The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1849-06-19
The Celebrated Madame Recamier.

communism.
The Celebrated Madame Recamier
abridged from the French for the New York Heradl
The name of this lady ought not t. be suffer-
ed to be buried in oblivion. She has played
distinguished part in French society She
first appeared among fashionable circles at the
time of The Directory, when society was beginning
TO revive after its extinction under the reign OF
terror. The moment Madame Recamier appeared,
the first rank was instantly accorded to her-shs
shone like star. 1t was the success which beauty
of the highest kind ever commands. Under the
directory, the consulshp, and In the first years of
the empire the admiration and honor first bestowed
upon this beauty went on increasing more and
more; she carried everything before her. She held
the in heT hand md the OF beauty
mean merit on her part, for at that period OF the
renovation and reconstruction of society, II was no
small glory TO be proclaimed the fairest of the fair
among many beautiful women, absolute fairies
in grace and beauty. AT the period when Madame
Recamier flourished, it was the fashion to marry
pretty women. Rank and dowry were then out OF
the question in the matter OF matrmony-the re-
voluiion had destroyed the old prejudices of rank
and fortune, and in selecting wife, the chief
thing looked at was to marry pretty woman
Alas how greatly times have changed since those
happy days! AT this period Mr. Recamier was
wealthy ban er-the rich kothschid OF the day
and he married the beautiful lady, who might have
been his daughter, for he was three times her age.
Henceforth she became the most distinguished
woman in French society, kept the best house, and
gave the most magnificent parties. In vain did
her rivals seek to discover some fault In her person.
She was the very model of perfection to which
she added charm OF manner which was most
captivating, joined with great gentleness, kindness,
benevolence, and generosity Madame de Stael
spoke of her in the following terms:" She is a
woman celebrated for her beauty, whose moral
character is represented and expressed by her
beauty" 1t would be impossible to pay finer
compliment in so few words
Count Torbin, formerly director of the Museum,
and great lover of anecdote, thus describes his
first visit to the house of Me. Recamier. He says;
with the fashionable world and Its pleasures A
friend from the country offered to INTRODUCES me to
Madame Recamier. Nothing, could please me
better, for she was the queen OF fashion, and her
drawing rooms the most resorted to OF any In Paris
On entering, was perfectly dazzled, not merely
by the rich luxury displayed before my eyes, but
still more by the dazzling array OF beautiful women
charming hostess herself was the most beautiful
There she was, precisely like sovereign, receiv,,
ing, with majestic grace, the humble homage OF
to dance the gavot. She declined SAID she was
unwell, and begged to be excused. Thereupon,
her admirers and worshippers, in the yehemence
of their entreates, threw themselves down upon
their knees before her. to give force to their entrea
ties, and to supplicae their idol to comply. This
way of doing things quite the fashion in those
AIT ne ei %
| Madame Recamier, who was quite accustomed to
this sort of worship, at length yielded, after being
entreated IN this manner for about half an hour
mouth, as she moved gracefully forward in
the midst of large circle of spectators
| Everybody was on tiptoe to catch sight OF her,
tho She
gan the dance by making bow to the company; but
such bow lit full Of inimitabe grace. Then she
took ambourine in her hand ornamented with silver
| bells and began to dance She danced in such
ner that the most celebrated opera dancers might
have enved the ightness of her STEP the elegance Of
her attitudes the charm Of her manner and the har
mony of her motion. Her delicate little feet hardly
touched the floor while her pretty fingers kept beating
tho tambourine Every one present was completely
come. All Of a sudden, as she was dancing sweetly
along, her hair which was tied up by simple ribbon,
beautiful creature was absolutely concealed beneath
the flowing hair which spread her and covered
and speedily left the room escorted by two or three Of
her confidential friends few moments after her dis
to cross tSe tPresbod Of he'd
fumed with innumerable flowers, and softly umined
by lamps OF alabaster and chandeliers with red wax
tapers burning in them There was Madame Recamier
stretched upon bed in the most charming loose wrap
per- while her features imprinted with soft lam
guor and her fine hair oated all round her head upon
the pillow on which she recned When expressed
(ssys the COUNTY my alarm for the health Of the beau
that need not be alarmed; this was a regular scene,
which often performed, and there danger in
BOURNE without ending It in this manner with the
floating hair and the exhibition Of the fanting lady
reclining on her bed of parade Happy may those
men be called, Of whom nothing than this DO
told.
kOLZeDue
period of her fashionable dominion relates in glowing
style and with romantic cooring another scene, admit
rably got up, in which Madame Recamier appears in
the bewtching FORM entertaining poor deaf and
dumb girl whom she had taken under her patronage.
Madame Recsmier united In the closest friend
| ship with Madame de Stael. They not rivals,
but harmonzed together as to give double pleasure
to the guests at their parties Madame Recamier
looked at while Madame de Stael listened to, and
thus they both gave double charm to the company
when Madame de Stael was banshed by Napoleon, her
friend Madame Recamier, left Paris and visited her
at Coppet For this, she herself was banished the
capital and did not return to Paris until the restora
ton Of the Bourbon family. The world of fashion
| eagerly expected her, and the throne Of fashion,
which she had well filled, still ready for
her again, for no occupant Of it, in her place,
had been found But she no longer the same in
the days of the Directory and Of the Consulshp The
sceptIe OF beauty had dropped from her hand and she
did not pretend to resume 1t, for she forty
years OF age age when ladies' generally abdicAte
their thrones The day for dancing with the tambou
rine, and showing her long spread pill
low on the couch in handsome dim lighted bed room,
| was now gene by. Her husband dead, her
were not 80 ample as they had been. She retired to
| l. Abbaye aux Bots, and here she became the head
| Of choice literary circle, where she regned the
queen Of witty and agreeable conversation among
| the famous liierat OF the day, she had before
reigned paramount in the court Of love and beauty
Of distinguished literary circle till the cholera
and broke out in the Deghborhood Of her abode She
alarmed aud fled to Paris escape the pesence;
but scarcely had she there of her
nephew, NJ. Lcnorman. the curator Of the Cabinet Of
Medals when she seized with cholera aud died
after only few hours illness. Thus dissppe from
the tcene Of life this amable. talented and celebrated
woman. She entered life when the first revolution
just ended and after interval Of nty years. she
departed from its when the troubles VI the second
evolution were just beginning.
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