Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1806-06-26
FRox the PORT FOLIO.

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we are indebtedto new work We have
Just received from London, Memoirs OF
!, the life of Marmon,el. written by him.
self. We regret that we have not access
90 tue original as the translation IS tuli
Of b!emishes and bloaders. But IN spite
of all drfects of style. the fund OF anec-
dose and faithful narrative 10 be found 10
this work, Will richly reward the pains
of the reader.
We had in the French academy one OF
she most violent partisans of the rsPabli-
can faction: il was Chamfort, a man OF the
moss delicate, subtle aud enchanting W.T.,
when he gailyindulged it on the vices and
follies of society but sourly and sharply
maleyoleut against the supericrities OF rank
and fortune that wounded his jealous pride.
Of all the envious men that are scattered
in society, Chamfort was he who least par.
doned the rich and the great for the oPa:
lence of their houses, aud the delicacies OF
5 their tables, but of which he himself dc.
lighted to partake. 10 their presence, aud
IN hi, private intercourse with them, he
: humored, Battered, and studied 90 please
them; is seemed that ne even loved and
esteemed some of them whose praises he
pompously told: yetif he had the com.
plaisance TO be sometimes their guest, or
their inmate, il was well understood that
he was 10 obtain, by their interest, some
, literary compensation from the couri, ana
the pensions he enjoyed TO the amount OF
some hundred pounds did not acqdis them
OK this obligation what hereceived was
100 little for him. " Those people there
SAID he 20 Floriau, ought to get me eight
hundred a.year; do not deserve less"
At this price there were some of the great
whom he would honor with his preference,
aud except from his satires. But as tor the
cost IN general, he ldshed lswithout pity
and when he Thought ne saw these fortunes
and this grandeur on the point of beng
overthrown, aud neither aoy longer capa.
bic of serving him, he divorced from them
wholly, and ranged himself on the side OF
the people.
: In our societies, We sometimes amused
ourselves with the sallies OF his hnmor !;
and, without liking him, | treated him
with caution and politenesS, because did
not wish 10 make him my enemy.
One day whsn we were left alone at the
Louvre after the sitting of the academy ::
"WeN,o said he, $50 you are not depu.
,sy? 90 {" No." answered<E, {" and con.
sole MYSELF as the fox did when he could
mot reach the grapes: they are too sours"
Sc Iudeed," replied he, I" do not think
them ripe enough for you. Your soul is
of a temper too mild and too flexible for
the trial TO which il would be submitted.
Ii is good that you should be reserved for
neutrality-suspicious.. Excellent to improve,
you aee worth nothing TO destroy"
AS knew Chamtort was the friend and
confident of Mirabeau, one of the chiefs
Of the faction, l imagined myself at the
source of the Information wished to ob'
tain; and to engage him to explain him.
self, | feigned not TO understand him
You alarm me-" said |, Shy talkiug3f
destroying; thought the only wish was to
repair"
yes" he replied, I" but repairs only
produce ruins; in attacking an old wall, it
is impossible to say that i. will not tumble
under the hammer; and must frankly
own, that the edi6ce is here so dilapidated
.ha, should not be astonished if it should
prove necessary to pull it down TO the
ground" down to the ground - ex.
claimed I. " Why not,' rejoined Cham.
fort, IS and erect it on a less gothic AID
more regular plan Would IT, for instance,
be so great an evil that IL shoald not have
60 manv stories. and that all should be on
.one floor? Would it grieve you 70 hear
no more of your emineaee, your grace
your lordship, nor of titles nor heraldry,
nor nobility, nor feudal tenure, nor OF the
high and low clergy?" | observed, "lha, e
quality had always been the chimera, OF re.
.publcs. and the lure that ambition offered
20 vanity. But this level is above all i'm.
-.aa.:hla..n uAaf mnnarehu and that &c