登陆注册
5463000000004

第4章 MEMOIR OF BERNARDIN DE ST. PIERRE(3)

On his return to St. Petersburg, he found his protector Villebois, disgraced. St. Pierre then resolved on espousing the cause of the Poles. He went into Poland with a high reputation,--that of having refused the favours of despotism, to aid the cause of liberty. But it was his private life, rather than his public career, that was affected by his residence in Poland. The Princess Mary fell in love with him, and, forgetful of all considerations, quitted her family to reside with him. Yielding, however, at length, to the entreaties of her mother, she returned to her home. St. Pierre, filled with regret, resorted to Vienna; but, unable to support the sadness which oppressed him, and imagining that sadness to be shared by the Princess, he soon went back to Poland. His return was still more sad than his departure; for he found himself regarded by her who had once loved him, as an intruder. It is to this attachment he alludes so touchingly in one of his letters. "Adieu! friends dearer than the treasures of India!

Adieu! forests of the North, that I shall never see again!--tender friendship, and the still dearer sentiment which surpassed it!--days of intoxication and of happiness adeiu! adieu! We live but for a day, to die during a whole life!"

This letter appears to one of St. Pierre's most partial biographers, as if steeped in tears; and he speaks of his romantic and unfortunate adventure in Poland, as the ideal of a poet's love.

"To be," says M. Sainte-Beuve, "a great poet, and loved before he had thought of glory! To exhale the first perfume of a soul of genius, believing himself only a lover! To reveal himself, for the first time, entirely, but in mystery!"

In his enthusiasm, M. Sainte-Beuve loses sight of the melancholy sequel, which must have left so sad a remembrance in St. Pierre's own mind. His suffering, from this circumstance, may perhaps have conduced to his making Virginia so good and true, and so incapable of giving pain.

In 1766, he returned to Havre; but his relations were by this time dead or dispersed, and after six years of exile, he found himself once more in his own country, without employment and destitute of pecuniary resources.

The Baron de Breteuil at length obtained for him a commission as Engineer to the Isle of France, whence he returned in 1771. In this interval, his heart and imagination doubtless received the germs of his immortal works. Many of the events, indeed, of the "Voyage a l'Ile de France," are to be found modified by imagined circumstances in "Paul and Virginia." He returned to Paris poor in purse, but rich in observation and mental resources, and resolved to devote himself to literature. By the Baron de Breteuil he was recommended to D'Alembert, who procured a publisher for his "Voyage," and also introduced him to Mlle. de l'Espinasse. But no one, in spite of his great beauty, was so ill calculated to shine or please in society as St. Pierre. His manners were timid and embarrassed, and, unless to those with whom he was very intimate, he scarcely appeared intelligent.

It is sad to think, that misunderstanding should prevail to such an extent, and heart so seldom really speak to heart, in the intercourse of the world, that the most humane may appear cruel, and the sympathizing indifferent. Judging of Mlle. de l'Espinasse from her letters, and the testimony of her contemporaries, it seems quite impossible that she could have given pain to any one, more particularly to a man possessing St. Pierre's extraordinary talent and profound sensibility. Both she and D'Alembert were capable of appreciating him; but the society in which they moved laughed at his timidity, and the tone of raillery in which they often indulged was not understood by him. It is certain that he withdrew from their circle with wounded and mortified feelings, and, in spite of an explanatory letter from D'Alembert, did not return to it. The inflictors of all this pain, in the meantime, were possibly as unconscious of the meaning attached to their words, as were the birds of old of the augury drawn from their flight.

St. Pierre, in his "Preambule de l'Arcadie," has pathetically and eloquently described the deplorable state of his health and feelings, after frequent humiliating disputes and disappointments had driven him from society; or rather, when, like Rousseau, he was "self-banished" from it.

"I was struck," he says, "with an extraordinary malady. Streams of fire, like lightning, flashed before my eyes; every object appeared to me double, or in motion: like OEdipus, I saw two suns. . . In the finest day of summer, I could not cross the Seine in a boat without experiencing intolerable anxiety. If, in a public garden, I merely passed by a piece of water, I suffered from spasms and a feeling of horror. I could not cross a garden in which many people were collected: if they looked at me, I immediately imagined they were speaking ill of me." It was during this state of suffering, that he devoted himself with ardour to collecting and making use of materials for that work which was to give glory to his name.

It was only by perseverance, and disregarding many rough and discouraging receptions, that he succeeded in making acquaintance with Rousseau, whom he so much resembled. St. Pierre devoted himself to his society with enthusiasm, visiting him frequently and constantly, till Rousseau departed for Ermenonville. It is not unworthy of remark, that both these men, such enthusiastic admirers of Nature and the natural in all things, should have possessed factitious rather than practical virtue, and a wisdom wholly unfitted for the world. St. Pierre asked Rousseau, in one of their frequent rambles, if, in delineating St.

同类推荐
热门推荐
  • 追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    青涩蜕变,如今她是能独当一面的女boss,爱了冷泽聿七年,也同样花了七年时间去忘记他。以为是陌路,他突然向他表白,扬言要娶她,她只当他是脑子抽风,他的殷勤她也全都无视。他帮她查她父母的死因,赶走身边情敌,解释当初拒绝她的告别,和故意对她冷漠都是无奈之举。突然爆出她父母的死居然和冷家有丝毫联系,还莫名跳出个公爵未婚夫,扬言要与她履行婚约。峰回路转,破镜还能重圆吗? PS:我又开新文了,每逢假期必书荒,新文《有你的世界遇到爱》,喜欢我的文的朋友可以来看看,这是重生类现言,对这个题材感兴趣的一定要收藏起来。
  • 异世重生0c

    异世重生0c

    前世惨遭渣男背叛,苏墨承受不了打击选择自杀,谁知竟然架空穿越了!还是穿到了异世一个十八线小演员身上,同样的渣男背叛,但是这一世,苏墨要好好的活着,让那些伤害过她的人得到应有的报应!这是一个和地球差不多的世界,却又是和地球完全不一样的世界这里有着和地球一样的生活方式,但是却没有张国荣没有周杰伦陈奕迅,也没有哈利波特,没有泰坦尼克号,对苏墨这个穿越穿越者来说,简直就是个大大的金手指,不混到风生水起实在是对不起自己啊!
  • 有所为:主持人与广播媒体竞争力

    有所为:主持人与广播媒体竞争力

    《有所为:主持人与广播媒体竞争力》是北京人民广播电台主持人王为十年主持工作实践的提炼和总结,主要探讨了面对日益激烈的广播媒体竞争环境,如何从主持人的素质层面入手,提高主持人的竞争力,树立主持人品牌和品牌节目,从而打造更具竞争力的媒体。《有所为:主持人与广播媒体竞争力》提供了作者一线主持实践的思考和心得,还有对广播媒体产业形式和发展趋势的研究分析,着重阐述了面对当前及今后的媒体环境,作为广播节目的主体一主持人所应该具备的各种素质和能力。
  • 回龙山下

    回龙山下

    取名于作者三台县祖居老宅后的一座小山,主要收集了作者近两年创作的诗词文章159篇。作品分盛世微言、琴趣盎然、兴观群怨三个部分。
  • 最佳初恋

    最佳初恋

    叶纯有个很孔雀的竹马,他二八年华扬风流之名,逢人便抖屁股上的羽毛。甘哲有个很彪悍的青梅,一身武艺尽得他爹真传,打小收拾他得心应手。当青梅发现她暗恋了十年的竹马也暗恋她,这么乌龙的事情要怎样收场?呵呵,揍一顿,拖回家!
  • 伊德拉地下城建设中

    伊德拉地下城建设中

    深元继承了一座异世界地下城。接手之后开始建设地下城。改造环境,招募魔物,探索资源,改头换面去各个国家流浪一圈挖挖墙角……让伊德拉地下城的名字深刻在所有生灵心中。日常轻松向
  • 追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    青涩蜕变,如今她是能独当一面的女boss,爱了冷泽聿七年,也同样花了七年时间去忘记他。以为是陌路,他突然向他表白,扬言要娶她,她只当他是脑子抽风,他的殷勤她也全都无视。他帮她查她父母的死因,赶走身边情敌,解释当初拒绝她的告别,和故意对她冷漠都是无奈之举。突然爆出她父母的死居然和冷家有丝毫联系,还莫名跳出个公爵未婚夫,扬言要与她履行婚约。峰回路转,破镜还能重圆吗? PS:我又开新文了,每逢假期必书荒,新文《有你的世界遇到爱》,喜欢我的文的朋友可以来看看,这是重生类现言,对这个题材感兴趣的一定要收藏起来。
  • 餐桌上的生活智慧

    餐桌上的生活智慧

    “衣”、“食”、“住”、“行”这是生活的全部。其中“民以食为天”,这个“食”的重要性可想而知。作为22世纪的新新人类,聚餐、请客成为了生活中不可缺少的部分。那在吃餐的时候的礼仪你都知道吗?你有没有引起别人的不屑,或者别人的夸赞呢?什么是餐桌上的智慧?如何做个成功的人士?就请进来看看吧。
  • 鬼医宠妃

    鬼医宠妃

    十二月的夜晚,正是冷的时候。风呜呜地吼了起来,漫天飞舞的雪花渐渐的遮满了天空。漆黑的天空同雪海连成了一片,视野中就只剩下了黑蒙蒙的一片。吧嗒嗒的马车声由远及近,挂在马车顶端的一盏昏暗的小油灯在这漆黑的夜晚显得格外的明亮。这个马车足足有寻常两个马车那么大。一个女子侧躺在马车中,脸上蒙着一层薄纱,看不清容貌。身上盖着一条温暖的锦被,眯着眼睛,眉头微微蹙起……
  • 大明伪丈夫

    大明伪丈夫

    天顺八年,天子驾崩,大明历史上首位宅男皇帝朱见深即位了。不久,民间讹传天子选秀,一场闹剧拉开帷幕......而此时,来自另一时空的宅男王宽,不幸卷入这场风波,走上了一条混吃等死抱大腿的不归之路......大丈夫生于盛世,当守十年寒窗,一展平生抱负?不不不,我只想做个安静的……伪丈夫。