Eloisa : $b or, A series of original letters — Jean-Jacques Rousseau — John Shaqi
Eloisa : $b or, A series of original letters
Jean-Jacques Rousseau · en
P. S. I have seen, in the hands of Mr. Orbe, the copies of several of
your letters to Lord B----, which oblige me to retract part of the
censure I have passed on the matter and manner of your observations.
These letters, I must confess, treat of important subjects, and appear
to be full of serious and judicious reflections. But hence it is
evident, that you either treat my cousin and me disdainfully, or that
you set little value on our esteem, in sending us such trivial
relations as might justly forfeit it, while you transmit so much
better to your friend. It is, in my opinion, doing little honour to
your instructions to think your scholars unworthy to admire your
talents: for you ought to affect at least, were it only through
vanity, to think us capable of it.
I own political matters are not proper subjects for women: and my
uncle has tired us with them so heartily, that I can easily conceive
you were afraid of doing so too. To speak freely, also, these are not
the topics I prefer: their utility is too foreign to affect me, and
their arguments too subtle to make any lasting impression. Bound to
respect the government, under which it is my fate to have been born, I
give myself no trouble to enquire whether there are any better. To
what end should I be instructed in the knowledge of governments, who
have so little power to establish them? and why should I afflict
myself with the consideration of evils too great for me to remedy,
when I am surrounded with others that are in my power to redress? but,
for my love to you, the interest I should not take in the subject, I
should take in the writer. I collect, with a pleasing admiration, all
the fruits of your genius; and, proud of merit so deserving of my
heart, I beseech of love only so much wit as to make me relish yours.
Refuse me not then the pleasure of knowing and admiring your works of
merit. Will you mortify me so much as to give me reason to think that,
if heaven should ever unite us, you will not judge your companion
worthy to know and adopt your sentiments?
Letter XCIII. From Eloisa.