Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-01-03
THE "rRoN DUKE,
RceoIisctioBs sr Conversations with
the Cenquerer or Napoleon.

the Cenquersr or Napoleon.
Leeds Mercury.l
Three years ago the present Earl Stanhope
privately printed, for the benefit OF privi-
legged but small circle. bis fathers recollec-
tons OF c0nyersstions with the Duke OF Wel-
lington, extending over a period OF twenty
years, and touching In the freedom Of FAINT
liar intercourse hall the topics Of the time.
The keen interest excited amongst his inme-
date friends By the perUsal Of this record
has led the Earl 20 offer the volume 10 the
public-a decision for which every admirer
Of the conqueror o. Napoleon l. cannot fail
10 be grateful More than the lifetime OF a
generation has elapsed since the last OF these
conversations took place; or else-so frank
and c0atidential ia their tone-it would have
been distinct breach Of privilege 10 have
given them 10 the world. Az this distance Of
time no possible harm can be done by the
publication or even the most blunt or ironi-
cal OF the Dukes opinions. Truthrulness
aud simplicity have been claimed, with JUS
tice, rs the chief characteristics OF the la'e
Word Stanhope's "Life Of Pitt" and ellis
tory Of England from the Peace OF Utrecht
10 the Peace OF Versailles" and these qush-
ties, IL IS scarcely necessary 70 add. are not
less conspicuous in the lucid and stIaightfor-
Natu pfIts WNitU fVNiilu MS "Reminiscences
Of his talks with the Iron Duke.
Lord Stsnhope states that his first familiar
acquaintance with Wellington arose out Of a
speech which be delivered at the commence
ment OF his Parliamentary career, when the
reform bin, In March, 1881, was before the
House OF Commons. Something which the
Young Tory said on that occasion against the
reform bill led the Duke 10 form a very
favorable impression az him; aud by this
means ne passed, Young ~ be was, into what
might be termed the Inner circle OF yelling.
toms associates. "These notes were in all
eases but one, in April. 1929, written or dc
Iated by me 20 Lady Mlh0n, either on the
same day or al iurthest the day after the
conversations which they record, and |
have never noted ANYTHING when not quite
sure OF remembering u exactly. / can,
therefore, youch in the most confident
manner for the certain accuracy Of what
have here set down. These uOies-
the impress OF master mind upon mine
stand with al the freshness and di.iinctness
Of their original die" Continental politics
are again aud again discussed m thest PAGES,
and, Of course, MANY side lights are cast
upon the Dukes military career. His state
meuts concerning Napoleon /. and bis gem
erals are most interesting, and the same re-
mark applies 10 many Of his shreWd snd
pithy comments on his contemporaries 10 the
piping times OF peace. Earl staunOpe does
not attempt 10 relate the rise, progress, and
decline OF any given "conyers itiou ~ he
has, fortunately, chosen the better plan u
pre-enting merely the words OF the Duke
v hich most impressed him. Like Boswell.
be seems 20 haye been always ready 20 im-
prove the occasion, aud-though m a much
lesser messure-we owe him 4 similar deot.
The conversations between Earl Stluhope
aud the Duke took place a. DEAF, stratIdeid-
save, Wamer Castle, Apsley House, and oc-
c1siOnsiiy I'm the huuting-ield, AMI they are
given IN the volume In the order IN which
tneY occurred. II X we'll known that Wei
lingtOu had the greatest respect for Nspo.
Icons military genius, though be- despecd
him as man, ond both OF these points are
rendered s,ll more clear hy these welcome
snatches from the table talk ~ the hero
Of Waterloo: 81 can hardly conceive
anything greater than Napoleon al the
head Of au army, especially a French
army. lie had one pr0digious advan-
toge-he had no re,p)usibiity-he could
90 Whatever he pleased; and no mao
has ever lost more armies man he did. Now
with me the loss Of every man told. could
not risk so much; ! knew that n ever
lost $40 men without the c.earest necessity, !
should be- brought upon my knees 10 the bar
OF the House II Comm Z" NAPOLEON, how
ever, had one grea- disqualification; be was
in TOO great a hurry; "tnc fact is Dee meyer
iu his life had patience Tor defensive war;
Earl Stanh0pe lor rather Lord Mlhon, Tor
that was hls title them told the Duke that
he could not understand why the French
compelled Napoleon instantly 20 sbiIcate
after Waterloo; they still contemplated re-
sislauce, and their chief hope ought surely
20 have been Napole0n's resources es
q soldier. "Why," replied the Duke.
"they we've IN a great hurry, certainly
a vcrv great hurry. We knew OF hi,
abdication long before we got 10 Parts. But
the fact is that then they hsd very much lost
their confidence in hW-thcy would not
trust Nap1le0n for defensive warfare; nor.
indeed, was be DO for H." ON auGtner Occl-
-i.1 ,Ec Duke described his gfCt rival q,
man apart: "lou must not pat hiu INTO
the common scale; he might have start
ed no az any time. But, except hm, flr
French Revolution has not produced very
superior men. laleyraEd don't reckon
he belonged 20 the ancient reglUe.' w no
vas the ablest OF the Frencl generals OPP
rc,ed 10 Won =" ~ Ma-.cnq.n I'm thc Dukes
Judgment Marlborough was the greatest
mau VINO ever appeared no. the bead OF o
b fish army. Napoleon, tactics were
nearly always ihe same. n yOu look
through his campaigns Won will lni tbtt hi,
plan was away, 10 try 90 give q great battle,
gain great victory, patch una peace-sucn
q peace as might leave an 0peni & for iI-
turc War-aud then hurry bach 10 Paris.
This, should say. was iae great benefit OF
Wtat W. did IN ~pain-Of what we dld aUd
enabled The -nsulsrds 10 DO. We starved
him out. WeslOwed him that We wouidn'
lft him fight q battle nj dr.t-eXccpi under
Disadvantages. II you do izht We shall de-
suoy you. il you DO not tight, we shall ia
tine destroy YOU s.lli.'
When asked bis opinion Of Nine dc
Stael, the Duke replied "She was most
agreeable woman-f Won only kept har
Want ana away from politics. But That was
not easy. She was always trying to come io
mitler, Of State. have said To- her morr
tliu once. .Jc dcteste pirler polttique, aud
she answered, Parier pontique poor moi
c'cst ylyre.' She and / were great irien g..
-le sent 10 see me on her death bed, hut ]
wlsrot just tben IN Paris" AZ luncheon
M Strathueldsaye one day in June, 1913. the
Duke "reiated TO Us that lbr QIccn1had been
originally chusteGed AleyanGrina Yictos
rina-the latter after her m0ther-WhO was
also Victorina, not Victoria. But the name
Ngs altered no the time ~ Queen
Clrolne's trial. when Bergam's daugb-
fcr-.la uetite Victorina"-came 10 be so
often mentioned in The proceedings, ami
commented upon, not very iayoribIv, hy
ths public. The Duke added that George
H., who vas godfather had intlmated that
some one OF the family names &C hsr0ie,
Augusta. Caroline OF sophia (the latter, said
Wellington, q name they ought 20 mase q
point Of retaining IN that house might boz
gwen % the voung Princess, IN addition 10
the re.t. But the Duke ot Kent insisted on
calling only after the Emperor Alexander
and bis own cOusOrt. Upon this George ~,
much alroned. refused 20 attend toe
chrisfenug." Before even the King
or Lord Liverpool heard the news
OF Waterloo, the Rothschilds were
In possession OF the secret. The
DIXIE said that a jew IN the service
OF the great 6nanclers was at Client
looking In with crowd 10 the Kings win.
dow, when a messenger arrived. Ne saw
that The King, having read the letter, en-
braced the messenger aud kissed him all
around the room" Tue Jew vas .hrcwd
enough 10 draw his own conclusions. In
stautlg he slipped cut OF the crowd and set
OH po.thaste 10 England. Tie said nothing
to ouy one until he reached Rothschild's
house In the city. lie Afterwards htstened