From 1832 to 1842 Comte was a tutor and then an examiner at the revived École Polytechnique. He then quarreled with the directors of the school and lost his post. During the remainder of his life he was supported by English admirers and by French disciples. In 1842 Comte separated from his wife and in 1845 he had a profound relationship with Clotilde de Vaux, whom he idolized. She died the following year and after her death, Comte devoted himself to writing another major work, the four-volume System of Positive Polity, in which he completed his formulation of sociology.