A Biographical Dictionary of the Celebrated Women of Every Age and Country/Rohan, (Marie Elenore de)
ROHAN (MARIE ELENORE DE), Daughter of the Duke de Montbazon; born 1628.
A princess illustrious by her birth, celebrated for her many amiable virtues, and whose literary productions are highly esteemed by those who read books of piety and devotion. Brought up in a convent, she contracted an inclination very early for retirement, and chose a religious life in preference to any other; though her exquisite beauty, birth, fortune, and accomplishments, were such as could not fail of ensuring her the admiration and attention of the world. In vain did her friends endeavour to oppose this resolution; her father, though much afflicted, could not resist the prayers and tears of a daughter he so tenderly loved, but consented to it, as her happiness seemed so much to depend on the choice she had made. She was soon after professed in the Benedictine convent, at Montargis, where her virtues, talents, and superior understanding, procured her the esteem and veneration of all the community; the oldest and gravest among them reposing their secrets in her breast. She was soon after named Abbess of the community of Caen, a dignity which she declined accepting with great humility; but was, at length, obliged to yield to the repeated entreaties of the superiors of that convent. Mlle. de Rohan, without any ambition, or the least presumption, was the only one who appeared ignorant of her superior excellencies. She conducted her flock with meekness, humility, and tenderness. Her heart was tender and susceptible; her mind elevated and sublime, with a firmness not to be shaken, of which she gave singular proofs in maintaining the rights and privileges of the Abbey. But the sea air not agreeing with her constitution, and her health being considerably injured, she became so languid and weak, and was in so dangerous a condition, that the physicians declared nothing but a change of air could possibly save her life. Upon which account she was, with the utmost difficulty, prevailed upon to exchange her abbey for that of Malnoue, near Paris. When the day arrived for her departure, nothing could equal her affliction in separating from her sisterhood, whom she affectionately loved; she embraced them all with great tenderness, bedewing them with her tears, and was so overcome as to be unable to speak. She was so renowned for her virtues and holy life, that they sent attestations of it to Rome; upon which, the pope declared publicly his intention of canonizing this young abbess. In 1669 the religious of the Benedictines de Notre Dame de Consolation du Chausse-Midi intreated Madame de Rohan to take upon her the government of their convent, to which she consented, but did not neglect, by that means, the management of her own abbey de Malnoue.
She composed, under the title of Morale de Solomon, a paraphrase on the Proverbs; a discourse on Wisdom, and many other tracts; and such are the productions of Madame de Rohan, that it was said "The royal blood had found in her a royal soul." In short, she united modesty and amiable manners, to wisdom, solidity, and learning. She died, sincerely lamented, in the year 1681, in the convent du Chausse-Midi.
This life is extracted from Mrs. Thicknesse's Lives of French Ladies, to which in other places I have been so much obliged.