of access. Mmes. de Sable and de Rambouillet were called the
arbiters of elegance and good taste.

To her friends, Mme. de Sable was always accommodating and showed no
partiality; well informed, she was constantly approached for counsel
and favors; discreet and trustworthy, the most important secrets were
intrusted to her--a confidence which she never betrayed. During the
Fronde she remained faithful to the queen and Mazarin, but did not
become estranged from her friends, so many of whom were Frondists, and
who chose her as their counsellor, arbitrator, and pacifier.

About 1655 she began to realize her unsettled position in the world
and to long for a place where she might, modestly and becomingly,
spend her declining years. She was then fifty-five years of age. The
ideas of Jansenism had so impressed the great people of the day, that
she decided to retire to Port-Royal, to end her days with sympathizers
of the spiritual life around her and her former friends whenever she
desired them. There she gathered about her the most exclusive and
aristocratic people of the day: La Rochefoucauld, the Prince and
Princess of Conti, Conde, Monsieur,--brother of Louis XIV.,--Mme. de
La Fayette, Mme. de Hautefort, and others.

At her apartments, not only were religious and literary affairs
discussed, but the most delicate and delicious dishes were prepared
and elixirs and remedies for disease compounded. Famous people were
led to seek her, through her reputation and influence, and through
friendship, for she seldom left her house. Mme. de Sable possessed all
the qualities that attract and hold, nothing extraordinary or rare,
but abundant politeness and elegance.

It was not long before she began to withdraw from even her friends,
still continuing, however, her fine cuisine, the remarkable care
of her health, and her medical experiments. Her dinners became
celebrated, and invitations to them were much in demand; about them
there were no signs of opulence, but her gatherings were distinguished
for refinement and taste. Her friends were constantly asking her for
her recipes, of the preparation of which no one but herself knew the
secret.

At the salon of Mme. de Sable originated many famous literary works,
such as the _Conferences sur le Calvinisme_, works on Cartesian
philosophy, the _Logique de Port-Royal_, _Questions sur l'Amour_, _Les
Maximes_, etc. She will be remembered as the initiator of many maxims,
in the composition of w