ity,
what a poor judge you are!"

Shortly after her marriage, Mme. Necker wrote to one of her friends:
"My dear, I have married a man who, according to my ideas, is the
kindest of mortals, and I am not the only one to judge thus. I had had
a liking for him ever since I learned to know him. At present, I see,
in all nature, only my husband. I take notice of other men only in so
far as they come more or less up to the standard of my husband, and
I compare them only for the pleasure of seeing the difference." The
marital relations of this loving pair lasted throughout life; and
among great women of the eighteenth century, Mme. Necker is one of the
few examples of ideal marriage relations.

Soon after their marriage, the Neckers took up their quarters at the
Rue Michel-le-Comte, where they began to receive friends. As at that
time every day in the week was reserved by other salons,--Monday and
Wednesday at Mme. Geoffrin's, Tuesday at Helvetius's, Thursday and
Sunday at the Baron d'Holbach's,--Mme. Necker was compelled to appoint
Friday as her reception day. She soon succeeded in attracting to her
hotel the best _esprit_ of Paris: Diderot, Suard, Grimm, Comte de
Schomberg, Marmontel, D'Alembert, Thomas, Saint-Lambert, Helvetius,
Ducis, Bernardin de Saint-Pierre, the Abbes Raynal, Armand, and
Morellet, Mme. Geoffrin, Mme. du Deffand, Mme. de Marchais, Mme.
Suard, the Marechale de Luxembourg, the Duchesse de Lauzun, the
Marquise de La Ferte-Imbault, Mme. de Boufflers.

Among these visitors, most of whom were atheists, Mme. Necker
preserved her own religious opinions and piety, although her friends
at Geneva never ceased to be concerned about her. Her admirers were
many, but they were kept within the bounds of propriety and never
attempted any gallant liberties with the hostess--except her ardent
admirer Thomas, the intensity of whose eulogies upon her she was
forced to check occasionally. It was not long before she became very
influential in filling the vacant seats of the Academy. In this and
many other respects, her salon may be compared with that of Mme. de
Lambert.

Mme. Necker's idea of conducting a salon and its conversation was much
the same as the management of a state; she believed that the hostess
must never join in the conversation as long as it goes on by itself,
but, ever watchful, must never permit disturbances, disagreements,
improprieties, or obstacles; she must animate it if it languish; she
must see tha