the women of the french salons-第57节

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　de　Souza；　and；　returning　to　Paris；　took　her　place　in　a　quiet　corner　of　the　unaccustomed　world；　writing　softly　colored　romances　after　the　manner　of　Mme。　de　La　Fayette；　wearing　with　grace　the　honors　her　literary　fame　brought　her；　and　preserving　the　tastes；　the　fine　courtesies；　the　gentle　manners；　the　social　charms；　and　the　delicate　vivacity　of　the　old　regime。

One　recalls；　too；　Mme。　de　Duras；　whose　father；　the　noble　and　fearless　Kersaint；　was　the　companion　of　Mme。　Roland　at　the　scaffold；　who　drifted　to　our　own　shores　until　the　storms　had　passed；　and；　after　saving　her　large　fortune　in　Martinique；　returned　matured　and　saddened　to　France。　　As　the　wife　of　the　Duc　de　Duras；　she　gathered　around　her　a　circle　of　rank；　talent；　and　distinction。　　Chateaubriand；　Humboldt；　Curier；　de　Montmorency　were　among　her　friends。　　What　treasures　of　thought　and　conversation　do　these　names　suggest！　　What　memories　of　the　past；　what　prophecies　for　the　future！　　Mme。　de　Duras；　too；　wore　gracefully　the　mantle　of　authorship　with　which　she　united　pleasant　household　cares。　　She；　too；　put　something　of　the　sad　experiences　of　her　own　life　into　romances　which　reflect　the　melancholy　of　this　age　of　restlessness　and　lost　illusions。　　She；　too；　like　many　of　the　women　of　her　time　whose　youth　had　been　blighted　by　suffering；　passed　into　an　exalted　Christian　strain。　　The　friend　of　Mme。　de　Stael；　the　literary　CONFIDANTE　of　Chateaubriand；　the　woman　of　many　talents；　many　virtues；　and　many　sorrows；　died　with　words　of　faith　and　hope　and　divine　consolation　on　her　lips。

The　devotion　of　Mme。　de　Cantal；　the　mysticism　of　Mme。　Guyon；　find　a　nineteenth…century　counterpart　in　the　spiritual　illumination　of　Mme。　de　Krudener。　　Passing　from　a　life　of　luxury　and　pleasure　to　a　life　of　penitence　and　asceticism；　singularly　blending　worldliness　and　piety；　opening　her　salon　with　prayer；　and　adding　a　new　sensation　to　the　gay　life　of　Paris；　this　adviser　of　Alexander　I；　and　friend　of　Benjamin　Constant；　who　put　her　best　life　into　the　charming　romances　which　ranked　next　to　〃Corinne〃　and　〃Delphine〃　in　their　time；　this　beautiful　woman；　novelist；　prophetess；　mystic；　illuminee；　fanatic；　with　the　passion　of　the　South　and　the　superstitious　vein　of　the　far　North；　disappeared　from　the　world　she　had　graced；　and　gave　up　her　life　in　an　ecstasy　of　sacrifice　in　the　wilderness　of　the　Crimea。

It　is　only　to　indicate　the　altered　drift　of　the　social　life　that　flowed　in　quiet　undercurrents　during　the　Empire　and　came　to　the　surface　again　after　the　Restoration；　to　trace　lightly　the　slow　reaction　towards　the　finer　shades　of　modern　thought　and　modern　morality；　that　I　touchso　briefly　and　so　inadequatelyupon　these　women　who　represent　the　best　side　of　their　age；　leaving　altogether　untouched　many　of　equal　gifts　and　equal　note。

There　is　one；　however；　whose　salon　gathered　into　itself　the　last　rays　of　the　old　glory；　and　whose　fame　as　a　social　leader　has　eclipsed　that　of　all　her　contemporaries。　　Mme。　Recamier；　〃the　last　flower　of　the　salons；〃　is　the　woman　of　the　century　who　has　been；　perhaps；　most　admired；　most　loved；　and　most　written　about。　　It　has　been　so　much　the　fashion　to　dwell　upon　her　marvelous　beauty；　her　kindness；　and　her　irresistible　fascination；　that　she　has　become；　to　some　extent；　an　ideal　figure　invested　with　a　subtle　and　poetic　grace　that　folds　itself　about　her　like　the　invisible　mantle　of　an　enchantress。　　Her　actual　relations　to　the　world　in　which　she　lived　extended　over　a　long　period；　terminating　only　on　the　threshold　of　our　own　generation。　　Without　strong　opinions　or　pronounced　color；　loyal　to　her　friends　rather　than　to　her　convictions；　of　a　calm　and　happy　temperament；　gentle　in　character；　keenly　appreciative　of　all　that　was　intellectually　fine　and　rare；　but　without　exceptional　gifts　herself；　fascinating　in　manner；　perfect　in　tact；　with　the　beauty　of　an　angel　and　the　heart　of　a　womanshe　presents　a　fitting　close　to　the　long　reign　of　the　salons。

We　hear　of　her　first　in　the　bizarre　circles　of　the　Consulate；　as　the　wife　of　a　man　who　was　rather　father　than　husband；　young；　fresh；　lovely；　accomplished；　surrounded　by　the　luxuries　of　wealth；　and　captivating　all　hearts　by　that　indefinable　charm　of　manner　which　she　carried　with　her　to　the　end　of　her　life。　　Both　at　Paris　and　at　her　country　house　at　Clichy　she　was　the　center　of　a　company　in　which　the　old　was　discreetly　mingled　with　the　new；　in　which　enmities　were　tempered；　antagonisms　softened；　and　the　most　discordant　elements　brought　into　harmonious　rapport；　for　the　moment；　at　least；　by　her　gracious　word　or　her　winning　smile。　　Here　we　find　Adrien　and　Mathieu　de　Montmorency；　who　already　testified　the　rare　friendship　that　was　to　outlive　years　and　misfortunes；　Mme。　de　Stael　before　her　exile；　Narbonne；　Barrere；　Bernadotte；　Moreau；　and　many　distinguished　foreigners。　　Lucien　Bonaparte　was　at　her　feet；　LaHarpe　was　devoted　to　her　interests；　Napoleon　was　trying　in　vain　to　draw　her　into　his　court；　and　treasuring　up　his　failure　to　another。　　The　salon　of　Mme。　Recamie　was　not　in　any　sense　philosophical　or　political；　but　after　the　cruel　persecution　of　LaHarpe；　the　banishment　or　Mme。　de　Stael；　and　the　similar　misfortunes　of　other　friends；　her　sympathies　were　too　strong　for　her　diplomacy；　and　it　gradually　fell　into　the　ranks　of　the　opposition。　　It　was　well　known　that　the　emperor　regarded　all　who　went　there　as　his　enemies；　and　this　young　and　innocent　woman　was　destined　to　feel　the　full　bitterness　of　his　petty　displeasure。　　We　cannot　trace　here　the　incidents　of　her　varied　career；　the　misfortunes　of　the　father　to　whom　she　was　a　ministering　angel；　the　loss　of　her　husband's　fortune　and　her　own；　the　years　of　wandering　and　exile；　the　second　period　of　brief　and　illusive　prosperity；　and　the　swift　reverses　which　led　to　her　final　retreat。　　She　was　at　the　height　of　her　beauty　and　her　fame　in　the　early　days　of　the　Restoration；　when　her　salon　revived　its　old　brilliancy；　and　was　a　center　in　which　all　parties　met　on　neutral　ground。　　Her　intimate　relations　with　those　in　power　gave　it　a　strong　political　influence；　but　this　was　never　a　marked　feature；　as　it　was　mainly　personal。

But　the　position　in　which　one　is　most　inclined　to　recall　Mme。　Recamier　is　in　the　convent　of　Abbaye…aux…Bois；　where；　divested　of　fortune　and　living　in　the　simplest　manner；　she　preserved　for　nearly　thirty　years　the　fading　traditions　of　the　old　salons。　　Through　all　the　changes　which　tried　her　fortitude　and　revealed　the　latent　heroism　of　her　character；　she　seems　to　have　kept　her　sweet　serenity　unbroken；　bending　to　the　passing　storms　with　the　grace　of　a　facile　nature；　but　never　murmuring　at　the　inevitable。　　One　may　find　in　this　inflexible　strength　and　gentleness　of　temper　a　clue　to　the　subtle　fascination　which　held　the　devoted　friendship　of　so　many　gifted　men　and　women；　long　after　the　fresh　charm　of　youth　was　gone。

The　intellectual　gifts　of　Mme。　Recamier；　as　has　been　said　before；　were　not　of　a　high　or　brilliant　order。　　She　was　neither　profound　nor　original；　nor　given　to　definite　thought。　　Her　letters　were　few；　and　she　has　left　no　written　records　by　which　she　can　be　measured。　　She　read　much；　was　familiar　with　current　literature；　also　with　religious　works。　　But　the　world　is　slow　to　accord　a　twofold　superiority；　and　it　is　quite　possible　that　the　fame　of　her　beauty　has　prevented　full　justice　to　her　mental　abilities。　　Mme。　de　Genlis　tells　us　that　she　has　a　great　deal　of　esprit。　　It　is　certain　that　no　woman　could　have　held　her　place　as　the　center　of　a　distinguished　literary　circle　and　the　confidante　and　adviser　of　the　first　literary　men　of　her　time；　without　a　fine　intellectual　appreciation。　　〃To　love　what　is　great；〃　said　Mme。　Necker　〃is　almost　to　be　great　one's　self。〃　　Ballanche　advised　her　to　translate　Petrarch；　and　she　even　began　the　work；　but　it　was　never　finished。　　〃Believe　me；〃　he　writes；　〃you　have　at　your　command　the　genius　of　music；　flowers；　imagination；　and　elegance。　。　。　。　　Do　not　fear　to　try　your　hand　on　the　golden　lyre　of　the　poets。〃　　He　may　have　been　too　much　blinded　by　a　friendship　that　verged　closely　upon　a　more　passionate　sentiment　to　be　an　altogether　impartial　critic；　but　it　was　a　high　tribute　to　her　gifts　that　a　man　of　such　conspicuous　talents　thought　her　capable　of　work　so　exacting。　　Her　qualities　were　those　of　taste　and　a　delicate　imagination　rather　than　of　reason。　　Her　musical　accomplishments　were　always　a　resource。　　She　sang；　played　the　harp　and　piano；　and　we　hear　of　her　during　a　summer　at　Albano　playing　the　organ　at　vespers　and　high　mass。　　She　danced　exquisitely；　and　it　was　her　ravishing　grace　that　suggested　the　shawl　dance　of　〃Corinne〃　to　Mme。　de　Stael　and　of　〃Valerie〃　to　Mme。　de　Krudener。　　One　can　fancy　her；　too；　at　Coppet；　playing　the　role　of　the　angel　to　Mme。　de　Stael's　Hagara　spirit　of　love　and　consolation　to　the　stormy　and　despairing　soul　of　her　friend。

But　her　real　power　lay　in　the　wonderful　harmony　of　her　nature；　in　the　subtle　penetration　that　divined　the　chagrins　and　weaknesses　of　others；　only　to　administer　a　healing　balm；　in　the　delicate　tact　that　put　people　always　on　the　best　terms　with　themselves；　and　gave　the　finest　play　to　whatever　talents　they　possessed。　　Add　to　this　a　quality　of　beauty　which　cannot　be　caught　by　pen　or　pencil；　and　one　can　understand　the　singular　sway　she　held　over　men　and　women　alike。