Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1851-12-04
ScarrOn and MaEntenOm.

age of anomalies, when the most rigorous
devotlonS and the most heaven-dayng cen. |
tiousness, alternately and with stated regular |
ity, took the place Of one another,-aud the
poIiteness and refined high -mindedenss ofchiy. |
airy were combined with atfocious wickedness |
and brutal sensuality, and, us their names
are mixed up with The History and Litera>
ture OF the age OF Louis the 14lh, Il brief
sketch Of them may be interesting
Scarron was born to high opes,-which
he blasted by the eccentrcities OF folly and
criminal indulgence. His father was coun,
seIlor OF Paris, with an income of 5000 Liv-
res per annpm. He married second time;
and young Scarron became the object of the
hatred ofhis stepmother He was intended
for the church; studied, travelled, took the ton
sure, became an Abbe,-but as was far from
uncommon at that period, he was foremost in
the wild pranks and lbertine practices then
so fashionable. The length to which he car
ried these may be guessed at from the fact
that, in the Carnival at Rome in 1888, he min-
gled in the crowds naked, in the character of
Savage. But he was hunted by the mob;
and, TO escape his pursuers,-like MARCUS in
Minlurn5e-he was obliged TO conceal him
self in march. But with far different bodi,
ly effects; lor-then only 81 yeras of age-a
freezing cold seIzed upon him and he became
paralysed and delormed for life; so that-as
he himself says, in one of his letters, ''lt was
thus that pleasure deprived me suddenly of legs
which had danced with elegance, and of
hands which could manage the pencil, and the
Iufe."
The following is his own description of him.
self: 81 have lived to thirty, if reach forty,
shall only add many miSer;es 10 those which
endure. My person was well made, though
short; my disorder has shortened it still more
! by a foot. My head is little broad for my
shape; my face is full enough for my body
to appear very mcagre; have hair enough to
render wig unnecessary; have got many
white hairs in spite Of The proverb Ny teeth,
formerly square pearls, are now Of the colour
of wood and will soon be Of slate. My legs
and thighs first formed an obtuse angle, alter
wards an equiIateraI angle, and now acute
one. Ny thighs and body form another: and
my head always dropping on my breast
makes me not i'll represent q Z. have got
my arms shortened as well as my legs, and
my fagels as well as my arms. Ina word
am an abrid cement Of human mseries."
This was the man who became the husband
ItheexquisiteIy beautiful Francaised' 'Aubigne;
who afterwards became MarchonesAe Main
tenon-he mi tress, perhaps the wife Of Lou
! is l4th-and who for long time, powerfully
influenced the destnies of France and Of Fu-
rope. She was born in the prison of Mort in
I635-was three years elder than Louis, and
eleven younger than Scarron-the daughter
Of Constant D'Abigne, Huguenot, but of a
rash, wild and dissolue character. She was,
however, baptized by Priest; her father was
liberated from prison under AL extorted prom
| iSeof becoming a Roman Catholic. Not choo-
sing TO fulfil it, he fled to Martinique, oarrv>
| inc with him his wife, this child, and his other
CHILDREN. On the voyage, liule Franchise
was seized with fever; was supposed to be
| dead, and preparations were made for consign-
ing her body 10 the ocean,-but she revived.
The mother was ludlcious,-ior a while
| kept her husband from his ruinous excess; and
the Martinique property was sufficient for their
support, but madame d'Aubigne being obliged
to return to France for the recovery Of some
property, he returned 10 the gaming table
and lost ALL His death in 1915 led the moth
er and daughter home to France, destitute,
and Young Franchise was committed TO Ma.
dam de VilIette, her fathers sister. She was
Protestant; wealthy, and charitable, Ie,-under
whose tuition, the beautiful girl became
proles ant, and the dispenser of her aunt's ex-
tensive charities. Bot her molher was a de-
voted Roman Catholic Anne Of Austria, the
mother Of Lohis the 18th, was fond Of con.
versions of the decayed but noble Protestant
families and The Countess de Neuillant-
whose husband had been governor Of Mort at
the birth of Francase, and who had stood
godmother for her-got The authority of the
mother of the French court to take the young
girl from her aunt, that she might become
Catholic.
Bat Francaise was an obstinate llugueno.
| she resisted alike alurements and punish
mentS She was made TO give out the hay
and straw for the horses, TO 6ed the poultry,
and do all manner of menial offices, 50 that, as
she used to say, when in the zenth OF her
spIendour as giving the law oil fashion to the
court of Versailles. ''she commenced her reign
as queen of The farm yard" Unable TO over
. come her determined adherence to Protestant
ism in this way, she was placedin the UrsuIlue
convent ofNorl, and became Roman Cath.
olc.
Having publicly rccanted, her Protestant
| amt refused her sumner: the ITrsnlIneS would
not keep one who could not pay; Madame de
NeuiiIani neglected her. She returned 10
share the poverty Of her mother; who soon II,