The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1880-02-21
Dr.. Lords Second Lecture.

y small but st lCCt audience Assem- hlcu in
the Hall, On Friday evening. 18th inst, to
hear the second lecture of De-. Lord who
was introduced by VIM j. Jones, EST
This lecture, us previously announced, was
upon Madam De MGntainon, who was one
of the few great woman who have exercised
an influence upon the politics of the civilized
, nations of the earth. Being u worldly and
ambitious woman, she, like I'LL other French
women Of that character. chose to reside in
Paris. for it is only there that their ambition
can be gratitied. Her father was Il man of
protiigate habits, and, being thrown into
prison, conrrived To ruin the daughter ui
the Iailor. Here the subject Of this lecture
WAS born in 1856. In hey early life she was
employed about II stable, and ,1irht have
been seen grooming horses or taking care of
Il flock Of turkeys. In 1860 there lived IL
man in Paris who was 4 wit and Il hurlesqne
poet rs we'll His name was ScaIron lie
had been priest, hut, owing to his profit
gacy and RIGHTEOUSNESS, had become full of
maIadies and miSericS. Owing 10 his wit
his society WAS sought by the rich and
great who frequente,i the court of ne vo-
luptuous Louis the XIV. The Madam
found her way TO Scarron'S honSe one day.
and WAS mortified by the shortness of her
dress. Scarron resolved TO make her his
wife; she WIS l6, he -, and full Of misery
Being ambitious, she sought to improve her
condition by every means in .er power.
She was Il fena" Jesuit. She did not love
this poor partlrtic that she had married;
but this union, strange us it WIS, made her
fortune, for ii introduced to her the wits of
the French court, for her husband had none
but witty persons ut his table. Srarron
died, and she became tutor to Il scion of the
nobility, and III this way Louis became ac-
quiintcd with her. and She soon became one
of his iavoriteS. He soon found that he
could not live without her. and she became
the dispenser of his f,vorS and occupied Il
position similar TO that occupied by Esther
at the court of NerxeE. The court Of Louis
WAS now one OF the wonders of the age
His palace exceeded in splcndor the palaces
o.. the Oriental mCnarChs. Ii abouu,ied in
splendid decorations and III all that could
charm the eye or please the Imagination.
Here the proud monarch received the
homage of his subjects. There never was
monarch more favored, respected, and rev
erenred at home and also among the nations
of the earth: he thought he could take what
he wanted and, like .Ahnh, he took it. He
aimed to play the part Of Alexander, and
wished to make the Capital Of France the
Capital of a universal empire; bat his wars
for glory ended III Shame, and his perse-
cations stripped his kingdom of the flower
of his subjects. Owing to his nigotry 100, coo
of his subjects We're driven out of France
hy the hitler and llrniy prosecutions that
followed the revocation Of the Edict OF
Nantes. His Selisutliciency led him to
huniiatc his nobility. He feared moth
ing hut physical he'll lie became full OF
suregaitions fears, and was obliged to melt
his madallons 10 support his army. He
was pursued ly HE curses Of his subjects
and the hatred of the nations. This is bat
Il faint picture of the condition Of the man
to whose consolation ths energies of tn.
latter part of the life Of the Madame we q
directed in order that she might console and
comfort him, as We'll as in some measure
shape the policy Of the State. She ruled
him, though she herself was ruled by the
.Ies;,its, and succeeded in retaining her
position by her tact, her perseverance,, and
her prudence. She was cunning, she was
cruel. she was ambitious. Int no breath of
scandal ever tainted her character. She
possessed remarka hle qualities OF mind and
heat, AS proved by the fact that Louis mar
r!esi her despite the rlitrcatieS ri his friends
and tie advice nj his ministers Though -
narrow minded Catholic, sh" did not gioat
over the horrors of the st. Bartholomew
massacre ike some ether ladies of the
French court. :iic was he patron uf
learning, and founded a school for the e,lu a
ton of poor girls. whose inmates wor>nii".4
the ground upon which she trod She was
content to seem 10 ut the mistress of The
King, when she WIS in rrtIuy mis- wife.
Born TO freedom, she was II slave to her
ambition. When Louis died, .!ia WIS
treated rs usurper, and die 1T the age of
81, retaining her faculties 10 the last.
Not the least interesting part of the lee
ture was that part OF it ref: ing to the con
dition of society during the life of this dis
tinguished woman, which was traced in
mastery manner, and replete with
g unuence and wit. The lecture last night
was upon Martin Luther, and will be noticed
more ut length in our next ISSUE.