按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
f rank and recognized ability imposed the laws of good taste； and their vivid imaginations changed lifeless abstractions into something concrete and artistic。 Men of letters； who had held an inferior and dependent position； were penetrated with the spirit of a refined society； while men of the world； in a circle where wit and literary skill were distinctions； began to aspire to the role of a bel esprit； to pride themselves upon some intellectual gift and the power to write without labor and without pedantry； as became their rank。 Many of them lacked seriousness； dealing mainly with delicate fancies and trivial incidents； but pleasures of the intellect and taste became the fashion。 Burlesques and chansons disputed the palm with madrigals and sonnets。 A neatly turned epigram or a clever letter made a social success。
Perhaps it was not a school for genius of the first order。 Society favors graces of form and expression rather than profound and serious thought。 No Homer； nor Aeschylus； nor Milton； nor Dante is the outgrowth of such a soil。 The prophet or seer shines by the light of his own soul。 He deals with problems and emotions that lie deep in the pulsing heart of humanity； but he does not best interpret his generation。 It is the man living upon the level of his time； and finding his inspiration in the world of events； who reflects its life； marks its currents； and registers its changes。 Matthew Arnold has aptly said that 〃the qualities of genius are less transferable than the qualities of intelligence； less can be immediately learned and appropriated from their product； they are less direct and stringent intellectual agencies； though they may be more beautiful and divine。〃 It was this quality of intelligence that eminently characterized the literature of the seventeenth century。 It was a mirror of social conditions； or their natural outcome。 The spirit of its social life penetrated its thought； colored its language； and molded its forms。 We trace it in the letters and vers de societe which were the pastime of the Hotel de Rambouillet and the Samedis of Mlle。 de Scudery； as well as in the romances which reflected their sentiments and pictured their manners。 We trace it in the literary portraits which were the diversion of the coterie of Mademoiselle； at the Luxembourg； and in the voluminous memoirs and chronicles which grew out of it。 We trace it also in the 〃Maxims〃 and 〃Thoughts〃 which were polished and perfected in the convent salon of Mme。 de Sable； and were the direct fruits of a wide experience and observation of the great world。 It would be unfair to say that anything so complex as the growth of a new literature was wholly due to any single influence； but the intellectual drift of the time seems to have found its impulse in the salons。 They were the alembics in which thought was fused and crystallized。 They were the schools in which the French mind cultivated its extraordinary clearness and flexibility。
As the century advanced； the higher literature was tinged and modified by the same spirit。 Society； with its follies and affectations； inspired the mocking laughter of Moliere； but its unwritten laws tempered his language and refined his wit。 Its fine urbanity was reflected in the harmony and delicacy of Racine； as well as in the critical decorum of Boileau。 The artistic sentiment rules in letters； as in social life。 It was not only the thought that counted； but the setting of the thought。 The majestic periods of Bossuet； the tender persuasiveness of Fenelon； gave even truth a double force。 The moment came when this critical refinement； this devotion to form； passed its limits； and the inevitable reaction followed。 The great literary wave of the seventeenth century reached its brilliant climax and broke upon the shores of a new era。 But the seeds of thought had been scattered； to spring up in the great literature of humanity that marked the eighteenth century。
CHAPTER III。 MADEMOISELLE DE SCUDERY AND THE SAMEDIS Salons of the Noblesse〃The Illustrious Sappho〃Her Romances The SamedisBon Mots of Mme。 CornuelEstimate of Mlle。 de Scudery
There were a few contemporary salons among the noblesse； modeled more or less after the Hotel de Rambouillet； but none of their leaders had the happy art of conciliating so many elements。 They had a literary flavor； and patronized men of letters； often doubtless； because it was the fashion and the name of a well… known litterateur gave them a certain eclat； but they were not cosmopolitan； and have left no marked traces。 One of the most important of these was the Hotel de Conde； over which the beautiful Charlotte de Montmorency presided with such dignity and grace； during the youth of her daughter； the Duchesse de Longueville。 Another was the Hotel de Nevers； where the gifted Marie de Gonzague； afterward Queen of Poland； and her charming sister； the Princesse Palatine； were the central attractions of a brilliant and intellectual society。 Richelieu； recognizing the power of the Rambouillet circle； wished to transfer it to the salon of his niece at the Petit Luxembourg。 We have a glimpse of the young and still worldly Pascal； explaining here his discoveries in mathematics and his experiments in physics。 The tastes of this courtly company were evidently rather serious； as we find another celebrity； of less enduring fame； discoursing upon the immortality of the soul。 But the rank； talent； and masterful character of the Duchesse d'Aiguillon did not suffice to give her salon the wide influence of its model； it was tainted by her own questionable character； and always hampered by the suspicion of political intrigues。
There were smaller coteries； however； which inherited the spirit and continued the traditions of the Hotel de Rambouillet。 Prominent among these was that of Madeleine de Scudery； who held her Samedis in modest fashion in the Marais。 These famous reunions lacked the prestige and the fine tone of their model； but they had a definite position； and a wide though not altogether favorable influence。 As the forerunner of Mme。 de La Fayette and Mme。 de Sevigne； and one of the most eminent literary women of the century with which her life ran parallel； Mlle。 de Scudery has a distinct interest for us and it is to her keen observation and facile pen that we are indebted for the most complete and vivid picture of the social life of the period。
The 〃illustrious Sappho；〃 as she was pleased to be called； certainly did not possess the beauty popularly accorded to her namesake and prototype。 She was tall and thin； with a long； dark； and not at all regular face； Mme。 Cornuel said that one could see clearly 〃she was destined by Providence to blacken paper； as she sweat ink from every pore。〃 But； if we may credit her admirers； who were numerous； she had fine eyes； a pleasing expression； and an agreeable address。 She evidently did not overestimate her personal attractions； as will be seen from the following quatrain； which she wrote upon a portrait made by one of her friends。
Nanteuil； en faisant mon image； A de son art divin signale le pouvoir； Je hais mes yeux dans mon miroir； Je les aime dans son ouvrage。
She had her share； however； of small