the women of the french salons-第12节

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en　she　grew　tired　of　her　parrots；　her　dogs；　her　horses；　her　comedians　and　her　violin；　she　found　solace　in　literature；　beginning　the　〃Memoirs；〃　which　were　finished　thirty　years　later；　and　writing　romances；　after　the　manner　of　Mlle。　de　Scudery。　　The　drift　of　the　first　one；　〃Les　Nouvelles　Francaises　et　les　Divertissements　de　la　Princesse　Aurelie；〃　is　suggested　by　its　title。　　It　was　woven　from　the　little　stories　or　adventures　which　were　told　to　amuse　their　solitude　by　the　small　coterie　of　women　who　had　followed　the　clouded　fortunes　of　Mademoiselle。　　A　romance　of　more　pretension　was　the　〃Princesse　de　Paphlagonie；〃　in　which　the　writer　pictures　her　own　little　court；　and　introduces　many　of　its　members　under　fictitious　names。　　These　romances　have　small　interest　for　the　world　today；　but　the　exalted　position　of　their　author　and　their　personal　character　made　them　much　talked　of　in　their　time。

It　was　in　quite　another　fashion；　however；　that　the　Grande

Mademoiselle　made　her　most　important　contribution　to　literature。　　One　day　in　1657；　while　still　in　the　country；　she　proposed　to　her　friends　to　make　pen　portraits　of　themselves；　and　set　the　fashion　by　writing　her　own；　with　a　detailed　description　of　her　physical；　mental；　and　moral　qualities。　　This　was　followed　by　carefully　drawn　pictures　of　others；　among　whom　were　Louis　XIV；　Monsieur；　and　the　Grand　Conde。　　All　were　bound　in　honor　to　give　the　lights　and　shadows　with　the　same　fidelity；　though　it　would　be　hardly　wise　to　call　them　to　too　strict　an　account　on　this　point。　　As　may　be　readily　imagined；　the　result　was　something　piquant　and　original。　　That　the　amusement　was　a　popular　one　goes　without　saying。　　People　like　to　talk　of　themselves；　not　only　because　the　subject　is　interesting；　but　because　it　gives　them　an　opportunity　of　setting　in　relief　their　virtues　and　tempering　their　foibles。　　They　like　also　to　know　what　others　think　of　themat　least；　what　others　say　of　them。　　It　is　too　much　to　expect　of　human　nature；　least　of　all；　of　French　human　nature；　that　an　agreeable　modicum　of　subtle　flattery　should　not　be　added　under　such　conditions。

When　Mademoiselle　opened　her　salon　in　the　Luxembourg；　on　her　return　from　exile；　these　portraits　formed　one　of　its　most　marked　features。　　The　salon　was　limited　mainly　to　the　nobility；　with　the　addition　of　a　few　men　of　letters。　　Among　those　who　frequented　it　on　intimate　terms　were　the　Marquise　de　Sable；　the　Comtesse　de　Maure；　the　beautiful　and　pure…hearted　Mme。　de　Hautefort；　the　dame　d'honneur　of　Anne　of　Austria；　so　hopelessly　adored　by　Louis　XIII；　and　Mme。　de　Choisy；　the　witty　wife　of　the　chancellor　of　the　Duc　d'Orleans。　　Its　most　brilliant　lights　were　Mme。　de　Sevigne；　Mme。　de　La　Fayette；　and　La　Rochefoucauld。　　It　was　here　that　Mme。　de　La　Fayette　made　the　vivid　portrait　of　her　friend　Mme。　de　Sevigne。　　〃It　flatters　me；〃　said　the　latter　long　afterwards；　〃but　those　who　loved　me　sixteen　years　ago　may　have　thought　it　true。〃　　The　beautiful　Comtesse　de　Bregy；　who　was　called　one　of　the　muses　of　the　time；　portrayed　the　Princess　Henrietta　and　the　irrepressible　Queen　Christine　of　Sweden。　　Mme。　de　Chatillon；　known　later　as　the　Duchesse　de　Mecklenbourg；　who　was　mingled　with　all　the　intrigues　of　this　period；　traces　a　very　agreeable　sketch　of　herself；　which　may　serve　as　a　specimen　of　this　interesting　diversion。　　After　minutely　describing　her　person；　which　she　evidently　regards　with　much　complacence；　she　continues：

〃I　have　a　temper　naturally　cheerful　and　a　little　given　to　raillery；　but　I　correct　this　inclination；　for　fear　of　displeasing。　　I　have　much　esprit；　and　enter　agreeably　into　conversation。　　I　have　a　pleasant　voice　and　a　modest　air。　　I　am　very　sincere　and　do　not　fail　my　friends。　　I　have　not　a　trifling　mind；　nor　do　I　cherish　a　thousand　small　malices　against　my　neighbor。　　I　love　glory　and　fine　actions。　　I　have　heart　and　ambition。　　I　am　very　sensitive　to　good　and　ill；　but　I　never　avenge　myself　for　the　ill　that　has　been　done　me；　although　I　might　have　the　inclination；　I　am　restrained　by　self…love。　　I　have　a　sweet　disposition；　take　pleasure　in　serving　my　friends；　and　fear　nothing　so　much　as　the　petty　drawing…room　quarrels　which　usually　grow　out　of　little　nothings。　　I　find　my　person　and　my　temper　constructed　something　after　this　fashion；　and　I　am　so　satisfied　with　both；　that　I　envy　no　one。　　I　leave　to　my　friends　or　to　my　enemies　the　care　of　seeking　my　faults。〃

It　was　under　this　stimulating　influence　that　La　Rochefoucauld　made　the　well…known　pen…portrait　of　himself。　　〃I　will　lack　neither　boldness　to　speak　as　freely　as　I　can　of　my　good　qualities；〃　he　writes；　〃nor　sincerity　to　avow　frankly　that　I　have　faults。〃　　After　describing　his　person；　temper；　abilities；　passions；　and　tastes；　he　adds　with　curious　candor：　〃I　am　but　little　given　to　pity；　and　do　not　wish　to　be　so　at　all。　　Nevertheless　there　is　nothing　I　would　not　do　for　an　afflicted　person；　and　I　sincerely　believe　one　should　do　all　one　can　to　show　sympathy　for　misfortune；　as　miserable　people　are　so　foolish　that　this　does　them　the　greatest　good　in　the　world；　but　I　also　hold　that　we　should　be　content　with　expressing　sympathy；　and　carefully　avoid　having　any。　　It　is　a　passion　that　is　wholly　worthless　in　a　well…regulated　mind；　that　only　serves　to　weaken　the　heart；　and　should　be　left　to　people；　who；　never　doing　anything　from　reason；　have　need　of　passion　to　stimulate　their　actions。　　I　love　my　friends；　and　I　love　them　to　such　an　extent　that　I　would　not　for　a　moment　weigh　my　interest　against　theirs。　　I　condescend　to　them；　I　patiently　endure　their　bad　temper。　　But　I　do　not　make　much　of　their　caresses；　and　I　do　not　feel　great　uneasiness　at　their　absence。〃

It　would　be　interesting　to　quote　in　full　this　sample　of　the　close　and　not　always　flattering　self…analysis　so　much　in　fashion；　but　its　length　forbids。　　Its　revelation　of　the　hidden　springs　of　character　is　at　least　unique。

The　poet　Segrais；　who　was　attached　to　Mademoiselle's　household；　collected　these　graphic　pictures　for　private　circulation；　but　they　were　so　much　in　demand　that　they　were　soon　printed　for　the　public　under　the　title　of　〃Divers　Portraits。〃　　They　served　the　double　purpose　of　furnishing　to　the　world　faithful　delineations　of　many　more　or　less　distinguished　people　and　of　setting　a　literary　fashion。　　The　taste　for　pen…portraits；　which　originated　in　the　romances　of　Mlle。　de　Scudery；　and　received　a　fresh　impulse　from　this　novel　and　personal　application；　spread　rapidly　among　all　classes。　　It　was　taken　up　by　men　of　letters　and　men　of　the　world；　the　nobility；　and　the　bourgeoisie。　　There　were　portraits　of　every　grade　of　excellence　and　every　variety　of　people；　until　they　culminated；　some　years　later　in　〃Les　Caracteres〃　of　La　Bruyere；　who　dropped　personalities　and　gave　them　the　form　of　permanent　types。　　It　is　a　literature　peculiarly　adapted　to　the　flexibility　and　fine　perception　of　the　French　mind；　and　one　in　which　it　has　been　preeminent；　from　the　analytic　but　diffuse　Mlle。　de　Scudery；　and　the　clear；　terse；　spirited　Cardinal　de　Retz；　to　the　fine；　penetrating；　and　exquisitely　finished　Sainte…Beuve；　the　prince　of　modern　critics　and　literary　artists。　　It　was　this　skill　in　vivid　delineation　that　gave　such　point　and　piquancy　to　the　memoirs　of　the　period；　which　are　little　more　than　a　series　of　brilliant　and　vigorous　sketches　of　people　outlined　upon　a　shifting　background　of　events。　　In　this　rapid　characterization　the　French　have　no　rivals。　　It　is　the　charm　of　their　fiction　as　well　as　of　their　memoirs。　　Balzac；　Victor　Hugo；　and　Daudet；　are　the　natural　successors　of　La　Bruyere　and　Saint…Simon。

The　marriage　of　Louis　XIV　shattered　one　of　the　most　brilliant　illusions　of　the　Grande　Mademoiselle；　and　it　was　about　this　time　that　she　wrote　a　characteristic　letter　to　Mme。　de　Motteville；　picturing　an　Arcadia　in　some　beautiful　forest；　where　people　are　free　to　do　as　they　like。　　The　most　ardent　apostle　of　socialism　could　hardly　dream　of　an　existence　more　democratic　or　more　Utopian。　　These　favored　men　and　women　lead　a　simple；　pastoral　life。　　They　take　care　of　the　house　and　the　garden；　milk　the　cows；　make　cheese　and　cakes；　and　tend　sheep　on　pleasant　days。　　But　this　rustic　community　must　have　its　civilized　amusements。　　They　visit；　drive；　ride　on　horseback；　paint；　design；　play　on　the　lute　or　clavecin；　and　have　all　the　new　books　sent　to　them。　　After　reading　the　lives　of　heroes　and　philosophers；　the　princess　is　convinced　that　no　one　is　perfectly　happy；　and　that　Christianity　is　desirable；　as　it　gives　hope　for　the　future。　　Her　platonic　and　Christian　republic　is　composed　of　〃amiable　and　perfect　people；〃　but　it　is　quite　free　from　the　entanglements　of　love　and　the　〃vulgar　institution　of　marriage。〃　　Mme。　de　Motteville　replies　very　gracefully；　accepting　many　of　these　ideas；　but　as　it　is　difficult　to　repress　love　altogether；　she　thinks　〃one　will　be　obliged　to　permit　that　error　which　an　old　custom　has　rendered　legitimate；　and　which　is　called　marriage。〃　　This　curious　correspondence　takes　its　color　from　the　Spanish　pastorals　which　tinged　the　romantic　literature　of　the　time　as　well　as　its　social　life。　　The　long　letters；　carefully　written　on　large　and　heavy　sheets　yellow　with　age；　have　a　peculiarly　old…time　flavor；　and　throw　a　vivid　light　upon　the　woman　who　could　play　the　role　of　a　heroine　of　Corneille　or　of　a　sentimental　shephe