While also taxing Ferrein with the same motives, Diderot's account of his doings is much more circumstanced than La Mettrie's, and also much more amusing, thanks to the interpolation of the «bijoux» motif.

Intellectuals are principally yang: one must tonify the yin. Rural people are principally yin: one must tonify the yang.

You are a big liar.  Why are you in such a big hurry?

He mistrusted my youth, my common-sense, and my seamanship, and made a point of showing it in a hundred little ways.