New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-27


Of bread and butter He is careful TO add that
the butter was fresh, and this kind OF breakfast
was either English or Boulognaisc' and 81" hapin
contracted in infancy" Santc-Reuve had a cat,
Nignonne and he always reserved some milk Ior
her lie esteemed her highly and 1t appears that
her intelligence had converted nm from 'ie
Cartesian theory of animal autonatism. lie was
in the habit of asserting that Mlgnonne conld 10
avcrvtbino but talk. II may be thought worth
knowing TINT Saintc- Beuvc took great care OF
his head. always avoiding those cxcitcments when
increase unduly the flow Of blood IN the Dralh'
To this end he insisted upon having MS ieeb
warm. and in winter sat with chaullereue
under foot. both in his study and when he drove
out lie took simple but s0mewhat supS'Iiuo'
dinner. "soup. roast. salad. vegetables, cheese
fru,t or cake lie was particularly fond OF
certain kind of almond cake, to be had only at
one shop. He liked strawberries also, and would
sometimes eat them with sugar before going to
bed. On awaking lie drank cup Of chocolate,
but ate nothing He neither smoked nor drank
coffee. his ONLY indulgence after dinner being n
mixture of curacao with little rum, the recipe
for which had been given him by Edmund About.
and which went by the name Of the About
mixture
NJ. Troubat has not gathered here many very
impressive anecdotes, and one reason OF 'hls he
frankly states. In the first place he could not
reconcile il 10 his conscience To take notes OF
Sointe- Hcuves conversation when he was living
with him. In the second place he was too tired
when We was released al night TO do any more
writing. In the third place he never could re-
member at the end of the day the talk that had
been had in il. The ingenious secretary an
alyzcs himself and comes to the conclusion that
though he not born TO stand alone. though
his nature is 10 some extent parasitical. yet lie
lacks the true Boswelan attributes. Boswell,
he thinks, Is at once detestable and admirable
With character almost beneath contempt he
wrote the best biography eXtant One suspects
that NJ Trouhat would have given much TO
possess the special aptness of the Scotch laird and
that at bottom he regards his own incapacities for
Roswelsm as depIorable But he has tact enough
10 make the most of what cannot be helped, ana
so he gives his readers neat little dissertation
upon the Improperly Of those literary methods
which he cannot hope 10 acquire. If in the piac"
Of this quite unnecessary scrmonetfc he had en-
larged upon those traits Of Sainte Beuve which he
had studied the general public would have been
more thankful 10 him. As the case stands his
own personality fills rather too many Of these
pages indeed one doubts al moments whether he
has not come 10 regard himself as the central
figure and antc-lcuve as the private secretary.
the book is that relating 10 the visit of Princess
Mathilde on the occasion of Saintc- Bcuvcs with
drawal from the "Moniteur' because he could
not accept Rouhers foreign policy. The Princess
Mathilie was furious because Santc-Beuve had
transferred his services 10 Ic Temps. She
went 10 the critics house, and he, being Ill ana
unequal TO a stormy interview, directed M Ir0u-
bat TO see her. The latter was fully persuaded
that the visitor came on the par; OF NJ. kouher
though she was carefu-tO0 carcful-to deny tnis
when no one asserted it. But She could not control
her temper and almost from the outset took
tone toward Saintc-DcuNc which hardly The most
obscquious creature OF the Empire could nave
tolerated. She declared, In Il tone OF deep re-
proach that she and her brother had nominated
VI. >aintc -Bcuvc 10 the Scnatr,-hcr lnplcauon
Of course being that by so doing they had secured
a perpetual lien upon him. Had the lflncc0S
stopped here she might not have made inter
wreck Of her mission, but She went on to assert
that NJ. SdIntc- BcuNc was NassaI oil the En-
pirc. and that word "Yassal' prcclpijaicd an
explosion. NJ. TTouhat, much cAaNpcr4tcd, Ic
piled There are no longer Vassals; there are
only citizens and the Princess began to RAISE
her voice in rcCrlmlnatiOn until Salntc-lTuNc,
hearing the noise, came in and stopped the DIS
cussion When he heard Of the VaSsal eX-
| pression he was exceedingly angry, ana SAID :
They shall see whether | am yassai ne Re-,
fused all ovcrtuTes TO reconciliation thencclofth
| but when he Ing dying the Princess Matinee cN-
! hibitcd very kindly feelings toward him, and con-
! stanty sent for intelligence concerning his stat"
Sainte-Iieuyc had no business in politics. and
| his connection with the Empire did him little
! good AS his conduct in the Scnat" on more than
! one occasion showed, he was much too honest ana
| Independent 10 occupy a place in which he was
| expected 10 follow the lead Of the Government
| un1uestiORingly. He had one opportunity OF ne
Tending free speech, and lie awaited himself of II
! But his natural place was his study There he
was at home. There he found thoroughly con
Genial work Thence issued those admirable
| critiques which will remain models OF their Kind
| until criticism ceases 10 lie exercised. More than
| most men. TOO. Sainte-l@uvc was represented IL
| what he wrote OF course he had " vic intlne,
bnt II was much less significant and illuminatlyc
than are his writings. VI. Troubat has shown
! him brave conscientious, cheerful, lndcatleahc
| sensitive and This is enough 10 know. We thank
| him at least fer having RETAINED from The
! realistic" exploitation So much in vogue at pres
emit and so little cIcditablc either to those wine
| produce or those who take pleasure in IT.