The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-09-04
NO. sos.

rope. Only in the very warmest weather he
ventured to take ride in bosquet in his pal
ace garden at Mariahlf. He had different suits
of clothes, regulated according to the tempera.
ture of the day, to prevent his catching cold.
In all the rooms of his house, Their.
mometers were hung, to regulate the heat of
the stoves. But KaunitZ was never
i'll, and reached the ripe age of eighty four wears.
1t ever he was at all indisposed he cured him
self with an electuary which he had brought
from Paris, and of which he had new supply
sent to him by every courier"
With all this fastidious habit, we are told, no
one ever understood better than Kaunitz did
| the art of making life pleasant TO himself and
to others; no one ever took such anxious care
of his life. 1t seemed as if he thought that,
with due caution, he might almost live forever
de never appears to have concerned himself
about the final change which must some day
| come. Whatever could remind him of dying,
was to be carefully kept in the background.
All the persons usually about him were strictly
forbidden to utter in his presence the words
death and smallpox He had not himself
| been afflicted with this disorder: but he had
been shocked by it in the case of the Empress.
His readers received from him in writing an
earnest injunction to eschew the use of those
| two obnoxious words. The wags would have it
| that even the incubation of trees was not to
be spoken OF, because it reminded him of the
incubation of the smallpox. His birthday
also was never to be alluded to. When the ref
erendary, Won Binder, for fifty years his friend
and confidant, died, Xaverius Raidt, the Prince
reader, expressed himself in this way: Baron
| Binder is no longer to be found The Prince,
after several moments silence, replied: ESt-il
mort II etdn cepeRddnt dssez rieur' Binder
was one year and half younger than Kaunitz
TO another of his readers, Secretary Harrer, al
that time man of sixty, he once said Mi,
comment eStH possible, que de jeuneS gems
CONNIE rO1tS, Oubiient DIES chooses pdreiUexH The
news of the death of Frederick the Great reach
ed him in this way: his reader, with apparent
absence OF mind, told him that a courier had
just arrived from Berlin at the Prussian ambas
sadors, with notifications Of King Frederick
WHttdm. kaunitz sat for some time stiff and
motionless in his armchair, showing no sign OF
having understood the hint. AT last he rose
walked slowly through the room, then sat down
ana SAID, raising his arms to heaven: Alas
when Will such King again ennoble the dia
dem?' When the Emperor Joseph died, the
valet returned to Kaunitz document. which
the Emperor was to have signed, with the words
The Emperor signs no more The death o
his sister, Countess Questenberg, kauntz only
knew when he saw his household i'm mourning
In like manner, he once remained unacauaint
ed with the recovery of one Of his sons from
severe illness, until the convalescent came in
person to call on him; Kauniiz himself had
never been to see him during his illness To
an old aunt of his, he once sent from his table
one of her favorite dishes-four years after her
DEATH"
| But we must leave Kauntz, and turn to some
of the minor anecdotes which are literally
sprnkled throughout the book. Here and there
IN the two volumes we obtain curious plimpses
| OF Court amusements. When Peter the Great
OF Russia visited Vienna, in the reign of Leo.
/ pold l, he was entertained with a grand mas
/ querade, called Tavern Of which we have
the following description "The Emperor per.
sonated the landlord, and the Empress the land
/ lady of the tavern. The other masks appeared
in the dress of the different European or East.
ern nations; or as gipsies, gardeners, shep-
! herds, peasants of different countries, quacks
brigands, walters, &C. These characters were
supported by the Arch dukes and Arch. duches
SEES, and by the Princes then staying at Vienna
including the highest nobility of Austra One
iliustrious guest was Prince Eugene, who had
Just before won the great battle Of Zenta he
appeared In the character of waiter 60 the
Imperial tavern-keeper. The Emperor and
Empress, as mine host and mine hostess sat
at the top of the table; the Princes and Princes.
ses, Counts and Countesses, cavaliers and ladies',
drew lots for their several places. The compa.
ny having, after supper, returned to the ball
room, the Gar, as a Tristan peasant, danced
with interchangeable energy until daylight, all the
while singing Russian ditties, and flinpiug his
lady about in the true style of village swains.
lie was so taken with bis partner the beautiful
Countess Johanna Thurn, who, like him, wore
the Tristan costume, that he would scarcely
| allow her to leave his side. At table, tue I'm.
peror, as mine host rose, and went up to the
Tristan peasant with g magnificent crystal cup,
pledgins to him the health of the Grand Gar
or Muscovy. Peter then took the cup from
Leopold's mouth, and said, in very iair German
know the Gar Of Muscovy very well, inside
and outside; he is friend of your Imperial
Majesty, and an enemy Of your enemies and
so heartily devoted to the Emperor, that, even
if there were rank poison in this cup, he would
forthwith without demur drink it at your com.
mand.' With this, he drained the tankard, and
returned it empty to the Emperor, who begged
him to accept of it as present. request to
which the Gar at once acceded, assuring his
host that as long as he lived his heart and this
glass should BE III the service of his Majesty.
! Ihep farming to the King of the Romans. the
CAar said that his Majesty, being still voups.
might bear more than his father, the EMPEROR:
on the strength of which, Peter pledged him in
eight successive cups. After this feat, the Gar
embraced and kissed the king, lifted him up in
his arms, and was in high glee.'
During this visit TO Vienna, Peter tried to
advance his own political objects by all the
arts of battery, and even by bribing ministers
All were net, however, accessible either to his
ilatteries or his brides. The privy.councillor
Count Strattman, to whom the Car sent a
magnificent casket, inlaid with lapis laZuli and
torquoises, returned it unopened, with the re-
mark: Let the Gar give it to some other
minister who aas better deserved of him."
Hearing which, Peter broke out into a laugh.
saying, A thorough fool, but for once an hon
est one !"
In concluding our slight notice of these Ne.
mo,rs, We may say TO our readers, DESTROYS of
obtaining general conception of Austrian his
tory, that they will here find what they wish for
No other book known to us, in relation to the
subject, is better fitted for general perusal, or
is likely to be so acceptable to so large num-
Der of inquirers. Much of it is of the nature
OF personal gossip; but the gossip commonly
illustrates more Important matters and, con-
siderisg the unpretending character of the
work, we must pronounce it, upon the whole,
well deserving of its popularity.
For the NadOnaI Era.
AN GEL M AIRY.