The Confessions of Jean Jacques Rousseau — CompleteRousseau, Jean-Jacques
Philosophy
The Confessions of Jean Jacques Rousseau — Complete
Rousseau, Jean-Jacques
Authors, French -- 18th century -- Biography; Rousseau, Jean-Jacques, 1712-1778
Order, or that which is so called, was in opposition to my obtaining
justice, and of this the least shadow was not granted me. I supposed
that, by loudly complaining, and by publicly treating this madman in the
manner he deserved, I should at length be told to hold my tongue; this
was what I wished for, and I was fully determined not to obey until I
had obtained redress. But at that time there was no minister for foreign
affairs. I was suffered to exclaim, nay, even encouraged to do it, and
joined with; but the affair still remained in the same state, until,
tired of being in the right without obtaining justice, my courage at
length failed me, and let the whole drop.
The only person by whom I was ill received, and from whom I should have
least expected such an injustice, was Madam de Beuzenval. Full of
the prerogatives of rank and nobility, she could not conceive it was
possible an ambassador could ever be in the wrong with respect to his
secretary. The reception she gave me was conformable to this prejudice.
I was so piqued at it that, immediately after leaving her, I wrote her
perhaps one of the strongest and most violent letters that ever came
from my pen, and since that time I never once returned to her house.
I was better received by Father Castel; but, in the midst of his
Jesuitical wheedling I perceived him faithfully to follow one of the
great maxims of his society, which is to sacrifice the weak to the
powerful. The strong conviction I felt of the justice of my cause, and
my natural greatness of mind did not suffer me patiently to endure this
partiality. I ceased visiting Father Castel, and on that account, going
to the college of the Jesuits, where I knew nobody but himself. Besides
the intriguing and tyrannical spirit of his brethren, so different from
the cordiality of the good Father Hemet, gave me such a disgust for
their conversation that I have never since been acquainted with, nor
seen anyone of them except Father Berthier, whom I saw twice or thrice
at M. Dupin’s, in conjunction with whom he labored with all his might at
the refutation of Montesquieu.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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