William Roscoe to Miss Berry-Madame du Deffand's Letters. tence to sentiment, but wholly without a heart; witness her conduct with respect to Voltaire, whom she professed to esteem and admire above all her other friends, but whose death she has noticed with the utmost indifference, and whose yet warm ashes she insulted with a wretched witticism. Madame du Deffand was sick in mind all her life, and could never discover the cause. Mr. Walpole, her true friend, seems from time to time to have given her some good advice, which she had the philosophy to take in good part, as a patient receives a bottle of physic, the contents of which he resolves never to swallow. This disease was vanity; her opiate admiration; and as this, like other opiates, requires an increased dose, she became miserable when she could not obtain it. How happy it would have been for her if, instead of depending on the opinion of others, she had relied on herself; chastised her mind; improved her understanding-naturally so capable of it; viewed the present and the future, not through the glass of fashion, but with the eye of reason; and whilst she enjoyed the calm and temperate pleasures which even her situation afforded, have looked forward with hope and confidence to a better state. But retirement was not fashionable; good sense was not fashionable ; sincerity was not fashionable; religion was not fashionable, and morality still less so; in short, it was the fashion to turn every thing that is truly estimable in public and private life into ridicule; and Madame du Deffand had the assurance to sing in the presence of the King of Sweden her Chanson des Philosophes, little thinking that such outrages on decency were only the dreadful notes of preparation for those horrible calamities which were so shortly to ensue. It would, however, be unjust to Madame du D. not to ac William Roscoe to Miss Berry-Madame du Deffand's Letters. knowledge that the easy and unaffected style of her letters, must insure the approbation of the admirers of the best models of French composition, and that the succession of important personages who pass in review before her, will amuse those who like to contemplate the shadows of fallen greatness. If I have been pleased with your notes on Madame du Deffand, I am delighted with the favorable opinion you have so kindly expressed of my collection of tracts on the war. In proportion as those who avow such opinions are few, the approbation they express is nearer to the feelings of an author; besides, the ladies of the present day are so warlike, that it is really extraordinary to find one who has retained the clear and unprejudiced use of her understanding amidst the attempts that are made on all hands to confound right and wrong, and to persuade us that no other nations have either a right to think for themselves, or to be happy in their own way. To talk over these subjects with you, and for once in my life to visit the real "Castle of Ortanto" before I go to meet its late possessor, would, I assure you, give me great pleasure. Lord Orford's character improves upon me every time I read his works. His wit is universally acknowledged; of his political sagacity and foresight he has left many very striking proofs; but, above all, there are so many instances of a kind and beneficent disposition, and such an enlarged and impartial solicitude. for the good of others, without the least affectation or pretence, that I cannot but venerate his memory, and in this sentiment find an additional motive of assuring you how truly I am, Dear Madam, your obliged and faithful friend, and very obedient servant, W. ROSCOE. Joanna Baillie to Miss Berry-What is Indelicate in a Female Author? XXIX.-WHAT IS INDELICATE IN A FEMALE AUTHOR? Joanna Baillie to Miss Berry. HAMPSTEAD, June 9th, 1828. MY DEAR FRIEND: The mention of one friend's book naturally tends to another's. I have read your "View of the Social Life, etc.," twice, and it has lost nothing, but rather gained on the second perusal. The style is clear and scholar-like, in the good sense of the word; it is written in a good spirit of liberality and rectitude, and it abounds in excellent observations, concisely and cleverly expressed. For my own part I should have liked it better had you given us less of court anecdote, and more of illustration of the manners of the middling classes of society, though I am aware that such illustrations would have been more difficult to come at. There is another thing which I could have wished otherwise, but perhaps the general run of readers may not feel it: the account given of Voltaire's mistress, Madame de Chatelet, rather offends as to that delicacy which is expected in the writings of a woman. The mention, too, of Lady M. W. Montagu's poem on Lady Murray's disagreeable adventure, though very justly reprobated by you, falls a little under the same condemnation; and these I notice because they have been felt by others whose judgment and feelings I respect, though, as I said before, the generality of readers may not see them in the same light. I also mention them because I know you expect my sincere opinion, and the work itself has sufficient merit to afford such exceptions to its praise. I am expecting every day the publication of my Cingalese drama, the last proof-sheet of which I corrected some days ago -I believe nearly a week. It is a little cockboat to be launched Miss Berry to Joanna Baillie-What is Indelicate in a Female Author? upon a wide ocean, bound on a distant voyage; I hope it will not prove a castaway. I don't know whether you saw it in MS. When we return from Devon, where we shall probably remain two months, I shall be anxious to know what sale it had in Colburn's hands, who is the bookseller to whom Sir A. Johnstone has given it, for the profits of this little work may be of more consequence than itself. Your friend Miss A. Turner called on me last Saturday, and was very kind in coming, for she knew I was anxious to hear particularly concerning the illness of our poor friend, which could not so well be detailed in a note.. What a cheerful, useful person Miss Turner is! She is one of those easy, well-conditioned beings who gathers no thorns in the world for herself, and has both time and inclination to clear them away from the paths of other people. If you are a reader of Jeremy Taylor, perhaps you will recollect a passage where he says: "How many people are busy in this world in gathering together a handful of thorns to sit upon!" I confess myself to be somewhat a gatherer of thorns, and fain would I get the better of this foolish propensity, but I am, as we say in Scotland, o'er auld to mend. Always affectionately yours, XXX. THE SAME SUBJECT. J. BAILLIE. Miss Berry to Joanna Baillie. BADEN, June 19th, 1828. MY DEAR JOANNA: I am much flattered by your praises of my book, and almost as much by what you blame. Had I professed writing a comparative view of the manners, instead of the Miss Berry to Joanna Baillie-What is Indelicate in a Female Author? "social life" of England and France, I should have found, and so would you, that the manners of the "middling classes of society" in both countries were always a bad imitation of the upper. I must have gone down to the manners of the people for any difference, and that would have led me into a larger field of disquisition than I felt myself equal to, and involved discussions out of the pale of my personal knowledge. On the charge of "offending the delicacy which is expected in the writings of a woman," the two instances marked by you have been passed over by others, who have observed on a note of which you take no notice. I have only to observe that, if women treat of human nature and human life in history, and not in fiction (which perhaps they had better not do), human nature and human life are very often indelicate; and if such passages in them are treated always with the gravity and the reprobation they deserve, it is all a reasonable woman can do, and (not writing for children) all she can think necessary. I shall be very curious to see how you treat a new world both of men and things; as it can't be very bulky, if you will order one to be sent to Mrs. Anne Turner, directed to me, she will contrive to send it to me, if any possible opportunity offers. The merits of the said Anne Turner you will only admire the more when I tell you, instead of being blessed with the happy, easy disposition you suppose, hers is a very anxious mind, and therefore she has a double merit in forgetting her own anxieties to soothe those of her friends. Farewell, dear Joanna. Let me hear from you again in the leisure of the country, and believe me always your Sincerely attached friend, M. BERRY. |