New-York tribune., 1886-01-10
NEW PUBLICATIONS,
THE GERMAN CHANCELLOR.

XII 6S3. Cassell Il Co.
These uciy end overblown volumes, written in the
worst variety of what The Daily B'dtherskih woul
call reportorial English examples OF uscfu!
literary work executed with the very shghteS'
measure of literary talent. Mr. Loves prollAltV l.
abominable. II style. as gaudy as an AmazonlaA
parrot exhibits all the vices of false rhetoric and
vulgar taste he is bold enough to speak OF battle
shins being crushed in the bud y; and he has an
inexhaustlble ingenuity in such choice deTCnge-
ments of metaphors as the following Ihe repre-
senatives of the Powers who had signed the treaty
of London now again met in conference III tne same
capltal to clip into trim and seemly shape win the
scissors of diplomacy the cloth which had Deeh
slashed from the web of history by the sword oil
war but unfortunately one of the first things they
learned was that the ground, so to speak had been
cut away from beneath their very teet and that
they had 10 vantage ground and fulcrum where
with to move the world (which is like presenting
Archimedcs in the character of perpieXed tallor
Mr.. loves language toward all persons whose poll
tics he dsIkes-that is to say, toward all who nave
not kept step with Bsmarck-toward Gambetia
Jules Favre. Garibaldi, Mr.. Gladstone, Gorts-
cfakos the Pope. the German Liberals. is so hide
ously abusive that i. defeats its own object. HIS
manner to give it a short and plain description, IS
ungentlemanly. His reflections are of little value
for his mind IS saturated with prejudices. Even
his purpose in writing is not free from aDsurdlty
for he declares that his aim is to supply the much
felt want . of "a connected and elaborate account
of Bismarcks whole career from purely English
point of view." This is characteristic OF the In
eradicabe conviction of middleclass Engllshnen
that the English point of view is necessarily the
only point of view from which any object i'll the
universe from a European revolution to a buttered
mufin. can be properly valued. But to the mass of
mankind it has never seemed as if a purely Eng
lish view of things not English was a much-ielt
want" about which one need be unhappy.
Still in spite of the faults we have mentioned,
and in spite of an obtrusve sympathy with absolute
ism Though not with legitimacy Mr.. Lowe has
made useful book by dint of industry and certain
kind of knowledge He has watched the Chancel-
lors career closely and inteligenty so that he has
ouajied himself to tell the story of his heros com
nlicated diplomacy with a cearneSs which bad
rhetoric cannot wholly destroy. He has moreover
searched indefa.igaby ir the mass OF memoirs,
sketches, personal and historical narratives and
official publications which have burdened the Eu-
ropean press with material for BiSmarcks life. lhe
number of these publications is enormous and is
daily increasing, and we are indebted to them not
only for many entertaining biographical details. but
for sundry sensational disclosures of government
secrets. Mr.. Lowe has made so much use OF these
sources of information that he has some right to
boast that he has written not only full record Of
the personal achievements of the greatest man OF
the age but the most complete political history OF
modern Germany which can be written from the
materials now accessible.
Baron Nothomb, the Belgian Minister at Berlin,
wrote of Bismarck in 1877: I" search in vain for
the like of him in all history" And, apropos OF the
Chancellor's probable action in the Eastern ques-
ton he said: Had he elevated mind and
generous SOUL one might indulge in conjectures;
but the Chancellor is not ruled by the interests of
humanity nor even by those Of Europe lie is
nothing but German statesman. To him politics
are nothing but dynamic force. He despises men;
he has only two @ims-to maintain himself and ms
work. the greatness of Germany and his own" Mr..
Lowe has probably not troubled himself to think
out theory of Bismarck's character lie quotes
Baron Nothomb with apparent approval, but IN
more than one passage of his book he represents the
ruling passion Of his hero and the spring of all his
public actions TO be patriotism 1t Is plain, how
ever from the whole narrative that if we accept
this theory at all must understand by patriotism
something dif srent from the popular conception of
that virtue something which implies neither eleya-
tion of mind, generosity nor care Tor the rghts
and interests of other men. 1t may be doubted
whether military absoutlst of the Bismarck type.
to whom, as Baron Nothomb correctly says, politics
are nothing but dynamic force, ever can be a
patrlct in the true sense CT the word, though
very considerable advantages TO the nation may fol-
. low from his policy. "What constitutes State y
asks Sir William Jones, in the famous lines which
form his sole title to remembrance among the poets
Not battements nor proud cities, nor spanged
courts, but high-Ininded men
Men who their duties know,
But know their Rights, and knowing dare maintain,
Prevent the long-aimed blow. ,,
Aud crush the Tyrant. while they rend the chain;
These con stItute a state
Bismarck has served no such ideal From the
day of his entrance upon public life he has been
the Kings Man in all circumstances. The State.
his theory, consists of the monarch responsible
only TO Col, and the privileged orders who are the
defenders of the throne. The people rather the
subjects of the State than integral part of it;
and every extension of their power he has regarded
ns an encroachment upon superior rights. /" No
mediation said he after the popular uprlsings of
1913. as possible IN the struggle which has
shaken Europe to it's root. One party bases its
right nonlinally the will of the people. hut in
reality on brute force and banicade,; while the
other rs founded authority established by God
and ntaned by Gods grace No parliamentary
debates or majorites ever mediate between
then but sooner later the God OF battles will
nave to throw the iron dice and decide the matter;
and thus the blnbbering sentimentality of the
nineteenth century which behOlds martyr in
every fanatcal rebel and every hreng barricade-
fighter, will in the end occasion more boodshcd
than stern and resoute justice practiSed from the
beginning" When the King of Prussia felt Obliged
to grant constitution TO MS subjects, hc sent LOT
Bismarck and asked whether he approved his policy
Bismarck bluntly answered that he did not. Then
You are not prepared to bear out in all ny liberal
reforms ?" Well, TO be consistent no, your
Majesty" "Whatf Not even a sworn vassal of
the CrownH This appeal winch so stanch
henchman could not resist. Yes, nc would stand
by the King to the very last. Aud so it as the
Kings Man Simply that be entered the first Prussian
Parliament in $40. When the Frankfort Assembly
in that year invited Frederick William ". to as
sunle the imperial German crown the King refused
1. AI.o nEt IL