Queens of the French Stage

by H. Noel Williams

[151] Hawkins, "The French Stage in the Eighteenth Century," i. 355.

[152] Edmund de Goncourt, Mademoiselle Clairon, p. 4.

[153] Mémoires de Mademoiselle Clairon (edit. 1799), p. 235.

[154] Mémoires de Mademoiselle Clairon, p. 166 et seq.

[155] Mlle. Balicourt played queens and princesses, and had probably impersonated the Queen Elizabeth of Thomas Corneille's play on the evening when Clairon visited the Comédie. She made her début in 1727, and retired in 1738, on account of ill-health.

[156] Ravaisson, Archives de la Bastille, xii. 348.

"Mlle. Clairon contrived, during the early part of her career, to have three lovers at a time constantly in her train—one whom she deceived, one whom she received à la derobée, and one who lived on sighs."—"Memoirs of the Margravine of Anspach," i. 220.

[157] Charles Spencer, third Duke of Marlborough, and fifth Earl of Sunderland (1706-1758). He was, at this time, colonel of the 28th Foot, and, the following year, commanded a brigade at the battle of Dettingen. The name is written Mar*** in the French edition of Mlle. Clairon's Memoirs, but in full in the German.

[158] Cited by Campardon, Les Comédiens du Roi de la Troupe française.

[159] Cited by Edmond de Goncourt.