M AD EM OI S EL LE D E CORD A ! M AD AM E R OLAN D THE P RI N CESS E D E L AM B ALLE M AD AM E D E GEN L IS

A U S T I N D O B S O N fl

N EW ! O R!

P UBLISHE RS

To M! FRIEND

BRAN D ER MATTH EWS

PREFATOR! N TE O .

MON G re asons for re ri ntin these ers two p g pap ,

chiefl ma be me ntione d - one th at th e w ere y y , y origi nally plan ne d for publi cation i n b ook- form ; the

th e r th at b t e - issuin the m now th e auth or h as o , y g ,

e en e na le d to ive th em th e revision of w ich b b g h ,

from a s e of time th e s to d i n ne e d . l p , y o It may b e obje cte d th at th e P ri nce s s de Lamb alle

al a h marr a w as b i rth an It i n . B ut b e r i e b , y b , y g , y th e more i m ortant art of h er life and a ov all p p , b e b h e r tra i c d eath sh e e on s to th e c ountr of y g , b l g y

ti n h e r adop o . S ome justifi c ation is pe rh aps re quire d for th e title w hi h i n this volume is u niforml ive n t o th fi rs c , , y g e t

r h a of i ts h e roi ne s . It i s t ue t t by th e historian s h e i s k now n as Ch arlotte Corday ; b ut to h e r family an d h e r re l ati ve s s h e w as M ari e de Corda and th is y, s ign ature i s affi x ed t o th e l e tte r to Mlle . R os e

Fou eron d u Fa ot uote d at . I as w e as to g y , q p 3 , ll P e ztor ote r fl y N . the as sh e e ve r w rote e n ne d w i e tua re l t , p h l ac lly p

ari n f r h l p g o t e s caffo d .

In th r f r n t Lad E ard Fi ald at e e e e ce s o y dw tz ger p .

1 8 M oor and th r auth oritie s are follow d . B u 9, e o e e t

th e re ce n i nve sti ati ons of Mr. . G . Al e r i n the t g J g , “ D iction ar of N ation a B i o ra h h ave e s ta y l g p y, b lish e d th e fa t th at a th ou h th e matte r is sti l n ot c , l g l w h oll fre e from dou t there i s more truth i n th e y b , “ c ircumstan tial fi cti on put forward by M adame de

G en li s th an h as hith erto b e en suppos e d . C N T E N T S O .

M AD EMOISE LLE D E CO R DA!

MAD AM E ROLAN D

T HE P R INCESS D E LAM B ALLE

MADAME D E GENLIS

INDE!

MADEMOISELLE DE CORDA! .

6 - 1 7 8 1 79 3 . ’ ’ om r are c s ar on ne C p m , e t p d r . AD AM E D E S T A M E L.

Ah ! ud e h e r e nt w h o s o ran d e rre d j g g l y, g ly , So s in s mote and s o s e re ne fe gly , ly ll ; ’ W h e re th e w i d An arc h s h urr i n d rums are he ard l y g ,

Th e fre nz y fi res th e fi ne r s o ul s as w e ll . FO U R F R E N CH W O M E N .

AR IS streets have had their changes . If,

- a- a now d ys , you want the Rue des Cor ’ de lie rs l Ec ole , you must ask for the Rue de é de M decine , and even between these two the place has been three times christened . In the room of the old Grey Friars church has sprung S u S up a pacio s college where once , in the ilent

- flat - uffl convent garden , the foot fathers sh ed to fro and , crowds of students now swarm daily

- P to the dissecting rooms . eaceful p rofessors dilate leisurely on the circulation of the blood

of - where once , in the hall the erst famous club , D anton flashed suddenly into a furio us elo

ue nce . e q , or Marat cried for heads The serg and three - knot girdle have yielded to the scalpel and the saw . r N early a centu y ago , there lived in the Rue des Cordeliers o ne who had made himself a 2 Four Frencbwomen .

Z ‘ L f ow éi in Fra i p a ; . Airng be fore the tocsin first u n e in 1 88 man — so d d: 7 , this half dwarf, half ma i c f i d a i a st and savant man ué n a , o le pl g ri q ,

prurient romancer , rancorous libeller , envious , — infi revengeful , and despised had heaped up

nite hatred of all things better than himself. “ Cain in the social scale , he took his stand

upon the lowest grade, and struck at all above

- him with dog like ferocity , with insatiable malig

nit . canaille y Champion of the , he fought their

of . battles , and the common cry curs was his D A enounced to the Constituent ssembly , hunted P by the aris Commune , besieged in his house by Lafayette ; shielded by D anton ; hidden by Legendre ; sheltered by the actress Fleury ;

sheltered by the priest Bassal ; proscribed , pur on sued , and homeless , he still fought , and the ’ publication of L Ami da P euple was not de

layed for a single hour . By the name that he P had conquered , all aris knew him . Woe to the noble who was recommended by the remorse ’ less P eople s Friend I Woe to the susp ect w ho fell into the clutches of that crafty P russian ” Spider ! D ay after day he might be seen at the Convention , cynical , injurious , venomous ; S dressed in a filthy shirt , a habby , patched

- v surtout , and ink stained vel et smalls ; his hair k notted tightly with a thong , his shoes tied ademoiselle de orda M C y . 3

carelessly with string . M en knew the enormous S head and pallid , leaden face the loping , wild beast brows and piercing , tigerish eyes ; the

- croaking , frog like mouth ; the thin lips , ’ - bulged like an adder s poison bag , men knew the convulsive gestures , the irrepressible arm with its fluttering proscription list , the strident voice that cried incessantly for heads , now for five hundred , now for five hundred thousand . All P aris knew the triumvir Marat , who , in concert with Robespierre and the Mountain , was slowly floating France in blood .

It is easy , from the abundant records , to con

o f . J 1 struct the story his death In uly , 79 3 , the F or citizen Marat was ill . three years he had struggled with a disorder , to which sooner or later he must have succumbed . His physician , although he sedulously attended him , had no hope of saving his life H e had ceased to appear at the meetings of the Convention ; Robespierre and D anton had refused him “ a !

. J head or two A acobin deputation , sent to t inquire into his health , repor ed that they had found their brother Marat occupied unweariedly for m the public good . It is not a alady , “ i said they, but an indispos tion which Mes sieurs of the Cote D roit will hardly catch . It is a superabundant patriotism pressed and repressed o c 4 F ur Fren hwomen .

in too small a body . The violent efforts that it makes at escape are killing him . In a word , the citizen Marat was dying of disease aggravated by of envy , disappointment , and unquenched lust blood . D uring the whole of J une he had never ceased with a head frenzied by strong remedial n stimula ts , with a pen that pain caused to tremble in his hand t o cry feverishly for slaughter

These were , in fact , those exhalations of a too active patriotism that were killing the ’ P eople s Friend .

1 J - On the 3th of uly , at about half past seven

in the evening , the citizen Marat was sitting in

n . his bath , writi g The citizen certainly affected , of perhaps actually enjoyed , the luxury poverty . A rough board laid across the bath served him for a desk an unhewn block supported his inkstand . The floor was littered with n u mbers of his jour

nal , but the room was bare of furniture . A map of France hung upon the wall , together with a of brace pistols , above which was scrawled in ”

LA . large , bold letters , MORT By- and - by comes in a young man named ’ P of L Ami illet , bringing paper for the printing ’

da P eu le u . p , which was done in the author s ho se

Marat asked him to open the window , approved

his account , and sent him away . As he came out there was a kind of altercation between the ademoi selle de orda M C y . 5

portress , who was folding sheets , and a hand a m some young lady , wearing dark hat trim ed

b . with green ri bons She held a fan in her hand , and was complaining , in a singularly clear and m musical voice , that she had co e a long journey ’ all the way from Caen t o see the P eople s

Friend . It appeared from the conversation that she had already called that day . Had he received her note asking fo r an interview ? S w The portress carcely kne , he had so many . At this moment appeared another woman Evrard — im Simonne who , listening to the ortunitie s p of the stranger , consented at last to see if Marat would receive her . Marat , who had read her note some twenty minutes pre viousl m y, answered in the affir ative , and the women showed her in . It is not exactly known what took place be tween Marat and his visitor in their ten minutes ’ interview . According to her after account , he m listened eagerly to the news fro Caen , taking notes for the scaffold the while . H e asked for the names of the Girondist deputies then

. Guadet refuged at that place She gave them , , ’ B uz ot B arbaroux C sl . e Corsas , , , and the rest bien ! D ans eu de ours e les erai uillotiner p f , j f g tous d P aris . P H is hour had come . lucked u i s ddenly from her bosom , a br ght blade flashed 6 Four Frencbwomen .

onc . up , down , and struck him e in the chest A — terrible blow for a delicate hand l under the l clavicle , sheer through the ung , cutting the “ ” . A moi ma chere amie d m i ! carotid , , o he shrieked . The next moment the room was full .

The young lady , coming out , was struck down m o n with a chair , and tra pled by the furious women ; the guard came pouring in , and down the street the news flew like wildfire that they ’ i ” were killing the P eople s F r e nd . ’ o ut P They lifted the livid eople s Friend , and laid him on his bed . But he had spoken his last . For an instant his glazed eyes turned upon Evrard Simonne , who was weeping at his side , then closed for ever . Medical advice arriving

- post haste was yet too late . H is death had been anticipated by some eight days . P aris was in consternation . Was this the be ginning of some dreadful vengeance upon the

— - ? patriots , some deep laid Federalist conspiracy f . o They could not tell Meanwhile , beware green ribbons , and , above all , honour to the P ’ eople s Friend . M en meeting each other in the street repeated like an old tragic chorus , ’ ’ Il est mort l Ami da P eu le l Ami da P eu le , p p ’ est mort ! 3 The J acobins dressed his bust in crape the Convention voted him the P an ”to

for . theon , where M irabeau made room him

Four Frencbw men 8 o . miniousl y down a sewer in the Rue Montmartre . ’ And t his was the second funeral of the P eople s

F riend.

WHILE the shrill voices of the newsvendors hoarse heralds of discord —were crying at ’ ’ P - V lal mbre da P atriote aris street corners , O M ar- at I E log e F unebre de M ar- at I P ane ” gy rique de M ar- at ! while Adam Lux was furtively placa rding her as the J oan of Arc of the u Revolution , eager voices were curio s con

° cerning the myst erious assassin . A virago cl ’ ’ ce u il arait l Hommasse ar onniere n esi q p , g c ” 0 6 ms vrai ito en l t [ , C y A monster , a fury , wi h ’ crime written in her face . D oes n t Capuchin Chabot expressly say a monster such a one as Nature vomits forth now and then to the ” of mischief humanity . This and more , more t F o r ma energe ically expressed . , as y be seen , the P arisians preferred their crim i nals in the staring and unmistakable colours of the romantic m d ra a . By- and - by the gossipers knew all that co uld

P r . be told , and aris to this day knows little mo e They heard that her name was Marie - Anne ’ Cha rlotte de Corday d Armont ; that her father i de orda Mademo selle C y . 9 was of a gentleman living at Argentan , broken

law - means , and crippled with a suit ; that her r life was blameless and her beauty g eat ; that , r u ho rified by the revol tionary excesses , she had conceived the idea of freeing France by killing

Marat ; that , uncounselled and alone , she had a o ut set out from Caen to c rry her project , and i to fl ng away her being in return . These were f the undoubted facts o her history . It remains to show how peculiarly her character , education , and surroundings tended to thrust her onward to that last act . t had Her fa her , poor as we have said , dis t rib uted his children amongst his wealthier re a i l t o ns . Marie was assigned to an uncle at V u é r icq es , the Abb de Corday , who took cha ge o f her education . H e taught her to read in an old copy , religiously preserved by himself, of the

‘

of n . works their common ancestor , Cor eille t u Already , in the pages of the seventeenth cen ry of u Roman , she found the germ that rep blic

of . which became the ideal her life For , as she subsequently said , she was a republican long before the Revolution . m . t Her other died Then , at four een years of She aux age , was invited to the Abbaye D m lz u nc e B e . a es by the abbess , Madame de — In those days the itch political the current u 1 0 Fo r Frenchwomen . philosophy —had invaded even the solitude of the convents . H er true friends to her t u motherless actually, vir ally brotherless and — fatherless were her books . To her religious n re exercises she added long readings , lo ger v i e r e s . The seed that sprang in Corneille was trained and fostered by her now favourite au P t thors , lutarch , Raynal , and the poli ical works h of . L S e Rousseau ike Madame Roland , early began to regret that she had not been born a o r P beau Cornelia aulina , to sigh for the x ” f fours of Sparta and o Rome . The French “ t of u i were not wor hy her rep bl c , with its i m ” a ust ere vi rtues and t s s ubli e devotion . ” “ Our nation , she said , is too light , too t rifling ; it needs retempering , regenerating , needs to seek in the errors o f the past the tra of dition the great and true , the beautiful and noble to forget all those frivolities which beget

the corruption and degeneration of a people .

— - The rumours o f atrocities ga ira echoes which reached her in her quiet retreat filled her r ut with hor or and dismay . B while she de t he of u tested men the Revol tion , she remained r true th oughout life to her political theories . 1 8 B e lz un L In 7 7 Madame de c e died . ater

r u . u i the convents we e s ppressed The yo ng g rl ,

after a short visit to her father , sought an asylum ademoiselle de orda 1 1 M C y .

with a cousin , Madame de Bretteville , who , as she quaintly phrased it , did not know her visitor ! Eve o r from Adam , but nevertheless received i her hospitably . H ere she rema ned until her P final journey to aris . in Madame de Bretteville lived an old , gloomy ,

- semi Gothic house , called the Grand Manoir.

Mlle . de Corday mixed to a slight extent in r the Caen society , and more pa ticularly with the royalist family of Faudoas . She was remarked for her beauty and sweetness . She was a good musician , sketched cleverly , and talked with

r . great clearness and b illiancy Her letters , m chiefly running on atters political , were handed about with a certain ostentation by those who ad received them . At this time she had many mire rs , men who , years after , trembled when they heard her name , a voice like hers ; but her aversion to marriage was well known . An L anecdote related by her friend , Madame oyer de Maromme , will bring her before the reader. ’ Some of Madame de B re tte ville s friends were leaving Caen , and before their departure she a w g ve them a fare ell dinner . Among the guests

w as . T ournélis of a M de , a cousin Marie , who regarded her with no slight admiration . The ’ dinner passed off well until the king s health un was propo sed . Mll e . de Corday remai ned 1 2 Four Frenchwomen .

moved . What said a lady , touching her ’ i elbow , you won t dr nk the king s health ,

the king , so good , so virtuous I believe him

virtuous , she returned in her low , sweet tones , but a weak king cannot be a good o ne he r of hi s cannot check the misfo tunes people . A dead silence succeeded this reply ; the health

was nevertheless drunk , and the company sat

down , visibly ill at ease . au A few moments after , the new bishop , F

chet , made his entry into Caen , escorted by a triumphal procession crying Vive la N ation ’ V u T o rn li ive l Evéq e Constitutionnel ! M . de u é s t m and M . de Corday , jun . , exaspera ed , atte pted to answer by cries of Vive le Roi and were ffi with great di culty restrained from doing so .

M . de Corday silenced his son , and Marie T o urnélis pulled M . de to the back of the room . ” How it is , said she to the imprudent gen tle man i t , whose arm she still held , how is that you are not afraid of risking the lives of those about you by your i ntemperate manifesta tions ? If you would serve your country so , ! you had far better not go away . im And why, mademoiselle , he returned e t uo usl ou u p y, why did y not j st now fear to wound the feelings of y our friends by refusing ademoiselle de orda 1 M C y . 3

and to join your voice to a toast so French , so ” dear to all of us ? “ M ” “ y refusal , she replied , smiling , can

me . u se only injure But you , without any

ful end , would risk the lives of all about you .

On whose side , tell me , is the most generous sentiment

M re usal can onl in ure me. y f y j Springing , t perhaps , at first , from her solitary medi ations ; growing daily as She daily learns ne w details of u the excesses of the time , for d ring a two ’ years space , she reads some five hundred pam phle ts fortified by the indignant protest which ” her master , Raynal , addressed to the Con Stitue nt Assembly , the ruling idea of Marie de Corday had become a complete detachment ff from her individual existence , a desire to o er u l p her life , if her ife could be useful to her ” country . What fate awaits us ? writes she m to Madame de Maro me . A frightful des otism p . If they succeed in curbing the people , ’ tis to fall from Charybdis into Scylla ; o n

every side we suffer . One can die but once ; and what consoles me for the horror of

o ur no one w ill lose in losin situation , is that g m ” e . L t . F ou e ron ater , wri ing to Mlle Rose g ’ du Fayot o f this terrible news of the king s if she death she says that could , she n 1 4 Four Frenebwome .

E would fly to ngland . But , she adds , “ ni God holds us here for other desti es . The idea was there , without the name . The arrival of the pro scribe d Girondists at Caen found her ripe for the execution of her scheme . The struggle between the Mountain and the w Gironde had dra n to the close . The Monta gnards had accused the Girondists of conniving i ua r with the fore gner . G de t had eplied by a

- counter charge against Marat , and Marat was sent to that revolutionary tribunal which he i u J himself had nstit ted . udges and jury rose en masse - , and , without more to do , declared him innocent . A mob formed o n the spot crowned him with oak , and , led by a sapper named Rocher , brandishing his axe , carried him o n i S the r houlders to the Convention , before

de file d subse which they , according to custom , carma nole quently dancing the g , deputies , sap per , and all . This triumph of Marat was the

- death knell of the Gironde . Soon after , the

- twenty two deputies were proscribed , and of some eighteen them took refuge at Caen . The arrival of the discarded senators w as ha w t t u r iled i h en h siasm by Ma ri e de Co day . w u t o w n These ere rep blicans af er her heart ,

- of u . latter day Romans , disciples Brut s They wo uld save the country from it s miserable assas

o F ur Frencbwomen .

volunteers at Caen . S eventeen men quitted the ranks . The sight of this devoted little band t e only served to s rengthen the purpos of Mlle . “ ’ de Corday . A woman s hand should check ’ the civil war , she said ; a woman s hand ” r p rep a e the p eace . She had already procured P a passport for aris , already bade adieu to her and t friends , two days after , she lef for the capital . of 0 5 N one , we say , knew her intent . Her tensible purpose was the serving of an old c on B arbaro ux vent friend , for whom had interested

. L i t himself ong after her death , l t le anecdotes cropped up which show her inflexible decision . P assing through the shop of the carpenter Lu

- floo r of nel , on the ground the Grand Manoir , of she suddenly , to the astonishment the good man , who was playing cards with his wife , broke out into an involuntary No it shall be never said that a Marat reigned over Frari ce l and w struck the table sharply ith her hand . Her She o dd books distributed , keeping perhaps an volume of P lutarch out of all . To the ca rpen ’ L L r ter s son , ouis unel , she gave her po tfolio

- for and her crayon holder , bidding him not to get her , as he would never see her more . When

- saying good bye to one of her friends , she or kissed the son, a boy of sixteen thereabouts . ademoiselle de orda 1 M C y . 7

M alfilé r M . t e grew up to be a man ; and when 1 8 1 he died , as late as 5 , he still remembered with pride the last kiss that Marie de Corday on ever gave earth . of L Then comes the anecdote M . de amar

ben trovato. tine , which is at least Fronting the Grand Manoir lodged a family named La f . o couture The son the house , a skilful musi e ian , was used to practise regularly in the

mornings at his piano . H e had noticed that

whenever he began to play , his opposite neigh

bour thrust open her shutters , and sat some

- times half hidden by the curtain , and apparently i listen ng to the music . Encouraged by the daily of apparition the lady , the musician never failed

~ to play , Marie never to fling open the shut ters . This went on regularly up to the day a which preceded her departure for P ris . That day she opened,then closed the shutters sud de nl re y and sharply . On the morrow , they mained obstinately shut . Slowly the notes stole out upon the air , but the dark casement showed no sign . Thus the mu 5 1c1an knew that his lis tener was gone . ' 1 8 Four Frencbwomen .

THERE are two trustworthy portraits of Mlle .

. u Siccardi de Corday The one , attrib ted to , and

preserved at Caen , represents a magnificent

of - - young woman three and twenty , in all the i of exuberance , all the omn potence youth and — beauty , strong and yet graceful , elegantly all natural , modest above , and still of a com o f pelling presence . H er hair , a beautiful i chestnut tinge , escapes from the flutter ng laces of o n her N orman cap , and falls in torrents the

i - wh te , close drawn kerchief about her shoulders .

H er eyes were grey and somewhat sad , shaded by deep , dark lashes . H er brows were finely ” arched , her face a perfect oval , and her com ” i u plexion marvellously brill ant . She bl shed very readily , and became then , in reality , charm ” ing . Add to these a strangely musical voice , sm ularl i g y silvery and childl ke , and an expres ” of ff sion ine able sweetness , and you may conceive something of that Marie de Corday whom men loved at Caen. i n The other , painted by Hauer her cell, and wearing originally the red shirt of the mur e re ss t of d , is that Charlo te Corday the Con ie r e rie h r e c g whom deat is nearing quickly , st id Mademoiselle de Corday 19

- - fi on . w stride White robed , hite capped, the g u t m m ure is peacef l , sta uesque , and cal . So e o i r t t s the thing , perhaps , seve i y si upon feat r ures something , perhaps , of so row in the eyes . N ot sorrow for the deed ; rather the sh adow

of - r — of her long nursed pu pose , the shadow

those long , lonely hours in the Grand Manoir o f the shadow that loveless , hopeless , end ’ F or less woman s life she values at so little . H r u herself she is perfectly at ease . e d ty ma She done , what remains the rest y do . has “ r a thin p rep a ed the p eace . She had done g which should go throughout all generations to the r child en of the nation . P eace the P eace is her paramount

idea . Her famous letter , written ostensibly to B arbaroux A olo ia , but in reality her political p g , is dated the S econd day of the P rep aration for ” P eace P eace , at all price , she writes , must ” F r be procured . o the last two days she has ” enjoyed a delicious p eace . There is a certain — — forced gaiety a calculated flippancy an af fe ctation of stoicism about this manifesto which

- is well nigh painful . Yet she cannot wholly dis u the e le vation g ise of the heroine , who feels no ” “ w ho u fear of death , val es life only as it can

be useful to her kind . This letter , begun at the

Abbaye , finished at the Conciergerie , was never 20 ou n F r Fre chw omen .

delivered. In far Si mpler and far more touching words she takes leave of her father

’ Pardonnés- moi mon Cher p ap a d avoir dispose de mon E istance sans votre ermission J ai ven é x p , g ’ ’ bien d innocentes victimes ai revenu bien d au , i p tres désastres te eu le un our desabusé se re , p p f , ’ ’ ouira detre delivré d un t rran Si ai cherché a j y , i vous ersuade ue e assais en an leterre ces ue p q j p g , q jesperais garder lincognito mais jen ai reconu lim ossibilite J es ere ue vous ne serés oint p . p q p tourmente en tous cas je crois que vous auriés des de enseurs a aen ai is our de enseur Gus f C , j pr p f tave D oulcet un tel attentat ne e met nulle de , p r ense est our la orme adieu mon her a a f C p f , C p p e vous ie de moublier ou lutdt e vous re ouir j pr , p d j ' de mon so t la cause en est belle J embrasse ma r , sce ur que jaime de tout mon coeur ainsi qui tous ’ mes arens n oubliés as cc vers de orneille . p , p C ’ Le crime fait la honte e t non pas l échafaud . ’ est demain a hui eu s ue PM me u e C t h re q j g , 6 i l cc 1 J u l e t .

CORDA! .

Corde et ore was the motto of the Armont C rd r of family . o c et o e before the dark bench ’ l E alité the Salle de g , she sustained the deed a that she had done . Impossible for the leg l catch e s of P resident Montane to surprise any ademoiselle de orda 2 1 M C y .

avowal of complicity . Answer after answer m co es from her , prompt , to the point, clear stamped with the image of truth , concise as a L J of couplet of Corneille . ike udith old , all of marvelled at the beauty her countenance . The musical voice seemed to dominate the as se mbl Sit on y, the criminal to in judgment her judges . She had killed Marat for his crimes , the miseries that he had caused . The thought was hers alone ; her hatred was enough ; she r best could execute he project . She has killed one man to save a thousand ; a villain to save innocents ; a savage wild beast to give her

eace . D o country P you think , then , to have all ? one killed the Marats This dead , the — rest will fear perhaps . ! ou should be ” — skilful at the work , says crafty Fouquier Tin

of . ville , remarking on the sureness the stroke “ The monster ! H e takes me for an assassin I Her answer closed the debates like a sudden clap of thunder . The reading of her letters followed . Have you anything to add e one Barbaroux says Montan , as the to was “ ” finished . Set down this, she returned “ The leader of anarchy is no more ; you will have p eace . Nothing was left but to

demand her head , which the public accuser

did at once . 2 2 o F F ur rencbwomen .

of The form a defence was gone through . l She had called upon a friend the M . D ou c e t of the letter to her father ; her request had never reached him . Montane named C hau veau de la Garde . But she had confessed : everything there was nothing to say . How could he please her best ? When he rose a f murmur filled the room . D uring the reading o the accusation , the judge had bid him plead E madness, the jury to hold his tongue . ither plan was contrived to humiliate her . La Garde read in her anxious eyes that she would not be m . L excused ike a gallant gentle an as he was , ” he took his perilous cue . The accused , he lon said , avows her crime , acknowledges its g remeditation p , confesses to all its terrible de tails . This immovable calm , this entire self abnegation in some respects sublime are not in nature . They are only to be explained by that exaltation of political fanaticism which has placed a dagger in her hand . Gentlemen of to the jury , I leave your decision the care f ” o your prudence .

The face of the prisoner filled with pleasure . of All fear that dreadful plea , insanity , was at an end . She heard the sentence unmoved , after which she begged the gendarmes to lead L “ a . her to Garde Monsieur , she said , I

2 our e 4 F Fr nchwomen .

She still enjoyed a delicious peace . The crimson shirt added so s trangely to her weird

beauty that the artist put it in the picture but ,

as we have said , it was afterwards paint e d out .

She asked Sanson if she might wear her gloves , showing her wrist bruised by the brutal way in

which they had tied her hands . H e told her he that could arrange it without giving her pain . “ not True , said she , gaily , they have all

your practice .

The cart was waiting outside . When she ” came out the furies of the guillotine greeted o n her with a howl of execration . But even of these , says Klause , a look the wonderful eyes

often imposed a sudden silence . Calml y she

mounted the tumbril , and the horse set out along

the road it knew so well . Upright , unmoved , f o . and smiling , she made the whole the journey The cart got on but Slowly through the dense

packed crowd , and Sanson heard her sigh . “ ? ” ! ou find it a long journey he asked . ! I old Bah said she , serenely , with the musical “ voice unshaken , we are sure to get there ” at last . Sanson stepped in front of her as ff they neared the sca old , to hide the guillotine ; “ but she bent before him , saying , I have a good right to be curious , for I have never seen one ? ” ademoisell e de da M Cor y . 2 5 The red sun dipped down behind the Champs t Elysees rees as she went up the steps . The blood rushed to her cheek as the covering on her neck was roughly torn away , and for an instant transfi re d she stood in the ruddy light as if gu . h o t e . Then , in a s lem—n silence , axe fell A hound named Legros a temporary aid of Sanson u lifted up the pale , beautif l head, with all its frozen sweetness , and struck it on the cheek .

Repo rt says that it reddened to the blo w . But ’ whether it really blushed , whether the wretch s w e t or hands were with blood , whether it was ff of an e ect the sunlight , will now be never w known . The cro d , by an almost universal murmur , testified its disapprobation . So died

- Marie de Corday , aged twenty four years , eleven months , and twenty days . She was re buried in the Madeleine , and afterwards moved to the cemetery M ontparnasse . Inseparable from her last hours is the figure of n the Me tz deputy and German dreamer ,

Adam Lux . H e saw her on the way to the f — sca fold , went mad at the splendid sight , grew drunk with death . He courted the axe fo r In it was glorious to die with her her . a u r a long , printed e logium , he p oposed th t she reater should have a statue , with the motto , G Four Frenchwomen .

than B rutus . scaf H e was tried , sent to the fold , and went rejoicing , crying that now , at last, he should die for the sake of Charlotte ” Corday . But although the Mentz deputy glorified the heroine , he did not glorify the deed ; nor do we . ’ S of - I n the true pirit that life maker s motto , “ to nothing extenuate , or set down aught in malice , we are bound to condemn her act . Many a voice has been raised in defence of political assassination . For us , the knife makes

. n V e n the crime Has it not bee written , ” e ance mine t L : I ? g is , sai h the ord will repay The sin of Marie de Corday was twofold Sin as the shedding of blood is sin sin , as an usur a i n D p t o of the Right ivine to punish . N or did h the result justify the means . The Hydra of t e ’

. in Terror had other heads than Marat s He , but deed , was gone ; had the guillotine no jackals in Fouquier- Tinville and Robespierre ? Was there no infamous P ere D uchesne to suc 2 c e e d to the Ami da P euple . Enthusiasm no

d . re a oubt existed , but for her alone H er p p ration for P eace only further inflamed the Revo lutionar u t y Trib nal , only hurried swif er to their

- doom t he unfortunate Twenty two . It lifted

Marat into a bloody martyrdom , sent to the ademoi e le de da 2 M s l Cor y . 7

ff ff L P sca old an uno ending auze de erret , a hap x r less Adam Lu . Yet while our colde reasons are condemn , our warmer hearts excuse . We i free , granting her error , to forg ve its mistaken motive , free to admire her unselfish devotion and the sublimi ty of her end .

M M N ADA E ROLA D . ’ ne em ui taz un a U f me q é t g ran d h mme .

ours LANC L B .

’ E ll e avail l dme r ejouhli cai m dam z m ’ corps petri dc g rdces etf apon i t ! par ’ ” olit ss oa u ne cer tai n e p e e ae r r .

’ U F M émoi res d zm D efame. RIO F E .

ou F r Freucbw omen .

revolutionary researches , prowling about in the

market at Batignolles , had happened upon the

miniature of a man , in sad dilapidation , and

' dragging on the ground among a he ap of ve ge

tables . Its glass had gone , its canvas had curled and cracked but be hi nd the picture was a piece of of folded paper , cut to the size the portrait , and covered closely with Madame Roland ’ s

- well known writing . These two discoveries , i n taken connection with each other , clasped at once the hands of two hitherto unrecognised lovers , and settled forever a question which had

been often asked , but never answered until

then . Love in the earlier years of Madame Roland a had assumed a curious disguise . H e had p pe are d to her in the cap and gown of a school

man , and had left his heart behind in the hurry

f - o . packing Self educated and secluded , she had ranged all literature , learning to read in P a a — lut rch , graduating in Rousse u , and both af had left their marks . Handsome , ardent , fe c tio nate , and sensitive , she had , nevertheless , listened to the voice of her imagination and the echoes of her studies u ntil she had forgotten for her feelings . Love her had become a mat ter of stoical calculation ; marriage a prudent philosophical bargain , to be controlled by a o nd Madame R la . 3 3

i mi P le . max m of the ortico , a quotation from E At tw e nty- five she had married always en phi i loso he —a ff five - - an p staid , sti man of and forty , i of L s nspector manufactures at yon , who be P th came a minister at aris , and scandalised e P court by his uritan costume , his round hat, n a d the strings in his shoes . H im she had aided , elevated , and afterwards eclipsed . of Thrown suddenly into society , then queen a coterie of young and eloquent enthusiasts , “ dreaming dangerously of being the happiness of one of and the bond many , she had early discovered that among those around her there were some men whom she might love and al of though she strictly obeyed the dictates duty , it w as shrewdly suspected that the some one had been found . Who was it ? Who was the ’ ” toi que je n ose nommer of her memoirs ! What passion was this from which her riper years so narrowly escaped ? M ichelet and Sainte- Beuve had touched the traces of a hardly- conquered inclination for Bancal des Is ? sarts . But who could it be Was it Barba “ ” Antinoii s of ? it roux , the Marseilles Was L Bosc the devoted , anthenas the friend of the m z ? a z fa ily ? Was it B u ot It w s B u ot . The ’ B uz ot Buz ot s letters were to , the portrait was , and the riddle was solved . Already clearly our enc 34 F Fr hwomen .

i drawn by her own faithful penc l , the great truth - teller Time had added the completi ng

. t touches No longer darkly seen , the sta ely

' figure stands out upon the thre shold of the

Revolution ' se cure , in its singular nobility , with u all its errors undisg ised , and makes appeal to impartial posterity . ’ e in When , in Moli re s play , the learned (and D i afoi rus tolerable) M . Thomas pays his court An li . e ue to M lle g q , he politely presents her with an elaborate thesis against the circulation f 1 0 o our aire son chemin . In the blood , p f 79 the successful suitor came laden with the Con ’ t at S ocial - de cla r in his pocket , or to morrow s ’ mation in his hand . On that high road to ladies favour the surest passport was some florid phi e lippi against Robespierre or Marat , some high - pitched prospectus of the approaching ” P i Reign of Reason . olit cs had invaded salons all the , driving before them the sonnets

bouts- rimés ff éclat D orats and , e acing the of the and Bernis . From the crowded court where

' ' t o M adame de Stael swayed the sceptre , its faintest provincial copy , whose inferior priest ess ” fired her friends with her enthusiasm and burnt her fingers with her tea , the political spirit had swept down all before it . 1 1 A rrived in the capital in 79 , Madame adame Roland M . 3 5

L Roland , already in her yons retreat a decided u republican , already a contrib tor to the patriot of journal her friend Champagneux , already in

- a B rissot correspondence with the all perv ding ,

flung herself headlong into the popular current . H er house at P aris became a rendezvous for ’

B ri ssot s . friends The elegant hostess , who , u silent at first in the animated disc ssions, only showed her scorn o r her sympathy by a sudden of of elevation the brows , a glance the speak ” i n E of t g eyes , became the geria the ga h

- flo r ering Gironde . The little third o of the o Guéné aud H tel Britannique , Rue g , became a very grotto of the Camen ae Round her — centre and so ul of the coalition floc k e d its

- famous and ill fated leaders . Here nightly was B ri ssot to be seen that journalist adventurer , its too hand as she was its head here , , came the B uz ot of unknown lover , heart fire and soul ” of r n iron , drinking a pe ilous eloque ce in those D beautiful eyes ; here , too , even anton , even fitful Robespierre , made apparitions , and , con S icuous u p among the rest , might be disting ished “ P e the grave - tion , the philosopher Condor but the cet , and last not least , her husband ,

virtuous Roland .

Hardly to be detached , therefore , from the of of story the Girondists , are the later years 6 3 Four Frencbwomen .

’ our at Madame Roland s life But concern , present , —lies more with the woman than the - J or politician more with Marie eanne , Manon ’ P hli on p the engraver s daughter , than the all Hi s conquering wife of the popular statesman . toricall y, perhaps , a few words are necessary . First a commissioner to the National Assembly then Minister of the I nterior under D umourie z Roland was materially in fl e n u ce d . L , ably aided , by his wife When ouis

! V I . refused to sanction the decree for the of banishment the priests , the minister , using ’ his wife s pen, addressed to the king a remon strance which procured his dismissal .

u . w as The Fa bourg St Antoine rose , the king

' w as re removed to the Temple , and Roland L ff called . oudly and ine ectually he protested against the savage September massacres in the for prisons . Then the pair became objects the enmity of the terrible Montagne . Madame Roland was charged with corresponding with

England . The address and dexterity of her ffl D Ro defence ba ed her opponents , anton and

be s ie rre . p At last Roland was arrested , but escaped . H is wife was thrown into the Abbaye ,

- re . P liberated , arrested , and taken to St elagie ; on thence to the Conciergerie , and thence ,

8 1 . November th , 79 3, to the guillotine adame Roland M . 37

D uring her imprisonment she wrote her per sonal memoirs (which she was not able to com le te N oti ces Histori ues of Ci p ) , q her political rcle , P ortraits cl Anecdotes , and the five letters to B uz ot which have already been mentioned .

THERE are many reasons which render these c onfide nce s , as they have been called , singu larl y genuine and authentic . Like many of the of records that time , they were written under

. At the axe such a moment , to palter with pos — te rity to mince and Simper to the future

were worse than useless . With the beautiful D of uchess Gramont , who was asked whether d she had helpe the emigrants , the authors seem ’ No to say , I was going to answer , but life ” one is not worth the lie . And and all , writing w of in the shado death , catch something of

sublime simplicity . I n the present case there are other reasons still . When Madame Roland planned her memoirs She was thinking of the

r of r u u . g eatest work her g eat model , Ro ssea ” m These , she said to a friend , will be y ’ Confessions , for I shall conceal nothing . A i h m staken idea , perhaps , but one whic lends an ou enc n 38 F r Fr bwome .

L . e additional value to the words astly , we hav

- in them the first rapidly conceived expression ,

. As the accent , as it were , of her soul she on now hurries , driven by inexorable haste , , at i some prison news , break ng into a patriotic de of i fence her defeated party , now again seek ng

- peace in the half light of her childish memories , now listening to the supper- table clamour of the actresses in the next cell , now in a sudden i off panic tearing the completed M S . to send to

Bosc , who will hide it in a rock in the forest of

Montmorency , one experiences all the charm of an intimate conversation ; one feels that these of papers are , so to speak , proof impressions her state of mind . Composed with all the easy fluency and something of the nai ve cultivat ion of e e S vign , they were scribbled furtively , under of on the eye a gaoler, coarse grey paper pro of cured by the favour a turnkey , and often blotted with her tears . The large quarto vol of ume MSS . is still in existence . Its fine bold writing is hardly corrected , never retouched . or The writer had no time for erasure , revision , ornament , and barely time to tell the truth . Manon P hlipon hardly recollects when she of first learned to read . But from the age four she reads with excessive avidity , devouring every t thing wi h a perfect rage for study . Rising at

0 ou nc 4 F r Fre bw omen . herself —this child was quite at home in the

‘ kitchen . I should be able to make my soup as easily as Philopoeme n [in her favourite Plu tarch] cut his wood but no one would imagine ” that it was a duty fitted for me to perform . There i s a secret in that last sentence which may be safely recommended to house keepers n i p osse . now I n those days , perhaps more than , a first ’ communion was a great event in a child s life . At eleven years of age her religious Studies have so mastered her , that with tears in her eyes she begs her parents to do a thing which her con ” science demands , to place her in a convent , in order to prepare for it . It is all here . She has charmingly painted her convent friends —the colombe emissante g , Sister Agatha , the Sisters H enriette and Sophie Cannet (her corre spon — — dence with whom from 1 772 to 1 786 is the origin of her taste for the con

ete of . vent life , a f , and the installation a novice With the D ames de la Congregation she stayed a year . A succeeding year was spent with her L grandmother in the Ile St . ouis . The little household is pleasantly touched in ; her grand — i mother br sk , amiable , and young at sixty ’ five ; her grandmother s sister , Mademoiselle Rotisse t , pious , asthmatic , always seriously m o nd 1 Mada e R la . 4

’ knitting , and everybody s servant . Then she describes her visit to a great lady , whose airs and patronage disgust the little republican who has already begun to reason shrewdly upon nobility of intellect and questions of degree . ’ Eh ! bon our B oismore l j , said M adame de

in o ur . a loud , cold voice , and rising at approach ’ B n ur Rotisse t M ade moi o o . j , Mademoiselle ( selle ? What ! My bonne maman is here Ma ? ‘ demoiselle ) Well , I am glad to see you ; r ? and this pretty child is your g andchild , eh m n cavur . o Ah , she will improve Come here ,

- l . d . o here , next me She is timid H ow is Rotisse t ? she , your grandchild , Mademoiselle skm She is a little dark , but the base of the is ’ ’ al excellent ; t will clear before long . She s ready well shaped . You should have a lucky hand , little woman have you ever put into the lottery ? ’ ’ of N ever , madame ; I don t like games chance fi I believe you ; at your age o ne expects ! to be certain . What a voice how sweet and ’ full it is But how grave we are l Are n t you a wee bit devote l ’

and . I know my duties , I try to fulfil them ’ ! ! ou t Capital want to be a nun , don Four Frenchwomen .

’ I ignore my destiny ; I don t yet seek to ’ determine it . how ! Bless me , sententious She reads, m Rotisse t your grandchild , Made oiselle It is her greatest pleasure she readshalf the day]

Oh , one can see that but take care that ’ ’ she does n t become a blue - stocking t would ’ be a thousand pities . Thereupon the elder ladies fell to talking of — their little maladies of Abbé This and Coun c illor — S That and , in order to prinkle the sprightly conversation with the requisi te spi ce of of o n scandal , a certain beauty somewhat ” t he return , whose misfortune it is to forget i everything except her age . Meanwh le Made moise lle on Manon , perched the edge of her seat , feels very hot and uncomfortable , and sorely disconcerted by the cold boldness of the ’ great lady s eyes which stare at her every now and then over her plastered cheeks . The proud P u little student of lutarch , mutely meas ring her at t self with her entertainer , sickens her pa ron of age and assumption superiority , as later she ” will sicken at that lank yellow hackney , Ma demoiselle de Hannaches , whose pretensions to pedigree are everywhere respected — as later she will sicken at the obsequious mummeries Madame Roland 43

of of V ersailles . She has already the germ all that fie rce hatred of royalty which was so un worthy of her ; and although in the memoi rs she has doubtless clothed her recollections with of of something the amplitude her maturer style , or the picture in feeling is vividly true . F the Manon of the visit and the chronicler of later r He r yea s are not at all unlike . character was of m be a co position that hardens early , and tween the child of twelve and the woman of forty the diffe rence is not so great . r When at last she retu ned to her parents, Mademoi selle P hlipon was a handsome girl

- i ha aim well n gh a woman . She s no plan or but

knowledge and instruction . For me happi ” ”

i . m r ness cons sts in application The o nings ,

she writes to Sophie Cannet , slip away some i i how n read ng and working . After meals I go

into my li ttle st udy overlooking the Seine . I ”

. E take a pen , dream , think , and write lse

where she says , My violin , my guitar , and m f ” y o . pen are three parts my life I n this way , and i with a little gardening , the quiet days gl de o n , varied only by a Sunday jaunt to lonely “ t Meudon , wi h its wild woods and solitary ” pools , or by the rarer visit to friends . In this q uiet reti rement her character is forming f ast . D o ubt begins to trouble her . Her con our 44 F Frenchwomen . fe ssor , somewhat alarmed , hastens to provide her with all the apologists of her faith ; fro m these she learns the names of its assailants , and ! Phi procures them too . An endless course loso he r V i D p and politician olta re and iderot , D S stem o N a escartes and Malebranche , the y f ture and the T reatise on T olerance she reads

. ( E uvres de Loisir them all She writes, too , and D ivers Re ections r o n fl , little t acts love and lib

e rt . E r y And as she was ucha is for Telemachus , so with each author she is successively —per —J r haps all at once ansenist , Ca tesian , Stoic , D eist , and Sceptic . Rousseau comes at last as the choice dish ’ the peacock s brains of this mixed entertain P ment . N othing but the lutarch at nine had

- captiv ated her like Rousseau at twenty one . “ h S e . She has found her fitting food , says A little J ean - J ac que s will last her through the night . She stigmatises as souls of mud the

‘ women who can read the N ouvelle Heloise with o ut at least w ishing to be better . Nor was she t Singular . At every urn of these Revolutionary records one traces the influence of the Genevese o u philosopher . N w we do not care m ch about — that pseudo - sentiment for us the windy rhet i P u —for o r c of St. re x is simply illegible us ’ u —a J ulie d Etanges is a précieuse ridic le . If t adame oland M R . 45

- all we remember that half crazed genius , that ” - - r i self indulgent , self tortu ing soph st , it is as i the man who wrote pathet cally of paternity , — and sent hi s children to the Fo undling as the man who took Vitam imp endere vero for hi s P motto , and romanced like M endez into as the man who allowed his theft of a paltry ribbon to ruin a poor girl who loved him , and so t forth . Yet it is impossible to es imate the ex f tent o his power over his contemporaries . This ’ opinion o f Madame Roland s was the Opinion ’ — of Madame de Stael of nearly all the world in those days ; and to this influence must be attributed the somewhat declamatory style of the present memoirs ; to it , also , the fact that , excellent as they are , they have their undesirable pages . It is not to be supposed that the handsome bour eoise young g , with her natural graces , and ad with talents far above her class , was without ” mi r re s . All the youth of the quarter , says “ she pleasantly , and not at all insensibly , passed ”

w . in revie without success Her mother , con of a anx scious , perhaps , her pproaching end , is ious to see her daughter settled . Her father wishes to marry her well, from a pecuniary point of w of made moi vie , and thinks little else but ow n selle has her model of male humanity , and our renchwo 46 F F men . it is not the neighbouring butcher in his Sunday coat and gala lace . Have I lived with P lu ta rch and the philosophers simply to marry a tradesman with whom I have nothing i n ' com mon ? ” Marriage she conceives to be the ” most intimate union of hearts . H er husband must excel her . Nature and the law give him the pre - eminence ; she Should blush if he did not deserve it N evertheless she will not be ”

m . a co manded Ah l s ys the quiet mother , you would conq uer a man who did you r will ” and ow n . dreamt it was his This is , perhaps , the truth . She has painted some portraits from that un

u . s ccessful throng There is Monsieur Mignard ,

l - E the Spanish Co ossus , red handed as sau o n M onsieur Mozon , the widower , with the wart his cheek ; the butcher with his lace Monsieur ’ M o riz ot Roz ai n d asse bell s de , who writes z e choses , and gets as far as the third explanatory

La Blanche ri e - off letter ; , who has some far of touch our ideal , upon which we build a deal of favour ; Gardanne , whom we all but marry ; and a host who are not placed at all in the race ’ for this young lady s hand . Every now and then comes papa with some ” it thing new , as he terms , and mademoiselle ’ sits down to compose , in papa s name , a polite

48

“ i She carr ed out her maxim , that marriage is i ind1viduals an assoc ation of two , in which the ” m r wo an takes cha ge of the happiness of both , u r r to the letter . H er h sband , g owing g adually querulous and infirm , learned to depend on her h S e of . for everything , and wearied the thrall

- Then , too , and last of all , comes the all absorb — ing passion for another . We are led to sup

of . L pose that Roland knew this oving , w as sensitive , he saw that his wife sacrificing herself to him , and he could not bear it . “ ” “ r . Happiness , she says , fled f om us H e adored me , I gave myself up to him , and we ” were miserable . H ow shall we speak of this terrible love that flamed up at last through the philosophic crust that beats and burns in every line of the B uz ot ? letters to Frankly , we wish they had

. w never been discovered At least , we kno m that she co bated it , that she redoubled her attention to her husband , and we find her wel coming prison with the prospect of death as the only sol ution of the struggle between her pas sion and her duty . And it is something that She honoured the marriage tie in revolutionary r F ance , where love was at its lowest , where m t divorce was dangerously easy , and where al os every feature by which marriage is accounted d me oland Ma a R . 49 honourable was laughed at as the worn - out pre

- judice of a passed away regime . We have every reason to believe , says a noble critic , “ that Madame Roland would have been in dul e nt of g to the frailties others , yet towards ev herself she remained inexorable , and n er once admitted the possibility of forsaking her old w husband , or becoming a faithless ife , save in her heart . This inconsistency , so completely of the reverse what has been generally pictured , may , we think , be counted to such a woman as a virtue . D id Madame Roland stray as far as the nature and extent of her theological and controversial studies would lead us to infer ? We scarcely think so . Although she confesses to having by r of tu ns participated in the exigence the deist , of insouciance the rigour the atheist , the of the ” i sceptic , she perhaps holds these Opin ons no For longer than she was Eucharis or Erminia . the time being , whatever the creed , she is earn est and sincere . But the early impressions do

o ut . not wear so easily She is still moved , pe n etrated by the celebration of divine worship she still sedulously hears mass if only for the ” e difica i n of ma t o of her neighbour . Out the

t e rialist of . atmosphere the time , she believes Her hopes instinctively turn heavenward ; it is o ou nc s F r Fre hwomen .

’ only in the study that she do ubts . L esprit a ’ beau s avancer ii ne va amais aussi loin ue le , j q ” c ce ur Le t . it be recorded , too , that she never e fails to raise the simple prayer she quot d , and — that the last words of her summary words carefully expunged by her republican first edi

D ieu uste re ois- moi ! tor are j , c We do not propose to attempt her physical portrait . Beyond her own written description , of and the scattered testimonies contemporaries , the fact is that no satisfactory picture exists . The pai nting of He insius at V ersailles has the dark , intelligent eyes , the abundant hair , tied ” up with blue ribbon , the nose , somewhat large ui me aisait uel ue eine at the end q f q q p , and “ other material points of resemblance ; but it ” “ f . D one o shows her , says M auban , in only ” her aspects . Four artists (this is Cham “ a ne ux i p g , her second editor) fa led to paint ff her ; the fifth e ort , which I reproduce here , is the happiest ; there is certainly a resemblance , ” “ but an i nfini tude of details are lost . None o f my portraits , she herself informs us , give any idea of me , except , perhaps , a cameo by ” u Langlois . The tr th is that the artists drew

not . her in repose , and repose was her strength

She had more mind than face , more expression ” t than feature , as she puts it . Always eloquen , adame oland 1 M R . 5

when animated she became beautiful , and carried

u e n thu~ everything before her by her fl ency , her siasm of , the rhythm her periods , and the beauty

of he r . i Le mo nt e voice Miss Helena Will ams , y, Riouffe B e u not of , g , all testify to the charm her conversation . Camille [D esmoulins] was ” m right , she says somewhere in the me oirs , in at m a e and w ith so little his surprise that , y g , ” beaut y , I had what he calls admirers . I never ”

S . poke to him The patient biographer , who only sees her dimly thro ugh the dust of shaken unfor documents , is more unfortunate than the t unate m Ca ille . Nor can we hope to do much more than vaguely outline her mental portrait . Man by a the he d and woman by the heart , she is appar ently a chapt er of antitheses a changing com of of pound sense and sensibility , reason and feeling . Ranging through light and shadow , ” mobile as the air that she breathes ; now forced by politics into hard , unreasoning hatreds , now loving with a passion beyond control now u m so masculine that we distr st her , now so fe i u n nine that we admire ; naturally graceful , pleasantly affected P uritan and rigorist with w S t m overflo ing youth and pirit , ac ive and a bi tious with the tastes of an ascetic ; mo re bour eoise g than patrician , more patrician than 2 our renchwomen 5 F F . bour eoise o ne g , the catalogue is of opposi i tions innumerable , of delicate d stinctions to be marked only by the practised pencil of an

- Arnold or a Sainte Beuve . w of And yet , ith all her war head and heart , with all her fallacies — and those were mostly of — the time , not hers she is still a very noble on L E nc clo woman , albeit nourished ogics , y edies J p , and the Gospel according to ean ” ’ “ i J . In acques Carlyle s words , she sh nes in that black wreck of things like a white Grecian ” u stat e . H er life is grandly closed by the antique dignity of her death .

E E odd TH R is an fiction current of those days , La the invention probably of Harpe , called the P of Caz otte 1 88 rophecy In 7 , so runs the story , a fashionable company is assembled at t he of acade house a great man , a nobleman and

m . ician All talking France is there , laced , gallant , and frivolous . To and fro in the crowd é go the dapper abb s , murmuring mysteriously at ’

of . V ladies ears , like bees at bells flowers ery

etits- maitres polished are the p , very radiant the

- mar uises . be q Some one , ribboned , with a hand o and Madame R l . 5 3

out - upon his heart , is quavering a love song of Chamfort i or u . Al ne Cla dine H ere , brilliant and cynical , is relating a questionable anecdote , ’ c he e k s that to do not blush , to eyes that do not droop . Backwards and forwards the winged i F r u . o words fl tter , and glitter , and st ng this of chasse aux idées of is the age of wit , the , facile

of . phrases , and rapid thoughts H istory is settled forever in the twinkling of a fan ; theology is rounded to an epigram philosophy is a pretty

firework with a cascade of sparks . But the all “ engrossing topic is the grand and sublime revolu tion that approaches the Reign of

Reason that is to be . There is but one among the guests who Sits —C az otte apart , , the mystic and Martinist . A P little scorn is curved about his lips . erhaps he sees farther than the rest . They rally him , and he begins to prophesy , amidst peals of “ u . ! ou la ghter , Monsieur de Condorcet , “ of says he , will die upon the flags a prison , after having taken poison to cheat the e x e cu ” tione r. You , and the finger pointed to Cham “ fort , will open your veins . All have their ’ V - d Az r turns , Bailly , Malesherbes , icq y , and ” the rest . But the women ? asks the D uchess “ of Gramont ; we are lucky , we women , to go ’ T not for nothing in your revolutions . is our enc w 5 4 F Fr h omen .

’ that we don t meddle in them , but it seems we ff ” m ” . ! ou shall not su er are wrong , mesda es , “ l or this time ou will be returned Ca otte , f y ” r at d k t e e li e the men .

It was true . In all the combats , all the expia tions of the Revolution , they had their place .

I n all the clamour of party , and all the solitude of captivity , their voices were heard . Most t oo u nobly , , they played those painf l parts , and none more nobly than Madame Roland . They ” V e r niaux kill us , said g of Marie de Corday they ki ll us ; but at least they teach us how to die . of Upon the arrest her husband , Madame

Roland had risen , almost from a bed of sickness , and hurried to the Convention to demand his release . But she co uld see no one : the Con i n ve nt o of S . was in a state iege Outside , the court of the Tuileries was swarming with armed of men inside , the hall presented a scene hope i . V e r n aux less clamour and confusion g , who

m . co es at last , is paralysed and helpless When , t m af er long waiting , she returned ho e , she found that Roland had escaped . At seven the next morning she was herself arrested , and taken into the Abbaye , where she was placed in the cell i afterwards occupied by B r ssot and Mlle . de

Corday .

6 our Frenc wom n 5 F b e .

i . con wr te H ere , too , she often sits with the cier e g , has even for a time the use of a piano ,

for so do her keepers favour her . And every

where her patient serenity wins her friends ,

where friends are rarest , everywhere her quiet t “ digni y commands respect . All the prison ffi u r t o cials , says Champagne x , t eated her wi h ” the greatest deference . H er cell is a temple . N ever in his life has he admired her as he ” does now .

At last she is transferred to the Conciergerie ,

n - io ff the a te chamber of the guillotine . R u e and Count B e ugnot have both left records of her f i o . latter days in this , the latest her pr sons u When she arrived , says the former , witho t

being in the prime of life , she was still very charming ; she was tall and elegantly shaped ; i mis her countenance was very ntelligent , but fortune and a long confinement had left their on t traces her face , and sof ened her natural i vivacity . Something more than s usually found in the looks of women painted itself in those u of large black eyes of hers , f ll expression and S sweetness . She poke to me often at the grate ,

T w ent - tw o our calling the beheaded y friends , ’ whom we are so soon to follo w . We were all atten tive round her in a sort of admiration and astonishment ; she e x pre sse o herself with a dame oland Ma R . 5 7

e purity , with a harmony and prosody , that mad i her language like music , of wh ch the ear could ” never have enough . H er conversation was th e u serious , not cold ; coming from mo th of a

beautiful woman , it was frank and courageous

as that of a great man , and yet her servant

said , Before you , she collects her strength ; but in her own room she will sit three hours

sometimes , lea ning upon the window , and ’ weeping .

All sorts of company met in the Conciergerie . m Where once the cells held ten , so e thirty were mm D cra ed . The uchess of Gramont was hustled i by a pickpocket , sisters of char ty were huddled

Sal étri ere . with the scum of the p But here , m a ongst the lowest of the low , the room of “ Madame Roland became an asylum of peace . u u If she descended into the co rt , says Be g “ not , her presence alone restored order ; and

these women , whom no other power controlled ,

were restrai ned by the fear of her displeasure . She gave pecuniary help to the most needy ; to ”

t . u all , counsel , consola ion , hope Ro nd her t they clustered as round a tu elary goddess , while they treated the D u Barry like the worst of

themselves . When she left they clung abo ut “ her , crying and kissing her hand, a sight , “ i says he again , beyond descr ption . It was 5 8

’ u a She only an eight days sojo rn th t made , but many of the inmates of those dark dungeons S grieved incerely when she died .

u u The famo s Cha veau de la Garde , chivalrous u r u to Q ixotism , always ready for that dange o s honour of disputing his victims to Fo uq uier- Tin ff ville , came to o er her his advocacy , but she i declined it , refusing to per l his head in her de t fence . She went o the tribunal wholly dressed “ w he r i n in hite , long black ha r hangi g down i m m w to her g rdle . Co ing back , she s ilingly dre of her hand over the back her neck , to signify to

- r m h her fellow p isoners that she was doo ed . S e had thanked her judges for having thought her worthy to share the fate of the great and good “ ” men they had murdered , and will try , so she “ S ff says , to how upon the sca old as much courage as they .

She did so . At the foot of the guillotine , it i is sa d , she asked for pen and paper to write the t t u but s range ho ghts that were rising in her , her request was not granted . Her sole companion u r L in the t mb il was a certain amarque , an

i - ass gnat pri n ter . She cheered and consoled him —almost brought back his failing courage ff by her easy gaiety . To shorten his su ering she offered to give up to him her right of dying

first ; but Sanson pleaded adverse orders . adame oland M R . 5 9

’ of a Come , you can t refuse the last request ”

. AS lady , and Sanson yields they were buck ling her on the plank her eyes caught sight of the great statue of Liberty which stood on the P l i ri Revo ution . L be a comme lace de la O , ’ n u o t a jo ee l murmured she . And in the cemetery of the Madeleine there is no stone to show where lie the ashes of the Queen of the

Gironde . There were two men living at that hour who f did not long survive the knowledge o her death . u One , all st nned and shattered , leaves his place of out refuge , walks four leagues from Rouen , t and , sit ing down quietly against a tree , passes

r - his swo d cane through his heart , dying so m cal ly that he seems , when found next morning , “ ” E as if asleep . The other , at St milion , “ ’ loses his senses for several days . H e , too , tracked from place to place , and wandering w r i s s a ay f om his pursuers , found at la t in a

- the . cornfield near Castillon , half eaten by wolves o f The first these men was her husband , Roland B uz ot the second was her lover , .

D THE PRINCESS E LAMBALLE . — 1 749 1 79 2 ‘ ' E ll e l ai l au ssi bon n ue o e e q j l ze . EM O I R S O F T HE R I N CE D E L i N E M P G .

64 Four Frenchwomen . what of the questionable hospitality of the Bar me cide and it is not easy to avoid r emarking that his book is not so much the life as the

‘

death of the P rincess de Lamballe . M . de ’ Le scure s respect has prompted him to raise a votive temple where the simple mural record uffi would s ce , and we confess ourselves not a little impressed by the dexterity with which he has expanded his meagre data into a goodly vol

of r . ume nea ly five hundred pages For , in m truth , the material for a emoir , properly so

called , does not seem to exist . The present specimen commences with the marriage of Madame de Lamballe in 1 767 we catch gli mpses of her between the woods of Rambouil — let and the Court of V ersailles now by the of u D of P e n side the q een , now by the uke thiévre 1 1 until 79 , and we have travelled half o ur m through volu e . Autobiographical records

there are none . Her correspondence was small — indeed , she does not appear to have been i mb ued with that furor scribendi which was ra r so cha cte istic of many of her contemporaries , and the pair of notes her biographer prints have no especial individ uality beyond a certain bird i like , caressing tenderness . There is noth ng here to plead for her against the insinuation of fo r Madame de Genlis that she was not witty , incess de Lamballe The Pr . 65 certainly it is nowhere recorded that she ever e said a quotable thing nay , she ev n died with “ o ut utte ring the hon mot or last word which appears to have been an historical necessity of one of the the times . But she is those very silences of whose lives are earnest of their excel lence , one of the good people whose histories are unwritten because they were good people . Like the V irgilia to whom we have later likened — V orio her that irgilia who , in the whole of C lanus , speaks scarcely thirty verses , and yet t remains , nevertheless , perhaps the most distinc ly ’ womanly of all Shak spe are s exquisite wo men she has little need to talk in order to be known . We recognise her merit by the few testimonies of o f her contemporaries , by the total absence “ any authentic accusation , by the She was as ” good as pretty of a man like the P rince de L b igne , y the good angel of the peasants of ’ P e Hick e l s enthi vre and , looking back to por a trait , blonde , beautiful head , with the lux uriant hair which once , they say , broke from its — bands and rippled to her feet looking back , of h too , not ignorant the days in w ich she lived , we dare not choose but believe that this delicate of girlish woman forty , round whose lips , despite of in ans the veil sadness in the eyes , a vague f udor p still lingers like a perfume , was , what u renchwome 66 Fo r F n .

we account her to have been , a very tender ,

. ur loving , and unhappy lady We shall endeavo , ’

. de Le sc ure s t a with M assistance , to rela e wh t

asce rtaine d ~ abo with any certainty , can be ut

her .

IN 1 6 D of P e of 7 7 the uke enthi vre , grandson ’i that haughty Athena s de Montespan , who was s upplanted in the favour of th e Grand Monarque D L by the uchess de Fontanges , had asked ouis f r ! V . o P to choose him a wife his son , the rince P f de Lamballe . The king named the rincess o

Savoy . Communications had passed between of u the courts France and Sardinia , and the yo ng of prince, reassured by a portrait the lady , had ’ lent himself with docility to his father s proposal .

The contract was forthwith signed , and the P on rincess entered France , arriving the goth e m of J anuary at Montereau . H ere she was co untered by a gaily- dressed and mysterious a p ge with ardent and inquiring looks , who ff respectfully o ered her a magnificent bouquet ,

and in whom she afterwards , with a pleasant u surprise , recognised her fut re husband . The marriage took place o n the same day in the of a chapel the Ch teau de Nangis , the home of i es de Lamballe 6 The Pr nc s . 7

th the Count de Guerchy . On the s of Feb ruar r V y she was p esented at ersailles , and a prompt court poet called attention to the pair in of a classic duet , where the nymph the Seine , consoling Hymen in his lament upon the de e ne rac g y of the age , bids him rejoice at the brilliant promises of the union of Marie - Therese “ Louise de Savoie - Carignan and the son of

P enthievre .

Was it so happy , this smiling union of seven r teen and twenty ? It was not . The p ime element of fidelity was ignored ma rriage ” ! V was no longer a tie in the cou rt of Lo uis . P r L r The ince de amballe was young and a dent , branded with the terrible Bourbon temperament , freshly emancipated from that over—strict edu t ca ion which foreruns excess , and , if not wicked , very weak . What could be anticipated of the f Telemachus , with a possible Richelieu or

L co- Mentor , a Chartres or a auzun for disciple , and an easily- conquered Eucharis at the Comédie

? m rr Francaise Only two months of a ied life , — and the absences from the berg erie as it was w u etit called gre sadly freq ent , rumours of p sou ers u of p reached Rambo illet , Whispers a

. of . certain Mlle la Forest , a certain Mlle la ’ Chassaigne . It is Fielding s story over again , — this o ne of Marie de Lamballe a story of short o c 6 8 F ur Fren hwomen .

of . returns to domesticity , endless wifely for bearance and womanly forgiveness the story of

Amelia , without the repentance of Booth , and f with a terrible catastrophe . Only the husband o L a year , and ouis de Bourbon had run the swift course which ends in a disgraceful death . H e

d 68 - F r 1 . o die in 7 , before he was twenty one ’ his epitaph we must turn to B achau mo nt s ” emoirs E me ter M . a s The nglish G , says the f ’ chronicler o M me . D oublet s nouvelles d la “ main , was played here yesterday under the B everle T a édie B our eoise name of y , a r g g , imi f E m of ated from the nglish . Although the na e the D uke of Orleans had been announced the h day before , it did not appear in the bill , w ich in his sorrow signifies that the prince , , could not t t or at least w as onl at end the represen ation , , y there inco nito of of g , on account the death the ” m B achaumont P rince de La balle . does not say in express te rms that the duke did go to — inco nito. the play g But , to us , the careless frankness of the phrase seems to paint adm i rably — - the skin deep delicacy , the cambric handkerchief commiseration of these great gentlemen at V e r o f ow n sailles , whom their journalist can make

' re mark at i a once so na ve and candid .

The princess , who had nursed her husband tenderly in his fatal illness , had pardoned his The rincess de Lamballe 6 P . 9 transgressions and won back his confidence and “ ff n ow a ection , sorrowed for him as if he had ” o f r deserved it . The wido w eighteen reti ed V to Rambouillet , near ersailles , the seat of her

- in- law D of P e father , the uke enthi vre , to whom , bereaved of his son and anticipating a separation from his daughter , Mlle . de Bourbon , she for the future consecrated her life . At this time she had regained the natural elasticity of her S t pirits , al hough already subject to the fits of r melancholy which later became more f equent . The woods of Rambouillet rang often to the laughter of the two princesses whom the ascetic “ u d ke , serious and austere only for himself, “ called laughingly the pomps of the century . one Fort aire To of them , says his valet , he would sometimes pleasantly whisper after the “ P M arie la olle balls at assy , f , how many quadrilles have you danced to - day ? S We could willingly linger , did pace permit, upon th i s figure of the charitable D uke of P e n thievre D e , that contrasts so strongly with the Lignes and Lauz uns of his day ; this bourru bien aisant f and founder of hospitals , who had D fought at ettingen and Fontenoy , and who lived the life of a Benedictine this kindly prac re tical castellan of C cy and Sceaux , of whom his secretary Florian had written our renc F F hwomen .

B ou r bon pas [es f oldtr es bergéres ’ A s assembler sou s [es ormea u x ;

[I n o so mélo as d [ea r dan ses l é er es p g , M ai r il [ear don n e des trozzpeaux ;

we could willingly recall the legend of this ” king of the poor whom the famished royal t t u hunt s ormed in his soli de at Rambouillet , to him u find girt with a white apron , flo rishing a r n u o f r ladle , and p epari g the so p his pensione s ; t u his inconseq ent landholder , who salaried the poachers on his estate to p revent a recurrence o f their fault , who hunted for benefactions with of all the ardour a sportsman , and who , in

company with Florian , had cleared the country

round of paupers , and created a positive dearth of m wretchedness and isery , and whose known charities and virtues had preserved him through of the worst days the Terror , to die at last broken by sorrow but strong in faith in his m V ho e at ernon , where the popular memory still lovingly cherishes its recollection of the good white head and Open hand of the old D uke of B ut P enthievre . we have another name at the

commencement of our paper . Madame de Lamballe was suddenly drawn from the seclusion of Rambouillet by an intrigu e which had no less an object than to place her — e upon the throne of France . In 1 764 thr e

2 our renchwomen 7 F F . to have been a passive and unsolicitous agent i n u r the matter , was not calc lated , from the ve y sweetness and excellence of her nature , to entice the sluggish sensualist who governed ~France back to the self- respect that he had forgotten partly , again , because the less reputable schemers were aided by the opposition of the great min ~ of ister Choiseul , who dreaded the ascendency the of family Noailles , and who was , moreover , strengthened by the disappointed ambition of his sister , Madame de Gramont , who had herself so rumo ur averred aspired without success of P to the falling mantle the ompadour . Thus ’ to the wife of the peculator D Etiole s followed

a more scandalous s uccessor . Mademoiselle Lange began her reign as the Countess D u her Barry , and the princess went back to Ram i bou llet solitude . o But Choiseul , although he had secretly p the m i u posed party of Mada e Adela de , wo ld not bend to the new favourite ennobled as She was . He had been pliant enough to Madame de P ompadour the clever robine and art - patroness whom Maria Theresa had condescended to flatter — but he would not imitate her further — and treat with this gaming- ho use syren this impure “ V enus sprung from the scum of the

P arisian deep this Countess D u Barry . We incess de Lam alle The Pr b . 73 have no intention of digressing into the web of that long intrigue in which the selfish king ,

w t r r - blinded ith luxury , and mut e ing pa rot like on his crumbling throne the t empo rising Ap res l P moi lo de uge which ompadour had taught him , M au e ou i yielded at last to p and Terrai , and ex led his sole capable minister to his home at Chan e lo u t p. But before his exile he had completed o ne r negotiation which conce ns us , the marriage 2 th 1 0 of the dauphin , on the 4 April , 77 , to Marie

t . Antoinette , Archduchess of Aus ria Almost from this date commences the friend ship of Marie Antoinette and Marie de Lamballe .

r - - The wa m hearted , high spirited dauphiness , seeking for sympathy in the strange formal court where so many looked askance , passed by the

P ic ui n s - M e rins C o ssé s q g y , Saint g , and , to find u in the princess a friend at once eq al and tender , at once disinterested and devo t ed ; a favourite who asked no favour , except for charity . Hence L forth , in all her expeditions to ittle Trianon , the queen is accompanied by her inseparable com panion ; henceforth , in all these sledge parties , P which were the delight of the arisians , peeps from fur and swansdown , in its Slavonian toquet

- of P and heron tuft , the flower like head the rin L cess de amballe . Begun at the weekly balls of D the uchess de N oailles , strengthened by the Four renchw omen 74 F .

’ princess s newly - revived office of Superintende nt ’ of u tt the Queen s Ho sehold , paling perhaps a li le before the rising star of the Co untess de P o k i lignac , but n t again by sorrow and tempered m by tears , the friendship re ained the most last ing and characteristic of all the friendships of n u to the u happy q een , a bond be broken only by death .

M M . de Goncourt , with that happy pen which

m r see s to write in colou s , have sketched her port rait at this period with a felicity o f expres sion which we frankly confess o urselves as unable to emulate as to transl ate La Reine comme toutes les emmes se de , f , La ure et la tour fendait mat contre ses y eux . fig ’ nure a ctaient as sans la toucher et les ortraits p , p que nous sont restes de M adame de Lamballe ur La lus disent la p remiere raison de sa fave . p rand b auté de M adame de Lamballe était Ia g e , ’ L éclair meme de sérénité de sa phy sionomie . l M al ré les secousses et ses y eux était tranqui le . g ’ ’ r d une maladie nerve use il n avait as la fiev e , y p un li as une nua e sur son beau ront battu de p , p g f ,

' ces longs cheveux blonds qui boucleront encore alienne M a u de S e tembre . It autour de la piq e p , i l s races da N ord et dame de Lamballe ava t e g , ’ ’ mais lus belle u en traineau sous elle n était ja p q , ’ r r rmine te teint ouetté ar un vent la ma t e et l he , f p in ess de Lamball e The Pr c . 75

’ nei e ou bien encore lors ue dans l omb e de g , q , r ’ un rand cha eau de aille dans un nua e de d g p p , g inon elle assait comme un de ces reves dont le l , p p eintre anglais Law rence promene la robe blanche ” sur les verdures mouillées .

So much for her physical portrait in 1 775 . S With regard to the moral aspect , we shall peak faithfully reproducing contemporary judg ments wherever they can be given witho ut reser — vation or comment in the words of the Baronne ’

O be rkirch . L d , as quoted by M de escure ” of She is a model , says this lady , all the

r u vi t es , and especially of filial piety to the father f n u ai o her u fort nate husband , and of devoted

fe ction to the queen . He r character is gay h i S e not . and na ve , and is perhaps very witty

She avoids argument , and yields immediately

. e rather than dispute She is a swe t , good , ami of o able woman , incapable an evil th ught , bene vole nce an d virtue personified , and calumny has

never made the slightest attempt to attack her . — e She gives immensely more , inde d , than she o of can , and even to the p int inconveniencing ‘ herself, for which reason they call her the ’ ” of P nthi vr good angel in the lands e é e . — We see her now as clearly as we shall . We know this delicate lady wit h the bouche mig nonne of , and beautiful eyes , this good angel 6 ou enc o n 7 F r Fr hw me .

Alle ro Sceaux and Rambouillet , this alternate g P enseroso of of Le o and the landscapes N tre , ’ this queen s friend , who only sought credit in orde r order to be useful, and favour in to be loved .

Charitable and pious , gentle and lovabl e , she stands before us like a realisation of the noble old motto of devotion T ender and T rue .

T HE eighteenth century , towards its latter por o ne tion especially , has marked and curious — i ” u . feature that of cred lity Its ph losophers , L “ Blane . says ouis , had overworked analysis

- They had . over sacrific e d sentiment to reason — the happiness of belief to the p ride of sci ence . The intellect , keeping solitary watch in S of the ilence the other faculties , grows wearied and timorous it e nds by doubting everything by doubting even itself, and seeks oblivion at last in the illusions of imagination . Faith f rests from thought , and the repose would dif er but little from death were it not that the sleep is ’ V r filled with dreams . Thus after oltai e a besoin de croire reaction was inevitable , and the , disconcerted but unconquered , reappeared in ” fantastic forms . The ri ncess de Lamballe P . 77

“ P op ulus vult decipi ; decipiatur. The de mand for mi racles was speedily followed by the

- Su rO li e tS . t pply of p p Af er the sober , slow pro gressing car of science there suddenly appeared fl aunt in another equipage , g and noisy , with a

— - jingling jack pudding , and a steeple hatted , spec tac le d — of practitioner the chariot the quack . V D Next to oltaire and iderot , Condorcet and ’ D Ale mbe rt m D u hi s , ca e ulcamara , va nting phil — e le ct u tres and elixirs , his hypo drops and his aries , holding the keys of the Future , and o f L discovering the secrets ife and of D eath . P i The ar sians , enervated and febrile , greedy of i novelty , cut from their beliefs , and dr fting u at they knew not whither , ca ght eagerly the e of w C promis s every charlatan , hen harlatans i abounded . They cherished and cred ted the impudent sharper and picaresque D on J uan r Casanova . They believed in the Chevalie e ’ D Eo n de Beaumont , who persuaded them that or b he was man woman as e pleased . They

flocked to the Count de St . Germain , who had lived for several centuries , who declared that he s and had been intimate with Francis the Fir t , that he had known Our Lord . They flocked

u u m fl ue to the mo ntebank Gi seppe Balsa o , who ently informed them that he w as born in the middle of the Red Sea ; that he had bee n n 8 our . re chwomen 7 F F .

m P r brought up a ong the yramids , and that the e — abandoned by his parents he had lea rned everything from a wonderful old man who had

’ sall des befriended him . They flocked to the e ’ crises of Mesmer and B Eslon they flocked to the magnetised elms of the Marquis de P uyse gur . They crowded the meetings of masonic lodges , and listened eagerly to the obscure elo ue nc e q of Saint Martin, the mystic doctrines of

Adam Weishaupt . Everywhere the quacks mul ti lie d p and the dupes increased , the prophets prophesied and the miracles abounded : the P w arisians ished to be deceived , and were

deceived . From thi s blindness of her century Madame

de Lamballe was not w holly exempt . But we may fairly assume that she sought neither to alleviate an unso u nd mental activity nor to sat

i sfy a prurient craving after the s upernatural . r Sh e If, as is eported , had been found at the ’ seances of D Eslon She , visited the enchanted vat only with the vain hOpe of obtaining relief from the nervous malady for which she had so m long desired a re edy . If, again , she was per suade d m maso ne ss to beco e a , we are expressly told that she had been taught to see in such a step only a means o f furthe ring the ends o f

charity for at that time , as remarks one of her

80 ou en om F r Fr chw en . a sleepless French Casca sharpened in the se ’ c urit y of secrecy the daggers of 9 3 . These Rondes de T ables lively bacchic , with their “ m ” a iable sisters and assiduous brothers , i V r the r i tues and their Graces , Cythera and P aphos , were , after all , but the lighter preludes to the Carillon N ational and the sanguinary

Carmagnole . With the exception of her appointment as ’ Superintendent of the Queen s H ousehold , her affiliation to freemasonry appears to have been the most important occurrence in the life of — Madame de Lamballe up to 1 78 5 the most m of of i portant , course , those which have been 1 recorded . I n 777 she had been admitted into Lo e de la andeur 1 8 1 She ao the g C , and in 7 c e pte d the dignity of grand mistress of the ’ M ere Loge E cossaise d Adoption . We shall not reproduce the mediocre but complimentary ve rses which were chanted to the fair assembly on that occasion by their devoted brother and i 1 8 . Robi ne au B e auno r. secretary, M de I n 77 She lost both pa rents and in the D ecember of ’ the same year , just after her father s death , we ’ find her by the q ueen s bedside at the birth of the future Madame Royale the poor little ” o ne not the less dear for being undesired . In 1 78 1 the M ere Log e E cossaise distin The Princess de Lamballe . 8 1

guishe d itself by great manifestations of chari ty in honour of the birth of the much - desired dau

phin . I have read with interest , writes the queen in N ovember to the princess , who was old D of P ie nursing the uke enth vre , what has been done in the masonic lodges over which yo u of presided at the commencement the year, and about which you amused me so . I see but that they do not only sing pretty songs , that they also do good . Your lodges have followed in our footsteps by deli vering p risoners and mar in E ry g young women . arly in the succeeding year we find Madame de Lamballe by the side of i Madame Adela de , at the banquet given by the city of P aris to the king in celebration of the

same event , when there was placed before the i ooo company a Rh ne carp which had cost 4 , m francs , and which his ajesty had the bad taste to disapprove of . We catch a glimpse of her u n der the girandoles of V ersailles at the ball given to the Russian grand duke (afterwards “ P aul I . ) and hi s d uche s s and again en ’ ’ ” costume de bateliere de l ile d Amour , at the Chantilly fetes arranged by the P rince de Condé of in honour the same illustrious personages . But despite the affluence of wo rds with which hi s her biographer has surrounded subject , the record of her li fe during this period has little 6 82 Four Frenchwomen .

more than the barren precision of a court cir lar L s c u . D u . ring all this time, M de e cure r assu es us , she was actively charitable , but her

' e rsonal hi t h i p s ory is of the kind of w hic . t has r i N ous entrevo ons nous no been cleve ly sa d , y , voy ons pas . i ts m 1 8 r From com encement to 77 , the f iend ship of Madame de Lamballe and the queen had

been cloudless . After this , for reasons which i i have rema ned obscure , but which are poss bly referable to the rismg favour of the Countess P i i i J t . ules de olignac , had sl ghtly langu shed But in 1 78 5 it revived again never to be inter 1 8 u rupte d except by death . In 7 5 the q een had

so re need of such an aid . The shades were i i r u al th cken ng o nd the throne , and she stood

most alone . She had lost her ally and adviser , i i it Cho seul . H er court had th nned to a l tle

of . circle friends Outside , the people hated Autrichienne her , and made the responsible for r t every popular misfo tune . Ou side , the whole

i - kennel of l bellers and chronicle makers , ballad

m . mongers and pa phleteers , were in full cry She was upon the eve of that great scandal of the N ecklace she was to be shaken by the death of the P rincess Beat rice she was to be

Shaken by the death of the dauphin . One can m i i co prehend how read ly , with such a d smal inc m a e 8 The r ess de La b ll . . P 3

u ur ur present and such a darkling f t e , she t ned to the friend who had ret i red witho ut a mur

mur u i u . , and who ret rned w tho t complaint ’ i ‘ i t i N ever believe , she sa d to her , that w ll be possible for me not to love you it is a habit of which my heart has 1 86 1 8 From 7 to 7 9 , nevertheless , the life is m 1 8 again barren of incident . In the iddle of 7 7 — if we may believe a letter of H orace Wal — E . pole she paid a visit to ngland I n May , 1 8 n 7 9 , she assisted at the Ope ing of the States

a ur Gener l , and d ing the whole of that year o f seems to have been engaged , on behalf t t Marie An oinette , in negotia ions which had for their object the concil iation of the O rleans th r party . On the 7 of October she lea ned ’ a d Eu i n at the Ch teau , where she was stay g D P e with the uke of enthi vre , of the transfer i of the royal family to the Tu leries . On the h he the u 8t S joined q een . The great event of 1 79 1 i s the unsuccessful

flight to Varennes . Simultaneously with the escape of the royal fugitives the p rincess left ui saile d from the T leries and Boulogne , in all i E n probab lity direct to ngla d . That she came to this co unt ry at this time there appears t o on e o f t he be no doubt . In little notes p rinted

- . L r ac simile attes by M de escu e in f , with its p 8 our c 4 F Fren hwomen . de mouches She of i handwriting , speaks be ng a bout to visit Blenheim , Oxford , and Bath , and makes great fun o f an English lady whom she had heard that morning reading N ina at B righ

. P D ernier T ableau ton eltier , too , writing his 1 2— a of here in 79 9 3 , spe ks her having been at L V f ondon and Bath after the arennes a fair . m i of i r The pri e mot ve her vis t , her biog apher of supposes , was to obtain the protection the i Engl sh government for the royal family . The queen had already sent a messenger possibly m — t i essengers wi h th s view , but , according to

Madame Campan , without any better result

i of . P i a than the unsat sfactory declaration Mr t , that he would not allow the French monarchy ” f f m to perish . The o fice o secret a bassadress L was now intrusted to Madame de amballe . “ L The fact results , says M . de escure , from the following passage of a letter of the Si r i D queen [to her ster , Ma ie Chr stine , uchess of i ao Saxe Teschen , September , wh ch uaint s u q us , sadly enough , with the res lts which fol she obtained , and from which we quote the lowing lines The queen and her daughters ’ but received her favourably , the king s reason is R i s ar La ra on da o e t é e . gone . [ is g e ] It is the of E u Chancellor the xcheq er who governs , and

he said cruelly , and almost in express terms to The rincess de Lamballe 8 P . 5

o the princess , that we had brought ur misfortune

on ourselves . i s The passage , no doubt , explicit . But , curi ousl u one o y eno gh , this very passage is of th se which were selected to prove the untrustworthy ' ’ nature of the collection of Marie Antoi nette s P ’ H l i letters published by Count aul d uno ste n . We had indeed been struck some months ago by the Singular way in which the queen speaks of P i itt , but we can lay no claim to the d scovery o f E dinbur h anything else . A writer in the g Review 1 86 i of for April , 5 , in an exam nation the i out correspondence , po nts the several blunders into which the concoctor (for we must assume i it so) of the letter meddling with th s , to him , terra inco nita E g of ngland , has necessarily i fallen . They are , shortly , as follows F rst m f . not o and fore ost , George I I I was out his mind at this time . H e was taken ill in October , 1 88 1 8 7 ; resumed government in March , 7 9 ; of for had no return his malady several years , and was certainly in full po ssession of his fac l i i 1 u t e s n 1 . August , 79 Secondly , the queen , who must have known better , would hardly have P E for called itt the Chancellor of the xchequer , , ffi hi s although he held the o ce , he was known by other title of First Lord of the Treasury ; and thirdly , it is improbable that he would have 6 8 Four Frenchwomen . spoken so harshly and discourteously to a mem ber of that royal family for whom his i nte rve n

t r tion was requested . O her p oofs follow of the u E neutral attit de of ngland , and of the fact that Marie Antoinette had at the time sources of communication with this country besides Ma L dame de amballe . The first of these reasons i is certa nly the best . It might indeed be possi ble for the q ueen to have made the second mis P ’ take , and possibly itt s curt answer might have “ ” become almost in express terms unfeeling and discou rteous after passing through two ladies who dreaded and d i sliked him - o ne so “ m uch that she could never pronounce his name without a shiver . Combined in some

five lines , however , they have a singularly apoc r hal i yp appearance , and , all th ngs considered , the passage as a piece justificati ve of the ob ’ e ct of Lamballe s i j Madame de v sit , and what her biographer calls her attempts to tame and of E soothe the surly selfishness nglish policy , can scarcely be held to be convincing . L r M . de escure has st iven , with all the elo e nc e of i qu enthusiasm , to mpress upon us the transformation that affection now wrought in the modest and retiring princess . H e would have — her to have become an active diplomatist a “ ” i del cate feminine Machiavel , a modest Iris ,

8 8 Four Frenchwomen .

re The queen , however , did not wish her to L turn . etter after letter reiterated this desire “ now as a command , now as an entreaty . I ou no ~ne e d know well that y love me , and I have ’ of u l b nh u u d r this new proof. Q el e o e r q e et e ai mée p our soi- meme In the new misfor tunes that overwhelm me it is a consolation to o n know that those e loves are in safety . D ’ L ” on t come back , my dear amballe , the letters repeat . I can only tell you not to come r o back things are too d eadful , but I have c ur ’ for age myself, and I don t know whether I could have it for my friends such a one as yourself, above all . N o , once more I say ’ ’ don t come back don t throw yo urself into the ’ ” ” m t tiger s jaws . Re ain where you are , wri es the king ; we Shall meet at a future time with ”

t . greater pleasure . Wait for a li tle time But it was no longer possible for the p rincess to stay away . The queen needs me , and I must live ” i In or . die at her side , she sa d October she — made her will at Ai x - la - Chapelle a will in which even her dogs were not fo rgotten and

- in N ovember she re entered France . The rincess de Lamballe P . 89

I COMMEND the attachment of my daughter

i n- law to the queen , said the old duke to his “ valet Fortaire ; she has made a very great

sacrifice in returning to her , and I fear she will ” f but su fer for it . H e was to see her again

once . She left him in November to rejoin the royal family at the Tuileries she returned to him but for a few days in the May following , from that time her l ife is bound and mingled with her ’ friend s . The Countess de P olignac had yielded ’ é to the queen s request and fled . The Abb de

V e rmond - Lauz uns was gone. The fair weather B e se nval and s were gone long ago . But the

nervous , delicate princess rose to the necessity with an intrepidity of affection wonderful in One “ ” so frail . I went often to visit her , says Madame de la Roch e jaque le in I saw all her u anxieties , all her tro bles ; there was never any r one mo e courageously devoted to the queen . h S e had made sacrifice of her life . J ust before l oth of the August she said to me , The more

danger increases , the stronger I feel . I am ’ u q ite ready to die I fear no thing . The L ” good amballe , wrote the queen to Madame 0 our renchwomen 9 F F .

P i de olignac , seemed only to wa t for danger ” S to how us all her worth .

When at the second attack upon the Tuileries , J n 1 2 in u e , 79 , the queen sought to follow the r Ac loc ue king , whom the National Gua d q had S m persuaded to how hi self to the people , it is m L m m Mada e de a balle who whispers, Mada e, u yo r place is by your children . When , again , and furni the crowd , with a smashing of doors ,

r - m tu e , surged into the council roo where a handful o f guards had barricaded the little gro up t u with the great able , behind which the pale q een , m with Mada e Royale pressed to one side , and

t he - n n o n r wide eyed wo deri g dauphin the othe , stands unmoved by scurrilo u s words and th reat e nin L g knives , Madame de amballe is closest of all the courtiers o f misfortune It is Madame L m P r de a balle again , who , in this avillon de Flo e of the Tuileries which she gaily styles her dun ffi geon , charges herself with that di cult duty of sifting and sorting the spirits round the royal of w family , retaining only the devoted follo ers , and removing doub tful or lukewarm adherents from a palace where the best qualifica t ion for

ser vitude was the willingness to die . It is L Madame de amballe , again , who passes , tear ’

ful o n . u u and terrified , M de la Rochefo ca ld s arm between the files of grenadiers conducting

2 our renchwomen 9 F F .

H e now wore the coat of an officer of the Cent

Suisses , while the dauphin was dressed in clothes belonging to the son of the Countess of Suther

. in land Once the Temple , various communi r cations with the outer wo ld became necessary , f in order to procure changes o dress . All sorts of suS i ion p c s were aroused by this proceeding . “ They murmured greatly against the women ” u who had followed s, says Madame Royale . An order from the Commune arrived to separate the prisoners but the P rocureur- Général de la ’ Commune , Manuel , touched by the queen s

. o f grief, suspended it for a time The pretext this dangerous correspondence with outsiders proved , however , too desirable to be passed on i th of over , and at midnight the 9 August an order arrived to remove from the Temple all persons not belonging to the royal family . The queen vainly objected that the princess was her t ff rela ion the order was carried into e ect , and the ladies were removed . After the separation i ” we all four rema ned unable to sleep , says

m S . Mada e , imply The municipals had assured them that the ladies would be sent back after da examination ; the next y , at seven , they were informed that they had been transferred to the re prison of the Little Force . Only M . Hue turned for a sort time to the Temple . m a l The Pri ncess de La b l e . 93

L Madame de amballe , Madame de Tourzel ,

and her daughter , were taken to the Commune ,

where they were examined . At twelve they

were taken to the Force , and separated ; but they were afterwards united by the intervention f of o Manuel . Already the fate the princess for seems to have been decided , her name was

underlined in the prison register . Meanwhile the inmates of the Temple had o n not forgotten them . The queen herself, of hearing from Manuel their detention , had busied herself to pack them up clothes and “ P necessaries . The next morning , says auline “ v de Tourzel , we recei ed a packet from the our ff Temple ; it contained e ects , which the queen had forwarded . She herself, with that goodness which never failed , had taken care to f collect them . The inconvenience o our lodging , the horror of the prison , the pain of separation from the king and his family , the severity with which this separation seemed to u imply we sho ld be treated , all these things to gether depressed me greatly , I confess , and ex ” tre me l y terrified the unfo rtunate princess . of We pass to the commencement September . It is not here the place to tell the story of the terrible hundred hours d uring which the P arisian — of mob , in an agony of rage and fear fear the our renchwomen 94 F F .

P V russian at erdun , fear of the plotter in the m city massacred in a syste atic butchery , o r winked at organised by the Commune , no less than fourteen hundred and eighty persons f the 2 f m in the prisons o P aris . On d o Septe t m o ur ber , at breakfast i e , captives had been told that passions had been fe rmenting in P ari s since the preceding evening ; that massacres were apprehended , that the prisons were threatened , and that several were already forced . Towards midnight o n the same day commenced the mas sacres at La Force . i r The proceed ngs , it is known . we e not con ducted without a certain parade . or rather parody ,

of u i . La reason and j st ce Force , in particular , had a complete tribunal of the people sitting of concier e i i in the room the g , and hav ng a pres ’ dent (changed frequently d uring the four days S itting) , six or seven judges (for the most part m m e issaries of the Com une) , and a public r accuser . Before these the p isoner appeared , was hurriedly examined , and speedily judged . u Le t t he If accounted g ilty the sentence ran ,

e i r accused be discharg d , or , w th a curious i ony , ’ ti l Abba e d oblent he was dismissed y , or C z , and of uncertain his fate , was pushed through the wicket , and behind the wicket were the butchers . — a r If, on the other hand , he was absolved ra e

6 Four renchwomen 9 F .

from the Commune . Was the princess included D of P e in the same intention The uke enthi vre , n ff L we know , was maki g every e ort . ooking to the result , we are forced to believe that her death had been decided . We pass , how ever , from surmises to history , and take up her P story as told by the royalist journalist , eltier .

This unfortunate princess , says he , having P on of 2d been spared [ ] the night the , had u thrown herself pon her bed , a prey to all kinds of horrors and anxieties . She closed her eyes only to Open them almost immediately , starting

. b from sleep at some dreadful dreamy A out

’ eight o clock in the mo rning two national guards t u She en ered her room , to anno nce to her that was about to be transferred to the Abbaye . To She this she replied that , prison for prison , would as soon remain where she was as remove to another , and consequently refused to come down , begging them very earnestly to let her be . “ One of the guards thereupon approached , and said to her harshly that she must obey , for her life depended upon it . She replied that she r would do what they desi ed , and begging those he r t r on n in room to re i e , put a gow , recalled the national guard , who gave her his arm , and She went down to the formidable wicket , where The rincess de Lamball e P . 97

i u i found , nvested with their scarves , the two m n c ipal officers who were then occupied in j udging ” e the p risoners . They were H bert and

’ ' ill be fore thi s t ri I Hu ie r. Arrived implacable —o f bunal , the sight of the dripping weapons the butchers, whose hands , faces , and clothes — were stained with blood the sh rieks of the wretches who were being murdered in the street , so overcame her that she fainted repeat l She e d y . No sooner was revived by the care of her wai ting- woman than she lost conscious i n ness again . When at last she was a state to of be questioned , they made semblance com i me nci n i . n g the nterrogatory This , few words , mi i was her exa nation , as gathered by the fam ly of the princess from the report of an ocular witness Who are you

- L i P of Marie ou se , rincess Savoy . Your capacity ’ Superintendent of the Queen s Household . Had you knowledge of the plots of the court on the tenth of August I do not know if there were any plots on of that I the tenth August , but I know had no knowledge of them . “ i Swear l berty , equality , hatred of the King , f o . the Queen , and of royalty 8 our renchwomen 9 F F .

I will willingly swear the first two ; I can ” not swear the last it i s not in my heart . (H ere : if an assistant whispered , Swear , then you ’ don t swear, you are lost . The princess did not answer , lifted her hands to her face , and made a step towards the wicket . The judge ’ i Le t u on then sa d , madame be discharged (Q

élar isse madame . w g ) The phrase , as we kno , was the signal of death . A report has been cir c ulate d that it was not the intention of the judge to send her to execution , but those who wished by this to extenuate the horror of her death have forgotten what precautions were taken to save her . Some say that when the wicket was opened she had been recommended to cry Vive la nation ! of but that , terrified at the sight r the blood and co pses that met her eye , she ’ ” could only answer F i l horreur ! and that e x cla the assassins , applying the very natural o f mation to the cry they demanded her , had ffi struck her down there and then . Others a rm that at the door of the wicket she only uttered

the words J e suis p erdue . She But , however this may be , had no sooner

crossed the threshold than she was struck . J ust ” t t at his moment , con inues another narrator , who adds some Slight details to the foregoing acco unt of P eltier , which , nevertheless , seems to have

1 0 0 our enc men F Fr hwo .

We have neither intention nor inclination to detail the further atrocities to which the body

was subjected . It is sufficient to say that towards mid - day the mob resolved to carry the

head in triumph . H aving forced a hairdresser

to comb , curl , and powder it , in order that the Autrichienne might recognise the face , they lifted

it upon a pike , formed into a procession with fife s drums and , headed by a boy and an old man

dancing like maniacs , and accompanied by a of gathering crowd men , women , and children — — ragged , blood stained, and drunken shrieking “ ” at intervals Lamballe ! Lamballe ! and pil

- laging the wine shops as they went , they bore their trophy through the streets of Paris P aris i that looked on , nactive and in stupor , during the whole of these four days of i nfamy and

carnage . H istory and romance are strangely mingled in

the story of this horrible procession . It seems to clear , however , that they carried the head first of the Abbey St . Antoine , the abbess which , of Madame de Beauvau, had been a friend — Madame de Lamballe . They then and this is certain —took it to the Temple to exhibit it — to Marie Antoinette . The sight though not the knowledge —was spared the queen by those ’ e it about her ; but the king s valet , Cl ry , saw e The Princess d Lamballe . 1 0 1

but i bloody , not disfigured , w th the fair hair i curling yet , and floating round the p ke shaft , as it tossed to and fro i bOve fthé cruel fades and upturned eyeballs of the crowd who filled the

’ ’ ai de a d el fei d e trampled Temple n, u led h g y s af ) i s t oO h bOrne Veto. It certain , , t at it was as a P alité grim homage to hilip Eg , who was just P sitting down to dinner in the alais Royal , where shameless Madame de Buffon fell back ward , shrieking from her chair , her face covered Ah mon D ieu ! ma tete se with her hands , , promenera un jour de cette maniere l Where else and with what other incidents until at last it was conveyed away by the emissaries of the D uke de P enthievre to the Cemetery of the oundlin s e F g , cannot furth r with any accuracy L be related . Of the life of Madame de amballe o ur readers know all that we can tell them, and we have added nothing to the horror of her death .

Not a grand death , we hasten to add , by any means . Not dramatic , for example , in a white arsemée de bou uets de couleur rose dress p q , with longings for pen and ink to chronicle her feelings . Not an august progress thro ugh a rancorous r S V mob , in a sca let hirt , like engeance sanc ” tified . She has left us no political apologia, t no address to the French people , wi h a ring of 1 0 2 Four Frenchwomen .

Q uousque tandem in it by which we are to remember her ; no eloquent appeal to an im ‘ artia'l o i t v lri h p fp ster y by l c we are to judge her . Yet judge hér harshly We shall not remember her We? Shall o mnst cert a i as one who was ’ aussi bonne ue olie L q j , the good amballe , who only needed danger to Show us all her

ill- worth as a genuine woman and fated lady , V i who was as lovable as rgilia , as pure as

D . I mogen , and as gentle as esdemona She She was beautiful , was good , she had known no ” ? . not happiness, says Carlyle Shall we pity her P i ious where p ety was useless , except as the cloak to hi de an interest ; chaste in a court of roués and panders , where chastity was a pre u j dice a tender wife , a loving daughter , and a loyal friend , shall we not here lay down upon the grave of Marie de Lamballe our rever e ntial immortelles tribute , our little chaplet of , in of the name all good women , wives , and daughters

au r Elle était mieux femme que les t es . To us that apparently indefinite , exquisitely definite sentence most fitly marks the distinction between the subjects of the two proc e e ding papers and t the subject of the present . It is a transi ion from the stately sitting figure of a marble Agrip

Four Frenchwomen . greater man than her husband it is praise to say ’ of this queen s friend that she was more woman than Madame Roland . Not so grand , not so mieux . E lle est great , we like the princess best , mm u fe e q e ces autres. Ll MADAME D E GEN S.

1 6 - 1 8 0 74 3 . A e arned l ad fame d l y, Fo r e ve ry bran c h of e ve ry s c ie n ce k n ow n I n e v e r Ch ri s ti an an ua e e ve r n ame d y l g g , ’ With vi rtue s e q uall d by h e r w it al one : Sh e made the e ve re s t e o e u ite ash ame d c l p pl q , And e ve n th e ood w ith i nw ard e n v roan g y g , Fi n di ng the ms e l ve s s o ve ry mu ch e x ce e de d

In th e i r ow n w ay by all t he things t h at S h e did .

D on u an can to i. S 1 0 . y , .

Un e f emme a uteu r l e pl us g racieux cl l o pl us ’ gal ant des pedag og ues . AI NT E- EUV S B E.

1 0 ou 8 F r Frenchwomen .

D acie r like Madame , whom we passed in seek

. Not ! ber ere S m ing at all A sham g i ply , from ’ some l Ile Adam or Chant i lly fete some ’ ’ bateli d - e e e l ile d Ainour. r A sidelong , self con

u - scio s , wide eyed head , with a ribbon woven in — the well - dressed hair with the complexion of a miniature and the Simper of D resden china . The figure languishes with a cultivated aban ifl don . tr e s One hand elegantly with a ringlet , the other falls with a graceful d roop across her “ - ment l . J e suis e cessive o ie harp strings x j , she Seemed to say with a little confirmatory vibra Erox ene o r M éli e te of . c r tion a chord If this is , “ she manages to wear her fichu with a wild

' civility that M yrtillo must find delightfully nu m puritanic and enticing . If this is the si ple shep herd beauty , then heads must ferment as freely i n i P salons Arcad a as in alais Royal , for the

modelled features have been excellently tutored , and the educated smile is most artistically con

c e ive d . t But here is a book by her side , behind

by the leafy trellis rises an easel , and this is — Madame la Comtesse de Genlis the acc om li she d L P p author , the governor of ouis hilippe , of r mi and the counsellor Bonapa te , very a ably

- sati sfie d r self , very characte istically posed , and “ m ’ ” o ur ind s eye is altogether in the wrong . off We send for her Memoirs , and study th em adame de enlis 1 0 M G . 9

. e attentively What has be n discovered , with her assistance will be presently disclosed , but just for a fe w lines it is needful to digress concerning

Madame de Genlis in her capacity of writer . r For she was a writer above all , this simpe ing , self- contented Shepherdess whom we had mis “ j udged so sadly . She would have invented “ - . t the inkstand , says M Sain e Beuve , if the ot inkstand had been uninvented . N only did i t on she scribble ncessan ly , but themes most

discordant and opposite . M adame de Genlis ,

says a contemporary , has written enormously .

She has essayed almost every style , from the fugitive piece to the bulky alphab etical c o mpil

t roman- oeme t o o n a ion , from the p the treatise domestic economy and the collection of receipts

for the kitchen . She has disco ursed for the edu cation oi princes and of lacqueys ; she has pre pared maxims for the throne and precepts for if the pantry . And we add to the variety of her productions the not less extraordinary diversity o f of her talents , and the marvels her industry ra nging from wicker- work baskets to w igs a — la brigadiere w e m ust certainly concede to

Madame la Co mtesse the gift of universality . m r At this distance of ti e , very little mo e than T the rep utation of universality remains . o use m a homely figure , Madame la Co tesse was 1 1 0 Four Frenchwomen .

“ — J ack of all trades and master of none a n the ui dit ama livi g exposition of proverb , Q u d n te r it i orant. , g With infinite curiosity , u of ind stry , and energy , and a vanity science fed and fostered by her Singular confidence in t r her own abili ies , she f ittered away her talents the undoubted talents she undoubtedly had i n numberless works of which barely the list s u rvives in the columns of a bibliographical dic ti nar h o y . She beat out e r fine gold into the flatte st flimsie st and of leaf, and the leaves bound together fo rm some eighty or ninety volumes .

Once and again , perhaps , a novel bearing her n ame crops up in some new venture of French

- a- classics , yet it is but rarely , now days , that o ne meets with any Of the numerous literary offspring of the prolific genius who had lived as many years and written as many volumes as her

V . great adversary , oltaire “ not They need detain us long , those many ” m F uit volu es . is written everywhere upon that forgotten fame . The dust lies over it as deep as on the Clélie of her childhood from which she first drew inspiration . Few seekers p art the leaves in that Arcadia D eserta ; its r u o ut a bo rs are uninhabitable , and its ornaments o f E rminias D armances aft e r a date . and sigh Sterner fashion in modern novels : no Mayfair

1 1 2 our renchwomen F F .

f Neapolitan festival o theirs . Their soldier successors were not unwilling to hear of them again . Madame la Comtesse had been w ith of them and them , and these extracts from her u n jo r als , sprightly and readable , had a merited s uccess . The volume even now is excessively

u m - m am sing , and its se i anony ous character pre serves it somewhat from the tiresome and i ntru disfi ure s sive egotism that g the Memoirs . It was twenty years after that She published the M emoirs, when she was growing a rather f I slatternly old lady o fourscore . n these eight m ur re roduc volu es she disco ses in easy stages , p ing and dil uting her recollections . Their worst fault is their bulk their garrulity o ne can almost r r of pa don , for it helps us to the cha acter the writer . She is herself the matter of her book , to use the expression of M ontaigne . She seems of to have said , in the witty words the younger P liny , I have no time to write a short letter , ’ ” m r ne o . so I ust e en w ite a long N evertheless , her gossipings reward perusal . They constitute a great magazine of pre - revol utionary anecdote they abound in curious details of the manners and p astimes of the day they are full of clever appreciations (which have been called dep recia tions r , and are none the worse) of those t ained talkers and brilliant beauties of the salons who adame de enlis 1 1 M G . 3

had the Ency clopédistes for teachers and the Maréchale de Luxembourg for oracle of tone m n of the good co pany , the gra d society n E ancie t France which urope came to copy , an d vainly st rove to imitate . She r m r As desc ibes it , Assu e a vi tue if you ”

it s m . have it not , appears to have been otto Nei ther a stainless life nor a s upe rior merit was indispensable to its elect . This sect , of supreme of authority in all matters etiquette , morality , and taste , admitted into its charmed circle both sheep and goat alike , provided they possessed — certain supe rficial elegance of manner a cer

- or tain distinctive hall mark of rank riches , court r r c edit or capacity . Its members had car ied — the art of savoir vivre to an excellence unpre c e dented save in their own country . Good taste had taught them to imitate the graces o ut of pure amenity to observe restrictions , if only for the sake of convenience . To counterfeit gentleness , r m decency , eserve , odesty , toleration , and amia — bilit the outward and visible Signs of good y — manners seemed to be the surest method of t at aining their end , which was at once to de m all light and to enthrall . They had co bined the fashions of pleasing and of interesti n g with a m r c o n arvellous ad oitness . D isc ussion in their versat ion rarely or never degene rated i nto dis ‘ 8 1 1 ou n om n 4 F r Fre chw e .

p ute ; they had banished scandal from thei r meeti ngs as jarring with the suavity of manner o n e ff r which every a ected . Thei politeness had all the urbanity and ease of a habit acquired in r childhood , and foste ed by nicety of character . They had learned to p rotect without patro n ising to listen with a flatte ring attent ion ; to praise without being either fulsome or insipid t o wel come a compliment without either receiving or re jecti n g it ; and they had thus created a c o m mu ni ty which was quoted all over Europe as the m of of e most perfect odel refinement , legance ,

r n and of nobility . Admit that its cha m was o ly veneer veneer that shammed soli dity — yet w as r m t it a veneer so ra e and s ooth , so swee ly m u aro atic and so delicate in grain , s sceptible of r so b illiant and so dazzling a polish , that easy going people might well be pardoned if they — mistook it for nay , very possibly preferred it to the less att ractive excellences of the genu

ine rosewood or walnut . o ur But we linger too long . It must be ex cuse that it is chiefly from this social point of view as records of bygone manners that we ’ m nli have considered Mada e de Ge s s M emoirs . Taking upon ourselves little more than the m fi r e odest of ce of Cho us , we propose to a com i pany her through these her chron cles . We

1 1 6 our renc m n F F hwo e .

of n man Burgu dy . He held a little estate at Cham c é ri p , near Autun ; but when his daughter was about six years old he p urchased the marqu1

of . sate St Aubin , and removed to the tumble down ch ateau of that name which lay on the a L u b nks of the oire , and was so skilf lly designed that the river could not be perceived from any m of its windows H er mother , a Made oiselle e m de M ezi res , see s to have troubled herself very little —being greatly preoccupied with the exigencies of an idle life about her daughter ’ s h a . S e educ tion Her father , says , confined him self to overcoming her antipathy to insects , ” 1 particularly spiders and frogs . ( ) U ntil she came to St . Aubin she seems to have been left a emmes- de- chambre of lmost entirely to the f , whom there were four (a fact w hich seems to ’

f 0 0 1. . o imply that M . de St Aubin s income 5 a year m ust have been infinitely more elastic than at present) , who instructed her in the Catechism , and in addition filled her head with romances and fanciful stories . At St . Aubin she was for a time consigned to the village schoolmistress , “ AS who taught her to read . I had a very good memory , I learned rapidly , and at the end o f six or seven months I read fluently . She M ade moi then had a governess from Brittany , She selle de Mars , under whose auspices con adame de enlis 1 M G . 1 7 tinu d e the study of the Catechism , a little history , of m a little music , a great deal Made oiselle de ’ Scudéri s Clelie t , and the now forgot en tragedies

- t of Mademoiselle Marie Anne Barbier . Wri ing of she taught herself afterwards , at the age eleven . Even at this time She displayed the ruling of passions her life for scribbling and teaching . She At eight , she says , long before could write , she was already dictating littl e romances and comedies to Mademoiselle de Mars ; and we find her clandestinely keeping a school of little urchins who came to c ut rushes under the ter on race before her bedroom , those days when her governess was occupied with her home correspondence “ I soon took it into my head to give them lessons that is to say , to teach them what I — knew myself the Catechism , a verse or two ’ of Mademoiselle Barbier s tragedies , and what I of of had learned by heart the elements music . L eaning upon the wall of the terrace , I gave them these fine lessons in the gravest way in the world . I had a great deal of trouble in making o n them speak the verses , account of their Bur undian atois re g p ; but I was patient , and they we docile . My little pupils , ranged along the wall r among the reeds and rushes , nose in air in orde 1 o n 1 8 F ur Fre chwomen .

to see me , listened with the greatest attention , r t w for I p omised hem rewards , and in fact thre t a of them down fruit , lit le c kes , and all kinds t rifle s . At last Mademoiselle de Mars sur t of prised me one day in the mids my academy . She u She did not scold me , but la ghed so heartily at the way in wh ich my p upils repeat ed the o ut poetry , that she entirely put me of conceit r with my lea n ed funct ions . At this time she was called the Countess de

Lane . y A year before , her mother had carried P her to aris , where , according to the prevailing of code fashion , she had been tortured by den t ist s m r x , squeezed by stay akers in the o thodo

- strait waistcoats , pinched in tight shoes , com e lle d for p to wear goggles squinting , and deco rated wi th an iron collar to correct her cou n try attitudes . Moreover , she learned to wear a hoop a master was hired to teach her to walk , and she was forbidden to run , to jump , and to ask of 1 0 ff questions . For the child 75 only di ered from her mother in this — that she was seen

- b through the w rong end of the opera glass . Su seque ntly o ur he roine had been taken to Lyons for the pu rpose of p rocu ring her reception as a canoness in the n e ighbouring chapter of Alix a kind of honorary novitiate very much d la ode m among the nobility , which left to the

1 20 Four Frenchwomen .

My father was lord of Bourbon - Laney [a “ town some two leagues from St . Aubin] , and T he for this reason the name was given to me . pleasure of hearing myself called madame afforded ” me more delight than all the rest . The most important business of her childhood seems to have been one in which she always ap

pears , wittingly and unwittingly , to have greatly t excelled , namely , ac ing . We need scarcely say

that France , during the latter half of the cen

tury especially , went mad for private theatricals . the of All world the great world , course , and — not the mere hemisphere was most e mphati e but it s cally a stage . N o country house had

m m m - but co pany of co edians , no far er general

- had his carpenters and scene painters . There

were countesses who rivalled Clairon , and vill princes who rivalled P ré e . There were — at V theatres everywhere Chantilly , at illers ’ l Ile L t Cotterets , at Adam , at it le Trianon

nay , for so does the fashion fix its stamp upon r a the age , even in that far t opical Arcadi of theirs we shall find P aul and V irginia acting

u of t o m- to m Boaz and R th , to the sound a , among the palms and ebony- trees of the M au “ ” iti . . r us To play comedy well , says M Bar e P Souvenirs de F élicie ri re in his reface to the , — became the all - important business the na . n un epoch It seemed as if Fra ce , involved der

L ! V . o ouis in her finances , disgraced in her p litical r ! a relations , and (ha dest to believe ) f llen m fro her military reputation , no longer attached value , interest , or glory except to theatrical suc cesses . The taste for acting had absorbed all e classes , levell d all distinctions , connected and ” confounded all ranks of society . it is At the present moment , however , with a certain Burgundian company that we are more

1 . St . particularly concerned . In 75 5 , M de e Aubin , growing tired of the country , had gon to P aris for six months (these separations of t en re le de husband and wife being qui e g , if not i ueur r g ) , and her mother , the better to employ the tedious hours of alienation , began at the end of two months to prepare a fete for his — lace aux dames return . But p Madame la Comtesse de Lane y shall speak fo r herself “ ” “ She [her mother] composed a kind of m t ho comic opera in the pastoral style , with a y logical prologue in which I played Cupid . All ’ - - all her lady s maids and she had four , young — and pretty took part in it . Besides this a I hi enie tragedy was attempted , and they chose p g en Aulide [Racine] my mother took Clyte m~

‘ n'e stra i t o , and the part of Iphigenia was g ven 1 22 Four Frenchwomen .

m - e . man o f L e A medical Bourbon an y , named P i m not , played Agame non , and his eldest son ,

e a youth of eighteen , had a prodigious succ ss i n m the character of the i petuous Achilles . e i My mother , in order to provide the r qu site u costumes , cut p her dresses in the most ruthless ’ n man er . I shall never forget that my Cupid s dress in the prologue was pink , covered with point - lace sprinkled all over with l ittle artificial flowers of diff erent colours it reached down to my knees . I had little boots of straw colour and S l S u and ilver , my ong hair fell upon my ho lders , ’ I had blue wings . My Iphigenia s dress , over a la rge hoop [Iphigenia in a la rge hoop l was of lam as of S p [a kind brocaded ilk] , cherry i ” colour and s lver , and trimmed with sable . E n vérité Mademoiselle must have been ravis sante , and we should have been the first to tell our her so , certain that remarks would have Le t been properly appreciated . us add that she u completely vanq ished the impetuous Achilles , who made her a proposal in form after one o f She the rehearsals . She was then eleven , but t ho roughly appreciated the obligation she had conferred upon society at that important act of ’ d t r ho t . oc o s w her na ivity That a son , a man as no a e ntleman au w t g , should have had the dacity to speak of love to Madame la Com

1 2 our en 4 F Fr chwomen .

that the wings , being too firmly fixed , resisted ff all my e orts . V ainly I shook P leasu re : his n wi gs had grown to his shoulders . I became w excited and thre him down , crying piteously ;

I never let him go , all tumbled though he was , tore aw a and finally , to my lasting honour , y the w of disconsolate P ings the now leasure , who ” roared with vexation . H er Cupid ’ s costume was considered to be so She w e re becoming that nothing else , and took r her walks abroad with all the pa aphernalia , u q iver at back and bow in hand . All her dresses were made to pattern . She had a week ’ ’ day Cupid s dress and a Sunday Cupid s dress . The only difference was that the celestial at tributes were removed , and the costume slightly monastic ise d by a covering cloak , when she ” went to church . Friendship , says the pretty French proverb which Byron has made the bur ”

of L . den a song , is ove without his wings So the little Countess de Lane y went week days en Amour and Sundays en Amitié . If we might be permitted to push the fancy further , we Should say that this was ve ry much her po i i s t o n throughout life . The world certainly had of m but her love and the best her ti e , we ques tion very much whether her vaunted attachment to the Church was anything more than a deco enlis 1 2 Madame de G . 5

o r S of rous acquaintanceship , pecies unwinged affection . She kept her Cupid ’ s dress and name for some

t . . . nine mon hs M de St Aubin , possibly pre ferring the attractions of Pa ris to the cou ntry him theatricals which awaited , had been a year

- a les . and half away , and still the fi are continued t i Her mo her , wishing to add dancing to mus c danseuse and tragedy, invited a from Autun , w ho taught her to dance a min uet and an entree . ’ But Mademoiselle M ion s saltato ry exe rt ions required so m uch succour fro m stimulants th at She was discharged , and succeeded by a pro fe ssor - of fifty , who was a fencing master as

. entree well To the he added a saraband , and u finally ta ght her to fence , which greatly de lighted her . She succeeded so well that her mother decided to let her play D arviane in the M elanide La é of Chauss e , a part in which she had to draw sword and defend herself. After this she wore a charming male costume until she left Burgundy , a circumstance which , never the le ss , did not prevent her from habitually assisti ng at the procession of the F ete D ieu attired as an angel . one a N o , she s ys , confessor included , was ever —to her knowledge at least at all scan dalise d by this extraordinary equipment and 1 2 6 Four Frenchwomen .

education . However . I gained in this way t m t r u tha y feet were be te t rned , and I walked m far better than most wo en , while I was cer t ai nl m r n y o e active than any I have know . I led a cha rming life : in the morning I played a l ittle on the harpsichord and sang ; then I lea rnt m m y parts , and then I took y dancing lesson and fenced after this I read until dinner- time with

Mademoiselle de Mars .

B ! A this time the dilapidated Chateau St . u u bin threatened to fall abo t their ears , and the mother and daughter re moved to Bourbon

Lane . y, where M . de St Aubin at length joined

1 etes . them in 757, when the f were of course be continued . It is now his turn to be left hind , and the mother and daughter spend a con

Side rable time at P aris with Madame de St . ’

u t B e lle ve au . A bin s sis er , Madame de Then

M . de St . Aubin , who , in all probability , had been burning the other end of the candle in the

ta u — a u capi l , is discovered to be r ined circ m stance which red uces their income to about fifty

n u e pou ds a year , and ca ses a quarrel b tween the

r Siste s . Mademoiselle de Mars is naturally dis

1 2 8 Four Frenchwomen .

w of hich , doubtless , she owed much that easy fluency which no one has ever attempted to deny V ic to her . In her walks wi th Mademoiselle ’ emme- de - chambre toire , her mother s f , who took vice m di s charge of her , Made oiselle de Mars e n se d p with , she was accustomed to employ herself in the following manner While Ma V demoiselle ictoire sat down and knitted , the little lady marched backwards an d forwards be r im fore her , rehea sing aginary dialogues and

building innumerable castles in the air . “ r In these fi st dialogues , I always assumed that Mademoiselle de Mars had come to see me t th secre ly . I related to her all at happened to

: I made her s eak er~ me , all that I thought p p me v fectly in character . She gave ery good for for advice the present and the future , and

' u me o n of reco nted to also , her part , all kinds

i I invented w ith marvellous acilit . things , wh ch f y I grew so fond of these imaginary conversatio n s that I do ubt w hether the reality would have had

r m i a g eater char for me , and I was sadly d scon e e rte d when Mademoi selle V ictoi re put an end

r t to them by carrying me away , p o esting to my i maginary friend that I should return on the ” following day at the same hour . du D ff one M adame e and , philosophising day “ from her tub , divided the world into three e enlis 1 2 Madame d G . 9

les trom eurs les trom és cl les trom classes p , p , L e — pettes . Madame de an y witness those ital ici e d assim s sentences , witness her memoirs p

u u . belonged , ndo btedly , to the last of these But she has been criticised as if vanity was a

o r - u rarity , self la dation an uncommon and a m mo nstrous feature of this kind of co position .

I t is but fair , however , to remember that in this case the education of the writer had peculiarly qualified her for the style , that her talents had hit the taste of the time , and gained her ex t rava ant u g appla se , and that , at least, she seems to have been thoroughly aware of her fault . Since I had lost Mademoiselle de Mars

[who , by the way , appears to have been rather more sensible than those about her] , vanity had m become the chief motive of all y actions . M y heart and my reasoning powers were so little cul tivate d t ri , I was praised so extravagantly for

‘ h e s amour ro re , that I had acquired a puerile p p which made me attach an absurd importance to all the merely ornamental talents which co uld give a certain celeb rity . P r Quitting assy, the mother and daughter e P r turned to a is lodgings , where the music and

. She singing made great progress At this time , r u says , she p actised from eight to ten ho rs a day .

’ P hilidor she The famous gives her lessons , and 9 1 0 our enc om n 3 F Fr hw e .

learns to use several instruments , among others n V e r that o e which the late M . ictor H ugo p i ” sisted in calling the bugp pe . But the harp is preferred before all indeed , she takes credit for having made the instrument fashionable ’ and King D avid s fortune . The summer of 1 76 1 was spe nt in another a country house , where they make the cquaint ’ ance of that Madame d Esparbes of the little hands w hose privilege it was to peel cherries for

L ! V . ouis , a distinction which was so highly valued that the lady is said to have endu red frequent bleeding in order to maintain their “ dazzling whiteness . After this Madame de

St . Aubin took a small house in the Rue ’ d A ue sse au n co me g , where , amo g other visitors , L m the pastellist atour , the usician and chess

P hilidor Honavre . player , , and , the pianist of They saw a great deal good society , but her instinctive good taste , she tells us , warned her that her mother was far too prodigal of her ’ daughter s Singing and playing . u Meanwhile M . de St . A bin , returning from D m St . o ingo , it is to be presumed with his E fortune retrieved , was taken by the nglish and L u imprisoned at Launcesto n . At a nceston he formed the acquaintance of a brother in mis B rulart Ofli ce r fortune , the Count de Genlis , an

1 2 o 3 F ur Frenchwomen .

’ de Lan e y s dates and age depend very often upon her momentary taste and fancy ; but it was ap are ntl he r p y during stay here . or in November , 1 6 e 7 3 , wh n she was seventeen , she says , that , much to the disgust of his very arbitrary guar dian , M . de Genlis married her . With the of r le exception his b other , M . Marquis de ’ u u Genlis , most of her h sband s relatives sco ted

o r . the pair , and after a week two M de Genlis r carried her to the convent of O igny . H ere 1 6 she remained until April , 7 4, while her hus ln band was garrison at N ancy , for he was now of She a colonel grenadiers , and seems to have passed the time very pleasantly . We have here tofore seen her as Cupid ; She now appears as P u of ck , to say nothing a part seldom attempted by ladies

I cried a good deal at losing M . de Genlis ’ ’ ‘ t L S [she had a gift of tears qui e equal to oyola ] , “ and afterwa rds amused myself immensely at c on Origny . I had a pretty room inside the

e v nt with my maid , and I had a servant who lodgedwith the abbess ’ s people in the outer build ing . I enjoyed myself, and they liked me ; ’ I often played my harp to Madame l Abbe sse ;

- of u I sang motets in the organ gallery the ch rch , and played tricks upon the nuns . I scoured the

- — corridors at night time that is to say , at mid adame de enlis 1 M G . 3 3

’ — r en diable i night atti ed usually , W th horns t u and a blackened face , and in his g ise I woke up i the younger nuns , whilst I crept softly nto the of h cells the older ones , w om I knew to be u m thoroughly deaf, and ro ged and patched the carefully without dist urbing their slumbers . t o They got up every night go to the choir , o ne i and may fancy their surpr se when , having u i n dressed hastily witho t glasses , they met the church and found themselves th u s travestied .

I went freely into the cells , for the nuns are for t o bidden to lock themselves in , and are obliged leave their keys in the doors both day and night . D uring the whole of the Carnival I gave balls twice a week in my room with the permission f o the abbess . They allowed me to have in the w ho w as of village fiddler , sixty years age and \ blind of o ne eye . H e piq ued himself upon re knowing all the steps and figures , and I ‘ é an ucs . member that he called the chass s , fl q My company was composed of nuns and pen sionnaires : the former acted as men , the latter were the ladies . My refreshments consisted of i n cider and excellent pastry , which was made the convent . I have been to many grand balls since , but I question whether I ever danced at ” t any more hea rtily or wi h greater gaie t y .

Yet , notwithstanding all these e scapades , she 1 our c w n 34 F Fren h ome . st ill found time to acquire va ri o us kinds of in m . u for ation She learned to bring p fowls , to

- make pastry and side dishes . My guitar , my m of harp , and my pen e ployed me a great part at the day , and I devoted least two hours every r f morning to reading . I was very igno ant o books , for up to that period all my time had r been devoted to music . At O igny , too , she systematically perfects her fictitious dialogues ; n m at Orig y , again , she begins to ake copious ra t She ext c s from all reads , and to scribble verses among other things an epistle upon the ” Tranquillity of the Cloister .

In the spring of 1 764 M . de Genlis fetched ff away his a ectionate wife , who accompanied him very unwillingly to his brother’ s seat at l Genlis . M . e Marquis de Genlis was at this ” His time under the ban . arbitrary guardian , P u him M . de uisieux , had not only already sh t up for five years in the Castle of Saumur for his r incor igible gaming , but he had for the last two been living in a kind of exile at his estate o f

i u of a . Genl s , nder pain making a good marri ge P r At the present moment he was absent at a is , m we presu e upon what Mr . Weller the elder ” calls patrole . At Genlis the newly- married pair appear t o have lived very happily and here , aided by the

1 6 ou enc 3 F r Fr hwomen . intending to give it to my mother when com le t e d p ; I wrote every day a few lines , some times whole pages . Neglecting no branch o f r learning , I endeavou ed to gain some insight

fie ld- into labour and gardening . I went to see the cider made . I went to watch all the work i n — men the village at work , the carpenter , the

- weaver , the basket maker , etc . I learned to play at billiards and several games of cards , as piquet , reversis , etc . M . de Genlis drew figures and landscapes capitally [parfaitement is her w ord] in pen and ink I commenced drawing ” - and flow e r painting . l M . e Marquis de Genlis having managed to

find his heiress , is married to her , and every thing in consequence goes merry as his marriage 1 6 m bell . I n September , 7 5 , Mada e de Genlis becomes a mother , after which she is visited by

he r u . relations , who there pon carry her to court She has left a most laughable description of the r of m te rors her toilet , over which i portant busi P ness Madame de uisieux and her daughter , the ’ m é d Est ré e w ran le . Mar chale , g most unbeco ingly Her hair is th rice dressed befo re her judges de e i de how it shall be finally worn . They rouge r m and powde her ost lavishly . Then they insist ” upon squeezing her into her dress body , in She order that may grow accustomed to it , Madame de enlis 1 G . 3 7 lacmg her so tightly that she can barely end ure n ut the pressure . A angry and prolonged disp e a t r t uff f e wards arises upon the ques ion of the r , d uring which time the unfort unat e candidate for u co rt honours is obliged to stand , and when the a out deb te is over , she is so worn that she can off h ardly walk in to dinner . The ruff is taken and a r m m replaced at le st fou ti es , and the atter is at last decided by the overw helming influence ’ - of the Maréchale s waiting maids . After the arce of dinner (for She is too tightly laced to n ur w eat a ything) , d ing the hole of which the u r o n m n disc ssion is car ied with great acri o y , She is requested to get into her hoop and train , u in order to rehearse the c rtsey which Gardel ,

- r oc cu the ballet master of the ope a , has been pied in teaching her . This is a partial success , although Madame de P uisie ux forbids her to slide back her foot in order to disengage her w but train , a course hich leaves her no resource u to fall pon her face , in order to avoid the other “ ” m of extre e being theatrical . At last , when a She a r e they st rt , man ges sec etly to r move a little of the ob n oxio u s colo ur but Madame de

P u mme u - box and uisie x i diately pulls out a ro ge , plast e rs he r mo re thickly than before . How off She a ever , everything goes well , and m nages to admire the king . 1 8 our enchwomen 3 F Fr .

1 66 She I n 7 again has a daughter , after which he r ri aunt , the Madame de Montesso who mar D u 1 ried the ke of Orleans in 773 , takes her to ’ l Ile m of Adam , the fa ous country house the t P eune ersonne rince de Conti , which for a j p u was the highest of hono rs . Thence they fare

V - r D of to illers Cotte ets , the seat of the uke r P ui Orleans , and afterwa ds to Madame de ’ sie ux s r , at Sillery , whe e the young countess , ret urning to that character o f ingenue which she SO u u P t had played s ccessf lly at assy , construc s an d acts o ut a clever little drawi n g- room scene i m wh ch co pletely wins over the elder lady , who had hitherto been a n ything but amiable .

To sum up . The royal blue eyes of majesty have shone upon her , and she is marked

- a with the V e rsailles sign manual . She has p ’ e are d I Ile un ro p at Adam , and propitiated her p pitious relatives . She may now be said to have d but made her e .

ES ESS r ennu és biases R TL and f ivolous , y and , i i r D e ask ng incessantly , l ke her f iend M . am ” u ue erons- nous demain matin l zag e , Q f the fine gentlemen and ladies of 1 76 5 gave a warm m u n w elco e to the new deb ta te in good society .

1 0 our enc 4 F Fr hwomen .

- t hon- mots her at bed ime , her are cited , and her

r a me its rehearsed by common consent . She p to o ffi i i pears , , to have been su c ently sat sfied w — at She ith the life she led all events , before P “ i entered the alais Royal . Th s was styled a frivolous kind of existence , says she , speak ’ “ . d Albare t r virtuoso ing of M , f ibble and ; as

a for me , I think it far h ppier and more amiable than a life devoted to the acquisition of wealth ” or the intrigues of ambition . Moreover , her intention in the preservation of these things is i purely ut litarian . She is good enough , in fact , — r to furnish us with the MO RAL a sa manie e . A p rop os of the fore - mentioned Alsac ian dis u it g ise , she writes It is not w hout design that I enter into these minor details ; they will not be wholly useless to young ladies who may

hereafter peruse this work . I wish to persuade them that youth is never happy unless it is ami — at able that is to say , docile , modest , and t e ntive u rdle rdte and that the tr e [always a , “ be it observed 1] of a jeune p ersonne is to i please in her fam ly , and to bring into it gaiety , ” m i r amusement , and joy . The senti ents are

reproachable . Le t us trust that the jeune per sonne will not mistake the wearing of becoming — r u fancy dresses , the f eq ent exhibition of her “ i little talents , and the continual gratificat on adame de e i M G nl s . 1 4 1 of m r her vanity and love of praise , as the pri a y and principal means to the end she has i n vie w . P e rhaps the best idea of her mode of life at this time may be gained by the recital of her V visit to audreuil , in N ormandy , the seat of the P P . . resident ortal Here , responding to M ’ “ D améz ague s eternal Q ue ferons- nous demain ” matin l we find her organising and drilling a compa n y of amate urs ; acting a piece by herself in order to teach them writing a d rama in two days b ased upon a local tradition (wi th a charm ing rdle for herself of a wigged and bea rded ’ Old man ) re - casting in six more Favart s three Les T rois S ultanes act comedy of , with another part for herself in which she sings , and dances , and plays on the harp , the harpsichord , the bag m hurd pipe , the guitar , the dulci er , and the y gurdy . N or must it be supposed that she could ard u de do no more . I only wanted my p ess s “ viole it for , she writes , but I had not used n u more than three years , and my mandoli wo ld u t r have had but a poor success after my g i a , ” h E i nstru whi c I played infinitely better . ight m t ents in all nine , in poin of fact , if we add another upon which her proficiency is re markable , but which politeness forbids us again to particularise . 1 2 our nc 4 F Fre hwomen .

From Vaudre uil they made an excursion to D s t he She ieppe to vi it ocean , which as yet had

s . r She not een In the face of Natu e , takes care She to tell us , was so profoundly impressed that h e r companions complained of her d ullness ; nor does She omit to state that N eptune re c e ive d her very discourteously . When they retu rned to Vaudreuil they find that the presi dent had received information that certain ad miring corsairs , who had witnessed the marine exploits of Madame la Comtesse and Madame e de M rode , her companion , had determined , in off consequence , to carry them to the Grand ’ Seigneur s seraglio . The only way in which they can preserve themselves from so eminent and imminent a fate is to be received as V estals — in the temple of the P etit bois a species of sanc ’ t uar y in the president s private garden , which was reserved for the more select and sacred of his T o m ent ertainments en p etit comité . this te ple they were conducted by the nephew of their al host , the Count de Caraman , who left them

most immediately . H ere they found the H igh P riestess (Madame de P uisieux) and the H igh

P t . P riest ( M . de ortal) waiting to receive hem

m res- orne The te ple was decked (t ) with garlands , an d the ladies of the co mpany made up its chaste

sisterhood . When , with appropriate verses , they

1 our enchwomen 44 F Fr .

M a nifi n fended g ce ce . The party are carried t hro ugh the illumi n ated gardens to a grandly

- decorated ball room at the end of the park . H ere the delighted Orie n tal declares Madame la Comtesse to be his favo urite Sultana ; they laudite entes dance all night , and , p g , the little r play is over , and the d op falls to the entire sat f ti n f i s ac o o every one concerned . Among other things the idlers of 1 766 were indebted to her for an ingenio u s novelty which She contrived for the balls of Madame de Crenay

the Q uadrille des P roverbes .

E - ach couple , in the preliminary two and two procession which always preceded the pe r fo rmanc e r an d o ne , represented a p overb , every u had chosen a motto . We had unanimo sly given L u me B o uffi e rs Madame de a zun [A lie de , ‘ t B onne renommée vaut af erwards guillotined] , ’ u u n ur h mie x q e cei t e dorée . She was dressed wit the greatest simplicity , and wore a plain grey lz nc . B e u e . girdle She danced with M . de The D uchess de Liancourt danced with the Count de B oulainvilie rs of old , who wore the costume an man ; their motto was A vieux chat jeune ’ souris . Madame de M arigni danced with M . de J u r . : St lien , d essed as a negro she passed her e m handk rchief from ti e to time over his face , ’ A laver la tete d un M aure on which signified , adame de enlis 1 M G . 45

’ ’ d a m p er s lessive . I don t reme ber the proverb o r of m - in- law the partner y sister , the Marquise n V i de Ge lis . My ow n dancer was the comte L ma nificie ntl i de aval , g y attired and blaz ng with i jewellery . I was dressed as a peasant g rl . Our ontentement asse richesse proverb was , C p I appeared gay and lively ; the vicomte , without

ennu é . any acting , looked sad and y Thus we made ten . I had written the air it was very ! pretty and easily danced to . Garde composed the figures , which , in accordance with my idea , represented another proverb ‘ Reculer p our ’ f mieux sauter. H e made o this the prettiest ” and liveliest quad rille that I have ever seen .

It had a great success , notwithstanding the of schemes an envious coalition , who attempted ’ to disturb the performers at the but de l O péra by the gambols of an i mmense e at (a little Savo i n yard disguise) , which represented an adverse proverb Il ne faut pas réveiller le chat qui ” dort. The spectators , however , i nterfered to protect the dancers . For all that they were the polished exemplars E whom uncouth uropeans came to copy , and vainly strove to imitate ” amongst the rest

. L u 1 62 Mr a rence Sterne , who is here in 7 , a fortnight deep in dinners and suppers , and pro testing that in savoir- vivre the place exceeds all 1 0 1 6 our enc 4 F Fr hwomen . — places on the globe these fine ladies and gen tle me n of t did a number little things , doub less in the pure innocence ” which prompted his T ristram

' Tha t w oul d h ave made P un ctzl i o st are and gasp .

old é L The stately Mar chale de uxembourg ,

etits - sou ers for oracle of p p as she was , must not a moment be mistaken for our respectable and

- - - - - never too much to be honoured Mrs . Grundy . And it is with a due respect for the awful nominis umbra , who is supposed to sit in eternal judg ment over our popular propriety , that we select the following from amongst the ligh ter examples D o in this way . I n their house in the Rue St . min m i ue . q , M and M ada e de Genlis kept an abbé Italian , who read Tasso with the lady , and i was i n add tion an excellent musician . The i poor fellow was taken ill with cholera , and d ed ’ suddenly one evening at ten o clock . Madame de Genlis , who had been present at his death so bed , was struck with his face , that she de clares she will not sleep under the same roof orthw ith ut with the corpse . F the horses are p to and she goes off to sleep at Madame de ’ B alinc our s , where the gentleman gave up his

- t room to her . At half past twelve she re ired to rest . In a few minutes she fell asleep , but was

1 8 our enc 4 F Fr hwomen .

of m basket sweet eats , preserves , and fruits . r n u This p olo gs the entertainment ntil five , for the merry gentleman detains them more than half- an- hour in proposing all kinds o f amuse ’

m - ments , as violins , agic lanterns , and puppet m shows , and when at last Mada e la Comtesse is allowed to sleep , she is awakened again at twelve by the new frolics of the hon vieillard . i M . de Genl s , appearing to claim his wife , is detained forcibly , and for the next five days of there is nothing but acting parts , ballets , r balls , theatres , conce ts , fairs , songs, and games “ in fact , the noisiest five days that she ever ” passed . 1 0 or U p to the year 77 , they , rather she for the absences of her husband were frequent — had lived principally wi t h Madame de P ui

i ux . 1 0 t e s e In 77 , after some months spent in tirement with this lady , who was mourning the t of dea h her husband , Madame de Genlis left her entirely to enter the P alais Royal as lady - in D waiting to Madame la uchesse de Chartres , in whom we re c ognise ' the somewhat sentimental and romantic Mademoiselle de Bo urbon who was the friend of Marie de Lamballe . M . de a Genlis , in the meantime , had obtained an p ’ pointment as captain of the duke s gua rds . The duchess seems (at first) to have taken a great adame de enlis 1 M G . 49

i liking to her new attendant , who obl gingly S f i teaches her to pell , a kindly o fice wh ch she had already pe rformed for Madame la Marquise de e Genlis . Our space will not p rmit us to linger over her portraits of the notab ilities of the P alais Royal , which strove with the Temple (the palace of the P rince de Conti) for the first i i place among the salons of Par s . Wh lst hasten ing to the next important epoch in her life (in

‘ we may note that She had alre ady visited

H olland , Italy , Switzerland , and some parts of T Germany . o England she had not yet come . of V Her experiences Rousseau and oltaire , whom r i she knew and visited du ing th s time , will be i n given in the succeeding sect on . J ust o e more extract and we have done with the frivolous it were juster , perhaps , to say the most frivolous portion of the Memoirs This little incident of the P e rcherons i s a last example of the morbid desire for excitement which led the great wo rld to envy even the coarse sallies and “ vigorous ” — dancing of the g uing uettes of the universal m taste for travesties and disguises , which pro pted even rigorous Madame Roland to ride off o n donkey- back en cuisiniére with arm akimbo — and ai r of gaping thi ckw itt e dne ss aft er her i cousin Trude . For the better apprec at ion of the performance we subjoin a list of the 1 0 5 Four Frenchwomen .

rama i sit ! t ! p ara e .

Madame l a Comt e s s e d e P OT O C! A.

(A P oli sh l ady of r an h . ) Ma dame l a Comte s s e de G EN LI S.

(Lady -i n Wai ti ng to the D uch ess of ’ M a dame l a B aron ne D AN D LAU .

Moth r o ( e t th e above ooer fif ly . )

M . M de AISO NN EUV E . h b (C am erlai n to ! i ng S tan i slas of P ol an d . )

M . d e E I G N L S.

Ca t i ( p a n of Gua rds to the D uhe of Chartres . )

M . G ILLIER .

' Ci - d zzan l — ( e M aj or i n an E ast I n di an Regimen t j iffy . ) S cen e T h e Gre at Con que ror of th e P orch e rons .

The Madame de P otocka in question had made the acq uaintance of Madame de Genlis at Aix

- P la Chapelle , and had been doing aris under her auspices . As yet they had not explored the g uing uettes taverns outside the barriers tea gardens , in fact, where tea was unknown , and

M . de Genlis had proposed to take them to the most noted house of the kind . The ladies were i to go as cooks , M M . de Ma sonneuve and

Genlis as servants in livery . ” The next day , she says , I was supping at the P alais Royal with Madame de P otocka . On this particular evening she was splendidly i n dressed a gold robe , and wearing an enor mous quantity of diamonds . At eleven M . de

1 2 our renchwom n 5 F F e . years younger ; I looked sixteen or seventeen at the most and we acted our parts so well that no one had the least suspicion of our being in disguise I began by dancing a minuet with the c ountrifie d runner , with the most air in the world , d an . afterwards a quadrille In the meantime M . Gillie r ordered some pigeons a la crap audine or our [flattened and broiled] , with a salad , f r m n ref esh e t. We sat down together at a little

allantr of . table , where the gaiety and g y M de t P Genlis , divided be ween Madame de otocka and myself, delighted us exceedingly . There r was always something so original and ag eeable , m m and , at the sa e ti e , so witty in his pleasantry , that he would have amused the most morbid of mortals . our A finishing stroke , however , was put to merriment by a most unexpected occurrence . uin uette It was customary to enter the g g singing , and presently we heard some one bawling at the of top his voice ,

Li son dor mait da n s u n bocage ’ - - Un bras ar ci u n bras ar l d e tc . p , p ,

L r the r ooking towa ds doo , we saw two per o ne sons come in singing and dancing , dressed

- o ne of . as a servant girl , the other in my liveries m instant I knew the in an , and jumping up , b ’ flung myself upon the servant s neck , for it was adame de enlis 1 M G . 5 3 no other than my mother leaning upon the arm f n o . M de Maisonneuve . She had co trived this r him fo r little t ick with , and this reason he had u O ur exc sed himself . joy and gratitude were n an d u bounded , there really was a good deal of grace and goodness in this jest of a person as old n as my mother was . She sat dow at our table with her companion , and she and M . de Genlis — were the life and soul of the evening o ne o f the gayest and most charming that I ever passed S in my life . I had never laughed so much ince the the Genlis and Sillery days , and it was three in morning before we tore o urselves away from the h n Great Conqu eror of the P orc e ro s.

WITH the exception of her acquaintanceship m with M . de Sauvigny , Mada e de Genlis does not appear to have formed any literary connection of lasting importance previo u s to her entry of

- t - Belle Chasse . Her more han friendship with “ ” La n the flower of pedants , Harpe , belo gs ’ r D Ale mbe rt properly to the su bsequent pe iod . she had seen before her marriage he had come — to hear her harp playing i n the Rue N euve St . P i ” aul , but she d sliked him extremely . H e 1 our renchwomen 54 F F .

of had a vulgar expression face , she said , and told coarse comical anecdotes in a shrill to n e ” ’ o f . r voice Of Raynal , Ma ie de Corday s ’ P uisie ux s master , who visited at Madame de , '

en noi . she has left a slight sketch , also r As a arm child she had heard M onte l read his tales . o tOo of S mething , , she had seen the playwright i Se daine and librett st , , whose flame yet flickers ” in the Gag eure Imp révue and the P hilosophe sans te savoir ; musketeer D orat had written he r some pretty complimentary verses ; D elille had of fE neid read part his to her , and she had met Gibbon and Buffon : She had visited V ol

ai r u t e and known Ro sseau , and , as in duty u t of bo nd , she has lef lengthy accounts her experiences . ’ He r S hort friendship with M inerva s owl , as Madame de M irepoix called Rousseau , is thoroughly characteristic both of himself and P Madame la Comtesse . H e was then at aris, i morbid as ever , neither mak ng nor receiving visits , and , if we may believe her recollections , gaining a scanty subsistence (as he had done

a befo re) by copying m usic . M dame de Genlis not m had yet read his works , and ad ired him

D evin da Villa e . chiefly for his opera, the g

One day M . de Sauvigny told her in confidence that her husband was about to play her a trick

1 6 our renchwomen 5 F F .

take . H owever , no harm was done the matter

and v un u was kept a secret , the for once s s e cti n p g Rousseau told M . de Sauvigny that he considered the young co untess to be a jeune per ’ sonne aff and devoid the most un ected , cheerful , ” r of p etensions he had ever met with . F o r im os the lady , she never knew a less p or of ing more kindly man letters . H e spoke m of u of si ply himself, and witho t bitterness his enemies . H e did full j u stice to the talents of V flatte ri e s oltaire , but added that pride and had hi s spoiled him . H e had already read some of ’ on essions d E mont C f to Madame g , but he con side re d that o ur countess was far too young for Em l such a confidence . She had not yet read i e she would do well to do so when she was older , a fre he s id . H is works , indeed , he mentioned u t o f J ulie q ently . He had written all the let ers o n n - w n fancy ote paper ith vig ettes , he told them ,

m re - r i n then folded the , and read and ead them his walks , as if he had really received them from m his mistress . H e had ost piercing eyes , and ”

m of nesse . a delightful s ile , full fi and sweetness Ari u acquaintance with Ro sseau , however , F co uld not end ure for ever . or five months he dined with them nearly every day . H e was m u r very gay and co m nicative , and she discove ed t in him neither susceptibili y nor caprice . At ada me de enlis M G . 1 5 7

- m last , as ill fortune would have it , he praised so e r Sillery that he had tasted , and exp essed a will

i n n s i f . g e s to rece ve a co uple o bottles . M de Genlis courteo usly fo rwa rded a case of five - and ’ r twenty . Rousseau s morbid hatred of pat onage n took the alarm insta ter . Back came the case t i m u with a laconic epistle brea h ng fla es and f ry , B t i and renouncing the dono rs for ever . u th s i time the countess wrote an apologet c letter ,

t n and managed adroi ly to patch up the wou d .

On the next occasion she was not so s uccessful . She had managed to persuade him to accompany ’ her to the first representation of M de Sauvign y s r P e sifileur. H e had a great dislike to being seen but She had procu red a grated box with a private entry . Upon reaching the theatre he objected to the closing of the grate , and his i n i presence was , consequence , soon d scovered r him by the house, who afterwa ds forgot for the i m p ece . To the astonish ent of his companions , u he grew frightfully sombre , ref sed to return to u m or i r s pper with the , to l sten to their p otesta r tions , and the next day decla ed he would never see them as long as he lived , for they had ex hi i b te d him like a wild beast . This time the t the case was hopeless , and al hough lady was able at a later pe riod to re n de r him some small

n a service , she felt no desire for any further i ti 1 8 our renchwomen 5 F F . macy with the sensitive philosopher of the Rue a P l t riere . V d Vi i tantum. Of oltaire she can but say , 1 6 She r r I n 77 , was t avelling for her health unde f illi the escort o M . G e r and a German painter f m o . She t the na e of Ott Being at Geneva , wro e V for permission to visit oltaire at Ferney , and re received a most gracious reply . H e would

i - u s gn his dressing gown and slippers in her favo r , he answered , and invited her to dinner and supper . It was the custom (she says) for his i visitors , espec ally the younger ladies , to pale , r i n and stamme , and even fa t upon their presen t ation man to the great ; this, in fact , was the etiquette of the Ferney court . Madame la

Comtesse , although unwilling to be pathetic , determined at least to put aside her habitual sim licit p y, to be less reserved , and , above all , less silent .

With her she took M . Ott , who had never of read a line the author , but was , nevertheless , ove rflowing with the requisite enthusiasm . They passed on their way the church which he had

u u of Voltaire a b ilt , with its s perscription

D ieu ma . i , which de her shudder They arr ved

- r of three q ua ters an hour too soon , but she piously consoled he rself by thinking that she had possibly prevented the penning of a fe w add i

1 6 0 o F ur Frenchwomen .

i n She d ner , says , he seemed anything but amia w ble , appearing to be al ays in a pass i on Wi th i at to of the servants , and call ng to them the p ' voic e w hic h t his , was , however , one of his habi s

of n which she had already been war ed . After dinner Madame D enis played to them upon the ha rpsichord in an old - fashioned style which car ried her audit ress back to the reign of Louis ! I V . t r , and after hat thei host took them for berlin a drive in his e. Madame la Comtesse shall finish in her o w n words H e took us into the village [of Ferney] to see the ho uses he had built and the benevole n t s in titutions that he had established . H e is for o ne greater there than in his books , sees

- of t everywhere a well directed goodness hear , and one can hardly conceive that the same hand i which wrote so many imp ous , false , and wicked u u things , should have performed s ch seful , wise , t o and noble actions . H e showed the village m he every stranger who ca e to visit him , but did i t m ma unaffectedly , spoke with the ut ost si

licit o n ac f p y and good feeling the subject , uai nte d he - q us with everything that had done , of I without the least appearance boasting , and

kn ow no o ne who could do as m uch . When we got back to the ch ateau the conversat ion was very lively ; we talked with gr eat i nterest adame de enlis 1 6 M G . 1

i of all that we had seen . I did not leave t ll

- m n igh t ti e . All t he busts and port raits of him [and they r i may be numbered by hund eds] are very l ke , but no art ist has ever rendered his eyes . I ex e cte d of p to find them brilliant and full fire , and w i r they ere certainly the livel est I eve saw , but ’ they had some t hing unspeakably velvety and o f Z i sweet about them . The whole soul a re lay in his m those eyes of his . H is smile and extre ely malicious laugh ent i rely altered this charming expression of the face . H e was greatly broken , and an old- fashioned manner of dressing made him look older still . H e had a sepulchral voice , wh i ff u r ich had a most cur ous e ect , partic la ly as i he had a hab t of talking very loud , although he hi s was not deaf . When neither religion nor i w as enemies were d scussed , his conversation S n c onse imple , atural , and unpretentious , and quently , with such wit and talent as he pos sessed , perfectly delightful . It seemed to me one that he could not bear that any should have , n f i o , O any , point a di ferent p nion from his own , and when opposed in the slightest degree his i i manner became b tter and cutt ng . H e had certainly lost much of the politeness which he b u ut u . sho ld have had , this was q ite natural Since he has lived here people only visit him

1 1 1 6 2 Four Frenchwomen .

a hi m i to pr ise to the skies , his dec sions are one oracles , every about him is at his feet , he hears of nothing but t he admirat ion that he i n r i r i spi es , and the most r diculous exagge at ons ’ a only appear to him as ordin ry homages . While at Z urich (we carefully follow her in i i omitt ng the date , although it was poss bly about this time) she made an expedition to the country house of a now half- forgotten idyllist and land

- — D eath o Abet scape painter , whose dust crowned f may now and then be discovered in a neglected corner of the book - case hiding under cover of ’ iah — m Klopstock s M ess Solo on Gessner . F irst N avi ator H is g (which Gardel , by the way , had turned into a ballet) is , he tells her , his favourite work , for he had composed it for his wife in the commencement of their court ship . I had a great curiosity to make the acquaint of ance the lady whom he had married for love , and who had made him a poet . I pictured her ber ere to myself as a charming g , and I expected that Gessner ’ s house would be an elegant thatched cottage, surrounded by shrubberies and flowers , where nothing was drunk but milk , and where , r i to use the Ge man express on , every one walked o n roses . But when I arrived there I crossed a little garden filled with cabbages and carrots ,

6 1 4 Four Frenchwomen .

WE must represent to ourselves all fashi ona ” ble E i T ha k female urope , at th s time , says c e

u ray , speaking , parenthetically , of the bea tiful L ady Coventry , whose death was hastened by r i immode ate painting , as plastered with wh te , and raddled with red . The next occurrence in the life of Madame la Comtesse to which we can assign a bond- fide date concerns this h . 2 t of J 1 6 popular custom On the 5 anuary , 77 , she left of rouge . The renunciation had a grave significance in those days . It im plied the giv ing up of pretentions to youth , and pomps and i van ties generally ; and was , in fact , a polite notice to friends that the quondam i llumina tor was about to betake herself to the half- lights and the sad - coloured raiment which announced the devote . Our heroine laments rather comi “ cally that having always had religious senti it u of he r sacri ces ments, is sing lar that many fi S u r in this way ho ld have had , neve theless , a ” r the merely mundane o igin , for it appears that r i of m r p esent step , in sp te its i po tance , was rather the result of an accident than a c onscie n f tious abnegation o her pe rsonal advantages .

E V - the ight years before , at illers Cotterets , adame de enlis 1 M G . 65 talk happening t o tu rn upon some elderly ladies who still clung to the carnations of the Rue St . ré m Hono , Mada e de Genlis had said that she co uld not understand how the quitting o f ro uge i e iva could possibly be a sacrifice . This nconc i ble statement be ng questioned , she declared ff i that she wo uld leave it o at th rty . M . de

- Chartres politely pooh poohed her decision , and she conseq uently bet him a discretion a wager — in which no sum or article is named that she di u r . d wo ld pe form her promise She so , as we i s i n ff have said , and this the way which the a air was fully completed “ m i So e fifteen days before my b rthday , I cr begged M . de Chartres to remember my dis e tion 2 th of J , and on the 5 anuary I discovered in my room a doll as large as life seated at my

- r desk , pen in hand , and wearing a head d ess ne of millions [ l ] of quills . U pon o Side of of the desk was a ream splendid paper , and u - pon the other thirty two blank octavo books ,

r - bound in green mo occo , with twenty four

ll ~ sma e r o ne s which were bound in red . At the feet of the figure lay a case filled with note

- - paper , letter covers , sealing wax , gold and silver r powder , knife , scisso s , rule , compass , etc . , etc .

I was charmed with my present , and I have never Since worn rouge . 1 66 Four Frenchwomen .

L She ong before , says , it had been agreed p ri vately between herself and the D uchess of

Chartres that if the duchess had a daughter ,

M ad ame de Genlis should be her governess .

According to the prevailing practice , the prin cesses of the blood had been hitherto bro ught u - p by an under governor , who took charge of them up to the age of fourteen o r fifteen . Ma n dame la Comtesse , justly decidi g that this — looking to the value o f first impressions was u r too precio s an interval to be lost , had decla ed her intention of taki ng them from their earliest m years , and had , moreover , deter ined to retire with them into a convent . When , in August , 1 777, the duchess became the mother of twins , they were temporarily confided to the care o f of Madame de Rochambeau , and , in pursuance

- n the above mentioned arrangement, a pavilio was b uilt in the neighbouring convent of Belle w Chasse, which the countess finally entered ith her charges . The pavilion in question lay in the centre of it the garden of the convent , with which was connected by a trellised colonnade overhung with vines . She seems to have at once con c e ive d of a definite idea her duties , and to t have carried it out consisten ly to the end . The household was ordered with the strictest

Four Frenchwomen .

“ Se rc e é i En y , later a nephew , C sar , and a l ttle g P P lish girl , the celebrated amela Of amela the world will probably never know more than

Madame la Comtesse has chosen to tell . She — — was sent from England the story gOe s in ’ u accordance with the d ke s request , in order to help to perfect his children in the English lan guage . H er name was N ancy Sy ms ; I called P She her amela did not know a word of French , and in playing with the li ttle princesses She con t ributed greatly to familiarise them with the ” 8 2 E . 1 nglish language In 7 , the duke , to the

‘ u of P - r great disg st alais Royal place hunte s , boldly made Madame de Genlis Governor of hi s D k V L i P three sons , the u e of alois ( ou s hilippe) , D of then nine , the uke Montpensier , seven , and of i w ho the little Count Beaujola s , was about three years old . She gave them a thoroughly practical education . The princes rose at seven , had lessons with their masters in Latin and arith i m metic until eleven , at wh ch ti e they came to i their Governor , with whom they rema ned until ten , when the convent was closed . She gave

them masters in botany , chemistry , and drawing

—She - invented a historical magic lantern , the slides of wh ich were painted wi th scenes from t m sacred , ancien , and Ro an history , together ” with that of China and J apan . She was the adame de enlis 1 6 M G . 9

first governor , she says , who taught languages — by co nve rsation her pupils took their morning rm E walk in Ge an , they dined in nglish , and they

supped in Italian . When She received the princes the duke had m pro ised to buy them a country house . H e

. Le u bought the estate of St , where they spent h t e . eight months of year H ere they gardened ,

botanised , and practised chemistry . Their Gov e rnor old , mindful of her tastes , made them act voyages in the park (no tably those of V asco Sne l rave i de Gama and g ) , wh ch were arranged ’ dramatically from La Harpe s abridgement of ’ P re vOt s collection , and in these performances the whole establishment took part . In the great

- tableau dining room they had historical x , which D avid often grouped for them ; a theatre was built in which they acted all the pieces out of ’ T tr E du a n the hed e d c tio . I n the winter the indefatigable instructress taught them to make

- portfolios , ribbons , wigs , pasteboa rd work ,

- marble paper , and artificial flowers ; to gild , to f u . D o t rn , and to carpenter generally The uke V r alois in pa ticular was an excellent joiner . When they went out it was still in pursuit of instruction : they visited museums and manufac to ries which they had coached up in the E ncy clo edie o or p , thereby giving their Governor an pp 1 0 our enc o 7 F Fr hw men .

tunity of declaring that the descriptions in that valuable work are often faulty . On the whole ,

hi - historico - t t s practico histrionical educa ion , as it would then have been described , seems to have worked successfully . At worst it was a decided advance upon the former system . The pupils were happy and pleased with their teacher she herself “ led a delicious life at Belle

Chasse . Its chief fault , as many critics have already pointed out , seems to have been that an ed ucation so u nive rsal must of necessity be u t u superficial , and that a life so fr i f l in facts co uld have left but little room fo r the develop n of m o r of me t natural i pulses , the growth those mere flowers of fancy and of life that neither to il nor Spin . One does not easily recognise the cook - maid o f P orche rons or of the , the mistress the revels V i at audreu l , in this energetic and indefatigable preceptress of the convent at Belle Chasse . I n of P those old dialogues assy and Origny , dia n t u r log es which she con in es now as eve , we heard her vaunting her Shadowy interloc utor and imaginary counsellor as far s uperior to th at “ a t u m r u f i hf l ad onition of a f iend , most needf l , o ne m would i agine , to a mind like hers , ever “ u it s inf sed and drenched , as Bacon says , in ” affections and customs . My (imaginary)

1 2 our renc 7 F F hwomen .

can justify himself, and you would yourself be blamable if you did not furnish him all the means

in your power for doing so . IS Madame la Comtesse writing from c onvic — tion ? or is She romancing en pédagog ué j ust discharging the last coachful of second - hand moralities We cannot pretend to decide . The “ sounds which we strike out of this harp of ” thousand strings of ours are often discordant our and contradictory enough , and even moralist , good harpist as she was , could not make her life

. S harmonious At least , the extracts how that

- u the Governor , dating from the class room , co ld f r write nobly enough o f iends . Yet it is one of the saddest things of these M emoirs that She or never seems to have had a dear worthy friend .

- old Secure in her self reliance , she grew in all those faults which the “ faithful admonition or would have mitigated corrected . At Belle Chasse she married both her daugh ters the elder to a Belgian nobleman , M .

B e ce lae r Law oe stine . de , the younger to a M de V alence . At Belle Chasse , too , she acquired both her credit and discredit as an author . I n

1 - 80 u Theatre 779 she published , nder the title of ’ d E ducation , some little dramatic pieces for the benefit of three office rs who had been sentenced

f blir to a fine or imprisonment or life . The pu adame de enlis 1 M G . 73

of t cation , under such circumstance , these lit le ’ P t r moral comedies , which , like Mr . i t s ea ly i n tragedy , had no love them , succeeded , she ” writes to Gibbon , beyond all her hopes . i 1 1 Already , when , in the w nter of 777 and 77 her daughters had played them at the Palais

Royal , they had gained for their authoress the

- La approbation of the King Critic , Harpe , who , “ in his complimentary verses , adored , at once , ” the author , the work , and the actresses .

H e became so passionately attached to me , “ She i r afterwards says , that I was obl ged se i ” l ff a ous y to restrain his enthusiasm . The a ir “ La turned o ut in the grand style . M . de Harpe went away to Lyons to cure his com

plaint , and happily for his peace , returned heart

- . u whole After this wind p in the grand style ,

however , the matter appears to have ended in —b the little style y a literary quarrel . ” We have here , says Franklin , writing from “ P in 1 8 2 assy , 7 , to Mrs . Hewson , a female o n writer education , who has lately published t hree volumes , which are much talked of. ” u They are m ch praised and censured . The Adele cl Theodore Le tre work referred to was , or t s ’ sur l Education f , her most important e fort , and

one which procured her , she says , at once the ff of b su rages the public , and the irreconcila le 1 our nchwomen 74 F Fre .

hatred o f all the so - called philosophers and their t r partisans . Indeed , the sa i e of reigning follies , the less defensible portraiture o f individuals (o f She e r which was accused) , and above all , h open opposition to the powerful contemporary phi lo so h u p y, was not calc lated to conciliate the i r u re gning powe s in literat re , or to acquire her d ‘ l l crowds of friends . A e e ci Theodore was fo 1 8 Veillées da hateau lowed , in 7 4 , by the C , in which she purs ued the same uncompromising

course , and yet appears to have been greatly disgusted by the award of the Monthyon prize ’ to Madame d Epinay for the second volume of ’

onversations d Emilie . of the C Our authoress , w course , ascribes this blo to her enemies of the ’ d ina E ncy clop edia. Madame Ep y was a phi lo so he r of re p , and took good care not to talk ” li i on E . 1 8 O n g to her mily H er work in 7 7, R eligion considered as the only sure F oundation o Ha iness and o true P hiloso h f pp f p y , which she wrote for the first communion of the D uke of V alois , put the finishing stroke to her reputation ’ M ere de l E lise of o f as a g , and opponent liberty

conscience . H er position was not an enviable

P - one . The alais Royal place hunters hated her ,

her political Opponents hated her , and the phi h IO SO p e rs hated her . She seems to have lived of h through a hail of epigrams , many of whic

1 6 our enc w n 7 F Fr h ome . the cap and gown [we permit o urselves to m “ change the ter ] of a pedagogue . Besides , r nothing about her is natu al . She is con stantl t y in an attitude , as it were , hinking or that her portrait , moral physical , is being taken . She attaches too much importance to her celebrity She thinks too m uch of her ow n i i Op n ons . One of the great follies of this mas culine woman is her harp ; she carries it about with her . She speaks of it when it is not near of she plays up on a crust bread , and practises he with a piece of packthread . When S perceives one She that any is looking at her , rounds her u arm , pinches up her mo th , assumes a senti mental look and attitude , and begins to move r her finge s . At a party at Madame de ’ Massais she sat in the centre of the assembly , mm sang , talked , co anded , commented , and ended by putting the ent ire concert into confusion . M ost certainly the young P rinces of Orleans S overnor have a most ingular G , who is ever act r rOle ing the tutor , and who never fo gets her but ” when she ought most to remember it . Madame la Comtesse has left uS no portrait of Madame la Baronne . Mad ame de Genlis . 1 77

MADAME DE GENLi s had long been meditat i ng a descent upon England . Already some years before Gibbon had been charged to pro cure her lodgings at London . But she had not o ut been able to carry her intention , and had consoled herself by making the acquaintance of no w En some of o ur best authors . I know g o ne of lish perfectly , she informs him , in the letters which he apparently never had the civility m to answer , and the statement is confir ed by She M iss Burney , who tells the king that ex in pressed herself the language very readily , and ” with exceeding ease . As a proof, she goes “ o n to Gibbon , I read Shakespeare with the greatest facility ; but my favourite poet is con Milton , whom I like so well as to know a side rable P aradise L portion of ost by heart . I also know a good many verses of P ope ; but I should make yo u laugh if you heard me read ” F or them . a Frenchwoman of her time her of En knowledge glish literature was , in truth , very extensive . With our dramatic autho rs in particular she seems to have been thoro ughly al conversant , for she plodded through them l 1 2 1 our enchwomen 78 F Fr . from Shakespeare and Ben J onson downwards ri i A ro os o ur du ng her res dence at B ury . p p of i m comed es , she told Miss Burney that no wo an u t t m o gh to go and see he ; and , indeed , the ’ m t F ar uhar s T ri to the J ubilee cal studen of q p , ’ o r Congreve s Love for Love plays wh ich the prudish Evelinas and Cecilias w ent to see wi th thei r impossible Lord Orvilles — can hardly fail to wonder that the rigorous and respectable com pany were perpetually out of countenance at i the r extreme indelicacy . i n 8 L 1 . e u At last , 7 3, she left her pupils at St , “ and in the pleasant month o f J une a soft Etesian gale wafted ove r the illustrious visitor to

o ur S . hospitable hores The trip , her record tells “ r . u us , was exceedingly b illiant The p blic i i pr nts teamed with the most obl ging notices , i m r m and the most compl entary ve ses , a ongst the od one of rest an e by Hayley . At the theatres (she says) Hamlet was perfo rmed in he r honour ; Lord Inc hiqui n took her to the House of Com f P L . o mons By desire the rince of Wales , ord u William Gordon entertained her at his ho se , and the First Gentleman in Europe paid great attention t o the illust rious adviser of

P hilippe Eg alité . B urke invited her to his u co ntry seat , and afterwards carried her to She Oxford . While with him made the acquaint

1 80 ou F r Frenchwomen . crying and groaning so terribly as to make her a comp nion fear that she would faint . If any where i n that old ch urchya rd was wandering the

S r f m - - o little . ri nte r pi it the ild eyed , half feminine p , it m ust have fel t a well - nigh mortal vanity at such ff of an o ering sentimental tears . H orace Walpole has left an account in his correspondence of her appearance at S trawberry

’

. i virtuoso t H ill The ngenious , who , with a li tle — or it — u Attic salt , rather , for the sake of wo ld have eaten his dearest friend , had been making very merry in his previous letters over Rous ’ se au s hen the schoolmistress , Madame de

Genlis the moral Madame de Genlis , as he was pleased to style her . H is description , r t however , betrays a greater admi ation han

n might have bee anticipated , and as a whole o ne sidelong sarcasm excepted is ce rtainly in her favour . Ten days ago , he writes to the

u . C osw a t Co ntess of Ossory , Mrs y sen me a note that M adame desired a ticket for Straw berry Hill . I thought I could not do less than f ’ o fer her a breakfast , and named yesterday se n night . Then came a message that she must go to Oxford and take her D octor ’s degree and then another that I should see her - yesterday [J uly 2 2d rr , when she did a ive , with Miss ” ’ “ J r P Wilkes [ ohn Wilkes s daughte ] and amela , a M dame de Genlis . 1 8 1

whom she did not even present to me , and whom she has ed ucated to be very like herself in the

u t the n r face . I told her I co ld not attrib u e ho o u n me of her visit but to my late dear frie d , Mada f n d da D . a ef and H er person is agreeable ,

she seems to have been pretty . H er conversa récieuse tion is natural and reasonable , not p and ff a ected , and searching to be eloquent , as I She had expected . I asked her if had been i pleased with Oxford , meaning the bu ldings , not i the wretched oafs who inhab t it . She said she had had little time that she had wished to learn of W She their plan education , hich , as said sen sibl o ur y, she supposed was adapted to Consti t uti on t . I could have told her that it is exac ly our n repugnant to Constitution , and that nothi g is taught there but drunkenness and prerogative — i or a . , in their langu ge , Church and K ng I asked her if it is true that the new edition of ’

V t . oltaire s works is prohibi ed She replied, r seve ely , and then condemned those who write

against religion and government , which was a

little unlucky before her friend M iss Wilkes . r She stayed two hours , and eturns to France ” - to day to her duty . m Madame la Co tesse , consequently , went J t back to France towards the end of uly , af er a ’ six — Six weeks stay weeks , let us note , very ou e c w m n 1 82 F r Fr n h o e .

“ fully occupied , if we add to the excursions , i u of visits , and enterta nments , a certain amo nt time wh i ch he r indefatigable energy set aside for E m t a tutor in nglish decla a ion, and a jeweller o m who taught her t make orna ents in seed pearl . i 1 1 H er next v sit took place in 79 . The event ful years which occ upy the interval are hardly r noticed in the Memoirs , which for this pe iod are almost wholly taken up with the account of f her rupture with the D uchess o Orleans . The causes are stated obscurely enough . Whether the alleged difference of opini on was the ur of o r real so ce disagreement , whether this was a deli cate euphemi sm for the tardy recognition by the wife of Egal i té of a yet deeper and graver iffi r it . w ong , would be d cult to decide One

the i - k thing is clear , and this is pel can li e self deni al and heartrending fo rbearance of Mad ame la mt t Co esse . Ano her thing appears certain that whether her i nfl uence over the duke was or not was exercised previously to the Revolution , u of i she acquired the rep tation being his adv ser , and added to her detractors all his political op n n po e ts . The duchess tried vainly to oblige her to resign , but the Governor , insisting upon a ’

o r m . d O rle ans real feigned attach ent to Mlle , S kept her place in pite of everything , until at last her opponent gave up the matter in despair .

1 8 our renchwomen 4 F F .

Bury that he had lost Mrs . Sheridan , to whom r t he was g ea ly attached . Miss Burney has given us a little glimpse o f r the Bury life . When she had fi st made the ac u of i 1 8 q aintance Madame de Genl s , in 7 5 , she had been greatly prepossessed in her favour . She is “ the sweetest and most accomplished ’ Frenchwoman that she ever met with . I saw her at first with a prejudice in her dis favour from the cruel reports I had heard , but the moment I looked at her it was removed . i t There was a dign y with her sweetness , and a i m t frankness w th her odesty , hat convinced me beyond all power of report of her real wo rth and i e m t o had innocence . And , nd ed , she see s have t of for t all hrough a kind liking her , al hough she acted in opposi t ion to her oft - repeated convi e tion , and allowed the cruel reports to awe her into keepi ng aloof from the “ fascinating allurements of the lady who was so anxious to “ ” B urni correspond with cette chere M iss e . The Royalists with whom England was swarm — i D ue Li ing men l ke the de ancourt , who “ ” “ o f of t co uine spoke , with eyes fire , his q ” de B r tort D of O r u , who adored the uchess u leans , and wo ld have caned her husband in ’ r m of hi s the st eets , as the pri e cause country s — mi sery were not likely to prejudice any one adame d enli 8 M e G s . 1 5

intri ante in favour of the clever g who , as

. B ut they believed , had helped to mislead him Miss Burney expre sses herself with s uch a mys te rious and pious horror of Madame B rulart that we sincerely wish She had cited something a little more shocki n g than the following : They [Arthur Young ’ s wife and daughter] give a very unpleasant account of Madame de D e B rulart Genlis , or Sillery , or , as she is now called . They say she has established herself at

Bury , in their neighbourhood , with Mlle . la ’ P d O rle ans P irce rincesse and amela , and a C Se rc e [Henrietta y] , another young girl under m her care . They have taken a house , the aster o f which always dines with them , though Mrs . Young says he is such a low man he Should not dine with her daught er . They form twenty with themselves and household . They keep a botanist , a chemist , and a natural historian always with them . These are supposed to have been common ‘ D servants of the uke of Orleans in former days , as they always walk behind the ladies when abroad but , to make amends in the new equal ising style , they all dine together at home . They ’ visit at no house but Sir Thomas Gage s , where r they carry their harps , and f equently have music . u They have been to a B ry ball , and danced all ’ d rl an . O e s night Mlle with anybody , known or 6 1 8 Four Frenchwomen .

Br lar unknown to Madame u t . All this may sound ve ry d readful to the starched little Tory who had given up her lite rary fame for the melancholy monotony and niggard favours of ' of i t scarc e l the court Queen Charlotte , yet y “ deserves to be termed a woful change from

- that elegant , amiable , high bred Madame de “ Genlis of six years past , the apparent pattern of i female perfect on in manners, conversation , ” and delicacy . After the September massacres Madame de Genlis received a letter from the D uke of O r t leans , bidding her to return to France wi h her

. so r charge She refused to do , conside ing it unreasonable to expect her to come back at such an unsettled period . Her position was exceed i n l g y embarrassing , and her active imagination added greatly to the terrors of the situation . “ ” t o I am uneasy , sick , unhappy , she writes “ Sheridan from Bury , in the bad language for which She apologises ; surrounded by the most dreadful snares of the fraud and wicke d ness “ intrusted with the most interesting

n m m t a d sacred charge . I n the com ence en of the month of N ovember the d uke sent an emis

r n sa y charged to bri g away his daughter , if her i t . instructress refused to return wi h her Th s , ’ s he t o acting upon Sheridan s advice . decided tions laconically , unwillingly , mysteriously , and appearing most unaccountably afraid to come to m a stop . At last they confess to the re arkable ” fact that they have “ lost their way t “be ween L D ondon and over , but that they are now well o n D the road to their next stage , which is art S ford . This is a relief ; but as the journey till i n continues for an hour at least , the countess t sists , notwi hstanding all the objections of the

- incomprehensible post boys , upon stopping at a u village to inquire where she is . Abo t twenty ” i D n i two m les from artford , they obligi gly nform

u - t to her . There pon , the post boys resis ing the t L rt t las , she goes back to ondon fo hwi h , finding t o herself, strange say , at an easy and convenient

- distance from this her starting place . N o clue is given to this highly romantic e x m re pe dition a la M rs . Hardcastle . I erely or late the facts without explanation , the addition of m ow n any reflections of y , as the impartial m B ut reader can ake them for himself. when we remember the shameful trick that the First Gentleman in Europe played upon th e old D uke o f Norfolk at th e P avilion o n the Steyne when of m D u re we recall the mishaps Mada e val , as

E velina - corded in and above all , when we learn that the result of this jo urney from London to London was to cause the detention of the adame de enlis 1 M G . 89 whole party at Sheridan ’s country house for a his m i month , and consider , too , pro pt hush ng i i s up of the whole affa r , it hardly possible not to agree with hi s biographer that the trick was

of . hi m his contriving At any rate , with , at Isleworth they remained until the end of N o ve mbe r , when their host accompanied them to

[Dover . P They arrived at aris only to discover that , d ’ . O r as she had failed to return earlier , Mlle leans was then , by the recent law , included among the émigrés . N o course was Open to Madame de Genli s but to act i n accordance ’ t r wi h the duke s desire , and ca ry her pupil to a neutral country until such ti me as She Should be or excepted from the list . A day two before their departure for the place chosen —Tournay

her husband , now M . de Sillery , took them

‘ L i k o ne of to see odo s a at the theatres . It was here that Lord Edward Fitzgerald (who had u hitherto , from a dread of learned ladies , st di ously kept aloof from Madame la Comte sse) saw Pamela for the first time . She is said to m have borne a singular rese blance to Mrs . t an d Sheridan , whom he had grea ly admired , ’ Li e who , indeed , according to Moore s f , had e ven expressed a wish that after her death he should marry this very girl , whose beauty and ou 1 90 F r Frenchwomen .

resemblance to herself, her husband , fresh from

m u e nthu so e recent exc rsion to Bury , had been ia i all s st c y describing . Lord Edward fell i n love o n mm u the spot , made an i ediate acq aintance, and following them to Tournay , proposed , was of D e accepted , and there married at the end c e mbe r to the citoy enne Anne Caroline Stephanie P m Ne w Syms , otherwise a ela , born at Fogo in fo undland and , daughter of Guillaume de Brixey of Mary Syms , in the presence , and assisted

cito ennes B rulart - e by , the y Sillery and Ad le E é cito ens P E é L galit , the y hilippe galit and ouis ’ E té an P O M or . hilippe gali , General , and others D espite this ci rcumstant ial fiction (which r courtesy requi es us to preserve) , loquacious Rumo ur persists in assigni ng a very different parentage to the dear little , pale , pretty wife ,

of - as he calls her , the ill fated Fitzgerald . And , m unless we are mistaken , Ru our is supported by one of these words from his letters to his mother , D L J 1 the uchess of einster , in anuary , 794

My dear little wife has , upon the whole of been cheerful and amused , which , course, pleases me . I never have received an answer r her mother P m r f om , so that a ela is still igno ant ” o ne of what has happened . There is but per son to whom the title can allude , and amongst other thi ngs that had recently happened was the

1 2 ou 9 F r Frenchwomen . t uar r y at Bremga ten , there to remain until at i n 1 last , May , 794 , Mademoiselle was received P by her aunt , the rincess de Conti , who was i F l ving at riburg . Meanwhile her brave young brother , after fighting his way out from the camp of D umouri e z , had quietly settled down to teach mathematics in a college of the Grisons under of r the pseudonym Co by . The next halt of the countess was made at

Altona , where, amongst other things , she gained her livelihood by painting patterns for a cloth He r manufactory . husband had voted against o f the death the king , and had been guillotined 1 in 793 with the Girondins . The sole protegée Se rc e who remained to her now was Henrietta y, whom she had left at Utrecht under the prote c tion of a foreign lady . At Altona she lived at an inn called the master of which ff was well a ected to the Revolution , and where ” she was known by the name of M iss Clarke . D uring all this time (she says) it was commonly supposed that she was living with D umouriez i n f ac t , it was often asserted in her presence at ’ table d hdte i the , and , bes des , industriously cir c ulate d émi rés by all the g , who still persisted in regarding her as o ne of the principal authors of the Revol ution . Her slight connection with the general (and She insists that it was slight) Madame de Genlis. 1 93 had added to her enemies all the patriots who hated him for his treason . She managed , how ever , to live here nine months undiscovered , spending her days with the inevitable harp , her

- i nk - i be paint box , and her bottle , not om tting , sides , to diversify them with waltzes and games n i i the rooms of a neighbouring Madame Gud n , and even finding time to inspi re the admiration of m - a iddle aged baker , who made her a pro posal . While here she learned the death , on m 28th of J u 1 i the emorable ly , 794 , of Maximil an

m i of . Robespierre , and the ter inat on the Terror I was greatly surp rised at hea ring lo ud and ’ repeated knocks at my door [it w as one o clock m in the morning] , and was still ore so when of u I recognised the voice my peaceful neighbo r , i M . de Kercy [a Frenchman and patr ot who i lived in the house] . H e cr ed out to me , O uvre ouvrez it aut ue e vous embrasse z , f q j i As I did not yield to this s ngular request , he the m cried out all ore , It is you who will want m 1 to e brace me yourself open , open and at last I obeyed . M . de Kercy sprang towa rds me , crying , The tyrant is gone at last , Robes 1 im pierre is dead and , to tell the truth , I me diate l i y hugged him w th all my heart . Next day we learned that the news of his death had pro duc e d quite a contrary efl e ct on one of the most I t 1 94 Four Frenchwomen . — violent of his partisans and there were many i un an in Holste n . One of these p rofo d p olitici s was struck with such sorrow on hearing of hi s i trag cal end , that he instantly fell dead upon ” the spot . 1 In 79 5 she left Altona and went to Hamburg . ’ At P lock s she had written Les Chevaliers da ne of Cy g , a tale of the court Charlemagne , whi ch She now sold ; and during her stay at Hamburg She composed the P recis de ma con duite endant la Revolution p , which (she asserts) produced a powerful effect i n her favour through o ut it not Germany , although does appear that r i the sto ies wh ch were told about her lost , in

or r . consequence , either narrators listene s Whilst at this place she parted with H enrietta M atthi e sse n Se rce . y, who was married to a M , of m t the son a wealthy erchan . After the mar ria e m out r g Madame la Co tesse set for Be lin , where we next find he r domesticated with a u i Mademoiselle Bocq et , who kept a board ng he r school in that city , and who had received ’ with open arms . With her new admirer s aid she found a publisher for an already commenced Les Voeu T éméraires novel , x ; but no sooner of was this done than , by the influence the emi i t o i grants , the king was nduced bel eve that she conse was a most dangerous character , and in

1 6 our enchw o n 9 F Fr me .

of - getting out . Upon the landing place was a o f door , facing mine , and leading to the room émi ré an g who , Mademoiselle Bocquet told me , of t m one was a very soli ary te per , and knew no t in the house . I had received a present of two i pots of fine hyac nths . As I d read the smell of

flowers at night , and wished to leave my parlour for of door open the sake fresh air , I took it into my head to put them out on the landing ’ place , between my neighbour s door and my own . The next morning I went to take in the i i flowers , and was d sagreeably surpr sed at see i ng my beautiful hyacinths cut into little pieces u and scattered round the pots . I co ld easily guess that my emigrant nei ghbour was the author of i of this deed , which doubtless , in sp te French r i t gallant y , the libels publ shed agains me had i mm nduced him to co it . As I did not wish to i tell the inc dent that had occurred , I did not ask for any more hyacinths from those who had given me the others ; but I told a servant to buy me some . She could not find any ; but she bro ught me some other flowe rs with wh ich I one on S of filled of the pots , and pasted it a lip T ea paper , upon which I wrote these words r u m w orks i ou w ill but res ect those o p y f y , p f ’ in God. In the evening before go g to bed I put

- the pot upon the landing place , and upon waking adame de enlis 1 M G . 97 the next morn ing was very curious to ascertain the fate of my flowers . I got up immediat ely to go and look , and found to my delight that the r stranger had been satisfied with wate ing them . mm i I i ediately carried them nto the parlour , and in placing them upon a table I pe rceived hangi ng from two of the flowers , two green threads , each bearing a beautiful little cornelian ring . The emigrant had been desirous of repairing the t wrong he had done , and evidently knew hat at this time I was forming a collection of cornelian r r t inkets ; I had rings of cornelian , seals , hea ts , little boxes , and the like . All my resentment n va ished at this proceeding . The most singu emi re lar thing was , that the g stopped at that , r never w ote to me , did not ask to see me , and sent me no message . I imitated his discretion , and this was the first and last time we ever had ” anything to do with each other . M emoirs With this closes volume four of the , n t which he ceforward decrease grea ly in interest . Nothing but the vow of poverty which she had made in exile can excuse such an excessive prod i alit of u nir m g y so ve s. Mada e la Comtesse is mnibu r far too kind . D e o s ebus was just endur able ; de quibusdam utils is more than we can

. E bear ndless extracts from her own works , copious cuttings from the works of other people , 1 8 our renc omen 9 F F hw .

h spiteful little scratc es at shining reputations , de i o i miseres da monde ar ta ls petty quarrels , p leur da monde scribe u , ; rambling disc ssions a ” ro os de bottes p p , a—nd rare digressions to an eventless biography these are the farrago of not the remaining volumes , luminous now , but

m . t fl . volu inous , not fluen , but super uous The m r ate ial , in fact , is mainly what , in the earlier

ru r or m r portion , the p dent eader skipped slu be ed over —and life is too short for such interminable and irrelevant loquacity . of We shall take the liberty , therefore , com pressi n g into a few b rief sentences the more material occurrences of the long period which o ur lies between us and her death , contenting for of selves , the rest , with the reproduction such extracts as we have been able to glean from the records of her contemporaries . The friend ship with Mlle . Bocquet having terminated in r a quar el , she remained at Berlin , supporting herself by writing , making trinkets , and taking u She p pils , until was recalled to France under P t the Consulate . She came to aris , bringing wi h P her a child she had adopted in russia , Casimir

B ae ck e r t - r , af erwards a celebrated harp playe , whose attachment to his benefactress must have been a considerable solace to the pupilless old lady . She was without personal property , and

o 20 0 F ur Frenchwomen .

those about her . Money from her pensions , r u presents f om her p pils or her friends , every ” thing was distributed as soon as received , and when she died a few worn and homely articles h ' of furniture were all S e left behind he i . I n 1 8 1 6 she was visi t ed at P aris by that wild Irish girl who now Sleeps calmly enough i n the Brompton Cemetery below her shattered and — L . stringless harp Sydney , ady M organ That lady was then writing those ve ry volumes of

F rance which so roused the malevolence of Mr . “ ll Croker againsttheir w ittyWhig authoress . E e ’ ” s est etée dans la reli ion j g , she has shut her u of a ucines self p in a convent C p , the gossips u r u told her , when she inq i ed for the famo s ld m o . countess It is i possible to see her , for ” she is invisible alike to friends and strangers . L N evertheless , ady Morgan , to her delight , received an invitation to the Convent of Carme V au irard lites , in the Rue de g , where Madame

de Genlis was then domesticated . She found her in an apartment that might have answered equally fo r the oratory of a saint or the boudoir ” a u of coq ette . Books lay scattered upon the — t able a st range mixture of the sacred and pro fa ne ; a great crucifix h ung forward over the elegant Grecian couch of the Empire chaplets and rosaries contended with her lute and her adame de enlis M G . 20 1 — paintings upon the wall with bl u e silk draper

- ies;white vases , and freshly gathered flowers . t t She was now seven y , but ime had used her i tenderly . An accident , indeed , had sl ghtly injured the nose a la Rox alane which had been

so much celebrated in prose and verse , and which to use her o w n expression she had hitherto preserved i ntact in all its delicacy . The beautiful hands and feet that Madame de u Bradi praises were , we presume , as beautif l as ever ; the eyes were still full of life and exp res sion ; but the delicate features were worn and S harply marked , and the brilliant complexion which had been he r greatest beauty had wa ned r and faded . Yet infi mity seemed to have S u be spared the light and emaciated fig re , and yond these the traces of age were neither deep ” i h nor multiplied . She rece ved her visitor wit

’ a kindness and cordiality that had all the naivete and freshness of youthful feeling and yo uthful i of ad vivacity . There was noth ng age in her ” “ or L dress conversation , says ady Morgan , and u of i i vigo r , animation , a tone decis on , a rapid ty of utterance spoke the full possession of every feeling and every faculty ; and I fo und her i n the midst of occupations and pu rs uits which might startle the industry of youth to undertake ” or to accomplish . enchw o Four Fr men. When I entered her apartment she was i i pa nt ng flowers in a book , which she called her ’ herbier sacré , in which she was copying all the i plants mentioned in the B ble . She showed me h i i anot er volume , wh ch she had just fin shed , full of u i trophies and tastef l dev ces , which she called ’ ’ n l herbier de recon aissance . But I have but i i ’ l ttle time for such dle amusements , said she . s She was , in fact , then engaged in abridging ome ponderous tomes of French mémoires [probably u D i n those of the Marq is de angeau] , writing J ournal de la J eunesse i n her , and preparing for Les B attuécas the press her new novel , , which “ 1 8 1 i has since [in 7] been g ven to the world . Her harp was nevertheless well strung and tuned , her pianoforte covered with new music , and when I gave her her lute , to play for me , it did not require the drawing up of a single string . im os All was energy and occupation . It was p sible not to make some observation on such ver

satilit of a of . y t lent and variety pursuits Oh , ’ m this is nothing , said Mada e de Genlis , what on tw ent trades b I pride myself is knowing y , y ’ all of which I could earn my bread. 82 r . r e 1 o M Ba ri re saw her in 3 , two years r before the publication of the M emoi s . The “ story is the same . She is still the little lively

‘ old woman of Moore . This time the sur

20 our renchwomen 4 F F . siasticall w y drawn to ards her very soon . She is a really p retty old woman of eighty - seven

- ur ff [eighty fo ] , very une ected , with nothing of ff t t smartness , or a ec ed sta e or style , about her . We passed through her bed room (in which hung salon u a crucifix) to her , where she sat , m ch muffi e d n up , over her wood fire she had di ed ’ at three o clock , not expecting to be able to go out She , but , as the weather was fine , soon con i sented to accompany us , but she laughing sa d ‘ ’ sa belle robe she must now go without . We said in any gown she would be welcome ; she then put on a very pretty white Silk bonnet and

off . a clean frill , and we set i The old countess sa d little at dinner , but nothing was lost upon her . There was a dis tin ui she d a g party present , who drank her he lth after a most flattering speech from their host . u I thought Madame de G . cond cted herself on this occasion with much simple dignity ; yet u it was a proud moment for her . She m rmured something (and looked at me) about wishing the of u o ne health Madame Opie to be dr nk , but no ” She he r heard her but myself [ was seated next ] ,

and I was really glad . When we rose from of m table , most the gentle en accompanied

. E us The room now filled with French , nglish , and Americans ; many were presented to the Madame de Genlis . 20 5

u venerable co ntess , next to whom I sat , and then to me ; she seemed to enjoy a scene to m which for some ti e she had been a stranger . o n I found , while I was conversing some inter esting subjects , she had been observing me . ’ Afterwards she said J e vous d ime t She then of added , with an archness countenance and of vivacity manner , the remnant of her best days , je vous séme (imitating the bad pronunciation

- of some foreigner) . At half past ten I saw C .

Moreau lead Madame de G . out , and I followed

them , and paid her every attention in my power , for which she was grateful ; when I had wrap

ped her up and put on her bonnet for her , my

. M . e servant got a coach , and C , another gentl ” man , and myself conducted her home . This n 2 2 8 o d 1 0 . was the of November , 3 On the i st D 3 of ecember following the long life ended ,

and going to her in the morning , they found her

dead in her bed . We have now reached the term of a paper h whic has far exceeded its intended limits , but of which , nevertheless , makes no kind pretension L to exhaustiveness . a Comtesse de Genlis ’ devoilée to use the Abbé M ariotini s title

is still to be written . M uch that has been said to her discredit bears so plainly the impress of pe r sonal or political animosity is so manifestly 20 6 Four Frenchwomen .

- o ne hostile and ill natured , that any , working upon the neutral ground of unbiassed biography , might safely hope to vindicate her from a great f deal that has been urged against her . Un o rtu nat e l - y, Report is thousand tongued , and her enemies were many ; the records of her friends are few , their evidence meagre , and she has not mended the matter by the publication of her vo of luminous memoirs . Such a cloud insincerity broods over her seemingly outspoken pages , i such a crafty caut on lurks behind her candour , She depreciates so insidiously , so disingenuously o ne commends her friends and admirers , that grows gradually to believe herself against her ” self, to disallow her claim to clemency , to dis regard her verities , and to doubt her pious protestations . Yet we should be far from styl ing her (as did a friend who looked over the ” memoirs) a J osephine Surface . She is of more histrion than hypocrite . The glare the

St . Aubin footlights never quite faded from her face ; at no moment of her life was she utterly unconscious of the dress - circle and the

. S stalls Always upon a tage , the actress and the woman are so subtly intermingled , that it is — difficult to tell which is uppe rmost harder to separate the one from—the other . Considering her in her differe nt parts as Comedian and School

GENERAL INDE! .

2 1 2 General Index .

- ar e 2 8 1 0 2 . men ts 1 1 charact er an ec C lyl , 5 , 7, , ;

- arma no e T h e 8 0 . dot e 1 1 1 atri oti sm 1 6 C g l , , , 3 ; p , ,

° asan ova ac ue s . 1 at tract e d b music 1 C , j q , 77 9 ; y , 7 ” - - Caz ott e ro h e c of 2 . ort rai t at t w ent t hre e 1 8 , P p y , 5 53 p y , ,

m rt S . . 2 ortr it w h e n un d r t Ch a fo N . a e sen e nce , . R , 33 p , m 2 ar w e et r h h a i M . 1 1 e te to r C lly , , 9 . 9, 3 ; f ll l e ham a n e ux ather 2 0 tri a 2 1 e x e C p g , 3 5 , f , ; l ,

- hartre s . de uis P hi cution 2 2 h er de ed 2 6 C , M , 4 5 , i e os e h uk e of O r 2 tra ed b Sa e s 1 l pp J p , D 7 ; g y y ll , 3 ; “ ” ean s hi i e E alité contrasted wi th M ad . d e l , P l pp g j, 1 8 1 8 1 86 1 0 am a e 1 0 h er ce at 4, 5 , , 9 , L b ll , 3 ; ll

1 1 . th e a e . 9 Abb y , 54

Chartres u e de a t erw ards orda Abbe de . , D k [ f C y , , 9 ! in ouis hi i e ouis orn ei e i erre 1 0 20 2 1 g L P l pp , L C ll , P , 9, , , , hi i e E al i té 1 0 1 P l pp g 9 , f s inr M r 1 1 . Cos a s 1 9 y , . , 80 . M la u hesse d hartre s ad . c e ourt t i e t t errors of 1 6 C , D C o l , , 3

e . de our on 6 1 8 1 [Mll B b , 9, 4 , 3 7. 6 u hess ) r eans v 1 6 as c o o e n tr ad 1 6 . , D O l , C y , L y , 4

1 82 1 8 . ren a Mad . de 1 . , 4 C y, , 44 ’

C/z di e a u Le s Veil l e es d a Crok er 0 hn i son 2 0 0 . , , , W l , ’ ’ Ge nlis s 1 1 1 1 . n e £es Cbevalzers a n Gen , , 74 Cy g , , ’ hoiseu E ti enne u e de f1 s 1 s . C l , , D k , , 94 2 82 7 , 73 , . ’ t M l e d o Genli s s Clermon l . , , , D .

1 1 1 .

er va et t o ouis ! V I . Dacier Mad . 1 0 8 . Cl y , l L , , ,

M 1 1 . 0 D améz a ue . 8 1 1 0 . g , , 3 , 4

on ci er eri e Th e 1 6 6 an eau ar ui s de 20 2 . C g , , 9, 3 , 5 , D g , M q , an t on I 2 1 6 s7. D , , ) 3 1 5 , 3 5 7 3 °

Con dé ouis ose h rin ce au an M . 0 . , L J p , P D b , , 5

e 1 avid ac ue s ouis 1 0 . d , 8 . D , j q L , 7, 3 '

d or e t ari e n Mar D efi an d Mad . du 1 2 8 1 1 Con c , M Jea , , , , 3 , zg1 ui s d e . 1 . q , 35 , 53 , 77 ’ Con es si on s ousseau s 1 6 . 1 . f , R , 5 5 4 ’ on reve s Love or Love 1 8 . en i s ad . 1 . C g f , 7 D , , 59 ’ m nt h v on ti ri n ce ss de 1 2 . D E on de eau o e a C , P , 9 B , C ’ on t r at S oci al ousseau s . li ere . C , R , 34 , 77 ‘ ’ ’ on ve n t of e e has se 1 66 D E slon s s all e a es cr i ses 8 . C B ll C , , , 7

m u ins ami e 1 . D es o l , C ll , 5 ’ ’ F e uillans 1 D evi n o u Vi ll a e ousseau s , 9 . g , R ,

S t aire 1 1 . 1 . . Cl , 9 s4 ’ ’ ’ - on ver sati on s d E mi l ze D E i D orat aude ose h 1 . C , p , Cl J p , 54 n a ’s 1 D u arr T h e omte sse y , 74. B y, C , 5 7,

orda h ar ot te e arie 2 . C y C l . . M , — d e vii 1 2 Ei s arat D u cbesn e P er e 26 . —] , 7 ; ll M , , , h er aren ta e attain D umouri e z enera 1 1 1 2 . 5 6 ; p g , 9 , G l , 9 , 9 General Index . 2 1 3

Gen is Count Brulart de me et E . l , , s

. de S t . u in 1 0 mar M A b , 3 ; ' ‘ ’ d u cation Le Tbe at re de l ri es e . St . u i n 1 2 E , , Mll A b , 3 ; ’ G e nli s s 1 1 1 1 6 1 2 . n ow n at er as . d e Si er , , 9, 7 k l M ll y, ’ mont Mad . d 1 6 . 1 8 ui otined 1 2 Eg , , 5 9 ; g ll , 9 . ’ E mile ousseau s 1 6 aro in e d e 1 6 1 2 , R , 5 C l , 7, 7 . ! mi li e Les Con versati on s a Ste h ani e- Fe i t - E , , p l ci é D u ’ n s cre st de S aint - u E i a , 1 7 . A in C oun p y 4 b , — 1 6 1 . tes s de Si er 6 1 20 9, 74 ll y, 4, 0 5 7 ’ E nc c o édi stes 1 1 . ersona a earance 0 y l p , 3 p l pp , 1 8 ; - E ina Mad . 1 . ca acit as a wri te r 1 0 1 1 p y , , 74 p y , 9 5 ’ E s arbes M ad . d 1 0 . M e moi r s 1 1 2 irth 1 1 p , , 3 , ; b , 5 ’ Estree arécha e d 1 6. aren ts and e ducation 1 1 6 , M l , 3 p , 1 1 7 ; governe ss in embr o — y , 1 1 1 1 8 chi d- i e i n 1 0 7 ; l l f 75 , F . 1 1 8 ; novitia—te as a canone s s of ix 1 1 8 1 20 su ccess in ’ Al , ; F ar uhar s Tr i to !li e ubil ee q p j th eatri ca s 2 —1 l , 1 0 26 ; i n Cu 1 8 . ’ ’ 7 id s dres s 1 2 th r p , 4 ;fa e s l oss F uch et ish o a , , 1 2 . — B p of ort une 1 26 1 2 at ass f , 7 P y , Fa ot e s y , Mll . Ro e F ou eron g 1 2 7 imagi nary conversa d u 1 . , 3 ti o ns 1 28 musica stu di e s , l , énélon , 39 . 1 2 - 1 0 h er suitors 1 1 9 3 ; , 3 F eui llan s onvent 1 . C , marrie s . de en is 1 2 M G l , 3 ; Fitz e ra d ord n ard 1 8 g l , L , 9 ; i n conve n t of ri n 1 2 O g y, ; marri e s ame a 1 0 3 . P l , 9 i e th ere 1 2- 1 oi ns ’ l f , 3 34 ; j F ortaire uk e of P e nthievre s , D h usban d 1 i e at n is , 34 ; l f Ge l , va e t 6 8 . l , 9, 9 1 - 1 6 becomes a moth r 3 5 3 ; e , ox h r mes 1 F a e s a 8 . , C l J , 3 1 6- 1 8 oes to ourt 1 6 ’ 3 3 g C , F r a n ce ad or an s 20 0 . , L y M g , 1 h er d ebut 1 if 3 7 ; , 38 ; gay e F rance re -re vo uti onar man , p l y etw e e n 1 6 - 1 0 1 - 1 8 b 7 5 77 , 9 4 ; - ners 1 1 1 1 . , 3 4 at audreui 1 1 at ie e V l , 4 pp , F rank i n en ami n 1 l , j , 7 . - - B 3 1 42 lady in w aiting to D uch French evo ution omen R l , W es s de h art res 1 t v C , 48 ; ra el s , an d the heroes , 54 ; and h e ro 1 49 ; i ncident of th e Porch e i n e s 6 form of tria of — , 3 ; l ron s 1 1 i r , 49 5 3 ; l te ary asso vi ctims scen es in ari s — , 94 ; P , ciations 1 1 6 a an dons , 53 3 ; b - 8 1 0 1 . 9 rou e and ains w a e r 1 g g g , 64 1 65 ; gove rness to daughte r of uch ess de hart res 1 66 G . D C , ; royal pupil s and educational a e Sir h omas G g , T 1 8 . s stem 1 - , 5 y , 66 1 72 : as auth or Gaiffre th e h ar ist — , p 1 2 . ess , 7 , 1 1 charact e r b ’ ' 73 75 y Gale r i e a es ’ F e mmes Ce leores aron e ss d Oberkirch 1 , B , 75 ’ Sainte - Be uve s 1 0 , 7. 1 76 ; kn ow ledge of Engl ish Garde th e - l , ballet master 1 iterature vi i ts E n , 3 7, l , 1 77 ; s g

1 1 62 . 45 , and 1 8—1 81 descri e d b l , 7 ; b y 2 I en a 4 G er l Index .

a 1 - . W o e , 80 1 8 1 ru ture He rve Mr ater Lor H lp l ; p y , l d Bris w ith uch ess of r e ans t o] 1 8 D O l , , 3 . 1 82 a ain in E n and 1 8 ew s on Mr s . 1 ; g gl , 3 , , 73 . 1 8 d escri e d b Mi ss B ur ’ 9 ; b y ick el s p ort rait of th e Prin n e 1 — h ’ y, 84 1 8 ; at S eridan s ce ss de am a e 6 5 , L b ll , 5 . 1 8 ; at ourn a 1 8 asses Hon avre th e iani s t 1 9 T y, 9 p , p , 0 . t o S w i t z er an d 1 1 - 1 2 h u s ow M l ard r. a terw r , 9 9 H , , f a s D . of ’ and s e x e cution 2 1 as or o k 1 8 . b , 9 ; N f l , 3 “ ” Miss ark e at tona Hue M 1 2 Cl Al , , . , 9 , 9 . 1 2 in er in — ’ 9 ; l , 1 94 1 98 : un o st ein ount au d B H l , C P l , ater w or s 1 enmit of l k , 94 ; y 85 . Fren ch e mi rants 1 - g , 94 1 97 ; reca ed to F rance 1 8 en ll , 9 p I . sion from N apol eon 1 ° 99 ’ Ile dam ri n ce de Cont vow s of overt 1 h; A , P i s p y , 69 ;

s ee t 1 8 1 ' arme it e onven t 2 0 s 3 » 39 C l C , 0 ; life I n ch i ui n ord 1 at se vent 2 0 0 - 2 2 q , L , 73 ' y, 0 ; d e Issarts anca des scri e d at sevent - seven 20 2 , B l , 33 b y , 2 0 3 an in t erview w h en “ e i ht - our 2 0 —20 death J g y f , 3 5 ; , D 1 ou r n al d la e u n esse J , Gen P ul h éri de 1 2 c e 6 1 . , 7, 7 e ssn er So omon 1 62- 1 6 G , l , 3 . G l b on 1 1 I b , 5 4, 73 . 77 ! . ill M G i er . 1 0 1 1 1 2 . , , 5 , 5 , 5

i ron di sts 1 . ! erc . de 1 . G , 5 y, M , 93 i n aen 1 C , 4. on court e G M M . , . , 74 L. ramon t uch ess of G , D , 3 7, 53 1 ’ 2 L a a ette M ll e . d e Genlis s S7, 7 f y , , ,

re uz e 1 0 1 1 1 . G , 3 . G uade t 1 La arde hauveau de 2 2 , 4. G , C , , 2 udin ad 1 . G , . , 93

uer h un de La li ar e ean F . de G c y, Co t , 67. p , J , 1 6 1 L es a n t/ r s d a 9, 73 ; e e l ' If a r fie 1 jp , 7 . am a e 51 e rin cess de 6 1 H. L b ll , T P , 1 0 4 ; h er marriage—as Prin annach es e de 2 . ce ss of S avo 66 6 h us H , Mll . , 4 y, 7 ; ’ au e r ac ues hi s ortrait of band s i nfi de it and death H , J q , p l y , - m oui e t e d e orda 1 8 2 . 6 6 8 i e at a Mll . C y , , 3 7 ; l f R b ll , a e i i am 1 8 6 ro osed un ion wi th H yl y, W ll , 7 . 9 ; p p — i e er u is ! V . 2 ar e t ac e s R én é . ou 1 H b , J q , 55 , 9 7 L , 7 7 ; M ’ ’ H i n iu r f n e e s s o t rait o Mad . toin tt e s ri endshi p A f p , 73 ,

- o an d 0 . 8 2 8 h sica ortrait R l , 5 3 ; p y l p , ’ M an/ elle ousse au s - mo ra ort rait , R , 74 75 ; l p , 75 I 6 S u erinten den t of th e 441 S6 ° 7 ; p

2 1 6 General Index .

ont ensier D u e of 1 68 enthievre D u e of 6 M p k , . , k , 66 , P 4, —, onvi e . de 1 2 his oodness 6 0 M ll , M , 7. g , 9 7 ,

oore 1 8 1 8 . 8 1 8 6 1 0 1 . M , 3 , 9 , 3 , 9 , 99,

oreau 2 0 . erret auz e de 2 . M , 3 P , L , 7 ’ or an S dn e ad 2 0 0 P e r s l e u r . de Sauvi n s M g , y y, L y, , if , M g y ,

2 0 1 . 1 5 7. Pet] on de V i eneuve érdme [ ll ;J ] ,

1 ° 3 1 3 5 ’ ’ P e u le L Ami d a arat s a o e on ona arte 1 0 8 1 p , , M , N p l B p , , 99 . ’ 2 a vi ator i rst essner s , 4 N g , F , G , Philidor musician 1 2 1 0 , , 9, 3 . 1 62 . an n t r “ ” Phili on Mll e . M o af e N ecklace of Mari e Antoi p , , w ards Mad . o and 8 . nett e 8 2 R l , 3 , 43 , 79, . hi i e E al i té see hartres 2 P l pp g , C , ai es ami . N o ll f ly, 71 , 7 , 73 1 0 1 1 9 , 9 .

inot M . 1 2 2 . P , , O . i tt M r 8 8 P , . , 4, 5 . ’ u arch 0 2 6 . ber irch aronn e d 1 . t . 4 , 4 , 44, 4 O k , B , 75 , 75 Pl . 39 o i n ac ount ess u es de ie Mrs . 2 0 20 . l g C l Op , , 3 , 4 P , J ,

- 8 2 8 0 ° ri n onve n t of 1 2 1 . 7 , 97 9 O g y, C , 3 34 4)

m d u Mad . d 1 2 r ean s uk e of ath er of o pa o r e 7 , . O l , D [f P , , 7

P o eliniere . de la 1 2 . hi i e E a l ité 1 8 . M 7 P l pp g ] , 3 p , , rtr P orch eron s Th e 1 1 1 0 . D uch e ss of see C ha es . , , 5 , 7 ’ de aide d si s orta resident 1 1 1 2 . Mlle . A l [ P l , P , 4 , 4 mt ss de t er of oui s hi i e 1 6 otocka Mad . la C o e e L P l pp ] , 7, P , , 1 82 1 8 1 86 , 5 , .

P réville the actor 1 . art 8 87 , , 5 p y. 3 , 5 rison of th e i tt e 1 orce 2 s sor oun tes s of 1 80 . L l 9 , O y , C , P ,

O tt M . 1 8 1 , , 5 , 5 9 . 93 f th reater F orce o e G , 95 P . e em l e 1 of th T p , 9 , ” ’ 2 roph ec of Caz otte . P a mela ich ardson s 1 . P y , 5 , R , 79 ’ uisa e 1 Pari s Streets : R ue d Agn es P y , uisi e ux 5vi de 1 . s eau 1 0 Rue de s orde P , , 34 , 3 ; C

Mad . de 1 i ers 1 Rue atri ere 1 8 , 39, l , ; Pl , 5 ; 1 8 1 . Rue euve St . au 1 4 5 4 N P l , 5 3 ; u . P u sé ur Marq is de, 78 R u St . on oré 1 6 . y g , e H , 5 Pari si an cred u—lity in eighteenth ce n t ury 6 78 ; mob i n 1 792 , 7 Q . n i t ma sa res - a d s s c , 93 94 ; u ad rille des P rover bes 1 . ari sians of 1 80 1 1 1 . , 44 P 4, Q

ass 1 2 . P y, 7 w hen ussian rand aul I . R g P , R .

du e 8 1 . k , ’ 0 . e ti er s D er n i e r Ta l l ea n 8 Ramboui et 67 6 , 7 P l , 4, ll , , 9 a na ui aume 1 0 96 . R y l , G ll , , General Index . 2 1 7

” i n of eason . aris 1 2 1 1 2 10 5 5 of for Re g R , 34, 53 P , —, 5 ; i i on en i s on 1 . t un e 1 26 1 2 an En ish Rel g , G l , 74 , 7 ; gl u tion P r éei s d e ma eon ri son er 1 0 death 1 1 R evol , p , 3 ; , 3 . ’ ’ en i 5 St ri M 1 a u i te en d an t l a s . ce ad . . p , G l B , , 9 rm i n u St . e a o n t de I 9 G , C , 77.

i lds Sir osh ua 1 . St . u i en M . 1 . R eyi o , J , 79 J l , , 44

i h rdson Samue 1 . Mad . de 1 . R c a , l , 79 , 5 9

i ouff e 6 . St . Leu estat e of 1 6 . R , 5 , , 9

ivaro 1 0 . St artin 8 . R l , 7, S M , 7 Robes ierre M 1 Sai nte- euve 2 Galer ie p , 1 3 1 5 1 341 35 1 B , 33 , 5 ; d es F emmes Ce lebr es 1 0 , 7,

M ad de 1 0 . h m u 66 . 1 R oc a ea , . , 9 e och e ou cau d . d la 0 . Ste . e a i e 6 . R f l , M , P l g , 3 , 5 5

Roche a ue le in Mad . de a 8 . Sans on th e ex ecuti oner 2 2 j q , l , 9 , , 3 , 4,

o an d Mad. n ée Phili on 8 ° R l , , p , 5 1 5 9 - 1 0 2 1 modern re San n . de 1 , 9 59 49 ; g y, M . 54, cover of h e r ette rs 1 1 °g y l , 3 ; h ome a irondis t centre Savg ie - ari nan ari e-Th e G , 5 C g , M h istori c care er 6 h er 13 rese see ambal e ri ncess , 3 ; , L l , P ° Hi stor i u es P or de . ti ces q , 3 7 ' ° t r a its e t An eea otes w rites Sedai ne M . 1 . , 3 7 , , 54 “ r on essions - 8 S erce enri ett e de 1 1 h e C f , 3 7 3 ; y, H , 67, 83 , e ar studie s 8- conve n t 1 8 1 2 h er marria e to ly , 3 39 5 , 9 ; g u i s 0 h er outh Matth i es sen 1 st d e , 4 ; y , 43 ; M . , 94. ’ e ti i m suitors Sevi n e ari e ar ui se de sc p c s , 44 ; , 45 g , M , M q , ’ o and s courtshi 46 ; M . R l p , 38 . h er ove of B uz ot 8 Sheridan i chard rins e 47 ; l , 4 ; , R B l y, h er th eo o —0 h si 1 8 1 86 1 8 l gy , 49 5 ; p y 3 , , — menta r 1 rtrait s 0 1 M s . . cal p o ; l , —, 5 5 4 ortr t 1 2 arrest i er . de see en is Count p ai , ; , 4 ; S ll y , M G l 5 5— 5 , , rison ife 8 ex ecuti on de 1 8 . p l , 5 5 5 ; , , 9 5 8 5 9 ’ ’ M husban d of Mad . S ou ve n i r s d e F élieie Genli s s , . , , , ° — R o iti ca career 6 1 1 1 1 1 2 . . , 35 ; p l l , 3 '

arrest and esca e sui Stae Mad . de . p , 54 ; l , , 34, 45

ide . Ste rne aurence 1 . c , 59 , L , 45 “ ’ ’ ” Ron a es a e Tabl es 80 S ms anc ame a V111 , . y , N y [P l ] , , —1 m i R oti sset e . 0 . 1 8 1 8 1 8 arr es , Mll , 4 4 68, 1 3 , 5 , 9 ; ou e it s e i ht e en th - centur ord Edward F it z era d R g , g y L g l ,

i m ortance 1 6 . 0 p , 4 1 9 . ousseau ean ac ues R , J J q , 3 7,

- ' “ 1 I 1 8° 44 45 7 5 1 5 41 5 5 5

asso . T , 39 S . m T h Te pl e , e , 1 4

ri n ?th e 1 . Sa e s th e iron dist 1 . so 0 ll , G , 3 , P 9

St ubin . de 1 1 1 1 6 i n esse Mad . du 1 . . A , M , 5 , ; T , , 79 2 1 8 General Index .

hac era 1 6 . V ermond bbé de 8 . T k y , 4 , A , 9 h eatrica s in F rance rivate ir i ia Cor i ol a n u s 6 T l , p , V g l ( ) , 5 . ’ Voeu x Te mera i res Le s , , Gen ’ T hi aut Mad 1 . is s 1 . b , . , 9 l , 94

T ourn élis . de 1 1 1 2 . o taire 1 1 1 2 1 an in , M , , V l , 5 , 3 , 54 ; - ourz e e . au in e de 1 terview at F erne 1 8 1 62 T l , Mll P l , 9 , y, 5 .

93 ) 95 ° 1 0

Mad . la ar ui e e M q s d ,

1 W . 9 . 95 - T uil eri es scenes i n 90 9 1 . al o e Horace 8 1 0 W p l , , 3 , 8 . We ishau t dam 8 p , A , . V . 7 i kes i ss 80 W l , M , 1 .

a ence . de 1 2 . Wim ffe n th e i rondist 1 V l , M , 7 , G , Va ll i er e La D u elz esse de la Win am i iam , , , W ll , 1 79: 1 3 ° ’ Ge nli s s , 1 1 1 . V audreui i n ormand 1 l N y, 1 4 , 1 0 7 ! . V er niaux th e evo ti ni t g , R lu o s ,

! oun Arth ur 1 8 1 . 54. g, , 3 , 85