The Irish standard., 1898-04-30
HIS VISIT TO IRELAND In 1880
OCOnnell's Emancipation Triumph
Aroused His Ardor.
SHOWS HIS APPRECIATION OF
Tie Liberat0r's Character ana
Services TO Humanity.

Among the greatest of modern French
orators was Count Charles Reno de
MontalcmGcrt, the author of that cele-
bratcd work. The Monks of the West"
who was born in London May 9? 1SiC.
His father was an eminent French mill
tary engineer, from whose great work on
''Fortiiications' We have derived all that
perfection seen in our day.
When four years old the parents OF the
subject OF this sketch removed to Paris,
and in 1916 the father was appointed
minister to Stuttgart, Germany, by Louis
XVIII. Here the future orator spent 4
few years. Returning to Paris, he en-
tered tho College OF st. Barbe. whore ho
laid tho foundation Of his future dstinc-
tion as Il man of letters
In 1880 Montalcmbert paid a visit to
Ireland. This visit Is fully described In a
series OF picturesque letters addressed to
several friends. They ure characteristics
ally graphic and enthusiastic 1t was
induced him to visit Ireland at this time.
Tho great triumph of O'Conncll in win
ming Catholic emancipation had aroused
his ardor, and tho political condition Of
the people had long enlisted his interest,
He WAS already familiar with their his
tory, their trials. their religious fidelity
and their patriotic aspirations.
In Dublin he was impressed by the
| misery of the people and fascinated BY
| the bewitching beauty of the Irish wom-
en-. "'They form the most beautiful fe-
male population l over bchcld." From
the Vale Of Avoca he wrote: "IIcre am,
however, and here | am with q heart full
of admiration and love for that Ireland
l had so we'll guessed, which l loved 80
rightly without knowing her"
From Carlow he wrote: Il really don't
know which ought to admire the most,"
he said, "thc people or the clergy feel
ronfoundcd at the sight OF this people
equally faithful to its misery and It's old
belief, who, of all the possessions of their
forcrnthcrs, have possessed nothing else
but their faith, the only relic snntchcd
from the conqueror, without ever allow
ing themselves to be carried away by tho
invilciblo attraction Of imitation.
think such nation is sublime, and has
not It's like In all Europe AS for the
| priests. they are all model pricstR--man-
| ly open, cheerful, energetic Ono
can see that over their hearts religion
and patriotism hold an equal sway"
| Previous to his visit to the Emerald
| Isle he thought of writing Il history Of
| ireland. OCOnncll was then tho central
| figure and MontnlcmIcrt, fired with adj
| miratiOn for the great leader of the Irish
people. hastcncd to Ircland's most fa-
| vorch shrine, Dcrrynanc in Kerry, whcro
dwclt O'Conncll.
Mpntalcmbcrt found arroWil surrounds
| ing the libcrntor's home waiting to SUBJ
NIT their disputes to the great lawyer.
| When OConncll appeared he received
! MontalcmhcrL Kindly, and dIu what he
| Thoughts; would please the courtly young
| Frcnchmnn, by llshcrng his visitor inS.
| his drawing room to meet a party Of
| friends.
| Montalembcrt had expected to have q
| private audience with O'ConncIl for the
| discussion Of his favorito theories, and.
| having come in Il travelling suit, with no
change OF dress, was chagrined to taEe
| his place at dinner, and he had 10 op-
| pGrlunty for tho talk which lie had
promised himself with O'Connell. All
| the conditions abnshcd him, disappointed
| him, and he scarcely esteemed his pill
| grimhgc IL success.
With the ineXpcricncc Of youth and the
| enthusiasm of Il F'rcnchman, he had pic
| turcd to himself a different ideal from
| that he met in the b'lrly, powerful chief,
| who probably exhibited little Of the deli
cacy Of character and refinement Of
manner to which his youthful guest, bred
in the atmosphere of society Of the an
| cicnt nCblcsSc, had been accustomed.
But he aftcrw;rd, later in life, showed
his appreciation of OConnelrs charc-
ter, and the magnitude and Importance
| or the great lihcrat0rs services To tho
cause of Ireland and Of religious liberty.
| That he was deeply, nay profoundly,
T, impressed by tho religious faith and
carnestncss Of tho Irish people, has been
! shown by his correspondence That this
was the cause Of his change from irre-
ligon to belief is manifestly absurd Nor
IS there any thing in his life or writings
! 10 show that lie over attributed "the
! priceless treasure Of faith" to the cxaua-
| lie he saw in Irclnrd. lie ever hold the
| faith. Ho mover lost IT,
Disseminated, he started on his return