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    298 MADAME RECAMIER.

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    » News Ojste Day To His In Wife The Autu...

    and- confidence , and his wife did lier part no less nobly——sold' her jewelslet her houseand made immediate and wise j ) lans of future

    , , retrenchment and economy ; It is unnecessary to say how universal was the sympathy felt

    and expressed by the numerous friends--and admirers of Madame _^ Kecamier . Her old friends gathered round her with

    redoubleddevotion , and many who had till then been only acquaintances took this opportunity to claim admission , by their earnest and affectionate

    sympathy , into the circle of her friends and intimates . Madame de StaelBernadotteJunotand _; the : _Mbntmorencys

    , _> , whose were among good * understanding the most earnest 1 and of charming - the former " mann ; ers Madame soon obtained de Boigne a _;

    response in the heart of Madame Recamier _; and M : Prosper de Bax rante , were among * the most notable of the latter . News of these

    marks of compassion and sympathy were taken by Junot , Due _d'Abrantes , to the Emperor , then in Germany , - who , with some pique ,

    answered contemptuously , " People could not show more respect to the widow of a French marshal who had died in battle !' But shortl

    after , a more severe blow fell upon . Madame Recamier—her mother y who had so rejoiced in the splendor and elegance which surrounded ,

    her clung b ; eloved to the daug _pleasiires hter , and of dress who , thoug and societ h in y _^ declining had not health - strength , still 2 to

    resist the agitation and grief ; of the catastrophe which Juliette herself bore with so much composureand died in the January of the

    , following year . Six months were passed by Madame Recamier in profound

    retirement ; but when they were expired she went to spend some time with Madame de Staelat Coppet ; and there opened on that chapter

    , of her life where is concentrated the most romance , the most speculation , and , we must admit , the most blame .

    Prince Augustus of Prussia , young , handsome and chivalrous _^ was at that time residing at Geneva . If anything more was needed

    to make him interesting , the misfortunes of his family , and his own position , —for he was a prisoner , —lent the necessary charm . "We

    cannot be surprised that he did not see Madame Kecamier without losing , his heartnor can we much wonder that he inspired a

    , return ; to what extent we know not , but more , probably , than she ever accorded to any other during her life .

    Prince Augustus , as a Prussian and a Protestant , saw no difficulty in her obtaining a divorce and bestowing her hand upon him ;

    and Madame Kecamier , attracted either by the brilliancy of the offer , or by the devotion which inspired itlistenedhesitatedand

    at last wrote to M . Kecamier , suggesting the , _j > ossib , ility of having , their marriage annulled . The answer touched her and roused-all '

    her generous feelings _^ as well as the respect and affection she had always felt for her husband . He left the matter in her own hands

    promising not to withhold his consent ; but he advised , remonstrated , ,

    • and pleaded so kindly and yet so strongly , that she could not decide

    298 Madame Recamier.

    298 MADAME RECAMIER .

• Citation
  • English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), Jan. 1, 1861, page 298, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01011861/page/10/