a French author, courtesan, freethinker, and patron of the arts. She became a popular figure in the salons, and her own drawing room became a centre for the discussion and consumption of the literary arts. This life and her opinions on organized religion caused her some trouble, and she was imprisoned in the Madelonnettes Convent. In response, as an author she defended the possibility of living a good life in the absence of religion, notably in 1659's La coquette vengée ("The Flirt Avenged"). She was also noted for her wit; among her numerous sayings and quips.
