Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-04-20
ONEOt SOCIETY'SQUEENS.
Nine. De NaintenOn's Career

The topic of DR.. John Lords lecture at
Chickering Hall yesterday was SHINE.
De Maintenon," whose abilities and short
comings were described to very large
audience. Sac was presented by the lee
turer AS exertlng a powerful influence On
the destinies Of France, and also as type
Of those brilliant queens of society who
reigned In the fashionable world by their
wit and social destinations. There is per-
baps no woman in modern times, said DR.
Lord, who has arisen to such a lofty
height from condition virtually so low
as Nine. de Maintenon, if Katherine of
Russia may be excepted. She was how
ever, we'll boru, so far as blood is con-
cerned, since the Protestant family of
D'Aubigne, from which she sprang, is
one Of the oldest in France. Her father
was extravagant and Abandoned, and was
thrown into prison, and it was in prison
that the subject of this lecture was born
in 1855. Subsequently, her father OBJ
tanned his release, and sailed with his
family to Martinique, where he died in
great poverty. His wife returned to
France, and got her living from her needle
The daughter, Mile. D'Aubigne, was
bright and beautiful, and painted
for an entrance into society
the aim of most ambitious
women. It was effected by being invited
to one of the dinners Of Scarron-a bur-
lesque writer, witty and dissipated-at Is
years Of age. The ,,crippled bufoon de-
termined to make her his wife, and she
accepted him. She now presided at en-
tertainments which even dukes aspired
for in vain, for Scarron's suppers were
good, and were all the fashion. 1t is
hard to believe that beautiful girl of
Is could have loved this pensioned para
lytic, but she was ambitious, and had an
end to gain. At thesupper-table of the poet
Scarron she was the life Of gay and bril-
liant assemblage, made up of the elite of
Paris. She rejgned as queen of society,
and she became acquainted with those
who had influence at court, and when
her husband died, she being then "a, she
was recommended to the Duchess of
Montespan as governess for her child,
the Duke of Maine. This position intro
duced her the notice of the King, who
fell in love with her, when he was wear
led of his prodigal and beautiful ana ex-
acting mistress. She was too proper and
TOO calculating to become the successor
of Montespan. and she added more ambi-
tious desings than the favor;te whom she
had displaced. She aspired to become
the wife OF the King, and when the
Queen died, feeling that he could not
live without her, he secretly made her
his wife. The seeming mistress tri-
umphed from the weakness Of the King,
She was then So, most extraordinary
person to reign over the absolute mon
arch of France when he was in the height
of his fame and power. She kept bel
empire IL Ore than 80 years, another ex-
traord1nary fact, from which we infer
that she had gained the respect Of the
King, since all enduring influence il
based on character She was artful
ambitious, calculating, and cold; bu
she was discreet, prudent, judicou'
technically religious, took an inter
est in education and all goot
movements, reformed the wickedes
court Of Europe, and rewarded all peopl
who rendered services. She was ad
mired and honored by such men as Bos
suet and Fenelon. She had most cap
tivating manners, and exceeding tact.
she did not love the old, peevlsh, selfish
ceremonious, pompous, exacting Ne
buchadnezzar whom she had married
she was, at least, his friend, and reveale
to him the heartlessness of that genera
ton of vipers whom be had rewarded an
enriched She guarded his interests an
prevented him from folly, and induce
him to drink the bitter cup of dlspelle
illusions with dignity and without CON
plant. She did not spend his none
like Montespan. She made his coul
decorous, at least, if it was dull an
gloomy, and she made him religious in
certain fashion-for Louis, in his old ag
was fond of sermons, was regular s
church, confessed his sins to his Jesu
confessor, and felt that It was possib]
for God Almighty to be greater than b
During his whole life he had receive
such incense, he had reposea in such da'
zling magnifcence, he had been so cour
ed by the monarchs of Europe, he was {
extolled by poets and historians, he WI
so magnlfed by his brilliant court,
had such unpounded power, that it w
quite natural for him to fancy he W
more than mortal Who can resist u
bounded panegyric aud prosperity?
will not enter upon his glories, or h
reverses, or his humiliation. He was Il
central figure in Europe for more tn,
half century. Heir Of the power
Richelieu and the treasurer of Mazari
with PROSTATE nation oent in idolatro
homage, he reigned with mole splend
than any sovereign in modern times. ]
nature be was not bad man, nor was
weak. He had great executive abil1ti
and keen insight. This is some reas
for the extravaganza praise heaped up
him tor half century. His error was
best interests of his Kingdom, and thus
sowed discontents and prepared the W
for future revolution. His reign was o.
wardly glorious, but pregnant with ev
to come. For the thirty last years of
life he was ruled by Nine. De Mainten
She was the handspring of all polite
movements as we'll as social reforms.
was she who melted him to the revocat
of the Edict of Nantes, which resulted
the execution or Punishment or ruin
100000 Protestants. She was in :eae
with his Jesuit confessors. She was
life of the court. Nothing was done
the Cabinet which she did not appro
She made the most i'm portant appoi
ments in State and Church. She e.
selected Generals and Ministers.
ruled France, not wisely, like Elijah
in England, but vigorously, and with
iron hand. 1t is astonishing how
gained so great an ascendency in
government and over the mind Of
King. She must have had great abili