New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-03-12
Mime Reeamferss Account Of her FIRST Meet
ing with Mime de staea.

ing with Mime de staeA.
The Edinburgh Review, in the course Of an ar
tcle on the Souvenirs and correspondence of
Madame Recamier," gives the following extracts
One day, day which formed an epoch in my
life, III. Recamier arrived at Clichy, accompanied
by lady whose name he did not tell me, and
whom he left alone with me while he went to
speak to some persons in the park. This lady
came TO speak about the sale and purchase of o
house. Her dress was strange. She wore morn
ing gown and q little dress bonnet ornamented
with flowers. took her for q foreigner. was
struck with the beauty and expressiveness of her
eyes. could not account for what felt, but It is
certain that was more intent on observing, and,
50 to say divining her, than in addressing her in
the usual phrases of civity. She said to me with
lively and impressive grace, that she swas really
delighted to make my acquaintance, that N. Necker
to be Madame de stael. did not hear the rest Of
her sentence. blushed and my embarrassment
was extreme. had just read her Lettres sur
Rousseau" and was intensely interested in them
expressed what l felt rather by looks than
words. She aWed while she attracted me. You
Immediately felt her to be person perfectly
natural, and of superior nature. She, on hea1
| side, fixed her large eyes upon me with kindly
| curiosity, and paid me compliments on my face
which would have been exaggerated and too di
rect, if they had not seemed to escape her involun
| tarily, which gave an irresistible charm to her
praises. My embarrassment did not iDjure nae in
| her opinion. She understood it, and expressed
desire to see me frequently on her return to Paris
She was going to Coppet Madame de Stael was
| preston it left was most lively. thought 81
| nothing but Madame de Stael, SO strongly had hel
ardent and powerful nature acted upon mime
(Vol. j. p. 24.1
Such was the first meeting Of these two remark
able women; the beginning of friendship which
for strength and fidelity, will stand comparison
with any friendship that has subsisted between the
most magnanimous men. Both had great weak
he md Inx
| could inspire and maintain such friendship
through all the temptations and terrors of such a
| period, In the hearts Of two women the most adj
mired, the most battered the most eager for admi-
| ration, the most dependant on the opinion and
4 sympathy of Others, that ever existed suffice to
convince US of the affectionate, generous nature
which was almost the only gift they had in COM
mon Their pretentions were indeed Of totally
different kind but we all know that this will not
disarm the jealous rage for popularity or envy Of
| any kind of superiority
There is curious example of this in no less q
person than Napoleon Bonaparte. Nine. Recam
iers first oense against him was, that she attract
ed the eyes of an assembly convened to do hin
honor. 1t was at the grand reception given by tn,
Directory, 1897. to the conqueror Of Italy, in tn
great court of the Luxembourg.
At the end of the court was an altar and upol
it statue of Liberty; at the foot Of this symbc
the five directors clad in Roman costume, the mir
isters, ambassadors and various functionarie
ranged on an amphitheater; behind them, benche
for invited guasts. On one of these were seate
Madame Recamier and her mother. She had neve
seen General Bonaparte, but shared in the gen
eral enthusiasm for the youthful conqueror A
that time he was very thin, and his head had
striking character of grandeur and firmness. MINI
Recamier, where she sat, could not distinguish
his features, which she had n very natural curl
osity to see, and while Barras was making lone
speech she rose from her seat to look at him. A
this movement, which disclosed her whole person
the eyes Of the crowd were turned upon her ant
she was greeted by long murmur Of admiration
This noise did not escape Bonaparte. He turned
his head suddenly to the spot to which the public
attention was directed, to see what object coult
have diverted it from himself; he beheld youny
lady dressed in white, and threw at her q glance
the sternness of which she could not sustain, an
instantly sat down. Vol. l., p. 20.)