Pauline Marie Armande Craven
Encyclopedia
Pauline Marie Armande Craven née de La Ferronnays (April 12, 1808 in London
– April 1, 1891 in Paris) was a French author.
nobleman. Her father, the comte Auguste de la Ferronays
, was a close friend of the duc de Bern, whom he accompanied on his return to France in 1814. He and his wife were attached to the court of Charles X
at the Tuileries, but a momentary quarrel with the duc de Bern made retirement imperative to the Counts sense of honor.
He was appointed ambassador to St. Petersburg, and i n 1827 became foreign minister in Paris. Pauline was thus brought up in brilliant surroundings, but she derived her strongest impressions from the group of Catholic
thinkers that gathered around Lamennais
, and her ardent piety furnishes the key to her life.
In 1828 her father was sent to Rome
, and Pauline, at the suggestion of Alexis Rio, the art critic, made her first literary essay with a description of the emotions that she experienced on a visit to the catacombs
. During the revolution of July, M. de la Ferronays resigned his position, and retired with his family to Naples
. Here Pauline met her future husband, Augustus Craven, who was then attached to the British embassy. His father, Keppel Richard Craven
, the well-known supporter of Queen Caroline
, objected to his son's marriage to a Catholic; but his scruples were overcome, and immediately after the marriage (1834) Augustus Craven joined the Roman Catholic Church.
for Dublin in 1852 after which he retired to private life. The family went to live in Naples in 1853. Mrs. Craven then began to write the history of the family life of the la Ferronays between 1830 and 1836. Its focus was the love story of her brother Albert and his wife Alexandrine. This book, the Le Récit d'une Soeur (1866, Eng. trans. 1868), was enthusiastically received and was awarded a prize by the French Academy.
Strained circumstances made it vital that Mrs. Craven earn money by writing. Anne Sivrin appeared in 1868, Fleurange in 1871, Le Mot d'énigme in 1874, Le Valbriant (Eng. trans., Lucia) in 1886. Among her miscellaneous works are La Sceur Natalie Narischkin (1876), Deux Incidents de la question catholique en Angleterre (1875), Lady Georgiana Fullerton, sa vie et ses ceuvres (1888). Mrs Cravens charming personality won her many friends. She was a frequent guest of Lord Palmerston, Lord Ellesmere and Lord Granville.
Before his death in 1884, her husband translated her correspondence with Lord Palmerston and her correspondence with the Prince Consort into French. She died in Paris on April 1, 1891.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
– April 1, 1891 in Paris) was a French author.
Early life
She was the daughter of a BretonBrittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
nobleman. Her father, the comte Auguste de la Ferronays
Auguste, comte de La Ferronays
Pierre Louis Auguste Ferron, Count de La Ferronnays was French Minister of Foreign Affairs from January 4, 1828 to April 24, 1829.-Life:...
, was a close friend of the duc de Bern, whom he accompanied on his return to France in 1814. He and his wife were attached to the court of Charles X
Charles X of France
Charles X was known for most of his life as the Comte d'Artois before he reigned as King of France and of Navarre from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. A younger brother to Kings Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, he supported the latter in exile and eventually succeeded him...
at the Tuileries, but a momentary quarrel with the duc de Bern made retirement imperative to the Counts sense of honor.
He was appointed ambassador to St. Petersburg, and i n 1827 became foreign minister in Paris. Pauline was thus brought up in brilliant surroundings, but she derived her strongest impressions from the group of Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
thinkers that gathered around Lamennais
Hughes Felicité Robert de Lamennais
Hugues-Félicité Robert de Lamennais , was a French priest, and philosophical and political writer.-Youth:Félicité de Lamennais was born at Saint-Malo on June 19, 1782, the son of a wealthy merchant...
, and her ardent piety furnishes the key to her life.
In 1828 her father was sent to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, and Pauline, at the suggestion of Alexis Rio, the art critic, made her first literary essay with a description of the emotions that she experienced on a visit to the catacombs
Catacombs of Rome
The Catacombs of Rome are ancient catacombs, underground burial places under or near Rome, Italy, of which there are at least forty, some discovered only in recent decades. Though most famous for Christian burials, either in separate catacombs or mixed together, they began in the 2nd century, much...
. During the revolution of July, M. de la Ferronays resigned his position, and retired with his family to Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
. Here Pauline met her future husband, Augustus Craven, who was then attached to the British embassy. His father, Keppel Richard Craven
Keppel Richard Craven
Hon. Keppel Richard Craven was a British traveller and dilettante.Craven was the third and youngest son of William Craven and Lady Elizabeth Berkeley, daughter of the 4th Earl of Berkeley...
, the well-known supporter of Queen Caroline
Caroline of Brunswick
Caroline of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel was the Queen consort of King George IV of the United Kingdom from 29 January 1820 until her death...
, objected to his son's marriage to a Catholic; but his scruples were overcome, and immediately after the marriage (1834) Augustus Craven joined the Roman Catholic Church.
Literary career
Mrs. Craven's family life was depicted in the Le Récit d'une Soeur as especially tender and intimate. She suffered several severe bereavements in the years following her marriage. The Cravens lived abroad until 1851. In the same year Keppel Richard Craven died. His son's diplomatic career appeared unsuccessful. He stood unsuccessfully for election to ParliamentParliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
for Dublin in 1852 after which he retired to private life. The family went to live in Naples in 1853. Mrs. Craven then began to write the history of the family life of the la Ferronays between 1830 and 1836. Its focus was the love story of her brother Albert and his wife Alexandrine. This book, the Le Récit d'une Soeur (1866, Eng. trans. 1868), was enthusiastically received and was awarded a prize by the French Academy.
Strained circumstances made it vital that Mrs. Craven earn money by writing. Anne Sivrin appeared in 1868, Fleurange in 1871, Le Mot d'énigme in 1874, Le Valbriant (Eng. trans., Lucia) in 1886. Among her miscellaneous works are La Sceur Natalie Narischkin (1876), Deux Incidents de la question catholique en Angleterre (1875), Lady Georgiana Fullerton, sa vie et ses ceuvres (1888). Mrs Cravens charming personality won her many friends. She was a frequent guest of Lord Palmerston, Lord Ellesmere and Lord Granville.
Before his death in 1884, her husband translated her correspondence with Lord Palmerston and her correspondence with the Prince Consort into French. She died in Paris on April 1, 1891.
External links
- Works by or about Pauline Marie Armande Craven at Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
(scanned books original editions)