Jeanne Julie Eleonore de Lespinasse (November 9, 1732 – May 23, 1776), was a French author. November 9 is the 313th day of the year (314th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 52 days remaining. ... Events February 23 - First performance of Handels Orlando, in London June 9 - James Oglethorpe is granted a royal charter for the colony of Georgia. ... May 23 is the 143rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (144th in leap years). ... This article is about the year 1776. ... An author is the person who creates a written work, such as a book, story, article or the like. ...

Early life

She was born at Lyon, an illegitimate child of the comtesse d'Albon, but was brought up as the daughter of Claude Lespinasse of Lyon. At the age of 16, on leaving her convent school, she became governess in the home of her mother's legitimate daughter, Madame de Vichy, who had married the brother of Marie Anne de Vichy-Chamrond, marquise du Deffand. Here Madame du Deffand made her acquaintance, and, recognizing her extraordinary gifts, persuaded her to come to Paris as her companion. Three of the main sights in Lyon, the Cathedral St-Jean, the Basilica Notre Dame de Fourvière, and the Tour métallique de Fourvière City flag City coat of arms Motto: (Franco-Provençal: Forward, forward, Lyon the best) Coordinates : , Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) Administration Subdivisions 9... Marie Anne de Vichy-Chamrond, marquise du Deffand (1697 - September 23, 1780) was a French hostess and patron of the arts. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur Tossed by the waves, she does not founder Coordinates : , Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) Administration Subdivisions 20 arrondissements Département Paris (75) Région ÃŽle-de-France Mayor Bertrand Delanoë (PS) City (commune) Characteristics Land Area 86. ...

The Salon of Madame du Deffand

Julie moved into Madame du Deffand's apartments in Convent of St. Joseph in 1754, location of the glittering salon that attracted famous diplomats, great ladies, philosophers and politicians. The relationship lasted ten years until 1764, when Madame du Deffand became jealous of the younger woman's increasing influence and a violent quarrel resulted. 1764 was a leap year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ...

Establishment of her own Salon

Mlle de Lespinasse then set up a salon of her own which was joined by many of the most brilliant members of Mme du Deffand's circle. Jean le Rond d'Alembert was one of the most assiduous of her friends and eventually came to live in her house. This arrangement ensured d'Alembert's comfort and lent influence to Mlle de Lespinasse's salon. Although she had neither beauty nor rank, her ability as a hostess made her get-togethers the most popular in Paris. She owes her distinction, however, not to her social success, but to circumstances which remained a secret during her lifetime, even from her closest friends. Jean le Rond dAlembert, pastel by Maurice Quentin de la Tour Jean le Rond dAlembert (November 16, 1717 – October 29, 1783) was a French mathematician, mechanician, physicist and philosopher. ...

Two volumes of Lettres published in 1809 displayed her as the victim of a passion of a rare intensity. In virtue of this ardent, intense quality, Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve and other of her critics place her letters in the limited category to which belong the Latin letters of Héloise and the Letters of a Portuguese Nun. 1809 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Charles Augustin Sainte-Beuve (December 23, 1804 – October 13, 1869) was a literary critic and one of the major figures of French literary history. ... Abaelardus and Heloïse in a manuscript of Roman de la Rose (14. ... The Letters of a Portuguese Nun were written by the 17th century Franciscan nun, Marianna Alcoforado, to Noel Bouton, later Marquis de Chamilly. ...

Relationship with the Marquis de Mora

Her first passion, a reasonable and serious one, was for the Marquis de Mora, son of the Spanish ambassador in Paris. She first met him about two years after establishing her salon, and then met him again when he returned to Paris two years later. Julie fell in love with the wealthy and handsome Mora, and he returned her feelings. He began to suffer symptoms of consumption, however and returned to Spain because of his ill health. Mora's illness and the separation caused Julie much pain and anxiety, although soon after his departure she became acquainted with the man who would be the main passion of her life, the Comte de Guibert. On the way to Paris in 1774 to fulfil promises exchanged with Mlle de Lespinasse, Mora died at Bordeaux. City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur Tossed by the waves, she does not founder Coordinates : , Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) Administration Subdivisions 20 arrondissements Département Paris (75) Région ÃŽle-de-France Mayor Bertrand Delanoë (PS) City (commune) Characteristics Land Area 86. ... Chesma Column in Tsarskoe Selo, commemorating the end of the Russo-Turkish War. ... New city flag (traditional tri-crescent) City coat of arms Motto: The fleur-de-lis alone rules over the moon, the waves, the castle, and the lion Coordinates : , Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) Administration Département Gironde (33) Région Aquitaine Mayor Hugues Martin (UMP) (since 2004) Intercommunality Urban Community...

Relationship with the Comte du Guibert

Julie's letters to the Comte de Guibert, the worthless object of her fatal infatuation, begin from 1773. From the struggle between her affection for de Mora and her blind passion for her new lover, the letters go on to describe her partial disenchantment on Guibert's marriage and her final despair. 1773 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ...

Death

Julie finally fell into total mental and physical collapse, apparently caused by the agitation and misery surrounding her relationship with Guibert. One her deathbed, she refused to receive Guibert and was watched over by her faithful friend, d'Alembert. She died on May 22, 1776 at the age of 44.

Publications

Her Lettres were published by Mme de Guibert in 1809 and a spurious additional collection appeared in 1820. Modern editions include that of Eugène Asse (1876-1877). Lettres inédités de Mademoiselle de Lespinasse à Condorcet, à D'Alembert, à Guibert, au comte de Crillon, edited by M. Charles Henry (1887), contains copies of the documents available for her biography. In addition to the Lettres she was the author of two chapters intended as a kind of sequel to Laurence Sterne's Sentimental Journey. Mary Augusta Ward's novel, Lady Rose's Daughter, owes something to the character of Mlle de Lespinasse. 1809 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1820 was a leap year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1876 (MDCCCLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... 1877 (MDCCCLXXVII) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) is a common year starting on Saturday (click on link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Monday of the Julian calendar. ... Laurence Sterne Laurence Sterne (November 24, 1713 – March 18, 1768) was an Anglo-Irish novelist and clergyman. ... Mary Augusta Ward Huxley and Arnold family tree. ...

References

• This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.
• Strachey, Lytton "Biographical Essays"