STAAL, Marguerite Jeanne Cordier Delaunay, Baronne de (1684-1750)—often called in history and literature Madame de Staal-Delaunay, to distinguish her more completely from Madame de Stael-Holstein—was born at Paris on May 30, 1684. Her father was a painter named Cordier. He seems to have deserted her mother, whose name was Delaunay, and who made her daughter take that surname instead of Cordier. She was well-educated, and entered the household of the Duchesse du Maine at Sceaux, at first in no higher capacity than that of femme de chambre. She was, however, promoted before long to the office of amanuensis and (practically) companion to her mistress. Her literary talent soon manifested itself in the literary court of the duchess, who is said, but chiefly on the waiting lady’s own authority, to have been not a little jealous of her attendant. Enough, however, is known of the duchess’s imperious and capricious temper to make it improbable that her service was agreeable. Madame Delaunay, however, was a sufficiently devoted suivante, and in the affair of the Cellamare conspiracy had to endure a visit to the Bastille, where she remained for two years. Even here, however, she represents herself as having made conquests, though she was far from beautiful. She returned on her liberation to the service of the duchess, refused, it is said, Dacier, the widower of a wife more famous than himself, and in 1735, being then more than fifty, married the Baron de Staal. She continued, however, to form part of the duchess’s household. She died on June 16, 1750. Her Memoirs appeared about five years later, and have often been reprinted, both separately and in collections of the memoirs of the 17th and 18th centuries, to both of which the author belonged both in style and character. ...