ts that were mellowed and purified by premature sorrow； and intellects that had taken a deeper and more serious tone from long brooding over the great problems of their time。 But only a glance is permitted us here。 Most of them have been drawn in living colors by Saint…Beuve； from whom I gather here and there a salient trait。
Who that is familiar with the fine and exquisite thought of Joubert can fail to be interested in the delicate and fragile woman whom he met in her supreme hour of suffering； to find in her a rare and permanent friend； a literary confidante； and an inspiration？ Mme。 de Beaumontthe daughter of Montmorin； who had been a colleague of Necker in the ministryhad been forsaken by a worthless husband； had seen father； mother； brother； perish by the guillotine； and her sister escape it only by losing her reason； and then her life； before the fatal day。 She； too； had been arrested with the others； but was so ill and weak that she was left to die by the roadside en route to Paris a fate from which she was saved by the kindness of a peasant。 It was at this moment that Joubert befriended her。 These numerous and crushing sorrows had shattered her health； which was never strong； but during the few brief years that remained to her she was the center of a coterie more distinguished for quality than numbers。 Joubert and Chateaubriand were its leading spirits； but it included also Fontanes； Pasquier； Mme。 de Vintimille； Mme。 de Pastoret； and other friends who had survived the days in which she presided with such youthful dignity over her father's salon。 The fascination of her fine and elevated intellect； her gentle sympathy； her keen appreciation of talent； and her graces of manner lent a singular charm to her presence。 Her character was aptly expressed by this device which Rulhiere had suggested for her seal： 〃Un souffle m'agite et rien ne m'ebrante。〃 Chateaubriand was enchanted with a nature so pure； so poetic； and so ardent。 He visited her daily； read to her 〃Atala〃 and 〃Rene；〃 and finished the 〃Genius of Christianity〃 under her influence。 He was young then； and that she loved him is hardly doubtful； though the friendship of Joubert was far truer and more loyal than the passing devotion of this capricious man of genius； who seems to have cared only for his own reflection in another soul。 But this sheltered nook of thoughtful repose； this conversational oasis in a chaotic period had a short duration。 Mme。 de Beaumont died at Rome； where she had gone in the faint hope of reviving her drooping health； in 1803。 Chateaubriand was there； watched over her last hours with Bertin； and wrote eloquently of her death。 Joubert mourned deeply and silently over the light that had gone out of his life。
We have pleasant reminiscences of the amiable； thoughtful； and spirituelle Mme。 de Remusat； who has left us such vivid records of the social and intimate life of the imperial court。 A studious and secluded childhood； prematurely saddened by the untimely fate of her father in the terrible days of 1794； an early and congenial marriage； together with her own wise penetration and clear intellect； enabled her to traverse this period without losing her delicate tone or serious tastes。 She had her quiet retreat into which the noise and glare did not intrude； where a few men of letters and thoughtful men of the world revived the old conversational spirit。 She amused her idle hours by writing graceful tales； and； after the close of her court life and the weakening of her health； she turned her thoughts towards the education and improvement of her sex。 Blended with her wide knowledge of the world； there is always a note of earnestness； a tender coloring of sentiment； which culminates towards the end in a lofty Christian resignation。
We meet again at this time a woman known to an earlier generation as Mme。 de Flahaut； and made familiar to us through the pens of Talleyrand and Gouverneur Morris。 She saw her husband fall by the guillotine； and； after wandering over Europe for years as an exile； became the wife of M。 de Souza； and； returning to Paris； took her place in a quiet corner of the unaccustomed world； writing softly colored romances after the manner of Mme。 de La Fayette； wearing with grace the honors her literary fame brought her； and preserving the tastes； the fine courtesies； the gentle manners； the social charms； and the delicate vivacity of the old regime。
One recalls； too； Mme。 de Duras； whose father； the noble and fearless Kersaint； was the companion of Mme。 Roland at the scaffold； who drifted to our own shores until the storms had passed； and； after saving her large fortune in Martinique； returned matured and saddened to France。 As the wife of the Duc de Duras； she gathered around her a circle of rank； talent； and distinction。 Chateaubriand； Humboldt； Curier； de Montmorency were among her friends。 What treasures of thought and conversation do these names suggest！ What memories of the past； what prophecies for the future！ Mme。 de Duras； too； wore gracefully the mantle of authorship with which she united pleasant household cares。 She； too； put something of the sad experiences of her own life into romances which reflect the melancholy of this age of restlessness and lost illusions。 She； too； like many of the women of her time whose youth had been blighted by suffering； passed into an exalted Christian strain。 The friend of Mme。 de Stael； the literary CONFIDANTE of Chateaubriand； the woman of many talents； many virtues； and many sorrows； died with words of faith and hope and divine consolation on her lips。
The devotion of Mme。 de Cantal； the mysticism of Mme。 Guyon； find a nineteenth…century counterpart in the spiritual illumination of Mme。 de Krudener。 Passing from a life of luxury and pleasure to a life of penitence and asceticism； singularly blending worldliness and piety； opening her salon with prayer； and adding a new sensation to the gay life of Paris； this adviser of Alexander I； and friend of Benjamin Constant； who put her best life into the charming romances which ranked next to 〃Corinne〃 and 〃Delphine〃 in their time； this beautiful woman； novelist； prophetess； mystic； illuminee； fanatic； with the passion of the South and the superstitious vein of the far North； disappeared from the world she had graced； and gave up her life in an ecstasy of sacrifice in the wilderness of the Crimea。
It is only to indicate the altered drift of the social life that flowed in quiet undercurrents during the Empire and came to the surface again after the Restoration； to trace lightly the slow reaction towards the finer shades of modern thought and modern morality； that I touchso briefly and so inadequatelyupon these women who represent the best side of their age； leaving altogether untouched many of equal gifts and equal note。
There is one； however； whose salon gathered into itself the last rays of the old glory； and whose fame as a social leader has eclipsed that of all her contemporaries。 Mme。 Recamier； 〃the last flower of the salons；〃 is the woman of the century who has been； perhaps； most admired； most loved； and most written about。 It has been so much the fashion to dwell upon her marvelous beauty； her kindness； and her irresistible fascination； that she has become； to some extent； an ideal figure invested with a subtle and poetic grace that folds itself about her like the invisible mantle of an enchantress。 Her actual relations to the world in which she lived extended over a long period； terminating only on the threshold of our own generation。 Without strong opinions or pronounced color； loyal to her friends rather than to her convictions； of a calm and happy temperament； gentle in character； keenly appreciative of all that was intellectually fine and rare； but without exceptional gifts herself； fascinating in manner； perfect in tact； with the beauty of an angel and the heart of a womanshe presents a fitting close to the long reign of the salons。
We hear of her first in the bizarre circles of the Consulate； as the wife of a man who was rather father than husband； young； fresh； lovely； accomplished； surrounded by the luxuries of wealth； and captivating all hearts by that indefinable charm of manner which she carried with her to the end of her life。 Both at Paris and at her country house at Clichy she was the center of a company in which the old was discreetly mingled with the new； in which enmities were tempered； antagonisms softened； and the most discordant elements brought into harmonious rapport； for the moment； at least； by her gracious word or her winning smile。 Here we find Adrien and Mathieu de Montmorency； who already testified the rare friendship that was to outlive years and misfortunes； Mme。 de Stael before her exile； Narbonne； Barrere； Bernadotte； Moreau； and many distinguished foreigners。 Lucien Bonaparte was at her feet； LaHarpe was devoted to her interests； Napoleon was trying in vain to draw her into his court； and treasuring up his failure to another。 The salon of Mme。 Recamie was not in any sense philosophical or political； but after the cruel persecution of LaHarpe； the banishment or Mme。 de Stael； and the similar misfortunes of other friends； her sympathies were too strong for her diplomacy； and it gradually fell into the ranks of the opposition。 It was well known that the emperor regarded all who went there as his enemies； and this young and innocent woman was destined to feel the full bitterness of his petty displeasure。 We cannot trace here the incidents of her varied career； the misfortunes of the father to whom she was a ministering angel； the loss of her husband's fortune and her own； the years of wandering and exile； the second period of brief and illusive prosperity； and the swift reverses which led to her final retreat。 She was at the height of her beauty and her fame in the early days of the Restoration； when her salon revived its old brilliancy； and was a center in which all parties met on neutral ground。 Her intimate relations with those in power gave it a strong political influence； but this was never a marked feature； as it was mainly personal。
But the position in which one is most inclined to recall Mme。 Recamier is in the convent of Abbaye…aux…Bois； where； di