The Express.
London, England, 1868-02-18 00:00:00

COUNT BISMARCK.

THE people of this country and of many other
countries have, for some time put, been accus-
tomed to hear that the Count Vox Bnimszcx is a
very clever man. A good many of them, the
majority perhaps, have taken this upon trust.
" What everybody says must be true." And
" results" prove the Prussian Minister
to be "a paying concern." Those how-
ever, who are acquainted with the world and
its eccentric ways—for though the physical world
goes like clock work, the moral world is subject to
aberrations—are well aware that success is not
always the result of wisdom aforethought. " There
"is nothing succeeds like success." We all know
the meaning of that. It means that mankind are
a flock of sheep, who are driven whither the
vigorous and adventurous driver chooses
to drive them. But it implies that the shepherd
is an old hand at his work—that he has got the
sheep to believe in him and fear him. This is not
the case of BISMARCK. He is, it may be said,
entirely a green hand. Half-a-dozen years
ago Europe had scarcely heard of him.
He owes nothing to his prestige, his
years, or his experience. He has leapt
at once, armed at all points with wisdom, from
the head of Murmtvs. Does anyone ask for a
proof of this other than is to be found in mere
results f Let him read the words of BISMARCK
addressed to the Prussian Parliament on the sub-
ject of compensation to dethroned Kings. They
are words of rare wisdom, worthy, we will not
say of the author of Ecclesiastes—for that

might be regarded as an irreverent comparison—
but of that apocryphal imitator who wrote Eccle-
siasticus. These are the words of wisdom :—" An
" ex-sovereign who accepted an indemnity larger
" than his former income, had by that very act
" abdicated his throne. He had sold his rights,
" and there was consequently an end of them,
" though he might not admit it in so many
" words. But even if c,3ntinuing the part of pre-
" tender, a wealthy pretender was less den-
" gerous than a poor one. It was, moreover,
" the will of the KING of PRUSSIA that the
" Sovereigns whom, out of regard for the national
" interests, he had been unfortunately compelled
"to depose, should be left in the unrestricted
" enjoyment of their former revenues ; and the
" Cabinet, knowing that some foreign courts,
" jealous of Prussian success, would be conciliated
"by this generosity, could not but concur in the
" royal decree."
So much worldly wisdom has rarely been ex-
pressed in so few words. The policy of BISMARCE
is exactly the opposite of that which recommended

itself to the fierce ambition of NAPOLEON I. He
thought it the best plan to put all his vanquished
enemies under his feet, to humble them in the
dust, to trample upon them, nay, to spit upon
them. He added insult to injury, and so, in the end,
arrayed all Europe against him. But BISMARCK
is a wiser man in his generation. He knows the
sting that poverty gives to the exile of a King.
He takes that sting out. He unmakes Kings
only to make them more comfortable.
He takes care that their friends shall have
no interest to intrigue for their restoration.
He makes the endorsement of a cheque
a double instrument,--a receipt for all claims, and,
at the same time, an act of abdication. And while
loading dethroned monarchs with wealth, in ex-
change for barren honours, he regrets that he is
compelled by the national interests to be so un-
kind. Truly the Count Vox BISMARCK is a won-
derful man.

AN action decided yesterday gives a suggestive
insight into the manners and customs of a portion
of the theatrical world. The celebrated Mies
Mamma on accepting an engagement at Astley's
required a private carriage to convey her to
and from the theatre, and for her general use.
Mr. E. T. SMITH, who, the LORD CHIEF JUSTICE
declares, "understands the art of catering for
" the public as well as any man," intro-
duced her to a coachbuilding firm, and a
brougham and harness were ordered of a de-
cidedly startling character. In delicate allusion
to the fair lady's performance as Mazeppa,
a rampant bores was chosen for the crest, and was
placed rather lavishly upon and about the carriage.
Bells on the horses and silver mountings on the
harness, oval windows, and glittering lamps, made
it still more remarkable,and Miss MENCEN'S equip-
age became an important appanage to her publicity.
Months afterward, a dispute arose concerning
the sum charged for it ; the coachbuilders business
went into the hands of trade assignees, one of
whom is Mr. Seven himself—end Mies Mims
was sued for a balance of 35/. left standing on its
original cost of 351/. Is. 6d. It was put for-
ward in defence that the whole affair was in
reality a theatrical advertisement, and that it was
ordered in the hope that " when the beautiful
" brougham, with its more beautiful °mu-
I pant, drove along the streets, gentle-
" men would rush and take a private
" box at Astley's." The jury did not
think this commercial aspiration should absolve
Miss MENICEN from the responsibility of paying
for her fantastic luxury, and a verdict was given
in favour of the people suing. The moral is that
heroines of the equestrian drama should regard
their professional and their private lives as things
apart ; and should leave personal advertising in
the hand, of the agents and employers whose bug-
nem it is.

Lest night Mr. George Grove, the hon. secretary
to the Palestine Exploration Peed, delivered • lecture on
the " Espleration of Jerusalem and the Holy Land;
before • crowded ow:Bence, at the Institute of British
Architects, Conduitatreet, Regent-street.

While Madame St4Sfitni -was three night. back
performing in the Orleans Theatre, in the Caprice, she in-
cautiously approached too near the foot-lights, and the
train of her drem caught fire. M. Laurent succeeded, with
the assistant* of a fireman, in wrapping her in a carpet,
and thus extinguished the flames. The lady escaped with
• slight burn on the left fa* sad another on the *tit
exen.