The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-09-11

History y the French heootuSon ~ io4o. ny a.
DE LAMARTISE Translated by Francis A. Du-
rivage and William S. Chase. Boston: Phillips,
Sampson Co.
The first part of Lamartine's History of the
French Revolution of lS4s has been translated and
published in Boston The work should have been
called "History of Lamartine's connexion with
that revolution, and of his opinions thereon;' for
while he adopts the Cmsarean style OF speaking OF
himself in the third person, he still manages to
make himself the conspicuous figure on the hstori-
cal canvass. And in doing this, he has probably
been guilty of no offence TO truth, whatever may
be thought of his modesty. That he was the hero
of the first three four months of the revolution is
not to be disputed; and future historians must Dor
largely from this glowing narrative of events,
in shaping which the writer was the principal
agent. His testimony cannot be overlooked and
who will be the rash man that will venture to re-
mould the language into which it is here cast?
The photographed character of the work. taken
in connexion with the magnitude Of the events de-
scrbed, must render it one of the most enduring
of the literary productions Of Lamartine; and when
we add that il combines all the best charac tcristics
of his style-his opulence of language, copousness
of illustration and curious felicity of dcton--his
lyric grace and forensic energy-it will be seen
that its chances of having place in the great pub
lie libraries of 2849 rather better than those of
most of the poets and historians of the day What
if Brutus had told his story in such style-or
Catiline-or Rienzi Their books would hardly
have been superseded by those of Putarch, Cicero,
and Bulwer.
We cannot convey to our readers better idea of
this work than by detaching few passages, marked
in the course of a somewhat hasty perusal;
CHARACTER OF LOUIS PHILIPPE.
Studious, thoughtful, and exceedingly well in
formed on all points touching the interior admins
traton of empires profoundly versed in history
diplomatist equal to Mazarn or Talleyrand; pos
sessed of fluent and nexhaustbe elocution, which
resembled eloquence as much as conversation can
resemble oratory; model for husbands, an exam
pie for fathers in the midst of nation which loves
TO see good morals seated on the throne; gentle,
humane, and peaceabe; brave by BIRTH but abhor-
ring bloodshed: it might be said that nature and art
had endowed him with all the qualities which make
up popular king, with one exception greatness
JOURNALISM.
The press is the universal tribune Men of great
immense and varied talent speak, through its me-
dunn, with unyielding vgorand reserved audacity,
to the people. Laws arrest only words-they bind
not the spirit OF opposltlons and OF factions writers
of lofty doctrine, and transcendent controversial
talent, have illustrated journalism from Andre
Chenier, Camille Desmoulins, Mrabeau, Bonald,
Benjamin Constant, Madame de Staei Chateau
BRAND, Theirs, Carrel, Guizo, To the present wri
ters the Bertins the Sacys, the Girardins the Mar
rass, the Chamboles, and brilliant host OF writer's
thinkers, and p,tbicistes
NJ. THEIRS.
He had more of Fox and Pitt than Mirabeau. His
speeches, which had done so much to consolidate
the monarchy of July during its first years OF fee
bleness, served to uproot it in the esteem and
heart of the nation. The republican party too few
in the chamber To obtain hearing, complacentfy
appauded the biting and witty attacks directed by
this orator against the crown. These aggressions,
and these audacites of personal CRITICISM seemed to
acquire ruinous weight of opposition, by
borrowing the language of an old minister and old
friend OF royalty
CHARACTER OF A NEWSPAPER.
The Journal DIES Debats which sustains all gov
ernments in turn, as being the necessary express
sion of the most essential and permanent interest OF
society, seemed to be conducted by men matured in
power Ii had gravity, high tone, disdainful sar-
casm, and sometimes also the poignant provoca-
ton of strength. Ii seemed to reign with monar-
chy itself, and To remember the empire. The
names of all the great official writer's, who were or
had been employed as editors, from Nj. de Fon-
tanes to M. Villemain, gave it prestige of superb
GRITTY over periodical press younger In years and
passion. The amplitude and impartiality of its
parliamentary debates, its foreign cor espondence,
the certainty and universally of its information,
made il the manual of all the courts and all the
diplomacy of Europe. 1t was the daily note of the
cabinet of the Tuileries. The sciences, high litera
ture, philosophy the stage the arts and criticism,
were there anal zed, reproduced and vivihed In It's
geuidetOHS, WntTe SfdNity was never ontfousr anu
where futIity itself was relieved by the wit of Arts
tophanes of Sterne. IL will have been the lot of
few fugitive sheets TO maintain their existence for
period of more than fifty years, and thus to form
portion, as II were, of the history OF France.
LAMARTINE's HISTORY GIRosDINs.
The book has been much read, not only in
France, but throughout all Europe. In Germany,
Italy, and Spain, editions and TRANSACTIONS of the
Histoire des Grondins were multiplied as the daily
aliment of souls. Ii moved hearts-it induced
minds to reiect-it carried back the imagination
towards that great epoch and those great principles
which the 18th century, rich in presages, and
laden with the future, wished 10 bequeath in dying
to the world, TO deliver il from tyranny and preu
dice. The stream of blood from the scatfods did
not hide from him the holy truths which rose upon
the future from behind the smoke of the execrable
holocaust. He courageously swept away the cloud.
He punished the murderers historically. He re-
stored its right and its innocence to the new idea
purged of the crimes OF its followers,-he avenged
it for the crime which had sulied under pretext of
serving IL. He returned opprobrium ON the dema
gogues, glory on the revolution.
HIS POLITICAL PRINCIPLES.
The political principles Of Lamartine were those
of the eternal truth OF which the gospel is page,
the equality of men in the eyes of God, realized on
earth by those laws and forms of government which
give 10 the greatest number, and presently TO all
citizens the most equal share of personal participa
ton in the government, and thence eventually in
the moral and material benefits of human society.
sun LahlaItne reCognlsed ule RUE Oh reason as
superior to the brutal sovereignty of numbers; for
reason being, in his view, the reflection of God up
on the human race, the sovereignty of reason was
the sovereignty of God. He did not push To a chi
mericsl point the violent and actually impossible
equalization Of social conditions. He could not
ceive of any civilized society without three bases
which seemed given by instinct itself, that great
yealcr of eternal truths-the State, Family, and
Property The community Of goods-which neces-
sarily implies the community Of the wife, child,
father, and mother-and the degradation Of the
species, inspired him with horror. Socialism,
der its different formula Of Saint Simonisn, Fou-
rierism, Appropriation of Capital under pretence
Of freeing and multiplying its produce, inspired
He abhorred the principles Of the demagogue the
tyranny of the multitude. God has composed hu-
rnanity, as he has composed man, of principle of
good and Of principle of evil. There is portion
Of virtue and portion of vice and crime in the
masses in individuals. This vice and this crime
a.-ita.1.L ...aI..I