Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1892-02-18
NINON DE LENCLOS.
The Famous Parisienne Who Was Beau
tifui to the Last.

tifui to the Last.
L v. r. in the Philadelphia Times.
There is delicious aroma of romance
awakened by the mere mention of the
name Ninon de Lenclos. Equally fas-
cinating at 90 and at 40 this beauty in
spired the profoundest love at 60, and at
90 was, it is seriously said. still receiving
proposals of marriage. The questions
asked by women in each succeeding
century since her death has been, allow
did she do it,"
If we are to believe the advertisements
in the journals that consider the interests
Of women folks nowadays, very large
portion of this heauty's time must have
been spent in the concoction of creams,
balms and rose water additions to the
end of preserving her charms.
Ninon dc Lenclos was born in Paris
in May, 1916. Her parents were of noble
family. Her father was n man of sense
and learning, good amateur musician,
but in every sense of the word man of
the world. Her mother was u religious
fanatic, attended service twice day at
least and insisted upon the little Ninon's
company. With the same willfulness
that characterized her after life Ninon
invariably carried with her upon these
occasions either a book of poetry or
history, which she stealthily read while
her mother was absorbed in devotional
exercises. AT IA she was celebrated in
Paris for her wit-never an easy repu-
tation to obtain in the gay laughter-lov-
ing capital that forgives people for
being almost anything but uninteresting.
Left an orphan at 10, of great beauty
and an heiress, Ninon had been most
unfortunately brought up. Her father
| spoiled her and instilled in her his
worldliness and skepticism. Her mother
terrified and thwarted her upon every
occasion.
An old chronicler says of her "Not-
withstanding her youth she was found
to have a manly sense, without mascu-
line manners; was cheerful without
levity, had wit without pertness, nice
discernment, sound judgment and deli
cate taste"
She was above middle height, we'll
proportional, and had beautiful neck
and shoulders. Her eyes were hazel,
with dark lashes and well-detined
brows, hair of Il chestnut brown, good
nose and forehead, an cxquisitely shaped
mouth, good teeth and maryelously
fair skin. Add TO these varied charms
graceful arms, pretty hands and Gin
derella-like feet, a brilliant smile and
above all well -modulated voice, and it
is not to be wondered at that her adj
mirers were counted by the score. She
spoke Spanish and Italian, played we'll
upon the lutte, the harpsichord and
guitar, had weak voice, but sang with
feeling and danced adorably. She fol-
lowed the fashions with fidelity, but
affected plain, rich clothes and con.
formed to the modes suitable to her age
She was an omnivorous reader, but was
wise enough never to pose as a savante
OF course time has softened the edges
of Ninon's caprices, just as it has no
doubt added to her beauty and accom-.
plishments, and much that is said of hei
must be taken with large grain of salt
but that she possessed the art of making
friends and the rarer one of keeping
them is obviously true. The formcl
quality may be acquired; the latter is ,
gift.
She was generous and loyal friend
and during her whole life could never
be induced either by custom or example
to indulge in scandal, falsehood, i'll
nature or envy.
She never drank anything but water
yet was always so gay and witty a
table that people used to say the sour
had gone to her head "Moliere, th,
, wittiest.playwright and cleverest come
dian of his time, says she was al
inimitable story teller, and he invariably
consulted her about everything hi
wrote. She never accepted even the
smallest gift from any of her innumer
able adorers.
Among these admirers was a NJ
de Gourvillc, a well-known, refined
man attached to the suite of the Primo,
de Conde He had won corner of tina
: tickle heart of Ninon, when he wa
ordered away on military service. Will
: great regret he babe her farewell, leav
ing in her possession that. intangible
thing, his heart, and the half of his for
tune. The other half he decided, with
! touch OF the prosaic dictated by hi
head, to leave with M. de =, priest
: a man in those days remarkable for tn,
strictness of his morals, and who bor
an enviable reputation for honorable
dealing. M. de Gourville left Paris, ant
shortly after his departure learned tina
absence does not always make the hear
grow fonder, for Minor had transferret
her affections to another. The disconso
: late lover became philosophical and re
preached himself for not having exactet
acknowledgment for the sums left il
trust, precaution it seems he ha
; neglected. He was SO impressed witt
the idea that woman who was s
( capricious in her affections would PROV
: equally unstable in business matte
that he gave the money up ms lost. Upol
his return to Paris 10 months later h
called upon the man to whom he ha,
I ntrusted his money only to be met wit
:. an audacious denial of his having LEI
any such sum. lie did not even seel
Ninon. Several days after his arriva
. Ninon wrote him bidding him call upoi
her He did so, and when she saw hin
she reproached him for not comin
before, Informed him of her change o
sentiments in the frankest way and thei
handed him over the money which h
had intrusted to her.
She seems TO have possessed tn
faculty of making women friends an,
: among them were some well-known his
torical characters. Nine. Scurron, til
, wife of the poet and satirist-destinet
later to be Nine. de Maintenon and tn
wife of Louis Quatorze--during tn
early days of her first marriage wa
placed in most straitened circumstances
Ninon came to the rescue in the mos
practical fashion with money and with
sympathy that was most welcome to tn,
young wife. Upon the death of Scarrol
his widow lived with Ninon for while
sharing the same house and even til
same room. Nine. Scarron, when late