STARL, Madame de, properly STAitL HOLSTEIN, stit'el-h61'stin (Fr. stiel 61-staii), Anne Louise Germaine Necker, BARONESS DE, French authoress: b. Paris, 22 April 1766; d. there, 14 July 1817. She was the only child of Jacques Necker, Swiss banker and Minister of Finance to Louis XVI. Her mother was Swiss (see NECKER, SUSANNE C. DE NASSE). Necker's house was the resort of the most distinguished men of the capital; every week on a certain day were assembled in the salon of Madame Necker the most eminent scholars of the day, as Marmontel, Raynal, Grimm, Thomas, etc. The encouragement the young girl received in this society and the various excitements which it furnished to her faculties, had an important influence on the formation of her mind. To these she owed that rare conversational power for which she was so remarkable, with that inclination to ingenious, brilliant and striking theories, which appear in her earlier works. Her earliest productions were (Sophia,) a com edy (1786), and two tragedies,
Tane Grey) and (Montmorency.) Her
The breaking out of the Revolution (1789) exercised a powerful influence both on her mind and fate. The.first period of her father's serv ice in the ministry (1777-81) brought his family into connection with the great world and public affairs. During Robespierre's ascendency she exerted herself to save the victims and pub lished a powerful and eloquent (Defense of the Queen.) After the insurrection of 10 Aug. 1792 she fled in September to her father's house at Coppet in Switzerland, which now became the refuge of the French fugitives. When Sweden recognized the French republic, her husband was again sent as Ambassador to Paris, whither she returned in 1795. The government of the Directory gave her an opportunity of effecting the recall of some of the emigrants. Barras became her friend, and she acquired so much influence that, on Talleyrand's return from America in 1796, she obtained, through Barras, his appointment to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. To this period also belong two political pamphlets, 'Sur la Paix> and 'Sur la PaiiS interieure,) which contain her views respecting the situation of France in 1795 and express the remarkable opinion that France could arrive at limited monarchy only through military despotism. In 1796 appeared her (De l'Influence des Passions sur le heur des Individus et des Nations? which, though characterized by enlightened views, does not contain any complete exposition of the subject. Her connection with her husband, who died in 1802, whose tastes were different and whose talentstwere inferior to hers, had been from the first marked by coldness, and when she became desirous of securing the property of their children from the effects of his lavish habits, a separation took place; but his infirmi ties rendering the service of his friends neces sary to him, she again joined him. Bonaparte she saw for the first time in 1797, on his re turn to Paris, after the Peace of Campo-Fortnio. His brilliant reputation excited her admiration, but this soon gave way to fear and aversion. The danger which threatened Switzerland led her back to Coppet; but when Geneva was in corporated with France she hastened back to Paris, to cause her father's name to be struck from the list of emigrants. But some observa
tions of Necker in his (Dernieres Vues de Politique et des Finances) (1802) offended the first consul, who caused the work to be at tacked in the journals.
Madame de Stael was banished to a distance of 40 leagues from Paris, under pretense that she had given her father false information of the state of France. During her banishment she lived with her father at Coppet, but spent much time in traveling. Her literary reputation was meanwhile increased by her (De la Litterature consider& dans ses Rapports avec les Institu tions sociales> (1802) and her (Delphine) (1802). The former attracted many assailants. among whom Fontanes was the ablest and acutest. Her romance (Delphine) contained a faithful picture of herself as she was in her youth — separated from the multitude by genius and sensibility and struggling against the re straints of custom and her sex. In 1803 she made a visit to Germany and lived for about a year in Weimar and Berlin. She paid a visit to Italy in 1805 and the fruit of her journey was 'Corinne ou l'Italie) (1807), which com bines in a happy manner the charms of romance with a faithful picture of Italy. It was finished in France and was no sooner published than she was ordered to quit that country, upon which she returned to Coppet. Here she wrote 'Essais dramatiques) and finished (1809) her work on Germany (We l'Allemagne'). She then went to France to get it printed, but be fore it could be published the printed copies were seized by the pblice and she was again ordered to quit France. It first appeared entire in London in 1813. This work gave the French the first intimation of the intellectual develop ment of Germany.
Returning to Coppet from France, Madame de Stail was subjected to new persecutions and was forbidden to go farther from her residence than two leagues. But in the spring of 1812 she escaped and passing through Vienna to Moscow, on the approach of the French army went to Saint Petersburg and soon after, in the autumn of 1812, to Stockholm. From Stock holm she went to England, where sire was re ceived with the most flattering attention. Here was published her sur le Suicide) and (Zulma et trois Nouvelles.> After a long exile, described in her 'Dix Annees d'Exil, she landed at Calais in 1814. After the Restora tion in 1815 she returned to Paris and was re ceived with great distinction. She also received from the • • vernment public stock to tire amount of 2,000,1i1 francs, due to her father by the treasury at the time of his dismissal from office. Surrounded by a happy domestic circle, esteemed and courted by the most eminent men of the capital, she lived in Paris, with the ex ception of a short absence, till her death, and until her last sickness she was employed on her (Memoires et Considerations sur les principaux Evenements de la Revolution Francaise) (1819). By her will it was made known that in 1812 she had been married a second time to a M. de Rocca, a young officer of hussars, who, suf fering from wounds received in Spain, had quitted the service and come to reside at Geneva, where she became acquainted with him. See CORINNE.
Consult by Norris (1853) ; d'Haus sonville 'Le Salon de Madame Necker) (1882) ; Lady Blennerhasset, (Frau von Stael) (1888 89) ; Brunetiere, 'Evolution de la Critique) (1890); Schiick, 'History of a Marriage in Letters) (1906) ; Sorel, 'Madame de Stael) (1890) ; Faguet, et Moralistes) (Vol. I, 1898). Hier edited her works (17 vols.) in 1820-21. Her 'Lettres Inedits) ap peared in 1903.