a lady of a noble family, born at Paris in the year 1615, and famous for her wit and her gallantries. Her mother was a person of exemplary piety, but her father early inspired her with the love of pleasure. Having lost her parents at fourteen years of age, and finding herself mistress of her own actions, she resolved never to marry. She had an income of ten thousand livres a year; and, according to the lessons she had received from her father, drew up a plan of life and gallantry, which she pursued until her death. Never delicate with respect to the number, but always so in the choice, of her pleasures, she sacrificed nothing to interest, but loved only whilst her taste for it continued, and had amongst her admirers the greatest lords of the court. Notwithstanding the levity of her conduct, however, she had many virtues. She was constant in her friendships, faithful to what are called the laws of honour, of strict veracity, disinterested, and more particularly remarkable for perfect probity. Women of the most respectable characters were proud of the honour of having her as their friend; at her house there was an assemblage of everything most agreeable in the city and the court; and mothers were extremely desirous of sending their sons to that school of politeness and good taste, that they might learn sentiments of honour and probity, and those other virtues which render men amiable in society. But Madame de Sevigne remarks with great justice in her letters, that this school was dangerous to religion and the Christian virtues, because Ninon made use of seducing maxims, capable of depriving the mind of those invaluable treasures. This singular woman was esteemed beautiful even in old age, and is said to have inspired the passion of love at eighty. She died at Paris in 1705.