According to the Republican Calendar in France at the time,
Mrs. Rivail (Mrs. Allan Kardec) was born
in the year IV in the city of Thiais which
was part of the smaller and more populated
French Council of the Seine. It
corresponds to the date of 23rd
of November 1795.
Daughter of Julien-Louis Boudet, a wealthy
man, and Julie-Louise Seigneat de Lacombe,
she received when baptised, the name of
Amélie-Gabrielle Boudet.
The little girl, Amelie, was an only
child, someone of big vivacity and strong
interest for her studies. She didn’t give
too much concern to her parents who gave
her moral education and considerable
intellectual basis.
After finishing primary school, Amélie
moved out to Paris with her family, where
she studied in a average school from where
she left graduated as a teacher.
Dr. Canuto de Abreu tells us that Miss
Amélie also taught Literature and Arts,
bringing from past incarnations the innate
talent for poetry and drawing. Cultured
and intelligent, she wrote three books:
Spring Tales in 1825, Drawing Basics in
1826 and The essential in Fine Arts in
1828.
Living in Paris, in the world of
Literature and Teaching, destiny wanted
Miss Amélie Boudet and Professor Hippolyte
Denizard Rivail to meet each other one
day.
Short, but proportional, of serene eyes,
kind and gracious, vivid in her gestures
and words, showing admirable intelligence
and a gentle smile, Amélie Boudet made
herself noted by Professor Rivail. She
recognised in him, immediately, a truly
superior, cultured, polite and honest man.
In 6th of February 1832, they
signed their marriage contract. Amélie
Boudet was nine years older than Prof.
Rivail, but she was so jovial physically
and spiritually, that she seemed to be the
same age of her husband. The difference of
age never represented a problem to their
happiness.
Not long after concluding his studies with
Pestalozzi, in the famous Swiss castle of
Zahringen (Yverdun), Prof. Rivail founded
in Paris, a Technical Institute, based on
the methods of Pestalozzi. Mrs. Rivail
joined her husband on the educational task
that he had been doing in the Institute
for more than five years.
This humane initiative from Prof. Rivail
was admirable and patriotic, because even
though some laws were passed after the
French Revolution in favour of education,
the government didn’t pay too much
attention to it. Only in 1833, by the
Guizot law primary education became
official and concrete in France.
In 1835, the couple went through a harsh
situation. Their establishment of
education was obligated to close its
doors. But because Prof. Rivail had a
highly understanding and courageous wife,
it was easy for him to overcome this
situation. Supporting each other, the
couple dedicated themselves to bigger
responsibilities. During the day, while
Prof. Rivail was taking care of commercial
establishment accounts, his wife was
cooperating on the preparation of free
courses in their own home. These free
courses went on from 1835 to 1840.
At night, together, they didn’t choose to
have the deserved but unproductive rest.
The problem of kids and youngsters not
having a proper education was very
important to Prof. Rivail as much as it
was to his Master, Pestalozzi. That’s the
reason why during the night, he shared his
time in different activities related to
that subject. He always received from his
wife spontaneous and talented cooperation.
Beside writing new educational books,
which were very popular, Prof. Rivail
translated classical literature and
prepared them for the Lévi-Alvarès courses
which were popular between the Parisian
youth of St. Germain. He also dedicated
himself to teach some subjects in those
free courses together with his wife.
“Those who find a great woman, will find
the goodness and will find joy in God”,
said Solomon. Amélie Boudet was one of
those great women who, noble and pure, and
without the human vanities, finds in
matrimony great missions to be
accomplished.
Consistent and efficient help from Prof.
Rivail to the public courses of Math and
Astronomy, where he taught weekly, from
1843 to 1848, never faltered. Not only
students but also teachers attended these
courses that Prof. Rivail founded and
directed until 1850.
All these accomplishments and other ones
to benefit people were originated in the
couple’s conversations. But like the
Condess of Ségur said, it comes mainly
from women the inspirations that men use
to accomplish something. In relation to
Mrs. Rivail, we believe that in many
occasions, beside being advisor, she was
the brain behind various projects which
her husband developed. This is what Mr. P.
J. Leymarie confirms when he affirmed that
Kardec had a great appreciation for his
wife’s opinion.
Thanks to the didactic books written by
Prof. Rivail, which had many editions and
were adopted by the University of France,
he and his wife reached a good financial
position.
The name Denizard Rivail became well known
and very respected by the cultured
society. The way to fortune and glory in
Pedagogy was open to him. He would have
more time to dedicate himself to his wife
whom, according to her humbleness and high
spiritual position, never complained about
anything.
Both, however, had a big mission to
accomplish because of its universal
importance, although full of exhaustive
working and painful situations.
The first call happened in 1854, when
Prof. Rivail was attracted to the curious
phenomena of “table-turning”, very
popular at the time. Other invitations
from the other side came along and, from
mid 1855, in the Baudin’s family house,
Prof. Rivail started the first serious
studies about those phenomena. He saw in
those phenomena a key for the problems
that were in the dark for millenniums.
Together with her husband in these
investigations, it was clear the emotional
joy in which Amélie started knowing the
facts which opened to Humanity new
horizons of understanding. After the
observations and various experiments,
Prof. Rivail started working on the great
codification. It’s from Amélie, now 60
years old, that Prof Rivail receives the
moral support with this accomplishment.
She became his secretary, taking care
secondarily of new and harder works which
now took all his available time,
supporting and encouraging his mission.
Without a doubt, we Spiritists, owe Amélie
Boudet a great deal and we agree with
Samuel Smiles who wrote: “ The supreme
actions of women usually stay ignored.
These actions don’t get admiration of the
world because they were done in their
private life, away from the public eyes,
only for the love for goodness.”
The name of Mrs. Rivail is known fairly
between the various women names who made
History. History shows them as dedicated
and faithful co-operators of their
husbands whom, without them, might not
have completed their missions. They were,
for example, the noble wives of Lavoisier,
Buckland, Flaxman, Sir Napier, Pestalozzi,
Luther and many other genius men. To all
of those great women, beside the ones
forgotten by History, the Humanity will
always owe them one!
The Spirit’s Book was published by Allan
Kardec, pseudonym which Prof. Rivail
adopted; and months later, on the 1st
of January 1858, counting only on his wife
support, Kardec published the first issue
of the Spiritist Magazine. The publishing
of these Spiritist Magazines last for more
than one century of existence, largely
benefiting Spiritism.
For six months the very popular sessions
happened in the house of Prof. Rivail,
situated on the Martir Street, number
eight. These sessions demanded certain
care and attention from Mrs. Rivail who
sometimes could be overwhelmed by it.
Their house was sometimes crowded and not
big enough to accommodate the number of
people who attended to those sessions. So
in 1858, Allan Kardec founded, outside his
house, the “Parisian Society of Spiristist
Studies”. One more responsibility of large
proportions!
To take such initiatives, at that time, in
which the clerical despotism was still
strong, wasn’t work for many. Large doses
of dedication, firmness of concepts and
sacrifices were necessary.
It was up to Mr. And Mrs. Rivail to start,
beside all the difficulties and obstacles
in the way, the biggest revolution of
ideas that was known in their times, in
mid XIX century, with the help of God.
Allan Kardec was a target of hatred,
calumny, envy and jealousy of unprovoked
enemies who didn’t want him to divulgate
his findings.
Gossip, betrayal, insults, ungratefulness,
everything bad came across Prof Rivail’s
way, but in every moment of probation and
difficulties, he found in his wife
affection, support and consolation,
confirming Simalen’s words: “Women are the
stars of goodness in the storms of life.”
Having many articles to write, from France
to many other countries, Kardec wouldn’t
have had the time to also write the books
of the Codification and his magazines, if
it wasn’t for his wife’s help.
Many trips (in 1860,1861,1862,1864 and
others) were taken by Kardec. He went to
more than twenty French cities and many
Swiss and Belgium ones to spread the
Spiritist concepts. His wife always went
with him and it’s important to note that
the expanses were paid by the couple. As
the writer Carlyle said, Mrs. Rivail was,
during almost 40 years, his loyal partner,
supporting him with her actions and words
in everything he did which was dignified
and good.
On the 31st of March 1869, 65
years old, Allan Kardec died suddenly
while they were moving house. It was a
huge loss to the Spiritist world,
affecting all the ones who loved him. Mrs.
Rivail, who shared with her husband
admirably all the disappointments and
difficulties in his way, now 74 years old,
with grey hair and her soul changed by the
Spiritists concepts, could stand any hard
reality.
In the Montmartre cemetery, a crowd of
more than a thousand people attended to
Prof. Rivail’s simple funeral which
happened on the 2nd of April.
Many lecturers gave a speech, including
Kardec’s disciples and last, Mr. E.
Muller, who in the beginning of his speech
about his dear friend said: “ I speak in
the name of his widow, who was his loyal
partner during 37 years of happiness
without discouragement, who shared with
him his beliefs and works, difficulties
and joy, and that always appreciated the
pureness of habits, honesty and generosity
of her husband; today, alone, she is the
one who give us the example of courage,
tolerance, forgiveness of mistakes and
duty honourably performed.”
Mrs. Allan Kardec received from France and
other countries abroad, many
manifestations of sympathy and
encouragement, which gave her renewed
strength to continue doing her beloved
husband’s works.
The French Spiritists wished to create a
monument to honour the memory of the
unforgettable Professor, to which his wife
agreed, sensitive to this human but very
sincere wish, taking this project under
her wings. Copying a drawing from Mr.
Sebille, a bust of Allan Kardec made of
bronze was put between rock pillars
weighing six tons, in the cemetery of
Père-Lachaise.
This monument containing the mortal rests
of Prof. Rivail was inaugurated on the 31st
of March 1870, and on this occasion, Mr.
Levent, vice-president of the “Parisian
Society of Spiritists Studies”, gave a
speech attending to Mrs. Rivail request,
in hers and his friends name.
After two months of the Professor of
Lyon’s death, his wife, wishing to
contribute to the realization of future
plans that her husband had in mind, and
who was the sole owner of the legal rights
of his books, donated every year certain
amount to the “Spiritist General fund”.
This money would be used for the
acquisition of properties in case of
difficulties in the future.
Other wise decisions were made by her in
the way of keeping the spreading of
Spiritists concepts running. Mrs. Rivail
was appreciated by the Spiritist world for
her generosity and devotion to the cause.
Although she was already elderly, Mrs.
Rivail showed a great spirit of work . She
always wanted to manage everything in
person, taking care of many different
activities which would normally require
many brains to sort out. Beside attending
meetings to which she was invited, Mrs.
Rivail attended the beautiful sessions of
the Day of the Dead every year. On those
sessions, after many lecturers talked
about what death in the Spiritists
concepts meant, they received important
messages from Superior Spirits through
many different mediums.
If Mrs. Rivail, as it reads in The
Spiritist Magazine of 1869, kept herself
to her personal interests, leaving things
to be taken care by others without an
effort from her part, she would easily
enjoy tranquillity and rest during her
elderly days. But, putting herself in a
better perspective, and guided by the
certainty that Allan Kardec counted on her
to continue his accomplishments to which
he dedicated himself until his last
moments, she didn’t hesitate. Deeply
convinced by the truth of Spiritists
concepts, she tried to guarantee the
existence of Spiritism in the future and,
as she said herself, she wouldn’t have
known how to use the time she had left on
Earth in a better way, before meeting her
husband on the other side.
Making an effort to put in practice the
plans made by Allan Kardec, in the
Spiritist Magazine of 1868, Mrs. Rivail
created the “Anonymous Society of
Spiritism” after carefully studying it
with old disciples of Kardec.
Destined to spread Spiritism around using
all the ways allowed by Law, this Society
had, however, as its main purpose, the
continuation of the Spiritist Magazine,
the publication of Kardec’s books and all
the books which talked about Spiritism.
Thanks to the vision, effort, devotion
without limits of Mrs. Rivail, Spiritism
grew immensely, not only in France, but
also around the world.
Tiring were this admirable lady’s
responsibilities, whose age required rest
and tranquillity. However, Mrs. Rivail was
helped. Mr. P. G. Leymarie, one of the
most dedicated disciples of Kardec since
1858, medium, honest and hard worker man,
took over in 1871 the management of the
Anonymous Society of Spiritism and,
afterwards he was left by himself with the
responsibility of directing the Society
because of the renunciation of some
partners in administration. From this
point on, Mr. Leymarie was Mrs. Rivail’s
right arm, always respecting this lady’s
instructions, allowing her to die in peace
and certain of the continuous development
of Spiritism.
Some spiritists didn’t like the name given
to the Society thinking it was too
commercial. So Mrs. Rivail, who never
liked the name herself but accepted it
because of certain conveniences, decided
in a General Assembly on the 18th
of October 1873 to change its name to “
Continuation of the Spiritist Books of
Allan Kardec’s Society”. It was hugely
accepted by everyone.
This extraordinary woman still did many
other things in favour of Spiritism and in
favour of all people who asked her for a
advice or consolation, until she died on
the 21st of January 1883 at
five o’clock in the morning. Mrs. Rivail
showed rare consciousness of spirit and
the same kind smile she always had after
waking up on the other side.
The dear elderly was 87 years old at the
time, and people who knew her say that she
didn’t need glasses to read and wrote at
the same time firmly and correctly.
Applying to her the expressions of a
famous writer, we can say without a doubt
that “ her whole existence was a poem
full of courage, perseverance, charity and
wisdom.”
The grief that hit the Spiritist family
everywhere in the world was
understandable. According to her own
wishes, Mrs. Rivail funeral was simple,
leaving her house on the Ségur Village,
number 39 straight to Père-Lachaise,
twelve kilometres away.
A big crowd, from simple people to famous
ones, attended on the 23rd of
January to her funeral where the elderly
lady rests were put beside Kardec’s and
where she visited every year on the 31st
of March.
To the bust of Allan Kardec was written,
on the left side, on capital letters, the
message: AMÈLIE GABRIELLE BOUDET – VEUVE
ALLAN KARDEC – 21 NOVEMBRE 1795 – 21
JANVIER 1883
During the funeral, Mr. P.G. Leymarie gave
a speech in the name of all spiritists and
in the name of the “Continuation of the
Spiritists Books of Allan Kardec’s
Society”. Also gave speech Charles Fauvety,
writer and president of the “Scientific
Studies of Psychology Society”, and other
institutions leaders and friends like
Gabriel Delanne, Cot, Carrier, J. Camille
Chaigneau, writer, Lecoq, Georges Cochet,
Louis Vignon, who dedicated many verses to
the dear elderly lady, Mrs. Sofia Rosen-Dufaure;
all of them making clear the merits of the
dignified wife of Kardec. Finally, after a
prayer said by Mr. Warroquier, the crowd
left in silence.
The most touching speech was given by Mr.
Lecoq. He read, to everybody’s joy, a
beautiful psychograph of Anthony of Padua,
received on 22nd of January, in
which this Superior Spirit described the
reception they gave, together with Allan
Kardec, to Mrs. Rivail on the other side.
By improvisation, Mr. P.G. Leymarie
remembered quickly something of Mrs.
Rivail’s life, her noble soul, affirming
that the publication of the Spirit’s Book
and the Spiritist Magazines, happened
because of the firmness of will,
insistence and perseverance of Mrs. Rivail.
Mrs. Rivail didn’t have children therefore
she didn’t have direct benefactors. She
left everything by will to the
“Continuation of the Spiritists Books of
Allan Kardec’s Society”. Some of her
relatives tried to cancel her will
claiming dementia from her part. They
didn’t get anything because the proof of
the opposite was huge.
On the 26th of January 1883,
the respected Parisian medium Mr. E.
Cordurié, psycho graphed spontaneously a
message signed by Mrs. Rivail and on the
same day another one signed by her
husband. Simple in the form, pretty in the
concepts, the messages had immortality in
them and showed that life continues...
Translation
CRISTIANE PARMITER
crisparmiter@gmail.com
Londres (Reino
Unido) |