The Women of the French Salons | Page 4

careful study have simply been glanced at, and others have been omitted altogether. As it would be out of the question in a few pages to make an adequate portrait of women who occupy so conspicuous a place in history as Mme. De Maintenon and Mme. De Stael, the former has been reluctantly passed with a simple allusion, and the latter outlined in a brief resume not at all proportional to the relative interest or importance of the subject.
I do not claim to present a complete picture of French society, and without wishing to give too rose-colored a view, it has not seemed to me necessary to dwell upon its corrupt phases. If truth compels one sometimes to state unpleasant facts in portraying historic characters, it is as needless and unjust as in private life to repeat idle and unproved tales, or to draw imaginary conclusions from questionable data. The conflict of contemporary opinion on the simplest matters leads one often to the suspicion that all personal history is more or less disguised fiction. The best one can do in default of direct records is to accept authorities that are generally regarded as the most trustworthy.
This volume is affectionately dedicated to the memory of my mother, who followed the work with appreciative interest in its early stages, hut did not live to see its conclusion.
Amelia Gere Mason Paris, July 6, 1891
TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER I.
SALONS OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY Characteristics of French Woman--Gallic Genius for Conversation --Social Conditions--Origin of the Salons--Their Power--Their Composition--Their Records
CHAPTER II.
THE HOTEL DE RAMBOUILLET Mme. De Rambouillet--The Salon Bleu--Its Habitues--Its Diversions--Corneille--Balzac--Richelieu--Romance of the Grand Conde--the Young Bossuet--Voiture--The Duchesse de Longueville--Angelique Paulet--Julie d'Angennes--Les Precieuses Ridicules--Decline of the Salon--Influence upon Literature and Manners
CHAPTER III.
MADEMOISELLE DE SCUDERY AND THE SAMEDIS Salons of the Noblesse--"The Illustrious Sappho"--Her Romances--The Samedis--Bons Mots of Mme. Cornuel--Estimate of Mlle. De Scudery
CHAPTER IV.
LA GRANDE MADEMOISELLE Her Character--Her Heroic Part in the Fronde--Her Exile--Literary Diversions of her Salon--A Romantic Episode
CHAPTER V.
A LITERARY SALON AT PORT ROYAL Mme. De Sable--Her Worldly Life--Her Retreat--Her Friends--Pascal-- The Maxims of La Rochefoucauld--Last Days of the Marquise
CHAPTER VI.
MADAME DE SEVIGNE Her Genius--Her Youth--Her Unworthy Husband--Her Impertinent Cousin--Her love for her Daughter--Her Letters--Hotel de Carnavalet--Mme. Duplessis Guengaud--Mme. De Coulanges--The Curtain Falls
CHAPTER VII.
MADAME DE LA FAYETTE Her Friendship with Mme. De Sevigne--Her Education--Her Devotion to the Princess Henrietta--Her Salon--La Rochefoucauld-- Talent as a Diplomatist--Comparison with Mme. De Maintenon--Her Literary Work--Sadness of her Last Days--Woman in Literature
CHAPTER VIII.
SALONS OF THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY Characteristics of the Eighteenth Century--Its Epicurean Philosophy--Anecdote of Mme. Du Deffand--The Salon an Engine of Political Power--Great Influence of Woman--Salons Defined--Literary Dinners--Etiquette of the Salons--An Exotic on American Soil
CHAPTER IX.
AN ANTECHAMBER OF THE ACADEMIE FRANCAISE The Marquise de Lambert--Her "Bureau d'Esprit"--Fontenelle-- Advice to her Son--Wise Thoughts on the Education of Women--Her Love of Consideration--Her Generosity--Influence of Women upon the Academy
CHAPTER X.
THE DUCHESSE DU MAINE Her Capricious Character--Her Esprit--Mlle. De Launay--Clever Portrait of her Mistress--Perpetual Fetes at Sceaux--Voltaire and the "Divine Emilie"--Dilettante Character of this Salon
CHAPTERXI.
MADAME DE TENCIN AND MADAM DU CHATELET An Intriguing Chanoinesse--Her Singular Fascination--Her Salon--Its Philosophical Character--Mlle. Aisse--Romances of Mme. De Tencin--D'Alembert--La Belle Emilie--Voltaire--the Two Women Compared
CHAPTER XII.
MADAME GEOFFRIN AND THE PHILOSOPHERS Cradles of the New Philosophy--Noted Salons of this Period-- Character of Mme. Geoffrin--Her Practical Education--Anecdotes of her Husband--Composition of her Salon--Its Insidious Influence--Her Journey to Warsaw--Her Death
CHAPTER XIII.
ULTRA PHILOSOPHICAL SALONS--MADAME D'EPINAY Mme. De Graffigny--Baron D'Holbach--Mme. D'Epinay's Portrait of Herself--Mlle. Quinault--Rousseau--La Chevrette--Grimm--Diderot-- The Abbe Galiani--Estimate of Mme. D'Epinay
CHAPTER XIV.
SALONS OF THE NOBLESSE--MADAME DU DEFFAND La Marechale de Luxenbourg--The Temple--Comtesse de Boufflers--Mme. Du Dufand--Her Convent Salon--Rupture with Mlle. De Lespinasse--Her Friendship with Horace Walpole--Her Brilliancy and her Ennui
CHAPTER XV.
MADEMOISELLE DE LESPINASSE A Romantic Career--Companion of Mme. Du Deffand--Rival Salons-- Association with the Encyclopedists--D'Alembert--A Heart Tragedy-- Impassioned Letters--A Type Unique in her Age
CHAPTER XVI.
THE SALON HELVETIQUE The Swiss Pastor's Daughter--Her Social Ambition--Her Friends Mme. De Marchais--Mme. D'Houdetot--Duchesse de Lauzun--Character of Mme. Necker--Death at Coppet--Close of the Most Brilliant Period of the Salons
CHAPTER XVII.
SALONS OF THE REVOLUTION--MADAME ROLAND Change in the Character of the Salons--Mme. De Condorcet--Mme. Roland's Story of her Own Life--A Marriage of Reason--Enthusiasm for the Revolution--Her Modest Salon--Her Tragical Fate
CHAPTER XVIII.
MADAM DE STAEL Supremacy of Her Genius--Her Early Training--Her Sensibility--A Mariage de Convenance--Her Salon--Anecdote of Benjamin Constant-- Her Exile--Life at Coppet--Secret Marriage--Close of a Stormy Life
CHAPTER XIX.
SALONS OF THE EMPIRE AND RESTORATION--MADAME RECAMIER A Transition period--Mme. De Montesson--Mme. De Genus--Revival of the Literary Spirit--Mme. De Beaumont--Mme. De Remusat--Mme. De Souza--Mme. De Duras--Mme. De Krudener--Fascination of Mme. Recamier--Her Friends--Her Convent Salon--Chateaubriand Decline of the Salon
CHAPTER I.
SALONS OF THE SEVENTEENTH CENTURY Characteristics of French Woman--Gallic Genius for Conversation --Social Conditions--Origin of the Salons--Their Power--Their Composition--Their Records.
"Inspire, but do not write," said LeBrun to women. Whatever we may think today of this rather superfluous advice, we can readily pardon a man living in the atmosphere of the old French salons, for falling somewhat