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1874.]
Charles de Montalembert.
45
CHARLES DE MONTALEMBERT *
•
The service which this distinguished man rendered to the United
States during our civil war, and his able and generous plea for us
at a time when half the European world were against us, should
.give him a claim upon our attention, and lead us to make acquaint
ance with his character and life.
We confess that we know very little of the works of Mrs
Oliphant, but we feel after closing ^he pages of this book, that a
mind which could draw,such a graceful and delightful picture of
its hero, and at the same time make so fair, so broad, and phil
osophical an estimate of his character, must possess no common
culture and ability. There is not, in our opinion, one dull page
in this Memoir. It is contrary, at the same time, to all the re
ceived laws of good biography, which generally *equire that thet
r
author should keep himself and his views out of sight as much as
possible. If the writer therefore had made an uninteresting book,
we should have the right to' complain; but he who succeeds, makes
laws for himself. We have something here far more comprehen
sive than a series of facts, however valuables We have a grand
colossal figur'e, standing out amid the pigmjes of the past half cen
tury in France, painted, by the hand of affection, and in the glow
ing yet chaste colors of an artist, who saw the original in no false
iight, but noble and beautiful as he really waslIt is not our purpose to make a complete review of this book, but
there are some elements in the character of Montalembert which
are peculiarly fitting for us to contemplate in this age of the
world.
So-called Liberal Christians are too apt to believe that liberality
of thought must inevitably belong to at mind that accepts radical
opinions in religion. Hence our unseemly haste to force a man, by
the charge of cowardice, out of the communion where he was born,
* Memoir of Count de Montalembert, Peer of France, Deputy for the
Department of Drubs. A Chapter of recent French History. By Mrs.
Oliphant.
�46
Charles de Montalembert.
Mar.] •
and which he loves. We forget ’that human nature is not a math
ematical machine, which must continually repeat that two and two
make four, or else be charged with failure. We forget how many
different elements it takes to make up a man, and so, because he
has got hold of some one great truth, we are impatient with him,
that he cannot see others close under his vision. It is a trite
saying, but we cannot hear it too often, that liberality is a qual
ity that lies more in a man’s character and heart, than in his
way of thinking. We have in Montalembert a good illustra
tion of this truth. There never was perhaps a more ardent, un
swerving, and some would say fanatical Roman Catholic than he.
In the glow of youth, with life all before him, eager to rouse his
beloved church to a sense of its privileges and responsibilities, he
calmly puts aside his weapons of warfare, and like a docile Son of
the Faith, renounces his cherished hopes, because an old man,
the Pope, whom he believes the Father of Christendom, bids him
lay his hand on his mouth and be still. Who would dare charge
him with moral cowardice ? Courage has nothing to do with these
inexplicable emotions, proceeding from the religious imagination,
born with our being, growing with our growth, heightened by the
associations of youth, and sanctified by the sorrows 'of after years.
The logical critic, the religious economist, have nothing to do with
such a character. They read him exactly as they read the Bible ;
ready to square everything with their line and plummet, impa
tient at inequalities, and disposed to reject the whole if they can
not accomplish their object.
We cannot discover that this sacrifice of his will to that of another
equally fallible injured the mettle of Montalembert’s'character, or
dimmed his vision of abstract truth. We all have our ideals.
This was his ideal: Whatever the Pope’s private failings, he as the
great Bishop of the church below, wore the mantle of Christ, and
commanded the entire devotion of the faithful. As to the doctrine
of the infallibility of the Pope, he never accepted it, and he little
valued his temporal power. Montalemb.ert’s love of civil liberty
was in no way impaired by his obedience to the church, although
he seemed to hold the opinjon of Plato, that “ the acceptance
of established opinions must precede and aid the private judg
ment, because the mind which submits to lawful authority is most
�' 1874.]
Charles de Montalembert.
47
likely to possess real independence, in distinction from that coun■ terfeit which is only a slavish fear of a creed.”
His efforts in the cause of free education were unceasing. He
accepted the powers that were, — that is, the existing govern
ment in France, — but reserved to himself the right to oppose
them constitutionally when their measures went against his sense
of right. It was a hard lesson which he endeavored in vain to
teach France after her terrible memories. He tried to show her
how to curb legitimately her tyrants and demagogues, without
the awful necessity of revolution. He felt the truth of the say
ing of a distinguished Frenchman, tha| “ France. had wit, indus
try and even genius, but not character.” He had such a hor
ror of anarchy and bloodshed, that he was ready to accept
Louis Napoleon as the only salvation of the Country. His
loyal soul never suspected treachery^ and the President of the
•
Republic became the Emperor before his eyes were opened.
Between him and Louis Napoleon unmask® there could be no
real sympathy. The Emperor cast him off as soon as he no longer
needed his services. His political life s^denly ceased.
In the prime of life, in the vei^heat of the contest, flushed with
the consciousness of his own pow^s, and wakened to the delightful
fact that he had the ears of his fellow-mea he was compelled by the
insolent power of one man to lay off his armor, and Satire from the
field. He had reached the most httliant period in his career.
Nothing could equal the effect of his speeches before the assem
bly. When in early life he had the whole house in opposition to
him, even then he chained their attention. It was such a novel
spectacle to see in that blase circle of men, a young nobleman so
high toned, so impassioned, so bold, and so religious. But often in
later years — as, for instance, when he made an appeal against
the intolerance of the Swiss Protestants towards the Catholics —
he brought down the house with wild plaudits! The Jesuit party
in Germany to-day might well invoke his memory, for though he
was no Jesuit, he always took the side of the oppressed.
In regard to his speeches it is difficult to describe them. We
have very superficial ideas of French eloquence. We form our
’ opinions from the melo-dramatic sayings which come to us in the
time of revolution. The public words of Lamartine, of Victor
�48
Charles de Montalembert.
Mar.J
Hugo, and other distinguished men, have a sentimental air that
does not suit our Anglo Saxon tastes. We defy any one to make
this criticism of the speeches of Montalembert. They read ad
mirably, which is a great deal to say of such fragments as appear
in this life, — a public speech being supposed to depend so much
upon the voice and manner. There is very little of historic allu
sion, as in our great speeches, there are few illustrations, or figures,
no arts to attract the attention, but simply the overwhelming ap
peal of a nature that cannot rest until it has convinced you.
Sometimes it is the cutting, calm, repressed satire of the avenger
of meanness and injustice; sometimes the lofty conviction of the
religious man who loved his church like a lover; sometimes the
generous plea for the rights of humanity, denied to his bitter
opponents; and sometimes, as when he took his seat in the
French Academy, the grand survey of intellectual truth and
liberty.
Two other men figured largely in France during the life of
Montalembert. They also had their mouths sealed and their
young aspirations quenched. One of them, Lacordaire,1"was of
an elastic temperament like Montalembert, and when repressed in
one field of action he broke out in another. The other, Lammenais, was of a different nature; he could not struggle with
destiny. His whole life was embittered by his cold reception
at Rome, and the impossibility of carrying out his cherished
plans for the enfranchisement of the church. A country which
can produce three such men in one generation, need not be
despaired of, much less a church. Whatever may be its local
and political prejudices against the Reformed Catholic party
in Germany and Switzerland, the Romish Church in France
must see, that if it is to live, it must widen with the march of
civilization. It may do it in its own way, the way best suited to
the genius of its people. Happy would it'be for France, if the
church would inscribe on her banners the names of these three
great men.
Montalembert published several volumes during his life. One
was a memoir of St. Elizabeth, another a sort of romance founded
on the lives of two friends. His article on the Triumph of the
North, and the Question of Slavery in America, is full of clear
�1874.]
Charles de Montalembert.
49
good sense, and delicate appreciation of the condition of things in
this coilntry.
His greatest work, 44 The Monks of the West,” he left unfin
ished. In the preparation of this book he called to his aid all the
richest treasures of sacred art and history, amid the retirement
of his literary life. The thoroughness of his research was only
equalled by his enthusiasm, which threw a halo of subdued and
beautiful light around the lives of those early fathers of the
church and floods the whole book with a warm religious glow.
One day his beautiful and beloved daughter came to him with a
sweet smile upon hefr face, and announced to him her desire to
enter a convent; and when he remonstrated with her, she turned
towards his table, and faid her hand upon the manuscripts of this
book, and said, 44 Here, my Father, is wher<T have learned to pre
fer the monastic life to all others.’? He was struck dumb. He
had not thought of the practical effect of the book upon the life of
to-day, but only of the beauty and sanctity of the past. He strug
gled with the feeling of the fond parent and let her go, but he
never recovered from what he called his 44 grande desolation.”
The latter part of his life he spent in his country house, an old
Chateau, which he remodelled with much taste. He loved his
trees and lands like an Englishman, and respected his humble
neighbors, who, strange to say, with the fickleness of French peas
ants, ripped up the bark of his saplings, and injured, his dwelling,
whenever any out-break at the capital encouraged them to make
raids upon those who were noble or rich. He bore it patiently, for
he had long been used to ingratitude from his country and church.
So passed away a noble life. When will France have another
son like him ?
Martha Perry Lowe.
7
�
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Victorian Blogging
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A collection of digitised nineteenth-century pamphlets from Conway Hall Library & Archives. This includes the Conway Tracts, Moncure Conway's personal pamphlet library; the Morris Tracts, donated to the library by Miss Morris in 1904; the National Secular Society's pamphlet library and others. The Conway Tracts were bound with additional ephemera, such as lecture programmes and handwritten notes.<br /><br />Please note that these digitised pamphlets have been edited to maximise the accuracy of the OCR, ensuring they are text searchable. If you would like to view un-edited, full-colour versions of any of our pamphlets, please email librarian@conwayhall.org.uk.<br /><br /><span><img src="http://www.heritagefund.org.uk/sites/default/files/media/attachments/TNLHLF_Colour_Logo_English_RGB_0_0.jpg" width="238" height="91" alt="TNLHLF_Colour_Logo_English_RGB_0_0.jpg" /></span>
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Conway Hall Ethical Society
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Title
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Charles de Montalembert
Creator
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Lowe, Martha Perry [1829-1902]
Description
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Place of publication: Boston
Collation: 45-49 p. ; 23 cm.
Notes: A review of 'Memoir of Count de Montalembert, peer of France, deputy for the Department of Drubs. A chapter of French history'' by Mrs Oliphant. Martha Perry Lowe was a 19th-century American poet. She supported women's rights, temperance, education, and Unitarian organisations. From the library of Dr Moncure Conway. For content of complete issue see: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.8906965 (accessed 11/2017). From the Unitarian Review and Religious Magazine. Vol. 1 (March 1874).
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[Unitarian Review and Religious Magazine]
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[1874]
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G5434
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<p class="western"><img src="http://i.creativecommons.org/p/mark/1.0/88x31.png" alt="Public Domain Mark" /><br />This work (Charles de Montalembert), identified by <span style="color:#0000ff;"><span lang="zxx"><u>Humanist Library and Archives</u></span></span>, is free of known copyright restrictions.</p>
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application/pdf
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Text
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English
Subject
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Unitarianism
Charles Forbes Rene de Montalembert
Conway Tracts