The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 9, May, 1835Various
History
The Southern Literary Messenger, Vol. I., No. 9, May, 1835
Various
American literature -- 19th century -- Periodicals
We finished the day by dining at a neat auberge, (inn) with a garden
teeming with flowers just in front of our parlor. Returning home we
passed through the village of Nanterre, (the birthplace of St.
Geneviéve) and stopped an instant to buy some of the cakes for which
it is renowned; they are merely buns, and we did not think them
deserving of their fame. _Nanterre beer_ and _Nanterre sausages_ are
also held in great estimation, but of these we did not taste, being
quite satisfied with our trial of the cakes. I imagine you know the
history of St. Geneviéve; though lest you should not, I will tell you
in a few words that she was a shepherdess, whose virtues and piety
caused her to be canonized after her death, and made the patron saint
of Paris. There is a lovely picture of her at the Louvre, by Pierre
Guerin, representing her turning a spindle while guarding her flock.
Good night.
LEONTINE.
* * * * *
LETTER TWELFTH.
Lafayette and his Family--Sévres Manufactory--Palace of St.
Cloud--Madame de Genlis--Savoyards--Ballet of Mars and Venus.
Paris, -----.
_Dear Jane:_--
We have formed acquaintance with some delightful characters since I
wrote to you a few days since. We have been introduced to the good and
brave General Lafayette and his family! On Wednesday he came with his
son, Mr. George Lafayette, to see Mr. Danville, and the latter
presented us to them. The print you have seen of this distinguished
patriarch, is a correct likeness; and his manners are as benevolent as
his countenance. He has a soirée on every Wednesday night, and we have
gladly accepted the kind and pressing invitation he gave each of us to
attend them. The ladies of the family, consisting of his daughters,
his grand-daughters, and daughter-in-law Madame G. Lafayette, have
also called, and we find them very amiable and pleasing. We have
likewise had an introduction to Madame de Genlis, for which we are
indebted to Mrs. Danville; who, rightly conjecturing it would be
gratifying to us to know this celebrated lady, and being well
acquainted with her, requested her permission to present us to her.
This was readily granted, and this morning appointed for the visit.
Accordingly, after an early ride to the Sévres manufactory of
porcelain and the palace of Saint Cloud, the most splendid of all the
king's habitations, we repaired to her residence. On arriving we were
conducted up stairs by a tidy looking _femme de chambre_ and ushered
through a small bed-room, plainly furnished, into an apartment that,
from the variety of its contents, might be compared to Noah's ark.
Besides the usual appendages of a parlor, it contained a piano, a
harp, a guitar, a folding screen, and several tables loaded with
books, papers, baskets and boxes, &c. We found the venerable authoress
seated in an arm chair, near the window. Her regular and delicate
features and fair skin, still indicate former beauty. Her nose is
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