Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Female Literature In France In The Seventeenth Century.
those more minute shades of character , which men , even of the most brilliant imagination , frequently overlook , or disregard ; and herein lies the great charm of our author's style . Her plots are Avell and skilfully developed ; her fable interesting ; ancl her historical episodes faithful , ancl cleverly merged in the narrative ; but her excellence lies , as I have already remarked ,
in the delicate handling of that inner life AA'hich it requires the eye of a Avoman to discern , and the hand of an artist to portray . To " Eleonor d'Yvree" succeeded a second novel , " The Count d'Amboise , " xvhich , Avith a more involved plot , contains the same beauties of style ancl composition ; after AA'hich Mademoiselle
Bernard , by the adAice of Fontenelle , produced the tragedy of "Laodamia , Queen of Epirus , " Avhich obtained considerable success on the stage , although as a closet-play it is far from being attractive . Her next essay Avas more fortunate in conception ; but nevertheless the tragedy of " Brutus , " as compared with that of Voltaire , Avho doubtless appreciated at their just
value the extraordinary capabilities of such a subject , is a decided failure ; and as such she probably considered it Avhen , by the achdee of Madame de Pont-Chatrain , she once more tiu-ned from the stage to the closet , ancl produced her delightful romance of " Inez of Cordova . " Among the minor poems of Mademoiselle Bernard is a fable called " Imagination and Happiness "
, full of grace and poetry ; which Voltaire , irritated by the mistaken zeal of some of the lady ' s injudicious friends , by whom he Avas reproached Avith plagiarising certain passages from her tragedy , persisted in attributing to M . de la Parisiere , bishop of Nismes . Mademoiselle Bernard , born in 1662 , died in 1712 , haA'ing ably sustained the literary reputation of her family .
HENRIETTE JULIE DE CASTELNAU , COUNTESS DE MUBAT , AA'I IOSC Avritings Ave are next about to consider , AA'as the daughter of tlie Marquis de Castlenau , Governor of Brest , who died of a wound Avhich he received at Utrecht . Her maternal grandfather was the Count cle Dangnon , marshal of France ; and she herself became the wife of the Count cle Mxxrat , a colonel of infantry ,
and brigadier of the royal army . Witty , beautiful , and gifted Avith a spirit for intrigue , she shortly after the death of her husband involved herself in some political cabal ; an imprudence xvhich the king resented by exiling her to Audi , Avhere she remained until the regency of the Duke of Orleans , xvho recalled her to Paris . So long a banishment hacl , howeA'er , crushed the sanguine and enthusiastic spirit of Madame de Murat ; and she had . only returned to the capital a fcxv months when she died , before she hacl attained her fiftieth year .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Female Literature In France In The Seventeenth Century.
those more minute shades of character , which men , even of the most brilliant imagination , frequently overlook , or disregard ; and herein lies the great charm of our author's style . Her plots are Avell and skilfully developed ; her fable interesting ; ancl her historical episodes faithful , ancl cleverly merged in the narrative ; but her excellence lies , as I have already remarked ,
in the delicate handling of that inner life AA'hich it requires the eye of a Avoman to discern , and the hand of an artist to portray . To " Eleonor d'Yvree" succeeded a second novel , " The Count d'Amboise , " xvhich , Avith a more involved plot , contains the same beauties of style ancl composition ; after AA'hich Mademoiselle
Bernard , by the adAice of Fontenelle , produced the tragedy of "Laodamia , Queen of Epirus , " Avhich obtained considerable success on the stage , although as a closet-play it is far from being attractive . Her next essay Avas more fortunate in conception ; but nevertheless the tragedy of " Brutus , " as compared with that of Voltaire , Avho doubtless appreciated at their just
value the extraordinary capabilities of such a subject , is a decided failure ; and as such she probably considered it Avhen , by the achdee of Madame de Pont-Chatrain , she once more tiu-ned from the stage to the closet , ancl produced her delightful romance of " Inez of Cordova . " Among the minor poems of Mademoiselle Bernard is a fable called " Imagination and Happiness "
, full of grace and poetry ; which Voltaire , irritated by the mistaken zeal of some of the lady ' s injudicious friends , by whom he Avas reproached Avith plagiarising certain passages from her tragedy , persisted in attributing to M . de la Parisiere , bishop of Nismes . Mademoiselle Bernard , born in 1662 , died in 1712 , haA'ing ably sustained the literary reputation of her family .
HENRIETTE JULIE DE CASTELNAU , COUNTESS DE MUBAT , AA'I IOSC Avritings Ave are next about to consider , AA'as the daughter of tlie Marquis de Castlenau , Governor of Brest , who died of a wound Avhich he received at Utrecht . Her maternal grandfather was the Count cle Dangnon , marshal of France ; and she herself became the wife of the Count cle Mxxrat , a colonel of infantry ,
and brigadier of the royal army . Witty , beautiful , and gifted Avith a spirit for intrigue , she shortly after the death of her husband involved herself in some political cabal ; an imprudence xvhich the king resented by exiling her to Audi , Avhere she remained until the regency of the Duke of Orleans , xvho recalled her to Paris . So long a banishment hacl , howeA'er , crushed the sanguine and enthusiastic spirit of Madame de Murat ; and she had . only returned to the capital a fcxv months when she died , before she hacl attained her fiftieth year .