[340] Hortense Allan de Méritens (1801-1879) published, as her first work, in 1821, a remarkable novel, the Conjuration d'Amboise, which was succeeded by Sextus, ou le Romain des Maremmes, the Indienne, Settimia and others. In 1873 and 1874, she published, under the pseudonym of "Madame Prudence de Saman" and the title of the Enchantements de Prudence, a series of erotic confidences, or romantic autobiography, in which she mixes up Chateaubriand, Lamennais, Béranger and a score of others with her imaginary adventures.—B.
[341] Mélanie Villenave, Dame Waldor (1796-1871), author of some volumes of poems, of which the principal, entitled Poésies du cœur, had appeared in 1835. Her novels include André le Vendéen (1843) and the Moulin en deuil (1849).—B.
[342] Marceline Josèphe Félicité Desbordes, Dame Desbordes-Valmore (1786-1859) had appeared, with some success, at the Opéra-Comique, when, in 1817, she married François Prosper Lanchantin, known as Valmore, the actor, and left the stage. Her poetry is distinguished for sweetness and pathos, without affectation. That published before the time in which Chateaubriand is writing includes Élégies et romances (1818), Élégies et poésies nouvelles (1824) and the Pleurs (1833). Pauvres fleurs appeared in 1839 and Bouquets et prières in 1843.—T.
[343] Anaïs Ménard, Dame Ségalas (b. 1814), published the Algériennes in 1831, when only seventeen years of age. Next came the Oiseaux de passage (1836) and, later, Enfantines: poésies à ma fille (1844), the Femme (1847) and Nos bons Parisiens (1865). To these must be added a number of novels and plays of various descriptions. Madame Ségalas will, however, remain known mainly as the author of the Enfantines, a collection of verse that has had no less than ten editions.—B.
[344] Louise Révoil, Dame Colet (1815-1876), published her first volume, Fleurs du Midi, accompanied by two kindly letters from Chateaubriand, in 1836. From that year till the year of her death she did not cease writing in prose and verse. The list of her works, which include poems, novels, dramatic essays, travels and works on history and politics, would exceed the space of these notes. She obtained the prize for poetry at the French Academy four times between 1839 and 1854. For the rest, Madame Colet mixed romance with her life in such proportions that it is best to keep silence upon both the lady and her career.—B.
[345] Elisa Mercœur (1809-1835), the girl poet, died before the above lines were written. The first edition of her Poésies appeared in 1827, when Mademoiselle Mercœur was only eighteen years old. Her Complete Works were published in 1843, in three volumes 8vo.—T.
[346] Maria Felicita Garcia, Dame Malibran, later Dame de Bériot (1808-1836), one of the most famous opera-singers of the time, was the daughter of Manuel del Popolo Vicente Garcia, the Spanish singer and composer. She made her first appearance in opera in London, on the 7th of June 1825, when she took the place of Madame Pasta, who was ill. She made a great sensation and was at once engaged for the rest of the season. In 1826, she went to New York and there, in the middle of a successful season, married Malibran, the French banker, who soon became bankrupt. She left him in 1827, returned to France and appeared for the first time in Paris, on the 12th of January 1828, in Sémiramide. Her success was prodigious and she continued to rouse unparalleled enthusiasm in all the great cities of Europe. On the 30th of March 1836, Madame Malibran married Charles Auguste de Bériot, the Belgian violinist; six months later, on the 23rd of September, she died, in Manchester, from the effects of a fall from her horse, in London, a few days earlier.—T.
[347] At this time (1833), George Sand had published only Indiana (September 1832) and Valentine (November 1832). Lélia appeared in September 1833, the Secrétaire intime and Jacques in 1834.—T.
[348] In an article on Etienne Pivert de Sénancour's Obermann, in the Revue des Deux-Mondes of 15 June 1833.—B.
[349] October 1834.—B.