LOUIS CHARLES ALFRED DE, a distinguished poet, novelist, and dramatic writer of the nineteenth century in France, was born at Paris on the 11th November 1810. He was of noble descent; his father, M. de Musset-Pathay, held the office of chef du bureau to the minister of war, and was favourably known as an author. His Histoire de la Vie et des Ouvrages de J. J. Rousseau is still held in estimation. Alfred received his education at the same institution with the eldest Prince of the House of Orleans, and the intimacy formed at this early period between the prince and the poet was fondly cherished in after years. The loss sustained by De Musset in the early death of his noble friend, was afterwards consecrated in Le Treize Juillet. After completing his elementary education, Alfred de Musset engaged successively in the study of medicine, of law, of art, and of trade; but turned aside from each with equal disgust. He subsequently laid the blame of his want of success in those studies on his superficial education, his indolence, and desultory habits of reading. His first appearance as an author was in 1828, in a pamphlet entitled L'Anglais Mangeur d'Opium, and signed with his initials. He published in 1831 his Contes d'Espagne et d'Italie, a series of licentious tales in verse, exhibiting vast powers and wild extravagance, possessing singular merits in point of form, and abounding with impassioned and vigorous writing. Un Spectacle dans un Fauteuil appeared in 1833, and possessed all the merits, and many of the defects, of his previous poems. They display a power and beauty seldom to be met with, and are never wanting in that subtle wit and delicate observation which so remarkably distinguish his prose works; but they are justly chargeable with extravagance, indecency, and irreligion. His charming Proverbs, which appeared in the Revue des Deux Mondes in 1833, are much less exposed to censure, and are full of poetical beauties of the highest order. Ten years afterwards they were brought upon the stage at St Petersburg, by Madame Allan, whence their fame travelled back to Paris, and soon called forth the enthusiasm of the Théâtre Francaise. In 1835 De Musset visited Italy in company with Madame Dudevant (George Sand), in the ostensible relation of private secretary. In fullness of tone, wealth of colouring, and rich sustained melody, the language and style of these two distinguished contemporaries resemble each other not a little. La Confession d'une Enfant du Siècle appeared in 1836, and is alleged by some to be in a great measure autobiographical. The theme is familiar to all readers of modern French fiction; and finds its origin in the conventional view of the mental history of Byron, whose writings have exerted a profound influence over the current literature of France. Musset was poor, and his habits of dissipation did not increase his wealth. When his purse was full, he lived in Paris till it was empty, and then retired to the country. He declined to occupy the distinguished place in society which his genius and manners might have secured for him. By the influence of his early friend the Duc d'Orleans, he was appointed librarian to the minister of the interior. He was deprived of this sinecure office in 1848, but it was subsequently restored to him by the emperor. His Nouvelles, originally published in the Revue des Deux Mondes, are among the most remarkable of modern tales. These charming stories, so slight and unpretending in their structure, are masterpieces of a fine and subtle genius; and it is only to be regretted that their beauty is so much marred by the dangerous sensualism with which they are pervaded. The beautiful tale of Frédéric et Bernerette contains the most delightful portrait of the French grisette ever drawn, and is a special favourite with the Parisians. Musset's earlier collection of Premières Poésies comprise the period between 1829-1835; his second Poésies Nouvelles embrace the period 1836-1852. At the beginning of this second collection stands Rolla, marking the turning-point between the youth and manhood of the author. It is the wildest of all his productions, and in many respects the most remarkable; but the English reader is shocked by its impiety, and his feelings are outraged by the feverish delineations of certain modes of life which are fortunately not known beyond the French capital. Despite all these serious drawbacks, however, the genius of Alfred de Musset possesses qualities seldom hitherto known in French poetry. He occasionally reaches heights of imagination unknown perhaps to the greatest writers of his country; and his lyrics display a passion, tenderness, and musical beauty almost alien to his native soil. Those who consider the life of an author the best commentary on the tendency of his works, will find little difficulty in denouncing Musset's as pernicious; while those who regard works of art from a purely artistic point of view, will find much in his writings to call forth the highest praise. He was not a voluminous writer. A few small volumes contain all his works. His Nouvelles occupy less space than an ordinary romance, his poems may be read in a few hours, and his plays are by no means bulky. He died at Paris on the 3rd of May 1857.