This fascinating memoir offers a firsthand account of the intellectual and cultural life of 18th century France, as experienced by Susanne Curchod Necker, one of the leading literary and social figures of her time. With wit, insight, and a keen eye for detail, Necker recounts her encounters with the great minds and personalities of the era, from Voltaire and Diderot to Thomas Jefferson and the Duchess of Devonshire. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.