New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-06-04

dread the dulness nor TO expect the eruditivn vi
formal history, nor to look for rude abuse or the
cracking Of stale jests at the expense OF the rory.
N. Houssaye is a gentleman, and proves in his
books that that quality is not too good company
for the rare gifts and requirements of the writer.
His wit loses nothing OF its keenness by its polish
Thus: I'm comparing the illustrious figures OF
the forty arm-chairs with those OF tue
forty-frst, one becomes convinced that the
Academy has admitted as many great men as 1t
"has left outside its doors do not speak here
" of Amyot, nor Rabelais, nor Marot, nor Ronsard,
nor Montaigne, who would have sat in the Forty
:. first Chair" Here follow two lists in parallel
columns. one headed 1.-The Forty Arm-C hairs, the
other " The Forty .frst Arm-C Chair, each composed
of twenty-eght names of the great dead, now
equally honoled by posterity that has small re-
sIect for academcsl diplomas. This second list oil
immortals begins with Descartes Mohere' nascaI
e Sage Lamennais follow; it closes with Balzac
so much for the past. But are those who are
Z" in the Academy to-day better worth than those
who are in literature begin the list with
" two meets. two historians, and two dramatic
" authors" And again we have, Offset against
Lanartine, Quiet and Scribe, academlclans
Beranger, Mcheet and Dumas, called but not
chosen.
After this preface, which am sore tempted to
ouote further FROM comes the History OF the Forty
first Char-where the name OF each OF Its success
i've occupants serves as text TOR hali-critlcai'
halfbiosraphical essay, eniyened WITH curious
anecdotes and traits OF original wit and fancy In
some instances Housssye puts an inaugural speech
into their mouths on occasions OF their taxing the
vacated Forty first Chair in this outside academy
These suppostitious discourses are superior by
several dnalities other than their comparative
breyty TO many that delivered before the Forty
Berauper not having a speech-mahing faculty,
chants poem that the real Beranger might have
written.
AS read this book, having in mind the interest
OF your readers-as is always your correspondents
bounden duty when pursuing bis own pleasures
| from time TO time turned downs leaf at passage
which / thought would entertain them. Looking
edcewise at the half-closed volume, | judge that
were | TO translate one-half of the passages so
marked | should be encrOschipg on the rights
acknowledged by the laws OF nearly every civil
lied country but our own Of VI. Housssyes pub
fishers and far outpassng the verge of my allotted
space in TIE TRIBUNE The few that transfer
to YOUR columns are chosen for their breyity.
DrscARrEs.-" His youth was full of aivcniure
Need recall among other singular pages OF his MS
tory that story OF The German salons who on their yoy-
age with him TO Holland, consulted whether they
Should throw him overheard aud take possession OF
his baggage He was so absorbed in meditation
that he seemed to them n good and easy prize. Bat
when they approached him TO put their muderous de-
csion into execution, the Philosopher suddenly Grous-
Ing for the ire plan OF the sailors had not interrupted
his revery, although he perfectly comprehended the
violence ofther language drew his stout sword rusned
up TO them and terrified them by his resOlute arr
Trembe,' said he in their language, there are
three ofus against you God, l. and my sword. Wmle
dashng into the thickcst OF the fire at The baie OF
Prague lie devised his theory of the rainbow
GAssENDI.-" Tie works OF Gasscndi are entitled
Moore the Prime dc Conf Bernier Chapelle Cyrdno
dc BergerGc; in O word, he was a philosopher VINO
made men instead of making books. And yet ne
could claim for bis more than one tne page IN the
books OF Locke and Newton An indiheTen- phlloso-
pher was explaining to him the doctrine OF Metempsy-
Ghosts | Knew, said the weariod listener, that ac-
cOrdng to Pythagoras, the spirits OF men ofler DEAN
entered the bodies of beasts, but had not supposed
that the spirit OF q beast entered the body of man."
ScARRoN.-"Th notary who was drawing up thecon'
tract of marriage between the poor cripple and fTan-
ces d'Aubiene asked Scaron what dOwry he would
give 10 the bride: Immortality, he replied 'lhe
names Of kings wives die with hem that OF ihe lcYe
of ScGrror viii live for ever. Mademolselle dc fons
lent the bride her dress for the wedding feast.
MADAME Scarron afterward Madame Maintenon and
wife of Louis XIV, was celebrated for her CONVERSE
tou al powers, which drew many guests TO her his-
bands poor table and supplied Us lack OF proper at
fractions servant came TO whisper IN her ear;
Another narrative Madame, there IS no roast meat
to-day y
PAsclL.-" Montaignc had said, What do knowF
Descares: Il an Pascal cried. What am II lie
ended like Plato: Il know that | am only in God.
He had marched with genius, which creates, and
with science which remembers, to the conquest OF
truth; light shone upon HE brow only to iilunina
his AIMED weakness and his victorious defeat. we
are ant 10 figure ourselves this II from 0ussaye-
Psscai's inaugural speech Plato and Aristotle only
in gland robes and always grave and serious. ihey
were worthy men who used to laugh with
their friends like the rest ofus. When they wrote
their laws ard treoiisos policy, It was in sport TO
samuse themselves. That was the least pll0so III
cal and the least serious part oil their hves Ihe
smost philosophical TO live In simplicity and
tranquility. =,
MoIIEEE-gThe whole of this Essay is admirable;
cite tie closing paragraph. An,id all the national
tran Storm atoms might say amld the RUNS OF The
old social structure, Moeres Plays, preserved 5y the
mask that laughs at everything without Offending
truth remain unframed by the torrent The Nesu-
vius of revolutions has cngulted ALL devourod all pun
shed all; tie Plays Of Molere have survived III their
philosophy and their gayety, in their everything gen
ius like those frescoos of Hercuaneum and Pompeii,
which after the lapse of two thousand years are bril-
liant with freshness and youth: some still laughing
with the fine AheIian laugh and others with the head
always bowed over the memory OF passions that have
agitaed the heart"
"LA ROcHkFoUcAULD was above all painter In
oil his pictures Dogenes is seeking man. And yet
La Rociefoucaud painted men faithfully, ms he had
seen them. But where did he see them AT Court
Court gallant, hyIocritcal, vain to excess, where
there God, king, many men of gentle blood,
some duchesses and some fops, but not one man, ex
cept Molere, the ralet de eAambre!
1.-The !Marins are the Bible of the Kingdom of
Satan, but La Rochefoucauld his preface says sol
showed he'll to make paradise the more adorable. Il
dare lot speak of holiere This is from the inau-
gural discourse. L. succeeded MolIere in the Forty
iiIst Amt hairl Men o. wit (desprH) having
nothing 70 say Of men of genius, will not speak to
YOU OF yourselves, gentlemen
"ARSAULD was esked wha, was necessary 70 form
good style. Read Cicero lie replied. Very good
but it is not question of writing Latin; how can
culiya good style of writing French! 'Ah, lift
is for writing French, you must read Cicero. I'm
70. tunaely Anaud read Cicero, but did not read him
well. which explains why no one now g-jays has in