Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-10-07
NOTES ON NEW BOOKS.

Z
NOTES ON NEW BOOKS.
LErTREspE NINE DE SEvIGsE, Choir Nouueau Ms-comple
Prf3A dune Notice de Vie, go. Paris: 1851.
In previous paper we treated, by way of pre-
face onthe life and epistolary style Of Madame DE
SEvIGNt, and, according to engagement, We ap-
proach pday the consideration of the literary and
historical value of these most entertaining and in
structiva Letters. The popularity which they have
SO long haintained is Of itself convincing proof
Of therbxcellence; for what is, in its nature, more
ephemebl and fugitive than the hastily-indited
epistle II friend to friend or of correspondent to
correspondent? Like the leaves of the Sybil, the
sheets With "silent symbols ssribbled Ger are
ofttimes left sport to the winds after they have
served teir Office to the initiate eye alone" But
the presfvahon of the letter implies in it value
beyond hat vhcs Rttaches to it as the trsusient,
medium andy ken III private friendship or confi-
dencc. IF the letters Of Madame de Sevigne had all
related alone to thedeep affections of maternal
heart yearning towardl beloved child, it may well
be doubted whether the mere charm of her epis-
tolary style would have endered them interesting
to the public eye; but THY would have been none
the less good letters for that for letter which shall be
in perfect keeping with the aaracter of writer and
which shall be precious han rubes to its recipient
may very stale and unroftabe" to all the world
besides.
The epistolary talent of Mad de Sevgne as is well
known creaeda sensation" among her contemporaries
Through pardonabe ndiscren her correspondents
many of her letters allowed to pass from hand to
hand, until they became topi Of discussion at the
Court When her friend Fouqus the superintendent Of
the public chest dismissed from his bureau, the
King found among his papers several letters which she
had addressed to that functionar and read them with
pleasure which he took pains to conceal Even dur
ing her life many Of her Letters thus became the theme
Of public admiration Her kinsvoman, Madame de Cou-
langes in writing to her in he year 1673 pleasantly
observes:
MADAME de Thianges sent her servant to my house
this morning to ask SIND her your letter about
the horse and the one on the meadow told the boy
would carry them myself ohis mistress which have
done Your letters, you see making the noise they
deserve. What is certain is hat they delicious, and
that ysu are like your letters"
But leaving in abeyance III further consideration of
Madame de sevegne's history and genius, we propose
to glance hurried review at Of those historical
facts and nferences in which her letters rich
fhey expoe us, it the very life of the grand
age" in Frnch history Its pulses papitate beneath our
finger; its pomp and pride and pageantry its glory in
and Its shame court tsopulence letters and art
its pety in the oster and its splendid vice in the palace,
all pass before the eye turn the pages of this
voumlnous correspondence. Louis the Magnificent and
his sycophantc satellites with arout of heroes scholars
wits priests and courtesans rise before and stand
their feet longer skeleton shpes the dried specimens
of pressing French Polybius, but living men and
women clothed with flesh the bones which the
Hebrew seer beheld in the valley Of vision
Louis Quatorze is Of the central figure brough
into notice by that portion Of Madame dc Seygnes let
ters which dat.d from Paris OF all tho royal fool
who have succeeded in imposing their contemporaries
Louis XIV. was undoubtedly the most consummate mas
ter Of kingcraft To his adorng subjects he seemed tn
greatest of Kings, whether at the head of army
dinner table. All Paris turned out to the grand
argue he returned from the taking Of town or wen
to take his breakfast for he breakasted in public much
the comfort and rejection doubtless of those whom
was furnishing by his waseful expenditure Of the public
revenue. Madame de Sevigne, with all her penetration
not able to preserve herself from the prevalent ia
tuity of her times How often she excaims in her sps
ties the most ordinary act Of his Majesty surely
have o great King" The most revolving specimen
this sayish toadyism is found in letter under date
Paris February 81 l6S9 She has been TO StCyr where
she has assisted at of the young Racne
new play entitled Eshe At the conclusion of the
tertainment the King 1--WE quote from her letter. came
1
self to me and said Madam, am you have beer
pleased i, without being frightened, replied; Sire,
charmed my feelings are beyond the power Of words
express The King says to Racine is very clever
say to him: Sire he is indeed but in truth al
these young persons here very clever too for they
enter into the subject if they practised hands
Ah as to that he replied believe you right.
Hereupon his Majesty Withdrew and left the obec
of envy. The Prince aud the Princess also came and
gave me word Madame de- Maintenon gave me one o.
her scintillatons she went off with the King. sue
ceeded in all my replies, for was IN luck" And Ma
dame is not satisfied with this narration intended for the
eye Of her daughter but tells her how she could
keep such run Of good fortune to herself and how she
had recounted stout nairensn" all her little prospes
ties in the Of her friend the Chevaer de Grignan
We read that once upon time Louis XIV. danced .
minuet with Madame de Sevigne. After its conclusion
finding herself near her waggsh cousin, the Count de
Busy she remarked to him, " II must be confessed
have great King" eyes, undoubtedly my cousin,
replied Busy. s.what he did just truly hsroic
Frequent mention, of course is made in these letters
Of those royal mstresses who turned away the heart OF
the French Solomon work folly in the face of the
The shameless Marie Msncni the niece Of Mazarin and
Louiss "6rst love- the gentle and lovely La Vaere,
aonng by long years Of pentence in the Convent of the
Carmetes the indscretons of her credulous youth
rivals insulting her superiors and avshng honors ut
court she squandered money at and lastly the
vouptuous Foutanges and the devout Madame de Ma
tenon ballong about imbecile old king between the
pleasures Of sin and Of piety, each mned in lively