, 1874-02-22

1nCOnuUcs7
Pdr1s Co5r<gpoudence Of the 4fet1 YorE Herald
This is the sensational book Of the hour. and
has all the interest Of a frst-rate novel and the
Importance OF historical memoirs. Prosper
Mcrimee was born in 1893. and died in 1870. He
became at HI carly age secretary to Cabinet
distinction Is q novelist and archnolosist, was
elected to the Academic Franchise in 1874, Great
ed An Imperial Senator Ill 1853, and passed the
last seventeen years OF his life in the close
known by his writings to be a man Of great
talent; but his cold, polished manners and
sarcastic conversation led to the belief that
he Was q cynic, and the publication OF these
posthumous LETTERS which reveal MN as man OF
warm heart and exquisite scnsiblhty, has there
fore created general surprise. The book COM
prises series OF letters written from the rear
1886 down to the very day Of Merimee's death
that is during the period OF th11ty-tour years.
to lady With whom Merimee was in love-. The
Inconnue's" name is not given. but she
ia known to bo the daughter OF IN English Peer,
and to have been in her youth extremely
beautiful. Merimee first met her in Paris and
fell in love with her at first sight. nos oeing
peatediy tells US, his affection was not sort
which the s.Inconnue" could accept Rs
q lien upon her whole life. It Was at t1st
polite Irritation, but gradually Aenmee got
wholly enthrallcd by the perfections OF the Lady,
and would have so far done violence to hls na-
ture as to propose marriage to her had che not,
unfortunately for MIN, married come one else
lust a. he yas making up his mind to take this
desuerate leap. strong and pure platonlc
friendship then commenced between them, &nd
continued unabated till 31erimees death- Ii
WAS friendship almost too perfect for these IN
romantic times. The pair saw little OF eacn
other, but they kept up an unbroken correspond,
epce, ard Merimee's letters dated from al
parts OF the Coutincnt-Paris, Cannes, En-
gland, Germany. Italy, Egypt--constitute the
most wonderful ntorary homage ever
paid by an adorer to the woman OF his heart
They are not loys-letters-in the maudhn' laeka-
dxisical sense OF that term. 1hoy are 5eeqtos OK
everything Morlmee said did, and heard
dasc1;ntions OF travel. anecdotes of court social
scaudsls, political Impressions, literary emit
ch,t-alf thesa things abound in them; and the
esr,as makes up chronicle OF the secret HISTORY
Of France during tho past thirty yesrs such az
mac we'll be compared with the famous Me
mn;ra Of St. Simon in the last century. AmeEi- |
cans Who would wi5h to learn What sort OF man
49, NanoIeou I'LL in the intimacy Of
nrivate friendrhip, how the Empress Eugenie
tailed among her friends, aud what sort
- neon1e truly vese the different big people Of
10 ~ fSecond Empire will find information on AZ
t,.oso nonta in this amusing book The IN
e..1,s = has Lecu freely blamed for making the
;ot,ors nph1ic, and. considering what graphic pen
.1atahas sJeTimee has made Of many personages
ahn "a at,ll alive and how truthfully he exposes
~ asnv side of r,aauv eTeuts and enterprises
,si,ah xro1e a fair look on the outslde I'LL t1uS
'nr,aaf.cd il nay DO doubted whether the :, ~
.o,,,,1a y uou]I not have acted more Anoly III
de1eTrinr the publication for another teu 3eats
or eo. Only then the boo' might hnFe losI so'no
Of tie keen present interest Th1co II naS ao"'