The weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1872-1882, 1874-03-21

) as he advanced to greet Us on o.
entrance; and there WAS nothing
his conversation or manner to r
mind one that lie was no longt
young; his hearing was perfect an
= his intellect sound and active ,
, ever.
/ He said he still kept up tho hab
which he had always observed, {
rising so early as togo by six o'cloc
to his writing table, where he re
mainod busily occupied until twclv
with literary labor. +.
j At times, he said, when the preto
OF composition was upon him, h,
wrote almost literally day and nigh
till tho work upon which no wa,
engaged was finished. In thi,
absorbing fashion he had just com.
posed his pamphlet France before
Europe" which was received with
tho same enthusiasm in which il
was written, having passed into its
third edition in less than six weeks
after its first publication.
Michelet was of course a Liberal
in religion, politics and social
theories. But like all European
Liberals he was opposed to giving
his countrywomen the suffrage. He
admitted the abstract justice of this
iu the French as in all republics,
but said that should it be puS into
practice inl France the march of
progress would be turned backward
for at least q century. Ho feared
that France was not yet fitted for a
republic, and said that the women
were Q large element in this unfit
ness since they were so greatly
under priestly influence. "We must
first" said he, "free our women from
clerical dominition before we ven
ture to put such an engine of power
as the ballot into their hands.
Should we do this now, they would
surely turn our own weapon against
us.
OF course bis aversion to the
German nation was intense, and he
positively ayowed his determination
never to entor Paris while tho enemy |
remained in it. He inveighed Bit
'erly against the brutality, ,harshness,
ind rapacity which had character
zed.. the German army, and which
ae thought unparalleled in. this
century.
Paris of course was his ideal city,
IS it is that Of all Frenchmon, but
10 said he saw very littlo of the
many men OF letters who livod there,
ven when he was at home, in tho
ays OF peace.
Madame Michelet interposed,
nth an arch smile, "And he is wise, I
or I find that literary mon are I
lways better friends if they do not
now each other" \
Madame Michelet, who was the {
econd wife Of Michelet, and much {
ounger than he, evidently adored t
er husband. Like most French c
omen she was not pretty, but she t
ad that magical cestus Of gracious 4
anners and tact which makes her g
moro charming than 9
10 women of other lands who Of b
Il excel tho French in beauty of Fl
9rson. a
She herself was something of m II
lthoross, having written one book !"
least, and her husband seemed to 81
far more interested in Lis wife's t
erary achievements than of his Il
N. le
In fact he was singularly modest, tt
d shrank from the mention Of his I
n works with almost feminine p
licacy. In an interview with him p
seemed more natural that he c!
ould be the author of such prose b.
ems as L'Oiseaa, and La Mer, tt
Of such philosophical fancies as b.
Amour and La Femme, than that Iii
should have for years occupied ~
Professors chair in the University b.
France, or been the author of 81
luminous historical tornes.