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tinge of irony or satire； for his natural kindliness tempered his
conscious strength and superiority。 He had pretty hands； very slender；
and almost always moist。 His frame was a marvel； a model for a
sculptor； but our iron…gray uniform； with gilt buttons and knee…
breeches； gave us such an ungainly appearance that Lambert's fine
proportions and firm muscles could only be appreciated in the bath。
When we swam in our pool in the Loire； Louis was conspicuous by the
whiteness of his skin； which was unlike the different shades of our
schoolfellows' bodies mottled by the cold； or blue from the water。
Gracefully formed； elegant in his attitudes； delicate in hue； never
shivering after his bath； perhaps because he avoided the shade and
always ran into the sunshine； Louis was like one of those cautious
blossoms that close their petals to the blast and refuse to open
unless to a clear sky。 He ate little； and drank water only； either by
instinct or by choice he was averse to any exertion that made a demand
on his strength； his movements were few and simple； like those of
Orientals or of savages； with whom gravity seems a condition of
nature。
As a rule； he disliked everything that resembled any special care for
his person。 He commonly sat with his head a little inclined to the
left； and so constantly rested his elbows on the table； that the
sleeves of his coats were soon in holes。
To this slight picture of the outer man I must add a sketch of his
moral qualities； for I believe I can now judge him impartially。
Though naturally religious； Louis did not accept the minute practices
of the Roman ritual； his ideas were more intimately in sympathy with
Saint Theresa and Fenelon； and several Fathers and certain Saints；
who； in our day； would be regarded as heresiarchs or atheists。 He was
rigidly calm during the services。 His own prayers went up in gusts； in
aspirations； without any regular formality； in all things he gave
himself up to nature； and would not pray； any more than he would
think； at any fixed hour。 In chapel he was equally apt to think of God
or to meditate on some problem of philosophy。
To him Jesus Christ was the most perfect type of his system。 /Et
Verbum caro factum est/ seemed a sublime statement intended to express
the traditional formula of the Will； the Word； and the Act made
visible。 Christ's unconsciousness of His Deathhaving so perfected
His inner Being by divine works； that one day the invisible form of it
appeared to His disciplesand the other Mysteries of the Gospels； the
magnetic cures wrought by Christ； and the gift of tongues； all to him
confirmed his doctrine。 I remember once hearing him say on this
subject； that the greatest work that could be written nowadays was a
History of the Primitive Church。 And he never rose to such poetic
heights as when； in the evening； as we conversed； he would enter on an
inquiry into miracles； worked by the power of Will during that great
age of faith。 He discerned the strongest evidence of his theory in
most of the martyrdoms endured during the first century of our era；
which he spoke of as /the great era of the Mind/。
〃Do not the phenomena observed in almost every instance of the
torments so heroically endured by the early Christians for the
establishment of the faith； amply prove that Material force will never
prevail against the force of Ideas or the Will of man？〃 he would say。
〃From this effect； produced by the Will of all； each man may draw
conclusions in favor of his own。〃
I need say nothing of his views on poetry or history； nor of his
judgment on the masterpieces of our language。 There would be little
interest in the record of opinions now almost universally held； though
at that time； from the lips of a boy； they might seem remarkable。
Louis was capable of the highest flights。 To give a notion of his
talents in a few words； he could have written /Zadig/ as wittily as
Voltaire； he could have thought out the dialogue between Sylla and
Eucrates as powerfully as Montesquieu。 His rectitude of character made
him desire above all else in a work that it should bear the stamp of
utility； at the same time； his refined taste demanded novelty of
thought as well as of form。 One of his most remarkable literary
observations； which will serve as a clue to all the others； and show
the lucidity of his judgment； is this； which has ever dwelt in my
memory； 〃The Apocalypse is written ecstasy。〃 He regarded the Bible as
a part of the traditional history of the antediluvian nations which
had taken for its share the new humanity。 He thought that the
mythology of the Greeks was borrowed both from the Hebrew Scriptures
and from the sacred Books of India； adapted after their own fashion by
the beauty…loving Hellenes。
〃It is impossible；〃 said he； 〃to doubt the priority of the Asiatic
Scriptures； they are earlier than our sacred books。 The man who is
candid enough to admit this historical fact sees the whole world
expand before him。 Was it not on the Asiatic highland that the few men
took refuge who were able to escape the catastrophe that ruined our
globeif； indeed men had existed before that cataclysm or shock？ A
serious query； the answer to which lies at the bottom of the sea。 The
anthropogony of the Bible is merely a genealogy of a swarm escaping
from the human hive which settled on the mountainous slopes of Thibet
between the summits of the Himalaya and the Caucasus。
〃The character of the primitive ideas of that horde called by its
lawgiver the people of God； no doubt to secure its unity； and perhaps
also to induce it to maintain his laws and his system of government
for the Books of Moses are a religious； political； and civil code
that character bears the authority of terror； convulsions of nature
are interpreted with stupendous power as a vengeance from on high。 In
fact； since this wandering tribe knew none of the ease enjoyed by a
community settled in a patriarchal home； their sorrows as pilgrims
inspired them with none but gloomy poems； majestic but blood…stained。
In the Hindoos； on the contrary； the spectacle of the rapid recoveries
of the natural world； and the prodigious effects of sunshine； which
they were the first to recognize； gave rise to happy images of
blissful love； to the worship of Fire and of the endless
personifications of reproductive force。 These fine fancies are lacking
in the Book of the Hebrews。 A constant need of self…preservation amid
all the dangers and the lands they traversed to reach the Promised
Land engendered their exclusive race…feeling and their hatred of all
other nations。
〃These three Scriptures are the archives of an engulfed world。 Therein
lies the secret of the extraordinary splendor of those languages and
their myths。 A grand human history lies beneath those names of men and
places； and those fables which charm us so irresistibly； we know not
why。 Perhaps it is because we find in them the native air of renewed
humanity。〃
Thus； to him； this threefold literature included all the thoughts of
man。 Not a book could be written； in his opinion； of which the subject
might not there be discerned in its germ。 This view shows how
learnedly he had pu