Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-12-04
EEDIT0R'SBOOK TABLE
READABLE EXTRACTS FROM AN
ENGllsttMeN IN PARIS.
"Adscnteres of Reg wellington ~" A
Chtid OF the Century '-.fAte-
rary Essays. 80.

This very entertaining book appeared
anonymously several months ago. The
Paris Figaro credits Sir RICHARD WALLACE
with the authorship of il. II is not ar
ranged IN any methodicsl fashion. but Il
composed Of a series of anecdotes without
any connection except that Of chronology
This detracts nothing from the charm Of
che work, for il is rich in piquant observa
sions and amusing stories of tho politica
aud social world Of Paris between 1880 and
lS70.
The author has evidently passed the
greater part of his life IN Paris. with the
best opportunities for seeing and hearing
everything. II is difficult to give In s
limited space even a general idea o.
what such book contains. for there Is 4
clever story TO be cleaned from every
page. II begins with amusing accounts OF
student life ia the Latin quarter in 1850
with ArPRED pE MussET Whose beauty u
described in admiriug terms), with BAL
VAC, ALEXANDRA DUMAS. fLoTow, IAoLIoNI
GuIzoI. THIREs. LOUIS BLANC. and ends
with the most stirring events OF the Seconc
Empire
The chapter devoted TO LOUIS PGL.
curious in the book. The author shows q
King who must have uttered more BON
yaofs than any Of his predecessors since
HrSRI ~. Here Is one on TALLEYRAND;
The King had been 20 see the dying states
man on the evening before. When the news
of the Pr noes death was brought TO MIN
he said Are you sure he Ia dead
"yery sure. Sire" was the answer, why
did not your Majesty observe yesterday
4. I-sv i there
Is no Judging from appearances with TAI
IxYRASp. | have been asking myself toi
the last four aud twenty hours what in
terest he could possibly have IN departing
at this particular moment"
Though il was to the strains OF the Mar
seillaise" that LOUIS PHILIPPE had been
conducted TO the Hotel de Vile on the day
when LAFAYETTE pointed TO him as the
best of all republics" time came when
the King got utterly sick Of the "Marseil-
lsise." But what was he 70 dc when his at
tempt at introducing q new national hymn
had utterly failed z The mob would not sing
the "Parlsienue OF CAsINB DELiyIGNE
and thew forced the King 10 JON in the
chorus Of the old hymn on all public occa-
sions. The bourgeois was of the opin-
ION that this had gone little too far.
CUIzOT told him so on the balcony OF the
Trileries on the celebration of the Kings
saints day. DO not worry yourself, Mon
sieur le Ministre. am only moving my
lips; have ceased TO pronounce the words
for many day."
LOUIS PHlLTPK's sons, especially the two
eldest, were fine Young fellows. Every
one. even the BOnapartists, admired the
frank and manly bearing of the young
princes 4" / remember finding myself one
Cay in front of TOrtOnrs when the Dues
D'ORLEANs and DE- NEMoUEs passed. Two
Imperisiists, old soldiers. near me stared
hard at them: then one SAID; " Ii the
little corporal, an lien de Hier u para.
amour pdrt0,p, craft mis- tOis SEES Oc1ifs dams 4
nleyae pan or, he might have had grand fell
lows like those. and We would not have
been in our present tx
My DEAR replied the other, p" fine fel-
lows like those are only produced IN times
of peace. not between two campaigns"
The Due D'AuMaIE exercised a greater
{ influence on the outside world than any OF
/ his brothers. This was partly due 10 his
enormous wealth, largely 10 his personal
Qualities. which were remarkable lie was
Tine beau ided, of DT-rtr-cbeUdt or, a mo-
dern B.YARD. handsome, brave 70 q fault.
; irresistibly fascinating with women. good
Dature1, and witty. II was he who, after
tic coafscatiOn of the ORLEANS property
by NAPOLEON Ill, replied to the French
ambassador nj Turin, who inquired after
his health. 81 AN all right; health IL one OF
the things that cannot be cOnfiscated."
The Due DOBIEASs was not so clever rs
his father. nor so dashing a soldier as DAU-
Na1F. lie did rot pretend TO the learning
of his brother NEMoURs, nor to the wit OF
his sister CLENENTINE, but he, SAYS the
author was one of the most charm
ing men ] have ever known. IL was
in the studio of DECAMPs that |
first became alive 10 his character.
I was talking 10 the great painter when
~ I'll IN, la nod IN a a a
shook hands. "a he had been taught to do
nv his father when he met with an English
man. But | could not make out why he
was carving a pair OF trousers over his arm.
After we had been chatting for about ten
minutes. | wondering all the while what
he was gong TO do with the neither gar
ment. he caught one of NV side gances
and burst out laughing. forgot he
SAID. "here. DECAsPs, here are your
breeches" Then he turned TO me to ex-
plain. II always bring them mp with me
when come IN the morning. The con-
cieyoe is very old and 1t saves her trudging
mn four flights of stars" The fact was
that the concierge before she knew who
he was, had once asked HIM to take up the
PAINTERS clothes and boots. From that day
forth he never failed TO ask for them wheI
passing her lo9e.
After the lapse of many years, saws the
! author. the elder Dumas still represents
/ 20 me all the good qualities OF the French
nation and very few of their bad ones
lie constitutes one Of the happiest of my
recollections. II was absolutely impossi
bile TO be dull in his society. The con
taeious animal spirits which the Frencl
have aptly termed "a joN DE ciore,' lasteC
untii q few months before his death.
remember calling upon him one day. III
had taken up his quarters at st. German
and came TO Paris only for few days
ais Monsieur at homer" | said 10 thu
servant. "He is in his study. Monsieur,
was the answer. Monsieur can 90 in.
At that moment heard loud burst o.
laughter from the inner apartment, so
said. II would rather wait until Monsieur
visitors are gone"
Monsieur has no visitors. he is work
ing.n remarked the servant with a smile
M. Dumas often laughs like this at hi'
work" Ii was true enough. The novelist
was alone, or rather in company with one
of his characters, at whose saliies he wa
simply roaring.
There is a very funny account of an cleo
tioneering trip Of DUMAs's, and also OF BIZ
amateur cooking performances. Ho sd
mired and adOred his son ALEXANDRA Dr.
MAS, fls. audit seemed TO him the most nat
ural thing TO bare his arm and have dozer
leeches put on II because his son, when 8
boy Of eight. having met with an accident
would not consent 10 blood-lettlng OF tina
kind In vain did the father tell him thai
the leeches did not hunt. Well. PIT
some on Yourself and then l will" Ant
the handsome giant turned up his sleeve:
and did as be was told.
Volume i. contains the true history O
ALPHoNsISE PLEssIs. the original of thu
Dame AUX CANRIIAs of DUMAS, Ils, wltl
some curious details.
The author was also intimate witt
HoRscE yERSET. whose personal charm
eQualled that of DUMAS. VERNEr sang a
the ton OF his voice while painting, o.
banded Jokes with his visitors. who nigh
come ard go at all hours Just as thel
liked. He was very proud of his calling
very independent. Though courteous 4
degree. he never minced matters &
either king or beggar. While in Russia
the Emperor NICHOLAS became very mucl
attached e. and would often send for him
They would converse on very seriou
subjects, and one day. after the partition
OF Poland, NICHOLAS proposed that VERNE
should paint q picture on the subject
-" en- afraid cannot do il. Sire." wa
the answer. II have never painted
Christ on the cross"
The moment had said it," continued
NERsEr when he told me the story. 81
thought my last hour had struck. ] an
positively certain that a Russian woult
have paid for the words with his life o,
lifelong exile 20 Siberia I shall nave,