The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-06-22
SOME NEW BOOKS.
A storshou.s or Pleasant Associates.

The Souvenirs Of Nine. Vig6e lie Bf1tn, OF
which an English version is now published by
Il. Worthngton. is not OF course. a new book.
Those recolle'tiOns Of a most diversified and
Interesting life first appeared in Paris during
tho authors lifetime. more than forty years ago
lui 70 the majority Of renders they will doubt
less have the charm of novelty French memoirs
nre provcrhially readable. but nothing printed
ia this century il more replete with lively inci-
dent and pquant anecdote than the present
compilation. Whom Tallcyrand's journal sees
the light we shall probably gain from 1t a pro-
founder insight into the motives and character
OF certain eminent persons and into the sRnin-
canoe Of some mysterious events but we doubt
II even his disclosures will enable us to repro-
duce more wildly the brilliant surface OF Con-
tnental society Ms 1t was exhibited to the courted
and distinguished writer Of these letters In
the course Of n life which spanned almost a con-
fury Nine. lie Brun became familiar with every
Court in Europe and knew almost every one
conspicuous for rank or for eminence in litora-
ture and art. Sho had the artists faculty OF dis
corning the distinctive traits OF the physical.
moral. and intellectual nature. and she was by
no means confined. like certain OF tho craft. TO
one medium OF expression. having. AZ these let
tiers prove happy knack OF conveying hor i'm
pressions with the pen
Marie Louise Elizabeth vlgee was born in
Paris. April 16. 1855 just before the outbreak OF
our so-called French and Indian war. At her
birth Louis XIV. the well beloved. had nineteen
years to live. and had not yet sunk from the
lover Of the Pompadour into the slave Of the
Du Barri. when she died. at tho age OF 81.
the son OF Philippe EgalitG had for twelve years
been King OF the French. These dates sum-
ciently attest the extraordinary breadth and
variety OF our authors experience WO may
add that the vlgor and mental activity Of this
remarkable life were almost Commensurate
with It's length. for the writer Of these letters
began to paint Mt IA. while q portrait exc
cuted in her eightieth year is said to show no
decline OF power. She seems to have inherited
her artistic gifts from her father. himself
painter. and she married an art critic. an ANA
teur. who encouraged her to industry by
judicious panegyric. and pocketed all her earn
ings It cannot be- said that she escaped the
breath Of SANDER in her time. but she assures
us in these letters that these aspersions on her
character were pure calumnies. Certainly
the letters are distinguished by tone OF art
lessness and candor which we are willing to ac-
cept as voucher OF upright conduct. or
course, the people about her were not always
models OF propriety and scli-control. and she
ndverts now and then to their slips and foihles
with the naive disregard OF prudery character
istic Of eighteenth century correspondence.
among her earlier patrons some were sus-
pected Of chcrishing views alien to their nomi-
nal purpose Of sitting Tor a portrait But tho
moral and religious precepts we are told incul-
Gated by her mother protected her from the Sc
ductions with which she was surrounded.
Fortunately for me-" sho says " I had never
read a single novel. The first l read. It WAS
'Clarissa Harlowe Was not till after my mar
riage up to that time only perused religious
books. the Lives OF the Holy Fathers among
others" One OF these patrons with tho loving
glnnces was the MARQUIS de Choiseul. which.
she protests. enraged her. for he had Just
married a lovely girl, a Mile Rabi. an Ameri.
can" Her system OF dealing with these de-
voted customers seems to have been effective.
She conHdes TO us that rs soon ms discovered
that they wanted to gaze at me with les pe,g
tenores | painted them with the eyes
Inverted which prevented them from regarding
the painter. And then at the least movement
round OF their eyes. Icried out. / am Just nj
the eyes. which was annoying for them. ne you
may suppose" This sobriety Of conduct be-
came known. and gained Mile. Vig6e. on one
occasion, a compliment from a most unlikely
source 1t appears that the flight OF steps lead
ing TO n great concert room then existing In the
Champs Eysees was the rendezvous Of all tho
Young Partisan dandles who never allowed
One evening. as our discreet young artist who
read no novels. was coming down the steps with
her mother the Due dc Chartres. nfterward
Philippe Esnllt6. was standing by. arm in arm
with companion Of his orgies and let none OF the
poor women escape his biting sarcasm. All.
ms for this one" said the Due. in a loud voice.
pointing TO Mile. Vg6s. there is nothing to b.
said" More than half century aiterwarl. our
author records that this speech. which several
others heard ms well as myself. gave me so
much satisfaction that even now recall II with
feeling Of pleasure" The Duchess % Char
tres. by the way. had been one OF her first pa
irons among the great ladies' OF the court and
the Faubourg st. German. and ii was doubtless
through her good Offices tnat her young prot6g6e
WINS. by and by. asked 20 paint Marie Antoinette.
II was in the year 1879 that our author. who.
by this time. had committed the blundcr Of
marrying NJ Le Brun In order to escape living
with stepiather. took her first likeness Of the
Queen The latter was then In all the brillian-
~ Of her youth and beauty. The pen-picture
here drawn OF her deserves particular atten-
ton. when we consider the writer's special