anything, but the impossibility of applying himself, and his turn for dissipation, prevented his acquiring a perfect knowledge of any subject.  His talents are however various, and this is sufficient for the circles in which he wishes to distinguish himself.  He writes light poetry and fashionable letters, strums on the cithern, and pretends to draw with crayon.  He took it into his head to attempt the portrait of Madam de Luxembourg; the sketch he produced was horrid.  She said it did not in the least resemble her and this was true.  The traitorous abbe consulted me, and I like a fool and a liar, said there was a likeness.  I wished to flatter the abbe, but I did not please the lady who noted down what I had said, and the abbe, having obtained what he wanted, laughed at me in his turn.  I perceived by the ill success of this my late beginning the necessity of making another attempt to flatter ’invita Minerva’.

My talent was that of telling men useful but severe truths with energy and courage; to this it was necessary to confine myself.  Not only I was not born to flatter, but I knew not how to commend.  The awkwardness of the manner in which I have sometimes bestowed eulogium has done me more harm than the severity of my censure.  Of this I have to adduce one terrible instance, the consequences of which have not only fixed my fate for the rest of my life, but will perhaps decide on my reputation throughout all posterity.

During the residence of M. de Luxembourg at Montmorency, M. de Choiseul sometimes came to supper at the castle.  He arrived there one day after I had left it.  My name was mentioned, and M. de Luxembourg related to him what had happened at Venice between me and M. de Montaigu.  M. de Choiseul said it was a pity I had quitted that track, and that if I chose to enter it again he would most willingly give me employment.  M. de Luxembourg told me what had passed.  Of this I was the more sensible as I was not accustomed to be spoiled by ministers, and had I been in a better state of health it is not certain that I should not have been guilty of a new folly.  Ambition never had power over my mind except during the short intervals in which every other passion left me at liberty; but one of these intervals would have been sufficient to determine me.  This good intention of M. de Choiseul gained him my attachment and increased the esteem which, in consequence of some operations in his administration, I had conceived for his talents; and the family compact in particular had appeared to me to evince a statesman of the first order.  He moreover gained ground in my estimation by the little respect I entertained for his predecessors, not even excepting Madam de Pompadour, whom I considered as a species of prime minister, and when it was reported that one of these two would expel the other, I thought I offered up prayers for the honor of France when I wished that M. de Choiseul might triumph.  I had always felt an antipathy to Madam de Pompadour,