Claudine de Tencin was arguably the smartest woman in 1717 France. Of thoroughly modern sensibility, at age 35, she let her birth control regime slip, had a Child; promptly abandoned the two-day old to a church step on a cold and wet night; the child came close to death. Tsk. Starting life in an 18th century French orphanage, what chance for greatness? Think what he could have become if nurtured by a smart woman. Wait… (d’Alembert.)