Life, Letters, and Epicurean Philosophy of Ninon de L'Enclos Part 23

Ninon de l'Enclos to Saint-Evremond

The Weariness of Monotony

M. de Clerambault gave me pleasure by telling me that I am in your thoughts constantly. I am worthy of it on account of the affection I maintain for you. We shall certainly deserve the encomiums of posterity by the duration of our lives, and by that of your friendship. I believe I shall live as long as you, although I am sometimes weary of always doing the same things, and I envy the Swiss who casts himself into the river for that reason. My friends often reprehend me for such a sentiment, and a.s.sure me that life is worth living as long as one lives in peace and tranquillity with a healthy mind. However, the forces of the body lead to other thoughts, and those forces are preferred to strength of mind, but everything is useless when a change is impossible. It is equally as worth while to drive away sad reflections as to indulge in useless ones.

Madame Sandwich has given me a thousand pleasures in making me so happy as to please her. I did not dream, in my declining years to be agreeable to a woman of her age. She has more spirit than all the women of France, and more true merit. She is on the point of leaving us, which is regretted by every one who knows her, by myself, particularly. Had you been here we should have prepared a banquet worthy of old times. Love me always.

Madame de Coulanges accepted the commission to present your kind compliments to M. le Comte de Grammont, through Madame de Grammont. He is so young that I believe him fickle enough in time to dislike the infirm, and that he will love them as soon as they return to good health.

Every one who returns from England speaks of the beauty of Madame la d.u.c.h.esse de Mazarin, as they allude to the beauty of Mademoiselle de Bellefond, whose sun is rising. You have attached me to Madame de Mazarin, and I hear nothing but the good that is said of her.

Adieu, my friend, why is it not "Good day?" We must not die without again seeing each other.

VII

Ninon de l'Enclos to Saint-Evremond

After the Death of La d.u.c.h.esse de Mazarin

What a loss for you, my friend! If it were not for the fact that we, ourselves, will be considered a loss, we could not find consolation. I sympathize with you with all my heart. You have just lost an amiable companion who has been your mainstay in a foreign land. What can be done to make good such a misfortune? Those who live long are subject to see their friends die, after that, your philosophy, your mind, will serve to sustain you.

I feel this death as much as if I had been acquainted with the d.u.c.h.ess. She thought of me in her last moments, and her goodness affected me more than I can express; what she was to you drew me to her. There is no longer a remedy, and there is none for whatever may happen our poor bodies, so preserve yours. Your friends love to see you so well and so wise, for I hold those to be wise who know how to be happy.

I give you a thousand thanks for the tea you sent me, but the lively tone of your letter pleased me as much as your present.

You will again see Madame Sandwich, whom we saw depart with regret. I could wish that her condition in life might serve to be of some consolation to you. I am ignorant of English customs, but she was quite French while here.

A thousand adieux, my friend. If one could think as did Madame de Chevreuse, who believed when dying that she was going to converse with all her friends in the other world! It would be a sweet thought.

VIII

Saint-Evremond to Ninon de l'Enclos

Love Banishes Old Age

Your life, my well beloved, has been too ill.u.s.trious not to be lived in the same manner until the end. Do not permit M. de la Rochefoucauld's "h.e.l.l" to frighten you; it was a devised h.e.l.l he desired to construct into a maxim. p.r.o.nounce the word "love" boldly, and that of "old age" will never pa.s.s your lips.

There is so much spirit in your letters, that you do not leave me even to imagine a decline of life in you. What ingrat.i.tude to be ashamed to mention love, to which we owe all our merit, all our pleasures! For, my lovely keeper of the casket, the reputation of your probity is established particularly upon the fact that you have resisted lovers, who would willingly have made free with the money of their friends.

Confess all your pa.s.sions to make your virtues of greater worth; however, you do not expose but the one-half of your character; there is nothing better than what regards your friends, nothing more unsatisfactory than what you have bestowed upon your lovers.

In a few verses, I will draw your entire character. Here they are, giving you the qualities you now have and those you have had:

Dans vos amours on vous trouvait legere, En amitie toujours sure et sincere; Pour vos amants, les humeurs de Venus, Pour vos amis les solides vertus: Quand les premiers vous nommaient infidele, Et qu'a.s.servis encore a votre loi, Ils reprochaient une flamme nouvelle, Les autres se louaient de votre bonne foi.

Tantot c'etait le naturel d'Helene, Ses appet.i.ts comme tous ses appas; Tantot c'etait la probite romaine?

C'etait d'honneur la regle et le compas.

Dans un couvent en soeur depositaire, Vous auriez bien menage quelque affaire, Et dans le monde a garder les depots, On vous eut justement preferee aux devots.

(In your love affairs you were never severe, But your friendship was always sure and sincere; The humors of Venus for those who desired, For your friends, in your heart, solid virtues conspired; When the first, infidelity laid at your door, Though not yet exempt from the law of your will, And every new flame never failed to deplore, The others rejoiced that you trusted them still.

Ingenuous Helen was sometimes your role, With her appet.i.tes, charms, and all else beside; Sometimes Roman probity wielded your soul, In honor becoming your rule and your guide.

And though in a convent as guardian nun, You might have well managed some sprightly fun, In the world, as a keeper of treasures untold, Preferred you would be to a lamb of the fold.)

Here is a little variety, which I trust will not surprise you:

L'indulgente et sage Nature A forme l'ame de Ninon De la volupte d'Epicure Et de la vertu de Caton.

IX

Ninon de l'Enclos to Saint-Evremond

Stomachs Demand More Attention than Minds

The Abbe Dubois has just handed me your letter, and personally told me as much good news about your stomach as about your mind. There are times when we give more attention to our stomachs than to our minds, and I confess, to my sorrow, that I find you happier in the enjoyment of the one than of the other. I have always believed that your mind would last as long as yourself, but we are not so sure of the health of the body, without which nothing is left but sorrowful reflections.

I insensibly begin making them on all occasions.

Here is another chapter. It relates to a handsome youth, whose desire to see honest people in the different countries of the world, induced him to surrept.i.tiously abandon an opulent home. Perhaps you will censure his curiosity, but the thing is done. He knows many things, but he is ignorant of others, which one of his age should ignore. I deemed him worthy of paying you a visit, to make him begin to feel that he has not lost his time by journeying to England. Treat him well for love of me.

I begged his elder brother, who is my particular friend, to obtain news of Madame la d.u.c.h.esse Mazarin and of Madame Harvey, both of whom wished to remember me.

X

Saint-Evremond to Ninon de l'Enclos

Why does Love Diminish After Marriage?

Translator's Note.--Two of Ninon's friends whom she idolized, were very much surprised to discover after their marriage, that the great pa.s.sion they felt for each other before marriage, became feebler every day, and that even their affection was growing colder. It troubled them, and in their anxiety, they consulted Mademoiselle de l'Enclos, begging her to find some reason in her philosophy, why the possession of the object loved should weaken the strength of ante-nuptial pa.s.sion, and even destroy the most ardent affection.

The question was discussed by Ninon and her "Birds" for several days without reaching an opinion that was in any manner satisfactory. It was therefore resolved to consult Saint-Evremond, who was living in exile in England. After writing him all the particulars, and the discussions that had been held with opinions pro and con, he sent the following letter in reply, which is unanswerable upon the subject.

Moreover, it contains lessons that should be carefully studied and well learned by all loving hearts, who desire to maintain their early affection for each other during life.

The letter is a masterpiece of the philosophy of love, and it is remarkable, in that it develops traits in human nature upon the subject of love and marriage, which are overlooked in questions applicable to the relations between the s.e.xes, and that are so often strained to the breaking point. Indeed, it gives clues to a remedy which can not fail to effect a cure.