Book contents
- Frontmatter
- CONTENTS
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Select Bibliography
- Note on the Text
- VOL I Adelaide and Theodore, or Letters on Education
- LETTER I From the Baron d’ Almane to the Viscount de Limours.
- LETTER II Baroness d’ Almane to the Viscountess de Limours
- LETTER III The Countess d’ Ostalis, to the Baroness d’ Almane
- LETTER IV Viscountess de Limours, to the Baroness d’ Almane
- LETTER V Baroness d’ Almane to the Viscountess de Limours
- LETTER VI Viscountess de Limours to the Baroness
- LETTER VII The Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER VIII Answer from the Viscountess
- LETTER IX Answer from the Baroness d’ Almane
- LETTER X Viscountess to the Baroness
- LETTER XI Answer from the Baroness d’ Almane
- LETTER XII The Baroness to the Countess d’ Ostalis
- LETTER XIII Viscountess to the Baroness
- LETTER XIV The Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER XV The same to the same
- LETTER XVI Baron d’ Almane to the Viscount de Limours
- LETTER XVII Viscount to the Baron d’ Almane
- LETTER XVIII Answer from the Baron d’ Almane, to the Viscount de Limours
- LETTER XIX From the same to the same
- LETTER XX From the Baron d’ Almane to the Viscount de Limours
- LETTER XXI From the Baroness d’ Almane, to Madame d’ Ostalis
- LETTER XXII The Baroness d’ Almane, to the Viscountess de Limours
- LETTER XXIII Answer from the Viscountess de Limours
- LETTER XXIV From the Count de Roseville, Brother to the Viscountess de Limours, to the Baron d’ Almane
- LETTER XXV The Viscountess to the Baroness d’ Almane
- LETTER XXVI Baroness d’ Almane to the Viscountess
- LETTER XXVII Answer from the Viscountess Limours
- LETTER XXVIII From the Baroness d’ Almane to the Viscountess
- LETTER XXIX From the same to the same
- LETTER XXX Answer from the Viscountess de Limours
- LETTER XXXI Answer from the Baroness
- LETTER XXXII From the Viscountess, in Answer
- LETTER XXXIII From the Chevalier d’ Herbain, to the Baron d’ Almane
- LETTER XXXIV Baroness d’ Almane to the Viscountess
- LETTER XXXV From the same to the same
- LETTER XXXVI The Count de Roseville to the Baron d’ Almane
- LETTER XXXVII The Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER XXXVIII Viscountess to the Baroness
- LETTER XXXIX Answer from the Baroness
- LETTER XL The same to the same
- LETTER XLI Same to the same
- LETTER XLII Viscountess to the Baroness
- LETTER XLIII Madame d’ Ostalis to the Baroness
- LETTER XLIV Answer from the Baroness to Madame d’ Ostalis
- LETTER XLV The Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER XLVI From the same to the same
- LETTER XLVII Count de Roseville to the Baron
- LETTER XLVIII Baron to the Viscount
- LETTER XLIX Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER L Madame d’ Ostalis to the Baroness
- LETTER LI From the Viscountess to the Baroness
- LETTER LII Answer from the Barones
- LETTER LIII From the same to the same
- LETTER LIV The Count de Roseville to the Baron
- LETTER LV Viscountess to the Baroness
- LETTER LVI The Baroness to Madame d’ Ostalis
- LETTER LVII The Baroness to Madame de Valmont
- LETTER LVIII The Baroness to Madame d’ Ostalis
- LETTER LIX Madame de Valcy to Madame de Germeuil
- LETTER LX The Baroness to Madame de Valmont
- LETTER LXI The Baroness to Madame d' Ostalis
- LETTER LXII Madame de Valcy to Mons. de Creny
- LETTER LXIII Madame d' Almane, to Madame de Valmont
- VOL II Adelaide and Theodore, or Letters on Education
- VOL III ADELAIDE AND THEODORE
- Course of Reading pursued by Adelaide, from the Age of six Years, to Twenty-two
- Index
- Endnotes
LETTER XVI - Baron d’ Almane to the Viscount de Limours
from VOL I - Adelaide and Theodore, or Letters on Education
- Frontmatter
- CONTENTS
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Select Bibliography
- Note on the Text
- VOL I Adelaide and Theodore, or Letters on Education
- LETTER I From the Baron d’ Almane to the Viscount de Limours.
- LETTER II Baroness d’ Almane to the Viscountess de Limours
- LETTER III The Countess d’ Ostalis, to the Baroness d’ Almane
- LETTER IV Viscountess de Limours, to the Baroness d’ Almane
- LETTER V Baroness d’ Almane to the Viscountess de Limours
- LETTER VI Viscountess de Limours to the Baroness
- LETTER VII The Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER VIII Answer from the Viscountess
- LETTER IX Answer from the Baroness d’ Almane
- LETTER X Viscountess to the Baroness
- LETTER XI Answer from the Baroness d’ Almane
- LETTER XII The Baroness to the Countess d’ Ostalis
- LETTER XIII Viscountess to the Baroness
- LETTER XIV The Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER XV The same to the same
- LETTER XVI Baron d’ Almane to the Viscount de Limours
- LETTER XVII Viscount to the Baron d’ Almane
- LETTER XVIII Answer from the Baron d’ Almane, to the Viscount de Limours
- LETTER XIX From the same to the same
- LETTER XX From the Baron d’ Almane to the Viscount de Limours
- LETTER XXI From the Baroness d’ Almane, to Madame d’ Ostalis
- LETTER XXII The Baroness d’ Almane, to the Viscountess de Limours
- LETTER XXIII Answer from the Viscountess de Limours
- LETTER XXIV From the Count de Roseville, Brother to the Viscountess de Limours, to the Baron d’ Almane
- LETTER XXV The Viscountess to the Baroness d’ Almane
- LETTER XXVI Baroness d’ Almane to the Viscountess
- LETTER XXVII Answer from the Viscountess Limours
- LETTER XXVIII From the Baroness d’ Almane to the Viscountess
- LETTER XXIX From the same to the same
- LETTER XXX Answer from the Viscountess de Limours
- LETTER XXXI Answer from the Baroness
- LETTER XXXII From the Viscountess, in Answer
- LETTER XXXIII From the Chevalier d’ Herbain, to the Baron d’ Almane
- LETTER XXXIV Baroness d’ Almane to the Viscountess
- LETTER XXXV From the same to the same
- LETTER XXXVI The Count de Roseville to the Baron d’ Almane
- LETTER XXXVII The Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER XXXVIII Viscountess to the Baroness
- LETTER XXXIX Answer from the Baroness
- LETTER XL The same to the same
- LETTER XLI Same to the same
- LETTER XLII Viscountess to the Baroness
- LETTER XLIII Madame d’ Ostalis to the Baroness
- LETTER XLIV Answer from the Baroness to Madame d’ Ostalis
- LETTER XLV The Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER XLVI From the same to the same
- LETTER XLVII Count de Roseville to the Baron
- LETTER XLVIII Baron to the Viscount
- LETTER XLIX Baroness to the Viscountess
- LETTER L Madame d’ Ostalis to the Baroness
- LETTER LI From the Viscountess to the Baroness
- LETTER LII Answer from the Barones
- LETTER LIII From the same to the same
- LETTER LIV The Count de Roseville to the Baron
- LETTER LV Viscountess to the Baroness
- LETTER LVI The Baroness to Madame d’ Ostalis
- LETTER LVII The Baroness to Madame de Valmont
- LETTER LVIII The Baroness to Madame d’ Ostalis
- LETTER LIX Madame de Valcy to Madame de Germeuil
- LETTER LX The Baroness to Madame de Valmont
- LETTER LXI The Baroness to Madame d' Ostalis
- LETTER LXII Madame de Valcy to Mons. de Creny
- LETTER LXIII Madame d' Almane, to Madame de Valmont
- VOL II Adelaide and Theodore, or Letters on Education
- VOL III ADELAIDE AND THEODORE
- Course of Reading pursued by Adelaide, from the Age of six Years, to Twenty-two
- Index
- Endnotes
Summary
No, my dear Viscount, I do not at all repent the part I have taken, nor do I for one moment regret the pleasures of Paris, or the intrigues of the Court! If you knew with what an eye we consider these things at this distance, and how trifling and frivolous they appear, when they are coolly considered, you would the more readily believe me. I am however far from thinking that happiness consists only in solitude. It is certainly incompatible with vice and wickedness. But, otherwise, it is derived from various contrary causes. Wisdom and enthusiasm both equally serve to procure it; and reason and virtue will always maintain a right to create it, in every place and situation; in the midst of the tumult of Courts, as well in a cloyster, or a desart. And old people, men of the world, or those retired from it, may, by being just and good, enjoy that desired comfort, which the designing wicked man can never know! Believe me, my friend, our passions can never procure it for us. I have felt their influence, have known all the illusions of love; but in this tumultuous state the soul is agitated above its powers, and seems rather to be exhausted than satisfied, by what it experiences. These delights and transports, which almost deprive us of our reason, undoubtedly form a situation too active and violent for our weak minds; and become painful to us by their excess.
If you had not told me, my dear Viscount, a thousand times, that you had spent your life in studying different opinions, without ever adopting one, I should have been convinced of it by your last letter. You shew me in that all the advantages you have received from a good education; but you evidently prove, that you have not sufficiently reflected or meditated on that important subject, since, often praising my intentions and plans, you end all on a sudden with asking me this question: ‘Do you really think that education can extirpate our vices, or imbue us with virtues; and that it is of any use to us?’ I have certainly given testimony that I think so, by the sacrifices I have made in order to educate my children.
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- Adelaide and Theodoreby Stephanie-Felicite De Genlis, pp. 37 - 40Publisher: Pickering & ChattoFirst published in: 2014