New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-03-29
Eem11ork DAILY Grib.s,te
LITERATURE At P.iRIS.
FROM Our Own Correspondent.


PARIS, Feb l., ISIS.
The reverend author of "AbbOtt's Napoleon" in
a modest attempt to show how none but an Amerl-
can could 10 historical justice TO the First NsPo-
leon, represents French writer's as deferred from
awarding due praise to that sainted man by fear OF
the consequent loss 10 themselves of Court favor
Abbott's French writers bear as little likeness to
French writer's as "Abbott's Napoleon to NaPo-
leon Bonaparte. There is not one among the first
dozen literary men of France to-day who is in favor
at Court. and of those few writers Of the third
order who are, it is but just TO say that however
partisan zeal may twist their logic and color their
rhetoric, their pens are not guided BY so low mo-
tive as fear of losing it. Granier Cassagnsc himself
though eYtra,a gant and almost reckless OF truth IN
his NapoleoDic zeal, il. il not thoroughly honest,
like Mr. Abbott sincere in his Napoleon convictions.
OF the frs.cass historical writer's, DE Tocqueville,
Guizot, Theirs, Micbelet, Henri Martini NIueman,
and Others they are ali out of Court favor, and vol
UNFAIRLY place new obstacles between themselves
and the folding doors OF st. Cloud aud the Tuile-
RES with each new volume they send to press.
NJ Villemain has, within the month offered us an
example of this kind in La Tribune Modcrne. VI. de
ChaeauJrand so uic ct bcrits, influence iat-
raire ct poitique sur son temps This work is some
thing more than a biographical narrative. mere
biography was not wanted after the Memoirs
TOmre Tonbe. The authors larger purpose is iu-
timated in the title La Tribune MOdsrne. IL ia
stated in the preface, and ably carried out in the
book One side of modern history, the great
material events, the revolutions and the wars, the
life of ito greatest representative man, have been
already treated by writers OF such talent the slu.
lion is rather to NJ Theirs and other compatriots,
think, than to Mr.. Abbott thst those themes may
he regarded as exhausted for the present. Beneath
the dashing, turbulent movement, there rune
dercurrent comparatively noiseless, but deep and
powerful and perhaps not less important part OF
the true course of history than the foamDg, brilliant
surface. Under the common title Of La 1r5nas
Modernf, NJ. Nillemain proposes to wrts the lives OF
some OF the leading modern statesmen aud thinkers
Of France and England, for the sake OF showing
forth in their lives the influence OF individual
minds on public opinion, the action of ind-
vidual intelligence on the popular mind Burke
Fox, Canning, Lord Grey, from the English; Gen
eral Foy Roger CoLard, and Others, from the
French-all from among the dead-are specimens
of his representative men. HIS =" SonrrHirs Co
temporaimes" of the FIRST and second parts Of which
made some imperfect note at the respective dates
of their publication, properly belong 10 the series.
The Life of ChatesubriaDd is, however, larger
work both in scope and volume, than its predeces-
sors. Indeed, a scholarly reader might regret that
the author had not limited its scope and devoted
more If not all of it's space 10 Chateaubrand as a
man of letters. Fer he may well be regarded Us
the unconscious leader OF the Romantclsts. He
was the first great writer who appeared after the
Revolution. and remained, with the exception OF
Madame de- Stasl who only approached hun IN
genius popularity and influence on young cotem-
porary minds the only great writer nearly through
out the Consulate and Empire. AprOpos Of court
favor, it 10 we'll known, probably even to Mr Abb
bolt, how much OF twase1joyed under Napoleon y
these two authors. N. Vilemsin by no means
oyerlooks this side OF Chateaubriand's life. II is
here that his direct criticism and admirable phlo-
sOphical reflections mingled with the narration, SO
draw the pleased attention that We turn almost IN
willingly 10 the political side, TO which, however.
the charm Of style and the real importance OF sub
iect soon claim the readers interest. ChafeauDr1-
snds political life can be said to have opened only
under Napoleon and 10 baveilDgered on under Louis
Philippe. Its active phase was under the Restors-
ton OF which in the Of three hundred pages,
N. Villemain gives US the main political history, as
faithfully as and more agreeably than more vosi.
mipous authors. And here appears the object OF
his philosophy Of history. Y is to teach the value
of a constitutional government, the worth OF hb-
erty, and by implication and patent alusion, 70 cen
sure the present regime. Such is the teaching OF
all the first writers, named at the outset OF
this letter. in their recent historical works.
IL il brought against them by the Partissns
of the new Empire, that the loss OF lib
erty expressed by these comedy politicians OF
Loas P6ilippe's reign, il inspired chiefly BY selfish
regrets over their lost emDence in the old Chamber
of Deputies. 1t il said that the liberty they so
bewaii was liberty for them, and for the two or
three hundred thousand voters Of the pays bgdi,,
but was no equal freedom for the Masses that their
Constitutional Government was only Parliamentary
Government. egislating for classes, ruling only for
the interests OF the bourgeoisie and leaving the
millions, not to take care Of themselves but 70
suffer by Themselves IL cannot be denied that
these reproaches apply TO some extent to Louis
Philippe and his councillors, and that theyAnve
certain force arguaena ad homiRes " hen directed
against the thnly yeied attacks Of the latter upon
the actual despOtism. But whatever there be Of
right and reason. a1d whatever Of effective though
factious yigor in these attacks remains. The COM
fort through !, all that when such attacks, work
ing With more potent causes bring about the over
throw Of the Empire, the old pays tgate viii not
revive Uoyersal suffrage and the doctrine 80 con-
stantly ayowed and, l. i. not to be gaiussyed, par
tally acted out by Napoleon, that the duty OF the
Government Is 10 rule for the benefit OF all the peo-
pie, will remain, and must be the bases oil any new
successful system.
II ~at reported some etters ago that tnile de