A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Gournay, (Mary de Jars, Lady of)
From her infancy was observed to have a strong inclination to literature, to which she devoted her whole time and attention, and soon surpassed all her instructors. Soon after the famous Montaigne had published his first essays, they came to the hands of this lady, who read them over with eagerness, and expressed the highest esteem for the author.
Montaigne being informed of these declarations, made many reflections on the occasion, in praise of Mademoiselle de Gournay's talents. Hence her esteem grew into a higher degree of reverential affection; so that her father happening to die not long after, she adopted this charming writer in his stead, even before she had seen him. But, as he went to Paris in 1588, and continued there good part of the year, she made him a visit, that she might know the face of her father elect, to whom she shewed no less respect and duty than she paid to her natural parent; insomuch that she prevailed with her mother to take him with them to their house at Gournay, where he was entertained with all possible civility and kindness for two or three months.
In short, she was so devoted to the belles lettres, that Montaigne foretold, in his second book of essays, that she would be capable of the first-rate productions. She passed many years very happily in friendship with him and his family; and when she received the news of his death, crossed almost the whole kingdom of France, invited by his widow and daughter to come and mingle her tears with theirs. Not satisfied with paying this filial respect to his ashes, she revised, corrected, and reprinted an edition of his essays, in 1635, to which she prefixed a preface, in which she makes use of the strongest expressions of esteem and respect for his memory.
The dedication was to cardinal Richelieu, who was her patron; and who, to enable her to set up her coach and equipage, offered to enlarge the small pension which had been granted her by the king; but she declined the favour, looking on the pension merely as a testimony of her merit, and as it was trifling, all the reflections on a dependance were cut off, which would unavoidably attend its enlargement. She was always welcome to the princesses of the blood; and in particular her society was courted by the duke de Retelois, eldest son of the duke de Nevers, who, though of a very gay and gallant temper, would leave any other lady's conversation for her's, who was very plain in her person.
Upon the assassination of Henry IV. by Ravaillac the Jesuit, in 1610, both papists and protestants fell upon that order on the occasion. Father Coton, an eminent member of the society, undertook their vindication, and was answered in a piece, entitled Anti-coton.
Mademoiselle de Gournay published some books, in favour of the Jesuits, against the Anti-coton. Upon which she was attacked, in some illiberal publications, which ridiculed her on her age, her person, and her reputation, most unjustly. She wrote several things both in prose and verse, which were collected into one volume, and pubhshed by herself in 1636, entitled, Les Avis, et les Presens de la Demoiselle de Gournai.
Mademoiselle de Gournay was celebrated for her learning and knowledge; she corresponded with most of the great men of her time, and was considered as the guardian and protectress of the ancient' words in the French language, being greatly offended at the alterations which were daily creeping in. She dedicated her book, entitled Le Bouquet de Pinde, to her adopted sister.
She left some other works in M.S. which were printed after her death, under this title, L'Ombre de Mlle. de Gournai; and another, Avis de Mlle. de Gournai. This extraordinary woman studied continually, even to her death, which happened at Paris in 1645, at the age of eighty. A great number of epitaphs were made by the first geniuses of the age, in honour of her memory.