The Sequel to the Count of Gabalis, or New Discourses on the Secret Sciences

New Conversations

to amuse himself, or to insult me, sent this excellent man to me. Anyone other than myself would perhaps have been offended by a certain compliment he paid me at first; but I never make such mistakes. I find it beneficial to humor people who are unique in their kind; an Original In this historical context, an "Original" refers to a person with an eccentric, singular, or highly individual character. is always of great value to me; and God has granted me the grace to recognize that fools exist in this world only to provide lessons in wisdom.

It is true that I needed a bit of this grace to avoid showing Mr. Jean le Brun the door the first time he appeared to me. He knocked abruptly at my private study French: cabinet, a room for work, reading, or receiving private visitors. and entered in the same manner, holding a book and a walking stick in one hand, and removing his large hat with the other.

"Sir," he said to me, "I am your servant: I have come all the way from Ireland to tell you that you are a misguided man French: mal-avisé, meaning someone who lacks judgment or is poorly advised.."

He had red and fierce eyes, a pale face, a short black suit, a wool belt over his short cassock French: soutanelle, a shorter version of the ecclesiastical cassock, often worn by lower-ranking clergy or scholars., a peculiar beard, and the appearance and hair of an offended zealot. "Sir," I replied very civilly, while gently grasping the hand holding the stick, "before I respond to the polite com-