Stéphanie Félicité, Comtesse de Genlis (1746–1830,) born Caroline-Stéphanie-Félicité du Crest de Saint-Aubin, was a French writer, educator, and noblewoman known for her novels, educational theories, and influence on 18th-century literature.
Born in Issy-l’Évêque, France, she was raised in a noble but financially unstable family. She married Charles-Alexis Brûlart, Comte de Genlis, in 1763 and became lady-in-waiting to the Duchesse d’Orléans.
Genlis was appointed governess to Philippe, Duke of Orléans’s children, becoming the first woman to hold such a role for royal princes. She developed progressive educational methods, emphasizing moral instruction and practical learning.
Her notable publications include Adèle et Théodore (1782,) an epistolary novel on education; Discours sur l’éducation publique du peuple (1791;) Madame de la Vallière (1804;) Souvenirs de Félicie (1806;) and Mémoires (1825,) offering historical insights into her life and times.
Exiled during the French Revolution, she later returned to France and continued writing. She authored over 120 volumes, many translated into multiple languages, shaping European educational thought.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Stephanie Felicite, comtesse de Genlis
Gayety is not a proof that the heart is at ease, for often in the midst of laughter the heart is sad.
—Stephanie Felicite, comtesse de Genlis
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