New-York tribune., 1880-04-05

4 REMARKABLE Old WIN.

However his most recent project may be consid-
cred the Viscount Ferdinand dc c'scps whole our
shores Thursday for Europe, must be regarded as a
no, able old man. Should his biography ever be
written. the clumsiest compiler could hardly mako
il dull. People havo been told generally that II.
DC Lrsscps is advanced in years, but how many ale
there who know that his life began dur.
ing tho most romantic period of tho
French Empire. in 1SO5. Mt Versailles,
Just M Napoleon /. had assumed tho purple The
Connt was u mere infant in the cradle when the
battle of Austcrlitz was fought, and schoohoy
when the SUI of the Empire set at Waterloo. II IS
sorirv hat more than half century since he began
hi, diplomatic caIccr IN Madrid. At the taking of
Agics hc IL was who received the surrender of the
II. y ol Constantine. In consular capacity be-
has resided nt 1unis. nj Rotterdam. nj
Malaga Mt BArcclonn lie has born French
Minister nj tho Court Of MairId. iio was
the Envoy of the French R"public to the
l., pnhlican Government of Mazlini at Rome. All
TIN, was before the Canal OF Snrz seriously
projected II IA twenty-tnur years since NJ. dc
Lc-srls received from hc Yicrroy the charter of the
Cnrnrarnir l'mivcr.r.lr du Canal Maritime de Sucz.
Tlios, who wrote about the completion Of that great
work sad of him that hr was of striking personal
nr,rarlnrc of a coinpact and woll-knit frame.
carving ms head erect. and moving with great
bupyancy and animation. Then his manners were
PRAISED M specially winning while his suavlty was
tr,nperrd by great strength Of will and lixity of
putposc Ten years of additional life do not scom
10 have changed him much. He Is now very much
IA ho was then.
From whatever point of view We may regard tins
srpiuagrnarian still see in him legitimate OIL
spring Of the century. Ono hundred years ago such
"A man would havo been impossible. Has projects.
even If no had then entertained them. would
Hal inn ala Ia anH
his engineering plans rs dreams / he first
Napoleon would have laughed at him had
he suggested the Sucz Canal, ns the great
soldier laughed nj Fulton and his idea of steam
navigation. Without railways and steamboats,, Nj.
de LrssnpS could not have accomplished Il mOi"ty
Of the travel when he has found necessary. His
career may be- offered m an example of the greater
nos sLliutirs which science has secured for modern
life We can live more, do moro. go further.
accomplish more swiftly, overcome obstacles
moro triumD'anly than our fathers conl'i.
If there had been no s;cambonts. we should
hardly have seen NJ. dc LcsSrpS ut all, and
if there had bron railways he would not
have seen much Of us. Within six wcrks he has
visited 81. Lonis, omaha, san Francisco, Chicago.
Nlarara. Bo,ion. In ten or twelve days he will
probably De III Iivcrpool. ShOnld he for amy
reason wish TO return 10 Ncw-York. he can be hack
man of his age conld do nnythinginsuch Il way. The
Counts remaining years wOuld In fruItlcsS. There
would be nothing for hlm, with all his remaining
energy 10 do but to get InlO caSychair, bolOre
good fire, aud dream all day of the wandcrings of
his youth.
People who nothing for canals may regard
NJ. de LeSseps with wonder and interest. for he
proves how successfully m energetic will AMI
great purpOSn may sol Scnllty at defiance. 1t has
been sad that moro men rust out than wear
out. 1t. Is agreeable TO know that hard
work. cheeIiully engaged i'll, other things
bolng equal. does not kill anybody. To
h'o longer than the average of mankind, and to C.
cpmplIsh IN that life twice as much rs ordinary
men, ~ to mako tho most of existence indeed. Ii is
aS II art, which the Greek prOvcrb tells us ~ long,
rciuted the other member Of the ancient saw
Whicl asserts that life is short. We may well watch
Nj de lrSScls and his proceedings with curious IN
icrcst. and almost declare that he IL himself more
wonderful than his works.