COMTESSE DE ELISABETH FRANCOISE SOPHIE DE LA LIVE DE

BELLEGARDE

See also:

• HOUDETOT
• COMTESSE DE ELISABETH FRANCOISE SOPHIE DE LA LIVE DE BELLEGARDE HOUDETOT (1730—1813)

HOUDETOT (1730—1813)  , was born in 1730 . She married the comte de Houdetot (see above) in 1748 . In 1753 she formed with the marquis de Saint Lambert (q.v.) a connexion which lasted till his death . Mme de Houdetot has been made famous by the chapter in Rousseau's Confessions in which he describes his unreciprocated passion for her . When questioned on the subject she replied that he had much exaggerated . A view differing considerably from Rousseau's is to be found in the Memoires of Mme d'Epinay, Mme de Houdetot's sister-in-law . For a discussion of her relations with Rousseau see Saint-Marc-Girardin in the Revue des deux mondes (September 1853) .