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caused it to be proclaimed through Mme。 Du Barry that his mind was
made up and that it would not be changed； 〃Ah； Madame；〃 replied the
Duc de Nivernais； 〃when the king said that he was looking at
yourself。〃 … 〃My dear Fontenelle；〃 said one of his lady friends to
him； placing her hand on his heart； 〃the brain is there likewise。〃
Fontenelle smiled and made no reply。 We see here； even with an
academician； how truths are forced down； a drop of acid in a sugar…
plum； the whole so thoroughly intermingled that the piquancy of the
flavor only enhances its sweetness。 Night after night； in each
drawing…room； sugar…plums of this description are served up； two or
three along with the drop of acidity； all the rest not less exquisite；
but possessing only the sweetness and the perfume。 Such is the art of
social worldliness； an ingenious and delightful art； which； entering
into all the details of speech and of action； transforms them into
graces； which imposes on man not servility and falsehood； but civility
and concern for others； and which； in exchange； extracts for him out
of human society all the pleasure it can afford。
V。 HAPPINESS。
What constitutes happiness in the 18th Century。 … The fascination
of display。 … Indolence； recreation； light conversation。
One can very well understand this kind of pleasure in a summary
way； but how is it to be made apparent？ Taken by themselves the
pastimes of society are not to be described； they are too ephemeral；
their charm arises from their accompaniments。 A narrative of them
would be but tasteless dregs； does the libretto of an opera give any
idea of the opera itself？ … If the reader would revive for himself
this vanished world let him seek for it in those works that have
preserved its externals or its accent； and first in the pictures and
engravings of Watteau； Fragonard and the Saint…Aubins； and then in the
novels and dramas of Voltaire and Marivaux； and even in Collé and
Crébillon fils；＇52＇ then do we see the breathing figures and hear
their voices； What bright； winning； intelligent faces beaming with
pleasure and with the desire to please！ What ease in bearing and in
gesture！ What piquant grace in the toilet； in the smile； in
vivaciousness of expression； in the control of the fluted voice； in
the coquetry of hidden meanings！ How involuntarily we stop to look and
listen！ Attractiveness is everywhere； in the small spirituelle heads；
in the slender hands； in the rumpled attire； in the pretty features；
in the demeanor。 The slightest gesture； a pouting or mutinous turn of
the head； a plump little wrist peering from its nest of lace； a
yielding waist bent over an embroidery frame； the rapid rustling of an
opening fan； is a feast for the eyes and the intellect。 It is indeed
all daintiness； a delicate caress for delicate senses； extending to
the external decoration of life； to the sinuous outlines； the showy
drapery； and the refinements of comfort in the furniture and
architecture。 Fill your imagination with these accessories and with
these figures and you will take as much interest in their amusements
as they did。 In such a place and in such company it suffices to be
together to be content。 Their indolence is no burden to them for they
sport with existence。 … At Chanteloup； the Duc de Choiseul； in
disgrace； finds the fashionable world flocking to see him； nothing is
done and yet no hours of the day are unoccupied。＇53＇ 〃The Duchess has
only two hours' time to herself and these two hours are devoted to her
toilet and her letters； the calculation is a simple one： she gets up
at eleven； breakfasts at noon； and this is followed by conversation；
which lasts three or four hours； dinner comes at six； after which
there is play and the reading of the memoirs of Mme。 de Maintenon。〃
Ordinarily 〃the company remains together until two o'clock in the
morning。〃 Intellectual freedom is complete。 There is no confusion； no
anxiety。 They play whist and tric…trac in the afternoon and faro in
the evening。 〃They do to day what they did yesterday and what they
will do to…morrow； the dinner…supper is to them the most important
affair in life； and their only complaint in the world is of their
digestion。 Time goes so fast I always fancy that I arrived only the
evening before。〃 Sometimes they get up a little race and the ladies
are disposed to take part in it； 〃for they are all very agile and able
to run around the drawing room five or six times every day。〃 But they
prefer indoors to the open air； in these days true sunshine consists
of candle…light and the finest sky is a painted ceiling； is there any
other less subject to inclemencies or better adapted to conversation
and merriment？ … They accordingly chat and jest； in words with
present friends； and by letters with absent friends。 They lecture old
Mme。 du Deffant； who is too lively and whom they style the 〃little
girl〃； the young Duchesse； tender and sensible； is 〃her grandmamma。〃
As for 〃grandpapa；〃 M。 de Choiseul； 〃a slight cold keeping him in bed
he has fairy stories read to him all day long； a species of reading to
which we are all given； we find them as probable as modern history。 Do
not imagine that he is unoccupied。 He has had a tapestry frame put up
in the drawing room at which he works； I cannot say with the greatest
skill； but at least with the greatest assiduity。 。 。 。 Now； our
delight is in flying a kite； grandpapa has never seen this sight and
he is enraptured with it。〃 The pastime； in itself； is nothing； it is
resorted to according to opportunity or the taste of the hour； now
taken up and now let alone； and the abbé soon writes： 〃I do not speak
about our races because we race no more； nor of our readings because
we do not read； nor of our promenades because we do not go out。 What；
then； do we do？ Some play billiards； others dominoes； and others
backgammon。 We weave； we ravel and we unravel。 Time pushes us on and
we pay him back。〃
Other circles present the same spectacle。 Every occupation being an
amusement； a caprice or an impulse of fashion brings one into favor。
At present； it is unraveling； every white hand at Paris； and in the
chateaux； being busy in undoing trimmings； epaulettes and old stuffs；
to pick out the gold and silver threads。 They find in this employment
the semblance of economy； an appearance of occupation； in any event
something to keep them in countenance。 On a circle of ladies being
formed； a big unraveling bag in green taffeta is placed on the table；
which belongs to the lady of the house； immediately all the ladies
call for their bags and 〃voilà les laquais en l'air〃＇54＇ It is all the
rage。 They unravel every day and several hours in the day； some
derive from it a hundred louis d'or per annum。 The gentlemen are
expected to provide the materials for the work； the Duc de Lauzun；
accordingly； gives to Madame de V … a harp of natural size covered
with gold thread； an enormous golden fleece； brought as a present from
the Comte de Lowenthal； and which cost 2 or 3；000 francs； brings；
picked to pieces； 5 or 600 francs。 But they do not look into matters
so closely。 Some employment is essential for idle hands； some manual
outlet for nervous activity； a humorous petulance breaks out in the
middle of the pretended work。 One day； when about going out； Madame de
R … observes that the gold fringe on her dress would be capital for
unraveling； whereupon； with a dash； she cuts one of the fringes off。
Ten women suddenly surround a man wearing fringes； pull off his coat
and put his fringes and laces into their bags； just as if a bold flock
of tomtits； fluttering and chattering in the air； should suddenly dart
on a jay to pluck out its feathers； thenceforth a man who enters a
circle of women stands in danger of being stripped alive。 All this
pretty world has the same pastimes； the men as well as the women。
Scarcely a man can be found without some drawing room accomplishment；
some trifling way of keeping his mind and hands busy； and of filling
up the vacant hour； almost all make rhymes； or act in private
theatricals； many of them are musicians and painters of still…life
subjects。 M。 de Choiseul； as we have just seen； works at tapestry；
others embroider or make sword…knots。 M。 de Francueil is a good
violinist and makes violins himself； and besides this he is
〃watchmaker； architect； turner； painter； locksmith； decorator； cook；
poet； music…composer and he embroiders remarkably well。〃＇55＇ In this
general state of inactivity it is essential 〃to know how to be
pleasantly occupied in behalf of others as well as in one's own
behalf。〃 Madame de Pompadour is a musician； an actress； a painter and
an engraver。 Madame Adelaide learns watchmaking and plays on all
instruments from a horn to the jew's…harp； not very well； it is true；
but as well as a queen can sing； whose fine voice is ever only half in
tune。 But they make no pre