[Illustration] A JOURNEY ROUND MY ROOM. [Illustration] A JOURNEY ROUND MY ROOM BY XAVIER DE MAISTRE TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH WITH A NOTICE OF THE AUTHOR’S LIFE BY H. A. [Illustration] LONDON LONGMANS, GREEN, READER, AND DYER. 1871 H. O. HOUGHTON AND CO., PRINTERS, RIVERSIDE PRESS, CAMBRIDGE. TO S. A. H. A. PREFACE. 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.