of the desire that pervaded all to show their wit: "L'auditoire etait
respectable. J'y vis rassembles Montesquieu, Fontenelle, Mairan, Marivaux,
le jeune Helvetius, Astruc, je ne sais qui encore, tous gens de lettres ou
savants, et au milieu d'eux une femme d'un esprit et d'un sens profonds,
mais qui, enveloppee dans son exterieur de bonhomie et de simplicite,
avait plutot l'air de la menagere que de la maitresse de la maison:
c'etait la Mme. de Tencin ... je m'apercus bientot qu'on y arrivait
prepare a jouer son role, et que l'envie d'entrer en scene n'y laissait
pas toujours a la conversation la liberte de suivre son cours facile et
naturel. C'etait a qui saisirait le plus vite, et comme a la volee, le
moment de placer son mot, son conte, son anecdote, sa maxime ou son trait
leger et piquant; et, pour amener l'a-propos, on le tirait quelquefois
d'un peu loin. Dans Marivaux, l'impatience de faire preuve de finesse et
de sagacite percait visiblement."[21]

Marivaux, in describing the feelings of Marianne upon being introduced
into polite society at the home of Mme. Dorsin, makes an evident allusion
to the salon of Mme. de Tencin, and shows how differently from Marmontel
he regarded the spirit that marked those gatherings. As though to answer
the latter's accusations, he exclaims: "On accuse quelquefois Ses gens
d'esprit de vouloir briller; oh! il n'etait pas question de cela ici." "Ce
n'etait point eux qui y mettaient de la finesse, c'etait de la finesse qui
s'y rencontrait; ils ne sentaient pas qu'ils parlaient mieux qu'on ne
parle ordinairement; c'etaient seulement de meilleurs esprits que
d'autres."[22] All that was said there, he adds, was uttered with so
little effort, so naturally, so simply, and yet with so much brilliancy
that one could see that it was a company of persons of exquisite taste and
breeding. Society, as depicted here, was not "full of solemn and important
trifles, difficult to learn, and, however ridiculous they are in
themselves, necessary to be known under penalty of being ridiculous." [23]
One was made to feel at home, and what one lacked in wit was supplemented
by that of the company, without one's being made to feel that what he
seemed to utter was not all his own.

The description of Mme. Dorsin is that of Mme. de Tencin herself, seen
through the eyes of an enthusiastic friend, and she knew the art of
gaining friends, and of keeping them, too. In fact, she was never weary of
doing for them, a