Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-04-18
BISMARCK.
His New BOOk-His Powers as
A Descriptive Writer.
From the Correspondence New York Postl
FRANKFORT oN-THE- MAIN, GER MANY,

From the Correspondence New York POST
| FRANKFORT ON-THE- -MAIS, GERHANY,l
February p, 1859. J
The first of the book of Count
Bismarck" has found very hearty vel
come in Germany, and has cast pleas
ant halo around the youthful years of
the stern premier. The work is timely,
and ought to allay, especially in the sub
jeeted cities and provinces, some of the
irritation caused by Bismarck's late
speeches on confscatiOn and similar
themes, for it reveals traits in his char
aeter of which few we're aware. The
German press seized upon the letters
written by Bismarck to his sister, wife
and friends in his youthful years as real
treasures, and perceived in them a sharp,
fresh, observing talent, and a spirited,
humorous power of description. The
second part, we are told, will present far
richer stores of this kind, and will at
once stamp Bismarck as an author of
rare talents, poet in contemplate de-
scription, and master of humor. The
letters of the second part-only a few
selections from which have yet found
their way into print-are addressed by
the Premier to his wife, from Vienna,
Hungary, st. Petersburg, Paris, the
Pyrenees and other places. A few of
these. written in the summer of 1852,
when their author was thirty-seven years
old and while he was engaged on a
diplomatic mission to the Austrian court
at Buda-Pesth, Hungary, contain excel
lent descriptions of the journey thither,
of the life of the Hungarians, and Of
his own residence in the castle of his
subsequent enemy. The first letter,
which is translated below, is dated from
Ofen, which lies nearly opposite Buda-
Pesth, on the Danube. The castle of
Koenigsburg was formerly the residence
of the Kings of Hungary, and is the
place where the youngest child of the
Empress of Austria was born, in order
to cOnciliate Austria's Hungarian sub
jects. As Bismarck frequently makes
use of English expressions and quota
tions, we indicate them in quotation
marks.
" OFEN-23, 4-1s52-I have 8
come from the steamer and don't know
how better to use the spare moments
until Hildebrand follows with my
things than to send you little sign that
| am still alive, from this very eastward
but very beautiful world. The En-
peror has had the kindness to offer me
quarters in his castle, and l am sitting in
a great vauIted hall, at the open window
through which comes the sound Of the
evening bells at Pesth, and away further,
the endless plains above Pesth, disap-
pearing in the blue-red evening vapor
Close to Pesth, to the left, | see theDanube
distant, very distant TO my left,it
is hemmed by the city of Ofen; behind
that mountains, blue and bluer, then
brown-red in the evening sky which
glows behind. Between the two cities
lies the broad expanse of water, as by
Linz, broken only by the suspension
bridge and q wooded island. The way
hither, at least, from Grau to Pesth,
would have pleased you. Just imagine
to yourself the 0denwald and the
Taunus moved near TO one another, and
the space between filed with Danube
water. The shady side of the journey
was the sunny side, for it fairly burned |
as if tokay (wine) should grow on the
ship, and the crowd of travellers was
large, but just think, not an English |
man, who must not have discovered |
Hungary yet. The rest were strange
looking fellows enough, from all 0rien-
tai and occidental nations, greasy and un-
washed. A really amiable general was
my principal travelling companion, with |
whom sat and smoked upon the Whsel- |
box nearly the whole time After a
while I'll be inpatient where Hide
brand is staying l recline in the win
dow, half moonstruck, half waiting for
him, as for a true-loye, for ] want a
clean shirt Were you but here for a
and could look out upon the
dim-silvery Danube, the dark hills
against white red ground, and upon the
lights which shias up from Pesth,
Vienna would soon sink in your estima-
ton against Buda-P Pesth, as the Hunga-
rians say you see am an enthusiast
of nature. | will now quiet my excited
blood with cup of tea, now that Hide
brand has really made his appearance,
md then go to bed.
al Last night only four hours sleep,
ind the court is awful aatinos here the
young gentleman himself gets up at five,
md / would thus be very bad eourtier
f l were to sleep much longer. There
ore, with a side glance at giant tea
IAN and an enticing plate, with cold rel
sh in jelly, among other stuff, as I see,
say good night, from afar. Where
nave 1 got this song which l have been.
thinking about all day:
q" Over the blue mountains, over the wide
sea foam,
Come. thou beloved one, come to thy lonely
home
don't know who must have sung that
to me once, in old lang syne
: On the followinO morning he amends |