New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-20
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

for a man TO throw open the doors OF drawhgroo'hS "
which he has been received as a guest IN " qu.'''O"
taste which must he left 10 the ndivdua sehseo' P'i'
CIV Certainly Mr. Field has made the frces use vi MS
| social opportunities, and many persons WIN oo gu
| prised TO find themselves here In PRINT "n''o ~
pubc,tv scarcely reaches beyond the smoke Oh 'e'r
own cnimneys His book. however, Is har miess e"o"
| IL indicates malicious intent, ana 'no"s" ~ "
mostly Of gossping details. INDUCES IN no pei
| da,s of a very damaging character Inc mos' pio
fanlt of the volume is its unmeanng character re'
To te great deal, but actually tells Dothihg; ~
In anecdotes but they are OF frivolous nature; hroy
nm IN the standard Of the dinner table. but of curious
nsguihcance when claiming attention III INC "isn, "
prnt II more than just, however, 10 say '""' ~
author makes pretensions to wonderful impor'ah.o
for his random volume contentng himself win p'uch
| ing few flowers. possibly weeds, IN the "gaiuen Va
u,enory which he presents careless wreath, "i'h-
ont any intense boast Of their beauty or fragrance LIS
book must be taken. 1t was Intended by tue wrei'
not az code OF wisdom paragon OF gravity, ou' DIS
desultory oGhaDd contribution to the amusement Vi
| an idle hour 49,,
| Mr. Field is an old traveller. He commenced MS
rambes for the study OF nature more than thirty
| wears AGO His first social venture was
| visit TO Mr. Edward Everett, who at that time VIE
| United states minister to England. He found nun as
frigd iceberg formal with constitutional reserve
| polished as his own writings. bat equally cold Inc
| reception was like a wet blanket and was never
repeated discreet fear Of taking cold kept the author
away Mr.. King. minister to France, was scarcely
more prepossessing. lie was "a tau sum- stateS
southerner," but dignidei and hishtoned sontie-
man. In Madrid, the author found Washington ifViu'
whom he had known from his (lr FicidD boy hoou'
then American minister to the Court of SPAIN lis
health WAS not very good and he suffered from an n
resistible propensity to Sleep The only tine th't
Mr.. Field saw him give way TO excitement
was at a dinner with hin in Madrid. Inc
name OF Dickens happened 10 he introduced ana
he became heated in telling me about MS relations
with that author. Finally he coIld no longer contain
himself and Jumping froaI his scat he walked mp and
down the DOT in great apparent agitation lie toin me
that he had pended with Dickens long bcioc tIoF
ever met That both FROM his writings aud bis letters ne
had formed the highest conception OF MS personal 'h
acter That under circumstances Dickens arrived
at NewYork, and he Iiv1g. called upon hiI AT ms
botel Tnat Immediately after sending III his card he
was invited Mr. Dickenss parlor, and "a he entered
the room, that gentleman met Inn, napkin III hdhd' nc
had been dining and the table was covered with WI
gar proiusion of food, and the t"blccioih was stained
with gravy and wine. Wrinslg his mni, DieHehss
first salut.tion was, Irving am delighted % see YOU
What will you drink, mint juep or a gin cocktali
The idea oil inviting 10 drink iuiop+ and cocktail,
| navey exclaimed Mr. Irving IL found Dickens ou'-
rageOusy vulgar-in dress, manners, ana mind AMI
none of yOung people were then more ihcehsed
against him for his American Notes and Martin Clz
zeWit' than was the gentle Goldsmith OF American
itcrIturc."
Upon "A second visit TO London, which he had made
on account OF his health Mr.. fled called 10 see the d.
ungushcd physician. Sir Benjamin Broile soon at'ei
arrival. Upon entering HE house he found sir Ben
iann engaged with some ladies' aud was requested l"
wait a short time. He shown into the library, with
a cheerful ire, and tine m0rl!ns papers on the table
Drawing up an armchair 20 one corner OF the IRE
place, | seated myself, crossed my cGs, and was
soon deeply immersed in the leviathaD columns
of the Tines" After he had been reading some ten
minutes, tho door opened, and gentleman was ushercd
Into the room. "A short. thok,et man, evidently
a foreigner, and dressed in handsome su OF mourning
After s!ancng at him from his wspapcr, Mr. Field set
him down for German. In accordance with the Eh-
gsh custom, there not the slightest recognition on
either side. The stranger lowered over the table for
moment, and taking up newspaper settled himself ID
a opposite corner % cue hi ii.o~ '-'
,oon deep ina tho newa OF the day. After time they
both became tired Of reading, and threw down their
Journals. Mr.. Field hal thus good chance to sean the
stranger. IIc heavy dull, impasSiye-lookng man.
and his hafclOsed eyes gave peculiar expression 10
his face. His arms and legs indicated great strength
but lac appear lie person OF much activity
His arms we're very lOn- and his legs quite short. lie
stood OF low stature, and sat decidedly tail 70. some
minutes they sat, says Mr.. II I'll, like t~o FOOLS, or
IKE 20 thoroughly wel-brcd Engshmen (not convert
IDLE terms however, pretending TO gaze al tue me-
At length his companion broke the lee ny Observing
that it was a fac day lie assented to the re-
mark and at once they got on famOusly, Mr. Field
being taken for an Englishnau, aud the otner Tor
a GerDan Tne conversation turned on Engisn
politics An interesting discussion cnsaed Ihc
stranger showed himself Inastcr OF the subject and
spoke with animation and case. After ti!cy had been
talking together at least hall an hour, sir benjamin
onened te door and invited Mr.. Field u his study. As
sOou a. they seated he ASKED him If he knew who
IL was that ne had lett in the library. Nj Field replied
that he did not but took him for Grman a all events
ne was remarkably intelligent mln, although he looked
so much the contrary "Wel" said Sir benjamin, with
a smile a." that 10 Louis Napoleon" A few weeks after
wards the prince passed to France 10 take his seat
in the Legislative Assembly. Mr.. Field did not meet
him gam until he Inn in Paris, SIX years later.
emperor OF the French.
At the time that Mr.. Mason American minister to
France, the author invited TO occupy the post OF
secretary Of legation which then happened 10 be vacant
In an unguaried moment lie accepted the Offer the mis-
cries of the situation scrbcd with gush of pah0s.
II lie had ia4ced to be bed OF roses, he found il
crown thorns. The labor immense. The current
wor-daIly writing of letters, and transcribng
dspatches-yas quite enough for one pair OF han l..
But everything was earfuy in For weeks tho
secretary was kept his desk till late hour at night
Then had bear the bruut OF the social euDarrass
ments Hundreds Of our modest coIntrynen would ask
the most incredible fdyOrs. Ambitious Americans who
had not letters Of introduction would Insist upon
private audience with the emperor and threaten sum
mary vengeance il 1t not obtained. Ladies would
demand that small parcels should he sent the
dispaclbag On occasion, Mr.. Field fshed corset
out OF the bag. which the charming had sent a
model for her artist Paris Bat the drcst calamity
official ball Tncu ,he secretary badgered TO
death invitations. The Americans all thought that
they had a special claim upon ms good offices. Those
who succeeded did not take the trouble TO thank him. and
those who did incontiuenty handed him
On one occasion Haussmann gave notice to the
legation Of ball, with the request for list OF the
American ladies and gentlemen for whom an invitation
was reouc,ted Mr. Mason washed his hands OF the