The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-19 00:00:00

EUGENE SUE.

M. Eugene Sue, whose fictions are at present so po-
pular, was born at Paris on the 10th of December,
1804. The Empress Josephine and her son, Prince
Eugene Beauharnois, were his godfather and godmother.
The Sue family is very ancient, and has beFn established
for many years at Lacolme, near Cannes, in Provence.
It is still represented there by M. Sue, a retired officer
of high rank, and great-uncle to our author. The
majority of Eugene Sue's relatives have been physi-
cicns of great cclibrity. his great grandfather, Peter,
and his grandfather, Joseph, have left extensive ana-
tomical works ; and to them the French medical
school owes the introduction of the pathology of
Gaubius, which succeedei that of Boerhaave. Joseph
and Jean Joseph both graduated at the Edin-
burgh University, and make known to their countrymen,
in numerous translations, the works of the Scotch
school of medicine. Our author's father was chief phy-
sician to the Imperial Guard in the Russian campaign,
and has also published several popular works. Imme-
diately after the restoration, he became the Icing's phy-
sician, and lived in intimate friendship with the Empress
Josephine, Franklin, Massena, Moreau, and all the great
personages of the Consulate epoch. He made a gene-
rous bequest to the Academy of Fine Arts of a magei-
ficent collection of comparative anatomy, and objects of
natural history, formed in his own family by four gene-
rations of physicians, and which constitutes a gallery in
the Palace of the Fine Arts of great value. Eugene
Sue himself, according to the wishes of his father, en-
tered upon the medical career. He was surgeon at-
tached to the military suite of the King ; t'_.en to the
staff of the army in Spain in 1823 ; and also in the
same 'campaign, to the seventh regiment of
artillery.' He was present at the siege of Cadiz, at
the taking of Trocadero, and at that of Mirth- In 1824
he quitted the land for the naval service. Ile made se-
veral voyages in the Atlantic ; and having traversed the
West Indies, he returned to te Mediu rranean, visited
Greece, and in 1828 was present in the ship Bresliau at
the battle of Navarino. On returning from his campaign,
he renounced the navy and medicine, and took up his
abode at Paris, where, tha,,ks to the handsome income
he enjoys as a paternal inheritance, he was enabled to
lead a life of brilliant happiness. His favourite occupation
at this time was painting, which he studied at his friend's
the celebrated Gudin. The idea of turning novel writer
was not thought of by Eugene Sue till 1830, when an old
comrade of the artillery happened, in conversation, to
remark that as " Cooper and Marryatt had made the sea
romance popular, he ought to write his recollections, and
create the maritime romance of the French." This
pleased our author. He quitted the painting-brush and
took up the pen. His first work was "Kernock the
Pirate," the success of which caused him to continue to
write, following the dictates of a lively and fertile fancy.
Thus appeared in succession numerous works, which
may be arranged in the following order:—Sea Romances,
Kernock the Pirate, Plick and Plock, Attar Gull, the
Salamander, and the Watch Tower of Kostven. Mari-
time History—History of the French Marine under
Louis IV., and abridgement of the military marine
of every people. Historical Romances—Latreaument,
Jean Cavalier, and Letorieres, the Commander
of Malta. Romances of Manners Arthur, La
Concaratcha, Dyleytar, L'Hotel Lambert Ma-
thilde, &c., Philosophical and Political Romances
—The Mysteries of Paris, the Female Blue Beard,
and the Wandering Jew, a tale of the Jesuits. Dasamar
Latreumont, the Pretendress, and several others of great
effect, produced in concert with Messrs. Dinaux and Le-

gouve. M.Regene Sue at present inhabits, in the heights
of the Faubourg St. Honore, a little mansion covered
with creeping plants and flowers, which overarch the
peristyle. A fountain plays in his most beautiful of
gardens, in the midst of rocks and sea plants, and a long
close gallery, walled in with sculpture and plants, leads
from the house to a little outer gate quite hidden under
an artificial rock. The inferior of the houses
composed of very small apartments, somewhat
confined, and rendered obscure by the flowers
hanging down the windows. The furniture is
crimson, with golden nails ; the sleeping apartment
alone, is lighter, and of a blue colour. There is scat-
tered about a little ofevery style—Gothic, Renaissance,
Fantastic, and French. The walls of the drawing room are
hid by works of art, painting, and sculpture, various cu-
riosities, family portraits, masterpieces, and works of
modern artists, his friends. Glorious names shine in
every part—Delcroix, Gudin, Isabey, Vernet, &c. A
drawing of Madame de Lairertne, and some verses
of the illustrious poet occupy a consplcueus place.
One picture in partiaular has a privileged situ-
ation upon canvass, in the midst of the co-
quetries of the drawing-room. It is an anchorite
of Isabey, of terrible effect, forming a remark-
able contrast in that little temple of luxury. The favourite
horses, dogs, &c. of M. Sue are the subjects of the ma-
jority of the remainder, painted either by himself or by
M. Alfred Dedreux. In all these we detect tracts of
character, a passion for luxury and strong emotions,
with a reaction towards retirement and meditation. an

•••_, ~MS l. 11.•• .AlO ••••••
1-11ightened taste for the fine arts, and a, love of animals
and plants. Among the many authors who may be
termed successful, few have attained a popularity so .-x-
-ten,ive as Eugene Sue.—Correspondent of Glasgow
Examiner.

•
EARLY INTELLIGENCE.—During the time of the min-
sionary meeting held in Queen Anne's-street Church, on
Sabbath evening, the 7th instant, the news arrived of Sir It
Peel's majority of 97 for free.-trade. A gentleman, anxious
to learn the result of the divisi.m before he went to church,
waited the arrival of the post, and as soon as he heard the
amount of the majority, he went to church, cud handed to
another gentleman on a slip of paper the announcement of
Peel's majority. The card, during the time of the delivery
of a very excellent missionary address, was handed through
a considerable number of the eongregation.—Fifeshire
Journal.