show at once
how profound the anarchy was, and how profound the faith among many
minds in the power of the new French theories, an application was made
to Mably to draw up a scheme for the renovation of distracted Poland.
Mably's notions won little esteem from the persons who had sought for
them, and in 1771 a similar application was made to Rousseau in his
Parisian garret. He replied in the Considerations on the Government of
Poland, which are written with a good deal of vigour of expression,
but contain nothing that needs further discussion. He hinted to the
Poles with some shrewdness that a curtailment of their territory by
their neighbours was not far off,[401] and the prediction was rapidly
fulfilled by the first partition of Poland in the following year.

He was asked one day of what nation he had the highest opinion. He
answered, the Spanish. The Spanish nation, he said, has a character;
if it is not rich, it still preserves all its pride and self-respect
in the midst of its poverty; and it is animated by a single spirit,
for it has not been scourged by the conflicting opinions of
philosophy.[402]

He was extremely poor for these last eight years of his life. He seems
to have drawn the pension which George III. had settled on him, for
not more than one year. We do not know why he refused to receive it
afterwards. A well-meaning friend, when the arrears amounted to
between six and seven thousand francs, applied for it on his behalf,
and a draft for the money was sent. Rousseau gave the offender a
vigorous rebuke for meddling in affairs that did not concern him, and
the draft was destroyed. Other attempts to induce him to draw this
money failed equally.[403] Yet he had only about fifty pounds a year
to live on, together with the modest amount which he earned by copying
music.[404]

The sting of indigence began to make itself felt towards 1777. His
health became worse and he could not work. Theresa was waxing old, and
could no longer attend to the small cares of the household. More than
one person offered them shelter and provision, and the old
distractions as to a home in which to end his days began once again.
At length M. Girardin prevailed upon him to come and live at
Ermenonville, one of his estates some twenty miles from Paris. A dense
cloud of obscure misery hangs over the last months of this forlorn
existence.[405] No tragedy had ever a fifth act so squalid. Theresa's
character seems to have developed i