A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Villedieu, (Marie-Catherine Hortense des Jardins), called de
VILLEDIEU (MARIE-CATHERINE HORTENSE DES JARDINS) called DE.
A woman of great literary abilities, and of a lively turn of wit, but who unfortunately gave herself up to the government of her passions. She was born at Alençon, in 1640; her father (Monsieur des Jardins) was provost of the Marechaussée in that town, and her mother had been waiting-woman to the Duchess de Rohan; she had therefore what is called a good education enough, one that gave her language and manner to display her genius, but left her miserably deficient in virtue and prudence. Having formed too tender an intimacy with a cousin of nearly the same age, and fearing the disagreeable consequences of that connection, she quitted her father's house and went to Paris, to seek protection of the Duchess de Rohan. She gained the favour of this lady by some very pretty verses addressed to her; and who, kindly compassionating her extreme youth, not only promised to protect her against the wrath of her parents, but provide her with every necessary, till she was able to return home. Soon after, she was brought to bed of a son, who lived but six weeks; but chusing rather to remain at Paris, than go back to Alençon, she took infinite pains to cultivate her talent for poetry, for which she had already gained some reputation; whereupon, she put the tragi-comedy of Manlius Torquatus (written by the Abbé D'Aubigné) into verse, which was acted at the hotel de Bourgogne, with great success; after which, she wrote another, called Mithetis, in the same stile, which was not favourably received. Tired of verse, she began to write romances, which were much liked; they are written with spirit, though in a negligent stile. The principal are, Les Desordres de l'Amour, or a collection of romances; Le Portrait des Foiblesses Humaines, which does not correspond with the title, and is not so well written as the preceding; Les Exiles, another collection of little romances, which was much esteemed; Les Memoires du Serrail; Les Annales Galantes; Les Galanteries Grenadines; Les Amours des Grands Hommes; L'Histoire d'Asterie, ou Tamerlan; Le Journal Amoureux; &c.
Among the number of her admirers, was young Villedieu, an officer in the infantry; but he was married. She, however, persuaded him that, as it was an engagement his parents had constrained him to enter into, it was not binding; and he set on foot a process to rid him of his wife; but being too impatient to wait the decision of the law, he ordered the banns of marriage to be published, and went to Cambray to join his regiment, where he was soon followed by Mademoiselle des Jardins.
Whether they were married or not, they both came back to Paris, and appeared under the name of Villedieu; but he left her, and was killed soon after, in the army. She now pursued her literary taste without interruption, and composed many pieces by which she gained much applause; amongst others, the tragi-comedy called La Favori; but the death of a particular friend affected her mind, so that she determined to retire into a convent: she did so, and lived there some time, an exemplary life, till a brother of one of the nuns, who had formerly known her, indiscreetly related to his sister the adventures of Madame de Villedieu; upon which they thought her an improper person to be admitted into their society. She was dismissed, and found an asylum in the house of her sister-in-law.
The Marquis de la Chatte, about sixty years of age, was soon entangled by her charms and coquetry. He offered to marry her, though he had a wife alive in Provence, and she accepted him. The marchioness had a son, to whom the dauphin, and Madame de Montpensier, stood sponsors; the child lived but a year, and its death was soon followed by that of the marquis. She appeared at first quite inconsolable; but it is most extraordinary, she quitted the name of De la Chatte for that of Villedieu. After some time spent in study, she returned to a little village in which her mother had lived after the death of her husband; and there ended her days, sooner perhaps than nature intended, by drinking large quantities of brandy, even at her meals. She died in 1683, at the age of forty-three.