New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1872-10-03
i Queen of French Society In the
Eighteenth Century.

/ II we allow the pen to pass the prescribed
limit, il is merely to close the dynasty Of fe
male SOyereignS that had, with general ac
c!amation. ruled French society during the
eighteenth century. Nine. Recamer may
claim the honor. though with but slight cciai
Of being the last OF that illustrous series
Like Nine. de Lambert, whose SdIoH had
! flouri>hea during the infancy of the eighteenth
century, Mime. Rccamicr, who Witnessed the
birth of the succeeding age, was averse to
the discussion Of all questions that tended to
stir the passions. or that were Of immediate
public interest. She rather 0stentatiously
eschewed the slightest appearance of posses
sing political opinions in the productions
and tendencies Of literature she never even
affected to possess a shadow Of interest, and
| certainly no woman enjoying equal celebrity
ever exercised less direct influence over So
1!al opinion; vet in the words estimation
She is amply justified in taking her position
among the poientates Of society. With per-
ieCt freedom from passion in all lis compro-
missing and intense forms: with few prefer
cnceS ;ihat were other than charmingly Ian
guild; with prudence which was mathemat-
cally correct; witha degree Of hall-cOnccalcd
irnness of disposition rarely to be found in
her sex; with little feeling, and that little
perfectly under control, Nine Recamier pos
SS77Nt piit Hi'di Dtdull vi tiIt liuHcSt OlueE.
and OF nature universally captivating
Armed with such formidable weapons. she
was both inyulnerable and irresistible. Her
personal influence, indeed, seems to have had
no bounds but those prescribed by her will
She could accommodate her amiability to suit
any character. Never for a moment endan-
gering her own selt-possession, or losing sight
of the special object sought to be obtained,
she could play upon human affections and
feelings with the most refined and exquisite
dellcacy; she glided INTO the citadel of the
heart witha step so stealthy that all effective
resistance was paralyzed. To degrade her,
however, to the level Of a mere coquette
would be unseemly and unjust There NAV
have been occasionally a little aifectation of
affection, but there was surely 10 capracious-
ness or careless heartlessness, in her inter-
course with those upon whom she deigned to
smile; for her heart, which had little capac-
ity, and was almost void, had been schooled
10y her understanding in every charitable de-
wee. She melted to every one with minute
cXactitudc the amount ,f consideration, SYM
pathy, or affection which prOpriety suggested,
instmctiyelv conscious of the degree of fas-
cination, which the mind or heart of any in
dividual was capable of being subjected with
out endangering its equilibrium. Her love-
that is to say, the quality or sentiment which
"tuIItu tiic pace Oh love Ill ncr Heart-WaS
so impartial so widely dfiuscd, 50 sngularly
free from all the weaknesses of human pas
sion, that ii often seemed TO verge upon the
preternatural, or as might less deicately be
nsnuatcd, the unnatural. No length of time,
no disparity in social position, no emergency
Of opinion, could influence Nine. Recamier in
her personal preferences, or induce her to
swcrve to the right or the left of the course
she had determined to pursue. Under the
Directory, under the Empire, under the Res
toration, under the July Monarchy, she was
the same: she endeared herself with Deco
rou,ly modulated sympathy, as much to tn.
modest printer, NJ. Ballanche, as to Prince
Augustus of Prussia, to Benjamin Constant
as TO Matthew de Montmorencv, to the
Duchesse dc Chevreuse, as to Queen 1Ior-
tense. BY such copous affection, such per-
feet impartiality, Nine. Recamicr, achieved
for her salon Il latitude Of comprehension, If
not of popularity, unsurpassed by any of its
predecessors under the old monarchy. "Nraie
RENE de SALON, dams so petite chambre de
PAbbaye CONNIE dams son hotel de
la Chausscc-dAntin, refine charmante, mails
hicn plus refine que femme