LAMARTINE'S MARRIAGE.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 252, 12 February 1877, Page 3

LAMARTINE'S MARRIAGE.

The stiuy of the marriage of Latnartine, th» great French po«t ami statesman, is one of romantic inbemtll, The lady wast of an- English family unmet I Birch, ami *«ty wealthy. She first fell in love with the poet from reading his '* Meditations iV'eti((ues." She was slightly past the bloom of ynutli, hut still young and fair. Shu read■ aiul reread thy " Sfeditationa," and nursed the tender sentiment in score!;. At length shy yaw Lamactinw in fieno;.;., and hoc love became a part of firr very life. Not long after this she was made acquainted with the bet that the poet was Muttering even to ntihappm«sst, frotti the embarrassed state of his pecuniary affairs. Miss EUrch was not long in de* ■jJkatUrig upon her course. She would not allow the unliappiriess of a lifetime to slip com her if she could it. "Slit; wrote to the poob a frank and wonnnty letter, acknowledging her ileep interest and profound respect, and offering him the bulk of her fortune, if he were to accept it. Of course, Lamartine could not but suspect the truth. Deeply touched by her generosity, lie called upon her, and found her to be not only fair to fouk upon, bat a woman of brilliant literary and artistic education. He made an offer of liis hand and heart, and was promptly and gladly accepted, and in after years Alfonse d*- iiamartine owed not more to his wife's than to her sustaining love and inspiring enthusiasm.