The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-07-25 00:00:00

MEMOIR OF MADEMOISELLE LENORNIAND,
THE CELEBRATED PARISIAN FORTUNE-
TELLER.

A thick and impenetrable veil has again fallen between
us and futurity. The hand that was enabled to raise this
veil is dead. Mdlle.- Lenormand has been removed from
her practice in the occult sciences by the hand of death.
The death of this celebrated woman cannot fail to pro-
duce a great sensation in a al orld where she had a very
extensive chenille amongst the very first classes of soci-
ety. Established on the most solid bases, accredited by
extraordinary success, and patronised by the most famous
names of our age, the vogue of this modern sibyl main-
tained itself during 50 years in the midst of revolutions
and vicissitudes of every kind, coming triumphantly out
of every trial, braving doubts, scepticism, railleries, and
instilling mysterious convictions into the most rebellious
minds.

From the earliest age Mdlle. Lenormand was put in
communication with heavenly bodies; she was only seven
years of age when she felt herself suddenly endued with
this supernatural intelligence. Her de'but in the art of
divination took place in the convent of the Benedictines,
where she learnt her first catechism. The youthful scho-
lar predicted that the head of the convent would be soon
discharged. She was put en penitence for this prediction,
but it turned out to be a true one. She followed her pre-
diction up by pointing out the name, the age, the titles
and history of the individual who would succeed to the
office. Several candidates came forward for the situation,
but the successful one fully agreed with the description
givzn by the youthful prophetess.
There was in this success an evident opening to future
fame which was not to be neglected, and, on leaving the
convent, Mdlle. Lenormand set herself up as a fortune-
teller. The moment was favourable to such a wild and
romantic plan ; agitation and disorder reigned abroad, the
future was veiled in clouds, there was nothing but dark-
ness in the horizon, and the sibyl was welcomed in the
midst of such gloomy uncertainty and formidable enigmas.
Hers was, alas ! but a sad privilege, to be enabled thus
to read the book of fate. What scenes of blood did it not
reveal to her ! and the cards often fell from her hands
whilst reading the horrors which they foretold to her pro-
phetic mind.
After the people of the court, who for some time com-
posed the majority of her customers, the cave of the sibyl
was visited by the ferocious Montagnards. They had been
informed that the Romans had been in the habit of con-
LtheenoGrrmaaeenidti,cothne-
soe stow consultedt:luiquite
o n a the p
ar citizen
with
th
con-
sulting soothsayers ; they had heard of the sibyl of Climes ;
sa ildde rtehdo st
eewmh
Scipios, and the Brutuses of that day.
At a late hour one evening three men presented them-
selves at her house, and smilingly told her that they came
for the purpose of learning their tuture destinies. She took
their hands in hers and recoiled with horror.
" Do not be alarmed," said the younger of the three,
"speak unreservedly' our minds are strong, and what-
ever you may have to reveal to us, we shall hear it with-
out dread."

Not being able to conquer her emotion the sibyl con-
tinued to turn over her cards, and could not find courage
enough to deliver her oracle. At length, however, she
yielded to their encouraging worth, and her three visitors
received with shouts of laughter the sinister fate she pro-
nounced to be reserved for them ; and their gaiety was
not cowed even when they heard themselves doomed to
meet a tragical end. _

" It is clear," said they to each other, on leaving the
place, " that the oracle is deceived ; if the revolution de-
stroys us, we shall all fall on the same day, on the same
hour, and in the same place."
" That is true, replied one of them, " and that woman
knew not what she was talking about when she said I
should fall before you two, and that great honours will at-
tend my funeral, while, on the contrary, your last moments
will be insulted by the people."
" She has calumniated the people! Suppose we denounce
her to the Tribunal ?"

" Bah ! Some licence must be given to a prophetess."
The sibyl of Curves was never molested.

Saying this, Robespierre, IVlarli,—;7l Saint Just, for
those were the men who had just consulted their fates,
r paired to the Committee of Public Safety, where they
talked of any thing but of Mdlle. Lenormand. The death
of Marat, which happened shortly after, verified part of
the prognostication of the oracle. Saint Just and Robe-
spiere returned soon after this event to the sibyl, but she
was very much on her guard in her remarks, and did her
best to weaken the effect of her first prediction. Unfor-
tunately on succeeding consultations she was less discreet,
and her prophetic ardour brought her at length within the
walls of a prison, from which she was led to execution.
Occupied alone with observing the fortunes of others,
she allowed herself to he surprised by dangers which she
might have avoided by consulting the lines in her own
hand.

The re-action of Thermidor however saved the life of
Nldlle. Lenormand. It was never known whether she had
ever foretold this event. The persecution of which she had
been the victim brought Mdlle. Lenormand even more re-
nown than before.

She had scarcely returned to her house before she was
visited by a young woman dressed in mourning, and with
a very sorrowful conntenance.

" Your grief is legitimate, madam," said the sibyl,
" but you must have expected the blow which has
reached you ; this misfortune was indispensable to the
realisation of a prophecy which had previously been made
you.,,

" What ! You know ?" cried the young widow, raising
her thick black veil.

" I know that a brilliant fortune has been predicted for
you."

And that prediction-.
" Will be realised."

These words, if not a consolation, were at least some-
what of a soothing balm poured into the wounds of the
sorrowing widow. Josephine Beauharnis turned her re-
gards by degrees from past misfortune to carry them to-
wards a more brilliant fortune. Her Creole imagination
was raised by these two predictions which, after an inter-
val of 20 years, promised her a crown. The Parisian
sibyl had confirmed the oracle pronounced many years
before by a fortune-teller of Martinique. This was
enough to raise the fame of Mdlle. Lenormand, and to
make her quit the rage amongst the fine ladies of the Di-
rectory, Madame Tallien, Madame Recamier, and a num-
ber of elegant and spirituel women, whose white hands
opened quite a new era in the salons of the Luxembourg.
The double prediction of our heroine was, however, at
this time threatened in its fulfilment. The widow of Vis-
count de Beauharnis espoused a young officer without
fortune, but just made a general, and who had solicited in
vain to obtain a command.

"Josephine," said her friends, "you have committed
a folly which you will one day repent."
" It is true," thought she, " that in marrying thus, I
have lost the chance of realising my promised fortune."
The dreams of ambition had, however, been sacrificed,
without regret, for the feelings of the heart. Before,
however, riveting still closer the bands which were about
to bind her future life, the amiable widow desired ono!
more to consult Mdlle. Lenormand, and she prevailed on
Bonaparte to accompany her on this visit.
The sybil examined the hand of her visitor, and, after
consulting the cards, said, " Nothing of your future fate
is changed."

She iben took the hand of the young general, which
she contemplated with great emotion. The lines traced
on that hand pointed out to her the plans of campaign,
and the glorious route by which he was conducttd to
power. Bonaparte repaired to the sybil through pure
complaisance to the charming caprice of his lady-love,
but with a mind perfectly incredulous as to the renown of
the prophetess ; but when the sybil spoke to him of his
secret designs, of his warlike projects, and of the fortune
of his arms, he listened to her with astonishment.
" I will endeavour to realise your predictions," said he,
on retiring.
" And i," said Josephine, leaning with pride on the
arm of Bonaparte, " I have no doubt of the brilliant for-
tune that is in store for me."
At another time Madame de Stael went to consult
Mdlle. Lenormand. This was under the consulate. The
events which had been predicted by her were being ra-
pidly accomplished. On Madame de Stael presenting
herself to the sibyl, the latter immediately said :
" You are earnestly engaged in some proceedings which
you are about to take to-morrow, but which will give you
but little satisfaction."

Madame de Steel was in fact to have an interview the
next day with the First Consul. Bonaparte knew that the
illustrious writer had spoken against him, and had even
made common eause with some of his adverscries. Never-
theless the conqueror of Montenotte and the Pyramids
might, in this instance, accomplish a fresh conquest ; he
was anxious to attach to his car one of-the first women of
the age, and the precious acquisition might be made at
the expense of only a few fair words and a paltry indemnity
of 1,200,000 f., which was claimed by the daughter of M.
Necker. The great captain thought, however, that this
was paying rather dearly for such a conquest. He re-
ceived her in the midst of a numerous circle, and instead
of leading her into one of those subjects of conversation
in which the whole brilliancy of her talent would have
shone forth, he first addressed her by the question:--
" Have you seen the `Pie Voleuse 1 It is the most
attractive piece of the day."
Surprised by this unexpected question, Madame de Stael
felt at a loss for an immediate answer, when the consul
added :
" They say that we have also the 'Pie seditieuse.'
This last remark deprived the lady of all her intellectual
faculties, she sought in vain for a reply, and the consul
not wishing to increase her embarrassment, turned from
her and entered into conversation with another individual.
Besides the particular causes of complaint which Bona-
parte had against the lady in question, he had in common
with many other great men, a deep-rooted dislike to all
learned ladies.
After this memorable conference Madame de Steel
thought of the remark of Mdlle. Lenormand. She re-
turned to the sybyl, and ever after continued to her a
confidence which one of our doctrinaire ministers has
respectfully kept up.
The high destinies promised to Madame de Beauharnais
had been realised, but that strange piece of fortune was
to b.! followed by a melancholy reverse. One morning
the Empress Josephine entered the presence of the
Emperor in a state of great agitation.
" I am aware of the project which you have in con-
templation," said she, "you wish to sacrifice me to
r !mons of state policy. The act of divorce has been
e 'ready prepared."
This was true. The Empress had been correctly in-
formed. But from whom had she received the informa-
tion ? How could she have learned it but from one of his
intimate advisers? was the question which immediately
suggested itself to the mind of the Emperor.
" I will discover the author of this treason," said he,
"and whoever he may be will find a means to punish him."
" Be assured," replied Josephine, " you have no traitor
in your family, nor among your councillors. She who an-
nounced my elevation also predicted my fall. I have
learnt the whole from Mlle. Lenormand."