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uggests the quality of his poetry。 Sainte…Aulaire； who； like his friend Fontenelle； lived a century； frequented this society more or less for forty years； but his poems are sufficiently light； if one may judge from a few samples； and his genius doubtless caught more reflections in the salon than in a larger world。 He owed his admission to the Academy partly to a tender quatrain which he improvised in praise of his lively patroness。 It is true we have occasional glimpses of Voltaire。 Once he sought an asylum here for two months； after one of his numerous indiscretions； writing tales during the day； which he read to the duchess at night。 Again he came with his 〃divine Emilie；〃 the learned Marquise du Chatelet； who upset the household with her eccentric ways。 〃Our ghosts do not show themselves by day；〃 writes Mlle。 de Launay； 〃they appeared yesterday at ten o'clock in the evening。 I do not think we shall see them earlier today； one is writing high facts； the other； comments upon Newton。 They wish neither to play nor to promenade； they are very useless in a society where their learned writings are of no account。〃 But Voltaire was a courtier； and； in spite of his frequent revolts against patronage； was not at all averse to the incense of the salons and the favors of the great。 It was another round in the ladder that led him towards glory。
The cleverest women in France were found at Sceaux； but the dominant spirit was the princess herself。 It was amusement she wanted； and even men of talent were valued far less for what they were intrinsically than for what they could contribute to her vanity or to her diversion。 〃She is a predestined soul；〃 wrote Voltaire。 〃She will love comedy to the last moment； and when she is ill I counsel you to administer some beautiful poem in the place of extreme unction。 One dies as one has lived。〃
Mme。 du Maine represented the conservative side of French society in spite of the fact that her abounding mental vitality often broke through the stiff boundaries of old traditions。 It was not because she did not still respect them； but she had the defiant attitude of a princess whose will is an unwritten law superior to all traditions。 The tone of her salon was in the main dilettante； as is apt to be the case with any circle that plumes itself most upon something quite apart from intellectual distinction。 It reflected the spirit of an old aristocracy； with its pride； its exclusiveness； its worship of forms； but faintly tinged with the new thought that was rapidly but unconsciously encroaching upon time…honored institutions。 Beyond the clever pastimes of a brilliant coterie； it had no marked literary influence。 This ferment of intellectual life was one of the signs of the times； but it led to no more definite and tangible results than the turning of a madrigal or the sparkle of an epigram。
CHAPTER XI。 MADAME DE TENCIN AND MADAME DU CHATELET An Intriguing ChanoinesseHer Singular FascinationHer Salon Its Philosophical CharacterMlle。 AisseRomances of Mme。 de TencinD'AlembertLa Belle EmilieVoltaireThe Two Women Compared
It was not in the restless searchings of an old society for new sensations； new diversions； nor in the fleeting expressions of individual taste or caprice； which were often little more than the play of small vanities； that the most potent forces in the political as well as in the intellectual life of France were found。 It was in the coteries which attracted the best representatives of modern thought； men and women who took the world on a more serious side； and mingled more or less of earnestness even in their amusements。 While the Duchesse du Maine was playing her little comedy； which began and ended in herself； another woman； of far different type； and without rank or riches ； was scheming for her friends； and nursing the germs of the philosophic party in one of the most notable salons of the first half of the century。 Mme。 de Tencin is not an interesting figure to contemplate from a moral standpoint。 〃She was born with the most fascinating qualities and the most abominable defects that God ever gave to one of his creatures；〃 said Mme。 du Deffand； who was far from being able to pose； herself； as a model of virtue or decorum。 But sin has its degrees； and the woman who errs within the limits of conventionality considers herself entitled to sit in judgment upon her sister who wanders outside of the fold。 Measured even by the complaisant standards of her own time； there can be but one verdict upon the character of Mme。 de Tencin； though it is to be hoped that the scandal…loving chroniclers have painted her more darkly than she deserved。 But whatever her faults may have been； her talent and her influence were unquestioned。 She posed in turn as a saint； an intrigante； and a femme d'esprit； with marked success in every one of these roles。 But it was not a comedy she was playing for the amusement of the hour。 Beneath the velvet softness of her manner there was a definite aim； an inflexible purpose。 With the tact and facility of a Frenchwoman； she had a strong； active intellect； boundless ambition； indomitable energy； and the subtlety of an Italian。
An incident of her early life； related by Mme。 du Deffand； furnishes a key to her complex character； and reveals one secret of her influence。 Born of a poor and proud family in Grenoble； in 1681； Claudine Alexandrine Guerin de Tencin was destined from childhood for the cloister。 Her strong aversion to the life of a nun was unavailing； and she was sent to a convent at Montfleury。 This prison does not seem to have been a very austere one； and the discipline was far from rigid。 The young novice was so devout that the archbishop prophesied a new light for the church； and she easily persuaded him of the necessity of occupying the minds of the religieuses by suitable diversions。 Though not yet sixteen； this pretty； attractive； vivacious girl was fertile in resources； and won her way so far into the good graces of her superiors as to be permitted to organize reunions； and to have little comedies played which called together the provincial society。 She transformed the convent； but her secret disaffection was unchanged。 She took the final vows under the compulsion of her inflexible father； then continued her role of devote to admirable purpose。 By the zeal of her piety； the severity of her penance； and the ardor of her prayers； she gained the full sympathy of her ascetic young confessor； to whom she confided her feeling of unfitness for a religious life； and her earnest desire to be freed from the vows which sat so uneasily upon her sensitive conscience。 He exhorted her to steadfastness； but finally she wrote him a letter in which she confessed her hopeless struggle against a consuming passion； and urged the necessity of immediate release。 The conclusion was obvious。 The Abbe Fleuret was horrified by the conviction that this pretty young nun was in love with himself； and used his influence to secure her transference to a secular order at Neuville； where as chanoinesse； she had many privileges and few restrictions。 Here she became at once a favorite； as before； charming by her modest devotion； and amusing by her brilli