"Rousseau, Jean-Jacques - Confessions of Jean-jacques Rousseau, The" - читать интересную книгу автора (Rousseau Jacques)

hours he was employed in his business, I daily read them, with an

avidity and taste uncommon, perhaps unprecedented at my age.

Plutarch presently became my greatest favorite. The satisfaction I

derived from the repeated readings I gave this author, extinguished my

passion for romances, and I shortly preferred Agesilaus, Brutus, and

Aristides, to Orondates, Artemenes, and Juba. These interesting

studies, seconded by the conversations they frequently occasioned with

my father, produced that republican spirit and love of liberty, that

haughty and invincible turn of mind, which rendered me impatient of

restraint or servitude, and became the torment of my life, as I

continually found myself in situations incompatible with these

sentiments. Incessantly occupied with Rome and Athens, conversing,

if I may so express myself, with their illustrious heroes; born the

citizen of a republic, of a father whose ruling passion was the love

of his country, I was fired with these examples; could fancy myself

a Greek or Roman, and readily give into the character of the personage

whose life I read; transported by the recital of any extraordinary

instance of fortitude or intrepidity, animation flashed from my

eyes, and gave my voice additional strength and energy. One day, at

table, while relating the fortitude of Scoevola, they were terrified

at seeing me start from my seat and hold my hand over a hot

chafing-dish, to represent more forcibly the action of that determined

Roman.

My brother, who was seven years older than myself, was brought up to

my father's profession. The extraordinary affection they lavished on