The New York herald., 1874-11-02
Chevalier Daydie's Correspondence.
Letters Hitherto Unpublished.
Love, Wit and Society in
General.
NJ. Guizot's Complications Of French
Synonymes.
Law, Royalty and Ladies'
Lite.
PARIS, Oct. Q, 1874.

CORRESPONDENCE lNEDIrB DU ca CAVALIER DAYDiB,
pnhsss ASr SUITE Avx ns M1 aSS
naux, avec introduction ct notes, par Hon0re
BOnhomme. Paris, 1874: Didot.
This is one OF those delightful books which are
made up OF love and wit and are particularly
French. Perhaps the passions OF the American,
the English ana the German peoples are stronger
ana more lasting than those which are felt In
France; but they have never been expressed so
gracefully. Lovers in all countries have said and
written sublime things; but Frenchmen only know
how to WOO woman In language that Is at once
brilliant and pathetic, gay and tender. They are
indeed the most charming lovers In the world
and girl who has once been courted by q gifted
Frenchman will surely md all other courrship
dull and nstpid. The Chevaler Daydie was one
OF the brightest OF French lovers; ne was the
sweetheart OF Mile. d'AIsse, who died young, wnile
he survived her seventy years, but his correspond
ence has made them both immortal, and wnen
we read their fresh. pleasant letters, SO
full OF life and hope, 1t Is dificult to
believe fhat either Of them are dead. NJ. Honore
Bonhomme has however, told us how the hand
some youth passed from comellness and romance
into senile decrepitude and the vulgar
torment OF the gout. Whom the gods
love die young; they seem to have had
some spite against this knight OF Malta,
and to have teased him with an old age somewhat
as would only be allowed with the approval OF so
cety in France, and she seems to have felt queer
sort OF pity for the man to whom she had given all
she had to give. In 1877 she writes to third per-
son, 1.-The passion which devours NE is the
strangest thing in the world the man love only
sees me once every three months; l do nothing to
please; have too much delicacy to take advan-
tage OF my power over his heart, and however
happy I should be to marry him, ought to love
the Chevaier for himself alone" He was at that
time the father OF her child. Mile. d'AYsse mad
passed through some strange adventures
and had PROBABLY acquired wide expe-
rience OF the world and much liberty or
thought. Sae had been carried away by some
Turkish pirates when q little child, and mad been
bought for a few gold pieces by NJ. Ferrlol, the
French Ambassador at Constantlnople. He had
her brought up In Paris by his sster-in-law, lady
of not very scrupulOus morality, and the poor girl
budded into womanhood In perfect ignorance of
the position in lie which she was intended to oc-
cupy. She was sixteen years old when NJ Ferriol
returned from his embassy to Paris, ana he took
her at once to reside with him. He appears to
have been q mor0se, irritable man, more than
sixty years OF age, and accustomed to exact un-
reasoning obedience from all around him. He
looked upon Mile. d'AYsse as neither more nor less
than slave whom he had bought and whom he
might give away or sell again. An attack OF
paralysis had very nearly caused him to be shut
up as u lunatlc, and he " as not0riousy violent
and dangerous old fellow, very capricious and
sudden In his anger.
A letter from him, which was found among the
papers Of NJ. d'Argental Cares, leaves no ooubt he
took absolute possession Of the lstle maids body
and soul and made her his mistress. Sainte Beuve,
indeed, defended her reputation in classical terms;
but he pleaded for lost cause. 1t was In I720 or
YHn1 Of cho 18th fho
the house of Nine. du Denand; and there the de-
baucned old man. who must have weighed so
heavily on her young existence, had fallen into the
last extreme Of dotage, and was about to die. She
seems to have gone freely into society, notwith-
standing her cruel position and extraordinary
antecedents Americans Will be astonished also,
to learn that 1t was Nine. de Ferriol the Ambassa-
doris wife, who introduced her into all the best
drawing rooms in Paris, and above all, to those
frequented by that unpreJudiced potentate, the
Regent. Duke Of Orleans. The horrible old people
who disposed OF this child's destinies were deter
mined to sell what they had bought as often as
they could and to get the best price
for IT. NJ. nonore Bonhomme assures us,
therefore, that If Mlle dArsse did not pass into the
Regents harem it was not the fault OF Nine. de
Ferriol who presented her for the special purpose
Of attracting the Dukes attention to Nine. de
Parrabere. The Chevaler Daydle, however, being
cousin to the Count de Rism, avOwed paramour or
the Duchess de Berry, was also admitted into the
inner circle OF the Regents shameless Court. 1t
was even said that one Of the ladies' Of the House
OF Orleans had granted him many favors, for he
was rake, much In fashion, Notwithstanding the
insignificant fact that he was In holy orders and
priest in the diocese OF Perigueux. In personal
appearance he is said to have resembed the cele-
brated portrait of Guy Patn; and he seems to have
too oEod ac n
chanting cantice, wnie thinking OF robDing an
orchard. He gives himself an amazing account or
the Knights OF Malta, and declares that they lived
in dissolute and luxurious manner, in obedience
to the rules or their Order. 1t Is unlucky that
do not Know the beginning OF his love affair
with Mile. d'Afsse. They both managed
their anairs with such secrecy that even Nine. do
Ferriel was kept In ignorance OF them, and when
the result OF their connection could no longer be
concealed Mile. d'AYsse went on a visit to Lady
Bolingbroke and pretended that they were both
ABOUT to make voyage to England. Lord Boiling
broke, who had q natural taste for intrigue, as
sured Mmes de Ferrtol that she had been very sea-
sick in crossing the Channel; ana he went still
further than this, for Hts Lordship placed the
daughter OF Mile. d'AYsse and the Chevalier Day.
die. who had been cnrlstened Celinie Leblanc, IN
the Convent OF Notre Dame. at Sens. under the
name OF Miss Black, and assured the good nuns
that the child was hts own niece. Mlle d'Afsse
then returned to the house OF Nine. de Ferriol.
who had been entirely deceived BY these proceed.
ings and now ana then contrived TO
sea- SEQ ner child. some Of the Ghevailer's
letters to her relate to these mysterious
visits, and he evinces deep tenderness Tor his
offspring. He afirms that he loves his daughter
with great affection, and that he Is working night
and DAY to put by . fortune Tor her. This was
quite true, and seven years after the death OF her
mother ne married her TO worthy country gen.
tleman IN has own neighoorhood, named the VI
count de Nanthl9.
The most Inc xplicable part OF this business to an
American mind Is tnat the Cnevaler Daydte, who
We should think u very Objectionable good-lor-
nothing was really respectable person, fond OF
his hresde, and not only beloved by his family,
but esteemed by MS friends. He was the chosen
intimate oI the celebrated Balllt de Frouway, Ann
bassador oil the Order OF Malta In Paris. and Vol.