the women of the french salons-第33章
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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： 〃It was apparent that Mme。 de Lambert touched upon the time of the Hotel de Rambouillet； she was a little affected； and had not the force to overstep the limits of the prude and the precieuse。 Her salon was the rendevous of celebrated men 。 。 。 。 In the evening the scenery changed as well as the actors。 A more elegant world assembled at the suppers。 The Marquise took pleasure in receiving people who were agreeable to each other。 Her tone； however； did not vary； and she preached la belle galanterie to some who went a little beyond it。 I was of the two parties； I dogmatized in the morning and sang in the evening。〃 The two eminent Greek Scholars； La Motte and Mme。 Dacier； held spirited discussions on the merits of Homer； which came near ending in permanent ill…feeling； but the amiable hostess gave a dinner for them； 〃they drank to the health of the poet； and all was forgotten。〃 The war between the partizans of the old and the new was as lively then as it is today。 〃La Motte and Fontenelle prefer the moderns；〃 said the caustic Mme。 du Deffand； 〃but the ancients are dead； and the moderns are themselves。〃 The names of Sainte…Aulaire； de Sacy； Mairan； President Henault； and others equally scholarly and witty； suffice to indicate the quality of the conversation； which treated lightly and gracefully of the most serious things。 The Duchesse du Maine and her clever companion； Mlle。 de Launay were often among the guests； also the beautiful and brilliant Mme。 de Caylus； a niece of Mme。 de Maintenon； whom some poetical critic has styled 〃the last flower of the seventeenth century。〃 Sainte…Aulaire； tired of the perpetual excitement at Sceaux； characterized this salon by a witty quatrain：
Je suis las de l'esprit； il me met en courroux； Il me renverse la cervelle； Lambert； je viens chercher un asile chez vous； Entre La Motte et Fontenelle。
The wits of the day launched many a shaft of satire against it； as they had against the Hotel de Rambouillet a century earlier； but it was an intellectual center of great influence； and was regarded as the sanctuary of old manners as well as the asylum of new liberties。 Its decorous character gave it the epithet of 〃very respectable；〃 but this eminently respectable company； which represented the purest taste of the time； often included Adrienne Lecouvreur； who was much more remarkable for talent than for respectability。 We have a direct glimpse of it through the pen of d'Artenson：
〃I have just met with a very grievous loss in the death of the Marquise de Lambert〃 （he writes in 1733）。 〃For fifteen years I have been one of her special friends； and she has done me the favor of inviting me to her house； where it is an honor to be received。 I dined there regularly on Wednesday； which was one of her days 。 。 。 。 。 She was rich； and made a good and amiable use of her wealth； for the benefit of her friends； and above all for the unfortunate。 A pupil of Bachaumont； having frequented only the society of people of the world； and of the highest intelligence； she knew no other passion th
