New-York daily tribune., 1849-02-21
PROLOGUE.

cnce and az Paris in the Museum Of the Louvre.
We gave Il to him slso because. while yet boy.
the distinctive trait Of his character Was 50 lively
A sentiment OF the beautiful in Nature aud In Art
that his soul was, So to say. only transparency
OF the material snd ideal beauty scattered through
the works Of God and OF men. This sose from .
senNblity So exquisite {" ~ be almost morbsd'
until time had somewhat blunted its edge. We
were wont TO say OF HIM, audlns TO that sent,
ment OF nostalgia which is called homesickncss.
that he had heaven sickness. Smiling, he woald
agree with Us.
This passion for the beautiful rendered him un'
happy; in another condition Il might have ren.
dcred him illus,rious. Had hs held the pencil he
would have painted the Virgin Of Fo!igno. II he
mad handled the chisel he would have scuptured
the Psyche OF Canovs had he known the language
In which sounds are written he would have noted
down the aerial plants OF toe sea breeze in tho
ibres OF the Italian pines, or the breathing Of
young girl asleep and dreaming of one whom che
does not wish to name. fhe had been poet he
would have written the spsstrophes OF Job TO
Jehov sh the stsnzas OF the Herminia of Tasso, the
moonlight conversation OF Romeo aud Juliet OF
Shakespeare, the Haidee OF Lord Byron
He loved the good no less than the beautiful,
though IN loving virtue It was not passion Tor
what was sainthke, but solely for what WI"
lovely Without any ambition IN his character,
he was ambitious in his imagination. II no hsd
lived in the antique republics, where the indvid
aal man was completely developed in liberty, as
the body without bandages 10 developed IN the
free air and full sun, he would have asPlred g. all
nights, like Cesar, he would have spoken like
Demosthenes, he would have died like Cato. But
his low, ungrateful aud obscure destiny, retained
him in spite OF himself in inactivity and contcm'
plation lie had wings to unfold, but no air to
bear them up. lie died young, deyourlns the dis
tance with has eyes, but without having uaversed
IT, His world was a dream. MAY he at least
| have realized il in Heaven
Do you know that portrait OF the boy Raphael.
| OF which Just spoke 1t Is face of sixteen
| years. somewhat pale, slightly tngod BY tho sal
| low sun OF Rome, but with the down OF youth
still blooming upon the checks. Keen ray OF
light seems To be playing in the velvet Of the skin.
| The elbow OF the young man rs supported upon
table the fore arm IL raised W bear the head,
which rests IN the palm Ut the hand the fingers,
| admirably modelled, print q slight white iurrow
| upon the cinu ana tue Inc mOutu ~ uou
cate, melancholy, dreamy the nose, just between
the eyes, is thin and slightly shadowod with tint
incinng 10 be blush, as II the delicacy OF the skn
there allowed the azure vi tho veins 10 appear
through il. The eyes, OF tho hue OF q deep sky.
like that OF the Appeninss before sunrise, are
directed forward, bat with gentle elevation to.
ward Heaven, as II they always looked higher
than nature. They are saturated with light to
the very bottom, bat slightly moistensd a. II the
rays had been tempered IL dew or Ia tears. The
iorehead IL arch scarcely completed under tho
| fine epidermis we see there the vibrations OF tho
nerves To which the key board OF thought re-
spends tho temples reflect the ear listens. Black
| locks, cut unequsly Tor ths hrst time by the
awkw ard SCISSORS OF 4 comrade OF the studio, or
Of sister, cast their shadows upon the the cheek
and the hand small Hat cap Of black velvet
covers the top o. the head and tails over the Tore
head Passing before this portrait, one grows
thoughtful and sad without knowing the reason.
1t Is youthful genius dreaming Al the threshold OF
destiny before crossing H. IL 10 soul at the gate
| Of lite. What will be its fate
Add SIX years 10 the age OF this dreamy youth
mark the features more strongly; give a sun
burnt tinge TO the complexion, wrinkle the brow.
dull the glance, sadden the lips enlarge the form,
bestow more reliei on tho muscles change that
costume " Italy In the age Of Louis X for the So
Der aud uniform garments Of young man brought
up in the simplicity OF the country, who only 70.
qulres that his dress shall clothe him with decen
Cyl preserve certain laDsuor Of thooshtfuIncss
or i'll health ia the whole attitude, and you viii not
fail to recognize the portrait u Raphael at tho sss
of twenty years.
He sprsng from poor though ancient house in
the mountains Of Forez, where his family had its
origin. His father had laid aside the sword Tor the
plox like the gentlemen Of Spain, and all bis dig
mites we're that honor which u worth all others.
HIS mother was still young and beautiful woman,
who might have passed for his sister % striking
was the resemblance between them. She had
been educated in the luxury and elegance Of q
capital. She had retained Of them only that per.
fane Of language and Of manners which does not
eysporste, a. the aroma Of psstils Of rose never
departs from the crystal ssrssio in which they
have been preserved.
Once bsnished ~ those mountains with has
band whom love had given her, and the children
on whom the tenderness and the pride of q mother
were concentrated, she had NOT experienced re-
gret. She had closed the beautiful record Of her
youth at these three words: God, her husbsod,
her children. She had predilsction for Raphael
above all the others. She would fam have assured
him the destiny Of king, alas she had nothing
but her heart ~ contribute toward his elevation.
Her aim continually fell away before her, and
often down to the very foundation OF their little
fortune and Of her dreams.
some time after the Terror. two holy old mea,
driven by persecution on account OF know soe
what mystical religious opinions, thsf Sofesoid the
regeneration OF the Age, had come 10 seek refuge
! in those mountains They found an asylum IN her
house. They loved Raphael, who was then .
child at his mothers knees. They prophscied,
know not what and marked out . star for the
boy. They said to the mother; Hope every
thing from this SOM A mother loves 20 much 70
be crsduloas She reprosched herself for belisv-
ing. because she was very pious; but she be-
lieved them. This eredality sustained her in
many trials, but urged her to efforts beyond her