the women of the french salons-第64章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
de Souza； and； returning to Paris； took her place in a quiet corner of the unaccustomed world； writing softly colored romances after the manner of Mme。 de La Fayette； wearing with grace the honors her literary fame brought her； and preserving the tastes； the fine courtesies； the gentle manners； the social charms； and the delicate vivacity of the old regime。
One recalls； too； Mme。 de Duras； whose father； the noble and fearless Kersaint； was the companion of Mme。 Roland at the scaffold； who drifted to our own shores until the storms had passed； and； after saving her large fortune in Martinique； returned matured and saddened to France。 As the wife of the Duc de Duras； she gathered around her a circle of rank； talent； and distinction。 Chateaubriand； Humboldt； Curier； de Montmorency were among her friends。 What treasures of thought and conversation do these names suggest！ What memories of the past； what prophecies for the future！ Mme。 de Duras； too； wore gracefully the mantle of authorship with which she united pleasant household cares。 She； too； put something of the sad experiences of her own life into romances which reflect the melancholy of this age of restlessness and lost illusions。 She； too； like many of the women of her time whose youth had been blighted by suffering； passed into an exalted Christian strain。 The friend of Mme。 de Stael； the literary CONFIDANTE of Chateaubriand； the woman of many talents； many virtues； and many sorrows； died with words of faith and hope and divine consolation on her lips。
The devotion of Mme。 de Cantal； the mysticism of Mme。 Guyon； find a nineteenth…century counterpart in the spiritual illumination of Mme。 de Krudener。 Passing from a life of luxury and pleasure to a life of penitence and asceticism； singularly blending worldliness and piety； opening her salon with prayer； and adding a new sensation to the gay life of Paris； this adviser of Alexander I； and friend of Benjamin Constant； who put her best life into the charming romances which ranked next to 〃Corinne〃 and 〃Delphine〃 in their time； this beautiful woman； novelist； prophetess； mystic； illuminee； fanatic； with the passion of the South and the superstitious vein of the far North； disappeared from the world she had graced； and gave up her life in an ecstasy of sacrifice in the wilderness of the Crimea。
It is only to indicate the altered drift of the social life that flowed in quiet undercurrents during the Empire and came to the surface again after the Restoration； to trace lightly the slow reaction towards the finer shades of modern thought and modern morality； that I touchso briefly and so inadequatelyupon these women who represent the best side of their age； leaving altogether untouched many of equal gifts and equal note。
There is one； however； whose salon gathered into itself the last rays of the old glory； and whose fame as a social leader has eclipsed that of all her contemporaries。 Mme。 Recamier； 〃the last flower of the salons；〃 is the woman of the century who has been； perhaps； most admired； most loved； and most written about。 It has been so much the fashion to dwell upon her marvelous beauty； her kindness； and her irresistible fascination； that she has become； to some extent； an ideal figure invested with a subtle and poetic grace that folds itself about her like the invisible mantle of an enchantress。 Her actual relations to the world in which she lived extended over a long period； terminating only on the threshold of our own generation。 Without strong opinions or pronounced color； loyal to her friends rather than to her convictions； of a calm and happy temperament； gentle in character； keenly appreciative of all that was intellectually fine and rare； but without exceptional gifts herself； fascinating in manner； perfect in tact； with the beauty of an angel and the heart of a womanshe presents a fitting close to the long reign of the salons。
We hear of her first in the bizarre circles of the Consulate； as the wife of a man who was rather father than husband； young； fresh； lovely； accomplished； surrounded by the luxuries of wealth； and captivating all hearts by that indefinable charm of manner which she carried with her to the end of her life。 Both at Paris and at her country house at Clichy she was the center of a company in which the old was discreetly mingled with the new； in which enmities were tempered； antagonisms softened； and the most discordant elements brought into harmonious rapport； for the moment； at least； by her gracious word or her winning smile。 Here we find Adrien and Mathieu de Montmorency； who already testified the rare friendship that was to outlive years and misfortunes； Mme。 de Stael before her exile； Narbonne； Barrere； Bernadotte； Moreau； and many distinguished foreigners。 Lucien Bonaparte was at her feet； LaHarpe was devoted to her interests； Napoleon was trying in vain to draw her into his court； and treasuring up his failure to another。 The salon of Mme。 Recamie was not in any sense philosophical or political； but after the cruel persecution of LaHarpe； the banishment or Mme。 de Stael； and the similar misfortunes of other friends； her sympathies were too strong for her diplomacy； and it gradually fell into the ranks of the opposition。 It was well known that the emperor regarded all who went there as his enemies； and this young and innocent woman was destined to feel the full bitterness of his petty displeasure。 We cannot trace here the incidents of her varied career； the misfortunes of the father to whom she was a ministering angel； the loss of her husband's fortune and her own； the years of wandering and exile； the second period of brief and illusive prosperity； and the swift reverses which led to her final retreat。 She was at the height of her beauty and her fame in the early days of the Restoration； when her salon revived its old brilliancy； and was a center in which all parties met on neutral ground。 Her intimate relations with those in power gave it a strong political influence； but this was never a marked feature； as it was mainly personal。
But the position in which one is most inclined to recall Mme。 Recamier is in the convent of Abbaye…aux…Bois； where； divested of fortune and living in the simplest manner； she preserved for nearly thirty years the fading traditions of the old salons。 Through all the changes which tried her fortitude and revealed the latent heroism of her character； she seems to have kept her sweet serenity unbroken； bending to the passing storms with the grace of a facile nature； but never murmuring at the inevitable。 One may find in this inflexible strength and gentleness of temper a clue to the subtle fascination which held the devoted friendship of so many gifted men and women； long after the fresh charm of youth was gone。
The intellectual gifts of Mme。 Recamier； as has been said before； were not of a high or brilliant order。 She was neither profound nor original； nor given to definite thought。 Her letters were few； and she has left no written records by which she can be measured。 She read much； was familiar with current literature； also with religious works。 But the world is slow to accord a twofold superiority； and it is quite possible that the fame of her beauty has prevented full justice to her mental abilities。 Mme。 de Genlis tells us that she has a great deal of esprit。 It is certain that no woman could have held her place as the center of a distinguished literary circle and the confidante and adviser of the first literary men of her time； without a fine intellectual appreciation。 〃To love what is great；〃 said Mme。 Necker 〃is almost to be great one's self。〃 Ballanche advised her to translate Petrarch； and she even began the work； but it was never finished。 〃Believe me；〃 he writes； 〃you have at your command the genius of music； flowers； imagination； and elegance。 。 。 。 Do not fear to try your hand on the golden lyre of the poets。〃 He may have been too much blinded by a friendship that verged closely upon a more passionate sentiment to be an altogether impartial critic； but it was a high tribute to her gifts that a man of such conspicuous talents thought her capable of work so exacting。 Her qualities were those of taste an
