nerved her for the duties of government. She is a remarkable exemplification of the spiritual influence woman has wielded for the benefit of humanity, when the energies of man seemed entirely overcome. Her genius was superior to any recorded in the history of the Hebrews, from Moses to David, an interval of more than four hundred years; and scriptural commentators have remarked, that Deborah alone, of all the rulers of Israel, has escaped unreproved by the prophets and inspired historians. The land under her motherly rule had "rest forty years." See Judges, chapters iv. and v.
DEBORAH,
A Jewess, living at Rome, who died in the beginning of the seventeenth century. She was distinguished, while she lived, for her poems and other works. None of these are now to be obtained.
DEFFAND, MARIE DE VICHY CHAMROUD DU,
One of the most prominent French women of the regency and reign of Louis XV., was born at Paris in 1697, of a family noble and military. Educated in a convent, she early distinguished herself for a tone of raillery on religious subjects. Massillon was called in to talk with her, but "Elle est chamante" was his only reproof. At the age of twenty. Mademoiselle de Vichy married the Marquis da Deffand, from whom her intrigues soon caused her to separate. Eyes remarkable for their beauty and brilliancy, a pleasant smile, and a countenance full of piquancy and expression, were the chief personal attractions of the young marchioness. Brilliant, witty, sceptical, and sarcastic, she drew around her the most distinguished men and women of her time. She had numerous lovers, the regent himself being for a short time among the number; and she possessed the power of securing the constancy of many of them, even up to their dotage.
The greater portion of Madame du Deffand's early life was passed at the court of the brilliant Duchess du Maine, whose friendship she enjoyed. At a later period, failing in her repeated attempts to become a devotee, for which she manifestly had no vocation, she nevertheless established herself in the convent of St. Joseph's, where, in handsome apartments, she gave evening parties and suppers to her friends. Soon after her retreat to the convent, she became totally blind, and continued in that melancholy condition for the last thirty years of her life; a misfortune which she endured with great fortitude. She gathered around her, however, a brilliant intellectual circle, to which she gave the tone, who met for common amusement, and served to dispel the ennui by which she was constantly attacked.
Horace Walpole, who became acquainted with her at this period of her life, has celebrated her in his amusing letters. Their friendship continued uninterrupted till her death, and was cemented by frequent visits to Paris by Walpole, and constant correspondence. Her treatment of Mademoiselle de Lespinasse, whom she first succoured, and then discarded through jealousy, made her many enemies, and drew from her ranks many of her most brilliant visitors. The latter part of her life was only the shadow of what it had been, her ennui, selfishness, and ill-temper repelling even her most attached friends. She died, after a final and unsuccessful attempt to become devout,
