New-York tribune., 1879-11-22
AFFAIRS IN FRANCE.
puBLIC TALK AND PRIVATE GOSSIP.

IUBLlC IALk AND ilNlN Al OVcoi'
LrrTRE AND THE PosrrIvIsTs-A NUNS INFLUENCE
IN sICKNEss-A CABALIsriC THEORY ENPoONpfp
--GAMBErTA AND THE NUNcIo-LrNArcs AT
THE PETIT BoURBON--A NEW PLAY BY sARpoU'
lrRoN THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT or THE rRTBUNE'l
PARIS, Nov Five or six year ago PositiVist
of the Litr6 Temple" was breakfasting with me.
In the course of conversation he told me now MS
revered master was suffering from what appeared
10 be mortal illness. and showed signs of yieuinR
To his wife and daughter, who impored him 10 DC
reconciled to the church from which ne had seceueu
To follow Auguste Comte. number oi Lures
disciples WAS told to avoid scandal of this kind,
which ight raise a laugh against their sect or
school agreed among themselves to keep in turns
watch and ward by his bedside, and to strengthen
ms wayering faith The philosopher unex-
pectedly recovered. and has been often
since an invalid. But. during every sub
sequent indisposition younger Positivists were
not able to station themselves at the masters
pillow. nun had already filed the place, and was
firm in maintaining her position. never saw her.
but she has been described the pearl of Sis
ters of Charity-pretty, clever, gentle well-edu-
Gated tolerant of heresy when brought face to face
with It, and the incarnation of those sweet virtues
patience and humility. Her self-abnegation was
unbounded. No s'ck-room duty tried her temper.
She was botauist, and talked botany with Littre.
a
ing cantices which suggested the idea that perhaps
after all there may be more in sentiment than Posi-
twists are wont to admit. Whenever Littrcs
eyes fell upon the nuns exquisitely formed
features aud her delicate hands, he wondered
al the power OF the religious faith which had led her
TO devote herself body and soul 10 the poor and the
infiIm. Expressing day his wonder Sister Marie
Vincent told him that her lot, from worldly point
OF view, to be preferred to that of les sGurs
des Petltes Pauvres She had a philosopher, man
of superior intelligence. 10 take care of, and great
soul to gain for the Church. whose sacraments led
her virtues. They had only in their charge old
paupeIs, men in whom they could take no earthly
interest. This struck NJ Littre, who | am told
sounded his conscience to know III what way the
Atheist article of his Posivst faith had affected his
relations with his fellow men, Often Litlre. have
heard from confdant of Madame Littre. questioned
the sister about her vocation and the hidden in-
fueuces which prompted her TO become a Daughter
of st. Vincent de Paul. Her answers l have not
been told, but | think may guess what they
were.
This nun explains the two last articles contrib
utad by VI. LittI6 t. The POsiirist Rereic. One of
them-the rst-was penned at his villa at MesnIl,
near the Forest OF St. Germans where he lay dan
gcrOusly III Throughout the Summer and Autumn.
II was an elaborate and able defence of the Jesuls
/ y
Clause of the Jules Ferry bill In the name OF
liberty. NJ. Littre claimed for them the right to
teach and as a Republican wishing for the perpe
tuity of the Republic. he opposed the bill His
article made great noise in Europe, and, dare
saw further of. Ii has been followed up by an
other which must have caused the heart of the Sis
ter of Charity to rejoice, If the substance of 1t has
| been communicated to her. This article shows
increased zeal and decreased ability; and, |
think, points 10 the relapse OF NJ. LittT6
| from POstIvism o the creed in which he was
| brought up under the shadow of the old Church Of
AvIanches. NJ. l,ttTe. the rigorous Posltivist who
only believes that which is susceptible of scientific
demonstration writes as though he had adopted some
oaballslic theory. He appears to assume that. in
modern French history, sixteen and eighteen are
fatal numbers. AS | write some coincidcnccs sug-
gcst themselves to me. wlpch will make a present
of to those who study history IN suDerstlOus, for
tune-telling spirit. The ancient monarchy persisted
under a sixteenth Louis. An eighteenth LOUIS
the last French monarch who died IN the possession
| of the crown. But to 90 back to NJ. LittT6. The
| power of Bonaparte. founded at the close of the
! eiChteenth century. tumbled as the nineteenth
fifteen years old. lhe Restoration fell after
istence of sixteen years. Louis Philippe
was shaken by the effect Oh public opin-
ion of the Spanish marriages IN 1916, and
his throne capsized in 1918. To Louis Napo-
oleon the fate which rules the destnes of France
accorded also an eighteen years lease of power In
1856 the third Republic Will be sweet sixteen, and
! NJ Crews term of office will have expired. l may
summarize thus the Postlvlst philosophers exhor-
| tations: Lie on your oars aud as the State bark
descends Times stream be wary how you manage
! the rudder Suffer not the Radicals to endangcr by
their Incorporate zeal and their inconsistency the
| Republic. Lean on the Conservative mass. few
constituencies are demagogic Universal suffrage is
mol and France is a country which sensational poll
ties rapidly surfeit The jogtrot course best suts
! her temperament. In the name of liberty suffer
Jcsuits to teach and preach and open schools
| wherever they have mind. or If You do nor, you
| will founder when the young lady wearing the
PLrvgian cap is entering her sixteenth year. The
transmisson-o power crisis will put end to her
/ young life."
/ Yes this is in substance what NJ LittI6 elabor-
/ afes in a long article. He fOrg,ts that Louis
Phiiippe's monarchy collapsed because it was all
that he would wish himself the Republic Of NJ.
Gr6vy to be. The July regime was honn6ie CT rOd6r6
| The iasie miliea theory of government upheld
nj the 1uilerios and in the Chambers. The Con-
servstives were satisfied, the Nation enjoyed
steady. casy-going prosperity. and the perpetuity
of the dynasty was assured by numerous Royal
family. Everything was done according to reason
aud nothing according TO sentiment, which over
flowed in arts and letters. in "Notre Dame de
Paris" in George sands novels, the paintings of
AIRY Schefler and of DelacroIx, and in the CORE
spondence of the Duchess of Orleans. The dis
regard of sentiment by the Executive will perhaps
explain why the July monarchy was capslzed.
never TO be righted, i'll 1913. jew Cremeux
bundled the fallen King. who had only
governed for and by the Phlstines, and Muck
Rakcs, INTO hackney carnage, and instructed
the driver to give whip and bride 10 the horses