[de La Live de Bellegarde]. She married the comte de Houdetot in 1748. In 1753 she formed with the marquis de Saint-Lambert a connection which lasted till his death. Mme. de Houdetot has been made famous by the chapter in Rousseau’s Confessions in which he describes his unreciprocated passion for her. When questioned on the subject she replied that he had much exaggerated. A view differing considerably from Rousseau’s is to be found in the Mémoires of Mme. d’Epinay, Mme. de Houdetot’s sister-in-law.
For a discussion of her relations with Rousseau see Saint-Marc Girardin in the Revue des deux mondes (Sept. 1853).
