d'un excès de raison. J'ai conçu un véritable amitié pour Holroyd. Il a beaucoup de raison et des sentimens d'honneur avec un cœur des mieux placé.

[TRANSLATION.]

JOURNAL, September 16, 1763. —***** and Frey have quitted us. The first is an ill-disposed blockhead, gross, ignorant, and without knowledge of the world. His violence has brought him into twenty scrapes here. His friends wished that he should make the tour of Italy; but Frey refusing to accompany him there, they adopted the resolution of recalling him to England, and intend to make him pass through Paris in the way home. Frey is philosophical and well instructed, but cold, and in no respects a man of wit or genius. He is weary of running about the world with young fools, and, after restoring the present one to his family, he intends to seek repose and a retreat in this country. He is right!

September 21.]-I have experienced a small mortification among the circle. The departure of Frey having vacated

of my first studies, idleness would have been less pardonable: the public libraries of Lausanne and

the office of director of the foreigners, I had been led to believe that I was destined to succeed to it, and my natural frankness prevented me from concealing that I should receive it with pleasure, and that I expected it. In the meantime, the majority of voices was in favour of M. Roel, a Hollander. I have discovered that the earliest moment was seized that the laws would allow of, for the ballot, and that if I had rallied my friends, I might have carried it; but I at the same time knew that I might have had it without trouble of any kind a few months ago. My reputation declines here for some reason; and I have enemies.

September 25.]-I have spent the afternoon at the house of madame de Bochat, whom I had not seen since the 14th instant. She had neither spoken of me, nor appeared to notice my absence. This silence has given me pain; I have had a high reputation here for morals; but I perceive that they are beginning to confound me with my countrymen, and to regard me as a person addicted to wine and disorder.

October 15.]-I have passed the afternoon with madame de Mésery, who introduced me to a young French lady whom she invited to supper. This lady, who is called Le Franc, is six feet high. Her height, figure, tone, and conversation, all announce the perfect grenadier, but a grenadier possessed of wit, acquirement, and knowledge of the world. Her name and condition, as well as her sex, are also a mystery. She calls herself a Parisian, and a girl of condition, who has retired to this country on account of religion.-May it not rather be for an affair of honour?

December 1, 1763.]-We all went to church to witness the ceremony of the day. It was the presentation of the bailiff at the great church, and the taking of the oath by the town of Lausanne, the vassals, and all the commonalty of the bailiage. The principal minister, Polier de Rollens, preached on this occasion. He astonished us: instead of those compositions, cold and without ideas, which he dignifies but too often with the name of sermons, he has displayed to-day the talents of an orator and the sentiments of a citizen. He has managed to speak to the ruler of his duties, and to the people of their rights, founded in

Geneva liberally supplied me with books; and if many hours were lost in dissipation, many more were both instances upon the will of freemen, who acknowledge a prince but not a tyrant. He bestowed his panegyric sparingly, appropriately, and without triteness or insipidity. His gesture and delivery were adapted to the spirit of the subject, being full of dignity, devotion, and earnestness. After the sermon, the preacher repaired to the choir of the church, followed by the bailiff and the whole assembly. There he presented to the bailiage their new governor, whom he announced in a brief speech, which appeared to me to be pregnant with matter. The Bursar replied to him, but so low that I lost all which he said. Is the word lost properly employed here? As to the rest, never was ceremony conducted with less decorum; the disorder was frightful. The grenadiers of George Grand were present, only to keep out decent people and admit the mob.

Lausanne, December 16, 1763.]—I rose late, and paid a friendly visit to M. de Chandieu Villars, who detained me for the remainder of the morning. M. de Chandieu has served in France with distinction, and has retired with the rank of marechal de-camp. He is a man of great politeness, of a lively and facile spirit, and would now, at sixty years of age, give a charm to a society of young girls. This is almost the only foreigner who has been able to acquire the ease of the French manner without at the same time being noisy and inconsequential.

Lausanne, December 18, 1763]-This was a Sunday of communion: religious ceremonies are well understood in this country. They are rare, and on that account the more respected. Old people indeed complain of the coldness of devotion; but nevertheless a day like this offers an edifying spectacle. No business, no assembly; even whist is forbidden, so necessary to the existence of a native of Lausanne.

For some days past I have lost my time, and it was fortunate when my time only was lost. I have played much, or at least I have betted much among the circle; and after some fortunate beginnings I was duly introduced to whist and to piquet, at the expense of forty louis-d'ors. I then had courage to stop all on a sudden; and, without allowing myself to be dazzled by the vain hopes of retrieving my

employed in literary labour. In the country, Horace and Virgil, Juvenal and Ovid, were my assiduous

loss, I have renounced high play, at least for some time. It would be better to renounce it for ever. Many inconveniences result from it: loss of time, bad company, the continual agitation of hope and fear, which sooner or later affect the temper, and undermine the health. Can a taste for study and reflection associate itself with one for gaming? I have moreover been often led to remark, that the pain and pleasure are not equal, and that loss, somehow or another, produces more uneasiness than a similar gain affords satisfaction. The reason is evident: our expenditure is usually adapted to our income, and an unexpected loss leads to the privation of some necessary, or at least of some convenience, upon which we have counted. The gain, on the contrary, is too uncertain and precarious to induce a man of sense to change his plan of living, and therefore merely produces a transient satisfaction. So much for wisdom post factum. If I had made these reflections some days sooner, I should have spared myself some disagreeable things in relation to my father, who may not feel disposed to reconcile himself to this increase of expense.

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December 31.]-Let me cast an eye upon the year 1763. Let me see how I have employed that portion of my existence which is never to return. The month of January was passed in the bosom of my family, to whom it was necessary to sacrifice every moment immediately previous to my departure. During the journey, however, I found means to read the letters of Busbequius,' imperial minister at the Porte: they are as interesting as instructive. I remained at Paris from the 28th January to the 9th May, during all which time I studied nothing. Public amusements occupied me a great deal; and the habit of dissipation, acquired so easily in large towns, would not allow me to profit by the time of my stay. But in truth, although I turned over only a few books, an attention to all the curious objects which present themselves in a great capital, and conversation with some of the greatest men of the age, have instructed me in many things which I could not have found in books. The latter seven or eight months of my life have been more tranquil. As soon as I saw myself settled at Lausanne, I undertook a regular course of study

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