Beacon Lights of History, Volume 07: Great Women

Part 1

LORD'S LECTURES

BEACON LIGHTS OF HISTORY, VOLUME VII

GREAT WOMEN.

BY JOHN LORD, LL.D.,

AUTHOR OF "THE OLD ROMAN WORLD," "MODERN EUROPE," ETC., ETC.

CONTENTS.

HÉLOÏSE.

LOVE.

Love, the flower of Eden The two Venuses of Socrates The Venus Urania The memory of Héloïse cherished Her birth and education Her extraordinary gifts Her aspirations Peter Abélard His wonderful genius His early scholastic triumphs Abélard at Paris His wit and flippancy His scepticism His successes His love for Héloïse His mad infatuation Scandal of the intimacy Disinterestedness of Héloïse Secret marriage of Abélard and Héloïse Marriage discovered Retirement of Héloïse and Abélard to separate convents His renewed labors His brilliant success Persecution of Abélard Letters to Héloïse Héloïse cannot conquer her love Her high social position Her blameless life Loves of Héloïse and Abélard analyzed Greatness of sentiment Last days of Abélard His retreat to Cluny Peter the Venerable Grief of Héloïse

JOAN OF ARC.

HEROIC WOMEN.

Heroic qualities of women in the Middle Ages Extraordinary appearance of Joan of Arc Her early days Her visions Critical state of France at this period Appreciated by Joan Who resolves to come to the rescue of her king and country Difficulties which surrounded her Her services finally accepted Her faith in her mission Her pure and religious life Joan sets out for the deliverance of Orleans Succeeds in entering the city Joan raises the siege of Orleans Admiration of the people for her Veneration for women among the Germanic nations Joan marches to the siege of Rheims Difficulty of the enterprise Hesitation of the king Rheims and other cities taken Coronation of Charles Mission of the Maid fulfilled Successive military mistakes Capture of Joan Indifference and ingratitude of the King Trial of Joan for heresy and witchcraft Cruelty of the English to her The diabolical persecution Martyrdom of Joan Tardy justice to her memory Effects of the martyrdom

SAINT THERESA.

RELIGIOUS ENTHUSIASM.

Pleasures of the body the aim of Paganism Aim of Christianity to elevate the soul Mistakes of monastic life The age of Saint Theresa Her birth and early training Mediaeval piety Theresa sent to a convent to be educated Her poor health Religious despotism of the Middle Ages Their gloom and repulsiveness Faith and repentance divorced Catholic theology Theresa becomes a nun Her serious illness Her religious experience The Confessions of Saint Augustine The religious emancipation of Theresa Her canticles Her religious rhapsodies Theresa seeks to found a convent Opposition to her Her discouragements Her final success Reformation of the Carmelite order Convent of St. Joseph Death of Saint Theresa Writings of Saint Theresa Her submission to authority Her independence Compared with Madame Guyon Her posthumous influence

MADAME DE MAINTENON.

THE POLITICAL WOMAN.

Birth of Madame de Maintenon Her early life Marriage with Scarron Governess of Montespan's children Introduction to the King Her incipient influence over him Contrast of Maintenon with Montespan Friendship of the King for Madame de Maintenon Made mistress of the robes to the Dauphiness Private marriage with Louis XIV Reasons for its concealment Unbounded power of Madame de Maintenon Grandeur of Versailles Great men of the court The King's love of pomp and ceremony Sources of his power His great mistakes The penalties he reaped Secret of Madame de Maintenon's influence Her mistakes Religious intolerance Revocation of the Edict of Nantes Persecution of the Protestants Influence of Bossuet Foundation of the school of St. Cyr Influence of Madame de Maintenon on education Influence of Madame de Maintenon on morals Influence of Madame de Maintenon on the court Her reign a usurpation Her greatness of character

SARAH, DUCHESS OF MARLBOROUGH.

THE WOMAN OF THE WORLD.

The Duchess of Marlborough compared with Madame de Maintenon Birth and early influence John Churchill Marriage of Churchill and Sarah Jennings Colonel Churchill made a peer The Princess Anne Lady Churchill Their friendship Coronation of William and Mary Character of William III Treason of the Earl of Marlborough Energy and sagacity of the Queen Naval victory of La Hogue Temporary retirement of Marlborough Death of the Duke of Gloucester Marlborough, Captain-General. Death of William III Accession of Anne Power of Marlborough Lord Godolphin Ascendency of Lady Marlborough Her ambition Her pride Renewal of war with Louis XIV Marlborough created a duke Whigs and Tories Harley, Earl of Oxford His intrigues Abigail Hill Supplants the Duchess of Marlborough Coolness between the Queen and Duchess Battle of Ramillies Miss Hill marries Mr. Masham Declining influence of the Duchess Her anger and revenge Power of Harley Disgrace of the Duchess The Tories in power Dismissal of Marlborough Bolingbroke Swift His persecution of the Duchess Addison Voluntary exile of Marlborough Unhappiness of the Duchess Death of Queen Anne Return of Marlborough to power Attacked by paralysis Death of Marlborough His vast wealth Declining days of the Duchess Her character Her death Reflections on her career

MADAME RÉCAMIER.

THE WOMAN OF SOCIETY.

Queens of society first seen in Italy Provençal poetry in its connection with chivalrous sentiments Chivalry the origin of society Society in Paris in the 17th Century Marquise de Rambouillet Her salons Mademoiselle de Scudéri Early days of Madame Récamier Her marriage Her remarkable beauty and grace Her salons Her popularity Courted by Napoleon Loss of property Friendship with Madame de Staël Incurs the hatred of Napoleon Friendship with Ballanche Madame Récamier in Italy Return to Paris Duke of Montmorency Seclusion of Madame Récamier Her intimate friends Friendship with Châteaubriand His gifts and high social position His retirement from political life His old age soothed by Récamier Her lovely disposition Her beautiful old age Her death Her character Remarks on society Sources of its fascinations

MADAME DE STAËL.

WOMAN IN LITERATURE.

Literature in the 18th Century Rise of Madame de Staël Her precocity Her powers of conversation Her love of society Her marriage Hatred of Napoleon Her banishment Her residence in Switzerland Travels in Germany Her work on literature Her book on Germany Its great merits German philosophy Visit to Italy Sismondi "Corinne" Its popularity A description of Italy Marriage with Rocca Madame de Staël in England Her honors Return to Paris Incense offered to her Her amazing éclat Her death Her merits as an author Inaugurated a new style in literature Her followers Her influence Literary women Their future

HANNAH MORE.

Part 2

EDUCATION OF WOMAN.

Progress of female education Youth of Hannah More Her accomplishments Teaches school Intimacy with great men Shines in society Wearied of it Her ridicule of fashionable gatherings called society Retirement to Cowslip Green Her patrons and friends Labors in behalf of the poor Foundation of schools Works on female education Their good influence Their leading ideas Christian education Removal to Barley Wood Views of society Her distinguished visitors "Coelebs in Search of a Wife" "Christian Morals" Her laboring at the age of eighty The quiet elegance of her life Removal to Clifton Happy old age Death Exalted character Remarks on female education The sphere of woman What is woman to do?

GEORGE ELIOT.

WOMAN AS NOVELIST.

Notable eras of modern civilization Nineteenth Century, the age of novelists Scott, Fielding, Dickens, Thackeray Bulwer; women novelists Charlotte Brontë, Harriet Beecher Stowe, George Eliot Early life of Marian Evans Appearance, education, and acquirements Change in religious views; German translations; Continental travel Westminster Review; literary and scientific men Her alliance with George Henry Lewes Her life with him Literary labors First work of fiction, "Amos Barton," with criticism upon her qualities as a novelist, illustrated by the story "Mr. Gilfils Love Story" "Adam Bede" "The Mill on the Floss" "Silas Marner" "Romola" "Felix Holt" "Middlemarch" "Daniel Deronda" "Theophrastus Such" General characteristics of George Eliot Death of Mr. Lewes; her marriage with Mr. Cross Lofty position of George Eliot in literature Religious views and philosophical opinions Her failure as a teacher of morals Regret at her abandonment of Christianity

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

VOLUME VII.

Madame de Récamier After the painting by Baron François Pascal Gérard.

Abélard Teaching in the Paraclete After the painting by A. Steinheil.

Joan of Arc Hears the Voices After the painting by Eugene Thirion.

The Vision of St. Therese After the painting by Jean Brunet.

Reception of the Great Condé by Louis XIV After the painting by J. L. Gérôme.

Ministerial Conference of Louis XIV. at the Salon of Madam de Maintenon After the painting by John Gilbert.

John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough After the painting by Pieter van der Werff, Pitti Palace, Florence.

Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough After the painting by Sir Godfrey Kneller.

Mme. de Récamier After the painting by Mlle. Morin

Madame de Staël After the painting by Mlle. de Godefroid, Versailles.

Garrick and His Wife After the painting by William Hogarth.

Hannah More After the painting by H.W. Pickersgill, A.R.A..

BEACON LIGHTS OF HISTORY

HÉLOÏSE.

* * * * *

A.D. 1101-1164.

LOVE.

When Adam and Eve were expelled from Paradise, they yet found one flower, wherever they wandered, blooming in perpetual beauty. This flower represents a great certitude, without which few would be happy,--subtile, mysterious, inexplicable,--a great boon recognized alike by poets and moralists, Pagan and Christian; yea, identified not only with happiness, but human existence, and pertaining to the soul in its highest aspirations. Allied with the transient and the mortal, even with the weak and corrupt, it is yet immortal in its nature and lofty in its aims,--at once a passion, a sentiment, and an inspiration.

Continue reading Beacon Lights of History, Volume 07: Great Women free in the Wunder reader →