Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1853-05-06
MISCELLANEOUS.
For the Enqui'
FRENCH SENTIMENT.

popular public has advanced an opinion that the
French nation is about to die ou-not suppose, TAKE
his meaning rightly that each individual Frenchman Is 10
be cut of in flower of his days. but that France as
nation contaminated and that in thousand years or So
Ia circumstance in the life Of naon The French
language will be among the dead and classic tongues
Without coniroyertne the idea Of brilliant lecturer,
let be thankful that live in the days when that strange
thing called French sentiment is still exan Tor when tnat
dies out, shall lose thing which stands by ITSELF ana
has counterpart the known world And yet il cannot
be said OF it, that il has foundation in human nature Tor
il certainly belongs French nature.
Perhaps is founded that part OF Frenchnans cha
racter which belongs him Freuchman not as hu-
man being.
However this may be, there is certainly something I'D
French sentiment which other nation approach or in
deed sympathze WITH something essentially overdawn
and uncalled for against which the downright Englsmen
Yankee turns his face.
And yet altogether ridiculous in eyes is this same
senmentthere is grace about il which snacks OF refine
ment and sincerity Of qfecation II may express
my meaning somewhat parndoNcally
II 10 many days since met my old iancng master,
gentleman n the word-a who 'had
days. The old gentleman had lost his favortc
daughter and my heart very heavy for him. As ex-
pressed my sympathy
"You saw me al my Cathsrine's funeral2'
"Yes Monseur-you seemed very much overcome
"Ahi bahl you were only the house, You should have
the grave; my hair Madame and positive
IT, Two men could not hold me- was ubimcwhat you call
overwhelmed"
Does this sound like egotism7 Perhaps only frank
The Frenchman may only have spoken out what The
Englshman American would have iosnd in his heart had
honestly looked therein. There aectation in The
old grief had told upon his health and aged him
terribly.
The ridiculous ingredient stands out prominently
when the is called forth by that grief which
gains sympathy when put forth in any language-disap-
pointed love. Tilted man gets pity let him pour out
his in German French English even in clas-
sic Latin Greek Perhaps his fellow draw upon
their inexhausabe stock Of vanity and plume themselves
with The thought that they least would have been rrest
be but poor fellow he had pluck enough TO
win woman; while women consider every Tilted man
conquered enemy and rejoice in his defeat in the
spirit of party.
But when Frenchman suffers under unrequited al
tachment his grandoquent ankness strikes resis
tbly comic. There renence about him he does not
his pain and pretend feel it, Not he he sees
nothing in the be ashamed Of and all
the narrowing circumstances.
have unfortunately that about me- which makes every
body give his confidence; and when that quality is join
unfortunate propensity for sueing the Ridiculous
where ought the tender and romantic what is TO be-
come OF when Monsieur Eugene Labade pours into my
his nncrmos grics for The last months how he suf
fes under tender tender passion for MA plus carmanc
dame du monde and composcs piece Of music In her
honor but when she persists in rcmanng Protestant his
whole passion her passes away and resolves itself into
most terdr for her SOUL Then his piece Of music
presents itself his mind under entirely different aspect
II no longer seems love song. Now it is hymn 10 the
Virgin; So setting il Latin words he dedcates it TO the
Blessed Mother of God Indeed he feels tina, his az
has the hU
was composing instead Of the words, "la plus charmantc
dame du monde" there came perpeuay his lips, ia plus
sainte du cieln'
Is all this Ridiculous per SCI Far from it. What
"heavenly sweet" Miss Bremen would say than 10 see
mans love become religon What victory ones-se
this told with the pa,hos of Dickens the poetry of
Buwer How differently does strike when embelshed
BY the shrugs and signs of my poor friend Let give
one more specimen Of French sentiment in translation
of passage Madame de Gens novel OF Matcmoiseie
de ls Fayette Tho fair auloress herself was bad
ample of the manner in which this divine sentiment"
make vice seem almost virtue
The passage describes the wonderful ingenuity of lovs
er in conveying his passion his lady love by signs
when the presence Of others his verbal
The lady tells story "o have occupation for my eyes,
/ took my work. /, knitted purse lei my ball of
silk fall several times which Saint lbal always picked up
At last he kept it, avoid said he laughing the trouble Of
bringing il back To He seated himself ut distance
but we were united by the thread, with which knitted
while he held the ball He found means with this fragile
communications TO speak me- and make me understand.
From time time he drew the thread softly towards him.
with an expression which seemed demand an answer
This answer of kind vague and new it was so
easy TO disavow It, that, after much hesitation could not
resist making i'll drew the thread also me- Then
felt the silk trembe leap under my fingers and could not
misconceve the expression of trouble of JOY of gratitude
Ny work fell from my hands; etook il the thread spoke
me again !; | sui answered it, During this time they
talked without n,crupng What eyes clear sight
ed enough 10 discover this mysterious language! The Ba
dUrbn, who walked about the often before
speak to then Saint Iba gave the thread two lit
lie witches This indicated clearly TO me- discomfort and
jealousy To dsspae this feeling instead OF answering the
Baron turned away. Suddenly, the Baron seated himself
near me-a The instant saint lba gave the thread
jerk so violent that broke ose took another seat and
ceased 70 work"
leave the Ingenuity OF the lady and gentleman the
admiration OF my readers.
Cincinnati, 1853.
SOME USE IN BEING TALl..-The Boston Post Save
that there Is tall fellow out West, with straigh, hair
whitener and coIOrer who dips his head in the
and runs round the room to "do the ceiling"