The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1874-02-11
HEMINLSCEECES or u.4SHIE NO.,
IRYING AND NAPOLEON aHxRD.

| REMINIsCENCES or n-aSHJE no.,
IKYING AND S-AFoLEoN aHxRD.
Maunsell B. Field, tells the following
anecdote of Washington Irving The Incl.
dent described occurred at a dinner IN Mad
rid. Irving being at the time Minister at the
Court from the United States. :. The name
| Of Dickens Writes Field happened to
be introduced, and he became very heated IN
telling me bis relations with that author
Finally he could no longer contain himself,
and Jumping from his sent, ne walked III and
down the floor IN great apparent aeikstion.
He told me that he had corsespondcd with
Dickens long before thsy ever met. That
both from his writings and his letters he had
formed the highest conception Of his personal
character. That under these circumstances
Dickens arrived at New York, and he,
immediately after sending in his card he VI s
invited to Mr. Dickens parlor, and, as he
entered the room, that gentleman met Fin,
napkin III hand. He had been dining. and
the table was covered with a vulgar profusion
of food, and the table cloth was stained with
gravy and wine. Wnnging bis hand, Dick
ems first salutation was, Irving, | am de-
mint julep or gin cocktail2 The idea of
inviting me to drink juleps and cocktails,
naively exclaimed Mr.. Irving. He found
Dickens outragcously vulgar in dress, man
ncrs, and mind. And none Of us young peo-
pie were then more incensed against him for
his American notes and Martin Chuzzle-
wit than was the gentle Goldsmith of
American literature
Mr.. Field also relates how he once met
Napoleon III. 1t was on the occasion of a
visi. to the distinguished English physician,
Sir benjamin Brodie: ~.
Upon entering the house, he found Sir
Benjamin engaged with some ladies' and WAS
requested to wait a short time He was
shown into the library, with cheerful FIRE,
and the morning papers OIL the table.
Drawing up an armchair to one corner of
the fire place, seated myself, crossed my
legs, and was soon immersed in the leyiathap
columns of the Times After he had been
reading some ten minutes, the door opened,
and gentleman was nshered into the room.
| He was short, thick set man., evidently
foreigner and dressed In a handsome suit OF
mourning. After CHANGING at him from his
newspaper, Mr.. Field set him down for a
German. In accordance with the English
custom, there was not the slightest recogni-
ton on either side. The stranger lowered
| over the table for moment, and taking up a
J newspaper, settled himself in chair at the
h opposite corner Of the frc-p place, and was soon
q deep in tne news or VIC dNy. Nstcr time
Is they both became tired of reading, and threw
down their journcls. Mr.. Field had thus a
y good chance to scan the stranger. He was a
I, heavy, dull, impassive-l ooking man, and his
G halfclosed eyes gave peculiar expression to
# his face. His arms and legs indicated
n strength, but he did not appear like person
+ of much activity. His arms were very long,
5 and his legs qnitc short. He stood Of low
stature, and sat decidedly tall For some
! minutes they sat- says Mr.. Field "like two
fools, or like two thoroughly well-bred
Englishmen mot convertible terms, how
evor,) pretending to gaze at the fire. At
length his companion broke the ice by OBJ
serving that it was fine day. Hs assentcd
to the remark, and at once they got on
1 itIHouStyt MI. riciu utlug tdkcu Tor AN
Englishman, and the other for German.
The conversation turned Oh English politics.
| An interesting discussion ensued The strsn
ger showed himself master Of the subject.
and spoke with animation and case. After
they had been talking together at least half
an hour, Sir Benjamin opened the door and
invited Mr.. Field to his study. As soon as
they werc seated, he asked IL he knew who it
was that he had left in the library. Mr.. Field
replied that he did not, but took him for a
German; at all events he was ! remarkably
intelligent man, although he looked so much
the contrary. "Well," said Sir Benjamin,
with smile, "that is Louis Napoleon A
few weeks afterwards the prince passed over
to France to take his scat in the Legislative
Assembly. Mr.. Field did not meet him again
until he saw him in Paris, six years later,
emperor Of the French.