English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), December 1860, Edition 1 of 1, Page 233, MADAME BECAMIER. 233;

Page 233

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- MADAME BECAMIER. 233;
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  «¦ The Father Of Madame Recamier Was Jea...
  
  from amiability , partly from the emptiness of her home life , to seek happiness in worldly pleasure—andstill more naturaland yet still
  
  , , more dangerous , a great desire to please . Matthieu de Montmorency was anxious that she should give more attention to charitable "works .
  
  and set aside a _joortion of each day for serious reflection . To the , close of her life she retained the habitwhich she had at first adopted
  
  at his persuasion , of giving at least , half an hour daily to pious reading and meditation . We quote a few sentences from his letters .
  
  . . . " Would that I could appear to you a thousand times more that which I am notwould that I could have all the rihts of a
  
  father , a brother , a friend , , and obtain your friendship and g entire confidence for one sole thing in the world—to persuade you to
  
  , your own happiness , and to see you enter the one j ) ath which can lead to itthe only one worthy of your heartof your intellectand
  
  of the sublime , mission to which you are called , ! In a word , to induce you to make a solemn resolution . For that is everything , .
  
  Must I confess it to you ? I seek vainly for some indication of it in all you do , in all those little involuntary detailsnot one of which
  
  , escapes me . Nothing to reassure me , nothing to satisfy me . Ah ! . I may not conceal it from you—I bring away a profound impression
  
  of sadness . I tremble for all that is in danger of being lost , to you in true happinessand to me in friendship . . Godaiid you also
  
  forbid me to despair . , I will obey . I will pray to Him , unceasingly ; , He alone can open your eyes and show you that a heart which loves
  
  Him truly is not so empty as you appear to fancy . He only can inspire you with a true attraction , not of a few minutes , but
  
  constant and sustained , for the works and the occupations which would indeed be so suitable to the goodness of your heartand
  
  which would fill much of your time so pleasantly and so profitabl , y . It was not as a joke that I asked you to assist me in my .
  
  undertaking for the Sisters of Charity—nothing -would be more precious and agreeable to me . It would spread over my work a s _£ > ecial
  
  charm which would help me to conquer all indolence and lend my labors a new interest .
  
  "Do all that is good and amiable ; all which will not tend to break your heart , and which will never leave you a future regret . But , in
  
  the name of God , in the name of friendship , renounce all that is unworthy of 3 ouall those things which can in no case ever render
  
  , you happy . ... Will you forgive me a wish that you may always find a little ennui in your soireesand in the society of some persons
  
  , who are called' amiable and pleasant ? Is that a very unkind desire ? I protest to you it is not so intended .
  
  * * _# _# # * * _"I am not without fear for the daily effect of those frivolous
  
  surroundings which are worth nothing to you , and are worth so infinitely * less than * yourself * . " _# _*« # #
  
  Madame Kecamier had written him a letter full of sadness and
  
  VOIi . VI . B
  
  Madame Becamier. 233;
  
  MADAME BECAMIER . 233 ;
Citation
- English Woman’s Journal (1858-1864), Dec. 1, 1860, page 233, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ewj/issues/ewj_01121860/page/17/

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«¦ The Father Of Madame Recamier Was Jea...

Madame Becamier. 233;