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CAEOLINE PICHLEH. 227
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.
¦» The Suburban Solitude Of The Pichlers...
and to her being most careful in expressing even verbally , an unfavourable opinion of the works of any living author .
In 1807 Madame de Stael paid a visit to the Austrian capital , and little else was talked of in "Vienna for some timebut what the
, distinguished visitor said or did , how she looked , what she wore > and so on , the general opinion of her being rather unfavourable .
Some could not forgive her for being , as she unquestionably was , a femme superieure ; others thought her manners arrogant and
assuming ; others again censured her toilette , certainly inappropriate to her years , and betraying a conceit of her person which a single
glance at the mirror ought to have sufficed to correct . She was accompanied by A . W . Schlegel , whom she ordinarily treated in a
manner little befitting her towards such a man , a circumstance which called forth much pity for him among the ladies , who
attributed his interesting melancholy to this source : Madame Piehler , howeverwas far from sharing this sentimenther plain good sense
deciding , at once , that a man so gifted and so famous , could assuredly have readily secured a comfortable but independent maintenance , hadt
he not really preferred a luxurious life in the train of the celebrated womanto whom he was content to be a satellite .
Schlegel , , soon established as a frequent visitor at Madame P . '& housewhenever she expressed a wish to see Madame de Staelwould
only reiterate , . " Then go to her ; " but as it was contrary to eti , quette for her , the resident , to pay the first visit to the traveller , the wish
seemed likely to remain unfulfilled . At last , a common friend undertook to bring the two authoresses togetherand with this view asked
them both to tea . The day fixed being , that on which Madame Greiner also received company , of course her daughter was not
spared very early , and arriving after the other guests had assembled , on entering the room she saw at the piano a lady whom she at once
recognised as the heroine of the day . She describes her as " a middle-sized strong woman , with striking but not agreeable features ,
whose prominent mouth and chin , and altogether Moorish cast of countenance , seemed to betoken some amount of sensuality , and
whose remarkable , it might even be said daring attire , showed pretensions little warranted by her years and altogether unpleasant
appearance . " After a hasty introduction to the distinguished stranger , she passed into the next room to lay aside her shawl and
pelisse , when immediately Madame de Stael followed , and standing before one of the looking-glasses , began , while re-arranging her
own head-dress , a conversation upon an article Madame P . had recently inserted in the Morgenhlattin which she had commented
upon the weak characters of the , heroes in " Corinne" and " Delphine . " The dialogue did not last long , for others soon
interposed , ; the conversation became general , and the lionne of the evening shortly after took leave with her cavaliere serventethe
, manner in which she asked him if her people were come , and with
a mere nod bade him look after them , leaving anything but a plea-
Caeoline Pichleh. 227
CAEOLINE PICHLEH . 227
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Citation
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English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), Dec. 1, 1862, page 227, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01121862/page/11/
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