the women of the french salons-第48章

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es　far　towards　disproving　the　charge　of　coldness　that　has　often　been　brought　against　her。　　It　was　begun　after　she　had　reached　the　dreaded　forties；　by　the　death　bed　of　Mme。　de　Stael；　and　lasted　more　than　thirty　years。　　It　seems　to　have　been　the　single　sentiment　that　mastered　her。　　One　may　trace　in　the　letters　of　Chateaubriand　the　restless　undercurrents　of　this　life　that　was　outwardly　so　serene。　　He　writes　to　her　from　Berlin；　from　England；　from　Rome。　　He　confides　to　her　his　ambitions；　tells　her　his　anxieties；　asks　her　counsel　as　to　his　plans；　chides　her　little　jealousies；　and　commends　his　wife　to　her　care　and　attention。　　This　recalls　a　remarkable　side　of　her　relations　with　the　world。　　Women　are　not　apt　to　love　formidable　rivals；　but　the　wives　of　her　friends　apparently　shared　the　admiration　with　which　their　husbands　regarded　her。　　If　they　did　not　love　her；　they　exchanged　friendly　notes；　and　courtesies　that　were　often　more　than　cordial。　　She　consoles　Mme。　de　Montmorency　in　her　sorrow；　and　Mme。　de　Chateaubriand　asks　her　to　cheer　her　husband's　gloomy　moods。　　Indeed；　she　roused　little　of　that　bitter　jealousy　which　is　usually　the　penalty　of　exceptional　beauty　or　exceptional　gifts　of　any　sort。　　The　sharp　tongue　of　Mme。　de　Genlis　lost　its　sting　in　writing　of　her。　　She　idealized　her　as　Athenais；　in　the　novel　of　that　name；　which　has　for　its　background　the　beauties　of　Coppet；　and　vaguely　reproduces　much　of　its　life。　　The　pious　and　austere　Mme。　Swetchine；　whose　prejudices　against　her　were　so　strong　that　for　a　long　time　she　did　not　wish　to　meet　her；　confessed　herself　at　once　a　captive　to　her　〃penetrating　and　indefinable　charm。〃　　Though　she　did　not　always　escape　the　shafts　of　malice；　no　better　tribute　could　be　offered　to　the　graces　of　her　character　than　the　indulgence　with　which　she　was　regarded　by　the　most　severely　judging　of　her　own　sex。

But　she　has　her　days　of　depression。　　Chateaubriand　is　absorbed　in　his　ambitions　and　sometimes　indifferent；　his　antagonistic　attitude　towards　Montmorency；　who　is　far　the　nobler　character　of　the　two；　is　a　source　of　grief　to　her。　　She　tries　in　vain　to　reconcile　her　rival　friends。　　Once　she　feels　compelled　to　tear　herself　from　an　influence　which　is　destroying　her　happiness；　and　goes　to　Italy。　　But　she　carries　within　her　own　heart　the　seeds　of　unrest。　　She　still　follows　the　movements　of　the　man　who　occupies　so　large　a　space　in　her　horizon；　sympathizes　from　afar　with　his　disappointments；　and　cares　for　his　literary　interest；　ordering　from　Tenerani；　a　bas…relief　of　a　scene　from　〃The　Martyrs。〃

After　her　return　her　life　settles　into　more　quiet　channels。　　Chateaubriand；　embittered　by　the　chagrins　of　political　life；　welcomed　her　with　the　old　enthusiasm。　　From　this　time　he　devoted　himself　exclusively　to　letters；　and　sought　his　diversion　in　the　convent…salon　which　has　left　so　wide　a　fame；　and　of　which　he　was　always　the　central　figure。　　The　petted　man　of　genius　was　moody　and　capricious。　　His　colossal　egotism　found　its　best　solace　in　the　gentle　presence　of　the　woman　who　flattered　his　restless　vanity；　anticipated　his　wishes；　studied　his　tastes；　and　watched　every　shadow　that　flitted　across　his　face。　　He　was　in　the　habit　of　writing　her　a　few　lines　in　the　morning；　at　three　o'clock　he　visited　her；　and　they　chatted　over　their　tea　until　four；　when　favored　visitors　began　to　arrive。　　In　the　evening　it　was　a　little　world　that　met　there。　　The　names　of　Ampere；　Tocqueville；　Montalembert；　Merimee；　Thierry；　and　Sainte…Beuve　suggest　the　literary　quality　of　this　circle；　in　which　were　seen　from　time　to　time　such　foreign　celebrities　as　Sir　Humphry　and　Lady　Darcy；　Maria　Edgeworth；　Humboldt；　the　Duke　of　Hamilton；　the　gifted　Duchess　of　Devonshire；　and　Miss　Berry。　　Lamartine　read　his　〃Meditations〃　and　Delphine　Gay　her　first　poems。　　Rachel　recited；　and　Pauline　Viardot；　Garcia；　Rubini；　and　Lablache　sang。　　　Delacroix；　David；　and　Gerard　represented　the　world　of　art；　and　the　visitors　from　the　grand　monde　were　too　numerous　to　mention。　　In　this　brilliant　and　cosmopolitan　company；　what　resources　of　wit　and　knowledge；　what　charms　of　beauty　and　elegance；　what　splendors　of　rank　and　distinction　were　laid　upon　the　altar　of　the　lovely　and　adored　woman；　who　recognized　all　values；　and　never　forgot　the　kindly　word　or　the　delicate　courtesy　that　put　the　most　modest　guests　at　ease　and　brought　out　the　best　there　was　in　them！

One　day　in　1847　there　was　a　vacant　place；　and　the　faithful　Ballanche　came　no　more　from　his　rooms　across　the　street。　　A　year　later　Chateaubriand　died。　　After　the　death　of　his　wife　he　had　wished　to　marry　Mme。　Recamier；　but　she　thought　it　best　to　change　nothing；　believing　that　age　and　blindness　had　given　her　the　right　to　devote　herself　to　his　last　days。　　To　her　friends　she　said　that　if　she　married　him；　he　would　miss　the　pleasure　and　variety　of　his　daily　visits。

Old；　blind；　broken　in　health　and　spirit；　but　retaining　always　the　charm　which　had　given　her　the　empire　over　so　many　hearts；　she　followed　him　in　a　few　months。

Mme。　Recamier　represents　better　than　any　woman　of　her　time　the　peculiar　talents　that　distinguished　the　leaders　of　some　of　the　most　famous　salons。　　She　had　tact；　grace；　intelligence；　appreciation；　and　the　gift　of　inspiring　others。　　The　cleverest　men　and　women　of　the　age　were　to　be　met　in　her　drawing　room。　　One　found　there　genius；　beauty；　esprit；　elegance；　courtesy；　and　the　brilliant　conversation　which　is　the　Gallic　heritage。　　But　not　even　her　surpassing　fascination　added　to　all　these　attractions　could　revive　the　old　power　of　the　salon。　　Her　coterie　was　charming；　as　a　choice　circle　gathered　about　a　beautiful；　refined；　accomplished　woman；　and　illuminated　by　the　wit　and　intelligence　of　thoughtful　men；　will　always　be；　but　its　influence　was　limited　and　largely　personal；　and　it　has　left　no　perceptible　traces。　　Nor　has　it　had　any　noted　successor。　　It　is　no　longer　coteries　presided　over　by　clever　women　that　guide　the　age　and　mold　its　tastes　or　its　political　destinies。　　The　old　conditions　have　ceased　to　exist；　and　the　prestige　of　the　salon　is　gone。

The　causes　that　led　to　its　decline　have　been　already　more　or　less　indicated。　　Among　them；　the　decay　of　aristocratic　institutions　played　only　a　small　part。　　The　salons　were　au　fond　democratic　in　the　sense　that　all　forms　of　distinction　were　recognized　so　far　as　they　were　amenable　to　the　laws　of　taste；　which　form　the　ultimate　tribunal　of　social　fitness　in　France。　　But　it　cannot　be　denied　that　the　code　of　etiquette　which　ruled　them　had　its　foundation　in　the　traditions　of　the　noblesse。　　The　genteel　manners；　the　absence　of　egotism　and　self…assertion；　as　of　disturbing　passions；　the　fine　and　uniform　courtesy　which　is　the　poetry　of　life；　are　the　product　of　ease　and　assured　conditions。　　It　is　struggle　that　destroys　harmony　and　repose；　whatever　stronger　qualities　it　may　develop；　and　the　greater　mingling　of　classes　which　inevitably　resulted　in　this　took　something　from　the　exquisite　flavor　of　the　old　society。　　The　increase　of　wealth；　too；　created　new　standards　that　were　fatal　to　a　life　in　which　the　resources　of　wit；　learning；　and　education　in　its　highest　sense　were　the　chief　attractions。　　The　greater　perfection　of　all　forms　of　public　amusement　was　not　without　its　influence。　　Men　drifted；　also；　more　and　more　into　the　one…sided　life　of　the　club。　　Considered　as　a　social　phase；　no　single　thing　has　been　more　disastrous　to　the　unity　of　modern　society　than　this。　　But　the　most　formidable　enemy　of　the　salon　has　been　the　press。　　Intelligence　has　become　too　universal　to　be　focused　in　a　few　drawing　rooms。　　Genius　and　ambition　have　found　a　broader　arena。　　When　interest　no　longer　led　men　to　seek　the　stimulus　and　approval　of　a　powerful　coterie；　it　ceased　to　be　more　than　an　elegant　form　of　recreation；　a　theater　of　small　talents；　the　diversion　of　an　idle　hour。　　When　the　press　assumed　the　sovereignty；　the　salon　was　dethroned。




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