About the book

"The letters of Madame de Sévigné" by marquise de Marie de Rabutin-Chantal Sévigné is a collection of personal letters written in the late 17th century. The volume centers on her affectionate, witty correspondence—chiefly to her daughter—while also addressing friends and kin, offering vivid glimpses of court life under Louis XIV, provincial routines, and domestic anxieties. Expect graceful storytelling, sharp social observation, and a sustained portrait of maternal love. The opening of this collection frames the letters for readers through an editor’s preface that praises their style, historical value, and civilizing influence, explains a new arrangement by correspondent, and sketches the author’s life and times. A biographical essay traces her noble Burgundian origins, exceptional education, unhappy marriage and widowhood, prudent estate management, unwavering virtue, and overwhelming devotion to her son and especially her daughter, whose marriage to the Count de Grignan triggers their separation. The early letters to Cousin Bussy mix playful reproach with pride in his military exploits, court chatter, and family news, including her son’s voyage and her daughter’s betrothal. The correspondence to the daughter begins in tears and travel anxieties, then broadens into lively Paris reports (devotional debates, Ninon’s wit, a cheating-at-cards scandal, and the celebrated account of Vatel’s suicide at Chantilly), before shifting to Brittany, where she writes of gardens, local society, finances, and reading—always circling back to tender counsel and concern for her child’s health.