A Woman Scorned

Axel Fersen was involved with a number of women during the course of his life. Not all of them let go gracefully. The comtesse de Saint-Priest was one of them. Evidently, she was another of Fersen's mistresses, and not happy at being replaced by Eleonore Sullivan. She wrote to him, "I've been seeing much of Madame de Canillac recently. I don't know why but I'm sure she's been your mistress, too. I remember your telling me that she had a lover nobody suspected and that he was English - but I am certain that he was a lovable Swede... I dined with the Prince of Wales the other night, my dear Count. He told me that when he knew you you were as good-looking as Lord Randon. But all the women in the room said that you had greatly altered and had become very ugly. After that charming overture nobody spoke of you anymore... The Prince then told us that he had once seen Madame Sullivan do a dance with castenets with the Spanish Ambassador. He said that she looked so ridiculous he thought he'd split his sides laughing. He didn't exactly sing Madame Sullivan's praises. He thinks she looks like an apple vendor and he went on to tell us all sorts of unpleasant things about her."

I couldn't find a picture of the comtesse de Saint-Priest, but this is her husband, the comte de Saint-Priest, coincidently the only person, according to author Stanley Loomis, to claim that he had first hand knowledge that Fersen and the Queen were more than friends. He claims he saw Fersen leave the Queen's room at three in the morning. Another of the comtesse's letters to Fersen chastises him for compromising the Queen with their relationship. Somehow, I doubt that her interest was a result of concern for the Queen's welfare.

It's good to know that the Age of Enlightenment didn't eliminate biting sarcasm.