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MISOKtLANEOUS. Tins Court.—On Saturday h...
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France. (From Our Oxen Correspondent?) P...
There -was , however , this difference ; the greatest conqueror of modern times appeared unconscious of his impotence . And yet how -richly , how extravagantly , would the First - ' Napoleon have repaid the fulfilment of his craving wish ! Could he have found a poet he would have endowed him with the spoils of empires . From the kingdoms of the earth he "would have carved him out a new" state , and have seated him among the crowned heads of Europe . Any of his glories he would joyfully have exchanged against the simple honour of being the Maecenas of a * French Horace , or the Augustus of a modern Virgil . But it was not to he : perchance for the honour and independence of literature , and assuredly as an example of the futility of human wishes , as well as of the folly of expecting the mind , in its loftiest attributes , could be made the creature of
power . The " siecle de Louis XIV . " might be surpassed in military glory , but could not be approached by the literature of the Empire . " Le Grand Monarque " could command tragedies from Kacine and comedies from Moliere , which are still not only the masterpieces of Trench literature , but the admiration of the world . " Le Grand Capitaine " could not obtain the smallest ode that he could hope would be read beyond the precincts of his palace or remain a week in the popular mind , and Napoleon had the still greater mortification o * beholding the imbecile monarch of his enemies give his name to an epoch—the Georgian era—which was so crowded with constellations of genius as to pale the glories of the Augustan and Elizabethan ages . Austerlitz could find no poet . But the Battle of the Baltic lives in immortal verse , and Waterloo was sung by Cbilde
Harold . Coming lower down , we find that what was denied to the Empire was bestowed , unsought and uncared for , on the periods of the Restoration anil the Government of July . The fall of Napoleon seemed the signal for smiting the rock ^ and the living waters of literature gushed forth . Laniartine , Victor Hugo , Be ' ranger , and Casimir Delavigne rose without effort—almost without notice—i-and filled France with melody . Thiers , Guizot , and Cousin proved that the historical and philosophical genius of the country was not dead , but had only slumbered during the leaden empire . And never before , was seen a greater or more brilliant array of intellectual writers . Yet , no sooner did the first
flickerings of a Second Empire appear than the literary glories of France grew-dim , until they have almost faded from our sight / Her poets are all hushed , and the golden chords of their lyres broken , unless we except that Jew ' s-harp which M . Barthelemy has occasionally twanged in the pages of the Moniteur apropos of the improvements in-the Iio'is de Boulogne , and such-like poetical deeds of the Second Empire . Even Auguste Barbier , who gave an almost English rough vigour and thorough earnestness to French verse , has taken office under the successorof him he held aloft to derision as the " Corse aux cheveux plats , ' whom he anathematised , in the name of Republican France , for the evils she had suffered , in ver ^ e the memory of which seems to ring out in this dismal night shrill and ominous like the tocsin : —
" Jrour toutes ces insultes je n ' ai bltiine qu ' un homme , Ohlmaudit soit Napole " ou !" He of course is silent . In place of the productions of the brilliant and well informed writers alluded to , we have the historical essays of JM . Marie-Martin , the political criticisms of M . Granier de Cassngnac , the literary amenities of M . Vcuillot , and the polemical compositions of M . Boniface . In inheriting the crown the emperor inherited also many of the views and sentiments of his undo ; among the latter is the wish for a contemporary literary illustration of his reign . I shall scarcely offend Messrs . Marie-Martin , Veuillot , and their coiifrvres ., if I state
that his Majesty is not inclined to believe them capable of ftilfllling his wish . Penny-a-liners are doubtless vpry useful members of society , but they are not its ornament , at least not in that capacity . Publicistcs who can write / to order- on any subject ,... and , on . any . side ,. op on , both sides nt once , may bo convenient instruments , but it is not to them ono would fuel inclined to confide the en re of one ' s future reputation , For as thoy follow the changes of the times , and , from Imperialists to-day mny be Legitimists , Orlcanists , Republicans , or any thingamnu to-morrow , according to circumstances , they are quite ns likely ae not to vehemently abuse hereafter what thoy now unscrupulously beprulao .
Should it be thought that I have exaggerated tho desire which the Emperor feels for the advent of somo giant in literature , tho writers named above being considered apparently no moro than pigmios , dospito thoir good intentions and endeavours nt stylo , I refer to tho AonBfc . Lvion-by-t . hQ r ai | niBtoq lpfl ^ p ^ Hp fos , frruc , { ion ftp j l ^ dinner offered to the prizemen in tho Lite coll ego examinations . M . Roulnnd said , after proposing tho Emperor ' s health , " IIo wills tho development of tho arts , sciences , nnd letters . " ( Ilvoutlo Udveloppement doa arts , 4 cs sciences , et des lottros . ) *• ¦••
• It is to tho foot that this " will" is known to exist that is generally imputed those romarkablo addressee which havo boon presented during tho imperial 'progross , and which mark a porlod In tho literature of tho country . Publlo opinion is , however , not unanimous in rogardlng those addressee as ovidenco of u Htorary Improvement , or
as marking a period of winch there is any good reaso " to be proud . Indeed , one of the correspondents of a French provincial paper , after noticing the exuberant imperialism of a Paris rMacteur writing from Cherbourg that " the statue of Napoleon I . recals the words of Scripture : —' And God said , let there be light , and there was light ; ' for the Emperor Napoleon said , ' Lot Cheibourg be , and Cherbourg was , '" adds that " it was scarcely worth while to utter
an impiety for the sake of saying a silly tiling . " ( Ce n ' etait guere la peine de dire line impiete pour dire une sottise . ) Your readers will probably be of the same mind . They , may even still further agree with the writer of these home truths when he says , speaking from his own experience , " I find , in general , that political flatterers are the sore of all the regimes—the sore also Of newspapers . " ( Je trouve qu ' en general les flatteurs politiques sont laplaie de tous les regimes , la plaie aussi des touruaux . )
Thus , it having got rumoured abroad that the surest way to imperial favour , and the sweets that accompany it , was literary distinction , and people beginning to weary : of the ordinary road to honours—I do not mean honour- ^ in which they have been preceded by a De Morny and a Baroche , the mayors and public functionaries , whose good genius furnished them with occasions to submit specimens of their literary skill to imperial criticism , were eager to take advantage of what appeared to them a short cut to high fortune . Many of them , doubtless , like M .: Jourdan , who discovered he had been sreaking prose all his life without knowing it , found out now that they were masters "dans Tart d ' eerire , " and preservers of the " traditions "du grand stjlo , " inrectors
stead of being common-place prefects , academy , or mayors . Their proclamation , beginning with royal We— ~ Nous Pvefet , ijc— suddenly assumed in their eyes the importance of the chefs-iVceuvre littcraires . They discovered an easy grace in the permissions given to calareiiers to open shop ; a terrible vigour in their decrees of death to unmuzzled '' chiens , dOgues et bouledogues , " including great perspicuity in distinguishing dogs from bull-dogs ; and an unequalled terseness in their nominations of subordinates . In short , they found ineffable charms in every piece of print to which their names were attacked . Chateaubriand ' s Genie du Christicmi & iw they had been taught was poetry in prose , and they believed it . was the
same with their compositions- Only some such widespread delusion as this can explain the sudden blossoming of the flowers of rhetoric ; 'An instance may be citedthe Mayor of Brest- —who commenced his address by the announcement of ah original and interestiiig discovery that there were situations in . which municipal magistrates found themselves sometimes when words were powerless to translate sentiments , and left the expressions of the mind ( pensee ) much below the movements of the heart . (!) I should be sorry to diminish any of the glory that may accrue to the mayor of Brest from his discovery ; but I fear he has been anticipated b 3 ' some English magistrate ? . I believe Mr . Justice Shallow and Dogberry both found themselves in this
position when words were powerless to translate their sentiments . Further , I think the remembrance of this discovery is still preserved in England , where at parish dinners , after the cloth is removed , 60 me gentleman , on having his health proposed , will assure the company that his tongue is inadequate to express the overflowing sentiments of his heart , or that his heart is too big for his tongue , or his bosom is bursting ; which 1 take to be tho substance , done into English , of Bfr . Mayor ' s speech . How tho movements of the heart rise above or below tho expression of the mind is a problem which may bo referred to
learned psychologists for solution . But any one can judge for himself of tho good tuste , independence , and delicacy exhibited in telling tho Emperor to his face that " in the moving spectacle of a ' t / iyat genius , struggling with tho diflicultics and perils of a dynastic reconstitution , wo havo seen Providence cover you constantly with , his , shield . ; Ihej . p ^ ppje gave ei g ht millions of votes ; you havo become , at the samei time , tlie elect of Divine grace and of the national will . To-day it is a duty to whomsoever is tho least . imbued with religion and patriotism , to consecrate to you , without rosorvc , his gratitude , his devotion , and admiration . "
It is at all times unpleasant to introduce into questions of this nature the name of so estimablo a lady as tho Empress , but I bilievo 1 may say , without fear of contradict ion , that her sentiments of piety , to which tho Bishop cf Quimpor niuUo allusion , wore not aligntly outraged on being told by tho Mayor of Brest that " Providence , in giving you a son , did not wish alono to Jluttcv your heart of Empress and smile upon your ton-¦ ilarnfldfl ^ o ^ nnpUjftfr ho M-effifftfyt / to mako tho more- bolovcil by a whole pooijld her whb ' sbrfaminn > ftppvu eaa ~ is" ''
a pledge for tho security of tho future of Franco . " Tho Mayor , whoso loyalty is marked by such trifks as writing tho pronoun for Providence with a email capital and the ono for Empress with a large one , has certainly tho merit of having said something original . Since tho days when Home paid Ulvino honours to tho hofriu' of her Emperor ( hero pooulo would nut object to worship an Imperial ana ) , no courtier has toon found to say that Providonco condescends to Hut tor human Kings , however lofty may bo their Btatiou In tho world . ' This originality ,
which is already qualified here m private in a manner little anticipated by its . author ,- was reserved for the Mayor of Brest , who , if he has not acquired fame , has attained another species of notoriety . Although the municipal magistrate took the lead , he was entirely followed by the President of tho Brest Tribunal , but not to such daring heights . The latter functionary contented himself with saying , " Providence , Sire , in according to you a son ,, has signalised you to the world as the continuator of a dynasty which ought not to perish . By this signal favour , Providence wished to recompense in you the nian of all the successes and of all the glories ( i'homme de tous les succes et de toutes les gloires ) . That is sufficient to say that He
always protects France . " After alluding to the loyalty of the Bretons to their kings , the speaker said , " But when the finger of God has designated you so manifestly to the acclamations and gratitude of the people , weare obliged , Sire , after so many tempests , to have faith in the star of your destiny . " If this is an average specimen of the logical deductions of the President of the Brest Tribunal , all I can say is , that I pity those who may have to come before him when he sit 3 upon the judgment-seat . Happily for the reputation of Brittany , Brest functionaries stand alone . In the speech of the authorities at Quimper I find no assertion as to what Providence does , nor yet in the address of the Council-General . The rector of Rennes did certainly express his readiness to
serve " his august sovereign and his glorious and pro vidential dynasty , " but that whs understood to be a si in pie praver for preferment . On the other hand , the President of the Qiiimier Tribunal presented his brother magistrates to the imperial presence in a speech which , for its brevity and curt ness , forms a marked contrast with what had been spoken before . Here it is entire : — " Sire , you see before you . the members of your civil tribunal of Quimper , the justices of the peace of the arrondissement , our barristers , our attorneys , the judicial body complete . All love you , Sire ! " Decidedly French fiuictionark-s are
not likely to be injured by too much modesty , or to have their sentiments mistaken from lack of speaking out . They believe themselves wiser in their generation than poor Violet— " she never told her love . " But they do tell theirs . They shout it out in high places , and before the object of their love . They will let no concealment prey on their cheek " like the worm i' the bud , " for they tell their afflictions to the whole world . They take care to make known wherefore it was given , and on what conditions it may be had as openly and unblushhigly as Phryne advertises her trade in the Bois de Boulogne .
A project is in the course of elaboration- — . if any erecut may be attached to rumours—for publishing in a collected form the addresses that have been presented , in order to form a Cours de Litterature Imperiale , to be used in place of De Luharpe ' s . collection . The future style , it is said , will be much improved by the study and imitation of these models of literary composition . Their authors are to write their own biographies , and have their portraits drawn as they please , for publication with the addresses , so that the work mny be unique . That it will bo anything more I do not pretend to say .
The General Council of the He " rault , under the presidence of that distinguished economist and public writer , M . Michel Chevalier , have passed resolutions , or , as it is termed , a cm is cits vawx , for the resolutions arc simply the expression of desires in favour of free trade , The objects are , that the reduction of duties which have been provisionally decreed may be promptly made permanent , and preceded by tho revision of the whole of tho tariff . That ail the dues levied on French merchandise be suppressed , and the formalities for exporting goods bo simplified . That alT commercial prohibitions on imnortalions bo abolished , anil replaced by duties properly graduated , without that in this respect the term of July , 18 G 1 ( when tho prohibitions are to cease ) , bo postponed so fur as it would affect any of tho goods enumerated in tho bill of 180 C . That the duties
which are mostly excessive iir the tariff may bo brought to n rale which will pormit foreign competition toatiuw liito Fibnch trade , thenceforward strong enough to profit from such a system instead of being injuriously ull ' ecteu by it , That " tho duties on raw niateriula of all sorts bo gradually lowered , so as to disappear in tho course of a ftsw years . That it bo tho aamo with respect to tools , machines , and apparatus which arc tho instruments of labour , of agriculture , of manufacture , of commerce , I and of navigation—and especially that tho duties on iron , pig iron , and steel bar may bo brought back as speedily us possible to tho rates that existed undyr >»" poluon i . And that in tho diplomatic negotiation vine " may bo opened to secure for Frcnah trade a just reciprocity , efforts bo . particularly mado to reniovo tin interdict wliich haB boon plaoud everywhere , in Kurop ? antl 'l ' u r o'if ' l on "" l . ' ' rcu " cir'Svlnoili " "" '' ''" " ' "
Here In S9b The L E A Pe B. [Ko. ,4-11, ...
S 9 B THE L E A PE B . [ Ko . , 4-11 , September 4 , 1858 .
Misoktlaneous. Tins Court.—On Saturday H...
MISOKtLANEOUS . Tins Court . —On Saturday hor Majesty and tho I ' rlnw Consort K'ft PotaUam at half-past eight o ' clock , <>» tw »' way homeward * . Thoir ' lioyal l-lhjhnoBsus tho 1 nnw and Princess of Piusaia , and Prlnco and PrjiicoM Frederick William , accompanied them in tUo rn mvoycarriago part of tho way . At a small station I "" " WlUl-park tho Prlnco auU Princoss Frederick AN W' «
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), Sept. 4, 1858, page 10, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_04091858/page/10/
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