A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Riccoboni, (Marie Laboras de Mezieres)
RICCOBONI (MARIE LABORAS DE MEZIERES), the Wife of Francis, the Son of a Madame Riecoboni who wrote ingeniously,
Was an actress on the Italian theatre, at Paris, from which she retired in 1761. She is accounted one of the first female writers of France; and from her extended reputation, and her knowledge of the English language, is almost as well known in England as in her own country. She has written many things, but chiefly novels, which are entertaining, animated, and sentimental. Her works ran through many editions during her life, and filled sixteen volumes.
Madame Riecoboni, according to the peculiar fashion of female writers in France, has given some account of her person and character, in the following manner:
"My stature," says she, "is tall, my eyes are black, and my complexion fair; my physiognomy announces candour. When conversing with those I love, my air is lively and gay, but cool and reserved towards strangers. I treat those whom I despise, with contempt and severity, nor have I any thing to say to those with whom I am unacquainted. I am indolent, and lose all my vivacity under the least fatigue of body or mind. My life is uniform and simple, which procures me the blessing of perfect health, which has not been in the least impaired, in spite of much chagrin, and a long and sad subjection. My temper is uneven, depending entirely upon the situation of my mind; my feelings are strongly marked upon my countenance. I have some friends, but very few; if it had been possible for me to have cultivated many, I could only have cherished a small number. Wit amuses, but does not impose upon me; but the qualities of the heart deeply interest my own. I am not rich; moderation has always seemed to me capable of supplying the place of opulence. I have accustomed myself to the habitude of not looking on myself as poor, by comparing my situation with that of those who possess great fortunes; and not having their desires, I can pass by a thousand things, without feeling myself deprived of them."
Mrs. Thicknesse, with whom she was acquainted, and who was engaged at the time in writing her sketches of the Lives of celebrated French Ladies, had wished to know some particulars of her history; in answer to which she speaks thus: "The particulars of my life would form a short and very insipid article. My passage upon this globe can neither excite nor satisfy the curiosity of any body. The narrow space which I occupy, makes it difficult to perceive whether I inhabit it at all; neither the world nor its amusements had ever any attractions for me, I have lived in a small circle, avoiding equally wits and fools. The desire to distinguish myself, did not render me an author. My first works were anonymous, and those which appeared afterwards would have shared the same fate, if chance had not discovered my secret. The desire I had of quiting an unsuitable situation, which even habit could never render supportable to me; and the hope of being able to procure, by my pen, a part of those comforts and conveniencies I was about to deprive myself of; induced me to wish the publishing my feeble productions. The indulgence they met with, might have procured me an easy competence, if the tolerated piracy encouraged by the booksellers, had not deranged my projects; I have enriched some knaves, but have received little advantage myself from my literary labours. These disagreeable circumstances, added to my natural indolence, make me prefer employing myself in works of embroidery or tapestry, rather than hold a pen for the emolument of those people. I am grieved, not to have an interesting history to tell you; but the life of a rational woman rarely offers facts worthy of attention; mine has not been happy. My youth was spent in sorrow, but that may be the better for me. I sometime hear persons, in the decline of life, make comparisons of the past and present time, recall to their minds former scenes, and complain of the present; for my part, I feel no regret on that account, my present condition appears to me the best which heaven in its goodness has been pleased to allot me. Independent and free, I have lived twenty-five years with a friend (a female friend, of excellent character) whose sense, equality of temper, and amiable character, diffuse a continual comfort and delight to our society; and I enjoy the utmost tranquility. We are strangers to the least disagreement, weariness, or uneasiness of any kind. The word no is banished between us; and as we are guided by the same principles, they naturally lead us to the same manner of thinking. So that perpetual harmony reigns in our little household. This is all I am able to inform you of as to myself; and I doubt if, after my death, any more will be known of me." The above letter to Mrs. Thicknesse was in French, but we thought it unnecessary to preserve the text.
The principal of her works are, The Letters of Fanny Butler; Lady Catesby; Amelia; Madame Sancerre; Lord Rivers; detached pieces; Sophie de Valliere; Le Nouveau Theatre Anglois; and the History of the Mqs. de Cressy.