eau de Trie, which belonged to the Prince
de Conti.

All who came in contact with her recognized the distinction, elevation
of _esprit_, and sentiment of Mme. de Boufflers. With her are
associated the greatest names of the time; being perfectly at home
on all the political questions of the day, she was better able to
converse upon these subjects than was any other woman of the time.
When in 1762 she visited England, she was lionized everywhere. She was
feted at court and in the city, and all conversation was upon the one
subject, that of her presence, which was one of the important events
of London life. Everyone was anxious to see the famous woman, the
first of rank to visit England in two hundred years. She even received
some special attention from the eccentric Samuel Johnson, in this
manner: "Horace Walpole had taken the countess to call on Johnson.
After the conventional time of a formal call had expired, they left,
and were halfway down stairs, when it dawned upon Johnson that it was
his duty, as host, to pay the honors of his literary residence to a
foreign lady of quality; to show himself gallant, he jumped down from
the top of the stairway, and, all agitation, seized the hand of the
countess and conducted her to her carriage."

No woman at court had more friends and fewer enemies than did Mme. de
Boufflers, because "she united to the gifts of nature and the culture
of _esprit_ an amiable simplicity, charming graces, a goodness,
kindness, and sensibility, which made her forget herself always and
constantly seek to aid those about her." She made use of her influence
over the prince in such ways as would, in a measure, recompense for
her fault, and thus recommended herself by her good actions. She was
the soul of his salon, "Le Temple." The love of these two people,
through its intimacy and public display, through its constancy,
happiness, and decency, dissipated all scandal. Always cheerful
and pleased to amuse, knowing how to pay attention to all, always
rewarding the bright remarks of others with a smile, which all sought
as a mark of approbation, no one ever wished her any ill fortune.

The last days of the Prince de Conti were cheered by the presence of
Mme. de Boufflers and the friends whom she gathered about him to help
bear his illness. The letter to her from Hume, on his deathbed, is
most pathetic, showing the influence of this woman and the nature of
the impression she left upon her friends:

"Edinb