Madame de Sévigné [1626-1696] is a French aristocrat known as an important figure in 17th century French literature. Her letters, mostly written to her daughter, were copied and circulated as early as 1673, and she therefore knowingly wrote for a larger audience. After her death, her letters were bound and published. Marcel Proust uses her letters in his novel In Search of Lost Time. This study is focused on how her letters gained such wide acceptance due to their support of the social codes of the time, especially revolving around motherhood and women's roles. University Press of New England, Hanover and London. Hb. NEW. $10.00