MADAME RECAMIER.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19012, 7 November 1923, Page 8

MADAME RECAMIER.

AN IDOL OF FRANCE. “IRON DUKE” CAPTIVATED. Beauty, like genius, like success, has its kingdom. Aladamc Recamicr, one of the most famous women of the Napoleonic, jioriod in France, ruled by her grace, and she had a nation of subjects. Her life was j intermingled with the lives of the greatest, tile most important, people of her time. I This famous flirt, Juliette Bernard, the I daughter of a notary at Lyons, was born !in 1774. Her father having been appointed | Receiver of Finances at Paris, Julie made her first appearance at Court in 1789. though Louis was already at that time a. slave of the people. It was the custom to admit the public to the dining-room to watch the Royal family eat, and at times the Bernards entered with the crowd. Alarm Antoinette was struck with the little girl s beauty, and sent for her after dinner to have her measured with her daughter, who was about the same age. When 15 Juilette was married to AI. Recamier. a banker, generous and good natured, who had the same strange liking as George Selwyn for witnessing executions. The Reign of Terror was at its height, and in his daily walk AI. Recamier always paid a call on Alndame Guillotine. The Terror passed, and it was now that the wondrous beautv of Juliette Recamier began to cause the sensation which gave her at a later period such a remarkable influence over the society of the consulate. At 20 she had a face and a figure that caused her to be regarded as one of the most beautiful women on earth. On one occasion she was deputed to hold the plate at St. Roch at some charitable fete, and knelt in the middle of the church. The crowd became enormous, and even the pulpit was occupied by people anxious to obtain a glimpse ot the most noted beanty in the land. The collection reached an enormous sum. Lucien and Napoleon Bonaparte were among the earliest to pay tribute to her beautv. In . 1797 the Dircctoire (rave a fete in honour of the conqueror of Italy. Talleyrand read an address of praise. Alndame Recamier rose from her seat to get a better view of the hero of the day. Ihe crowd turned to admire the famous beauty, and greeted her with a murmur of approbation. Napoleon’s vanity was hurt. He showed his annoyance, and bent upon her one of his most chilling, condemnatory looks. She sat down at once. Thus at the outset of her career she had the satisfaction of rivalling Napoleon himself in popular favour. At another reception Foucho came to her and said, “The First Consul thinks you charming.” Later she was invited to attach herself to the imperial household, but she declined the “honour.” Lucien, then aged 24, was a warm admirer of the beauty, and sent her a collection of letters, entitled “Letters from Romeo to Juliet.” Much to Lucien’s chagrin, his Juliette, meeting him at a reception, handed him buck the first letter, telling him, in the presence of his friends, that it was very pretty, but she advised him to cultivate politics, in which he might succeed, rather than literature, in which he was hound to fail. At their hotel in the Rue du Alont Blanc, M. Recamier, now one of France’s leading bankers, and his beautiful wife, received the leading people of France —Bernadotte, Alassena, Alorean, Lucien, Eugene Beauharnais, Fouche, Do Narbonne the two Alontmorencys’ Alndame de Stael and others. Eugene Beauharnais, the son of Josephine, then just 20, was one of her most ardent admirers. Once he took a ring of hers and begged that he might be allowed, to keep it. He wrote: “I have made a cruel mistake. Aly just complaints are permissible. Alay they reach you, and will you be kind enough, Aladame, lo ease the fate of him who is sincerely attached to you!” Alassena wrote to her; “The charming ribbon given by Madame Recamier was worn by General Alassena at the battle of the blockade of Genoa. The general has never been without it, and it has constantly brought about the victory.” In 1892 Aladame Recamier’s father was remotely concerned in some correspondence with the Royalists, arid that put an end to madame’s relations with"* the Bonapartes. But she still retained her ponularity. Though a desperate coquette she does not appear to have passed the bounds of innocent flirtation. Charles James Fox visited Paris and was much feted. He met Aladame Recamier. She insisted that he should drive along the boulevards with her. “For,” said she, “before you came I was the fashion. It is a point of honour, therefore, that I should not apnear jealous of you.” Some days afterwards Fox was seated with Aladamo Recamier in her box at the opera. A Frenchman entered and placed in the hands of each a copy of an ode in which the English statesman was eulogised under the title of Jupiter: and his companion under the name of Venus. Other foreigners who came under her sway in Paris were the young Prince who became King of Wurtemburg, the Grand Duke of MocklenburgStrelitz, Prince Mctternich, the famous Austrian statesman, and . Ludwig, afterwards that unfortunate King of Bavaria who, in association with the notorious dancer. Lola Montez, brought his kingdom to revolution. Napoleon regarded Aladame Recnmier’s salon not only with suspicion, but with the hatred of a rival. Ho declared openly in Josenhinc's drawing room that ho should regard as a personal enemy any foreigner who frequented her parties. In such circumstances it was not surprising that AI. Kecamier’s bank “ broke.” He was compelled to sell even his wife’s jewels. Junot pressed Napoleon to help them. He replied coldly; “You would not show more regard for the widow of a marshal of France who died on the field of battle.” During the peace of Amiens Madame Recamier had visited England and had been the guest of Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire. She now visited her intimate friend, Aladame de Stael, who was in semi-exile at Geneva. There she met Prince Augustus of Prussia, a weak and amiable young man of 24. She was eager to entrap princes in her flirtations, and .when he proposed that the should get a divorce and marry him she readily agreed. But before this idea could be carried out the Prince realised what a fool ho would appear in Prussia, as the husband of the divorced wife of a French banker. To him she gave the famous portrait of her by Gerard, in which aho is depicted in a vapour bath, reclining on a classical couch with the beautiful feet bare, and her hair and dress arranged after the model of the statues of Diana. This portrait ho returned to her by his will. Exiled in 1811 she visited Naples two years later, and was with Queen Caroline when Alurat, who had been repeatedly urged to join the coalition against Napoleon, entered the room. Turning *to Aladame Recamier, ho asked what she would advise “Sire,” she answered, “you arc a Frenchman. To France you must be true.” Alurat exclaimed, “I am a traitor.” Opening the window he pointed to the English fleet entering the Bay of Naples. When Napoleon was a captive at Elba Aladame Recamier again led society in Paris, and among her admirers was the “Iron Duke,” the hero of the Peninsula. Wellington wrote to her once, “I must confess, Madame that I do not much regret that business prevented by calling on you this afternoon, as every time I see you I leave still more penetrated by your charms and less inclined to give my attention to politics.” On (he morrow of Waterloo, the Duke, still her captive, repaired to her apartments. Believing she was be- overjoyed at the fall of Napoleon, he exclaimed, “Je I’ai bien bnttu.” But French prida and patriotism overcame her coquetry, and she turned from the conqueror in disgust. Her later friends included the Duke of Hamilton, the Earl of Bristol, Sir Hum- | phry and Lady Davy, Thierry and Suinto Beuve. But the most devoted admirer of her latter days was the aged statesman, Chateaubriand. He wrote to her, “Leonie is tall; her figure is charming. Leonie is beautiful. What gives her a rare expression of beauty is that oval line (hat one sees in Raphol’s heads, and which hitherto might have teen thought to bo ideal. There is perfect harmony in Leonic’s features. They express gentleness, refinement, and kindlings. Leome’s mind and character are distinguished by the same traits as her beauty, but what lends a special’ charm to her person is a piquant wit and a romantic imagination, in contrast with her natural tranquillity, and sometimes her words are passionate, whilst her expression is timid and naive. The double charm is to bo found in her of a maiden and a loving woman. She seduces like Venus and inspires like the Muse. One falls at her feet in love with her and one is held there by respect.” Despite the expression of such sentiments by her admirers, Aladame’s character was unsullied. Her husband had died in 1830, aged 80. When Chauteauhriand’s wife died, he, though on the verge of 80, infirm and tottering, with one foot in the grave offered his hand, as he had long given his heart, to Aladame Recamier, now blind and almost 70. She had the good sense to refuse him, and in the following year he died. Aladame R<|cornier, who was called as a witness when IxHiis Napoleon was tried over his ridiculous attempt at Strnsburg, was one of the cholera victims of 1849.