The Davenport Gazette

Mr. F. Gaillardet writes as follows to the Courier des Etats of this city, from which paper we translate for the Tribune. His letter is dated Paris, Aug. 16:
Last week M. de Lamartine had assembled at his table, several of his intimate friends, before leaving for the Cote d'Or where he has offered for sale his paternal estate, which fortune does not permit him to retain. The author of the "Girondists" seemed absent-minded, but this sad pre-occupation was easily attributed to the hard extremity to which he was reduced, and to the physical pains of an acute rheumatism which had prevented his appearance at the National Assembly since his election.
The illustrious invalid took soup with his guests, and then caused himself to be served with it three times more in succession, as if he had taken nothing at all. After that, during the whole repast he wore a sad and dreamy air, and touched nothing until a plate of meringues a la creme was placed under his eyes. At the sight of this dainty his brow cleared and he drew the plate toward him, examined it with a look of appetite, and then suddenly began to rub his hands with the cream and lathered his whole face with it. This act of derangement struck with stupor the guests and his tearful wife, who instantly rendered all possible care to the sufferer. A physician was called, and all present were besought to keep secret what after all may only be an accidental and temporary aberration. But is a secret possible now-a-days? This one has got out like all the rest. In spite of the respectability of the drawing rooms in which I have gathered the report, I prefer to doubt its authenticity. The insanity of Lamartine would be not only a misfortune, but a sort of dishonor for entire humanity, struck in one of its most admirable illustrations. Every intelligence would incline to mistrust itself, and would feel itself in some sort shaken by the fall of Lamartine.