New-York tribune., 1870-12-15

sions in n series OF sketchy volumes when contain
good deal Of wit and very little truth, ana though
tboroucbly worthless are marked with such engaging
egotism that possibly will repay even now to read
them What Is there indeed which Dumas has not
touched with his peni He has written history. and he
has recorded his Impressions OF Fifteen Days on Mount
sipai"-and after those two exhibitions OF temerity'
what should appal hint It was announced some time
ago that lie had written cookery book but he was well
qualified to do that.
We have explained how he lost one fortune by MS
theater He lost another by fancful country seat
called the Chateau de Monte Crsto which he built near
ST. German. 1t was surrounded by an artificial pond
crossed by draw bridge which the owner he sat by
his table In little cabinet de ara could raise or lower
by touching golden knob. The extravaganza OF ms wd
fancy had full play In the furnishing OF this iantaso
abode upon which he had spent $4,000 francs when the
revolution Of short his means II was sofa at
auction in 1854 for less than tenth OF its rgna cost
Some Of the later literary extrayagances OF the prince
OF romancers were no doubt prompted by the amusing
vanity and deyourng appetite for notorety which were
always among his chief characteristics. 1t was some
thing of this kind which prompted him TO join Garbald
I'm 1900 TO share his campaigns, and write Memoir
Of the Caprefan hero: il something or TINS kuid
which dictated his Autobiography which a. long ago as
1856 had reached the dsheartenng magnitude Of n vol
umes and was certainly something OF this knd that
induced him 10 undertake lecturng tour in which he
cramme Of the first Of this grand series Of conferences
pubiqlss delivered in Paris in 1865. is character istic
Mon drrirfe 4 Paris-Les dmiS de mon Pere-hon
enfre das leI btreauI-Mcs dtbutS au htdts-Mon 0rd
son tuitbre par tn roi" The conferences, however,
were not successful, and were soon abandoned.
We have said something about his peculiar method
of writing. He peculiar indeed In this a. he was
in everything In place he describes himself lying
fiat on his back for two days. on board a vessel in
tla NJ ,iyp "A a
consciousness. At the end Of that time the novel was
finished and hc got up and called for his dinner Again
tells I'm his Memories that he used to repeat his
dramas aloud to his intimate friends. making
them up as he went along; he composed Henry
Ill" in that way. He wrote with astonishing
rapdity. He says he could dash OF play faster than
three expert scrbes could copy it, On occasion he
had promised the manager Harc play the subject Of
Napoleon Months passed the play was not forthcom'
ing Dumas rioed in the pleasures of Paris society," the
theater anGuishcd; and neither cntreaties nor renon
strances could draw the author away from his amuse-
ments. One night he invited to sup with the iasc
mating actress, Mdle. Georges. He found there Hare
Jules Janin and Lockroy. After supper the two last
slipped away and toward morning Dumas got up to GO
No" SAID Harcl :" all the world is abed; you must
sleep here" He was ushered into splendid chamber
furnished with all that sybarite could desire, ana with
books and writing materials as well He expressed his
delight Il glad you like it," said Harel for you
locked him in and he fell to work. There only
-, 49,, .tt Ia .. u,uo Coor,,cs, cb,,,h.r so care.
fully had the conSpators provided for his comfort that
tas the Memories relatc) they had taken the pains
10 let his mistress know what had become Of him,
and 10 fetch pair OF comfortable undrcsspantal0Ons
from his lodgings "In eight days the drama fin
ished. 1t consisted Of wenty-four ableaux and com
pIlsed 1900 lines ms was 'nree tlme' as onS 's an
ordinary drama, five times as long AS 'lphisenia six
ties as long as Nlcroper Maybe this little story told
by the hero himself Is not all true; nut air spe'i
men az the life of tlds prince OF modern pagans. How
, ~ ,,o 90 or,, Nth ,rhat magnificent air he
gayly ne Threw OH "oih' Win "hdt "i o
tred with serious obligations; now he fe'eleu III the
spendors Of gentec sin; how dearly he loved that
,aorIoss tol,or Alexapdre Dumas, He i, perpetuay
.,,s 'i 49,, -, cont Gde,oo and no.ing him
taxing us ih'o enoarrassng oonnu.uo,' a, Po's ni'
self in dishabhle. or his drama OF Anthohy' (WHICH
young ladies believe do not readl he tells that 1t
- i,,a ,nder the i,nnulse of real feeling. he had An
ecu .t,h norrid lad and vos borrihv ieolous OF
amour WIN aI1eu du9 anu ""9 MUMMY 'o'ou' VI
her husband "hcre IA no jealousy 80 horrible as the
,eaouv one has Of husband and 50 on to the end of
JodiouNy o"0 nus Va "N' W ~ w. W " ~ -
the book
He married Mile Ida ferrer an actress of the Porte
81 Martin in 1870 Three wears afteryard abe removed
~ ,Io.o,,ao and sho' 'iiaa ,horo e., 800
10 florehce' anu sue uieu tueIo III io0'
The last Of all Dumas literary enterprises history OF
tbe Revolution in spain was mentioned only a few
-, ,,., ,, . corrosrorden, NJ o,r ouyp We c,nnot
weeks ago ny " CorIoSpoluoI vi oui o""' VIC O'i'io
appropriately close this sketch than by quoting
norton OF the letter which describes the appearance OF
=, -, = :, .,,o L., ,,,r,h, ., ,is no.
'ne oiu nnn IN INC inSt iiVn'n VI . ms nv ~ a..
In the Spring of this year Alexandra Dumas, inc
Father, came down 10 madId 10 cOcct material ior MS
work entitled " The Past, Present and Future OF the
Revolution In Spain IL - rare that french feullle
tOnise knows anything outside or the Boulevard des
Itaiens, but this veteran romancer used TO brngto the
discussion of historical subjects profound and thorough
ignorance of the matters treated which put 10 shame the
skechy misinfOrmatiOn OF his frivolous lmitaOrs. He
Spain utterly ignorant OF the history the Ian
gage, the customs Of the people to write IN some six
weeks the stories and intrigues and incidents OF life
time, which have resulted IN the destruction O the BOur
bon dynasty IN the Peninsula
go
The tenor Iamberlk w1s sngh9 al the opera or some
things Dchch ana eNerypoGy "chi. III lht Hr'i ehtt-
acte IVtEcu hat lho WHY milc wa. on
way followed me general stare ana 81" he authOf oI
Monte CrlstO" recognized hlm instantly, not from
his portraits, nut from Nauars grOesque carcatuGe,
which u more Ike MN an himself Ihtre was snch
pTepOsterOus stock OF white wool covering the enormous
red face with the broad humorous negro smile that ran