The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1847-09-11

,Rn0cUtum Oi TIC pniioSOpsy " uC AOW
VoltaiIe, Rousseau, Button, DIAL
smbert, Diderot, Raynal, Bernardin, de
Saint Pierre, Condorcet, had played with
his child, and Eostered her earliest ideas.
Her cradle was that ofthe Revolution. Her
fathers popularity had played about her
lips, and left there an inextinguishable thirst
for fame. She sought it in the storms Of
the populace, in calumny and death. Her
genius was great, he soul pure, her heart
deeply imprisoned. A man in her energy,
a woman in her tenderness, that the ideal
of her ambition should be satisfied, it was
necessary for her to associate in the same
character, genius, glory, and love.
'.Natne, education, and fortune, render
ed possible this triple dream Of woman,
a philosopher, and hero. Born in q re-
public, educated in a court, daughter Of a
minister, wife Of an ambassador, belonging
by birth to the people, to the literary world
by talent, to the aristocracy by rank, the
three elements of the Revolution mingled
or commended in her. Her genius was like
the antique chorus, in which all the grea
voices Of the drama unite in one tumul
tuous concord. A deep thinker by inspira
ton, tribute by eloquence, woman in at
traction, her beauty, unseen by the million
required intellect to be admired, and admi
ration to be felt. Hers was not the beauty
of form and features, but visible inspiration
and the manifestation ofpassionate impulse
Attitude, gesture, tone Of voice, look-all
obeyed her mind, and created her brilliancy
Her black eyes flashing with IRE, gave oul
from beneath their long lids, as much ten
derness as pride. Her look so often lost
in space, was followed by those who knew
her, as il it were possible to find with hel
the inspiration she sought. That gaze, open
yet profound as her understanding, had a:
much serenity as penetration. We felt tina
the light Of her genius was only the re
verberation of a mine of tenderness of heart
Thus there was a secret love in all the sd
miraiion she excited; and she, in admira
ton, cared only for love- Love with hel
was but enlightened admiration.
Events rapidly riPened; ideas and thing
were crowded into her life; she had no in
fancy. Attwenty-two years Of age she had
maturity Of thought with the grace and soft
ness Of youth. She wrote like Rousseau
and spoke like Mirabeau. Capable Of bold
conceptions and complicated designs, she
could contain in her bosom at the same
time lofty idea and deep feeling. Like
the women Of old Rome who asitated the
republic by the impulse Of their hearts, OF
who exalted or depressed the empire with
their love, she sought to mingle her feelings
with her politics, and desired that the eleva
ton of her genius should elevate him she
loved. Her sex precluded her from thai
open action which public position, the tri
butte, or the army, only accord to mer
in public governments and thus she com
pulsorily remained unseen in the events she
guided. To be the hidden destiny Of SOME
great man, to act through and by him, tC
grow with his greatness, be eminent in hi.
name, was the sole ambition permitted Il
her-an ambition tender and devoted, which
seduces woman whilst it suffices to he
disin,erested genius She could only b,
the mind and inspiration Of some politica
man; she sought such one, and in her de
fusion believed she had found him. La
marines Girondists.
MaAs.e nssl.sA.
''Young, lovely, radiant with genius, re
Gently married to a man Of serious mind
who was touching on old age, and but re
Gently mother Of her first child, Madame
Roland was born in that Intermediary con
dition in which families scarcely emancipa.
ted from manual labor are, it may be said
amphibious between the laborer and the
tradesman, and retain in their manners the
virtues and simplicity Of the people, whilst
they already participate in the lights Of so
ciety. The period in which aristocracies
fall is that in which nations regenerate. The
sap of the people is there. In this was born
Jean Jacques Rousseau, the viile type Of
Madame Roland, A portrait Of her when
a child represents young girl in her father
workshop. holding in one hand book, and
in the other an engraving tool. This pic.
ture is the symbolic definition Of the social
condition in which Madame Roland was
born, and the precise moment between the
labor Of her hands and her mind.
"Her father, Gratien Philippon, was an
engraver and painter in enamel. He join
ed to these two professions that Of trade
in diamonds and jewels. He was man
always aspiring higher than his abilities al.
lowed, and a restless speculator, who inces.
sanity destroyed his modest fortune in his
efforts to extend it in proportion to his am
bilious warnings. He adored his daughter,
and could not, for her sake, content himself
with the perspective Of the workshop. He
gave her an education Of the highest degree.
and nature had conferred upon her a heart
for the most elevated destinies. We need
not say what dreams, misery, and misfor-
tunes men with such charities invariably
bring upon their honest families.
The young girl grew up in this .tmos-
phere Of luxuriant imagination and actual
Endowed with premature
Judgment, she early detected these domestic
and took refuge in the good sense
Of her mother from the illusions Of her "a
Their and her own presentiments OF the fu-
ture.
Marguerite Bimont cher mothers name)
had brought her husband a calm beauty,
and mind very superior to her destiny. but
angelic piety and resignation armed her
equally against ambition and despair. The
mother Of seven children, who had all died
in the birth, she concentrated in her only
child all the love Of her soul. Yet this
very love guarded her from any weakness