New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-02-12
STUDIES IN AUTOBIOGRAPHY.
BY CHARLES T. CoNGDoN.
MADAME DE GENLIS.

Felicite Ducrest de st. Aubin) reminds that she
was born in 1746 before names. titles ard pedgrees
became for q time mere rubbish in France. while
the swift boodstained tide of the Revolution swept
so many of the aristocrats into the booksellers
shops in search of bread. The lady came of a noble
but no longer wealthy family. droll incident at
tended her birth. She entered into this breathing
world so small and weakly that they did not dare to
nut her in swaddling clothes, So she was placed in
n down pillow the two sides folded over her and
fastened with pin. Thus wrapped mp she was laid
upon an armchair in the room. The Judge OF the
district who was almost blind, came to pay VISIT
of compliment. Separating the huge flaps OF MS
coat he vac about TO sit down upon the httle
woman who would certainly have been crushed TO
death il some OF the bystanders had not iushed
swiftly to the rescue But her hairbreadth 'scapes
were not over. At eighteen mon ms old she was
nearly drowned in pond At the age of FIVE years
she fell and received severe wound in the head
Soon after she tumbled into the kitchen fire. She
went with her mother into much greater perils at
Paris in 1853. At first she was not happy. She
had NO teeth pulled ont she was put into whale
bone STAYS which pinched her terribly; her 1eet
were imprisoned in tight shoes, making 1t impos-
sible for her to walk; she had three or four
thousand curl papers on her head; she wore for
tho FIRST time in her life hoop; to correct her
country attitudes an iron collar was put upon her
doomed to wear goggles. She was forbi iden to rum
TO leap. OF 10 ask questions; and master was EN-
ployed to teach her to walk. mere child, she was
received as canoness of the noble Chapter OF Alx.
So she mentions that a small brother of hers still
In his cradle made Knight of Malta These
Memoirs are too vouminOus to permit OF more than
the most cursory abridgment. But must not omit
to mention that D'Alembert, who had written
work on harmony. came to hear her play upon the
harp. She says that " he had vulgar expression
of face. and was fond of telling low and ludicrous
anecdotes in a sharp and shrill tone OF voice.
Mademoselle disliked him extremely.
In her sixteenth year the girl was married to NJ
do Genls secretly she says, because the family OF
her husband was opposed to his union with one 30
poor as herself. Really nothing particular OF I'M
portance happened to her after this, until she maze
The acquaintance of Rosseau when she was eighteen
years old She found him shy and unsoclable,'
refusing TO receive make visits Afterward he
unbent TO her and she says that she never knew
literary character more agreeable or with less ahec-
tation" His eyes were small and though deep SET
were very piercing as if they would penetrate anu
PRIV into the very soul of the individual he was in
terropating' He talked to her of the manner IN
which he had composed the Nou7elle Heloise."
He said that he wrote all the letters of Julie on
beautiful small letter paper with vgnettes-that he
afterward folded them like letters, and read them
in his walks with as much transport as II he had
received them from an adOTed mistress" lie gave
Madame heap of songs of his own composing but
she ungrateiuy declares that there was not one
that was pretty or even iii for singing. Yet he
talked admirably of music. and was great con-
nolsseur. curious anecdote Is given of his morbid
independence He drank at the table of NJ. de
Genis kind of Sery wine, which he liked very
much He offered present OF some OF IT, ana
Rosseau consented to receive couple of tottes.
In the generosity Of his heart, NJ de Genis instead
sent him twenty-five bottles. Back they swiftly
came with note from Rosseau, " breathing nothing
but anger disdain and implacable resentment"
The real cause of his wrath was his fear lest 1t
should he thought. when he modestly asked for TWO
bottles that he seeking for much more.
peace was patched up by Madame, but the philoso-
pher remained very dry and distant toward NJ dc
Genlis Madame got at last tired of his whiins, in
sincerities and Alterations and saw HIM no more.
The Duke of Orleans was or pretended to be much
in love with an aunt of Madame de Genlis; but she
saws that he never was truly in love in the whole
course of his life If at the time am speaking Of
an agreeable woman had been DESTROYS of occupy
ing the place of my aunt, nothing could have been
easier" In fact, the Duke appears even to have
undertaken rather serious Irritation with Madame
de Genlis herself. However. he finally made pr
yate marriage with the aunt Madame de MontessOn
Ills son. tntn lIe Du' uc tudlllCS dltOi"'iu wv
notorious Egalite. was greatly scandallzed at this
union. However he asked Madame de Genls TO
reside in the Palais Royal as a lady of honor. NJ
de Genlis naturally refused his consent unless
place in that ediiCe was also found for himself lie
was accordingly made captain of the guards; and
so the arrangement of which so much came was
completed.
Madame de Gen, has nice womanly way of
describing the society of the Palais Royal. The
Countess de Blot was " no longer i'll the bloom CT
youth" and in her conversation was continually
falling into ridiculous eXaggerahon or insuterable
bombast" Moreover her avarce did not permit
sany grandeur OF mind TO survive in her"
Madame des Choisi was still beautiful but not
pleasing. and tar too fat" The Countess de PoG-
mac had pretty feet, but not pretty face. The
nose of Madame dc Barbante was of fiery red
color and her carriage cold and affected" Inc
face of the Marchioness dc POlignac was exactly
like a monkeys" The old Countess of Montauban
was remarkable for nothing except absence OF
mind and a ridiculous fondness for good cheer" l
do not mean to say that Madame does not now and
then say complimentary things OF her sisters; but
we all know her method. The scant praise salts
the scandal As for the morals of the Palais Royal,
the les, we say OF them the sweeter Will be the
atmosphere When the Duke of Charities had fin
ished his education his father, the old Duke OF
Orleans. gave him mistress, one Mademoiselle
Duthe This wicked father also procured for his
heir tutor-the ADbe Aiary. "a yirtuouS, able
and learned clergyman" who became, as well he
might. disheartened, and continued his lessons
merely for forms sake. No wonder Charities
ripened or rather roted into the Orleans of the
Revolution. Still less is 1t wonderful that there
was a Revolution Tor him TO ripen or rot in.
One is pleased to encounter about this time in the
Memoirs the musician Gluck. who came to Paris 10
have his operas performed. When he sang his fine
o;rs IA the niano he was ravishing AT the re- |