Marie

Dear Valeria,

When I read these writings by men, I suspect that they see more clearly the anatomy of their beards than they see the anatomy of their reasons. These tracts of contempt written by these doctors in moustaches are in fact quite handy to brush up the luster of their reputation in public opinion, since to gain esteem from the masses—this beast at several heads— nothing is easier than to mock so and so and to compare them to a poor crazy woman.

Salutations et solidarité,

Maria Le Jars de Gournay