Spirit of the times. [volume] (Ironton, Ohio) 1853-1858, 1855-05-15


Revolution Of 1880. The coming scenes
OF the lives Of these two men, whose
inspiring oraclcs set France on fire. con
sumcd its aristocracy, church and king,
and shook every throne in Europe.--Ed'
itors Spirit Of the Times.
The Two Revolutions.
The sight of TWO revolutions is about
10 open. The one bearing the impress
of Vollaire will be easily victorious,
and will resemble festival almost as
much as a combat; the other sprung
from Jean Jacques will possess only IA
funeral majesty, and will end with ca
tastrophe.
This tragical con'ras, appears to have
been preaagcd by the dcslinics, so differ.
ent. Of Voltaire and Jean. jacques.
What a day was that in which a
shout Was suddenly raised in Paris. be.
came revolutionary, already murmuring
and ready to pass from theory to action,
"VoItairc is here" The powers cf the
day were stupeied the priests were
troubled; the people agitatel, and poets,
artists, the phil ophers. the princes Of
speech and thought hasicncd emulously
10 bend before the unexpected guest;
some however refused, and Bernarin
de Saint.Picrre replied to Rosseau, who
asked him, 81 should be too much en-.
barrassed in approaching man who
has people for clients AMI kings for
1aterers." The number of those whom
haughiincss restrained was small: the
current of the age sat towards Voltaire,
for the admiration Of men is rarely dis.
ineresled; what their enthusiasm viii.
lingly salutes in chosen NOR Ia! is, not
so much the beauty, as the suilableness
Of his geni is; and Voltairs was precise.
ly the great man whom society then
needed.
1t is well known that franklin hav.
ing presented his son to him to be bles.
sed, he extended his hand over the head
Of the child and said: "God and liber.
IT," Admirable words if every Thing
that was incomplete was no, deceptive,
and as if liberty could exis, where
equality and fraternity are not. But the
true. liberaling formula was not yet
found, and seduced by two words which
their former expressions caused them to
love, the people abandoned themselves
without dis.rust TO their magic sweet.
ness. The crowd pressed beneath the
windows Of Vol,aire, happy TO possess
him and impatient to applaud him..
The prodigies Of his unequallel life
we're related, the changes he had intro
duceJ into the world counted; Rome as
tonished at such an enemy, catholicism
half conquered, division introduce,
among the old powers, Calas reinstatei
manners soflcned, parliaments reduce
TO disavowal of their fanaticism, ant
as the highest consequence Of the righ
Of control, The dignity of the human
mind proclaimed as inviolable as God
There were those whom the arrival o
the philosopher alarmed. But the priests
in vain lanced their anathema in ,hei
temples, which were about to become
deserts, and from the foot of their in
suited atars; Voltaire, cighty.(our year
old, sick, exhausted, disconnected ,he
anger and triumphed. The rumor wa
spread however, that attacked by sick
ness which was pronounced fatal, h
had called in a confessor and had ask
ed pardon from the church. But th
man, whose life had been one long sar
casm, was pleased to be regarded a
mocker even in his death struggle
The church itself, whom his submission
avenged dared not believe in his repen
lance, so that an act Of weakness com
ing from him had the appearance OF al
offence. He rallied, moreover, as # t.
lose nothing of the happy dream il
which he was about TO expire. Whe'
he went to see the representation Of hi
last tragedy, there was an unexample'
exultation in Paris. Thousanls of mel
filled tho route by which he must pass
His carriage is seen afar, and all o
once rush towards it with shout. II
; descended supported by faithful arms
A superb furred robe of sable, the gil
of an empress. a wig with grizzly curls
long ruffles Of lace, such was the cos
tune in which he presented himself It
, the aslonished and delighted Parisons
His eyes shone with a splendor that ban
ished fatigue from his features and pal
lor from his face; he enjoyed his gIor
passionately; he was moved, and tn
solennity Of the moment had for tim
banished the accustomed smile from
his sneering lip. In the theatre, til
house rose as he entered. The wome
, standing up in their boxes, held ou
their hands towards the poet, as bein
they invoked. Many she'd tears Of de
light. some kneeled. He himself, weak
with an altered figure. leant upon tn
crowd, thankingit by gestures, and read
+, to succumb beneath the intoxication {
his heart. They crowned his bust i
; his presence, in order that he might a.
: sist whilst living at the fstes of his in
: mortality. Two months afterwards
was no more.
= 1t has been written that the Empers
;, Julian, MORALLY wounded in battle, b.
= fore having struck the last blows whic
: hatred had prepared for christianity, CO
: lected in his hand some blood whic