A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Barbier, (Marianne)
BARBIER, (MARIANNE) a learned French Lady, born at Orleans; died 1745,
Was early distinguished for her attachment to literature; and her poetical productions, which showed great fertility of genius, and were composed in a pleasing and elegant stile. She wrote much; two of her odes, one, on Wisdom, and the other on Beauty, are highly esteemed. Encouraged by success, she fixed her residence at Paris, and began to write for the theatre. Her plays, though not of the first order, were applauded by the public. They consisted of five tragedies, a comedy, and three musical pieces. The first were Arria and Pœtus, represented in 1702; Cornelia, Mother of the Gracchi, in 1703; Tomyris, in 1707, and the Death of Cæsar; the fifth, named Joseph, was never either performed or printed. Her comedy, le Falcon, was brought forward in 1719. The three operas were les Fêtes de l’Ete; le Jugement de Paris; and les Plaisirs de la Campagne,
The friendship which subsisted between Mademoiselle Barbier and l’Abbe Pellegrin, made her enemies attribute her theatrical works to him. But as her wit and poetical talents were before conspicuous, there is no reason to suppose her incapable of writing them; and their success with the public, with their number, rendered it improbable the real author sacrificed them to her.