, 1874-02-21

Prosper uG1tuce|6 - A&ke&A" - ~A~
luc0nuue.s'
poYis co1rxspondence Of the N<ap Yoyt Herald.
This is the sensational book OF the hour. and
has all tho interest OF frst-rate novel and the
Importance Of historical memoirs. Prosper
Merimee Was born in 1903. and died N 1oG- ne
BECAME at an early age secretary to Cabinet
Minister. travelled much, learned much, achieved
distinction as = novelist and archnologlst, was
elected to tho Academic Francalso IN l544' Great
cd an Imperial Senator In 1858, aud passed the
1ast seventeen years OF his NE 10 149 c.ose
intimacy OF Napoleon Ills Court He was
known By his writings to be q man OF great
l sarcastic Conversation led 70 the belief that
he was c.nic, and the publication OF these
posthu1nous letters, which reveal him ns man NJ OF
warm heart and exquisite gonsibility, has there
fore created general hu1prlse. Inc oook COIL
urises series OF letters written from the year
1856 down to the very day Of Mer1meee death
that is, during the period OF th1Fty-1our year,
Inconnue's" nano is not gwen nut sne
is know, to be the daughter OF an English feel,
and IN have been in her youth extremely
beautiful Marimee first met her 10 fat1s anu
fell in lore with her st first sight. NOE oelne
''marrying num-" however, as he h1naen re.
oeatedIy tells US, his affection was not q sort
winch the ..Iuconnua" could accept as
4 lien upon her whole life. 1t vas 1t nrst
polite tlrtation, but gradually Mes1mee eo'
wholly enthralled by the perfections OF tho 1aay,
ture IS to propose marriage to her had she nol.
unfortunately for him, married some one else
lust Is he Was making up his MIND TO take Ints
desperate leap. A strong aud pure pla1onl93
friendship then commenced between them, anu
continued unabated till Merimoe's DEATH Il
uas friendship almost too perfect Tor these nn-
romantiotin1es. Tho pair saw little OF eacn
other. but ther kept up an unbroken correspond,
encs. and Merimee's: letters, dated from ~
narts OF the Continent-Paris, Cannes, En-
glaud Germany. Italy, Egypt-constituse tue
most wonderful literary > homage ever
paid By an adorer to the woman Of his heart.
da;sical eeuEe of that term. They are records OF
everything Merinee said. did, and heard
descriptions Of travel anecdotes OF court, SOCIAL
scandals. political impressions, literary chlt-
c1at-all these thinga abound IN them; and the
sa-;ao mnkss ID chronicle OF the secret history
of France during the past thirty years such as
NV vetI be compared with the famous Me-
-,,nrs of St. Simon - in the last century Amesa-
cana eho would wish to laArn What aort OF MAI
wns Napoleon Ill IN the intimacy o.
private friendship, bow 5ne empress a-t
a,rje tr7,1y we're the different big people Of
~ .haS rSacnnd Empire will find information on a1
.hasa 7oints in this amusing book 1ne An
eo,,n,e :" has been freely blamed 1or MAKING 1ne
iat+ara nnblic, and, considering what grapnlc cen
.tatches Merimee has made OF many Petsonaees
~ et,I1 ,1ira and how truthfully ne exposes
H. NJ aao1nr sie Of many eyenta and enterprises
t;es, ~ 1-ora fair look on the outside I'll t4us
r'nnssked. it may be doubted "hether sne =,
aonnre would not have acted 1uoIe An4! 49,
deFarTnr the publication for anotnef 1eu ~ 3oa.s
~ ~ ONLY then the book might haVe 4oos noo1o
~ tha keen present interest which II aas no"' -