A Cyclopaedia of Female Biography/Recamier, Jeanne Francoise Julie Adelaide Bernaral
RECAMIER, JEANNE FRANCOISE JULIE ADELAIDE BERNARAL,
Was born at Lyons in 1778, and was probably the most beautiful and graceful woman of her day. She married in 1795, M. Recamier, a man of large fortune. Her house, at that time, was resorted to by all the marked characters of Europe; and her drawing-room celebrity is perhaps the first of the age. Her father was imprisoned for some treasonable dealings with the Chouans, in his capacity of administrator of the ports. Madame Recamier solicited his pardon from Napoleon, who granted his aquittal, but refused to reinstate him. This fascinating woman was accustomed to obtain everything she asked for, and she could never forgive Bonaparte for resisting her, though on a point where, what her party termed his severity, seemed reasonable and necessary. Her friends deny this statement, and declared that she never demanded more than her father's liberty; and that the real origin of the animosity manifested by her to the hero, was an ill-conditioned jealousy on his part, which made him vexed at all admiration bestowed on others, even when a pretty woman was its object Madame Recamier was fondly attached to the celebrated Madame de Stael, and courageously proved her friendship by going to Coppet at a time when it was intimated to her that this measure would prevent her returning to Paris; as Napoleon included the friends of Madame de Stael among his own enemies.
It was at Coppet that Prince Augustus of Prussia, brother of the late king, became violently enamoured of the beautiful Frenchwoman; he even attempted to persuade her to obtain a divorce from M. Recamier, that she might become his princess. Her religious principles would not allow her to listen with approval to this proposal. After leaving Coppet, Madame Recamier resided at Lyons two years. As she determined to take no steps for the repeal of her exile, she decided upon a journey to Italy. There, as everywhere else, she was received with universal and lively admiration. Painters copied her loveliness; Canova has perpetuated her features in marble. Madame Recamier's sentence of banishment was never reversed. She returned to Paris with the Bourbons. After the death of Madame de Stael she took up her residence at the Abbaye aux Bois, where, though out of the tumult of dissipated society, she enjoyed the intimate friendship and constant visits of an extended circle of literary and otherwise distinguished persons. Among these may be mentioned Chateaubriand and Guizot.
For some years before her death she became blind, an affliction which she bore with the greatest serenity; never complaining of it, except as it prevented her attentions to her Mends. She died on the 10th. of May, 1849, of the cholera. Her distinguished traits were an extreme sweetness of disposition and tenderness of heart, which obtained her the affection of all about her. It should be noted that she was quite unspoiled by the homage that was always paid to her extraordinary beauty.