The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-30
SOME NEW HOOKS.


The Memoirs of n Distinguished Wonsan.
The past twelvemonth has been singularly
rich in repertories OF anecdoto about persons
OF emincnce in tho social or literary world.
None, however. II we except the remarkable
revelations Of Prince Bismarcks secretary,
have surpassed in interest tho Lie and Letters
Of Baroness B,nsen by AUGUSTUS j. G. HARE
Routledgo). No man OF this century, not even
his friend and mentor Nicbuhr. was more many
sided than the husband Of this lady. or filled
moro honorable place in the eyes Of his con-
temporaries on the most diverse planes ofaction
ne dipomatst scientist. and mnn Of letters. 1t
so happens. too. that he who will be longest re-
WONDERED by his earlier title OF Chcvnlier
Bunsen was moro generally known than other
Europeans OF equal distinction to our own
| countrymen. For several years in the early
| part of his career he acted as tutor and travel
! ling companion TO William b. Astor and he
married a lady whose family had, or was to
| have moro than one tie OF relationship with
tho United States. Frances Waddinzton. whom
| the readers OF this biography will know rs the
| Baroness Bunsen. was the daughter OF an
| English squire Of ancient stock and ample for
| tune one OF whose kinsmen settled in New
York and left descendants widely and honor
ably known in American society. Moreover. a
first cousin Of the Baroness. after his marriage
with tho heiress Of an estate in Normandy. was
| naturalized in France. and II was his son. the
| present head Of the French Ministry who mar
ried a daughter Of the late Charles King. Presi-
| dent OF Columbia College.
Tho reader Of these memoirs. made up. IN a
large degree. of letters. will be not little i'm
pressed by the range and variety Of the writer's
experience. When Baroness Bunsen was born,
Louis XVI. was King Of France, and when she
died. Marshal MacMahon was President Of the
~ -,l, Gln had onl
with George ILL.,. and she lived to SEQ the great
great grandchid OF that monarch baptized as
the heir to n new German empire. She was but
three years younger than Byron yet she might
have read Swinburno's Erechtheus." The first
Waverley novel, and the last novel by George
Eliot were both known to her. During more
than three generations she saw and talked with
almost every person conspicuous for brilliant
social rank or personal achievement in the Eu-
ropean world. From the palace TO the wayside
| inn. from the hall OF council TO the studio. II
was her lot to study human life under the most
diverse conditions. and she has recorded her
impressions with clearness and vivacity.
evincing. meanwhile. breadth and penetra-
ton OF judgment in her remarks on men and
things that sufficiently explains the rank she
held throughout her life among the moet accom-
pished women OF our day.
As we have said. the father OF Baroness Bun
sen was OF a very ancient family though in his
time it's lustre seems to have been partially OBJ
scured. Soon after his marriage to Miss Post
niece OF the famous Mrs Delaney-who had
sat on Lord Bolngbroke's knee. and had been
set down rs maid OF honor by Queen Ammo,
and whom Edmund Burke had called not only
truly great woman OF fashion but the highest
bred woman in the world-Bcniamin Wadding-
ton purchased a large estate in Monmouthshire
| aputh Wuloe aud a. hear ~ him latpr aa Sharfn
OF the county. a post We need not say. conferred
only upon the most considerable land owners
II Is n curious fact. illustrating the importance
| OF such a county mHgnate. that one OF his kins-
women was held to have derognted and lost the
countenance Of her friends. Ivy marrying a
nephew Of the Duchess OF Ancaster. Mr.. Wad-
dington's eldest surviving daughter. Frances
il the subject OF this memoir; but we may note
here that her sisters were all married to mem
bers Of that English arisocracy which is far
more strongly intrcnched in the ranks of the
country gentry than in the House OF Peers. To
tae Baroness's family "reminiscences however.
which are naturally invested with less interest
than her wider experience in the great world.
we need make no further reference. except to
chronicle an incident connected with the so
called famine Of l779 1t seems that during the
depiorablc scarcity which prevailed at that timo
in England. benjamin Waddington wrote TO his
brother Joshua az New York with q commission
TO send him quantity of wheat -four. which he
distributed at cost price 10 tho poor OF Mon
| mouthshirc
Frances Waldington was % years old when
she was married at Rome 70 Christian Carl Bum
sen. the son Of poor lawyer. and himself a
pcnniless student without any powerful con-
nections or prospect OF definite career But
whom Miss Waddingtons father applied TO
! Niebuhr, then prussia an Minister at Rome. for
his Judgment on the propriety OF such u union.
he received a reply made memorable by subso-
quent events. AT that period. as we have said.
the young man had been travelling as tutor to
William b. Aston. and had no means OF support
except the savings from his stipend. Neverthe-
loss Nebuhr said: The talents. abilities, and
character Of Bunscn are a capital more safely
TO 10 reckoned upon than any other. however
securely invested and had a daughter myself
to such a man | would gladly eonsign her" The
truth is that Bunsen. although then but 26 years
old. had already acquired considerable reputa-
ton among scholars. Besides mastery OF tho
Greek and Latin teratures which commanded
Keynes admiration. he had taught himself the
English and scandinavian languages. and was
rapidly advancing to thorough acquaintance
with Persian and Arabic At the age OF 81 he
had been appointed teacher Of Hebrew at Got
tingen, and in the same year one Of his prize
essays attracted SO much attention that tho Uni
yorsity Of Jena presented him unsolicited with
the degree Of Doctor Of Philosophy. Now we
near OF him coming the Edda with learned
Icelander at Copenhagen. and now reading tho
poets Of Shiraz at Paris under Sylvestre De
Sacy. then reckoned the greatest Oriental
scholar in Europe But the man whose innu-
ence left the deepest impress on his mind. and
who apparently determined its dual activity AZ
once in letters and in affairs. was the great re-
constructor OF Roman history, Of whom ho
wrote. there Is but one Rome and one Niebuhr.
him alone will | acknowledge as my lord and
master. his instructions and his personal excel
lence, in every respect. as well rs in that Of
learning. stand highest in estimation among all
the men know he il essentially the person to
form mo into a thorough man and citizen Of my
country Moreover. rs regards the realization
OF my plans to become q Prussian. he is equally
the man. We may add that. before his intro
duction to tho Waddngtons Bunscns strong
longing after the East AMI intention Of sojourn-
ing for some years at Calcutta seem to have
bepn euhiup1 law CON varsufions with Nfabuhr