The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, 1725-1798. Volume 12: Return to Paris

The narrator recounts episodes from a restless life in which business dealings and travel intertwine with intimate encounters. He negotiates financial arrangements in Holland, returns to courts and cities, and reunites with a former lover who presents two children he tentatively accepts as his. Conversations with the children's mother lead him to critique her austere regimen and to try teaching openness to the youngsters, especially the affectionate daughter, while observing the son's reserve. Interwoven are preparations to go back to Amsterdam and Paris, reflections on education, seduction, and the shifting balances of affection, honor, and self-interest during his travels.