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A book which had a huge impact on American society, the author's copy.

French Revolution of 1848

1854

FIRST AMERICAN EDITION translated by Francis A. Durivage and William S. Chase.
ALPHONSE LAMARTINE 's copy, inscribed by translators

2 300 

1 in stock

Description

AMERICAN ORIGINAL EDITION translated by Francis A. Durivage and William S. Chase.

LAMARTINE'S EXEMPLAIRE, with a letter from the translators:

"Mr. de Lamartine
with the profound respect of the translators".

Born in 1790, Lamartine rose to fame with the publication of his masterpiece, The Poetic Meditations (1820). Awarded the Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur in 1825, he was elected a member of the Académie française in 1829.
Around 1830, Lamartine's views became more liberal. Elected to the National Assembly in 1833, he quickly founded his own "social party", influenced by Saint-Simonism, and became one of the main critics of the July Monarchy.

During the revolution of 1848, Lamartine briefly held the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs. Faced with an enraged crowd demanding that the French flag be replaced by a red flag, he gave a speech that played a major role in the development of the February events. His popularity soared and he inspired both his nation and the rest of the world. In the words of the Democratic Review, Lamartine spoke out ".like the spirit of the storm-king riding triumphantly on the tempestuous deep, bidding the winds and waves of popular tumult to hush, and cease their murmuring; - then by his impassioned eloquence... did he breast and stay that onward march of death." 

Larry J. Reynold notes in European Revolutions and the American Literary Renaissance : "To many Americans, Lamartine seemed, especially after the Red Revolution, a heroic man of peace, a living part of heaven, like the sky hawk of Moby Dick, too divine for the world of men.".

Indeed, his admirers were many: James Russell Lowell, in his Ode To Lamartine1848; Magaret Fuller in the Tribune; and above all Walt Whitman, as editor of several issues of the Brooklyn Daily Times: "More and more noble grows the character of Lamartine, the more he is round with trials, and the greater the dangers that menace him. It is beautiful to see such a man! It works out a stronger argument against Kings than all the philosophy of the most scholastic radicals. For where is there -  where has there ever been - such King!"

Lamartine's vision had a considerable impact on American literature, influencing Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass and Melville's Moby Dick, for example.

From the library of André Girodie (handwritten bookplate), 18th-century art historian specialising in the decorative arts on wood and Alsace, librarian and museum curator.

 

FIRST AMERICAN EDITION translated by Francis A. Durivage and William S. Chase.

ALPHONSE LAMARTINE 's copy, inscribed by the translators :

"Mr. de Lamartine
with the profound respect of the translators".

Born in 1790, Lamartine became famous after the publication of his masterpiece, The Poetic Meditations (1820). Ordered Chevalier of the Legion of Honour in 1825, he was elected as a member of the Académie française in 1829.
Around 1830, Lamartine's opinions shifted in the direction of liberalism. When elected in 1833 to the National Assembly, he quickly founded his own "Social Party" influenced by Saint-Simonian ideas and established himself as a prominent critic of the July Monarchy.

During the 1848 French Revolution, Lamartine was briefly in charge of the government as Minister of Foreign Affairs. Before a raging crowd wanting to replace the French flag with a red flag, he delivered a speech which played a major role in the events of February- his popularity soared and his leadership inspired his nation and the world. As the Democratic Review put it, Lamartine arose "like the spirit of the storm-king riding triumphantly on the tempestuous deep, bidding the winds and waves of popular tumult to hush, and cease their murmuring; - then by his impassioned eloquence... did he breast and stay that onward march of death."

Larry J. Reynold remarks in European Revolutions and the American Literary Renaissance : "To many Americans, Lamartine seemed, especially after the Red Revolution, a heroic man of peace, a living part of heaven, like the sky hawk of Moby Dick, too divine for the world of men.".
Indeed, many commentators praised Lamartine: James Russell Lowell, in his Ode To Lamartine1848; Magaret Fuller in the Tribune; and mainly Walt Whitman, as editor in numerous issues of the Brooklyn Daily Times: "More and more noble grows the character of Lamartine, the more he is round with trials, and the greater the dangers that menace him. It is beautiful to see such a man! It works out a stronger argument against Kings than all the philosophy of the most scholastic radicals. For where is there -  where has there ever been - such King!"

This vision of Lamartine had a considerable impact on American literature, influencing for example Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grassor Melville's Moby Dick.

From the library of André Girodie (handwritten ex-libris), XVIIIth century art historian specialized in wood decorative arts and Alsace, librarian, and museum curator.

Publisher's brown percaline binding, flat spine, gilt title. Restoration on the spine heads. Foxing.

Boston,Phillips Sampson & Company,1854.8vo, Bound,270 pp.

Soft brown percaline binding, smooth spine, gold plated title.

Restored caps, stings.

Bio

Alphonse Lamartine

Alphonse Marie Louis de Prat de Lamartine,

(Mâcon: October 21, 1790 ; Paris: February 28, 1869)
French poet, novelist, playwright, politician who participated in the Revolution of February 1848 and proclaimed the Second Republic. He is one of the great figures of Romanticism in France.

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