The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-09-07

In tho Court Of the IuitfrieS (Harpers
Franklin Square Library). Lady JACKSON. who
Is already known by some vivacious compila-
tions of unecdotical history. has undertaken to
sketch the distinguished men and women who
shune and strove and intrigued in the French
capital during the thirty-four years which in
tervened between the Restoration and tho
flight OF Louis Philippe This is one OF tho
periods Of history most familiar to novel
readers. for Balzac has depicted 1t with
unapproachable distinctness and elabora-
ton in his "Comedie Humane" With
out. however. minute knowledge OF the
persons and events Of the time. the student Of
that marvellous performance will miss many
OF Its illusions and fail to identify the originals
OF Rastignac. De Marsay. Lucien do Rubempr5.
De Nucingen. Du Tillet. Nine. de Langeais.
Nine. dc Maufrigneuse. Nine. de Serizy. Nine.
d'Espard and the hundred other striking fig
ures that iii the foreground or the middle dis
tnnoe Of his stage. But with this book Of Lady
Jackson's in hand the reader will be helped to
assign their true names and histories to many
Of Balzac's creations. which. under pseudo
nymes were often intended to represent. or.
at al! events suggest real personages.
1t will be remembered that one Of tho para
doxical theses propounded in the Coincide Hu-
maine" WAS the assertion that in France during
this period u decisive though dissembled inhu-
ence was exercised by women in political as
we'll as social life. Lady Jackson adduces many
facts in support Of this anrmance. She shows.
for instance. how powerfully Taleyrand was
assisted in inducing tho allied powers to re-
store the Bourbons. In lS14-instead OF estab-
fishing regency under the Empress Maria
Louisa-by the ladies OF the Faubourg st. Ger
main. The loyalty OF these ladies was stimu-
lated by tho attractive manners OF the Comte
IL Art 40 affa ard Nhur h0 In,
Paris some time before Louis XVIII. The author
is doubtless right in thinking that In no other
country.Sunder any circumstances. much less
under the serious political aspect OF things
then prevailing In France. would the admlra-
ton OF set OF old women for the gay lbertine
OF their youthful days have awaited aught In
smoothing away the difficulty OF his position"
1t is also noted that on the entry OF Louis
XVIII. into the capital he gave sign OF recog-
milton to a lady Of some thirty years. standing
in abalcony. who. II not exactly q beautiful
woman. was decidedly An elegant one and re-
markably Intelligent This was the willy
Countess du Cayla. whose influence over the
King was to prevail to 80 great an extent dur
ing the next ten years in the secret councils Of
State" II was this Nine. du Cayla who gave
the King timely information OF the Donapart-
list intrigues that led to Napoleon's return
from Elba, and had her warning not been nog-
ected. the royal Government might have
averted the hundred days" The recollee-
ton OF this fact established her credit on an
impregnable foundation after the Kings sec
ond return from exile.
Nine. du Cayla was not more all powerful with
Louis XVIII. than was Nine. do Krudener with
the Car Alexander l. during the latter's resi-
dence in Paris. This not particularly reputable
priestess OF mysticism is described by q
fanatical disciple as tall OF dusky complex
ion. with protruding lips. large blue eyes.
charming fair hair. and arms Of real beauty"
She completely subjugated the Gar. fattering
his immense sslf-conceit by assuring him that
he was the angel destined to carry out the will
OF the Lord on earth. Their mysterious In
torcourse gave rise to much curiosity In Paris.
But when 1t was discovered that they passed
the evening In reading the Bible. madame in /.
terpreting 1t according to instructions received
direct in poetical visions from henven-visions
or hallucInations resembling in their extrava-
gance those OF Swedenborg-a sort OF Indignant
pity was felt foi the Cars blindness and folly"
Notwithstandit. her role OF prophecies. Nine.
do Krudsner retained enough OF her early
worldly experience to be an adept at compli-
ments She once charged Benjamin Constant
with what he termed q most embarrassing
commissions request 10 Nine. R6camier that
II she visited her again she would come less
beautiful. rs she distracted peoples attention.
Ths Due do Berry who, not long after the
second return OF the Bourbons was married to
the Princess Marie Caroline OF Naples had
brought with him to Paris his English wife,
Miss or Mrs. Amy Brown. by whom he had a
son and two daughters. The Due appears to
havo been very anxious about these children
and subsequently the two daughters were
created countesses by their grandfather.