New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-11-10
FRANCE.
LITERARY INTELLIGENCE.


during that time has not been remarkably fertile
of high literary productions, yet the number of
noteworthy volumes issued since last May is too
great to be much more than catalogued in the
space of one letter. The list of books whose theme
is the Universal Exhibition would alone fill my first
page. Views Of" Walks about" Partial and
General, Historical. Scientific and Descriptive
Treatses on" Prose and POetical Reflections on
Present and Future Results Of" on, about con-
cerniDg TO- through Of and the rest Of the preposi
tions governing Exposition Unirtrsete in the accu
satye. To one of these works only mot but that
many of them had decided merit can | direct
notice: series Of descriptive and critical essays
by Maxine Du Camp on the Exposition des Bcau1
Arfs An artist friend of taste and judgment who
has been studious frequenter of this grand assem-
blage of contemporary art, tells me that | may
safely commend Du Camps volume 1t is made
up Of a series of articles originally published
in the Rtrue de Paris. On my own account
l Will urgently commend a volume on the same
theme which 1 trust will soon be made up from
the art feuiUetOns that have appeared during the
season iii the M0nteHr, over the signature OF IheO
phile Gauthier. Gauthier, who began as an artist
of the pencil still paints effectively with the pen
write-strains after effect by tricks of rhetoric
abounds in mannerisms, Alterations, extravagan-
ces, coxcOmberies-in spite of which faults you read
him with interest, and Instruction. tOO-fOr he has
quick, catholic sense OF beauty, much real feeling
and as large a share of solid judgment witha
generally falls to the lot of more correct and
heavier writer's.
First on the list of historical works must be
placed Michelets last volume, La Reiorme, the
seventh of his History of France, the brilliant
companion to his brilliant Renaissance of which
spoke at the time of its publication. Looking
away now from the revival Of art in the sixteenth
century to the grander resurrection of thought
ont Of the eorruptions of the Romish church, that
CT aInel house Of the mind, into the new life Of re-
lpious freedom, and on to the wars aud baseness
ard wicbedness of Francis and of his reign, he
takes erayer, sterDer tone. Bat here as in the
preceding volume we have the same ardent rhetoric
rising sometimes to almost yric strain. We
have been taught that this is ming the dig
nifty and unfavOratle even TO the veIacity OF his
tory But Michelet 80 takes possession of the
II a6er that old critical cautions are forgotten;
and so persusdes Of bis earnsstness and infects US
with bis srdor, that our Judgment accepts and
our warmed sympathy at times demands his ex-
aited sty lie as the only natural and tit expression
of al emotion which be makes ours. The most
attractive parts IF the volume, especially 10 other
than French readers, are those occupied by
81 etcbcs-sOmetimes only in incomplete outline,
sometimes more finished pOrtraituIes of the great
persODages, the representative meu, OF that
" yeasty time that cradle age Of the modern
world, history. Luther, Rabelais, Albert D1irer,
Machavel. Michel Angelo, knight Hutton Ibrahim
the Grand Vizier Of 1Oliman, Henry VIII,
Charles Y, Francis l. are presented 10 U.s. not
as elaborate portraits of gentlemen deceased, but
with the traits, characteristic at least, if not
true of live men. Francis | is the most lam
l.. L.
all corrupt in body and soul and wasted in mind
diseased heartless, exhausted old 6ebauchee,
stands in strange contrast with those great robust
hearty producers, his cotempOraries, Luther and
Rabtlais. There is q very curious chapter on the
celebrated election of Charles Y TO the imperial
throne in which new and strong light is thrown
upon the commanding influence IN that election.
and thereafter 10 the world affairs, of the FuggeIs
of Augsburg, anc of the money power generally
The fourteenth chapter touches briefly on that
wild story, the sack of Rome in 1927, aud furnishes
another remarkable instance Of Michelets peculiar
gift of describing or rather revealing great pop
ular movement which he has 90 often displayed,
especially in the history of the French revolution.
For this is not descIp tOD, narration or account
in detail of the event. He does more than bring
back the past in picture. He goes back to the
past taking you with MIN, ana becomes of it, till,
as you read, YOU and he seem sweeping on with
unbeieVers and Italian brgsnds 10 the sack of the
EteInsl City-not led by the traitor Bourbon and
the grim old Knight FrCndsberg, blind instruments
like the rest, but impelled by the great unseen
Spirit OF the lime, which some call Fare aud others
the DEGREES Of God With these chance gances at
the episodes Of the book and leaving out of further
mention the mastery treatment OF its main theme,
the beginnings of the Religious reform in France,
must pass on. Another volume. the Religious
Wars Of France in the Sixteenth Century, is in
prepa alton, and announced for public alton on the
list Of January next. Louis Bl4nc's seventh vol
ume OF the French Revolution Is now OUT Ii be-
CINE with the reinforcement q Louis XVI aud the
10th of ADJUST, follows the progress OF the d.
vision and contest between the Mountain AMI The
Ciroudsts, ard comes down TO tie trial Of the
King. Therss twelfth volume Of the Consulate
and the Empire will be published al the close Of
this week. | shall have something to say of il in
my next. Ii begins where the eleventh closed,
with year 1916 and NapoleOns second marriage
the beginning OF his decline and fsll-he who
should have remained the new man and represent
alive of the French revolution allyinc himself to
Old dyDasties and so irving TO block the wheels o.
the revolution that must on. The ARnRqire HIS
'origre for lS56 and Lesurs hnnNairs Hstorigu'
[ mrCrsd, or Political History Of 1888, with az |
appendix containing public documents, seaties, |
diplomatic notes are, espet tally the latter-now
in its thirty sixth yesr OF publcaiion-ya!uable /
books Of reference for eOtempOrary history. |
Historic Potuique dcs Etets KS Political History
of the United States from the time Of the first /
colonization to the adoption of tie Federal Con |
shiution This meritorious work, o. which We |
have as yet but the first volume containing thp his
tory Of the Colonies, is to BE- completed by vol |
nue on the Revolution and che on tue Constitution
IL is written by NJ. LabOulsye. Professor of Com
g pslative Legislation at the College of France.
ard Member of the Institute mention his !