Were it so, des Lupeaulx would have been a man of genius, whereas he was only a man of talent.

He went everywhere, collected opinions, sounded consciences, and caught all the tones they gave out.

He gathered knowledge like a true and indefatigable political bee.

This walking Bayle dictionary did not act, however, like that famous lexicon; he did not report all opinions without drawing his own conclusions; he had the talent of a fly which drops plumb upon the best bit of meat in the middle of a kitchen.

In this way he came to be regarded as an indispensable helper to statesmen.