The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-03-09


pssudonym OF Comte Paul vasii to French
periodical. have been republishod In volume
entitled La &Dcisfs de Berlin tNouvelle Revuc
Parish Tho book has found many purchasers
tho edition before us h the eiahth-not only
because the prohibition OF It's sale In Berlin OK
cited curiosity. but because tho writer Is mani
testify conversant with tho things Of which no
speaks. and Ia an ndept in flowing vivid descrip-
ton and In mordant characterization. But
for the indiscrotion with which the author per
mlts himselt to call persons by their real names.
and ths malicious lifting Of the veil which de-
.ency casts over private lives these letters might
hope for something better than ephnmcral
vogue and. regarded rs photograph
Of a remarkable society ut an inter-
esting epoch. might obtain place OF some dis-
tinction In epi,tolary literature. But tho rr,-
tended Count Vnsili has allowed hiriscf too
much license. his blows are too rude. his spirit
too acrld and ycnonons. md the reader divnes
the presence not OF q disin.crnstcd though
caustic observer like La Bruyorc. bu. OF
waspIsh cgotist, seeking to Hut u personal
spite and slnks his private gr,,lGc.. There IL
much. however. in the book that is VOL worth
pcrusing. for 1t ia ohicily on the nnciliarY and
subordinate mombors Of tho court that the
author vents his store OF venom. while toward
the imperial family and such distipgu ished
porsonages Bismarck aud Motko his tone.
on the whole. Is candid appreciative. and re-
spectful. So frank. indeed. IL his recognition OF
the breadth and strength OF Bismnrck's intel
iect that We suspect the order for the suppress
sion OF the book was given with some reluc-
tancc BY the Chancellor for he is not u man to
visit with much severity abuse OF other people.
and he must hnvo seen that hs himself had
more to gain than lose by tho circulation OF
these letters.
mi pr.r lin xxna rn fold h tt No
prince OF our time IL 30 popular with his own
subjects. TO say nothing Of his SUCCESS In war.
he Is very amiabls person. worry gracious In
his bearing. quite paternal In his generosity.
Without possessing remarkable intelligence. he
hiss penetrating eye. and talent for divining
what people are lknly to be useful to him. for
pushing them forward. and unfolding thom in
the teeth OF nll objections He has no vanity.
withdraws into the background whenever that
Is necessary. efYaces himself behind his Chan
oellor. and although he smarts under tho lat
ter's imperious ways he has too much dignity
to lot the world perceive 1t. He is ambitious.
but ambitious In q brutal fashion. from the
greed that prompts him to covet his neighbours
goods: in things moral he betrays tho same
kind Of appetites az in things physical; he
would always like to have more than he has
yet got. and cannot to this day console himself
for letting Saxony slip from his grasp In 1866
He 70 incorporating In his principles and
his resolves; has favorites. but never suffers
them TO NEEDLE with politics. reserving that
province exclusively for his Ministers. To his
son the Emperor William imputes want Of
capacity. and would like all Germany to agree
with him on this point"
Completing his portrait Of the Kaiser. the
author goes on to say that TO great perse-
verance he unites immense egotism. He con-
Germs himself more with affairs Of Government
than Is generally supposed. especially when
. matter comes up in which he takes u personal
interest: In such cases he shows stubbornness
In promoting the triumph Of his ideas; but for
all other matters he depends on others The
army has In him a steadfast champion. and
this Ii the only branch Of the administration
with which he has not allowed Prince Bis
marck TO interfere. He has never approved
the conduct OF tho Crown Prince during the
lattsr's short term Of regency In 1878. The
treaty Of Berlin displeased him. and he was in
disnaat ct tho emancipation Of tho Jews in
Roumania. These two features OF the treaty
gave him great offence. - he one day
admitted to . friend Of mine In a mo-
msnt Of effusion. Perhaps he 10 piqued
ct not having been consulted in matters OF 40
much gravity: perhaps 1t really 10 q political
conviction that impels him to dep!orc those
two results Of the Berlin Congress. He has had.
sbove oil things. in his life great deal OF good
luck; good luck that he himself. for that mat
tor. knows how to appreciate. He never talks
politics in public. but is essentially q society
man. His politeness Is extreme yet not AZ
fected He knows that no owes everything to
others. and recognizes tho duty Of gratitude;
but ON the other hand. he suffers nobody to
forget that It Is the rulers name which has
covered all that has been done. To sum up. he
Il o man Of genuine good nature and real
frankness. OF but moderate intelligence. his
mind being rather narrow. but Of o thoroughly
cultivated good sense. and an excellent heart !;
his Is an individuality which cannot but in
spire his people with sympathy and respect. and
he will take a place among the great SOW
ereigns without. for all that. having been u
great man."
According to the author OF those letters the
Empress Augusta has some mother wit. but i'm
agtnes she possesses more than nature gave her.
She Is woman who has had warm friends. i'm
passionod admirers. aRd implacable traducsrs.
They who have credited her with great intoll-
gence are mistaken: equally SO are they who
call her spitsful and mischievous. she has not
mind above the average; she Is not Ill ma
tured. but she is scheminG dscsitful insincere.
She Is bent on playing . leading role. 10 at in
finite pains to make people believe her highly
educated. literary. conversant with everything
8OAuS Oh III tho WoTlu Oh Sctonc6 anu ART anu ALSO
town popularity. But she has no dignity. no
discretion: confldes her secrets to her lady OF
the bedchamber. Mile. de Neundorff. who. in
concert with several ladies in high society
filings herself into all kinds Of petty
Vaccinations. at the head OF which
you would find the Empress herself
She tho Empress) surrounds herself with cour-
tiers and favorites. who are the first to speak
Ill Of thoir protectress. kind-hearted woman
at bottom. very charitable. hut ridiculous from
her struggles to appear remarkable. She has
an excellent heart her generosity Is mex
haustible. but she has not the art Of giving
and on the contrary. q talent for robbing gift
OF all their sratefulness. Tiresome from n toe
strenuous amiability. she always obtains the
opposite OF what she Graves. Little liked b!
people In general. she has never been appre
ciated. People do not believe in her phlan
thropy. or In her charity. or In any Of the goot
Qualltes she really has. She tires everybod!
out. from tho Emperor down to her servants