New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-16

cruelty: and yet this is the CITY which has stepped
forward in the sacred cause OF liberty" Almost
from the first Morris predicted that the anarchy
which he foresaw would end in a military des-
potism. And yet he does not appear 10
have recognized Napoleon Bonaparte as the coming
man until he mad nearly won his way TO the
consulate Afterward, when he had returned
home, he indeed declared that he had been among
the first to forecast Napoleon's destiny. lie may
have done So it is true, but at least the dlary
and correspondence afford no warrant for the
assertion that he did.
Partisan customs occasionally astonished Morris
even after he had passed his novitiate. One OF
them he encountered while visiting Madame de
Flahaut. Madame" he writes, being ILL.,
goes into the bath, and when placed there SENDS
for me. 1t is strange place to receive Vlsib
but there is milk mixed with the water, making
it Opaque. She tells that it is usual to receive
in the bath, and suppose it is otherwise should
have been the last person to whom it would have
been permitted, 1t was also the custom for
ladies TO receive in bed, and Morris is ungallant
enough to express the opinion in his diary that
on one occasion lady who so received him took
that method because she was too sluttish in her
attire to face inspection.
Curious subjects were discussed in high circles,
Of which the following ancdote told after supper
at Madame Guiberts is an example. M. dc
Laborde mentions very extraordinary kind OF
poison being notorious and detailed in the
dictionary of medicines. 1t consists OF fattening
a hog with portions of arsenic, and then distilling
his flesh, which gives a poisonous water of slow
but sure effect He appeals then, to the Count
de Thiare for the truth of this extraordinary
fact A lady at court asked for a glass of water.
1t was brought and she drank it, Immediately
she burst into tears declaring that she was
poisoned, and told The King, 1T is that villain
pointing to one of his attendants, who has done
it, The King rallied hor on the subject, but
she went away greatly distressed and died in
about eight days The person she had designated
asked leave, in the interim to go and look after
his affairs in Savoie, went off, and was never
heard Of" All manner of stories were told about
the King, most OF them scancalous. For instance ::
M de Trudaine mentioned rs having heard
from young Montmorn that the King is by nature
cruel and base. An instance of his cruelty among
Others, was that ne used to spit and roast live
cats In riding with Madame de Flahaut, / tell
her that I could not believe such things. She
tells me that when young he was guilty of such
things; that he is very brutal and nasty which
she attributes chiefly to bad education. His
brutality once led him so far, while Dauphn,
as 10 beat his wife, for which he was eXiled four
days by his grandfather Louis XIV. Until very
lately he used always TO spit in his hand, being
more convenient. 1t is wonder that such n
beast should be dethrOned.. Certainly, when
such tales were circulated in aristOcratIc Salons
it is no wonder that the popuace should have
conceived a strong hostility to the King. But
the air was full of the most incredible extrav-
agancics, and even Morris, usually discriminat-
ing. occasionally accepted some of the current
/ yocei N and or,ha Inn IL in his diary
His time was divided between politics. finance
and social recreation. After being superseded
/ by Monroe he travelled in Germany, met his
| friends, the emigres, again, often helped them
pecunarily. sometimes TO his own loss, in the
case of Lafayette, who repaid rare kindness with
ingrattude, and enjoyed his penchant for advis-
ing governments and settling the affairs OF Europe,
| He was popular and warmly received wherever
| he went. In England he could effect nothing
! politically, but he had Z" a good time" made
many valuable acquaintance, and saw much Of
/ life. Among the pleasantest OF his feminine
friendships that with Lady Sutherland, whom
he first met at Paris, when her husband was
Ambassador. He sent her many copies of light
verses, which he threw oil with rather singular
| facility In truth they arc II very mild form Of
vers de societe, but the taste of the period was
simple enough TO accept and be thankful
apparently equal fuency in French and English
1t is 10 be regretted that he did not meet
any of the Revolutionary leaders while residing
in Paris Mrabcau he strongly dislillcd aud
mistrustcd Danton, Murat and Robes pierre he
SAYS little about and he clearly had no personal
| knowledge of them. He contentcd himself
with keeping watch upon the hurly-burly, and
from time to time speculating on the probable
issue.
The diary does not afford many fulllcngth
portraits. Morris seems more careful TO preserve
conversations than to describe the people whom
he met. Particulars concerning 1alleyrand would
have been interesting but none are given. Neither
are there any personal traits of Madame de Stael
recorded. In SO busy and full a life, however,
perhaps we ought to be thankful for having so
much preserved, and not find fault because there
is not still more Morris seems to have left
Europe at last without marked regret though
ne had enjoyed life there very thoroughly His
active mind took up home affairs eagerly the
moment he was hack at MorrIsania, and he would
have been quite satisfied TO continue thcnceforth
in private station. His correspondence with
many French friends was maintained to near the
close Of his life. and he gave lively descriptions
TO the last. Writing TO the Princess de Ia Tour
ct TaMs he gives this sketch of Washington in
500: Il busy myself here at the trade Of a
Senator, and amuse myself lazily watching the
petty intrigues, the insane hopes, the worth
less projects Of that weak and proud
animal they call man. We only need
here houses, cellars, kitchens, scholarly men,
amable women, and few other such triles, tc
possess a perfect city; for can walk over II
as we would in the fields woods, and, on ac
count of a strong frost, the air is quite pure
l enjoy it all the more, because my room fill
with smoke soon as the door is closed.'
The bulk Of the diary is taken up with dis
cussions of public affairs These throw some ad-
ditional light upon the history OF the period
though their chief value consists in illustrating
the opinion Of the tme-that opinion being in {
large proportion Of instances based upon erro
ncous information. Morris always ready