, a French lady of literary reputation, was the daughter of a military
, a French lady of literary reputation, was the
daughter of a military officer, and born about the year 1694.
She was married, or rather sacrificed to Francis Hugot de
Grafigny, chamberlain to the duke of Lorraine, a man of
violent passions, from which she was often in danger of her
life; but after some years of patient suffering, she was at
length relieved by a legal separation, and her husband
finished his days in confinement, which his improper
conduct rendered necessary. Madame de Grafigny now
came to Paris, where her merit was soon acknowledged,
although her first performance, a Spanish novel, did not
pass without some unpleasant criticisms, to which, says
our authority, she gave the best of all possible answers, by
writing a better, which was her “Lettres d'une Peruvienne,
”
2 vols. 12mo. This had great success, being written with
spirit, and abounding in those delicate sentiments which
are so much admired in the French school, yet an air
of metaphysical speculation has been justly objected, as
throwing a chill on her descriptions of love. She also
wrote some dramatic pieces, of which the comedies of
“Cenie
” & “La Fille d'Aristide
” were most applauded.
Having resided for some time at the court of Lorraine, she
became known to the emperor, who had read her “Peruvian Letters
” with much pleasure, and engaged her to
write some dramatic pieces proper to be performed before
the empress and the younger branches of the royal family
at court. This she complied with, and sent five or six
such pieces to Vienna, and in return received a pension of
1500 livres, but with the express condition that she was
not to print these dramas, nor give copies to any other
theatre. She long retained the esteem and patronage of
the court of Vienna, and was chosen an associate of the
academy at Florence. She died, much esteemed by all
classes, at Paris in 1758. A complete edition of her works
was published at Paris in 1738, 4 vols. 12mo; and her
“Letters of a Peruvian Princess,
” were published in
English, by F. Ashworth,