New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-10-10
THE BACHELOR ~ THE FRENCH FOREIGN
OFFICE.
p.on IN, Pan HaH Gazette.

NJ Barthelemy St-lIiaire's appointment is a
cause OF hilarity to many newspapers. Why, they
would be at a loss to say. often used to wonder
why NJ Barthelemy St. -Hilare was never proposed
for a 1Tst-ciass embassy or for the post he now
holds. His one drawback Is that he has no wiie,
and is no longer of an age 10 take one with adVan-
taCe seeing that he is only live years younger tLan
our octogenarlan century. l never met a human
being who raised himself to higher altinde OF
whom / was in the habit of daily seeing Ill the
most troublous and critical period OF NJ ihierss
reign. He was then staying as If in wayside
inn at the Versailles Presidency. and was the ear,
the eve and the right hand of the President, whom
he assisted as friend and served as patriot with
out hope of emolument or ~ other reward than n
satisfied heart and conscience could return. tie
got through the most crushing tasks with the reeu-
iarity and stoicism of an old soldier, and never
seemed faigued or ont OF temper. His courtesy
was never AT fault, and he was scrupulous in keep
ing trifling engagements and promises TO render
small services II was he who received tie Am
bassaGoTs when Theirs was indlsDosed and he alone
was in the secret of Thiers's financial designs i'll re-
Iaton to the great three miiard loan. Its mode OF
emission. and the machinery by which that sum
would be handed overito Germany without causing in
France disastrous monetary perturbation and well
the secret vas kept, as NJ Leon Say the other DAY
demonstrated. NJ. Bartheemy St-llilaire made
rule-which like all his rules was rgorous y kept
never TO make use of his knowledge, when he
was at Versailles to enrich himself ut the Bonrse
or to serve ths fortune OF any one else The
dignity which he impaired to the public admins
tration and the austerc front with which he met
corruption, in great measure contributed to place
the Third Republic on solid basis Inc koyailsts
in the Assembly, feeling of wha. advantage were
the moral qualities OF this citizen to the Republic,
proposed a law to exclude him from the presence of
n. Thiers so long as the latter remained ehci OF
tackled as being what il is now the fashion to call
the occult power at the Presidency, where lie oc-
cupied scantiy furnished bedroom.
The new Minister for Foreign Affairs Is in address
and bearing grave. courteous gentleman, looking
much younger than his years. II caught IN
shower of rain he raises his collar buttons his coat
qbpst lS unpDncprnpQ.
Nobody ever heard him, believe. complain OF his
bodily health He is of strong frame strength.
ened by the stoicism of his mind and the sobety of
his habits. From early spring to autumn his life
brstled with aspeIiIcs. He poor on leaving
school, and could only obtain the function of an
unpaid clerk IN the Ministry of Finance. But he
found there business drill, shelter, and leisure
to study Greek, Oriental and European languages,
end TO work for newspapers OF Republican ten
denotes. One of these journals was lie GLOBE As
an Orentalist NJ st -iiilaire ranks with Bournouf
and Max Muller. and there is 10 more accom-
plished lIellenlst in France. Cousin, OF whom he
was in his youth the private secretary, lett HIM at
his death his library, which is the only luxury NJ.
Barthcleiny St.-Hilaire in his life enjoyed. The
Empire tossed this sayant out OF the College OF
France because he refused TO take the oath of allie
glance TO the Emperor. Finding II impossible 10
support n grcataunt who reared him i'll Paris. he
betook himself to patch OF ground at Meanx,
and there became "a neutrality-suspicious.. living with
his aged relative i'll cabin III the midst OF his beds
of turnips and of carrots Fortune has since fav
0red him in "a moderate degree. and enabled him to
street Rue dAstorgl, and to Keep an elderly
woman servant to attend HIM. The mornings are
devoted to Aristotle. his literary idol the rest of
the day to the Institute, the Senate and the CLASH
ication of Thierss papers. In the evening he goes
TO dine with Nine. Theirs and her sister. and quits
them at 10 o'clock. i never knew him to dine any
where else except at the German Embassy.
NJ. Bdrhelcmy St.-HIlaire finds much pleasure in
admiring great men His face. winch is that of n
Greek statue hewn on. in granite, lights aud warns
up when conversation with him tuIDs upon an H.
iustrous object of his admiration. Latterly he
has come to see in Bismarck Of those great
geniuses who determine the character of the epochs
in which they lYe and act and he thinks .he Ger
man Austrian alliance Will be "a mighty instrument
of civilization in the baTbarOus end of Europe
living between the Danube aud Greece / have
heard him sustain this view with animation. NJ.
BartheleIny St.-Hlare desires the growth of
French influence. which lie opines could only be
with incTea cd morality and the spread
of education But he is too familiar with the lit
erary work accomplished by other nations to wish
for the prImacy of his own country and lie would
regard with apprehension her material agsrandize-