Mary Taylor’s Response to theJournal et Lettresof Eugénie de Guérin

What is it about?

In 1866, in the Victoria Magazine, there appeared an article entitled A Philistine’s opinion of Eugénie de Guérin written by Mary Taylor, a close friend of Charlotte Brontë. This was Taylor’s response to the many reviews on Eugénie’s intimate letter-booklets, entitled her Journal et Lettres (1862), which afforded Eugénie recognition as the first woman diarist to be published in France and also gave her the title of creator of a new genre. These letters were written to Eugénie’s younger brother, Maurice, in Paris, showing her deep concern for his spiritual welfare. In her response, Taylor gives her opinion on Eugénie herself, the ‘actual woman’ rather than discussing her Journal.

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Why is it important?

Her views reveal as much about herself as about the diarist. They are also a useful pointer to her thoughts on her friend, Charlotte Brontë, and more widely on issues such as the need for the reform of female education and of the lack of financial independence of most women of her time.

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