Genlis

Genlis, STÉPHANIE FÉLICITÉ DUCREST DE ST AUBIN, COMTESSE DE, was born at Champeçri, near Autun, in Burgundy, 25th January 1746. At the age of sixteen she was married to the Comte de Genlis, and in 1770 was made lady-in-waiting to the Duchesse de Chartres. In 1782 the Duc de Chartres, afterwards known as Égalité, appointed her 'governor' of his children, including Louis-Philippe. Madame de Genlis wrote a variety of works for her pupils, among others Théâtre d'Éducation (1779-80), a collection of short comedies; Annales de la Vertu (1781); Adèle et Théodore, ou Lettres sur l'Éducation (1782); and Les Veillées du Château (1784). On the breaking out of the Revolution Madame de Genlis took the liberal side, but was ultimately compelled to seek refuge (1793) in Switzerland and Germany. When Bonaparte became consul she returned (1799) to Paris, and received from him a pension. She died at Paris, 31st December 1830. Madame de Genlis's writings amount to about ninety volumes. Amongst them may be mentioned the romance Mlle. de Clermont (1802), Mémoires Inédits sur le XVIII. Siècle et la Révolution Française (10 vols. 1825), and Dîners du Baron d'Holbach. The last contains a great deal of curious but malicious information concerning the freethinkers of the 18th century. See Bonhomme's Mme. de Genlis (Paris, 1885).