Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-03-06

Paris.
A recent number of the Paris Journal dss
De6atS has pleasant sketch of Jules Janin,
descriptive. of the career Of Henry Murger,
the historian of Bohemiauism,n which the
New York EVening Post thus translates:
Henry Murger, who he's recently died, at
the age of thirty.eight years, at the period
when an author begins to ocomprehend the last
mysteries of his art, has left behind him, to
preserve his memory, an ingenious series of
charming works, written in style entirely
novel. Henry Murger-and this is great
praise--conquered his position in the ranks
OF inventors. He was one of those rare
writers and rare artists, who, having made
discoveries in new worlds, have pushed into
distant lands, regionsunknown aud solitudes
unexplored. Henry Murger discovered Bo-
hemia, and in this side-werld, which he him
self has described, this young man, when
scarcely twenty years old, conducted ma
through thousand adventures, in an oripi-
inal series Of the most amusing character,
full OF gaiety, many tears, unrestrained mirth
and valiant poverty. Amiable writer, charm
ing observer of the gay. unhappy, artless
novelist of young affections, with all its
caprices, fantasies and consternations ..
AS all the historians who are enamored of
their subjects, and who are not wearied in
giving to their heroes distinguished ancestry,
Henry Murger traces back his Bohemian.
loved and feted, (unhappily too much so, J to
the most remote times of our history. He
tells us that the first Bohemian is named
Pierre Gringoire, q friend to all vagabonds,
and the enemy of all fasting-a hungry
wretch, walking the city streets, smelling
out the odors of the kitchens-a poet and
yogrant, a sponger on the Court of the
Duke ofEgypt."
He was the king of all starving geniuses,
he announced them, he preceded them. He
carried saltire- wise, in the language of her
aldry, wallet and harp, the troubadour
and mendicant. Still later, there was in
Bohemia, at the court of great king, seek
ing, bread and lodgings (according to Bal
zac), poet called Clement Marot later still,
a'certain Maturin Regnier, the King of the
Satyrs. At the time of Louis Quatorze-a
century honored with many poets-the
number of these wandering gipsy heroes
was scarcely to be counted, who strayed
about seeking their bread from kitchen to
kitchen.
And when Voltaire comes in his turn.
what numbers of Bohenians insult, encour-
age or applaud him. Where will you find.
then,. says Henry Murger, better ante
chamber at the Academy Hospital or Morpue
than can our Bohemian He said truly The
Morgue and the hospital. Gilbert, Malpla-
tire, Hegesippus, Moreau, and not later than
yesterday, Gerard de Neval, whom we found
(the unfortunately suspended, his feet in the
abyss, were all Bohemians. They all bear
the same name-'1f you wish to call me by
my real name, call me miserable" Who
said thus? One of the Bohemians of Shakes
peare.
Three Glasses of Bohemians. Henry Muir
ger recognized them as divided into three
classes, viz: The artist unknown, and study
ing art for arts sake, without dreaming in
this world below of the utility of home, a
presentable costume, and at least one meal a
day. These improvidents, should you speak
to them of the simplest act of prudence,
would turn their backs upon you and cali
you vulgar-the worst thing they can say of
my one.
Another division of Bohemians is repre-.
'ented by powerless party of writers with
1ut style, painters without colors. Thev
iream of departing glory, and have not
AIKEN twenty steps in their career e'er they
stop, discouraged. When they should blame
themselves for their own impotence, they
'all at the ingratitude and ignorance of the |
lge. Thus they pass their whole lives in |
abusing the human race, and when the time
arrives, when for the good Of all they must
lie, these insensates usually exclaim, as the |
Emperor Nero once did, "What a great |
the world will lose when it loses
ne !"
The third and least dangerous species of
he Bohemian has for its type the amateur: |
hat is to say, 100 Of courageous young peo.
'le please themselves by eating the bread of
Misery, to lead what they term an artistic
lie, and when at the end Of year of this
injured hardship (Vache enragee) they have
asted TO their entire satisfaction, when their
oats are in tatte1s and their shirts RAG,
,ou observe them return to the domestic
reside, imploring the maternal pity. Then
voc to the fatted calf 1t is killed. At the
anne time the prodigal son is combed,
Vashed and fed, all things of which there IA
very great necessity. His family obtain or
urchase for. him some humble position in a
istant province, where he amuses himself
y raising a number of little Bohemians
fter his own style. ~
The Life Of a Bohemian. Such are the
lree classes OF this people; and if you asked
{ Henry Murger a maxim to guide Won in
lese dangerous paths, he would reply to
ou boldly and frankly, 'The life of a 'Bo-
emian is not a highway, but lane.n At
ne same time he would add-fOr he had oh
lnacy and his own opinions-"Just as much
these three classes are ,odious and ridicu-
us, by so much the real Bohemian offers an
lteresting study to the poet, the moralist
nd the novel. writer. Mine is placed, it is
ue, between two abysses - misery and
ooubti but at last, when you have avoided
hsrybdis and Scylla, you find path which,
: all kinds ofwindings and turnings equally
ingerous, finally conducts you to renown
I'D sometimes to glory. You must take
ms, you must have courage, firm spirit
! honest heart, great love of adventure
ID great contempt for danger.
MY bohemian is a brave man when
fuggling with necessity; he must have, to
ach the goal, as much wit as courage.
ever and eloquent he would draw money
i Of Harpagon himself-he would have
nnd truites on the wreck of the Medusa.
to all kinds of fortune, he dimes !
re beggar and sups at the Maison dor.
'metimes he paIades himself 10 the most
nspicuous part of the saloon, where Cele-
ere displays, in circle of marquises. the
aces of her mind and the sparkle of her l
lmonds. 80 |
Sometimes he fills the neighbor's cafs t
th the clinking of his glass and of his par. I
oxes. He is up to every thing-to music, b
hitting, philosophy, the theater, the opera, q
newspaper and the stump He dances, ?
huns the music of Verdi, he argues, and /
netimes even listens; he often plays f
lnks but hardly ever is guilty of a bad b
ion. He has preserved from his early h
Rrs confused idea of his duty; and from
profound oblivion Of his first studies he u
;, know not how, retained taste enough 0
prefer the IIiad to Jerusalem Delivered, h
i the Eaeid of Virgil to the Phdrsalid of b
can. In short, his taste saves him and ii
lintains him in certain honor, which, in
te OF his misery and his rags, his meer- e
aum and his debts, his sickly affections
extravaganza of conduct, make him toll.
do say? make him sought for q,
respectable people" .t ),
AIR ENGINEs IN ESeLAND-The subject of II
engines, Sterling's and Ericsson s, is be. y
considerably discussed by the English y
'ineers. Eminent iron ship. builders say p
t in some instances 1900 decapitated !.
ate NAV Ia found q, tta bntfo,,s 20 -. - II