the women of the french salons-第53章

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bbe　Galiani　found　fault　with　Mme。　Necker's　coldness　and　reserve；　though　he　addresses　her　as　his　〃Divinity〃　after　his　return　to　Naples；　and　his　racy　letters　give　us　vivid　and　amusing　pictures　of　these　Fridays；　which　in　his　memory　are　wholly　charming。

In　spite　of　her　firm　religious　convictions；　Mme。　Necker　cordially　welcomed　the　most　extreme　of　the　philosophers。　　〃I　have　atheistic　friends；〃　she　said。　　〃Why　not？　　They　are　unfortunate　friends。〃　　But　her　admiration　for　their　talents　by　no　means　extended　to　their　opinions；　and　she　did　not　permit　the　discussion　of　religious　questions。　　It　was　at　one　of　her　own　dinners　that　she　started　the　subscription　for　a　statue　of　Voltaire；　for　whom　she　entertained　the　warmest　friendship。　　One　may　note　here；　as　elsewhere；　a　fine　mental　poise；　a　justness　of　spirit；　and　a　discrimination　that　was　superior　to　natural　prejudices。　　Sometimes　her　frank　simplicity　was　misunderstood。　　〃There　is　a　Mme。　Necker　here；　a　pretty　woman　and　a　bel　esprit；　who　is　infatuated　with　me；　she　persecutes　me　to　have　me　at　her　house；〃　wrote　Diderot　to　Mlle。　Volland；　with　an　evident　incapacity　to　comprehend　the　innocent　appreciation　of　a　pure…hearted　woman。　　When　he　knew　her　better；　he　expressed　his　regret　that　he　had　not　known　her　sooner。　　〃You　would　certainly　have　inspired　me　with　a　taste　for　purity　and　for　delicacy；〃　he　says；　〃which　would　have　passed　from　my　soul　into　my　works。〃　　He　refers　to　her　again　as　〃a　woman　who　possesses　all　that　the　purity　of　an　angelic　soul　adds　to　an　exquisite　taste。〃

Among　the　many　distinguished　foreigners　who　found　their　way　into　this　pleasant　circle　was　her　early　lover；　Gibbon。　　The　old　days　were　far　away　when　she　presided　over　the　literary　coterie　at　Lausanne；　speculated　upon　the　mystery　of　love；　talked　of　the　possibility　of　tender　and　platonic　friendships　between　men　and　women；　after　the　fashion　of　the　precieuses；　and　wept　bitter　tears　over　the　faithlessness　of　the　embryo　historian。　　The　memory　of　her　grief　had　long　been　lost　in　the　fullness　of　subsequent　happiness；　and　one　readily　pardons　her　natural　complacency　in　the　brilliancy　of　a　position　which　took　little　added　luster　from　the　fame　of　the　man　who　had　wooed　and　so　easily　forgotten　her。

This　period　of　Mme。　Necker's　career　shows　her　character　on　a　very　engaging　side。　　Loving　her　husband　with　a　devotion　that　verged　upon　idolatry；　she　was　rich　in　the　friendship　of　men　like　Thomas；　Buffon；　Grimm；　Diderot；　and　Voltaire；　whose　respectful　tone　was　the　highest　tribute　to　her　dignity　and　her　delicacy。　　But　the　true　nature　of　a　woman　is　best　seen　in　her　relations　with　her　own　sex。　　There　are　a　thousand　fine　reserves　in　her　relations　with　men　that；　in　a　measure；　veil　her　personality。　　They　doubtless　call　out　the　most　brilliant　qualities　of　her　intellect；　and　reveal　her　character；　in　some　points；　on　its　best　and　most　lovable　side；　but　the　rare　shades　of　generous　and　unselfish　feeling　are　more　clearly　seen　in　the　intimate　friendships；　free　from　petty　vanities　and　jealous　rivalries；　rich　in　cordial　appreciation　and　disinterested　affection；　which　we　often　find　among　women　of　the　finest　type。　　It　is　impossible　that　one　so　serious　and　so　earnest　as　Mme。　Necker　should　have　cherished　such　passionate　friendships　for　her　own　sex；　if　she　had　been　as　cold　or　as　calculating　as　she　has　been　sometimes　represented。　　Her　intimacy　with　Mme。　de　Marchais；　of　which　we　have　so　many　pleasant　details；　furnishes　a　case　in　point。

This　graceful　and　vivacious　woman；　who　talked　so　eloquently　upon　philosophical；　political；　and　economic　questions；　was　the　center　of　a　circle　noted　for　its　liberal　tendencies。　　A　friend　of　Mme。　de　Pompadour；　at　whose　suppers　she　often　sang；　gifted；　witty；　and；　in　spite　of　a　certain　seriousness；　retaining　always　the　taste；　the　elegance；　the　charming　manners　which　were　her　native　heritage；　she　attracted　to　her　salon　not　only　a　distinguished　literary　company；　but　many　men　and　women　from　the　great　world　of　which　she　only　touched　the　borders。　　Mme。　Necker　had　sought　the　aid　and　advice　of　Mme。　de　Marchais　in　the　formation　of　her　own　salon；　and　had　taken　for　her　one　of　those　ardent　attachments　so　characteristic　of　earnest　and　susceptible　natures。　　She　confided　to　her　all　the　secrets　of　her　heart；　she　felt　a　double　pleasure　when　her　joys　and　her　little　troubles　were　shared　with　this　sympathetic　companion。　　〃I　had　for　her　a　passionate　affection；〃　she　says。　　〃When　I　first　saw　her　my　whole　soul　was　captivated。　　I　thought　her　one　of　those　enchanting　fairies　who　combine　all　the　gifts　of　nature　and　of　magic。　　I　loved　her；　or；　rather；　I　idolized　her。〃　　So　pure；　so　confiding；　so　far　above　reproach　herself；　she　refuses　to　see　the　faults　of　one　she　loves　so　tenderly。　　Her　letters　glow　with　exalted　sentiment。　　〃Adieu；　my　charming；　my　beautiful；　my　sweet　friend；〃　she　writes。　　〃I　embrace　you。　　I　press　you　to　my　bosom；　or；　rather；　to　my　soul；　for　it　seems　to　me　that　no　interval　can　separate　yours　from　mine。〃

But　the　character　of　Mme。　de　Marchais　was　evidently　not　equal　to　her　fascination。　　Her　vanity　was　wounded　by　the　success　of　her　friend。　　She　took　offense　at　a　trifling　incident　that　touched　her　self…love。　　〃The　great　ladies　have　disgusted　me　with　friendship；〃　she　wrote；　in　reply　to　Mme。　Necker's　efforts　to　repair　the　breach。　　They　returned　to　each　other　the　letters　so　full　of　vows　of　eternal　fidelity；　and　were　friends　no　more。　　Apparently　without　any　fault　of　her　own；　Mme。　Necker　was　left　with　an　illusion　the　less；　and　the　world　has　another　example　to　cite　of　the　frail　texture　of　feminine　friendships。

She　was　not　always；　however；　so　unfortunate　in　her　choice。　　She　found　a　more　amiable　and　constant　object　for　her　affections　in　Mme。　d'Houdetot；　a　charming　woman　who；　in　spite　of　her　errors；　held　a　very　warm　place　in　the　hearts　of　her　cotemporaries。　　We　have　met　her　before　in　the　philosophical　circles　of　La　Chevrette；　and　in　the　beautiful　promenades　of　the　valley　of　Montmorency；　where　Rousseau　offered　her　the　incense　of　a　passionate　and　poetic　love。　　She　was　facile　and　witty；　graceful　and　gay；　said　wise　and　thoughtful　things；　wrote　pleasant　verses　which　were　the　exhalations　of　her　own　heart；　and　was　the　center　of　a　limited　though　distinguished　circle；　but　her　chief　attraction　was　the　magic　of　a　sunny　temper　and　a　loving　spirit。　　〃He　only　is　unhappy　who　can　neither　love；　nor　work；　nor　die；〃　she　writes。　　Though　more　or　less　linked　with　the　literary　coteries　of　her　time；　Mme。　d'Houdetot　seems　to　have　been　singularly　free　from　the　small　vanities　and　vulgar　ambitions　so　often　met　there。　　She　loved　simple　pleasures　and　the　peaceful　scenes　of　the　country。　　〃What　more　have　we　to　desire　when　we　can　enjoy　the　pleasures　of　friendship　and　of　nature？〃　she　writes。　　〃We　may　then　pass　lightly　over　the　small　troubles　of　life。〃　　She　counsels　repose　to　her　more　restless　friend；　and　her　warm　expressions　of　affection　have　always　the　ring　of　sincerity；　which　contrasts　agreeably　with　the　artificial　tone　of　the　time。　　Mme。　d'Houdetot　lived　to　a　great　age；　preserving　always　her　youthfulness　of　spirit　and　sweet　serenity　of　temper；　in　spite　of　sharp　domestic　sorrows。　　She　took　refuge　from　these　in　the　life…long　friendship　of　Saint…Lambert；　for　whom　Mme。　Necker　has　usually　a　gracious　message。　　It　is　a　curious　commentary　upon　the　manners　of　the　age　that　one　so　rigid　and　severe　should　have　chosen　for　her　intimate　companionship　two　women　whose　lives　were　so　far　removed　from　her　own　ideal　of　reserved　decorum。　　But　she　thought　it　best　to　ignore　errors　which　her　world　did　not　regard　as　grave；　if　she　was　conscious　of　them　at　all。

One　finds　greater　pleasure　in　recalling　her　ardent　and　romantic　attachment　to　the　granddaughter　of　the　Marechale　de　Luxembourg；　the　lovely　Amelie　de　Boufflers；　Duchesse　de　Lauzun；　whose　pen…　portrait　she　sketched　so　gracefully　and　so　tenderly；　whose　gentle　sweetness　and　shy　delicacy；　in　the　rather　oppressive　glare　of　her　surroundings；　suggest　a　modest　wild　flower　astray　among　the　pretentious　beauties　of　the　hothouse；　and　whose　untimely　death　on　the　scaffold　has　left　her　fragrant　memory　entwined　with　a　garland　of　cypress。　　But　we　cannot　dwell　upon　the　intimate　phases　of　this　friendship；　whose　fine　quality　is　shown　in　the　few　scattered　leaves　of　a　correspondence　over