Page:A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country (1804).djvu/397

Rh Upon the assassination of Henry IV. by Ravaillac the Jesuit, in 1610, both papists and protestants fell upon that order on the occasion. Father Coton, an eminent member of the society, undertook their vindication, and was answered in a piece, entitled Anti-coton.

Mademoiselle de Gournay published some books, in favour of the Jesuits, against the Anti-coton. Upon which she was attacked, in some illiberal publications, which ridiculed her on her age, her person, and her reputation, most unjustly. She wrote several things both in prose and verse, which were collected into one volume, and pubhshed by herself in 1636, entitled, ''Les Avis, et les Presens de la Demoiselle de Gournai. ''

Mademoiselle de Gournay was celebrated for her learning and knowledge; she corresponded with most of the great men of her time, and was considered as the guardian and protectress of the ancient' words in the French language, being greatly offended at the alterations which were daily creeping in. She dedicated her book, entitled Le Bouquet de Pinde, to her adopted sister.

She left some other works in M.S. which were printed after her death, under this title, L'Ombre de Mlle. de Gournai; and another, Avis de Mlle. de Gournai. This extraordinary woman studied continually, even to her death, which happened at Paris in 1645, at the age of eighty. A great number of epitaphs were made by the first geniuses of the age, in honour of her memory. Mrs. Thicknesse. Female Worthies, &c.

1232, at the age of twenty-three, she pronounced a beau-