The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-26

spondsnos OF Madame, Princes Pdidfins. Mother
ofhe Regent OrisdnS: Of Marie ADELAIDE de Saoofe.
Duchess Of Bouroocns and OF Madame de Ndin-
fsnon, translated by Katherine Prescott Wormeley.
VINO haa added an English version Of papers by
Sninie Bnuvo, on the fra, and third Of tho letter
writer's named. The larger part Of the volume Is
devoted TO the correspondence Of the Princess Pala
tine, and IL IL this TO which wc would here direct
attention. The letters Of Adelaide Of Savoy,
Duchess Of Bourgogne and Dnuphiness, are Of
little historical value and those Of Nine do Main.
tenon which arc here reproduced relate almost
exclusively to the school for young women Of rank
which she founded at SaintCyr
The lady who was known for hfty-ono years in
France as Madame par excellence was the
daughter Of that Elcctor Palatinc who was
restored TO his estates by the Peace Of West
phalia Born at Heidelberg in 1859, sho
became in 1871 tho wife Of Monsieur only
brother Of Louis XIV. whose nrSt vito had
been Henrietta Of England. the sister OF Charles
II. She was nineteen when shc entered the Court
Of ouis XIV, "too DID," she said, SO change my
character; the foundation were laid" To tho
end she retained her German tastes In TIA, after
forty three years residence In France. she wrote
from Marty Il cannot endure coffee. chocolate
or tea, and do not understand how any one can
like them; a good dish Of sauerkraut and smoked
sausagcs Ia, to my mind. feast for a king. 10
which nothing Is preferable: cabbage soup with
lard suits me much better than all tho delicaces
they dote on here" She clung 10 her own country
by other memories than those Of the national
cuisine She had been converted TO Catholicism
after her marriage WAS decided on, but she con-
iinucd TO read the Bible In German. though at tho
In
the devou', read the Scriptures Madame, on tho
contrary. gaze aiargc and regular place TO mcdia-
ton ON the Holy Book. After my sons visit"
she notes in November. 17l7. Il sat down TO table.
and after dinner took my Bible and read four
chapters II The Book of job, four Psalms and two
chapters Of St John" On one occasion she was
singing unconscously the Cnlvinist Psalms, or
the Lutheran canticlts- she mixed them up
while walking alone In tho oraugcry at Yer.
sailles when q painter. who was at work on q
scafolding, came down hurrcdly and threw him.
self at her feet saying. with gratitude: is II
possible. Madame, that YOU still remember
Psalms" The painter was n reformer and.
nfterward, a refugee: she herself relates the little
story, She had nothing Of the scctarion spirit
In the mids, of the Court Of Louis XIV, which
was unanimous as TO the revocation Of the Edict
of Nantes she retained in,ioable ideas Of toler.
Christian" she said, ito torture people for religious
reasons and think /, monstrous but, when one
examines things 10 the bottom. we find that re-
ligion is only a pretcSt all is done from policy
and selfish interests They are serving Mammon
and not God" Later she humancly interccdcd
with her son, the Regent, 10 release from the gal
lcys the Rcformcrs who had been sent there
SaintSimon. 10 whom she must have been sym.
pathetic in many ways tcstiiies that Madame
was princess ot the oldcn times attached 10
honor virtue. rank grandeur, md memorable as
10 their observances She was not without intel
lect, and what she she saw very clearly. A
good and faithful friend. rIsty and upright easy
TO prejudice and shock very difficult To bring back
from pref udice: coarse and dangerous in her pub
lie outbursts; very German in her habits; frank
indifferent TO all proprieiy and all delicacy for
herself and for o,hers; sober solitary and full Of
notions she loved dogs and horses, hunting and
theatres passionateiy. and was never seen except
in full dress, or in mans wig and riding hsbit"
Sain,-Simon concludes in these words The
figure and rusticity Of Swiss, but capable withai
oil tender and stanch friendship" The portrait
receives ample continuation from other sources
including her own writings, There is no doubt
that the Princess Palaiine, who by the irony Of
late was given 10 Monsieur a weak and cifcnnnte
Prince. was far more like a man than like woman
In her tastes; indeed she always regretted that
she had not been born boy. She relates how in
her youth feeling her vocation as a cav alirr very
strongly. she was always expecting some miracle
OF nature In her favor. With tl.is idea in her
head she devoted herself IS much as she could
10 all maiily exercises, ard especially leap.
ing. She cared much more for swords and guns
than for dolls II was in France that she served
her apprenticeship in the hunting field, and her
hTp int, q.
iy'sx times was she thrown FROM her horse with.
out being frightened or discouraged
Among other fanCles, which together with
letter whiting, served To amuse the long hours of
her solitude, may be rcckoned two parrots, a
canary and eight little dogs, After my din.
het walked my room for half an hour, for the
sake Of digestion, and played with my little nni.
mails" \ more elevate taste was that for coins
which she collected from all paris Of the world.
She viewed like yiruous woman the debauchery
OF the period and especially that Of her family,
ana did not iai to e&pTcss the deep disgust she
felt for it. The Regent Orleans, himself, has
never been more truthfully painted than he il by
his mother: she reveals him To us with his iacilc
faculties, his interest in all kinds of subjects.
hls talents his individual genius his graccs, his
Indulgence for all persons. even his enemies:
at the same time, she denou noes the capital fault
that ruined him, the ardent debauchery in which
he buried himself at hNed hour. and was thence.
foftn lost 10 sight until the next morning She
shows him TO US as u lberlinc. even in matters .
oi science that Is tn say curious and amorous
OF all he saw but Disguised with everything the |
moment he Possessed IT, Never did the cGrontcry |
and eluttpny Of women Of all ranks the cup,dity !
OF both sexes, the shameless traiIic and cynical
thirst for gold nnd more vigorous or trenchant :
hand TO catch them in the act and blast them |
When treating Of these excuses, Madame evinces ,
a species Of virtu0us immOdcsty like that Of Ju-
yenal She proves, in truth. how little Of NO
mans nature was in her by the want Of dclicacy /
In what she says. She IL honesty itself virtue,
hdrlity' honor; but also, nj times, indcccncy
and coarsoness persOnihcd She speaks Of every I
thing Unfortunately, like u man is never
shocked at any language and never goes by |
four roads when she has to express something ,
which would be difficult and embarrassing TO .
any one but herself Occasionally, there slips
In beneath her pen vein of Rabcais conscious
az she generally Was Of what was due TO her
rank, there are times when she seems TO forget
IT, and violates deconm With her coarScness
and her contradictions, Madame is usciu! and
nrDmDAT "a No 10,