s
been published within the last few years,
if taken collectively, seiwe to remove much
of the mystery in which some parts of
Rousseau’s history have been involved.
There certainly existed a combination
against him, to injure his reputation, and
drive him out of society, formed among
persons calling themselves his friends, but
who were rendered malignant and envious
by the great impression his writings had
produced.
They were sufficiently acquainted with
his weakness to be able to torment him
without committing themselves.
Grimm, Diderot, and the coterie of Madame
D’Epinay, were the principal actors.
Voltaire, though equally envious, was a
more open enemy of Rousseau’s, and publicly
endeavoured to overwhelm him with
ridicule. Theresa, the woman whom
Rousseau had unfortunately married, was
artful and unprincipled; having obtained
his entire confidence, she endeavoured, by
misrepresentations, to drive away all his
real friends, in which she too well succeeded
; nor was her treachery and faithlessness
discovered till the last, when it
led the wretched husband to the act of
self-destruction. *
There appear to be sufficient grounds
for believing, that the mind of Rousseau,
so acutely and morbidly sensitive, had been
wrought up to a state of frenzy and settled
derangement for some years previously to
his death; of this he was himself aware.
He had, it is true, intervals of repose,
when the brighter scenes of early life flitted
before his fancy, like a soothing, but melancholy
dream ; “ it was the memory of
joys that were past, still pleasing and
mournful to his soph”
It is particularly deserving attention,
that the charge of inconsistency which the
enemies of Rousseau have so repeatedly
fulminated against him, is greatly deprived
of its force, if duly considered ; for though
it be true that certain parts of his life were
at variance with his doctrines, it should be
borne in mind, that the acts for which he
has been most condemned, were committed
before he became a teacher of vir-
M
* A work has been lately published at Paris, entitled,
“ Plistoire de la Vie et des Ouvrages de J. J.
Rousseau, par M. Pathay,” in which the proofs of suicide
are stated.
M 2