Geoffrin

Geoffrin, Madame Therese Rodet, the daughter of a valet-de-chambre at the French Court, was born in 1699. She married a rich glass-maker, who left her a widow. Her wealth was mainly devoted to encouraging literature, and her salon was frequented by Diderot, Marmontel, D'Alembert, Walpole, Gibbon, and Hume. The Encyclopedia was largely subsidised by her. She was invited by Stanislas to Warsaw, and was received by Maria Theresa at Vienna. She died in 1777.