An honest woman of the common people, with that personal devotion which is less rare among the poor than among the rich, took charge of the foundling.

The father, who was an officer of artillery and brother of Destouches, the author of some poor comedies, by and by advanced the small sums required to pay for the boy's schooling.
D'Alembert proved a brilliant student.

Unlike nearly every other member of the encyclopaedic party, he was a pupil not of the Jesuits but of their rivals.

The Jansenists recognised the keenness and force of their pupil, and hoped that they had discovered a new Pascal.

But he was less docile than his great predecessor in their ranks.