Pascal, Jacqueline

Pascal, Jacqueline a noted French female monastic was the sister of Blaise Pascal, and greatly influenced that celebrated man in his ascetic practices. She was born at Clermont in 1625. She became religious, and entered the Port-Royal house in 1646 under the name of Sister Ste. Euphemie, and she died there in 1661. She was a most devoted sister, but her peculiar notions of an ascetic life led her to Port-Royal herself, and finally brought Blaise to the same retirement. In her youth she had enjoyed much distinction for remarkable intellectual attainments and native talent. The poet Corneille used to visit her when she was yet a girl, and aid her in the development of her poetic talent. See Cousin, Jacqueline Pascal (Paris, 1849); Meth. Qu. Rev. July, 1854, art. 4.