Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-04-16
RECENT LITERATURE.
sHAKEsPEAREs PLAYs-THE METER
MICH MEMo1Rs-MRs. cRAlK
Harper's Franklin Square series-Anec-
dotes of Public Men-Victor
Eugo-Etc., Etc.

Tro of the new volumes before us are the
q Memoirs of Prince Metternich, 1915
1900 . edited by Prince Richard Metternich,
,,,;+b ,snsrs classified and arranged by Nj. A.
Sa KIi5koygtrom. The translation is by
AIRS Alexander Napier. The books are from
tba nress Of Charles Scribners Sons, New
York and for sale by w. A. & c. 5, Hough-
ton. Sacramento, and are priced st 81 oo each'
This work is in brief pen-picture OF the
stirring times in Europe between the date OF
the battle Of Waterloo and the days of July.
Bruce Richard is the son of Metternich, the
diplomatist Plon, the once publisher OF the
late Emperor NAPOLEON, is the publisher OF
the work IL Paris. The present volumes are
the third and fourth of the nine, which the
entire work will embrace, and brings the
record down to the close of the Restoration
in France, which preceded by five years the
death of the Emperor Francis OF Austria.
The Prince possesses peculiar advantages tor
the preparation of the volumes, in hav-
ing on hand the papers, correspond
ence and notes of his father and the
biographical memoranda made by his own
hand, as the great politician late IN life en-.
tered upon the task Of sketehlng the chief
events Of his times, in which he was promI-
nent as one Of the chief actors and one of
was a man Of broad knowledge, thorough
statesman, a dispasslonate critic, a bold and
fearless leader and the soul of whatever
party he espoused. His letters to immediate
friends themselves would make up most
interesting and, politically and historically,
valuable volume. Metternich was the untir-
ing opponent Of the forces set free by the
French revolution, as being mischievous and
dangerous. He looked upon Napoleon as
the only man able to bride the revolution
ary spirit" but who failed of greatness be.
cause his personal ambition subordinated all
other things. He said. in 1921, of Napoleon
that he was Of ak men il the world the one
"who most profoundly despised the human
race. He had marvellous insight into the
weaker sides Of human nature, and all our
passions ara either foibles themselves or the
cause Of faibies. He had a habit
of telEag me the most tremendous whoppers.
I alwas let him 90 on to the end, and con
tented myself when he got through with say
ing, That is not so He would look steadily
at me, burst out laughing and turn OF saying
f,Soao bugie per Pirigiai they are bans
for the psrisians. In q word, Ma
poleon was a very small man with very
great character. tie was as ignorant as any
sub Lieutenant, but a marvellous instinct
took the place with him OF information.
With his pr0fessed contempt OF men he never
had any fear If making a mistake. lie dared
say or do anything, and this gave him IN
stantly an enormous advantage which brought
him very near success. Flinging himself into
an immense arena, he astOunded the
world and took possession of it while others
cannot even get control Of their own houses.
Then he went on. on, steadily on till he broke
his neck He was bound to end as he ended,
and he has been judged as the multitude
ALWAYS Judges the men who succeed in domin-
ating and enslaving it. As the lawful ruler
of small state he would have won only the
reputation of an enterpIising monarch. As
an army leader anywhere, and as civil ad-
miDistrator in any country over which the
revolutionary gale had swept, his powerful
nature would have make its way inevitably"
This quotation shows clearly how fearless Met
teruich was as a critic, and how unmistaka-
bly, fearle.s he was in expressing his opinion
of public men. When the Palignac Ministry
came into power in 1929. Metternich in a
report to the Emperor Francis. said he re-
garded the accession with pleasure, as a
Royalist triumph, but hoped that Palignac
might be sure of success IN his adminlstra-
tion as he supposed himself to be, but
doubted the policy Of reliance upon him, and
added:
In theory it is all very fine and precisely what we
want, but rs a practical matter the real question
will be as to the future attitude OF parties in
France. and whether the 6irg AMI the Government
will be strong enough 10 resist the serious attacks
which the revolution, already determined upon,
viii inevitably make upon the Ministry
The world knows how true this doubt
proved when less than a year later the
struggle between Palignac and the press
begun Metternich seems never TO have had
his political vision obscured, and to POSSESS
that wonderful gift of craftsmanship which
enabled him to look through and beyond his
own prejudices and desires and see events
and their results without color. His corcep-
ton of the men of his time was equally clear,
aud his criticism of Canning is a striking
illustration in point, charged as it is with his
own personality in comparison:
Canning soars-I walk He lifts himself into tie
region where men do not iive-I satisfied to keep
myself on the level Of human affairs. The result
OF this difference will be that Canning Will have all
the rumantcists on his side, while I shall be re
du ed to the prose writer's. His part is brilliant
rs fash Of lightning, but fugitive mine is not
dazzling. but it tends to preserve what the other
consumes. This is the simple but in9ubtable truth.
Historians always find il out, but IL often escapes
contemporary observers. Men Ike Ginning may
fall twenty times and rise again twenty times. Mon
like myself do not find much trouble in getting ",
for they do not often umhle down. The frs occupy
and amuse a pit: the second bore IL. | must be
terrible bore to the immense majority of those who
watch what I am about but they must make up
their minds TO it, for I shall not change.
Metternich was as sagacious as he was
When in 1926 England aud Russia
attempted TO settle the Eastern question
adroitly, bat without yielding To any power
its full demands, and arranging to fix trib-
ute on Greece to Turkey, but with the right
to self-goyernment, Dietternich interposed
and prevented Austria aud Prussia from
agreeing, because he did not believe the Pow
ers intended to permit Greece TO enjoy politi
cal independence, and his conviction proved
to be true. So, too, with regard to his views
of Canning's political schemes, and their effect
in England and America. He declared that
Canning meant one thing and his colleagues
another, and neither knew what they wanted ;
and he said the situation was TO him Ike men
PLAYING at dice. 1t was no better, he said, at
Paris.
3 Imagine how feel between them /, who detest
everything which is unforeseen AVID ything which
is false. [ am beginning to wish had q frankly
wicked adversary. Uncertainty and noneutfy are
glish politics Just now really represents nothing at
all. Policies Is one Of the things on which the
caprice Of individuals has the least Influence
Metternich was a man Of large domestic
love. He had large family, and took ex.
quisite delight in his children and the IN
friend thus Of one favorite child:
Hermiuic is forming herself on the model Of n.
GirouN. During her arithmetic lesson she was
asked, What Is the product OF the division OF a
unity' She answered, tive, and 20 prove IL tore
piece Of paper in two. In her geography lesson
Mile. TardyauN asked her who discovered America.
She promptly replied, M Pigeon Nile. Tardj-
vaux frightened tsdoath misunderstanding whatthe
child meant told her she dreaming ''Not at ALL
replied Hern ME. You tod me his Iarue was Co
lornbe (which in French means dove ,, AID dove or
pigeon it Is all the same thing.
He was an acute observer Of society, and
analysed it with wit and caustic vigor, but
without cold cynicism. His sketches and
notes of the Duchess Of Orleans, wellington,
the Car, and others, are full Of interest
His notes Of travel are Of especial value, and
are light and gossipy enough to satisfy a
novel reader, and yet possess vein of crIti-
cism of profound depth and foresight. A
contemporary, remarking on this work. has
so coRcisely summed up, that we cannot be :
ter express our own conclusion after the reat-
ing of the books, than by quoting its verdict
On closing the volumes one really feels as If the
clock Of time had turned back fifty years and sui
fered him TO spend day in the company Of one Of
the most extraordinary personages Of the most in.
teresting period Of modern history.
"Modern Society" by Julia Ward Howe,
is the title Of small book from the press Of
Roberts Brothers, Boston, and for sale by
w. A. & c. S. Houghton, Sacramento. 1t
should rather be entitled treatise on hu.
manity, or " a thing Of oppositions polar and
substantial-oppositions that do not exclude
hut compliment each other as Mira Howe