-
Articles/Ads
Article THE COLLECTOR. Page 1 of 4 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Collector.
THE COLLECTOR .
No . VII . FEMALE HEROISM . INTERESTING ACCOUNT OF THE COUNTESS DE ST . BALMONT , AH EXTRAORDINARY FRENCH LADY , IN THE LAST CENTURY . was in the year 16 3 8 says Abbe Arnauld , in his very amusing
IT , Memoirs , that I had the honour to become acquainted with that Amazon of our times , Madame de St . Balmont , whose life was aprodigy of courage and of virtue ; uniting in her person all the valour of a determined soldier and all the modesty of a truly christian woman . She was of a very good family of Lorraine , -and was born with a disposition worthy of her birth . The beauty of her face
corresponded to that of her mind ; but her shape no ways agreed with it , being small and rather clumsy . Providence , who had destined her for a life more laborious than that which females in general lead , had formed her more robust , and more able to bear bodily fatigue . It had inspired her with so great a contempt for beauty , that when she
had , the small-pox , she was as pleased to be marked with it as other women are affiifted on a similar occasion , and said that it would enable her to be more like a man . She was married to the Count de St . Balmont , who was not inferior to her , either in birth or in merit . They lived together very happily , till the troubles that arose in Lorraine obliged them to separate . The Count was constantly employed by the Duke , his Sovereign , in a manner suitable to his rank and
disposition , except when he once gave him the command of a poor feeble fortress , in which he had the assurance to resist the arms of Louis XIV . for several days together , . at the risque of being treated with the extremest severity of military law , which denounces the most infamous and degrading punishment against all those officers who hold out without any prospeft of success . M . de St . Balmont went , indeed , farther , and added insolence to rashness ; for , at every
shot of cannon that was fired at the fortress , he appeared at the windows , attended by some fiddlers , who played by his side . This madness—for one cannot call it by a more gentle name—had nearly cost him very dear ; for , when he was taken prisoner , it was agitated in the council of war , composed of the oflicers whom he had treated with this insolence , whether he should not be hung up immediately ; but regard was paid to his birth , and perhaps to his courage , however
indiscreet . Madame de St . Balmont remained upon his estates , to take care of them . Hitherto she had only exerted her soldier-like disposition in hunting and shooting , which is a kind of war ; but very soon an opportunity presented itself of realizing it ; and it was this : An officer in our cavalry had taken up his quarters upon one of her husband ' s estates , and was living there at discretion . Madame de VOL x . x
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Collector.
THE COLLECTOR .
No . VII . FEMALE HEROISM . INTERESTING ACCOUNT OF THE COUNTESS DE ST . BALMONT , AH EXTRAORDINARY FRENCH LADY , IN THE LAST CENTURY . was in the year 16 3 8 says Abbe Arnauld , in his very amusing
IT , Memoirs , that I had the honour to become acquainted with that Amazon of our times , Madame de St . Balmont , whose life was aprodigy of courage and of virtue ; uniting in her person all the valour of a determined soldier and all the modesty of a truly christian woman . She was of a very good family of Lorraine , -and was born with a disposition worthy of her birth . The beauty of her face
corresponded to that of her mind ; but her shape no ways agreed with it , being small and rather clumsy . Providence , who had destined her for a life more laborious than that which females in general lead , had formed her more robust , and more able to bear bodily fatigue . It had inspired her with so great a contempt for beauty , that when she
had , the small-pox , she was as pleased to be marked with it as other women are affiifted on a similar occasion , and said that it would enable her to be more like a man . She was married to the Count de St . Balmont , who was not inferior to her , either in birth or in merit . They lived together very happily , till the troubles that arose in Lorraine obliged them to separate . The Count was constantly employed by the Duke , his Sovereign , in a manner suitable to his rank and
disposition , except when he once gave him the command of a poor feeble fortress , in which he had the assurance to resist the arms of Louis XIV . for several days together , . at the risque of being treated with the extremest severity of military law , which denounces the most infamous and degrading punishment against all those officers who hold out without any prospeft of success . M . de St . Balmont went , indeed , farther , and added insolence to rashness ; for , at every
shot of cannon that was fired at the fortress , he appeared at the windows , attended by some fiddlers , who played by his side . This madness—for one cannot call it by a more gentle name—had nearly cost him very dear ; for , when he was taken prisoner , it was agitated in the council of war , composed of the oflicers whom he had treated with this insolence , whether he should not be hung up immediately ; but regard was paid to his birth , and perhaps to his courage , however
indiscreet . Madame de St . Balmont remained upon his estates , to take care of them . Hitherto she had only exerted her soldier-like disposition in hunting and shooting , which is a kind of war ; but very soon an opportunity presented itself of realizing it ; and it was this : An officer in our cavalry had taken up his quarters upon one of her husband ' s estates , and was living there at discretion . Madame de VOL x . x