New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-02-07

the only people whose opinions made them unwel-
come at her salon, and ridicue and abuse OF
"Celui-ci." she used to call the Emperor with
eontemptuous gesture of her thumb, were always
passport TO her favor. ALI the Imperial place.
holders were imps of Satan" When slander
busted itself with the reputation of the newly
married Empress, Madame Mohl, who knew from
Prosper M6rm6e how false the stories we're,
defended Eugene warmly before large company
Napoleon heard of it and sent a chamberlain with
his thanks, and an invitation to the TuileIies.
Madame Mohl tore mp the invitation and flung 1t
back to the messenger Tell yoCr master" she
said, that that is my answer; and tell HIM that
he owes ire no thanks; 1t was not his wife that
defended hut an honest woman whom knew to be
malignedr Both Madame MOhl and her husband
used to write freely to the King and Queen OF
Holland telling amusing stories about the Imperial
Court and handling Celui-ci" without the least
ceremony. When the secrets of the cabinet nor
were revealed after the Tueres fell into the hands
of the Commune ii was discovered that these
letters had been regularly intercepted and COPIED
Tor the edidcaton of his Imperial Majesty Inc
Mohls were right about Napoleon: the only word
to describe him was candilte.
Beyond the fact that Imperialism was excluded
from il. Madame Mohps salon had political
character All parties were at home there, one
alone excepted 1t has been remarked that with
all her skill in stimulating social vivacity nobody
seemed to draw from her assemblies any real intel
lectua inspiration. Her rooms in the Rue de Bac
were never centre of movement in literature, art,
religion philosophy politics; and although 1t
may be said to her credit that in the sOrdid money
making days of the mddle-class monarchy OF
Louis Philippe, and the frivolous and extravagant
DAYS of the still more vulgar second Empire, she
organized n society whose tone was much higher
A. hnln y IN o ON
selves whether after all she ought to rank with
those earlier celebrities whose parlors offered a
refuge to letters, a rendezvous to the ambitious and
a perpetual incentive TO serious thought /" If she
succeeded says the Due de Broglie, in bringing
together without collision, and even without gene,
persons who did not habtually seek one another
and that nothing drew naturally together, 1t was
no doubt because she did not attempt to impose any
systematic opinions on them. don't believe that
her mind had formed any definite ideas on any
subject but her true instincts and generous sent-
ments expressed in u most piquant manner, gave to
her conversation, whatever turn 1t took, charm
peculiarly her own" Her mind had formed no
definite ideas on any subject. That explains why
she left no impression upon French society which
promises to be longenduring why the traditions OF
her sprightly evenings are so indefinite, and why
the story of her last years fills with an rresst
ible sense of failure From grlhOod to extreme old
age she devoted herself absolutely to society as
form of entertainment. She gave her days and
MIG hts to the study; and while the agencies which
she employed in this pursuit were more or less
intellectual, the object was no higher than that OF
the crinoline-cOteries at the Imperial palace. 10
amuse was her sole aim in life. The fine art of
conversation which the French alone are supposed
to have carried to its perfection is often, like other
French art more distinguished for superficial
charm than for honest purpose. 1t is fascinating
play; but we can imagine many things nober for
q lifelong occupation. Madame Mohl drew to her
freside the most illusrious Frencbmcn of two full
generations Poets, philosophers, historians critics
scholars statesmen foreigners from all lands
crowded around her. and the vivacious old lady,
who had formed no definite ideas on any subject.
had no better use for them than to keep them
amusing and amused. She was a true child of
modern Paris al have all my life stnyen TO
please" she said in her last years; "but cannot
forgive myself for having lost many opportunities,
for not deyotiny more care to it," After moments
reflection she added Car, fond IL nv que Oeld."
Nothing but that She kept the love Of this in
diligence to the end but how bitterly her theory of
happiness failed her. At the age of eightysix she
losi her husband, to whom she had been devotedly
attached and she never recovered from the blow.
" Poor old SOUL" said some who remarked her
dog searching for his master" She was strong and
faithful in her friendships, and she outlived many
of her dearest friends She outlivcd her popularity,
for society was shattered by the ar with Germany
and the Commune, and the salon was almost
deserted. This was her constant complaint. i
used to have such crowds of pleasant people coming
to see me Nobody comes now. Why, wonderT
She outlived her power of memory; she forgot the
events of yesterday she forgot her acquaintance:
In the spring of 1881 two years before her death,
Mr. Grant Duff saw her in Paris. She received him
with great cordalty and talked a long time very
pleasantly and ntelgently. To his surprise, when
he rose to 90, she said any dear sir. have been
delighted to see you, but have not the least idea
who You are" any name" he replied, = Is Grant
Duff "Oh! used to know You well, twenty
years ago; but have never seen YOU since" at
was not that she had lost her memory" observes
Mr. Grant Duff, bnt as of her friends said, she
had holes in il. and some of then were very large
had fallen through one of these"
She set herself a low standard. 1t was not to
make others happy; she never rose to that; 1t was
only to please; and we might correct her declara-
ton by saying that she strovc only to please the
amusing. If indeed there had been Hnothing but
that her last days must have been tragedy. But
she had a very loving and generous heart; the
natural virtues which she hardly thought OF living
for soothed her decline; and such consolation as
friendship could give sustained her at the lonely