The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-25 00:00:00

M. DE LAMARTINE,

M. de Lamartine's unfathomable pecuniary affairs
have from time to time been brougbt before the
public. The sympathy felt for him on the occasion
of the death of his wife has again provoked the idea
of a national subscription. A curious statement is
made in the Presse to-day. M. de Girardin says
that, presuming on his thirty years' friendship with
the Messrs. Pereira, he wrote to them, and received
in return a contribution of 10,000 fr. On the
stvngth of this example he wrote ether letters to
rich people, and was about to write more, when he
was stopped by the following letter from M. de
Lamartine himself :

"My dear Girardin,—Your heart is always on a leve
with your talent. I can only thank you for your kind in.
tentions, but, in the name of heaven and our old friendship,
stay your hand and say no more about it.
LAMARTINE."
Hereupon M. de Girardin's leading article says'--
" The friends to whom I yesterday wrote must now
consider my letters and my article in the Presse as
null and void. But in a postscript he announces
that M. G. Delahaute, the banker, has subscribed
the truly munificent sum of 50,000 f. (Z 2,000), and
has at the same time expressed an opinion that M.
Lamartine's affairs are not nearly so bad as is sup-
posed, and that if he (M. de Girardin) would interest
himself in the liquidation of his debts, everything
might be paid without the necessity of
selling his paternal estate of St. Point,
If so slight an effort as M. Delahaute, a com-
petent man of business, seems to think neces-
sary, would suffice to enable M. de Lamartine to
pass the remainder of his days in peace, it would be
a pity if his sensitive note to M. de Girardin should
check the impulse of gratitude towards a man to
whom France owes much. Besides it is impossible
that a man of 73, so ill, moreover, as not to bo able
to see his beloved wife on her death-bed, can hope
to liquidate any considerable amount of debt by
periodical writing. His dignity would certainly
notsufferer
137
the frank acceptance of a tribute which
admirers are ready to offer to his genius, political
honesty, and courageous public services in most
difficult times.

The Right Hon. Sir Robe
has left town for Drayton Manor, Peel,t Bart., M.P.,
Parliamentary recess. near Taraworth, for the
eSunday.--
PETROLEUM ACCIDENT.--PLYMOTzi
Last evening, about 9 o'clock, Mr.
bour, appliel to Mr. Emmett, a grocer and gen'eltrndeeialgehr,
Mareborough-street, Devonport, for a gallon of
oil. The latter lighted a candle and went into petroleum
llar
underneath the shop. Shortly after a terrific explosion
took place, and the premises took fire. Mrs. Emmett was
in the shop with an infant, which she gave to a neighbour,
and ran upstairs for her other children, with whom she had
barely time to escape through the bedroom windows into
the street. Mr. Emmett's shop and those adjoining formed
formerly one large school-room, and, in adapting the space
for shops, vary slight divisions were made. The fire soon
progressed down the street, Emmett's premises, and those
of Mr. Paige, pork dealer, next door, were gutted. The
roofs of No. 2, Mr. Trebilcock, boot and shoemaker, and
Nos. 3 and 4, Mr. Earons, china merchant, are destroyed.
The stock and furniture of all five are either burnt or ren-
dared worthless, and the neighbours were so much alarmed
that the contents of many of the houses adjoining in Fore-
street, and on the western side of Marlborough-street, were
removed so hastily as to be seriously damaged, It is said
Mr. Emmett had only one cask of petroleum in store. His
body, in a very disfigured condition, was recovered this
morning about 11 o'clock. He was one of the town
!eun-.;il. The five houses are insured in the West of Eng-
lazzl—the stock in the London and Liverpool, and other
iiof
Wr:tenrceat companies. Owing to a deficiency in the supply
first it was some time before the fire could be
checked,