The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-07
ILL.,,

In tho judgment Of the author OF these re-
collections. Pers!gny was Mt heart better
man than Morny. who affected to look down
upon him. True. the latter had mono OF the
others glaring defects. neither had he any OF
his sterling virtues. Morny himself told tho
author that he had never seen his brother. the
Prince President before January. 1864 fact
which shows that he had nothing to do with
the election to the Presidency. At that time
the Comte de Morny was close upon forty. and
for at least half Of his life had been emanci.
pated from all restraint He was q wel-known
figure in the society Of Louis Philippe's reign:
he had been deputy for one of the constitu-
encies in AuverGne. aud at the period OF his
first meeting with Louis Napolean he was at
the head OF ar important industrial establish
ment in that part OF France. To the question
why he had waited uatil then to shake his
brothers hand. the author replies by telling
the story about Morny having been at tho
Opera ComiQue during the evening OF the first
OF December. 1851. Rumors OF n coming coup
Te'at were rife. and a lady said: II parait
qu'on va bonner I'm fameux coup de Calais. De
quol cot6 serez vous NJ do Mornyi" "Soyez
sure. madame. que 10 serai du cote du
Manche." Morny. to be sure. always averred
that he had said nothing at tho time. They
invented 1t afterwards" he said. perhaps
faculty OF being on the winning side: the side
OF the handle in any and every emergency"
Accepting tho Counts own version Of the
story. is still at liberty to believe that he re-
Trained from claiming his brothers friendship.
or even acquaintance. until he felt almost GER
thin that the latter was lingering the handle
of the broom that was to make clean sweop
OF the second republic. 1t is the authors
opinion that he contributed worry little to the
success OF the sweep. One thing. at all events.
is pronounced indisputablc. namely. that he
did not contribute any money to the undertake
ing. He endeavored to raise funds from others,
but he himself did not loosen his purse
strings. although he was the only one among
the immediate encourage OF Louis Napoleon
whose pursestrinRs were worth loosening.
1t is said that allowing for the difference of
sex. and for better breeding and education,
Morny often reminded ono of Rachel. They
possessed the Same powers OF fascination and
were equally selfish at heart. To read the
biographies OF both. ono would think there
had never boon grande dame on the stage OF
the Coincide Francalse before Rachel or con-
temporary with her. though Augustine
Brohan was decidedly more Grande dame
than Rachel in every respect 1t was the same
with regard to Morny. To the chroniqueur
during the second empire no was tho only
grand seigneur-the rest We're only seigneurs
but the author is inclined to think that the
chroniaueur OF those days had seen very few
real grand sslCneurs. They did not throng
the court OF Napoleon ILL.,. and among the
people with whom Morhy came habitually
In contact In tho course OF his financial
and industrial schemes grand seigneur
was even a greater rarity than at the
Tuileries. II kind Of quiet impertnence
to some Of opes fellow creatures. and
tacitly expressed contempt for nearly
tho whole OF the rest, constitute tho grand
segneur. then our author is ready to admit
that Morny could have claimed the title
Curiously enough. whom ono recalls his lett
handed connection. it seeems that Morny Oft en-