Produced by Thierry Alberto, William Flis and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team Europe at http://dp.rastko.net Transcriber's Note: The Table of Contents was added by the Transcriber. WOMAN In all ages and in all countries WOMEN OF MODERN FRANCE by HUGO P. THIEME, Ph.D. Of the University of Michigan THE RITTENHOUSE PRESS PHILADELPHIA Copyrighted at Washington and entered at Stationer's Hall, London, 1907—1908 and printed by arrangement with George Barrie's Sons. PRINTED IN U.S.A. CONTENTS PREFACE Chapter I. Woman in politics Chapter II. Woman in Family Life, Education, and Letters Chapter III. The Seventeenth Century: Woman at Her Best Chapter IV. Woman in Society and Literature Chapter V. Mistresses and Wives of Louis XIV Chapter VI. Mme. de Sévigné, Mme. de La Fayette, Mme. Dacier, Mme. de Caylus Chapter VII. Woman in Religion Chapter VIII. Salon Leaders Mme. de Tencin, Mme. Geoffrin, Mme. du Deffand, Mlle. de Lespinasse, Mme. du Châtelet Chapter IX. Salon Leaders—(Continued): Mme. Necker, Mme. d'Epinay, Mme. de Genlis: Minor Salons Chapter X. Social Classes Chapter XI. Royal Mistresses Chapter XII. Marie Antoinette and the Revolution Chapter XIII. Women of the Revolution and the Empire Chapter XIV. Women of the Nineteenth Century PREFACE Among the Latin races, the French race differs essentially in one characteristic which has been the key to the success of French women—namely, the social instinct. The whole French nation has always lived for the present time, in actuality, deriving from life more of what may be called social pleasure than any other nation. It has been a universal characteristic among French people since the sixteenth century to love to please, to make themselves agreeable, to bring joy and happiness to others, and to be loved and admired as well. With this instinctive trait French women have always been bountifully endowed. Highly emotional, they love to charm, and this has become an art with them; balancing this emotional nature is the mathematical quality. These two combined have made French women the great leaders in their own country and among women of all races. They have developed the art of studying themselves; and the art of coquetry, which has become a virtue, is a science with them. The singular power of discrimination, constructive ability, calculation, subtle intriguing, a clear and concise manner of expression, a power of conversation unequalled in women of any other country, clear thinking: all these qualities have been strikingly illustrated in the various great women of the different periods of the history of France, and according to these they may by right be judged; for their moral qualities have not always been in accordance with the standard of other races.