DU DEFFAND, MARIE DE VIciaT ClIAMROND, Marquise, a celebrated Frenchwoman, was b. of a noble family of Burgundy in 1697, educated at the convent of La Made leine de Trenelle, in Paris. Here she manifested that boldness of opinion and vivacity of intellect which obtained for her so many distinguished admirers in after-years. Her parents, alarmed at her skepticism, sent the eloquent .Massillon to converse with her, who was, however, more struck with the wit and beauty of the young lady, than she was with the force of his arguments. In 1718, she married the marquis Du Deffand. The union was unhappy, and a separation took place, whereupon the marquise threw herself into all the excesses of gallantry which characterized French society in the 18th c., and had the name of being, for a time, the mistress of the regent. Subsequently a reconciliation took place between her and her husband, but it lasted only a short period. She then set up an establishment of her own, and gathered round her all the wits, phil osophers, and men of fashion in her day. Among her friends and correspondents may be mentioned D'Alembert, Voltaire, president Henault, Montesquieu, Marmontel, and Walpole. Her evening-parties at her residence in the rue St. Dominique were famous.
They formed a rendezvous for all the notabilities of Paris, and were much relished by distinguished foreigners visiting the city. In 1753, she became blind, and in the following year chose as companion and reader a young lady, Mlle. de l'Espinasse, of whom, how ever, she became very jealous, on account of the attentions paid to her by the friends of the marquise. In 1764, the two ladies separated, Mlle. de l'Espinasse carrying with her a large number of enthusiastic partisans, who deserted the saloon in the rue St. Dominique, at the head of whom was D'Alembert. The marquise Du D. died 24 Sept., 1780. Her correspondence with D'Alembert, president Henault, Montesquieu, and the duchesse du Maine was published in 1809; and in the following year appeared at London her correspondence with Horace Walpole (written between 1766 and 1780), to which were added her letters to Voltaire.