QUEEN REFORMS COURT

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17994, 12 April 1930, Page 14 (Supplement)

QUEEN REFORMS COURT

Miss Maud CruttweH in her new book tells the astonishing story of that famous French woman, “Madame de Mainlennn,” who, though born in a prison, became the second wife of Louis XIV. It is written critically and based on wide research, and its verdict is to vindicate Mme. de Maintenon from the charges brought against her. No personage of her importance in history (says the author) has been so maligned, so misunderstood, so misrepresented. She, stigmatised as cruel, capricious, vindictive, fatal to France, was in reality a paragon of honesty, loyalty, and magnanimity; very simple, very straightforward, supremely charitable; a saint whose sole ambitious were to convert her King and alleviate the misery caused by his wars. Yet everyone spoke evil of her: “Misrepresented during her lifetime, she was still more so after her death, , , She has been unfortunate in her later biographers. Courtiers’ Revenge. In fact, the courtiers of Louis XIV. secrn to have taken tills form of vengeance upon her because she concerted what, had been the naughtiest court of Europe into the dullest. Louis XIV. must have been a sail Iri'i as a husband. His own intellect could scarcely bo described as bright, vp. vuxs moreover a glutton; He uiica ' ate ioc his dinner four full

plates of different soups, an entire pheasant, a partridge, a plateful of salad, two large slices of ham, a ragout of mutton, a plateful of patisseries, fruit, and hard-boiled eggs! We know from Dangeau’s dairy that he habitually remained at table from two to three hours.” Mme. do Maintenon was a person who liked cleanliness and propriety, and the fashionable world of that date was thoroughly savage in its habits. People rarely or never washed. She complains bitterly “of tho absence of corsets and the noses of tho ladies brown with snuff.’’ The pompousness of Louis bored her extremely, and his excessive addiction to the chase tried her nerves. Her own character was unselfish and she did her best for the King and even attempted to bring about his reform with something of the

MME. DE MAINTENON’S REIGN AS CONSORT OE LOUIS XIV. A CHANGE FROM THE GAYEST TO THE DULLEST.

spirit of a missionary. She was with him for long hours wdien he lay on his deathbed, begging him to think only of God. . . Was she beautiful? Her portraits do not suggest any great beauty, and what there had been seems to have Haded early: “The clear complexion, auburn hair, delicate features and red lips described with so much enthusiasm by Mile de Seudery, were doubtless tarnished at this date (when she attracted Louis's affection) but one charm remained untouched—remained even in extreme old age—tier magnificent ayes, “black, brilliant, yet soft, passionate, full of intelligence.” One portrait but iitLlc known reproduces something of the splendour of those eyes and a great charm of expression.” The portrait in question, however, shows a rather dour-looking olcl lady with an enigmatic expression.