The Press.
London, England, 1856-04-19 00:00:00

THE PRESS.

" There's my pattern for a family turnout. Count
D'Orsay might rival, but could not excel, the chaste style
of their entire appearance. Then, ton, tleir faces interest
me prodie,riuusly. They seem so well matched. Who are
they ?"
• • • • • • •

If the Italians needs must have masters, I am glad that
they send them such tldelooking specimens of the warrior
tribe as we find here. Their uniform does much for them,
still it would be difficult to find more well•made, good•look-
ing men elsewhere. There trots by the Prince L---, the
Austrian general in-chief, a genuine St George. He looks
like a hard foe and a dare-devil friend. A chivalrous,
gallant soldier all account him. There are more reasons
than grow out of politics why the jealous Italians should
hate their handsome conquerers.
Mr. Jarves must have felt happy when he had
finished the whole of this deseription, which
occupies fourteen pages. Within that space
he has insulted the Britisher, landed the
Yankees, gratified his love for tawdry display.
complimented the agents of despotism, and
denounced the vices of aristocrats.
At Easter the author was at Rome. Here at
least his national inquisitiveness has been of
great service to his readers. He saw every-
thing, and took note of everything. Here is
his account of the Pope washing the pilgrims'
feet:—

The squeeze to see the washing of the feet and feeding
of the pilgrims is equal to that to hear the " Miserere."
Thirteen priests are the selected recipients of this act of
Papal hutnility. They are all dresed in loose white gowns,
with caps of the same materials on their heads. The ob-
ject of this custom is to give the Pontiff the opportunity
of learning and practising a lesson of humility." The
lesson of humility is studied in the following manner:—
A throne for the Pope is first placed in the hall, with the
until tokens of sovereign rank. A large retinue of nobles
and ecclesiastics assist his Holiness. Two hold the
Pope's train, a third bears a towel to wash his hands,
while two clerics of the chamber aid him in his own ablu-
tions, after his labours on the pilgrims. The pilgrims.
alas priests, are seated un a high bench. Tho right foot,
having been previously made most scrupulously clean, is
left bare. The Pope changes his uniform for a less
splendid one, and, after being duly incensed, a fine cloth,
trimmed with lace, is tied upon him. Attended by his
master of ceremonies and deacons, he humbly proceeds to
the washing A sub•deacun lifts the foot ; the Pontiff
kneels, and sprinkles it with water from a silver basin.
He then rubs it with the laced cloth, kisses it, and goes on
to the next. A nosegay and towel, and a gold and silver
medal. are given to each pilgrim. This lesson of humility
lasts about two minutes.

We pref►r Mr. Jarves's chapter upon Venice
to any other portion of his work. He here
displays a warm imagination and a ready sytn-
pithy will] what is great and noble, however at
variance with his own prejudices. The follow-
ing passages are written with great power:—

All is not lost, however. The architecture retains a pot,
Lion of its adamantine hues, which time and the restorer
still respect. Jasper, porphyry, serpentine, those precious
stones which Venetians, in their love for their city and
feeling for the beautiful, so lavishly wrought into their
palaces and churches in harmonious combinations and deep
meaning, still faintly throw their shadows over the waters,
which lovingly give back their hues. Changed though the
outer form may be, and weakened the force of man's
works, yet the same warm sun, as it sinks behind the far-
off hills, bathes dome and tower in trembling purple mist,
lighting up with golden brightness sea and sky, while soft,
vapoury, variegated clouds. warm and tender, brilliant with
nature's loveliest hues, arch the heavens in almost imper-
ceptible gradation from their sinking source of beauty in
the west. Toward this the eye wanders in an terial per-
spective, deeper and deeper into space, and flailing no end
save as night slowly shrouds the glories that fo'low the
son iu its course to ulad.len other hearts. Nearer by, and
lower down, the long reaches of the great canals let the eye
into shorter perspectives; shadowed watet and palace re-
flecting; soft streams of hazy, twinkling brightness ; deep,
luminous shadows, a mingled horizon of sea and city blend-
ing into each other, and wrapped in one tender robe of
harmonising with the Imes of heaven's painting.
Toward the Adriatic, tte long, low line of the Lilo lies
like a thread upon the water. Beyond, the setting aim
glacces upon white sails that, ghostlike, seem to have no
bodies, for the hulls of the vessels are covered by the inter•
veiling land. Between the Lido and Venice rise nitinerons
sunlit islands, their white walls sparkling in gulden light,
heightened by an occasional bit or deep green, trout the
few trees that grow thereupon. But what words can re-
flect that beautiful sheet of water between the Guide-ea
ant the Ducal Palace, on which is mirrored all this lovel•l-
-ness ?

He then continues :
The snintuer's eve brings with it a goodly company
of worshippers, who repose in sensnons delight on its tur
face, spell-bound by the enchantment. From many
gondolas music steals loving over the waters, caressing
and caressed by the zephyr that hears it harmoniously on
its wings. The general silence best proclaims the sooth
ing romance of the scene Occasionally a chorus of youth-
ful voices breaks forcibly upon the ear in some well-known
Venetian strain, now rising loudly on the still air,
then dying away amid the intricacies o: distant canals.
Time lights from the Piazza San Marco, iv; night shuts in
the scene come out brightly and joyfully ia the distance.
Towering far above all other objects, dark, stern, and ma-
jestic, is the tower of St. Mark's, the noblest beacon•pile

SATURDAY,

reared by modern man. Below it rise the clustered domes
and forest of shafts of the cathedral ; a Christian thought
in ()Ilona' form and colour; pi egnant with the spoils of
Paganism, written all over with the story of the new revs.
latton—the world's creation and man's redemption;
eternal and legible as enduring precious material can m. ke
them ; the faith of Venice pictured fur all time, and
gathered into one fantastic and yet glorious edifice, em-
blematic in the richness and variety of its decorations of
all the races of men, their artistic triumphs and their
garnered knowledge, who are yet to come up to the new
Jerusalem, and sit in peace within its sanctuary. Who
can tread the wavelike mosaic floor of this venerable
church, as it rises and falls like the swell of the sea, and
not feel that its toundatious are indeed laid upon the sands
of the deep ?

And he thus dwells on the inspiration of her
touching story :
Venice existed as a State nearly fourteen hundred years.
The common associations with her name are those derivid
throng t the poet toil novelist. They are, unfortunately,
connected chiefly with her vices and her crimes. We
think of Venice and the Bridge of Sighs—wore of her
lamp dungeons than her lovely palaces—her tortures than
her festivals—her crimes than her piety; while, as we glit:s
over her waters, our eyes shuitletingly turn from the
bosom of thst canal into which no fishermen was allowed
to cast his net from fear that dead men might rise and
tell tales. Venice to the popular mind was a vast political
inquisition, retnorseless as the grave in her state craft, and
in her private lite lull of selfish luxury, treachery, and
prostitution. This was not the Venice of medimval ages.
Had it been, the spoiler would have laid his hand upon her
long before. Her polity nes not a perfect one. It
generated weaknesses. Wealth anal pride, as they ever do,
cankered her heart. But for a thousand years her bones
were seuml, while for centuries her strength wits the
bulwark of Christendom. She had character ; a noble
and vicious compound, it is true, but the mingled devotion
and enterprise that kept her for so long a period in the van
of civilisation leavened her whole system with faith and
energy.
Catholic herself, she resisted the Popes as successfully
as she did the Turks. Devout, hut not fanatic, the State,
and not the Church, ruled within her borders. Sne was as
successful in repelling the interdicts of the Roman pontiffs
as in checking the spread of Moharnmedauism. Unlike
Spain, the Inquisition took not root in her soil. The tree
spirit of commerce could ill brook such a nightmare upon
its energies. Liberal and just in her policy, Jew, Greek,
and Gentile lived, trafficked, and worshipped in security
beneath the shadow of her lion-wtngs. 11'hile all Italy wts
convulsed with civil wars and the dissensions of rival
families, Venice always presented a firm said united front
to her enemies. Without and within she was ever a unity.
Nobles and people have loved Venice as no other country
has been loved. The individual was merged into the
nation. From the time that the first settlers, flying before
Al.tric to the mother island of Tercello, saw in the distance
the bkv reddened with the fI trues of their late homes on
the mainland, until Bontyarte deposed their last do._:e, the
Venetians have ever been animated with a fanatic love of
country. Patriotism iu them was a passion, narrowed to a
selfish policy, which sacrificed citizen or stranger alike to
its own end, governed at times wisely, hut often mis-
directed, until, in contact with stronger selfishness, it fell
shivered to the ground like a thing of glass.

Altogether this volume is above the average
of travellers' tales ; and though, as the realer
may see, not free from strung national peculi-
arities, it displays mind, character, and con-
siderable style.

Memoirs of the Court, Aristocracy, and
Diplomacy of Austria. By Dr. E Vehse.
Translated from the German by Franz

Demn,ler. London: Longmans.
THE title of this work (like the heading of a
chapter in flousehoN Words) is decidedly the
best part of it. It has a stimulating, piquant
sound, and the names of such eminent
bibliopolists attached to it appear to give to it
additional pretensions. We were caught by
its advertisement, but not at all by its
contents. Before noticing the character of
this historical compilation, garnished with
flimsy anecdotes of worse than doubtful
authenticity, we must say a few words upon
its subject.
For many reasons Austria is, at the present
day, a most int erestiag subject for the political
obsei ver It has a memorable history ;it has
much present Tamer. Its organisation is re-
markable ; the physical comfort of its popula-
tion has been carefully provided for; de
utilitarian principle has long been employed
in its public departments, and its Executive
has been one of the most poundal which
Europe has ever seen. The force with which
it has acted in European affair 4, under extra-
ordinary changes, is most striking. Nur is it
any detraction from its intlueace to say that
Austria is only thf name for a conglomeration
of States. The strange variety of its com-
ponent parts, and their adhesiveness to one
monarchy, are amongst the reasons why states-
men and diplomatists pay such attention to

AP/m.19, 1856.

Austrian an Seven kingdoms are governed
by its ruling oynasty—via.,Hungary, Bohemia,
Slavonia, Dalmatia, Galicia and Lodomia,
Illy ria, Lombardy and Venice. The mere
statement of those names attest the ascendancy
of the " dark and deadly " principles of rule
which brought together so many discordant
nationalities. Then, again, the Archduchy of
Austria, the Archpancipality of Transylvania.
the Margravate of Moravia, the Duchies of
Styria, Salzburg, and Carinthia, with the
princely Earldoms of Tyrol and Giirz—these
splendid appanages to the Austrian empire
also hear witness to its extraordinary grasp
of political power.
Fur the history of such a monarchy, and fur
the study of its resources, the stitesman's
library is amply furnished. The various
works of Von Licheustein, Heilzinger, De-
mian, and Rarer, will show that statistical
science in all its branches is perfectly under-
stood at Vienna. Graffer's " Manual," Hassel's
"Austria," Malchus's "Sates of Europe," and
a variety of similar productions, give a copious
stock of materials to anyone anxious to study
Of Austrian system. Recollecting the large
stores open to compilers (not to say ()ova-
psers) on Austrian politics, we expected much
floe' these two volumes, excellent only in
their print and paper.
The preface at once betrays the bookmaker.
It thus commences :

The " Memoirs of the Court of Austria " are the English
version of the corresponding part of the series published
by Dr. E. Vehae wider the title of " History of the Gerinah
outs since toe Reformation " The author, in speaking
of the character which he wished to impart to his woik,
qu tes the saying of Horace Walpole : " I am no historian ;
Iraq ch iracters, I preserve anecdotes, which my supe-
riors, the historians, may enchase into their weighty annals,
or pass over at their pleasure."

The first question that suggests itself is, " who
"is Dr. Vehse that selects Horace Walpole
"as a model?" We k►►ow digt, Horace Walpole
was the son of a Prime Minister, that he had
access to the best and highest circles of his
time, and that he had a near view of " The
Court—Aristocracy, and Diplomacy "—of Eng-
land. But even with all his advantages the
writings of the Twickenham Gossip are more
amusing than authoritative. His asseitions
always require corroboration, and in many
places we hold his opinion as cheap as that of
the " mit dating, misquoting" Sir Nat Wraxall.
who is also cited as an authority (!) in this
compilation before us. " The Castle of
Otranto" was not the only romance that came
from Walpole's vivacious pen; and we cannot
have much faith in the narrative of one who

professes to be his Germanised imitator. We

recollect what Walpole himself has written of
historians. " There are three kinds of history,
"all glk)d the original writers; full and amide
"memoirs compiled from them, and from
"manuscripts, with great exactness; and his-
" tories, elegantly written and arranged. The
second step is indispensably necessary for
"the third." Tried by these canons the work
of Dr. Vehse does not come up to its preten-
-8.11
19. The translator pompously enunciates
its "authorities"—Count Klievenliiiller, Eliza-
beth Charlotte Duchess of Orleans, and Joseph
Yon
Hormayr, which will appear an odd con-
junction of names to those versed in Austrian
annals. There is an admirable index
to this work ; but where are the notes.
the authenticating references, the justify•
lug proofs? In this, as in other instances
of foreign literary manufacture, we may be re-
minded of the saying of Abernethy on Ore-
The new is not true, and the true is
• m.t new."

Yet it is not unlikely that this work may
have a certain kind of success. There is a
quantity of matter, good, bad, and indifferent,
loosely pressed into its pages, and the variety
of its light reading may amuse idle readers.
It has neither philosophic views nor profound
thought, but it has the careless, superficial
tone of that pamphleteering mode of dealing
"ith facts which Voltaire introduced by his
" Age of Louis XIV " The first volume, and
tie larger portion of the second, may be die-
iiiis,4etlas mere compilation. Imt at the end of
t e second there are a parcel of highly fla-
voured anecdotes whirl' have ociiied t"
e,iuse it to be talked ab..nt in parts of
`rmany. We are not surprised to read in
the foreign prints that the author has been

imprisoned fir the liberties taken by his pen,
but we are rather perplexed to find his work
introduced to the English public so elaborately.
The style of these anecdotes, which occupy
the last sixty pages of the second volume, may
be judged by some specimens. Of their pre
tensions to authenticity we shall speak after
wards. Prince Metternich is thus intro-
duced :

Count Clement Metternich was endowed with all that
liveliness and exuberance of animal spirits which is the
characteristic of the Rhenish race; and, besides, with a
very fine figure. and a 'Jost pleasing countenance. In
1788, he went to the University of Strassburg, whither the
tame of the celebrated professor of internatioi.al law, Koch,
at that time attracted a great number of students from
princely and noble families. Afterwards he continued what
lie called his studies at Mentz; that is to say, he first
h s annrenticeship with a lady who enjoyed political
influence, Madame de Coudenhoven, the well-known fair
friend of the spiritual Elector of Mayence, Count Erthal.
Even at that time, old Prince Kaunitz spoke of young
Metternich as of " a good, amiable young man, of the
prettiest rerre, a perfect cavalier." Substantial knowledge
Metternich not only never affected to possess, but, on the
contrary, he hated and shunned it in others.
The author then proceeds :
lifetternich's first real diplomatic office was the post of
Anstrian Minister at Dresden, which he entered upon in
1801. Here it was again two gallant " stateswomen," who
initiated him in the mysteries of the gnat political world
—the Russian Princess liagrAtio t, the grand-niece of the
celebrated Potemkin ; and the Duchess Biron-Sagan,
descended from the notorious favorite of the Czarina Ann.
Anil he then calls upon Von Hormayr to
contribute to his literary tattle. He pre
tends that Prince Metternuth twaddled in the
following style:—

Hormayr states that Metternich, who, like Napoleon,
was fond of bavardage, hail been very frank about his
lealings with the fair sex; and he quotes the following
remarkable conversation, which took place in 1822.
" You see," Metternich said to him, " you act in your
house just in the same way which I dislike in you so much
in your conduct of business Zeal never does soy good.
It spoils everything. In negotiations there is only one
misfortune—not to succeed; and likewise in domestic
affairs, only oue—eclat. Dissembling, temporising, tacking,
trimming, are things you will never be able to do; you are
always for neck-or-nothing measures, all your nature is
thoroughly passionate. lint when your passion is not
roused, you are merely a sleeping savant, with an imnieuse
deal of knowledge. However, your talent is contradictory
in itself: you are born to be a tribunes plebis. quite a
splendid specimen of the breed ; and yet you are also born
to be—Minister of Police at St.. Petersburg. Now just
consider ; if I had wished to act as you do, where should I
be? The Princess ( Eleonore) is destitute of every at-
traction ; but she has a great share of common sense, and
I don't by any means disdain to consult with her about po•
litical chances. when it is worth my while to do so. When
we came to Dresden, we mutually vowed that we would
inseparably keep to each other, but that we should each go
our own way, without any restraint whatever. Thus of all
the children of the Princess, Marie alone is mine. The
beautiful Clementine, and Victor with his fine intellect,
are Ditmonstier's ; all the world knows it—for the connec-
tion wiih him continued in Berlin."

The translator, Franz Demmler, thinking (as
%veil he might) that such a style of narrative
would be rather too co'rse and free for the
English public, tries to defend his author with
the following note appended to the passage :

Dr. Veh!e has inserted the rest of the passage in full,
and accompanies these most extraordinary disclosures with
the following footnote :—" However grievously such things
.rate upon our feeling of propriety, yet no one who has in
any way become acquainted with the very loose tone of our
high society, can doubt the reality of these disclosures;
and as to.the validity of Hormayr's evidence, he was certainly
not the man who would invent such positive statements.
His having made them public may be called indiscreet :
but untrue they certainly are not. The indiscretion once
committed, publicity may, perhaps, in future act as a
corrective on the private life of those who, until now, have
been "preened from public reprobation by the "Egis of cen-
sorship.

That is only making the matter worse. The
day is gone when any parties ventured to main
twin in this country that the public press
should be used for the punishment of private
immorality. A literary Inquisition would not
ire tolerated in a land which even recoils from
the institution of a detective police for the ap•
prehension of notorious criminals. We shall
give a few more short specimens of this au-
thor's peculiar style. He says of a certain
person (whose name we exclude) :
His first wife died in 1F19,5 ; and shortly after, the Prince
married a second time. The bride was Antonia von Ley.
kain, daughter of a younger son of a family of postal
upstarts. who had risen in the service of Prince Taxis.
Her mother was a woman of very bad character, a singer
and opera dancer named I:trefoils'. She had been for some
,i.no the mistress of the Lazzamni King Ferdinand IV. of
Naples; afler which she married Karon Ambnotins Leykam.
otonia, the second danghter of this conple, was b.rn in
MO; and her delicate beauty was universally acknowledged
and admired. The marriage created an immense sensa•

-------AIL