I do not deny to him the power of saying fine things--perhaps
fine speeches, but he never made a _good_ speech--a speech which it was
difficult to answer.'
'If anyone,' he continued, 'ever takes the trouble to look into our
Parliamentary debates, Lamartine will hold a higher comparative rank than
he is really entitled to. Most of us were too busy to correct the reports
for the "Moniteur." Lamartine not only corrected them but inserted whole
passages.'
'He inserted,' said M, 'not only passages but facts. Such as
"_applaudissements_," "_vive emotion," "hilarite_," often when the speech
had been received in silence, or unattended to.'
'I remember,' said Corcelle, 'an insertion of that kind in the report of
a speech which was never delivered. It was during the Restoration, when
written speeches were read, and sometimes were sent to the "Moniteur" in
anticipation of their being read. Such had been the case with respect to
the speech in question. The intended orator had inserted, like Lamartine,
"_vifs applaudissements," "profonde sensation_," and other notices of the
effect of his speech. The House adjourned unexpectedly before it was
delivered, and he forgot to withdraw the report.
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