She was of opinion with Sganarelle, that "cinq ou six coups de bâton entre gens qui s'aiment ne font que ragaillarder l'affection."
But, like Sganarelle also, she always premised that the right to give the blows should be hers.
She was only like any other well-dressed woman after all, and humanity considers that when genius comes forth in the flesh the touch of the coal from the altar should have left some visible stigmata on the lips it has burned, as, of course anybody knows, it invariably leaves some smirch upon the character.
Humanity feels that genius ought to wear a livery, as Jews and loose women wore yellow in the old golden days of distinction.
"They don't even paint!" said one lady, and felt herself aggrieved.
Calumny is the homage of our contemporaries, as some South Sea Islanders spit on those they honour.
Popularity has been defined as the privilege of being cheered by the kind of people you would never allow to bow to you.