Sévigné, Madame de(1626-1696) Marie de Rabutin-Chantal, marquise de Sévigné (February 5, 1626 - April 17, 1696), French letter-writer, was born at Paris. The family of Rabutin (if not so illustrious as Bussy, Madame de Sévigné's notorious cousin, affected to consider it) was one of great age and distinction in Burgundy. Almost all writers of literary letters since Madame de Sévigné's days, or rather since the publication of her correspondence, have imitated her more or less directly, more or less consciously, and it is therefore only by applying that historic estimate upon which all true criticism rests that her full value can be discerned.wikipedia.en |