Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-09-04
From the Nep Monthly Magazine.
EDITED BY BULwER.l
JOURNAL OF CONVERSATIONS WITH
LORD BYRON, BY THE COUNTESS OF

CONCLUDED
Talking of literary women, Lord Byron said
that Madame de Stale certainly the cleverest,
though not the most agreeable woman he had ever
known. "She declaims to you instead of conycrs
ing with You," said he, "never pausng except to
take breath; and if during that interval reoindcr
was put In, 1T was evident that she did not attend
to 1t, as she resumed the thread of her discourse as
lhough IL mad not been interrupted" This observa-
ton from Byron amusing enough, as we had
all made nearly the same observation on him, with
the exception that he listened to- and noticed any
answer made to his reflections. 'Madame de Stael,"
continued byron, ''was very eloquent when her
imagination warmed, (and very little excited it)
her powers of imagination were much stronger
IMAM her reasoning ones, perhaps owing to their
oelng much moro frequently exercised; her Ian
euaSe was fecondlte. but redundant, and though
always fowery, and often brilliant, there was
an obscurity that left the impression that
she did not perfectly understand what she
endeavoTed to render Ineligible to others.
one was always losing herself in philoso-
phlcai dsqulsItion, and once she got entangled i'm
The mazes of the labyrinth of metaphysics; she
had no clue ny which she could guide her path
The imagination that led her into her difficulties
couid not get her out of them, the want of Il ma
thematical education, which might have served as
a ballast to steady and help her into the port of
reason, was always visible, and though she had
great tact In concealing her defeat, and covering
retreat, tolerable logician must have always dis
covered the scrapes she got into. Poor dear Ma
day at table with large party, when the busk IL
believe you ladies call i of her corset forced lis
way through the top of the corset, and would not
descend, though pushed by all the force of both
hands OF the wearer, who became crimson from the
operation After frutless efforts she turned i'm
despair to the valet de chambre behind her chair.
anu requested him to draw it out, which could on.
y be done by his passing his hand from behind
over her shoulder, and across her chest, when, with
Il desperate effort, he unsheathed the Dusk Had
you seen the faces of some of the English ladies of
the party, you would have been like me- almost
convused; while Madame remained perfectly un
conscious that she had committed any solecsm la
decence AngLaise Poor Madame de Stael verified
the truth of the lines
'Qui de son sexe ma pas Pesprit
DE son sexe tout lie malheur.'
She thought like a man, but alas! she felt like q
woman; as witness the episode in her life with
Monsieur Rocca, which she dared not avow II
mean her marriage with him. because she was
more jealous OF her reputation as writer than a
woman, and the faiblcsse de cGur, this alliance
proved she had not courage TO a6iche A friend of
hers, and compatriot into the bargain, whom she
believed to be one of the most adorng of her wor
shippers, gave me the following epigrams-
Sur Ia GroSsesse de Madame de Stael
Quel esprit! quel talent! duel sublime genie.
En- ellie tout aspire Pimmortalite;
EFT jusqua son hydropisie,
Rien d'cst Pcrdu pour la posterte."
Porraite de Madame de Stael
Armande pour esprit des momens de deIirc,
Armande q pour vertu lie me pris dos appas:
Ellie GRANT lie railleur que sans cesse ellie inspire
Ellie envie Pamant que ne la cherche pas;
ruIsqu'ele ma point Part dc cacher visage,
Ell qu'elle Ia fureur dc montrer son esprit,
III faut la defer de cesser d'etre sage
Et d'entendre ce quelle dit"
"The giving the epigrams to me, brother of the
craft OF authors, worthy Of friend. and
was another proof If proof were wanting, of the
advantages of irionds
mo epigram such pointed satire lends
AS does the mem'ry of our faithful friends,
| have exalted opinion Of friendship as Won
see. You look incredulous, but you will not enlv
give me credit for being sincere in this opiuion
but one day arrive at the same conclusion vourssIf
Shake not thy jetfy locks at me? ten wears hence
if we both live so long, you will allow that I am
right, though you now think a cynic for saving
all this. "Madame de Stael," continued Rvrore
chad peculiar satisfaction in Impressinp on bcr
auditors the severity Of the persecution she updcr
went from Napoleon: certain mode of enrapino
her, was to appear to doubt the extent 10 which
she wished it to be believed this had been pushed |
rs she looked on the persecution as a triumpbani
proof OF her literary and political importance |
which she more than insinuated NAPOLEON feared
might subVert his Government. This was a weak |
ness, but common one. One half of fbe cIc,or
people of the world believe they are hated aud no.
secuted, and the other half imagine thew arc I'D |
nircd and beloved. Both arc WRONG and bo,I
alse conclusions produced by vanity. tbongl,
hat vanity is the strongest which believes in t5ct
hatred and persecution, as it implies a belief Of
extraordinary superiority to account for ito
/ could not suppress the smile that Rvro,,s 70
icctIons excited and, with his usual ouckncss bc
instantly felt the application had made of tbem 10
himself, for he biushcd, and half angry and hail
aughng, said:-"Oh! I sec what YOU are smiling
It; you think that have described my own case.
IND proved myself guilty Of yanityD I allowed
nat thought so, as he had thousand times re- |
'eated to me, that he was feared and deteSted in
tngIand, which ucycr wnnIh nal.nn IL 80