New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-08-18
Lamartine at Home.

Lamartine at Home.
The Paris correspondent Of the B0sf0A Chrome
type gives his last letter TO that paper the following
description Of Lsmarne which is the careful and
he.like portrait we have yet seen:
friend who occasionally visits at Lamartne's in
vited me TO accompany him the other evening 70 see
tie Orator and Poet at home, and was not backward
in accepting the invitation We went at the usual hour
and after the ceremonies OF introduction over
took nv station in corner where could best fulfil the
purpose for which had come namely % see and near.
Ii was Lamariines regular evening for receiving com
pany and perhaps seventy persons were present and
among them good proportion were ladies' NeWFlsit-
ers constantly came m the place of those who went
and the host continually engaged in saying few
words 70 each they entered none Of them were IA
vored with anything Ike conversation, but As nearly
All were old scquantances noticed that in scarcely
single this short greeting seemed 10 be an exchange
Of mere common. place compliments he spoke 10 them
all though he had something special 70 say TO each
When there any whom he wished to treat with
particular attention he would lead them TO Madame La
MARITIME who among the ladies in another part Of
the ROOM and then turn 10 meet some conner.
To stand st and speak subject for any length OF
time seemed difficult. He now here, now there
though moving always with such finished and natural
that there appearance OF haste IN his steps
he spoke with easy dstnctness that gave the e
feet of delberation 70 his language MS remarkable
intellectual and physical quckness natural and steady
not spasmodc is often the In men Of that tenn
permanent he is like bird that flies swiftly without
o
None Of the portraits of Lamartine convey good
idea OF his appearance indeed may say that OF
them convey any idea at all. That in the collection Of
neads OF the Provisional Government is particularly
like him His face is older good deal and has certain
expression % the Of the world which that does not
give beside az I him the other evening il was
much genial and happy, but that difference il ac
counted for by the difference IN circumstances. There
something about the general style of his appearance
which reminded me strongly Of two men who are very
unlike each other, and quite as much unlike NJ Lamar
r41t
Claiming He has the nervous temperament and ideali
ty of the one combined with the Southern grace and
readiness OF the other
was struck above ell by the mental rapidty of the
remarkable man I studying. In the course Of the
evening he spoke for a few moments with my friends
on a subject of some importance on which they had
previously had conversations he seemed 70 perceive
BIZ lightning: before you bad fairly limited your thought
he was OF II and II Ia its whole scope and
consequences. ] never knew such sTiitness OF infui
ton he did not reason did not think but saw that
seemed 10 be the characteristic OF his mind Il has not
the faculty OF analysis but of ntuon II enters
into details but stays in the broadcast congratulations
il is elective and comprehensive but not acute
it give you the modest ideas but never tells when
or how they must be put in execution.
Lamartine has all the elements Of great French
orator tall and graceful person. face which i not
handsome, but which, beyond any that ever saw has
the capacity Of magnetic illumination, clear voice,
large organ Of language with the mental quickness
have spoken Of and the French faculty OF exaation
enthusiasm in its highest degrees 20 him i've min
utes and hear him speak, was 10 appreciate his power
in that particular With an English or American au
dence who would reflect and criticise while he
speaking he would not be of success but let him
stand the steps OF the Hotel de Vile with Partisan
mob be governed through the feelings and the ina
gnation. and he is irresistible.
Perhaps some of your readers viii ask whether
mean to deny that Lsmortine is man OF genius. BY
no Though have grea, liking for terms 40
indefinite should say that ever had better
claim to be called Of genius. Not that he is a
very original or very profound man. he is rather the
contrary of both these He is not a to make
epoch but himself most pslpaby the result OF one he
is not creator, but created and inspired by the
times in which he lives But no man Is genius IN
everything and perhaps more men than we suppose are
peniuses in something. Lamartines genius IS IN the
line have spoken OF above IL Is the genius OF intuition
of enthusiasm and of language He is not dscoverei
of new truths not organizer OF new institutions mol
an executive man TO build up state and put energy
Justice and economy into the mechanism OF society.
He rather seer who perceves AZ distance the chlei
landmarks that must guide the march or the day win
what is 10 be done morrow or the day after ne dOe
not concern himself but the duties now 70 be performed
he states so eoquenty that all men persuaded often
so vaguely that they not repealed by any idea That
they themselves must undertake them.
The head of Lamartine is quite small in proportion
to his person. but il is round and equally developed
His forehead is high Represented in the portraits and
rather retreatnghe nclines TO badness and his hair
once a hghtbrown, is becoming gray. But any den
cheney in quantity of brain made up by the great act
ty of the nervous system and by the hneness OF its
fbres The organs of benevoence reverence, hrmness
conseientousnes and love Of appreciation are fully de
veoped, particularly the last SeliesteeTn Is compare
lively small and the base Of the head struck me as
quite defective in volume Indeed this IS the great de-
feet in his character expressed IN his lace ana per
sona appearance il not in his writings and public poll
cy He lacks sensuallty II may use That expression
lie is too little connected with Mother Earth and solid
matter; there Is want of substantially, OF weight he
light and aerial there is no force in his iootsep
il is like the spring of a greyhound
These thoughts had gone through my mind as stood
in my corner, when turned 10 60 into another room
which opened from the saloon. Il seemed 10 be La
marines cabinet On fraraL study; the sofa
beautiful Italian greyhound sleeping. was struck
by the coincidence and said 10 myself that this GER
tanly the symbol Of the man. Looking up at the mo
ment my eye fell upon a fulllength portrait OF him
taken many years since and there dogs OF the
species were painted with their master This illustrates
his delicate and eeniemanly taste. did the books and
the engravings which were scattered about on the
tables trust it not improper to look Al TINS room
with Interests IL LETT Just as II the pOestatesuah
had been writing OF reading in il al the morning. one
table was covered with papers and pens lew cigars
lay the mantel piece on the sofa some resn-cut
pamphlets and books flung here and there indicated
that il not long they had been explored and
laid aside The walls were hung with pictures some
of them portraits OF Eastern subjects some copies
of the Old Masters was told that they were almost
every one from the pencil of Madame Lamartne. Some
ladies' were adnring them aloud and il required no
forcing of ones conscience to Join in their praise
was delighted to that like many other literary
men Iamartine maintained among his books and
papers an order of their own. very different from
ihemstica precision They were left apparently Just
as they had been used volumes Of engravings, books
Of history and poems dispersed among each other in
variety which only student professor OF the same
branch of practical philosophy could fully appreciate
to a proiane person il would have seemed hopeless
confusion.
sought in vain among the company present for nota
blities there several members OF the Assembly
present but of the leaders OF the parties and none
OF the men of either OF the Governments that have
existed since the Revolution with the exception Of the
host himself IL enough. however for the evening
him surrounded by his personal friends and 10
borrow expression, to feel his magnetism. The ele
walton of sentiment the sincerity and freshness OF the
man. were agreeable the South wind on a summer
evening and made my adieus with even q stronger
Of respect for him, now that ielt understood
him better than had done before. There Is great
truth in the optimism which he adheres TO so firmly
all good and all ideas have some truth in them
we foolish 10 complain that the not perfect
and that the ether have large alloy OF error such az
they they do their work. Lsmartine not equal
10 the position in which the Revolution placed him had
he been, he would have been the greatest man in His
tory for his position The greatest But he did for
France and for Humanity what other man couldhaye
done and that will remain 10 his honor forever He
has the ability 10 do good deal more, and in time he
will probably be called on to do II.
THE REPORT OF THE BUFFALO CONTENTION
The B4SalO Conmerial has the following compliments