The Marquise du Deffand is best known for her sharp wit and her bad characer among the French salonnières. She was also known for her ascerbic retorts, pride, cynism, selfishness, and rudeness.
Madame du Deffand was also sceptical, sarcastic; feared and hated even in her blind old age for her scathing criticisms.
When the celebrated work of Helvetius appeared he was blamed in her presence for having made selfishness the great motive of human action.
"Bah!" said she, "he has only revealed every one's secret."
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