The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1885-01-07

readers as the lying OF the Mounta s" and
the "Man y til tina Broken Ear" They diff.
fer from the general run of French novels
by sheir purity OF tone But About is not
always free from immortality, as tho who
remember ''Madelon" viii testify. The
maIOdorous heroine of that tale is a common
adventures. After passing through all
kinds of infamy, she at last wins the heart
of an honest German prince, who makes
her his wife, and surrounds her with
every refinement and luxury. The very
reverss of poetic justice is distributed in the
book Vice is generally rewarded, and
premium put upon licentiousness and in
EQUITY. The authors love Of irony had Its
influence in inspiring the work, and his love
Of malice begct divers characters Which are
unquestionably drawn from well-known ia
daviduals--a habit he il much inclined 70.
AS journalist he has been connected with
the Constitutional, the Opinion, the
Rationale, the Sotr, the Guutois and
other sheets. and has written ably
and spark ingly for them all For nearly
twelve years he has been editor of tbs
XIX Steele, a conservative republican
paper, whose circulation he has greatly IN
creesed, and whose readers he has invari-
aOly Interested as pDllbIC1a1 10 ASA8 DoC1p
after the manner OF most Frenchmen, on
various sides; usually discovering a singular
affinity between his interests a his convic-
tionS He was long while an ardent Bona
partist and has been accused Of acting as
sort of spy for Louis Napoleon. While this
is not at all true, his enemies charge him with
dong many things that @ man Of high
principle and sensitive honor would not and
could not do. His disposition is certainly
seIf-seelzing, and where his advantage lies,
he is very apt to go. This is not SO much
the case as it has been; for a man worth five
millions OF franc, and on the verge of old
age, is naturally conservative and cautious,
and somewhat careful Of his good name.
So much has been said in censure OF his
relation to the late Emperor that 10 may b
well TO mention Just what il was Some
years after About had written 1880 the
anew Map of Europe" and PRUSSIA in 1860"
inspired. as it was thought, by the govern
nlent, he YVES proposed as the private adj
wiser (cOnSeilleT intimle) of Napoleon Ill.
and accepted the delicate offer. His duties
were to communicate daily or weekly, con-
lidential reports on the movements of public
opinion, and whatever sovereigus are most
likely to remain ignorant Of. He evidently
did not relish the position, and invited
Provost Paradol, man of fine sensibilities
and great conscentiousness, to share the re-
sponsibility with him; but the invitation
was declined. Provost Paradol, who, it
will he remembered, committed suicide in
1870, in Washington, where he was min
lister from France, wrote a letter subse-
quently in which he acquitted About of any
dishonorable act or intent in accepting
or Fl ling the Office. The private adviser re-
manned but brief time in the place, making
30 reports OF any consequence, although 1t
was undoubtedly a mistake for him TO have
taken It.
He believed, or seemed to believe, In
the Empire up to the declaration Of war
against Germany--Louis Napoleon had won
him over by treating him with much dis
tinguished consid eration-but being in
Alsace at that time, and seing the province
0verrun with Prussians, he relinquished the
cause of the Bonapartists. His sympathies
were really with the Republicans, but he
attached himself for a while to the Orlean-
lists, and when he quilted them, to their
great disappointment, he becarle involved
in duel with Edward Herve Of The Jour
nat de Paris, and was slightly wounded.
Since he has edited the XIX SieLe, he
has not swerved from republicanism, and he
Is not likely TO; for both his principles and
interest bind him TO the liberal cause. His
editorial articles abound in energy, spright-
illness and point, and are so eminently
Partisan in spirit that they are enjoyed
perforce by all his readers. No journalist
in that capital is better equipped for his
calling. He has, to an extraordinary de-
Sl,o 40 % IA ali
phrase--what the French call esprtt-and
he never fails to hit the mark gracefully and
tellingly. Any paper that he writes for Il
sure of clever constituency.
Socially he is very much liked. He has
plenty of small talk when it is wanted. and
talk of higher order as we'll He is an
ornament to the salon where he is always
D~ost welcome. 1t must be allowed that he
has way Of making on his friends ridic
nlous, which smacks OF i'll nature; but his
admirers sry that it is simply his inability
to repress his ever-bu' ing wit. Hi. kind
heartedness is shown many ways, and his
old associates are deeply attached to him
In his own home, whether in his handsome
apartment in the gay capital or at his
elegant country seat. he is particularly
pleasant He seems sincerely in love with
his wife she was Mile. dc GulllervllIel, al.
Oh ,ugh they have been married some twenty.
years, d he is devoted to his children. In
his looks he is rather German-will he ever
forgive me for saying sol-having brown
hair and light whiskers, now sprinSled with
gray. Somewhat irritable at times he 10
generally very amiable and often overflow
ing wi h good spirits Constitu.ionally in
dustrious, as he must have been to achieve
SO much, he is a swift worker, and finds time
for ample recreation Fond of music, the
drama. o. all amusements in fact, and of
society, too, he might be somewhat more
companio1able if you could feel sure while
talking to him that he was not reserving an
epigram at your expense.
JUNIUs HENRI BROWNE
NEW York, Oct. 8.
In lS47 when Bayard Taylor came to New
York. staggering under what seemed to him