Catherine Descartes

Catherine Descartes (1637–1706) was a French poet and philosopher, and the niece of French philosopher René Descartes. A prominent figure in the French salon movement, her best known works included "Shade of Descartes" ("L'Ombre de Descartes") and Report on the Death of M. Descartes, the Philosopher. Catherine Descartes was seen in fashionable salons including Madame de Rambouillet's chambre bleue, and had a friendship with Madame de Sévigné and her daughter, Madame de Grignan.

The death of Rene Descartes also became a topic of speculation. One year after Baillet's biography was published, a book written by Pierre-Daniel Huet argued that Descartes's death was entirely faked. He did not believe that Rene Descartes had died and thought that a log had been placed in his coffin instead of his body.

Report on the Death of M. Descartes, the Philosopher About 2 years after Baillet's second volume of the biography of Rene Descartes was published, Catherine Descartes published her part of the story in a book called Report on the Death of M. Descartes, the Philosopher (Relation de la mort de M. Descartes, Le Philosophe). This book was mainly a collection of poems, but the poems told an overarching story of Rene Descartes death.