New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-09-14
WHAT is TALKED OF IN PARIS.

THE LAMARTINE AND OTHER FESTIVALS.
trading on CHEAT NAMEs-HOw A LITERARY AID
yENTURER TURNED sHAKEsPEARE's TO ACCOUNT
-FETRARCH's MEMORY ALSO MADE USE Of
IAMARTINE IN BIS observation-disclosures OF
HIS DOMESTIC LIFE.
trnoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT TEE TRIBUSE.l
PARIS, Aug. 21.-The Lamartne fetes at Macon
have been like all the banquets ever knew of that
were given in honor Of ilusrOus writers deceased,
namely an occasion for the small worms of htera-
ture to grow fat upon the reputation of the great
Departed We should let the dead rest and their
works speak for them, unless when we are pub
fishers and want to bring out new editions.
In this case the best way to quick returns,
is to get up national subscription for statue and,
ct the expense of group Of enthusiasts to organize
a banquet sumptuOUs enough to draw the shade Of
Lucullus to the place where it will be given. was
once slightly acquainted with third-rate English
litt6rateur. the son of renowned satirist Of the
Barham, Dickens and Thackeray set. He had heard
from Felix Whitehurst Of the profuse hand with
which Louis Napoleon rewarded authors who let
themselves be drawn into his orbit and he was,
when / made his acquaintance trying to bring
himself under the EmperOr's notice. At the Long
champs races he used to cry Vire PEm-
p6rear! in a stentOrian voice. He did the
same at the reviews, which he attended
in Tower Hamlets militia uniform. Pamphlets
were dedicated by him to the elect of the millions,
Englands faithful ally.7 In his correspondence
with Radical newspaper, he called the Empress
Eugene the first lady in Europe, and vehemently
contradicted the report whenever it that her
son was afflicted with bad constitution. But
nothing came of the thiekly laid on fattery. AT
last one day, when the interested hatterer was
beating his brain for more etfectual scheme for
for,ing himself upon the EmperOr's favorable
attention brilliant idea flashed upon 1t. In few
months Shakespeare's three hundredth birthday
would come round. Why not get up
Shakespearian centenary in Paris under
Louis NapOleon's auspices MOcquard, the
private secretary of his Majesty, prided
himself on being an hOmme de lettes; and
Prosper Merim6e, who claimed, in some mysterious
way to be related to the Empress and had his claim
allowed, was familiar with the Elizabethan poets.
Louis Napoleon himself was busy at the " Life of
Cesar" and looked forward to gaining Through 1t
admission TO the Academy Lord HOughtOn and
the author of " Pelham" happened, when this plan
was beng generated, to be in Paris. The Mar
chioness of LansdOwne, daughter of COmte de
Flahault and consequently a step-daughter of DE
Morny, par Ia main 0aHehe, used, it was remem-
bered, to appear during her girlhood in tableau
vivant representing King Lear and his daughters.
She was by her mother, the Baroness of Keith and
sNairne, a granddaughter OF Mrs. Thrale, Dr. John
n
stockings Of Lady LansdOwne, and she might
be reckoned upon to use her influence
at the Tuileres support of the precautionary which
could not be publicly kept in Paris without a Gov
eminent authorization. Other strings to the bow of
the third-rate author were two very muffish old
peers who were ever ready to preside at an English
dinner OF TO subscribe to British charitable fund.
They were the Lords Gray of Gray, and Gray of
Groby. OF Shakespeare's plays their knowledge
was mainly derived from what they had seen of
them in the playhouse, but they understood that
they literary glory of E gland, and things for
rigbt-minded nOblemen to be proud of. All the
glded wires answered to the pull. 1t was impOssi-
BILE, Shakespeare being to the front, for them to
have done otherwise.
Under the auspices of the high personages Just
named the scheme was submitted toLouis Napoleon,
and an appeal made in GalgRaHi to British residents
in Paris to subscribe to a commemorative banquet.
The thing vert up like balloon. In the semi
official press the Divine William was the object
of indiscriminate laudatiOn, and the promoter OF
the tereentenary praised up to the skies. He was
presented to the Emperor by Que of the Peers adj
United to frequent audiences, aud saw frequently
NJ Mocquard, to arrange with him programme.
The celebration was authorized with loud flourish
of trumpets-so loud, indeed, that Louis Napoleon
got frightened at the noise. He then heard how
y
bration in London, at which he would
find in Macbeth proof of the eternal truth of
Shakespeare. Victor Hugo also intended, in eOnnec-
ton with his sons translation of Shakespeare's
works. TO patrOnize their immortal author. 1t was
therefore, at the eleventh hour felt at the
Tuileries that the less said of the Elizabethan
dramatst the better But ere he was shelyed tho
litt6rateuT who had sought TO commemorate ms
birth had obtained sohd footing at the palace. lie
became sort of court newsman and hlstOrlOgrapher
of the dynasty, aud was appointed to write up the
political chimeras of Louis Napoleon. When the
Sedan collapse happened he seemed on the hlgh ROAD
to fortune and if he had reached the goal II would
have been through clinging 20 the skuts OF shake-
speare.
AGAIN. at Yaucluse, Petrareh was made use of
five years ago to bring forward in the political
arena Comte de Dumaine, whose braU at Cayaillon
were so near Draining Gambetta in 1875 The ltal-
ian pOekhas also made an excuse for rebaptizng
the Rue de La Republique at Avignon, which was
originally La Grande Rue, then the Rue Napoleon,
and is now Rue PetTarch. small fry of DOetasteTs
availed themselves of the fifth centenary Of Lauras
lover TO blow their own little one sou trumpets.
SeipiOn DOucieux, the Project who had been sent
by Theirs to AvignOn as a mild liberal, turned his
coat at the banquet gwen beside thel classic foun-
tain and in lmping verses invoked the shade OF
Petrarch to aud tame the anarchical passions
which were rendng the south OF France. de MeZetes
Of the College OF France, and Quntsna tue oPanlsh
poet, were the only men OF literary value present;
And the former went 70 Naucluse TO say one Word
for the genius born five hundred years back and
two for himself, and 70 push the sale Of his " re-
trarch d apfes de NOuveaux Documents"
Likewise. the other day at Macon, Lamartine
was converted by pushing mediOcrities into
ladder whereby they wanted to climb to notOriety.
/ shall not class NJ. Henri de Lacretene, the Re-
publican deputy among the herd moved by small
personal aims He is a gentleman in the best ac-
eeptation of the word. and endowed with the true
poets temperament To Lamartine he would will
ingly be what Boswell was to Johnson. Lamartine