By : Xavier de Maistre (1763 - 1852), translated by Henry Attwell
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The author of the “Voyage autour de ma Chambre” was the younger brother of Count Joseph de Maistre, a well-known writer upon political and philosophical subjects. Chambéry was the place of their birth, but their family was of French origin. Both brothers were officers in the Sardinian army; and when Savoy was conquered by the French, Xavier de Maistre sought an asylum in Saint Petersburg, where his brother resided in the capacity of envoy from the court of Sardinia. Xavier entered the Russian army, distinguished himself in the war against Persia, and attained the rank of major-general.
Our interest in the “Voyage” is heightened by our knowledge that it was actually written during De Maistre’s forty-two days’ arrest at Turin, referred to in the third chapter. He sent the manuscript, which he regarded as a mere playful effort of his imagination, for his brother’s perusal. Joseph was pleased with the book; and Xavier, who had an almost filial affection for his brother, was soon afterwards agreeably surprised by receiving, in place of his manuscript, the “Voyage” in print.
This success encouraged him to begin a sequel to the “Voyage.” Joseph, however, disapproved of this new attempt. The “Expédition Nocturne” was, notwithstanding, finished, and was published some years later.
Xavier de Maistre’s next production (1811) was “Le Lépreux de la Cité d’Aoste,” a very touching and gracefully written narrative. It occupies but a few pages; and, as it is to be found in almost every good anthology of French literature, is perhaps the best known of our author’s works.
His other books are “Les Prisonniers du Caucase” (1815) and “La Jeune Sibérienne,” both of them charming works, containing faithful pictures of domestic scenes with which we are little familiar through other sources.
From his childhood Xavier de Maistre was devoted to painting. He deservedly gained considerable reputation as a painter of miniature portraits and landscapes.
Nor did he neglect science while devoting himself to art and literature. He applied himself so successfully to the study of chemistry that he was able to communicate several valuable “Mémoires” to the Academy of Turin, of which he was a member.
Xavier de Maistre died (1852) at an advanced age in his adopted country, where he had married, and which he only quitted once, for a brief season.
Some apology for publishing this translation is perhaps necessary.
Although in France the “Voyage” retains the high esteem in which it has been held for half a century, it is hardly known in England, except by those who are familiar with the French language and literature.
During the last twenty years the proportion of educated persons in this country who are unable to enjoy a French book in the original has greatly decreased. Still, there are some to whom a translation of this delightful work may be acceptable.
To them I offer the pleasant labor of a few leisure hours; but not without assuring them that, in endeavoring to reproduce faithfully the author’s ideas, I have felt at every paragraph how true it is that “le style ne se traduit pas,”—“style is untranslatable.”
The headings of the chapters are not De Maistre’s. They appear in Tardieu’s pretty little edition of the “Voyage.” The miniatures, by M. Veyssier, are from the same source.
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