the women of the french salons-第52章
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ny vivid traits of the people about her； but they are； before all； the record of a soul that is rapidly burning out its casket。
〃I prefer my misery to all that the world calls happiness or pleasure；〃 she writes。 〃I shall die of it； perhaps； but that is better than never to have lived。〃
〃I have no more the strength to love；〃 she says again； 〃my soul fatigues me； torments me； I am no more sustained by anything。 I have every day a fever； and my physician； who is not the most skillful of men； repeats to me without ceasing that I am consumed by chagrin； that my pulse； my respiration； announce an active grief； and he always goes out saying； 'We have no cure for the soul。'〃
〃Adieu； my friend；〃 were her last words to him。 〃If I ever return to life I shall still love to employ it in loving you； but there is no more time。〃
One could almost wish that these letters had never come to light。 A single grand passion has always a strong hold upon the imagination and the sympathies； but two passions contending for the mastery verge upon something quite the reverse of heroic。 The note of heart…breaking despair is tragic enough； but there is a touch of comedy behind it。 Though her words have the fire； the devotion； the abandon of Heloise； they leave a certain sense of disproportion。 One is inclined to wonder if they do not overtop the feeling。
D'Alembert was her truest mourner； and fell into a profound melancholy after her death。 〃Yes；〃 he said to Marmontel； 〃she was changed； but I was not； she no longer lived for me； but I ever lived for her。 Since she is no more； I know not why I exist。 Ah！ Why have I not still to suffer those moments of bitterness that she knew so well how to sweeten and make me forget？ Do you remember the happy evenings we passed together？ Now what have I left？ I return home； and instead of herself I find only her shade。 This lodging at the Louvre is itself a tomb； which I never enter but with horror。〃 To this 〃shade〃 he wrote two expressive and well…considered eulogies； which paint in pathetic words the perfections of his friend and his own desolation。 〃Adieu； adieu； my dear Julie；〃 says the heartbroken philosopher； 〃for these eyes which I should like to close forever fill with tears in tracing these last lines； and I see no more the paper on which I write。〃 His grief called out a sympathetic letter from Frederick the Great which shows the philosophic warrior and king in a new light。 There is a touch of bitter irony in the inflated eulogy of Guibert； who gave the too…loving woman a death blow in furthering his ambition； then exhausted his vocabulary in laments and praises。 Perhaps he hoped to borrow from this friendship a fresh ray of immortality。
Whatever we may think of the strange inconsistencies of Mlle。 de Lespinasse； she is doubly interesting to us as a type that contrasts strongly with that of her age。 Her exquisite tact； her brilliant intellect； her conversational gifts； her personal charm made her the idol of the world in which she lived。 Her influence was courted； her salon was the resort of the most distinguished men of the century； and while she loved to discuss the great social problems which her friends were trying to solve； she forgot none of the graces。 With the intellectual strength and grasp of a man； she preserved always the taste； the delicacy； the tenderness of a woman。 Her faults were those of a strong nature。 Her thoughts were clear and penetrating； her expression was lively and impassioned。 But in her emotional power she reached the proportion of genius。 With 〃the most ardent soul； the liveliest fancy； the most inflammable imagination that has existed since Sappho；〃 she represents the embodied spirit of tragedy outlined against the cold； hard background of a skeptical； mocking； realistic age。 〃I love in order to live；〃 she said； 〃and I live to love。〃 This is the key…note of her life。
CHAPTER XVI。 THE SALON HELVETIQUE The Swiss Pastor's DaughterHer Social AmbitionHer Friends Mme。 de MarchaisMme。 d'HoudetotDuchesse de Lauzun Character of Mme。 NeckerDeath at CoppetClose of the most Brilliant Period of the Salons。
There was one woman who held a very prominent place in the society of this period； and who has a double interest for us； though she was not French； and never quite caught the spirit of the eighteenth…century life whose attractive forms she loved so well。 Mme。 Necker； whose history has been made so familiar through the interesting memoirs of the Comte d'Haussonville； owes her fame to her marked qualities of intellect and character rather than to the brilliancy of her social talents。 These found an admirable setting in the surroundings which her husband's fortune and political career gave her。 The Salon Helvetique had a distinctive color of its own； and was always tinged with the strong convictions and exalted ideals of the Swiss pastor's daughter； who passed through this world of intellectual affluence and moral laxity like a white angel of purityin it； but not of it。 The center of a choice and lettered circle which included the most noted men and women of her time； she brought into it not only rare gifts； a fine taste； and genuine literary enthusiasm； but the fresh charm of a noble character and a beautiful family life； with the instincts of duty and right conduct which she inherited from her simple Protestant ancestry。 She lacked a little； however； in the tact； the ease； the grace； the spontaneity； which were the essential charm of the French women。 Her social talents were a trifle theoretical。 〃She studied society；〃 says one of her critics； 〃as she would a literary question。〃 She had a theory of conducting a salon； as she had of life in general； and believed that study would attain everything。 But the ability to do a thing superlatively well is by no means always implied in the knowledge of how it ought to be done。 Social genius is as purely a gift of nature as poetry or music； and； of all others； it is the most subtle and indefinable。 It was a long step from the primitive simplicity in which Suzanne Curchod passed her childhood on the borders of Lake Leman to the complex life of a Parisian salon； and the provincial beauty； whose fair face； soft blue eyes； dignified but slightly coquettish manner； brilliant intellect； and sparkling though sometimes rather learned conversation had made her a local queen； was quick to see her own shortcomings。 She confessed that she had a new language to learn； and she never fully mastered it。 〃Mme。 Necker has talent； but it is in a sphere too elevated for one to communicate with her；〃 said Mme。 du Deffand； though she was glad to go once a week to her suppers at Saint…Ouen； and admitted that in spite of a certain stiffness and coldness she was better fitted for society than most of the grandes dames。 The salon of Mme。 Necker marks a transition point between two periods； and had two quite distinct phases。 One likes best to recall her in the freshness of her early enthusiasm； when she gave Friday dinners； modeled after those of Mme。 Geoffrin； to men of letters； and received a larger world in the evening； when her guests were enlivened by the satire of Diderot； the anecdotes of Marmontel； the brilliancy or learning of Grimm； d'Alembert； Thomas； Suard； Buffon； the Abbe Raynal； and other wits of the day； when they discussed the affairs of the Academy and decided the fate of candidates； when they listened to the recitations of Mlle。 Clairon； and the works of many authors known and unknown。 It is interesting to recall that 〃Paul and Virginia〃 was first read here。 But there was apt to be a shade of stiffness； and the conversation had sometimes too strong a flavor of pedantry。 〃No one knows better or feels more sensibly than you； my dear and very amiable friend；〃 wrote Mme。 Geoffrin； 〃the charm of friendship and its sweetness； no one makes others experience them more fully。 But you will never attain that facility； that ease； and that liberty which give to society its perfect enjoyment。〃 The Abbe Morellet complained of the austerity that always held the conversation within certain limits； and the gay little Abbe Galiani found fault with Mme。 Necker's coldness and reserve； though he addresses her as his 〃Div
