New-York tribune., 1890-06-17

ume. The prospectus states that the narratives =" y"
published under the above title take h''e Ut io NV.
of those we'll known pcrsOnagcs WHO hsuic 30 Po"
nently In the worlds portrait gallery ana "ith "os
Nvcs and labors the ordinary reader Is "cii aoa"
Thev deal rather with people of more or less ho'oe
who are encountered for the most part Ill 'i'c .;
ways of history and who. by reason OF their rc'iaN
able individuality. their powers OF fascma'oi' "'0
ambition or their daring, their enthusiasm OF uier e
centrcities their cunning or their crimes nave 'oh
tr,ve6 at one tme or another to attract large sao
~ tho worlds attention but with whose romantic ana
often wildly adventurous careers, which strkhgy con-
firm the tr1te adage Of truth being stranger ta ouo
readers of the present day are mostly 1afniiar' H
an example OF what is intended In the new series W.
may cite the first announcements whlch hc!uuc n'o,
NJ Sir Henry Morgan the Buccanccr the countess oA
Derby Marco Polo. Ivan the Terrible hesmer' Nouh.
Konicsmark the Beautiful Cummings Paui Jones an"
the Chevalier D'Eon. The initial volume certainly
promises we'll for it would be difficult 10 imagine
stranger or more romantic life than that OF 'ie ao-
venturcr who for time truly bore the title OF KING of
Corsica. II would not be easy TO make such S'ois
dull but Mr. Fitzgerald has told it SO well as 10 en-
hance its inherent interest.
In order TO make the strange adventures OF inc baro
Won Nenhon intelngible, the author opens with
orarbc sketch of the adventures of the eighteenth
century AT that time Europe was studded with petty
courts Of kingets and princengs, margraves ana grhd
dukes and other small magnates, OF whom ue ihalor
ity found troublesome TO make both cnds meet '
ing and about them had grown up an atmosphere II.
which the adventures of the period fourished ana
swarmed The adventurer Of the period has been drawn
nom the life I'm CasanOvas Memoirs for he was one oi
the notorious Of the class. Thaokeray mas gwen
us companion picture of the same type III te
"Memors Of Barry Lyndon, Esq" These men can
hardly be compared with any existing class In enec'
they were all Captain Rools," but it was necessary
that they should be educated, speak several
have turn for diplomacy, carry court e'ioue''e az
their fingers ends, DO accomplished swoMsfhcu ""o
possess polished and ingratiang manners They were
OF course unprncpled and without scruples but tes
did their swindling with grand air. Also many OF
them received certain standing at various courts u!
becoming the diplomatic agents, emssarles or spies vi
this or that Minister These occupations were Vala-
bic to them for the doors they opened and the oppo
tunitics they created and there was continued inter
co,rsebv coach or post chaise-bctween all their little
continental courts and political intrigue was rampant
everywhere, a really clever adventuTer encountered
many chances which could be turned to account. III
must not be supposed" observes Mr. Fitzgerald. that
these men of the vulgar knight of industry type
seen on the stage in the noveia mere swinder OF
our own dmo whose aim is a few sovereigns. Ihcy
played power influence, fortune, and sometimes for
q crown; they lived sumptuously, were clothed mag
nifcenly. seen at courts; and their reputation
bounded, not oy the place in which they lVed pu'
was spread over the Continent
It Is often perhaps generally, difficult TO trace the
careers Of such men with certainty and there is no
exception TO this rule in the case Of Theodore Oh
Corsica. Mr. Fitzgerald however. after careful re
search has reached the conclusion that he really was
German Baron Of fairly good lineage. no fortune
and a natural aptitude for intrigue and adventure
Ills early life is a chronicle OF halftod and various
changes all tcstifying both TO his own stlcs>neS ana
10 the vic.sindcs of the cscer he had taken up We
hear OF him first as page at Versailles Then lie Oh
taincd a commission in cavalry regiment Then he
became an inveterate gambler. and forced to fly
pxrss hy
Sweden the probability being that he was sent thither
Oh mission Of espionage. Thence he drifted to SPAN
and M-. Fitzgerald thinks y" there can be little ques
ton that he used to negotiate the strange plot be
tween Carte and Albcron for placing the Prccnder on
the throne of England His conduct in this intrigue
won him the high favor of his employers, who dis
patched him to the Hague, where he engaged Stll
moro deeply In the Precndcr's plot, and stole over to
England meet the Jacobites and cOncoct plans with
thcm.D The Swedish Ambassador at the Court of Eug-
land 1oincd the conspiracy and Europe was scandazed
by his arrest in consequence Of the discovery Of the
plot. Theodore narrowly escaped, but reached Hol
land, though he was hardly safe at the Hague His
cocoaspirator, General Garz, was delivered up by the
States General but presently released, only TO lose his
head at tile hands Of his own countrymen after the
death of Charles XII. This kind Of treatment had
the natural effect upon Theodore, who abandoned
6wedish affairs and transferred his talents 10 Madrid,
where he was well received at Court, was made a
colonel and married Of the Queens maids of honor,
Jacobte exile lie further enjoyed a pension.
Cardinal AIberoni befiended the clever adventurcr,
and after the Cardinals fall Rpperda a fellow-h-
venturcr made him annual allowance for furnishing
him with Intelligence. lie was also given conlnls
sion In a German corps which he was allowed 10 raise
himself but unfortunately, says the author. his love
of expense and his improvdcnt marriage induced him
10 divert a good deal OF the cash which had been III
trusted to him for military purposes toward his own
private expenses and he was Obliged 10 leave span
in palmer language he embezzed the funds intrus'ed
TO Him. and had 70 lie had entertained great hopes
from his marriage but they were disappointed, ana
when Theodore found himself In distressed crcum
sances he deserted his wife, who died at Paris some
years later, in poverty Some accounts even say Ii
in leaving his wife thus abruptly lie took with him
her jcxels. 1t is not incredible The eighteenth
century Adventures did not stand upon trihes Bu
he lad lost caste in this campaign aud for some time
lis career was ftful and obscure. Glimpses OF
him are caught at Paris, London. Florence Leghon
and oer places where doubt he piled his wilcs apd
his gambling skill with fuctuating fortunes He "a>
TO emerge from the mists next In surprising way
The Genoan Republic had for many years made an Ire
land Of Corsica, her vassa and had finally driven the
Corscans a hgh-spirited and hotblooded race to re
volt. long and fierce struggle ensucd, in which the
islanders did always of the worst, and which
attracted the attention of the world. Now it occurred
to Theodore Won NeuhoH that it might be worth while
TO obtain the sovereignty of Corsica, and that this
could be done by defending the island against her
Genoan oppressor, possibly the great Powers would
not interfere. He had himself, but he had a
wido acquaintance among the rich and powerful, and
wheedling tongue. Mr.. Fitzgerald must tell how he
set 10 work to create interest for the Corsicans how
ao sounded their leaders how he obtained ships, arms
munitions and money for them; how, after sending
them instaments of help, he finally went in great
state himself with three armed ships and great stores
how Enthusiastically he was received, and how Corsi
can mobiles and representatives soemnly elected him
King of Corsica. 1t reads like fairy tale yet 1t Is all
truo. But the monarch soon found his throne
uneasy. Tho Corsicans were undisciplned, insubor-
dnAtc jclors of another suspicious OF Theodore
given feuds and factions mutable, cap1cious and
generally untristworthy. They had CUSTOMS more
over which ntcrfcrcd sadly with military movements.
For example, one Of the commanders Quilted HE post
In the middle of battle with the Gcnoesc and went
home the funeral Of his father Another General.