GENLIS, STi3PHANIE Comtesse de, -was b. at ChampOri, near Autun, in Burgundy, Jan. 25, 1746, of an ancient but reduced family. Her maiden name was Ducrest, At the age of 15 she was married to the comte de Geniis; and in 1770, through the influence of her aunt, Madame de Montesson (who had been privately -married to the Due d'Orleans), was made a lady-in-waiting in the household of the Duchesse de Chartres. In 1782, the Due de Chartres, afterwards known as Egalite, appointed her "governor" of his children. This appointment gave rise to certain scandalous reports, the truth of which subsequent circumstances appear to have confirmed. Madame de Geniis wrote a variety of works for her pupils, among others, Theatre d ('usage des jeunes personnos, ou ThAitre d'Education (Paris, 1779-80); Adele et Theodore, ou Lettres stir r Education (1782); and Les Veill8es du Chateau, ou Cours de d ('usage des Enfants. On the breaking out of the revolution, Madame de Geniis took the liberal side, but was ulti mately compelled to seek refuge in Belgium. Afterwards she went to Switzerland, and in the same year proceeded to Altona, in Germany, where she wrote a romance, entitled Les Chevaliers du Cygne, ou la Cour de Charlemagne; and also Prt"eis de la Conduite de Madame de Geniis pendant la Bholution, as a sort of reply to the accusations of her numerous enemies. When Bonaparte became consul, she returned to Paris, and received
from him a pension. From this time she resided constantly in Paris, publishing iu rapid succession one book after another, till her death, Dec. 31, 1830. Madame de Gen lis's writings amount to about 90 volumes. They are chiefly descriptions of incidents in fashionable society, with which she was thoroughly acquainted, and which she painted in lively colors. As she advanced in life, her writings became more and more polemical and ill-natured. Her Observations Critiques pour servir d Histoire litteraire du slide (2 vols. Paris, 1818); and her Dictionnaire Critique et raisonne des Etiquettes de la Cour, des usages du Hon-de, etc.; and her Diners du Baron d' Ifolbach, subjected her to severe criticism. The last of these contains a great deal of curious but malicious information concerning the freethinkers of the 18th century. Nevertheless, her writings have been very popular, and have passed through several editions. Her voluminous lifemoires were written after she had reached her 80th year.