Madeleine de Souvré, Marquise de Sablé (1599–1678,) was a French philosopher, writer, and salonnière, influential in 17th-century moral philosophy and literary circles. She shaped reflections on human nature, influencing figures like François de La Rochefoucauld.
Born into French aristocracy, she was the daughter of Gilles de Souvré, Marquis de Courtenvaux, tutor to Louis XIII. In 1614, she married Philippe Emmanuel de Laval, Marquis de Sablé. After his death in 1640, she established a Parisian literary salon, attracting philosophers, writers, and theologians.
Her most notable work, Maximes de Madame la Marquise de Sablé (1678,) offers moral reflections on behavior, virtue, and self-interest, contributing to French moralist literature alongside La Rochefoucauld’s Maximes.
Sablé was linked to Jansenist thought, promoting spiritual rigor and moral introspection. She corresponded with Blaise Pascal and Antoine Arnauld, discussing philosophy, ethics, and religious devotion.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Madeleine de Souvre, marquise de Sable
To be too dissatisfied with ourselves is a weakness. To be too satisfied with ourselves is a stupidity.
—Madeleine de Souvre, marquise de Sable
Topics: Satisfaction
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