In fine, perceiving in the rumors of the day nothing more than art and dissimulation on their part, and thinking they, in their state of security, had time to watch over all their interests, I had had not the least doubt of their shortly crushing Jansenism, the parliament and the Encyclopedists, with every other association which should not submit to their yoke; and that if they ever suffered my work to appear, this would not happen until it should be so transformed as to favor their pretensions, and thus make use of my name the better to deceive my readers.

I felt my health and strength decline; and such was the horror with which my mind was filled, at the idea of dishonor to my memory in the work most worthy of myself, that I am surprised so many extravagant ideas did not occasion a speedy end to my existence.  I never was so much afraid of death as at this time, and had I died with the apprehensions I then had upon my mind, I should have died in despair.  At present, although I perceived no obstacle to the execution of the blackest and most dreadful conspiracy ever formed against the memory of a man, I shall die much more in peace, certain of leaving in my writings a testimony in my favor, and one which, sooner or later, will triumph over the calumnies of mankind.

M. de Malesherbes, who discovered the agitation of my mind, and to whom I acknowledged it, used such endeavors to restore me to tranquility as proved his excessive goodness of heart.  Madam de Luxembourg aided him in his good work, and several times went to Duchesne to know in what state the edition was.  At length the impression was again begun, and the progress of it became more rapid than ever, without my knowing for what reason it had been suspended.  M. de Malesherbes took the trouble to come to Montmorency to calm my mind; in this he succeeded, and the full confidence I had in his uprightness having overcome the derangement of my poor head, gave efficacy to the endeavors he made to restore it.  After what he had seen of my anguish and delirium, it was natural he should think I was to be pitied; and he really commiserated my situation.  The expressions, incessantly repeated, of the philosophical cabal by which he was surrounded, occurred to his memory.  When I went to live at the Hermitage, they, as I have already remarked, said I should not remain there long.  When they saw I persevered, they charged me with obstinacy and pride, proceeding from a want of courage to retract, and insisted that my life was there a burden to me; in short, that I was very wretched.  M. de Malesherbes believed this really to be the case, and wrote to me upon the subject.  This error in a man for whom I had so much esteem gave me some pain, and I wrote to him four letters successively, in which I stated the real motives of my conduct, and made him fully acquainted with my taste, inclination and character, and with the most interior sentiments of my heart.  These letters, written hastily,