A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography/Lenormand, Mademoiselle
LENORMAND, MADEMOISELLE,
Was born in Alençon. Being left an orphan at an early age, she was educated, together with her sister, in the convents of Alençon, and when of a suitable age, she was apprenticed to a milliner. She commenced her vocation by announcing that the superior of the convent of the Benedictines, where she was then living, would be deprived of her office, and she informed her companions of the name, age, and other particulars of the successor of the deprived abbess. For this prophecy, Mademoiselle Lenormand was obliged to undergo a penance; but the event verifying the truth of her predictions, her pretensions as a prophetess were confirmed. Alençon was, however, too confined a place for a spirit like hers, and when she was fourteen she set out for Paris, with nothing but the clothes she wore, and six francs in her pocket. Her step-father, who was in Paris, obtained for her a situation in a shop, where she soon became a great favourite, and studied arithmetic, bookkeeping, and mathematics. After remaining there some time. Mademoiselle Lenormand removed to No. 5, Rue de Toumon, where she continued to exercise her profession, without incurring the censure of government. She attracted people of all ranks in life. The Princess de Lamballe, the Count de Provence, afterwards Louis the Eighteenth, Mirabeau, Murat, Robespierre, St. Just, Barrifere, Madame Tallien, and even Madame de Stael, were among her frequent visitors. Josephine, wife of Napoleon, reposed the greatest contidence in her, and constantly sent to ask the result of any enterprise the emperor was about to undertake. She was several times on the point of imprisonment; at one time for foretelling the divorce of Josephine; at others, for prophesying the downfall of persons in power; but she always escaped. She bought lands and houses at Alençon, where she retired after the revolution of July, 1830. At this, her native place, she was unwilling to exercise her profession. She was a short, fat, and very plain woman, with remarkably bright piercing eyes. She left her property to her nephew, whom she adopted after her sister's death.
In 1827, she published "Memoirs Historiques et Sécrets de l'Imperatrice Josephine." She foretold that her own death would not take place till she was one hundred and twenty-four, that is, till near the close of the present century. In this she proved a false prophet, as she died before it was half expired.