Such are the notions I have formed of great societies, by that which I
have seen at Paris. They may, nevertheless, be rather adapted to my
own particular situation than to the true state of things; and will
doubtless improve as I become more acquainted with the manners of the
world. Besides this, I have hitherto kept no other company than that
into which I have been introduced by the friends of Lord B----, and am
sensible it is necessary to descend to persons of different ranks, to
know the peculiar manners of a country; those of the opulent being
almost every where the same. I shall endeavour to inform myself better
hereafter; in the mean time, I leave you to judge whether I had not
sufficient reason to call this crowded scene a desert, and to be
terrified by a solitude, where I find only an empty appearance of
sentiments and of sincerity, that falsifies itself in the instant of
expression; and where I perceive only the mere apparitions of men,
phantoms that strike the eye for a moment, but are insensible to the
touch? Hitherto I have seen a great number of masks; when shall I
behold the faces of mankind?
Letter LXXX. From Eloisa.
Yes, my friend, we shall continue to be united, notwithstanding our
separation; we shall be happy in spite of fortune. It is the union of
minds which constitutes their true felicity; the mutual attraction of
hearts does not follow the _ratio_ of their distance, and ours would
be in contact, were they distant as the poles asunder. I am sensible
with you that true lovers have a thousand expedients to sooth the
pains of absence, and to fly to each other’s arms in a moment. Hence
have they more frequent interviews even in absence, than when they see
each other every day; for, no sooner is either alone, than they are
both together. If you, my friend, can taste that pleasure every
evening, I feast on it a hundred times a day. I am more alone, and am
surrounded by objects I cannot look on without calling you to mind,
without finding you ever near me.
_Qui canto dolcemente e qui s’assise
Qiu si revolve, e qui ritenne il passo
Qui co ’begli occhi me trafise il core
Qui disse una parola, e qui sorrise._