New-York tribune., 1907-11-09


II is 10 be assumed that few readers of educa-
tion are unacquainted with the letters of
Madame de Sevigne. which in selections at
east have been circulated as widely as any
French classic. Yet It is not improbable that
the personality of this famous woman is far
from being familiar to many Of those who are
tolerabiy well informed as to the reasons for
that admiration of her charm which crops out
ir the writings of unnumbered authors It
was therefore a good idea for Miss Adds 70
make a popular volume out of Madame de
s.vigrgs career, drawing freely upon the let
.ers, but taking even more pains with the mar
ration of all those external matters which bore
upon the development of a remarkable char
acter. Perusal of this work which carries the
Aarquise from the cradle to the grave and pre-
sents her not simply a literary type but as
woman. ought 10 send many reader to those
letters in which the subtlest revelations of her
peculiar genius await him 1t is not a brilliantly
executed portrait that Miss Adds has prepared.
She has made her book with industry rather
than with Unborn biographical faculty. But
at least she assemblies the facts and does so
with a sense of order and a warm if not kind
ling sympathy.
The book starts well. with a sketch of Madame
de Sevigne's father, the young Baron de Chan
tai leaving church in the midst of service on
sudden summons TO act as second in a duel.
The episode gives a vivid idea of the social
movement IN seventeenth century France. 1t
vas characterized at once by roHghness and
splendor. The nobleman Of the time took both
peril and luxury as his portion. 1t behooved
any one born into the fashionable world to
have all his wits about him. and. indeed It
was as important TO woman to man TO
possess strength of character. The little daugh-
ter Of the duelling Baron de Chantal. born in
1926. two years after the Easter Day incident
10 which reference has just been made, was
lucky in her inherited traits. Long afterward
she wrote to her daughter. saying. Il desire to
be devout but my mind is naturally worldly"
This only made her life the easier to live. As
matter Of fact she was never an irreligious
woman; her sense of honor was keen and her
natural worldliness was a protection, not
Source Of serious weakness. Losing both father
and mother at early age, she was left with
loyal friends and kinsfolk. and with substan-
Nal fortune. but she was, of course, great
prize IN a selfish society, and she was fortunate
in growing up with q nature attuned to essen
TALLY mundane interests. Her uncle, the good
young Able de Livry. was just the guardian
TO preside over her childhood. He saw TO her
education and was equally careful 10 foster her
moral instincts and her sense of responsibility.
People used to say l was very pretty she
wrote in after years 10 her daughter. What
they really said was that she had extraordI-
narv beauty and still more extraordinary
charm This charm Of hers was not without a
certain tang. AS Miss Aids notes, her girlish
wit was sometimes boisterous. ut was kind
Of hamboyant joyousness. the outcome Of mag
nifcent health and high spirits. which now and
again overfowed into imprudent speech" She
took captive every one with whom she came In
contact.
Her early marriage to the Marquis de Sevigne
hot -afa Of Taa ROCherS
Brittany, which is so well known to students of
the letters but she was lover of life In
the capitaI and her whole career, no matter
how often her provincial Withdrawals. Is red
olent Of the atmosphere of Paris Ihere at
the very outset of her married life, she enjoyed
the friendship of the Marquise de Ramboulllet
and In the circle of that famous precfeuSe
learned TO prune and polish her perhaps too
aebonair demeanor Henceforth she is very
much the grdnde dame avid Of amusement but
also sensitive to the political issues Of the day.
There are many glimpses in this yolume Of such
affairs as the F'ronde and though, her hus-
bands death in duel the butterfly Of twenty
five droops with grief that seems almost ex-
aggerated, in view Of the vicious character
through which the larlented Marquis had
caused her endless pain, she never ceased to
take z passionate interest in the great per-
sonages and events Of her time. She had her
troubles Her cousin, the wretched Comte de
Busy gave her many a bad quarter Of
hour and she was surrounded by temptation
She bore herself CALAMITY. however, and in all
circumstances preserved her zest for the broad
human spectacle constantly unfolding before
her II is interesting TO observe her conduct
on the downfall Of Foucquet, the brilliant and
INSCRIPTIONS Surintendant des Finances. who
had a great tenderness for the young widow and
D. inspired in her something like the feeling.
She was sincerely grieVed when disaster over
took him, but when his trial went forward her
letters on the subject were those of curiously
unprejudiced and clear-eyed observer. This was
Characteristic.
She had Saint-Simons gift for an GctuGIitG
and painted it With nothing Of his guile. The his
tory that she writes in the form of gossip Is
truth itself. for ii gives you the last nuance of
atmosphere belonging to the subject with which
she deals A whole volume Of scholarly docu-
mentation could not tell the modern reader how
the astounding romance of Ia Grande Madem-
oiselle and NJ. de Lauzun struck their contem-
porares well Madame de Sevigne tells
him in the letter which is no doubt well known.
but which cannot refrain from quoting. She
says:
I going 10 tell you of an event which is the
most astonishing. the most surprising the
tihcent the most bewildering. the most unheard-of
tne most singular, the most extraordinary, the
most Incredible, the most unexpected. the greatest
The least, the most rare. the most common. the
most public the most private till to-day, the most
ott5Iant1 The most enVlaole-ln snort an event 10
which there is only one parallel TO be found IN
ESSt ages and even that not an exact one an event
tn.mch We cannot believe IN Parls NOV then can
~ De believed in LyonsD; an event which makes
On event which causes the greatest Joy to Madame
&c Rohan and Madame d'Hauterive; event, in
those Who aTe %s present viii Dc doubt the evidence Of
sae.lr sshelr senses an event which though II IS 70