Her extreme facility, her wonderfully active mind, her power of causerie, and her ability to discuss and write upon philosophical and religious abstractions, won the deep admiration and respect of her followers, who were not only content to be aided financially by her, but looked to her for guidance and counsel in their own work, though she never imposed her ideas and taste upon others.  By her tact, she was able practically to control and guide the entire literary, artistic, and social development of the sixteenth century.  Every form of intellectual movement of this period is impregnated with the spirit of Marguerite d’Angouleme.

With her affable and loving manners, her refined taste and superior knowledge, she was able to influence her brother and, through him, the government.  Just as her mother controlled in politics, so did Marguerite in arts and manners.  In her are found the main characteristics to which later French women owed their influence—­a form of versatility which included exceptional tact and enabled the possessor to appreciate and sympathize with all forms of activity, to deal with all classes, to manage and be managed in turn.

The writings of Marguerite are quite numerous, consisting of six moralities or comedies, a farce, epistles, elegies, philosophical poems, and the Heptameron, her principal work—­a collection of prose tales in which are reflected the customary conversation, the morals of polite society, and the ideal love of the time.  They are a medley of crude equivocalities, of the grossness of the fabliaux, of Rabelais, and of the delicate preciosity of the seventeenth century.  Love is the principal theme discussed—­youth, nobility, wealth, power, beauty, glory, love for love, the delicate sensation of feeling one’s self loved, elegant love, obsequious love; perfect love is found in those lovers who seek perfection in what they love, either of goodness, beauty, or grace—­always tending to virtue.

Thoroughly to appreciate Marguerite d’Angouleme’s position and influence and her contributions to literature, the conditions existing in her epoch must be carefully considered.  It was in the sixteenth century that the charms of social life and of conversation as an art were first realized; all questions of the day were treated gracefully, if not deeply; woman began to play an important part, to appear at court, and, by her wit and beauty, to impress man.  From the semi-barbaric spirit of the Middle Ages to the Italian and Roman culture of the Renaissance was a tremendous stride; in this cultural development, Marguerite was of vital importance.  In intellectual attainments far in advance of the age, among its great women she stands out alone in her spirit of humanity, generosity, tolerance, broad sympathies, exemplary family life, and exalted devotion to her brother.

Of the other literary women of the sixteenth century, mention may be made of two who have left little or no work of importance, but who are interesting on account of the peculiar form of their activity.