New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-21


tor has Medician profile. 1t has almost the same
outline as the medalliOns of Leo X. Power scholar
ship, taste and fuxuriousness are expressed IN IT,
NJ ST. Victor is a little deaf and unconscious that ne
talks loud and often ignorant that he IS being
talked to. Victor Hugo was in communicative
mood His conversation was mOnol0gue, broken
and varied in the most astonishing manner, unul
Paul ST. Victor spoke when they both talked To-
gether ] regretted there was no stenographer De-
hind the curtain TO hear what the Titan SAID. Au-
gust Comte whom he hates, Michael Angelo, whom
he adores, Gothic art with which he is In close SYM
pathy, the Bible the Old and New Testament 'ne
lies and calumnies of the moral order Journal Wind
sOr Castle and its picture galleries were amongst the
topics on which he descanted. lie Owed INTO some
he merely touched Others and he never Wrote nel1
| ter than he then lmprovised. Inc lltah hullc I
rocks with prOdi g1ous ease while PLAYING an eACel-
lent knife and fork. He anon seemed to make u MS
pastme fling pebbles lightly and with sure am.
| Renan. whose face had filled out. and particularly
| the lower part, had his Seminary look. lie was uis
Greet. unctuOus smiling and repeated at shoIt III
tervals the only phrase winch fell from his mouth
during the dinner. 1t was Mature, NOuS ave. Idi-
| son." Master, YOU right"
| After dinner Victor Hugo sat on little sofa ID
corner of the drawlng-r9om. where dialogue was
carried on in a low tone between MIN ana the du-
| thor of the life of Jesus
THE THEOLOGICAL MOULD OUTGRowN.
My fourth meeting was at the house OF an EngllSh
maenae, the pOssessOr of two historical castles III
| the North of England and Of fabulous wealth,
| which has been in his family since the reign OF
| Elizabeth. This gentleman is married TO french
/ lady of cheerful spirit, thoroughly generous heart
and very unaffected manners, who gathers round
her the best literary, artistic and political society.
Her husband shares her taste for literati. lie was
at college with rhackoray. ever after his intimate
| friend. and had him and Dickens down 10 describe
the poll at his own election for Durham constiti-
ency had been invited to a dinner at this gentle
mans house, winch, he and his wife hating public
| ity / do not name. While | waiting in the
| drawing room, where arrived punctually. for the
| Ndtre d Hotel to announce that Madame was
| served" the folding doors were flung open and
mddle-aged lady of very comely presence entered.
she was in black velvet and old point lace, and her
nut-brown. wavy HAIR was arranged in the plain.
| classical bands in vogue before the Second Empire
and now becoming again fashionable This lady
was followed by man of short stature and full fig
ure with a very largo head and face His hair,
! faded. sandy -brOwl seemed drawn from the era
mum by an electrical agency. There was deal of
vivacity in the manner in which he advanced to sa-
Lutte the host and hostess. and the flourish he made
with his left hand in which he held a Gattened
| opera hat. One saw directly that he was no ordi-
nary person, and that he was full of internal heat
and power, and had tremendous go and vitality.
| He and the lady, whose names | did not catch as
! they were announced interested me. The latter
was thoroughly the gentlew0man. ana very sweet
| and animated, without rattle or selt-assertOn. j
| thought must have been acquainted with her pre-
! viously, and with her peculiar looking husband.
but could not rcc0llect where lie sat opposite to
me at dinner and got INTO conversation with lit
| erary man beside HIM on ZOlas novels. which were
then beginning 70 excite the attention OF the town.
In speaking, the little, stOIt man warmed up win
| almost Southern fire and became eloquent. SAID
! TO the host who near me: How Ike that gem
| tleman would be to Renan were he not 50 ami
| mated" "It is Rtnan." ne rephed. surely not"
| whispered "Renan had the indclible stamp OF
| the Seminary very strong upon him. There Is moth
ing in my Over-thew nelChbor, except his shaved
face. that Is at all pricstY Nor Is he subduod ana
! unctuOuS; be has tn" elOquence and steam OF %
! Gambetta, of whom there something in the upper
part OF ms face and One is forced 10 listen 10
| hun with Tapt attention. always thought
| Renan an enchanting writer and man of cytraor-
binary talent, but not a man of genius" Winch
! he is tn IS evening"" said my host The change Is
curious; have noted it myself. lie has outgrown
completely the theological mould ~ which hls mind
and body were originally cast. The habit of lecur-
| ing in the fullest liberty III the College of France
has developed the whole man. HIS health IS also
| better and his wife, whose education was Protest
| ant renders his home thoroughly happy. Her life
is beautiful. She is in close community of views
with hm in all the subjects in which he is inter
esied. Her wisdom supports and her sympathy
PHILOSOPHERS HOME.
After dinner l made myself known 10 u. and
Nine Renan, and was asked to visit them on Sun
days when NJ Renan Is free from the College Of
France or on Tuesdays. when Madame Renan IS 'at
home~ They now live in an old-fashoned house
on a first floor in the Rue de Tournon, In the imme-
| date vicinity OF the Luxembourg. Their fiat" lies
between a vast and silent courtyard OF arstOcratic
| all, and an ancient garden. One ascends 10 their
apartments by monumental stone stairs in the sew
enteenth century style. plainly dressed servant
girl opens one side of a folding door and octa-
gonal chamber noored with black and white mar
BILE is entered Its ceiling is highptched. and there
are glazed mahogany book cases and large presses
| all round. Is Madame at hOmeW Yes" The
servant leads the visitor through another room also
AoOred with marble and octagonaL 1t IS used a
| dining-room. The buffet is thanked with two more
bookcases. Then comes passage IN which books
are stored away and from winch there is a vista of
| a corridor lined with nothing but volumes in paper
wrappers. A lofty drawng-rOom is entered. 1t j.
furnished with old, solid useful and very pictur-
esque furniture in green velvet Artistic sentiment
and family affection expressed IN the general APP
pearance Of this salon, is roomy IT lofty
Elegant od-fashioned 6agercs aud bibliothequcs are
stuffed with books in costly and substantial bind
ings Pictures brighton up the white walls. And
what pictures tool There are AIRY sci eilers mother
| by AIRY Schefier, and a number of unclcs aunts,
! ncphews neces, sons daughters and llustrious ana
intimate friends. AIRY Scheffer's daughter was prob
ably the type Of the "Mignon Rcgneltant Ia Patrie"
She has the profound expression III the eyes of the
vagabond Italian child the heroine Of Wilhelm
Meister, and a mellow warmth of color which is
delightful Henri Scheiicr Nine Remains father,
was also a very distinguished painter, and OF
his choicest works remain to his daughter. Amongst
| them there is another likeness of the veneratcd
"mother" a very refined, dainty. kind-lOokinG,
courtly old lady, falling into the and yellow
| leaf of existence. Her head and neck draped
and mufiied in old lace as if she had just home
from a hot theatre. About the room on tables and
stands there are flowers and rare plants in jardi-
| n;eyes and busts on pedcstals and sockets | shall