Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/746

732 avidity: she began to write her thoughts, without any intentions of commencing author; and in consequence daily improved. Her connections extended, and her abilities procured her many valuable friends.

The same year the celebrated Roland, who resided at Amiens in an official capacity, visited at a house where he heard much of Mademoiselle Phlipon, and saw and admired her picture. As he repaired every winter to the capital, he requested letters of introduction, and received one from her friend, who had lived at the same convent, and carried on a regular correspondence with her. "I send you this letter," said she, "by the philosopher, of whom I have made mention to you sometimes, M. Roland de la Platiere, an enlightened man, of simple manners, who can only be reproached for his great admiration of the ancients, at the expense of the moderns, whom he undervalues."

On his arrival, he went to her father's house, and found her in mourning. Her afflictions had tinted her lovely countenance with a soft and tender melancholy, which proved highly interesting to her philosophical visitor, who was captivated at the sight of a handsome woman, of twenty-one years of age; he himself, at this period, appeared to be rather more than forty, tall in his person, negligent in his attitudes, and with that kind of rust about him, which usually accompanies studious men.

In 1776, he made preparations for visiting Italy, and as he had by this time conceived a great regard for his new acquaintance, he deposited all his manuscripts in her hands, which were to be at her disposal, if any misfortune should happen to him in the course