Historical Slurs and Women Philosophers: Manon Roland in Max Gallo's French Revolution.

I have written before about historians' treatment of the women of the Revolution. But it seems to be a theme that keeps on giving. 

The latest culprit is Max Gallo, French historian and Academician (we also saw how those were not as woman friendly as they might be).

His first volume of a popular history of the French Revolution says very little about the women involved in the events between 1788 and 1793. There is no mention of Olympe de Gouges, which is suprising as much of the book deals with the people of France's unwillingness to do anything substantial about povery, and Gouges was influential in bringing about some kind of a solution by encouraging women artists to give their jewels to a patriotic fund. The last part of the book, dealing with the King's trial could also have mentioned Olympe's various writings on the topic, including her offer to serve as the King's advocate. 

Sophie de Grouchy is mentioned in passing as hosting a salon (but as Madame de Condorcet). But it is the treatment of Manon Roland which left me reeling. 
Gallo writes that Danton is weary of his enemies, the Girondins, especially: 
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this Madame Roland, hounding him with her hatred, perhaps simply because he was not affected by her charms, and she is an imperious seductress, who imposes her ideas on her husband, on Barbaroux, Brissot, the leaders of the Girondist party.

We should not assume that Gallo has not read Manon Roland's works, however. He clearly has and quotes one of her letters, written after the September massacres: 
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 My friend, Danton leads all ; Robespierre is his puppet; Marat holds his torch and dagger.

​Except that Gallo omits to attribute the quote to its author, putting it down instead as a popular rumour.