New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-12-13


can be; here the Channel; there the Rhine, or the
Pyrenees; yesterday, the TicinO to-day the MinCo;
in other times and places, nothing. The of de-
narration is everywhere and nowhere. In all cases,
| repeat that the delimitatiOn between two states
implies on the part of both, the consent of the lim
trophe populations, unless an interest superior 10
that of the two States themselves decides otherwise
Now, there are limits TO which neither international
policy nor the wish of the populations ever permit
State TO arrive at Ot this kind IN respect OF rance
is the Rhine. 1t has always served as irOnler
between Germanic States never between Germany
itself and France. l have told the reason of tins,
made manifest by more than 1000 years OF comoatS;
il is because with such strategic line rance would
soon become dominant in Europe, and prepondeIauI
over the world" . .
If while impressed with the striking actually
Of France Ct Rim, recollect that 1t was begun
long before SadOwa, must the more regret that
the author had not lived 10 complete this denOnSra
tive essay of philosophy OF history III ughJ Well
have been a good service done TO themlet1lOn some
other peoples. if they would give heed. Uifor-
tunately, ne left in clean copy only three chapters
The sixty little 1SmO. pages that they MI are FOL
lowed by 100 pages OF notes and fragments, hlhts
and rough material and parts already shaped l0r the
further treatment of his theme, which, IN the au-
thOrs design, extended to fourteen fifteen chapters
Apart from their quite considerable value III other re-
speos they are interestingly the same kind as the eX-
tracts from HawthOrnes Journal for the curious study
they offer of PToudhOns mental and moral nature and
literary processes He seems to have been an active
and hard worker, rather in the line of observation
and reflection than of erudtion; and versatile, not
from lack OF cOncentrative force but for the sake Of
ecOnOmiZng force relieving the strain ON one set of
intellectual muscles by changing the direction of
effort from one TO another of the variety of the works
he kept on hand. Beside his annotatiOus on the Old
and New Testament and three other volumes already
published, his editors announce ii other posthumOus
works IN course of preparation for the press. The
last 30 pages of France d Rim are taken up with
appendix q fragmentary selection from his loose
MSS. quite suggestive and more provocative than
the rest. lt largely consists of sharp hits and traits
of national pOrtIaituIe- English, French. and Aneri
can. thou. general reader who readcst French as
we'll rs thou d0st English sad proof OF neglected edu-
cation in thy native tOngue) greatly commended 10
thy perusal, as a bitter tonic, Is tins Appen-
dix. for its American portion. My own proficiency IN
either language is not At all equal To Transferring the
spiccT passages Of the original to vernacular But
this is noteworthy, that the French papers OF the
day have freely quoted in their columns,
not the weli-aimed arOWy hits at the " VAIN
glorious and stupid eXaggeIatiOn of the Anglo
Americans, devoid OF the aesthetic sense az me
American, who IS a great producer because ne Is u
great consumer but Is ignorant of the art Of LIVING
who is lavish like the Engshman, because, Ike nm,
he is a greedy accumuIatOT-yctm of two vices that
seem contradictory. but arc at base the same nor
these but equally faithful, and nnatelug, agt
much fuller sketches OF tho French national char
acter
into passion that eNdVgeTates common defect INTO
ridiculous ugliness. for the greater amusement OF the
bystauders IS in course of pleasant illustration now
ly the GOOD -naturcd reception the French pnbc give
TO the historical memoirs of lie Prince CGHiche lhe
Prince Cgniche (POOdlel, whose proper name - iva
cnthe. Is the and heir of the rcging family OF
Tulips in the nation Of G0bcm0pcic3 lNinrylMA
The story Of his life aud reign and OF his Ministers,
and the administrative system OF the realm as set
down by Mr. Ed labOulaYc, Is clever satire CA the
French administrative ystemOn that passion which
seems to inspire all French authorities To- substi-
tute yeXatiOuS infnty Of rules and regulations for
the simpler laws of nature and human nature, This
amusing work is now IN course Of publication in the
RcruC AGfi0Hdie, which has been CRIT down and
cut up from excellent monthly INTO
lighter weekly periodical. lnasmuch az 1t exposes
to Tldicule the manners aud customs Of n foreign
people he Prince CdRche should oier attractive read
ING to ours though, nasmuch as II does not directly
III "a
rs en- Amaiqte by the same author. But inaSmuch as
Nh l.a9Qulaye has.always been good friend OF ours
and rs theTf Is no copyright. it might pay for trans
latiug Ii is Il pleasing reflection That our other ana
more admired good friend the Autocrat OF all the
Russias except Wal OF tlat TX, sheuo DC ''iualy
regardless with Us Democrats OF the nights o. foreign
authors TO their own.
Thanks however. to his courtesy, we arc 10 have,
one of these days, the ! dtrc de CGhaIRe a. N0@s
which are now undergoing the editorial process ut
the hands of the Count de lJ fculcTe. This gentle
man has passed two years al ST. Petersburg ridtr
commission from the French Minister ol uDHc IN
stuctlOn 10 examine the NQiuabic Cphecnp' o.
French manuscripts preserved IN the library there
quote from the last of bis three interesting reports
the following: AT NOltaiTes death ms books were
nurcba scd bv Catherine the Great. From tic library
of the Hermitage where they were 40 INST deposited,
they passed 20 The Imperial library where th5V no"
are 4 separate room Is signed g. thcm ana here,
arranged as in his lifetime. are the seven ihOu%nu
volumes that composed his library They are l@r me
most part IN half bindinS OF req morocco IN UNI
middle of the room is the statue by Houdon-a lhh-
u copv bv the artist himself Of the original III me
Vestibule of the Theatre FRANCHISE and ma'e more
impressive by its surrounding, IT Is me man MN
sel-the cold skeptic the piless nockeI. nc sreas
10 watch the visitor; II You tOuch one az hs BOOKS
his glance follows son, his ironic smile mtlmiCates
yon Ills spirit is still there; FOR all these volumes
have marginal notes i'm his handwriting, a curious
selection might be made from Them WITH Tic ulle'
Lectures d. F0tt0r6. .
numbers Of the Rerac CoateapOr0'ac, took more
than one occasion 10 speak m this correspondence 81
the history Of ILieral9R d Ia cf~t de idomiAi ny
~ ~. le
most completely unsuccessful ot al Napoleon eN-
penments the MeXican expedition; ana aGds 10 me
authority Of an lntehgeDt eyewitness ana pdi.lcl
pant the exceptional advantage Of having been iur-
nished with information not accessible 70 the hrst
conner The work nov appears IN book form, win
preface bv Provost PaIadOl. kcIdtgy having probed
HE wound aud laid il well OPEN Parad0l gives 10
light dressing Of salt and pepper. keait{ IS no"
giving i'm the RerWC the story Of toe Jeckel business,
the French Indemnities, and the MeXican Loans ana
las IN press volume entitled In C0b"e GudH9
Ird0cajse an MeriQW. - 90. -.
II is said that RAMIREZ. one Of Maximilians Minis
ters isprepming capitalization tout OF France aithe
CORRESPONDENCE exchanged between that prince ana
Napoleon III; that SOIno one IS editing 70 complete
collection of all the documents oihcll paPTs, rs
ports q &C.. written by Juarez during the war; ihat
NaDolron is al work upon life Oi Augustus. AcN-
auder Dumas L. j. engaged on novel mat IS 20 Nil
30 feuillctOns OF the Ep0qwe hcWaplptr 1iouaIno
Marie Alexander Dumas, who piclCis her latucfs 10
her husbands name, aud who has shown very re,
markablc talent as artist - comprising cI sc'9hu
novel Alexander Dumas ~. lis rWoIkcd me AWtt
1(s Eas1,r. considerably improved that play. and
br0nght it ont with success al BlllsscIs FOlW CiI
SarJou is busted with historical romance, or, lor
The reports vary, more gaAcly historical essay on
some part of The French Revolution. Ihat mex
haustibe subject has furnished me lhcue oL az ~
Wrestling work 10y Jules Careto on the GiYnd,Hs
and the last of the MOHt0gRGTds presenting inc de-
Victor HrCos poem. liz Yoir dc Guerpseg has,
among other passages. one on the Roman Question
which Will make its sale by French b0oks'iefs hah-
geroug to them and this strong Ooyerhhel; lIe
noet is As always preparing other works i-aharlne'
Who has gone southwark for amder winter climate,
ms nearly ready for the press ~ fI'acG a.