Library of the world's best literature, ancient and modern . ation is the * Princess ofCleves,* upon which two centuries haveplaced the indelible mark of a great Frenchclassic. With this work the analytical novel of modern times may be said to have had its origin; and if the text-ure of motives in the ^ Princess of Cleves ^ seems thin in comparisonwith the complicated and closely woven web of *? Madame Bovary ^ or* Middlemarch,* it must be remembered that Madame de La Fayettesbook appeared thirty years before ^Gil Bias,* and nearly half a cen-tury before the time of the great English novelists
Library of the world's best literature, ancient and modern . ation is the * Princess ofCleves,* upon which two centuries haveplaced the indelible mark of a great Frenchclassic. With this work the analytical novel of modern times may be said to have had its origin; and if the text-ure of motives in the ^ Princess of Cleves ^ seems thin in comparisonwith the complicated and closely woven web of *? Madame Bovary ^ or* Middlemarch,* it must be remembered that Madame de La Fayettesbook appeared thirty years before ^Gil Bias,* and nearly half a cen-tury before the time of the great English novelists. Marie Madeleine Pioche de la Vergne was born in Paris in March1634. Her brilliant qualities of mind Avere early displayed in theliterary circle of the Hotel Rambouillet; but after her marriage in1655 to the Count de La Fayette, her own home became one of thechief literary centres of Paris. Madame de Sevigne, La Fontaine,and Segrais were her close friends; and after the early death of herhusband she established an intimate friendship with the Duke de La. Mme. de La Fayette 8768 MADAME DE LA FAYETTE Rochefoucauld. Her character was highly estimable, though longmisunderstood. She survived La Rochefoucauld by thirteen years,which she was reported to have devoted to a life of penance. In1880 hitherto unpublished letters were brought to light, which showthat during those years ]\Iadame de La Fayette continued to play animportant role at court, and was active for good in many a courtintrigue. She was sincerely attached to her friends, of a restlessactivity, honestly frank, and possessed of a keen understanding. At the time when Madame de La Fayette began to write, womenof talent and learning were in disrepute; ecclesiastics had denouncedthem; Moliere had ridiculed them. Her first story, The Princess ofMontpensier, appeared anonymously and made no stir. Her second,*Zayde,* bore the name of her friend Segrais, and immediately at-tracted attention. The Princess of Cleves,^ published in
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