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dinners； which were as noted for the cuisine as for the company； and included； among others； the best of the forty Immortals。 Here new works were read or discussed； authors talked of their plans； and candidates were proposed for vacant chairs in the Academy。 〃The learned and the lettered formed the dominant element；〃 says a critic of the time。 〃They dined at noon； and the rest of the day was passed in conversations； in readings； in literary and scientific discussions。 No card tables； it was in ready wit that each one paid his contribution。〃 Ennui never came to shed its torpors over these reunions； of which the Academy furnished the most distinguished guests； in company with grands seigneurs eager to show themselves as worthy by intelligence as by rank to play a role in these gatherings of the intellectual elite。 Fontenelle was the presiding genius of this salon； and added to its critical and literary spirit a tinge of philosophy。 This gallant savant； who was adored in society as 〃a man of rare and exquisite conversation；〃 has left many traces of himself here。 No one was so sparkling in epigram； no one talked so beautifully of love； of which he knew nothing； and no one talked to delightfully of science； of which he knew a great deal。 But he thought that knowledge needed a seasoning of sentiment to make it palatable to women。 In his 〃Pluralite des Mondes；〃 a singular melange of science and sentiment； which he had written some years before and dedicated to a daughter of the gay and learned Mme。 de La Sabliere； he talks about the stars； to la belle marquise； like a lover； but his delicate flatteries are the seasoning of serious truths。 It was the first attempt to offer science sugar…coated； and suggests the character of this coterie； which prided itself upon a discreet mingling of elevated thought with decorous gaiety。 The world moves。 Imagine a female undergraduate of Harvard or Columbia taking her astronomy diluted with sentiment！
President Henault； the life…long friend of Mme。 du Deffand； whose light criticism of a pure…minded woman might be regarded as rather flattering than otherwise； says： 〃It was apparent that Mme。 de Lambert touched upon the time of the Hotel de Rambouillet； she was a little affected； and had not the force to overstep the limits of the prude and the precieuse。 Her salon was the rendevous of celebrated men 。 。 。 。 In the evening the scenery changed as well as the actors。 A more elegant world assembled at the suppers。 The Marquise took pleasure in receiving people who were agreeable to each other。 Her tone； however； did not vary； and she preached la belle galanterie to some who went a little beyond it。 I was of the two parties； I dogmatized in the morning and sang in the evening。〃 The two eminent Greek Scholars； La Motte and Mme。 Dacier； held spirited discussions on the merits of Homer； which came near ending in permanent ill…feeling； but the amiable hostess gave a dinner for them； 〃they drank to the health of the poet； and all was forgotten。〃 The war between the partizans of the old and the new was as lively then as it is today。 〃La Motte and Fontenelle prefer the moderns；〃 said the caustic Mme。 du Deffand； 〃but the ancients are dead； and the moderns are themselves。〃 The names of Sainte…Aulaire； de Sacy； Mairan； President Henault； and others equally scholarly and witty； suffice to indicate the quality of the conversation； which treated lightly and gracefully of the most serious things。 The Duchesse du Maine and her clever companion； Mlle。 de Launay were often among the guests； also the beautiful and brilliant Mme。 de Caylus； a niece of Mme。 de Maintenon； whom some poetical critic has styled 〃the last flower of the seventeenth century。〃 Sainte…Aulaire； tired of the perpetual excitement at Sceaux； characterized this salon by a witty quatrain：
Je suis las de l'esprit； il me met en courroux； Il me renverse la cervelle； Lambert； je viens chercher un asile chez vous； Entre La Motte et Fontenelle。
The wits of the day launched many a shaft of satire against it； as they had against the Hotel de Rambouillet a century earlier； but it was an intellectual center of great influence； and was regarded as the sanctuary of old manners as well as the asylum of new liberties。 Its decorous character gave it the epithet of 〃very respectable；〃 but this eminently respectable company； which represented the purest taste of the time； often included Adrienne Lecouvreur； who was much more remarkable for talent than for respectability。 We have a direct glimpse of it through the pen of d'Artenson：
〃I have just met with a very grievous loss in the death of the Marquise de Lambert〃 （he writes in 1733）。 〃For fifteen years I have been one of her special friends； and she has done me the favor of inviting me to her house； where it is an honor to be received。 I dined there regularly on Wednesday； which was one of her days 。 。 。 。 。 She was rich； and made a good and amiable use of her wealth； for the benefit of her friends； and above all for the unfortunate。 A pupil of Bachaumont； having frequented only the society of people of the world； and of the highest intelligence； she knew no other passion than a constant and platonic tenderness。〃
The quality of character and intellect which gave Mme。 de Lambert so marked an influence； we find in her own thoughts on a great variety of subjects。 She gives us the impression of a woman altogether sensible and judicious； but not without a certain artificial tone。 Her well…considered philosophy of life had an evident groundwork of ambition and worldly wisdom； which appears always in her advice to her children。 She counsels her son to aim high and believe himself capable of great things。 〃Too much modesty；〃 she says； 〃is a languor of the soul； which prevents it from taking flight and carrying itself rapidly towards glory〃a suggestion that would be rather superfluous in this generation。 Again； she advises him to seek the society of his superiors； in order to accustom himself to respect and politeness。 〃With equals one grows negligent； the mind falls asleep。〃 But she does not regard superiority as an external thing； and says very wisely； 〃It is merit which should separate you from people； not dignity or pride。〃 By 〃people〃 she indicates all those who think meanly and commonly。 〃The court is full of them；〃 she adds。 Her standards of honor are high； and her sentiments of humanity quite in the vein of the coming age。 She urges her daughter to treat her servants with kindness。 〃One of the ancients says they should be regarded as unfortunate friends。 Think that humanity and Christianity equalize all。〃
Her criticisms on the education of women are of especial interest。 Behind her conventional tastes and her love of consideration she has a clear perception of facts and an appreciation of unfashionable truths。 She recognizes the superiority of her sex in matters of taste and in the enjoyment of 〃serious pleasures which make only the MIND LAUGH and do not trouble the heart〃 She reproaches men with 〃spoiling the dispositions nature has given to women； neglecting their education； filling their minds with nothing solid； and destining them solely to please； and to ple