WOMAN IN FRANCE

DURING THE

EIGHTEENTH CENTURY.

BY

JULIA KAVANAGH,

AUTHOR OF "MADELEINE, A TALE OF AUVERGNE," &c.

IN TWO VOLUMES.

VOL. I.

WITH PORTRAITS.

LONDON:

SMITH, ELDER AND CO., 65, CORNHILL.

1850.

777201-190

CONTENTS OF VOL. I.

PERIOD THE FIRST.-THE REGENCY.

INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.

Preliminary Remarks.-State of French Society at the close

PAGE

of Louis the Fourteenth's Reign

. 1

CHAPTER I.

The Regent; his Court and his Family

. 28

CHAPTER II.

Madame du Maine.-The Society of Sceaux.-The Cellamare

Conspiracy

49

CHAPTER III.

The Countess of Verrue.-Madame de Lambert.-State of

French Society during the Regency and the Period imme-

diately following it.-The Nun Tencin.-Madame de Prie 78

CHAPTER IV.

Madame de Ferriol.-Mademoiselle Aïssé

. 97

PERIOD THE SECOND.-REIGN OF LOUIS XV.

CHAPTER I.

Retrospective View of the Regency.-The first Bureaux

Madame de la Popelinière. Madame de

D'Esprit.

Tencin

-

PAGE

. 115

CHAPTER II.

The Court.-Louis XV. - His Mistresses.

Madame de

Mailly.-Madame de Vintimille.—Madame de Chateauroux 132

CHAPTER III.

Voltaire and Madame du Chatelet

CHAPTER IV.

The Philosophers.-Literary Societies.-Madame D'Epinay.

-Rousseau

CHAPTER V.

General Aspect of Society.-Power of Woman.-Madame

155

185

. 211

CHAPTER VI.

Mademoiselle de Lespinasse

· 233

CHAPTER VII.

Madame Geoffrin.-Influence of the Bureaux D'Esprit

CHAPTER VIII.

Madame de Pompadour.-Her Political Power and General

Influence.-Madame du Marchais and the Economists.-

Madame du Barry.-Death of Louis XV.