Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-09-04
MISCELLANEOUS.
L:lsnartine's Restoration.


work has been issued in London. The
Examiner remarks OF it, that what NJ. de
Lamartne himself said Of his Gironelins is
true of his Restoration. The title of histo-
ry is given to it for want of better word
to designate narrative. The book has
none of the pretensions of history. 1t is
rather picturesque study of the charac-
tiers of certain groups Of men than settled
and orderly arrangement of the actions,
events, and passions which constitute his
tory. 1t is IA study, not a complete work.
But it contains striking passages, reveals
an independence of judgment which was
hardly to be expected from the immediate
antcccdcnts ofthc writer, will instruct some
readers, and certainly will entertain all.
We help ourselves to few extracts
which we find in the foreign papers:
MARIE LOUISE DEFENDED.
Marie Louise was little known to the
Parlsians, and but little beloved in France.
Borne away from Vienna as a trophy of
victory, conquered more than courted, sue
ceeding in the hcro's couch the still living
Empress Josephine, whose Creole graces,
apparent goodness, and light hearted dis
position. made her, even with these very
defects, more popular with SO light and su-
pcrfcial people; a stranger in the midst
of France, speaking its language with
timidity, studying its manners with cmbar-
rassment, Marie Louise lived in seclusion,
like captive amidst the official circle with
which the Emperor surrounded her. That
court of beautiful women, newly titled,
anxious TO rcprcss every attraction cx-
cept that Of their own rank and high favor.
allowed nothing to be known Of the new
Empress exccptlhc simplicity and the awk-
wardness natural to one who was almost
child, and which was calculated TO render
her unpopular in her own court. That
court wasthe naughty SANDER of the young
Empress. Marie Louise took refuge in
court cerem6ny-in solitude and silence
against the malevolence that acted as a
spy on her every word and action. Init
Undated by the fame, by the grandeur, and
by the inpetuous tenderness Of the ravish-
cr, whom she dared not to contemplate as
a husband, it is unknown whether her IL
mi1ity permitted her TO love him with un-
restrained affection. Napoleon loved her
with feelings of superiority and PRIDE
She was the blazon of his alliliation with
great dynastics; she was the mother of his
son, and the establishment of his ambition
But though he exalted no favoritcs, less
from virtue than constitutional dlsdain, he
was known TO have had passing prcdilcc-
tons of some Of the beautiful women by
whom he was surrounded. Jealousy, there
fore, though she dared not accuse her RI
walls, might have chilled the heart of Marie
Louise. The public were unjust enough
to require from her the most passionate and
devoted love when her nature could only
inspire her with duty and respect for a
soldier who had merely recognised in her
a hostage for Germany and pledge of
posterity.
This constraiul obscured her natural
charms, clouded her features, inundated
her mind, and depressed her heart She
was only regarded as foreign ornament
attached to the columns of the thronc.--
Even history, written in ignorance of the
truth and influenced by the resentment Of
Napoleons couriiers, has slandercd this
princess. Those who have known her
will award her, not the stoical and lhcatri-
cal glory which people required of her,
bat her natural qualities. She was charm
ms daughter of the Tyrol. with blue eyes
and iairhair. Her complexion varied with
the whitencss Of its SHOWS and the roses Of
its valleys; her figure light and graceful,
lis attitude yielding ard languid, like those
German maidens who seem 10 look for
the support of some manly heart. Her
dreamy glance, full Of internal visions,
was vcied by the silken fringes Of her eyes.
Her lips were somewhat pouting; her bo-
som full Of signs and fruitful affection; her
arms were Of due length, fair and admira-
bly, moulded, and fell with graceful languor
on her robe, as If weary Of the burden of
her destiny. Her neck habitually inclined
towards her shoulder. She appeared OF
northern melancholy transplantcd into the
tumult of Gallo camp. The pretended
insipidIty Of silence concealed thoughts de-
licatcly feminine, and the mysteries of sen
timent, which waited her in Imagination far
from that court TO her magnificent but rude
place Of exile.
The moment she returned TO her private
apartments, or to the solitude of her gar
deus, she again became essentially Ger
man. She cultivated the arts of poetry,
painting, and music. In these accomplish
ments education had rendered her perfect,
as if to console her, when far from her ma
tive land, for the absence and the sorrows
10 which she would one day be exposed
In these requirements she excclled: bu,
they were confined to herself alone. She
read and repeated from memory the poe
try OF her native bards. BY nature she
was simple, but pleasing, and absorbed
within herself; externally silent, but full oi
internal feelings; formed for domestic love
in an obscure destiny; but, dazzled on a
throne, she felt herself exposed to the gaze
Of the world as the conquest Of pride, moi
the love Of hero. She could disscmbls
nothing. either during her grandeur or aftel
the reverses Of her lord; and this was hei
crime. The theatrical world, into which
she had been throwu, looked for the pic
! tdre Of conlugal passion IN captive of vic