"There was no need of that pretext about the waters of Plombieres, in demanding your leave (CONGE).

You can quit my service when you like: but, before going, be so good as return me the Contract of your Engagement, the Key [Chamberlain's], the Cross [of Merit], and the Volume of Verses which I confided to you.
"I wish my Works, and only they, had been what you and Konig attacked.
Them I sacrifice, with a great deal of willingness, to persons who think of increasing their own reputation by lessening that of others.

I have not the folly nor vanity of certain Authors.

The cabals of literary people seem to me the disgrace of Literature.

I do not the less esteem honorable cultivators of Literature; it is only the caballers and their leaders that are degraded in my eyes.