The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1849-09-19
he National Assembly since the cleo.

the National Assembly since the elec-
ton.
The illustrious invalid took soup with
his guests, and then caused himself to
be served with it three times more in
succession. as if he had taken nothing
at all. After that, during the whole
repast, he wore a sad and dreamy air,
and touched nothing until plato Of
meringues la creme was placed under
his eye. At the sight of this dainty
his brow cleared and he drew the plate
toward him, examined it with O look of
appetite, and then suddenly began to
rub his hands with the cream and lath-
cred his whole face with it. This act
OF arrangement struck with stupor the
guests and his fearful wife, who Instant
ly rendered all possible care to the suff.
ercr. A physician was called, and all
present were besought to keep secret
what after all may only be an accidcn-
ia! and tcmporation alteration. But is
q secret possible nova days? This one
has got out like all the rest. In spite
of the respectadility of the drawing
rooms in which have gathered the
report, I prefer to doubt its authentici.
ty. The insanity of Lamartinc would
be not misfortune, but q sort of dis
honor for entire humanity, struck in
one of its most admirable illustrations.
Every intelligence would incline to mis-
trust itself, and would feel itself in some
sort shaken by the fall of Lamartincs
OPTICAL ILLus1oN.--The following
interesting extract from private letter,
descriptive of a singular optical illusion
on the Catskill Mountains, written by
nm eye witness, has been handed to us
by friend for publication:
The afternoon TUESDAY,
Aug, IA, was memorable one for the
Mountain. The optical illusion of last
Monday week was produced, but
more transccndantly beautiful than it
had ever appeared before. 1t is the
third time in twenty years that this ex-
traordmary phenomenon has been per
ccived. Mrs. A. and myself were sit.
ting on the rock in front of the piazza,
when she suddenly exclaimed, "Look,
look!' l did so, and the whole hotel
was surrounded in the cloud before us.
The whole house was assembled imme-
diatcly and we ran out to the point of
rock from which the phenomenon of last
Monday had been perceived. We were
scarcely there minute when n bcauti.
fully arched rainbow was formed in the
cloud, exactly in the center of which
was seen the entire group, precisely as
they stood on the ledge Of rock. It
was not merely their shadows, but the
entire form Of each person in the group
was distinctly visible; each person saw
the whole group, not merely the rcGcc-
ton of his own image. This lasted
about five minutes, when the rainbow
disappeared, and the phenomenon of
Monday last succeeded; each person
saw his own shadow, OF huge dimcn-
sions, reflected OH the cloud and sur.
rounded by a halo Of light, but was un-
able to see that Of his ncighbor. l shall
never in my life see any thing Of the
kind again, and if had not seen it, l
could have formed no conception of its
effect; it was perfectly thrilling. The
poems Of Ossian; the Children of the
Mist; the Death-lctch of the Germans:
the Spectral Phantoms that were fear
full visions TO less enlightened ages, were
all realized distinctly and palpably be-
fore us. This visit to tho Catskills has
revealed to me more of the wonders of
Nature than all else that l have seen
put together.
Yours, C.F. D.
N'W York Tribune.