The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-28

exile in the early years OF the First Empire,
and for nearly sixty years almost every
person OF importance visited her or joined
the special circle over which she presided
with notable tact and foresight. Many
rising talents in politics or in literature
were enabled by her benevolent support
to traverse the first and often the most
difficult stages upon the road to fame.
Recognized celebrities like st. Beuve.
Lamartine, Guizot and Nine. de Girardin
Qettsrs from whom are here r~eproduced)
we're happy to secure the appreciation OF
accurate judgment.
-
Born at Versailles before the Revolution
l7sl) and brought up. 30 to speak, at the
knees OF the royal family (her mother
being one OF the ladies' of Nine. Adelaide.
daughter Of Louis XVI. a friend in her
youth. during exile. Of Princesse Marie
Amelie Of Naples. who was to he the
Duchesse d'Orlesns and Queen OF the
French, Mile. desmond. afterward the
Comtesse de Boigne. completed her edu-
cation in England. whittier her family had
fed to avoid the excesses Of the revolu-
tionists. She came pack to Paris after
Napoleon had been crowned Emperor
with a keen taste for politics. marked by
q wider liberalism than was in conformity
with the emiore environment in which
her parents lived. Wise pilotsge. open
mindedness and a healthy and straight
forward judgment enabled her to avoid
the unfortunate exaggerations OF the
society to which she was attached 10y her
birth, while she was also able to shun the
revolutionary tendencies more or less
openly avowed. but always dangerous, to
which many OF her friends. and those by
no means u%nimportant, we're but too in
clined before they succeeded in attaining to
power. In a word. the Comtesse d'Osmond
de Boigne was a complete embodiment
Of the transition between the old and the
new regimes. The French editor Of her
memoirs adds that this was true even in
every human being. as will be plain to
the reader Of these pages. where the writer's
character may he easily OWNED. Her
severity in some cases and her indulgence
in others would be hard TO explain in the
case Of a mind so highly gifted and well
balanced il the conditions OF her environ
ment were not COnsloereu.
The secret which made the society OF
the Comtesse de Boigne so attractive is
disclosed in a letter from Nine. Recamier.
IL is evident hat the worship OF talent
was part of her character Moreover,
she was able to converse and to arouse
conversation about her. This agreeable
gift is VIGOROUSLY dying out, and even in
Paris but few ladies' Of the present day
have learned how 10 preserve il, There
is plenty Of talking in modern drawing
rooms. but there Is scant listening and
no conversation. Nine. de Boigne seems
to have possessed in the highest degree
the delicate and charming science OF draw
ing people out. To be convinced OF the
fact one needs only to read the definition
of conversation that she gave in one Of the
two novels which she published. Con-
versation.- she writes, like all other pleas
ures. must not be abused. IL should arise
by chance. impromptu and naturally,
under favorable conditions. when the par
tioipators meet without set purpose. Then
il ia that they produce attractive CONVERSE
ton "a trees bear fruit in good season.
Conversation is both the most tenacious
and the most elusive thing in the world.
Sometimes il secures a firm footing in
spite of all Interruptions or obstacles; at
other times the movement OF a fly or a
chair pushed Jack will break the thread
Must we then feel. she asks. any excessive
regret? Certainly not. Al the proper
time the conversation will begin once
more. il may be or presently,
and the movement of the same fy or arm
chair will perhaps have provided another
theme: they will revivify it and inform 1t
with fresh grace" She adds that the
necessary ingredients for conversation
are distinguished people who take a pleasure
in il. together with some men Of learning
and a certain proportion Of women and
people who may seem futile but really are
intelligent. Given these elements. allow
things To take their course, and the less
conversation IL guided the sooner Il will
proceed
IL was the possession Of such attractive
qualities as have been indicated. together
with an intelligent application Of the prin-
ciples which she herself defined, that en-
abled the Comtesse de Boigne to keep
abou, her for decades a circle which cheered
the evening OF her life. a circle composed of
people who had a place established in con-
temporary society by birth. fortune, posi-
ton or talent. Until extreme old age she pre-
served II not beauty AT any rate all the bril-
liant faculties OF her youth. as appears in
the following portrait drawn of her by
Nine. lie NoTmand. the niece OF Nine. Re-
camier For man. years Nine, de Boigne
could not walk or even take a step. She
had to be carried TO her carriage. to her
gsrden, from her room to the salon, from
her salon to her dining room and was only
carried INTO the latter when the guests
were already assembled. Great would be
the surprise of some new guest to discover
the incredible contrast between the swathed
and hooded figure carried in by two foot
men and the keen. fine intellect which