New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-16
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
rur pRyvArn LIFE OF GUIZOT.

Laurfat. "
Probably in the fancy Of most American readers
the figure of Guizot has always appeared as that OF
Yigid and high-minded statesman. an austere and
q philosophical historian, quite outside the range OF
uonular sympathy. Even his own countIymen.
Who Jaw him in the full glare of a long public
career though they recognized his private virtues,
never fully appreciated his private character. he
was well aware that people misunderstood him.
In old age he wrote to hrs son AN. Remains article
on my Memoirs is in the Recue of the first IL IS
very clever, in a lofty. liberal. aud independent
spirit and very good in political sense; very ~
yorable to me- but little conventional; he makes
me ont to he the same stiff, tragcal solitary person
that will end by becoming legendary and as ialse as
any other legend" To correct the mistaken views
of public which saw only his external life and TO
show that more precious If less splendid life which
he hid within the small circle of those he loved his
daughter has prepared the volume now before ms.
1t touches very briefly upon Guizots political and
literary career already traced by his own pen; IL
is even slightly concerned with the personal Incl
dents anecdotes ETC., which belong TO tho ordinary
biography In form it is little more than family
memorial, exhibiting the dutiiul son, the loving
husband and father, he appeared in the bosom OF
ms affectionate family. Although a sketch of this
kind is in its nature as far removed from true BIZ
pQraphy as the stiff and conventional picture TO
which NJ GuizOt referred the result In the present
instance has been exceptionally happy; Madame de
Wits fervid and tender tribute to her fathers
memory, while it is only contribution toward the
vet unexecuted delineation of the complete man as
be was, gives MS nevertheless an insight into SIM
Culary fine and amiable character, and admits us TO
D most charming family group.
Both the parents OF NJ. Guizot belonged to old
Protestant families. They had been married seven
years when the father died upon the scaiold during
The Reign of Terror. The widow was q remarkable
woman, whose portrait is drawn by Madame de
Witt with great force As girl she was clever,
pretty. lively, fond Of music and dancing. AS
wife she was pattern of happiness and devotion.
The cruel event which put an end to her married
life left an impression upon her character that was
never effaeed She mourncd her husband unceas-
inqIy until her own death, more than half CEN
fury afterward at the age of eighty-four. For
twenty years." said she, &" spent every night sit
ting on nv bed bathed in tears" But the tragedy
which spread q lasting gloom over her life seemed
to develop in her moral courage and strength Oh
will which she applied to the education OF her
children and later to the care of her motheIless
grandchildren. She had deep affection for them
ALL and they were not insensible of it, But it was
tinged with certain rigor and infexibihty. She
seldom c0ndeseended to fondness. OF made allow
8nco IOr cl1lulSu WtdhutSS. AL CAtioOiulhNly
mower of command was the principal feature in her
character ana she exercised it with all the ardoI
of a vigorous intellect bracing itself to endure
sorrow and responsibility. think sec her STILL"
saws Sain te- Beuve "and who that had Orce had
the honor of seeing her could ever forget NJ.
(uizot's venerable mother, in her simple antique
dress-her countenance with its strong and deep ex-
preston, its sweet austerity, which called to my
mind the portraits of the nuns at Port Royal, and
which, in default Of Philippe dc Champagne. has
been preserved for US by one OF the most refined
painters OF our age" AIRY Schcfcrl-" that mother
of the Cevennes who kept until the end of her days
the most devoted and submissive OF sons II think
] SEQ her now in the official salon which she only
passed through, and in which she appeared Tor
moment as tie living representative OF talth sim
plicity. and of those substantial virtues which
were brought to light by persecution at the
time of the Desert" 1t is the best proof OF
the innate nobility OF this stern, melancholy,
and exactlng dame that she was held in so
much reverence and regard by the large and some
what heterogeneous family Which gathered around
her throne. NJ. Guizot was twice married. and
various relatives and connections were established
from time to time by his domestic hearth; but his
home always presented a fascinating scene OF bal
mony His early life was undoubtedly clouded by
his mothers habitual sadness and austerty, and her
excessive assertion of authority. She meant him to
be an advocate, like his father, and in obedience to
her wishes, without much reference to his own, he
studied law conscientiously and painfully. His
preferences were foI literature and politics; but
Madame Guizot looked upon politics with natural
terror, while literature she had never been accus-
toned to consider as a serious career. 1t was not
until her son was in his twenty-irst year that she
was prevailed upon, by a friendly intercessor, who
understood young GuizOts powers better than she
did, to let him apply himself to literary work. AT
the age of nineteen Guzot wrote to his mother the
following characteristic sentences:
possess these rail- wing points, aud consider this
to lie q great happiness; God and the religion OF
Christ are my guides; Moral Law is the law to which
/ Nonld refer every question. l look upon every
temptation to step aside as danger, ana dlsre-
gard every path which does not lead me back to
the right road. l have one quality which Is. per-
haps ia vorable to my principles, although 1t IS
often reviled by the world Obstinacy. l may be
wrong, but whenever think that aW rght, tile
whole universe has no influence upon my opinions;
to change them l must be CONVINCED that am
wrong. so that am always obliged to be IN ear,
nest, and hope shall never fail in this respect
never put forward my opinions unless think them
better than those of Others, and this dareSay
gives me the appearance OF pride; IL may lndeed
Gu ssOn with those who do not seem to me to share
in reality, my opinions; there is q want OF eandor
in arguing when one is determined not to JOIN the
ranks of ones opponents; ID short, always intend
to hold fast, and to proclaim openly, my principles
of morality, of Religion and of virtue. l found
that had sen9y to
i began to consider my steadfastness exag
gerated, and was beginning to howl with The
wolves. wish preserve myself from this conta-
gion even il should fall into extreme severity. 1t
Is less hurtful to my character than extreme weak
ness
The strong religious convictions expressed in the
letter from which these lines are quoted were
avowed with even greater emphasis at the close of
his life and appear frequently in his private cor
respondence The severe and joyless temper which
colored his pous reflections yielded to the influence
of congsnia pursuits and elevatng friendships. At
the age of twenty-five, being already successful
author. he wrote to his mother as follows:
Won aro constantly in my thnuQhtH my dear