Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1843-11-21
poRTRArrS wI7H THE DAGUERREoTYrE,
TIA MODERN FRENCH NovErIsTs,
ny N piAhLE BoiTLuk.


GEOCES $ Nd.
The ubec, Of the present sketch h's excited greater
share OF interest than perhaps other writer OF
al, r..ent day The extraordinary Nicissudcs OF her ca
reor the dauness andaeiy with which she has placed at
dssanc. the rule. and habits OF society to accept private
code OF morality OF her own naturally render her object
of Aeon and curious interest Whatever may be the errors
81 her private c the dangerous moral tendency OF her
works writer she decidedly stands alone, unpars
,.d and far above every other u tho pscntday Chateau
brand L. psrhnp the only who approaches IN some de-
gree the exquisite purity oi her style
No WRITER'S however the DAYS OF Rousseau and his
eosc have much harm ~ Geoige sand, or have
tend.d oe t demora1e society large. She has made
o her works n which give vent To the ouipour
inc. Of her soul Totally without either principle or rcli
sou he whole object to be TO cast stigma upon
oyery feeling taught to aluc,uPon every institution
hold sacred Like most French, women, she was mar
red early age, and without her own feelings OF Judg
nent being consulted in the slightest degree In nine
out at ten the system of legal prostitution produces the
unfortunate results and in more 80 than m tie present
The Marquis Du Dcyant endowed 10y nature with depth
Of feeling generous heart and mind Of the very highest
order. and unequaed vNiciy OF imagnauon and had
she been united capable OF approaching such ma
here, che would doubtless have become something
very tar superior what she now IS Unfortunately, her
husband was in every wav untitled guide her through the
thorny path of life and her rst he wholly attn
buied him. Her fiery and ungovernHble character
the great disparity in their ages and the natural anuPahy
which they mutually mbibed tor each other, contributed to
produce endless dsscnsion which wound up by legal
separation.
When she fist began To write she smarting under
the effects OF unfortunate marriage and mlsaking the
effects for the cause she vented all the bitter acrmony OF
her feelings against the institution ITSELF Leila and Jacques
the and express purpose OF proving
that the present OF society what 1t ought not TO
brthat the laws Fl God and bad, and that George
Sand hath code both oi religion and morality which ought
To- supcrsedc the existing ones \ mighty convenient sys-
this, which consists IN making rules according 10 ind
vIdua position and private feeling and then expecting the
world. large adopt them. George Sand reminds one
tins instance, Of the fable OF the fox who had ost ms
ia nad who wanted a the other foxes 10 follow heiashion
which had been imposed upon him by necessity. George
Sand rst from her husband, changes her lovers
just often she does her gloves and finally sits down
prove that lovers better than husbands and concubinagC
superior marriage. Such opinon Ryowed in a. the
ked cudy Of ordinary language, would excite disgust and
iiculc and that would BE- a but breathed forth with oil
the aitul soph-iy Tor which this woman l. 80 celebrated
they are nghtuly rcrncious in their effects IL
questionable fsc that the writings OF George Sand have
paved the 10 many crime, and produced un unusual
degree OF occupation the gentlemen OF the long robe
The author Personfes herself more or less IN all her
works. and in than in the two which first
created her reputson-Jacqucs and Leila. The former
Is full Of the feelings and sentiments pIedomnaung III her
mind shortly alter her separation In passage she
says, Marriage absurd Institution imposed upon MS by
society, but which engages rs IN way No living being
be made responsible for the feelings OF his or her heart
be regarded weak by yielding 10 It's impulse In this
sentence, George Sands object Is clearly other
the false path she herself had taken. To this pur
pose she all the immense power OF her wonderful
mind and with greater chance O success from the singular
charm Of her writing. All her false ideas and her sophca
Teasoningsae Vanished by the Language
irresistible which produces
greatest moral evil.
Although she embodies her own thoughts more or les
IN a.! the ciuracters s depicts, Jacques, tin uny
other OF her works, may be regarded the tombstone
cr character. The hero soldier who, iiriy.siN
years at eye mas exhausted every feeling every sentiment
and every passion but that Of love Worn in mind aud
body, ne seeks TO obtain the affection OF Young. ares,
and innoceni CIR, Fernando, whom he expects TO revive in
him all those feelings which he has sluandcrcd he edess
away. Notwithstanding hs general sceptcism, hc has,
however, bosom friend, Silva, who manages bring
h- InNv gt.. -.
pgaOnihcaon another shade the authors character
behe!d in tue favourable point Of view IL George
sand ia boots and breeches with their Ob!edfo ucconpa-
ninenis OF cigar. Silva Is represented creature
utterly uufcminne, tina; for the consciousness,
hatshe Is tyre o the author than ideal clarac-
.T se would have claim whatever upon the interest Of
ihe reader The youthful Fernando having feeling
common with heT husband, ranies the affection she
owes 10 him upon Octave, who, Ike herself is young and
full Of Illusions. Jacques in order up the authors
anu matrimonial ideas, looks upon is wiie's infdeity
quite matter Of and makes up HE mind
suicide In order leave her still create! degree of Liberty
Nothing be nse Than the line Of reasoning kept
up throughout this work from beginning end, and moth.
ing mo;e dangerous than s effect general readers.
The other works of the author have the immoral
tendency the charm OF STYLE and the force
Imagination which are 10 be found in Jacques We need
scarcely enumernte them; novels OF the present day
have excited more general and lasting than Indiana
Andre, Mauprat, Spindon; and these comprise but
fraction OF the library o which France-and indeed all Eu.
rope for her works have been translated into and
every continental languageare indebted George Sands
la Eea she perhaps dwelsmoe upon the history OF her Pm
vate life and Of her individual feelings in the others
Iauy passages in il snkiugy illustrative of her
cell and bring IN tie most oTcbe before the read.
er, the passionate wild aud rowing disposition, which has
made her 30 remarkable. Sac says i feel within the
ardent wish TO be abo and worship my lover
would ian make a god Of him. and find nothing but
man" This sentiment ecl' my mind that, years
back very clever man said 10 her that he cpnd
piehend the hcHeness Of her disposition manifested 10y III,
almost daily change Of her adJfer. The reply cha
Taciersic Of her.c; 10 was-'llincrlp have never 81;
met with being could love, and take ny lovers upon
al IN the hitherto vain hope OF meeting with worthy
nay regard This Systematic trial has been very teuy
put into practice without either discrimination choice
Ioni &c monde passo par TO- hg. and low rich and poor
bright and dull, and oil. no avail.
Nothing could exceed the extern. ertcntriry Of this
woman's character. On her dsI4 in the world OF ,ttors
she adopted the name she bears, and which cOmpo
scd OF the st syllable Of that Of her rsi adorer JHss San.
SsdU. Not satisfied with assuming TINS masculine demo.
miaauon' she adopted A. the time the dres- oi Il
hd was often seen abroad the garb Of dandy smoking
S'gar' LaueTy she appeared IN more feminine
here passed IN tic greatest retirement, and her
y exclusively composed Of literary or scientific men
Al the outset OF her she published all her works in
the Revue des Dcux Mondes: but pocuninry sounbbr
Win ,e editor Of that review made her seek other
+" puohcaupn. During some time, she in paper edi.
ted by PAbbe dc Lammcnais Her articles were
IN The very highest strain ofrcpuhcan feeling bat like all
h'r Writings, were full Of mind and energy.
~ novelist and philosopher she ~ dcacryrdy rtiti
e uho orended' but a' narrator and observer she
pioHsss Her Leftres Dun oyageHr addressed TO her -i.
neinonds and published the Revue dcs Dcnx MonIes
are superior 10 any recent publication in tho F,,rc l
guagc. II ut times they contain some OF the beti,r M,
mere works oi imagination, they likewise teeminr 81 b
beauties OF the highest order Strong and vigorous thoughts
y OeiWo no Ieaoer what The mind OF George send was
before the iaisc vanity of forming n,.y o,or f ,,
induced hef TO i1nt her and her Imagination by the r
piudes she has poured up,n hc world She now cdf.
oononuy WIN Pierre LerJu8, ihc Revue Independanio-
There IN her latter publications moro subdrd ou r.
bee'i'e ione Which auEurs well tor the improvement OF cr
hhu' en1 winch p''s.yc'.d iu will unIucsonab, raise
her oihe very highest pitch Of literary celebrity Hilbert,
heipudei0as employment Of her great and nndaubird TO-
mus which none can contest has inclined one TO look up,o
WIN me sorowiul regret with Which We must ever TO-
gafd-GeHiHs gone mad
Prom me Georgia journal
10 Me Edfarl Ill WIN m, ....n-..-l .l-.