the women of the french salons-第29节
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
dividual exceptions to this limitation。 Our social life is largely a form； a whirl； a commercial relation； a display； a duty； the result of external accretion； not of internal growth。 It is not in any sense a unity； nor an expression of our best intellectual life； this seeks other channels。 Men are immersed in business and politics； and prefer the easy； less exacting atmosphere of the club。 The woman who aspires to hold a salon is confronted at the outset by this formidable rival。 She is a queen without a kingdom； presiding over a fluctuating circle without homogeneity； and composed largely of womena fact in itself fatal to the true esprit de societe。 It is true we have our literary coteries； but they are apt to savor too much of the library； we take them too seriously； and bring into them too strong a flavor of personality。 We find in them； as a rule； little trace of the spontaneity； the variety； the wit； the originality； the urbanity； the polish； that distinguished the French literary salons of the last century。 Even in their own native atmosphere； the salons exist no longer as recognized institutions。 This perfected flower of a past civilization has faded and fallen； as have all others。 The salon in its widest sense； and in some modified form； may always constitute a feature of French life； but the type has changed； and its old glory has forever departed。 In a foreign air； even in its best days； it could only have been an exotic； flourishing feebly； and lacking both color and fragrance。 As a copy of past models it is still less likely to be a living force。 Society； like government； takes its spirit and its vitality from its own soil。
CHAPTER IX。 AN ANTECHAMBER OF THE ACADEMIE FRANCAISE The Marquise de LambertHer 〃Bureau d'Esprit〃Fontenelle Advice to her SonWise Thoughts on the Education of WomenHer love of ConsiderationHer GenerosotyInfluence of Women upon the Academy。
While the gay suppers of the regent were giving a new but by no means desirable tone to the great world of Paris； and chasing away the last vestiges of the stately decorum that marked the closing days of Louis XIV； and Mme。 de Maintenon； there was one quiet drawing room which still preserved the old traditions。 The Marquise de Lambert forms a connecting link between the salons of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries； leaning to the side of the latter； intellectually； but retaining much of the finer morality that distinguished the best life of the former。 Her attitude towards the disorders of the regency was similar to that which Mme。 de Rambouillet had held towards the profligate court of Henry IV； though her salon never attained the vogue of its model。 It lacked a certain charm of youth and freshness perhaps； but it was one of the few in which gambling was not permitted； and in which conversation had not lost its serious and critical flavor。
If Mme。 de Lambert were living today she would doubtless figure openly as an author。 Her early tastes pointed clearly in that direction。 She was inclined to withdraw from the amusements of her age； and to pass her time in reading； or in noting down the thoughts that pleased her。 The natural bent of her mind was towards moral reflections。 In this quality she resembled Mme。 de Sable； but she was a woman of greater breadth and originality； though less fine and exclusive。 She wrote much in later life on educational themes； for the benefit of her children and for her own diversion； but she yielded to the prejudices of her age against the woman author； and her works were given to the world only through the medium of friends to whom she had read or lent them。 〃Women；〃 she said； 〃should have towards the sciences a modesty almost as sensitive as towards vices。〃 But in spite of her studied observance of the conventional limits which tradition still assigned to her sex； her writings suggest much more care than is usually bestowed upon the amusement of an idle hour。 If； like many other women of her time； she wrote only for her friends； she evidently doubted their discretion in the matter of secrecy。
As the child who inherited the rather formidable name of Anne Theresa de Marguenat de Coucelles was born during the last days of the Hotel de Rambouillet； she doubtless cherished many illusions regarding this famous salon。 Its influence was more or less apparent when the time came to open one of her own。 Her father was a man of feeble intellect； who died early； but her mother； a woman more noted for beauty than for decorum； was afterward married to Bachaumont； a well…known bel esprit； who appreciated the gifts of the young girl； and brought her within a circle of wits who did far more towards forming her impressible mind than her light and frivolous mother had done。 She was still very young when she became the wife of the Marquis de Lambert； an officer of distinction； to whose interests she devoted her talents and her ample fortune。 The exquisitely decorated Hotel Lambert； on the Ile Saint Louis； still retains much of its old splendor； though the finest masterpieces of Lebrun and Lesueur which ornamented its walls have found their way to the Louvre。 〃It is a home made for a sovereign who would be a philosopher；〃 wrote Voltaire to Frederick the Great。 In these magnificent salons； Mme。 de Lambert； surrounded by every luxury that wealth and taste could furnish； entertained a distinguished company。 She carried her lavish hospitalities also to Luxembourg； where she adorned the position of her husband； who was governor of that province for a short period before his death in 1686。 After this event； she was absorbed for some years in settling his affairs； which were left in great disorder； and in protecting the fortunes of her two children。 This involved her in long and vexatious lawsuits which she seems to have conducted with admirable ability。 〃There are so few great fortunes that are innocent；〃 she writes to her son； 〃that I pardon your ancestors for not leaving you one。 I have done what I could to put in order our affairs； in which there is left to women only the glory of economy。〃 It was not until the closing years of her life； from 1710 to 1733； that her social influence was at its height。 She was past sixty； at an age when the powers of most women are on the wane； when her real career began。 She fitted up luxurious apartments in the Palais Mazarin； employing artists like Watteau upon the decorations； and expending money as lavishly as if she had been in the full springtide of life； instead of the golden autumn。 Then she gathered about her a choice and lettered society； which seemed to be a world apart； a last revival of the genius of the seventeenth century； and quite out of the main drift of the period。 〃She was born with much talent；〃 writes one of her friends； 〃she cultivated it by assiduous reading； but the most beautiful flower in her crown was a noble and luminous simplicity； of which； at sixty years； she took it into her head to divest herself。 She lent herself to the public； associated with the Academicians； and established at her house a bureau d'esprit。〃 Twice a week she gave dinners； which were as noted for the cuisine as for the company； and included； among others； the best of the forty Immortals。 Here new works were read or discussed； authors talked of their plans； and candidates were proposed for vacant chairs in the Academy。 〃The learned and the lettered formed the dominant element；〃 says a critic of the time。 〃They dined at noon； and the rest of the day was passed in conversations； in readings； in literary and scientific discussions。 No card tables； it was in ready wit that each one paid his contribution。〃 Ennui never came to shed its torpors over these reunions； of which the Academy furnished the most distinguished guests； in company with grands seigneurs eager to show themselves as worthy by intelligence as by rank to play a role in these gatherings of the intellectual elite。 Fontenelle was the presiding genius of this salon； and added to its critical and literary spirit a tinge of philosophy。 This gallant savant； who was adored in society as 〃a man of rare and exquisite conversation；〃 has left many traces of himself here。 No one was so sparkling in epigram； no one talked so beautifully of love； of which he knew nothing； and no one talked to delightfully of science； of which he knew a great deal。 But he thought that knowledge needed a seasoning of sentiment to make it palatable to women。 In his 〃Pluralite des Mondes；〃 a singular melange of science and sentiment； which he had written some years before and dedicated to a daughter of the gay and learned Mme。 de La Sabliere； he talks about the stars； to la belle marquise； like a lover； but his delicate flatteries are the seasoning of serious truths。 It was the first attempt to offer science sugar…coated； and suggests the character of this coterie； which prided itself upon a discreet mingling of elevated thought with decorous gaiety。 The world moves。 Imagine a female undergraduate of Harvard or Columbia taking her astronomy diluted with sentiment！
President Henault； the life…long friend of Mme。 du Deffand； whose light criticism of a pure…minded woman might be regarded as rather flattering than otherwise； says： 〃I
