for reading character, and endeavouring to decipher motives and
intentions in the faces, expressions, conversation, and byplay of
those about him. "I examine all my personages closely," said he--
"watch their mouth, eyes, and ears constantly." And what he heard
and saw he noted down with extraordinary vividness and dash.
Acute, keen, and observant, he pierced the masks of the courtiers,
and detected their secrets. The ardour with which he prosecuted
his favourite study of character seemed insatiable, and even
cruel. "The eager anatomist," says Sainte-Beuve, "was not more
ready to plunge the scalpel into the still-palpitating bosom in
search of the disease that had baffled him."

La Bruyere possessed the same gift of accurate and penetrating
observation of character. He watched and studied everybody about
him. He sought to read their secrets; and, retiring to his
chamber, he deliberately painted their portraits, returning to
them from time to time to correct some prominent feature--hanging
over them as fondly as an artist over some favourite study--
adding trait to trait, and touch to touch, until at length the
picture was complete and the likeness perfect.

It may be said that much of the interest of biography, especially
of the more familiar sort, is of the nature of gossip; as that of
the MEMOIRES POUR SERVIR is of the nature of scandal, which is no
doubt true. But both gossip and scandal illustrate the strength
of the interest which men and women take in each other's
personality; and which, exhibited in the form of biography, is
capable of communicating the highest pleasure, and yielding the
best instruction. Indeed biography, because it is instinct of
humanity, is the branch of literature which--whether in the form