the women of the french salons-第25章
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ly the society of people of the world； and of the highest intelligence； she knew no other passion than a constant and platonic tenderness。〃
The quality of character and intellect which gave Mme。 de Lambert so marked an influence； we find in her own thoughts on a great variety of subjects。 She gives us the impression of a woman altogether sensible and judicious； but not without a certain artificial tone。 Her well…considered philosophy of life had an evident groundwork of ambition and worldly wisdom； which appears always in her advice to her children。 She counsels her son to aim high and believe himself capable of great things。 〃Too much modesty；〃 she says； 〃is a languor of the soul； which prevents it from taking flight and carrying itself rapidly towards glory〃a suggestion that would be rather superfluous in this generation。 Again； she advises him to seek the society of his superiors； in order to accustom himself to respect and politeness。 〃With equals one grows negligent； the mind falls asleep。〃 But she does not regard superiority as an external thing； and says very wisely； 〃It is merit which should separate you from people； not dignity or pride。〃 By 〃people〃 she indicates all those who think meanly and commonly。 〃The court is full of them；〃 she adds。 Her standards of honor are high； and her sentiments of humanity quite in the vein of the coming age。 She urges her daughter to treat her servants with kindness。 〃One of the ancients says they should be regarded as unfortunate friends。 Think that humanity and Christianity equalize all。〃
Her criticisms on the education of women are of especial interest。 Behind her conventional tastes and her love of consideration she has a clear perception of facts and an appreciation of unfashionable truths。 She recognizes the superiority of her sex in matters of taste and in the enjoyment of 〃serious pleasures which make only the MIND LAUGH and do not trouble the heart〃 She reproaches men with 〃spoiling the dispositions nature has given to women； neglecting their education； filling their minds with nothing solid； and destining them solely to please； and to please only by their graces or their vices。〃 But she had not always the courage of her convictions； and it was doubtless quite as much her dislike of giving voice to unpopular opinions as her aversion to the publicity of authorship； that led her to buy the entire edition of her 〃Reflexions sur les Femmes；〃 which was published without her consent。
One of her marked traits was moderation。 〃The taste is spoiled by amusements；〃 she writes。 〃One becomes so accustomed to ardent pleasures that one cannot fall back upon simple ones。 We should fear great commotions of the soul； which prepare ennui and disgust。〃 This wise thought suggests the influence of Fontenelle； who impressed himself strongly upon the salons of the first half of the century。 His calm philosophy is distinctly reflected in the character of Mme。 de Lambert； also in that of Mme。 Geoffrin； with whom he was on very intimate terms。 It is said that this poet； critic； bel esprit； and courtly favorite； whom Rousseau calls 〃the daintiest pedant in the world；〃 was never swayed by any emotion whatever。 He never laughed； only smiled； never wept； never praised warmly； though he did say pretty things to women； never hurried； was never angry； never suffered； and was never moved by suffering。 〃He had the gout；〃 says one of his critics； 〃but no pain； only a foot wrapped in cotton。 He put it on a footstool； that was all。〃 It is perhaps fair to present； as the other side of the medallion； the portrait drawn by the friendly hand of Adrienne LeCouvreur。 〃The charms of his intellect often veiled its essential qualities。 Unique of his kind； he combines all that wins regard and respect。 Integrity； rectitude； equity compose his character； an imagination lively and brilliant； turns fine and delicate； expressions new and always happy ornament it。 A heart pure； actions clear； conduct uniform； and everywhere principles 。 。 。 。 Exact in friendship； scrupulous in love； nowhere failing in the attributes of a gentleman。 Suited to intercourse the most delicate； though the delight of savants； modest in his conversation； simple in his actions； his superiority is evident； but he never makes one feel it。〃 He lived a century； apparently because it was too much trouble to die。 When the weight of years made it too much trouble to live； he simply stopped。 〃I do not suffer； my friends； but I feel a certain difficulty in existing；〃 were his last words。 With this model of serene tranquillity； who analyzed the emotions as he would a problem in mathematics； and reduced life to a debit and credit account； it is easy to understand the worldly philosophy of the women who came under his influence。
But while Mme。 de Lambert had a calm and equable temperament； and loved to surround herself with an atmosphere of repose； she was not without a fine quality of sentiment。 〃I exhort you much more to cultivate your heart；〃 she writes to her son； 〃than to perfect your mind； the true greatness of the man is in the heart。〃 〃She was not only eager to serve her friends without waiting for their prayers or the humiliating exposure of their needs；〃 said Fontenelle； 〃but a good action to be done in favor of indifferent people always tempted her warmly 。 。 。。 The ill success of some acts of generosity did not correct the habit； she was always equally ready to do a kindness。〃 She has written very delicately and beautifully of friendships between men and women； and she had her own intimacies that verged upon tenderness； but were free from any shadow of reproach。 Long after her death； d'Alembert； in his academic eulogy upon de Sacy； refers touchingly to the devoted friendship that linked this elegant savant with Mme。 de Lambert。 〃It is believed；〃 says President Henault； 〃that she was married to the Marquis de Sainte…Aulaire。 He was a man of esprit； who only bethought himself； after more than sixty years； of his talent for poetry； and Mme。 de Lambert； whose house was filled with Academicians； gained him entrance into the Academy； not without strong opposition on the part of Boileau and some others。〃 Whether the report of this alliance was true or not； the families were closely united； as the daughter of Mme。 de Lambert was married to a son of Sainte…Aulaire； it is certain that the enduring affection of this ancient friend lighted the closing years of her life。
Though tinged with the new philosophy； Mme。 de Lambert regarded religion as a part of a respectable； well…ordered life。 〃Devotion is a becoming sentiment in women； and befitting in both sexes；〃 she writes。 But she clearly looked upon it as an external form； rather than an internal flame。 When about to die； at the age of eighty…six； she declined the services of a friendly confessor； and sent for an abbe who had a great reputation for esprit。 Perhaps she thought he would give her a more brilliant introduction into the next world； this points to one of her weaknesses； which was a love of consideration that carried her sometimes to the verge of affectation。 It savors a little of the hypercritical spirit that is very well illustrated by an anecdote of the witty Duchesse de Luxenbourg。 One morning she took up a prayer book that was lying upon the table and began to criticize severely the bad taste of the prayers。 A friend ventured to remark that if they were said reverently and piously； God surely would pay no attention to their good or bad form。 〃Indeed；〃 exclaimed the fastidious Marechale； whose religion was evidently a becoming phase of estheticism； 〃do not believe that。〃
The thoughts of Mme。 de Lambert； so elevated in tone； so fine in moral quality； so rich in worldly wisdom； and often so felicitous in expression； tempt one to multiply quotations； especially as they show us an intimate side of her life； of which otherwise we know very little。 Her personality is veiled。 Her human experiences； her loves； her antipathies； her mistakes； and her errors are a sealed book to us； excepting as they may be dimly revealed in the complexion of her mind。 Of her influence we need no better evidence than the fact that her salon was called the antechamber to the Academie Francaise。
The precise effect of this influence of women over the most powerful critical body ot eh century； or of any century； perhaps； we can hardly measure。 In the fact that the Academy became for a time philosophical rather than critical； and dealt with theories rather than with pure literature； we trace the finger of the more radical thinkers who made themselves so strongly felt in the salons。 Sainte=Beuve tells us that Fontenelle； with other friends of Mme。 de Lambert； first gave it this tendency； but his mission was apparently an unconscious one； and strikingly illustrates the accidental character of the sources of the intellectual currents which sometimes change the face of the world。 〃If I had a handful of truths； I should take good care not to open it；〃 said this sybarite； who would do nothing that was likely to cause him trouble。 But the truths escaped in spite of him； and these first words of the new philosophy were perhaps the more dangerous because veiled and insidious。 〃You have written the 'Histoire des Oracles；'〃 said a philosopher to him； after he had been appointed the royal censor； 〃and you refuse me your approbation。〃 〃Monsieur；〃 replied Fontenelle； 〃if I had been censor when I wrote the 'Histoire des Oracles；' I should have carefully avoided giving it my approbation。〃 But if the philosophers finally determined the drift of this learned body； it was undoubtedly the tact and diplomacy of women which constituted the most potent factor in the elections which placed them there。 The mantle of authority； so gracefully worn by Mme。 de Lambert； fell upon her successors； Mme。 Geoffrin and Mlle。 de Lespinasse； losing none of its prestige。 As a rule； the best men in France were sooner or later enrolled among the Academicians。 If a few missed the honor through failure to enlist the favor of women； as has been said； and a few better courtiers of less merit attained it； the modern press has not proved a more judicious tribunal。
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。
The life of the eighteenth century； with its restlessness； its love of amusements； its ferment of activities； and its essential frivolity； finds a more fitting representative in the Duchesse du Maine； granddaughter of the Grand Conde； and wife of the favorite son of Louis XIV； and Mme。 de Montespan。 The transition from the serene and thoughtful atmosphere which surrounded Mme。 de Lambert； to the tumultuous whirl of existence at Sceaux； was like passing from the soft light and tranquillity of a summer evening to the glare and confusion of perpetual fireworks。 Of all the unique figures of a masquerading age this small and ambitious princess was perhaps the most striking； the most pervading。 It was by no means her aim to take her place in the world as queen of a salon。 Louise…Benedicte de Bourbon belonged to the royal race； and this was by far the
