The　Women　of　the　French　Salons
  By　Amelia　Gere　Mason
  PREFACE
  It　has　been　a　labor　of　love　with　many　distinguished　Frenchmen　to　recall　the　memories　of　the　women　who　have　made　their　society　so　illustrious；　and　to　retouch　with　sympathetic　insight　the　features　which　time　was　beginning　to　dim。　　One　naturally　hesitates　to　enter　a　field　that　has　been　gleaned　so　carefully；　and　with　such　brilliant　results；　by　men　like　Cousin；　Sainte…Beuve；　Goncourt；　and　others　of　lesser　note。　　But　the　social　life　of　the　two　centuries　in　which　women　played　so　important　a　role　in　France　is　always　full　of　human　interest　from　whatever　point　of　view　one　may　regard　it。　　If　there　is　not　a　great　deal　to　be　said　that　is　new；　old　facts　may　be　grouped　afresh；　and　old　modes　of　life　and　thought　measured　by　modern　standards。
  In　searching　through　the　numerous　memoirs；　chronicles；　letters；　and　original　manuscripts　in　which　the　records　of　these　centuries　are　hidden　away；　nothing　has　struck　me　so　forcibly　as　the　remarkable　mental　vigor　and　the　far…reaching　influence　of　women　whose　theater　was　mainly　a　social　one。　　Though　society　has　its　frivolities；　it　has　also　its　serious　side；　and　it　is　through　the　phase　of　social　evolution　that　was　begun　in　the　salons　that　women　have　attained　the　position　they　hold　today。　　However　beautiful；　or　valuable；　or　poetic　may　have　been　the　feminine　types　of　other　nationalities；　it　is　in　France　that　we　find　the　forerunners　of　the　intelligent；　self…poised；　clear…sighted；　independent　modern　woman。　　It　is　possible　that　in　the　search　for　larger　fields　the　smaller　but　not　less　important　ones　have　been　in　a　measure　forgotten。　　The　great　stream　of　civilization　flows　from　a　thousand　unnoted　rills　that　make　sweet　music　in　their　course；　and　swell　the　current　as　surely　as　the　more　noisy　torrent。　　The　conditions　of　the　past　cannot　be　revived；　nor　are　they　desirable。　　The　present　has　its　own　theories　and　its　own　methods。　　But　at　a　time　when　the　reign　of　luxury　is　rapidly　establishing　false　standards；　and　the　best　intellectual　life　makes　hopeless　struggles　against　an　ever　aggressive　materialism；　it　may　be　profitable　as　well　as　interesting　to　consider　the　possibilities　that　lie　in　a　society　equally　removed　from　frivolity　and　pretension；　inspired　by　the　talent；　the　sincerity；　and　the　moral　force　of　American　women；　and　borrowing　a　new　element　of　fascination　from　the　simple　and　charming　but　polite　informality　of　the　old　salons。
  It　has　been　the　aim　in　these　studies　to　gather　within　a　limited　compass　the　women　who　represented　the　social　life　of　their　time　on　its　most　intellectual　side；　and　to　trace　lightly　their　influence　upon　civilization　through　the　avenues　of　literature　and　manners。　　Though　the　work　may　lose　something　in　fullness　from　the　effort　to　put　so　much　into　so　small　a　space；　perhaps　there　is　some　compensation　in　the　opportunity　of　comparing；　in　one　gallery；　the　women　who　exercised　the　greatest　power　in　France　for　a　period　of　more　than　two　hundred　years。　　The　impossibility　of　entering　into　the　details　of　so　many　lives　in　a　single　volume　is　clearly　apparent。　　Only　the　most　salient　points　can　be　considered。　　Many　who　would　amply　repay　a　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　WomanGallic　Genius　for　Conversation　Social　ConditionsOrigin　of　the　SalonsTheir　PowerTheir　CompositionTheir　Records
  CHAPTER　II。　THE　HOTEL　DE　RAMBOUILLET　Mme。　De　RambouilletThe　Salon　BleuIts　HabituesIts　DiversionsCorneilleBalzacRichelieuRomance　of　the　Grand　Condethe　Young　BossuetVoitureThe　Duchesse　de　LonguevilleAngelique　PauletJulie　d'AngennesLes　Precieuses　RidiculesDecline　of　the　SalonInfluence　upon　Literature　and　Manners
  CHAPTER　III。　MADEMOISELLE　DE　SCUDERY　AND　THE　SAMEDIS　Salons　of　the　Noblesse〃The　Illustrious　Sappho〃Her　RomancesThe　SamedisBons　Mots　of　Mme。　CornuelEstimate　of　Mlle。　De　Scudery
  CHAPTER　IV。　LA　GRANDE　MADEMOISELLE　Her　CharacterHer　Heroic　Part　in　the　FrondeHer　ExileLiterary　Diversions　of　her　SalonA　Romantic　Episode
  CHAPTER　V。　A　LITERARY　SALON　AT　PORT　ROYAL　Mme。　De　SableHer　Worldly　LifeHer　RetreatHer　FriendsPascal　The　Maxims　of　La　RochefoucauldLast　Days　of　the　Marquise
  CHAPTER　VI。　MADAME　DE　SEVIGNE　Her　GeniusHer　YouthHer　Unworthy　HusbandHer　Impertinent　CousinHer　love　for　her　DaughterHer　LettersHotel　de　CarnavaletMme。　Duplessis　GuengaudMme。　De　CoulangesThe　Curtain　Falls
  CHAPTER　VII。　MADAME　DE　LA　FAYETTE　Her　Friendship　with　Mme。　De　SevigneHer　EducationHer　Devotion　to　the　Princess　HenriettaHer　SalonLa　Rochefoucauld　　Talent　as　a　DiplomatistComparison　with　Mme。　De　MaintenonHer　Literary　WorkSadness　of　her　Last　DaysWoman　in　Literature
  CHAPTER　VIII。　SALONS　OF　THE　EIGHTEENTH　CENTURY　Characteristics　of　the　Eighteenth　CenturyIts　Epicurean　PhilosophyAnecdote　of　Mme。　Du　DeffandThe　Salon　an　Engine　of　Political　PowerGreat　Influence　of　WomanSalons　DefinedLiterary　DinnersEtiquette　of　the　SalonsAn　Exotic　on　American　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　GenerosityInfluence　of　Women　upon　the　Academy
  CHAPTER　X。　THE　DUCHESSE　DU　MAINE　Her　Capricious　CharacterHer　EspritMlle。　De　LaunayClever　Portrait　of　her　MistressPerpetual　Fetes　at　SceauxVoltaire　and　the　〃Divine　Emilie〃Dilettante　Character　of　this　Salon
  CHAPTERXI。　MADAME　DE　TENCIN　AND　MADAM　DU　CHATELET　An　Intriguing　ChanoinesseHer　Singular　FascinationHer　SalonIts　Philosophical　CharacterMlle。　AisseRomances　of　Mme。　De　TencinD'AlembertLa　Belle　EmilieVoltairethe　Two　Women　Compared
  CHAPTER　XII。　MADAME　GEOFFRIN　AND　THE　PHILOSOPHERS　Cradles　of　the　New　PhilosophyNoted　Salons　of　this　Period　Character　of　Mme。　GeoffrinHer　Practical　EducationAnecdotes　of　her　HusbandComposition　of　her　SalonIts　Insidious　InfluenceHer　Journey　to　WarsawHer　Death
  CHAPTER　XIII。　ULTRA　PHILOSOPHICAL　SALONSMADAME　D'EPINAY　Mme。　De　GraffignyBaron　D'HolbachMme。　D'Epinay's　Portrait　of　HerselfMlle。　QuinaultRousseauLa　ChevretteGrimmDiderot　The　Abbe　GalianiEstimate　of　Mme。　D'Epinay
  CHAPTER　XIV。　SALONS　OF　THE　NOBLESSEMADAME　DU　DEFFAND　La　Marechale　de　LuxenbourgThe　TempleComtesse　de　BoufflersMme。　Du　DufandHer　Convent　SalonRupture　with　Mlle。　De　LespinasseHer　Friendship　with　Horace　WalpoleHer　Brilliancy　and　her　Ennui
  CHAPTER　XV。　MADEMOISELLE　DE　LESPINASSE　A　Romantic　CareerCompanion　of　Mme。　Du　DeffandRival　Salons　Association　with　the　EncyclopedistsD'AlembertA　Heart　Tragedy　Impassioned　LettersA　Type　Unique　in　her　Age
  CHAPTER　XVI。　THE　SALON　HELVETIQUE　The　Swiss　Pastor's　DaughterHer　Social　AmbitionHer　Friends　　　Mme。　De　MarchaisMme。　D'HoudetotDuchesse　de　LauzunCharacter　of　Mme。　NeckerDeath　at　CoppetClose　of　the　Most　Brilliant　Period　of　the　Salons
  CHAPTER　XVII。　SALONS　OF　THE　REVOLUTIONMADAME　ROLAND　Change　in　the　Character　of　the　SalonsMme。　De　CondorcetMme。　Roland's　Story　of　her　Own　LifeA　Marriage　of　ReasonEnthusiasm　for　the　RevolutionHer　Modest　SalonHer　Tragical　Fate
  CHAPTER　XVIII。　MADAM　DE　STAEL　Supremacy　of　Her　GeniusHer　Early　TrainingHer　SensibilityA　Mariage　de　ConvenanceHer　SalonAnecdote　of　Benjamin　Constant　Her　ExileLife　at　CoppetSecret　MarriageClose　of　a　Stormy　Life
  CHAPTER　XIX。　SALONS　OF　THE　EMPIRE　AND　RESTORATIONMADAME　RECAMIER　A　Transition　periodMme。　De　MontessonMme。　De　GenusRevival　of　the　Literary　SpiritMme。　De　BeaumontMme。　De　RemusatMme。　De　SouzaMme。　De　DurasMme。　De　KrudenerFascination　of　Mme。　RecamierHer　FriendsHer　Convent　SalonChateaubriand　　　Decline　of　the　Salon
  CHAPTER　I。　SALONS　OF　THE　SEVENTEENTH　CENTURY　Characteristics　of　French　WomanGallic　Genius　for　Conversation　Social　ConditionsOrigin　of　the　SalonsTheir　PowerTheir　CompositionTheir　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