The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-01
AN AMERICAN IN EUROPE.
Observations Upon the Life and Politics
Of Thirty Years Ago,
BY THE LATE
JAMES EPHERD PIKE.


diplomatic clrcleS Is fTlnce NupOleOn. the son
OF Jerome. who was the brother OF the founder
OF the fortunes OF the family. He Is thus the
grandson OF the gay belle OF Corsica. Letitia
Ramolno. and her eccentric and 1uarrelsome
husband. Unlike some OF the Bonapartes his
Genealogy is unquestioned.
This man 10 remarkable In the first place for
his talents. He is m orator OF commanding
ability as has been illustrated often in public
debate. Ho is u writer Of distinction, and q
man Of original views and decided convictions.
But refer TO him chiefly to describe his per-
sonal appearance, which. am informed on tho
best authority. 10 an exact counterpart to the
FIRST Napoleon. except in the fact that he Is
little taller than the uncle. and the features OF
his face are triHe less delicately cut My in
formant. an old Baron OF the Netherlands. now
dend. had especial reason for remem berinR tho
uncle for he himself was one OF his humorous
victims. having been seized when young
man and kept as hostage about the person OF
the Emperor.
The resent lance OF the Prince to his uncle
extends throughout his person. The shoul-
ders stand high and broad. like the Emperor's.
rounding forward at the top. There is no
neck to be seen from behind. tho head being
set squat on tho body. 1t does not. however.
project in front. rs the chest is large and full.
and the head thus occupies q sort Of midway
position between the back and front. like an
APPLE placed on the top Of pumpkin. The
hair is dark. inclining to black and little
thin on the top OF the head. The eyes are
black and expressive. and the smile one OF ex-
traordinary sweetness.
The Napoleonlc forehead is smooth and
spacious. though not high. 1t exhibits that
lack OF indentations. and displays the full
curves that always mark the well-formed
Uranium. The head does not mount at tho
N VIA 1T.
and Walter Scott. neither does it appear
pinched and contracted. as in the cases OF
Richelieu and Lord Chatham. 1t rises to the
summit square and solid. showing hearty
compactness and resolute volume in all it's
parts. Phrenologically. no man need carry n
better head ON his shoulders than the Prince.
The chin projects remarkably. and the under
chin is full and heavy. The body Is stout. but
the limbs are light and graceful. and the walk
elastic. Like the first Napoleon. the Prince
stands constantly with his hands behind him,
an attitude in which the Emperor was
often represented. aud which is not an acci-
dental posture but grows out OF tho tendency
Of the body to project forward. requiring tho
arms to be thrown behind to preserve an easy
equilibrium. His height is about five feet
eight inches. while that Of tho uncle was only
about live feet FIVE. English measure.
The voice has deep tone. and Is pitched
! on low and quiet notes. The whole air OF tho
| man is one OF great composure. With all his
| constitutional ardor and passion. so strikinely
| exhibited in his speeches. he displays no
yivacity and no exuberance in conversation.
| When another becomes animated and laughs
| he only smiles composedly. His general ap-
| pearance is that OF q singularly pleasing and
| we'll hammered gentleman. who Is no French
| man, and might belong to any nationality He
| has great activity OF temperament. as Is shown
| In his constant travels and in his parliament
| tary career. He did not shine in his position
| as a military commander in the Crimean war
| and the French soldiers have belief that he
showed want OF personal courage.
This picture is chiefly interesting as 1t
| brings before US. in his personality. man 30
| remarkable as tho first Napoleon. We all have
| q common desire to know tho precise personal
peculiaritIes OF men Of historic renown. how
ever We may appreciate their characters. One
may regard Napoleon as the most sagacioua
and soulless villain OF modern times. as he un.
questionnby was. and yet be very curious to
| know Just now he looked. l confess to the
weakness Of having examined the old stove
| pipe hat he wore for years at st. Helena. its
greasy brim we'll thumbed. with very great
attention. 1t was relic Of almost as much
interest as the spurs Of Charlemagne. or the
ivory hunting horn presented to him by
Haroun Al Raschid.
| French Manners and Habits.
With all his vlvacity the Frenchman is q
| great sleeper. He sleeps everywhere. The
coachman on his box. the laborer among his
bricks and mortar, the farmer on his haycock
the traveller in the cars the man and the
woman In the omnibus everywhere everybody
| sleeps The moment there ceases to be talk
| or spsctacle the Frenchman's vlvacity expires
| and he slumbers.
The Frenchman In his raw state is a dirty
| fellow, with strong social predispositions. He
consorts readily with every body and even with
dumb animals. He likes other Frenchmer
best Of all. but will put with English. Amer
| loans, Indians dogs. horses. cats. parrots. OF
| monkeys. Indeed, In his unregenerate state he
is emlnently filthy. The dwellings, the barns
the sta bes. the work animals the COWS, all the
live stock OF tho peasantry show It, A French
hamlet is perfect huddle OF nastiness. There
is not tho slightest pretsnsion to neatness o.
order but all live like pigs in sty.
| In his reformed and civilized state. this II
| overcome In all respects except In his person
| But the cleanest Frenchman Is not washing
| animal. Hence the entire absence OF the ar
ticle OF soap at all French hotels. while in thu
fine new houses now being built all over Pari
the bathroom is wholly omitted. Outside. In hi
| houses. and his dress. ana MS tapIe' III
Frenchman has learned to be Clearly.
The Englishman In his crude state Is differ
emit. He is by nature a selfish. solitary, ant
brutal animal He consorts with nobody. hei
fond OF nobody. not even OF himself. He pre-
fers hitting his neighbor under the fifth rib tt
doing him favor or to letting him alone.
Speak to the rudest Frenchman anywhere
and you are sure OF a smile and n civil answer
Speak to the raw Englishman, and yo'
will rouse growl. perhaps an insult He vii
not only not share any OF his own possession
with you. whether 1t Is u crust or bed @
straw. but he will not give you half OF the pup
lie road. He prefers to crowd you into tn
gutter and II you fall therein. this suits hin
still better.
The Frenchman loves music and dancing
Tho Engishman prefers hight. lie IKE
full-grown DULLES best. but rather than nav
nothing in this line. he will encourage boys t
knock down and set dogs to worry one another
| or course civilization has improved him, bu