New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-12-10

To hovc been Prefect Of Police In Paris under
Napoleon was TO be in a position for writing IN
tcresting memoirs-especialy as the au'hor loi-
lowed two such men as Fouche and DUBOIS 'ne
one by nature a conspiraor the o'her "a'V"-
fll on every. hand for the broes 'ha' 'cau"'
, sought him. But the Prefecture was not ''e W.
ginn,ng Of Pasquiers career. 1t came 10 HI" III
mature life and at time when men aieauS
presaged the downfall Of the power which n"ha-
parte had created md sustained. But the cohsld-
Grafton that he had been only one Of the person.
ages In the varied scenes through Whlch IT, ""u
passed. and that often for long periods OF time
he had played only the part of an onlooKer' ieu
him to hesitate after he had written out HIS
yecolieetons as to the title which he ought 10
, give the,, For he was cognzant of a vast array
or facts and Incidents in which he had an actual
sharc and these were, from his point OF Vlew IN
- dispensable to the comprehension OF events ID
French national life. 1t shows the care WHICH
. Pasouier bestowed on his "reminiscences mat he
wrote a preface in which he discussed the argu-
men,s in favor OF the two titles most likely 10
be given 10 his book il it ever appeared III PRINT
Ia remarked that the word Memoirs was well
worn and that he himself did not fill place
sufficiently important in his own narrative to
claim such a phrase. on the other hand he
doubted if he could say he had written history
sometimes of great importance. Finally he con-
c,,ded thai the most appropriate title would be
"a History of My Time.
. The author OF this book was born in 1867. lie
therefore grew up child under the influences
which proved fatal to the old order OF things III
France His birth as he says was in the mast
of surroundings which seemed to presage
neacefu life and a large fortune which never
descended to me" Unfortunately, his mother
was deeply wrought upon by the writings OF
Rousseau She had in fact so far shared 'he
feeling of homage common in those days among
women toward the author of Emile that in
order to see him "she had awaited herself OF the
pretence then in general vogue. Of taking to him
some music for the purpose Of having 1t copied
Her son suffered from the effects of this whin.
.ITnder pretence" says he 'of hardening me TO
the inclemencies Of the weather during couple
of severe winters q was then in my fourth ana
fifth years. l was taken to the Garden OF 'he
Tuileries while but lightly clad. There, 1t was
asserted should surely obtain warmth by tax
ING exercise was told to run about; but the
cold deprived me of the necessary strength 10
obey. so the result of this system was to make
me the most chilly Of mortals strangely
enough the mother who was thus affected by
the teachings OF Rousseau was religious to the
degree of superstition. and opposed to vac
idence BY his fathers decision. Pasquier was
saved from smallpox while his sister. left TO
the mothers control was attacked by the
disease and as q result bore its marks all her
life.
Thus it will be seen that the youth was subject
TO the influences Of a religion and OF spirit OF
innovation both equally unreasoning- On the
other hand, he owed to his grandfather train
ing in the ideas of the old magi.tracy. For this
ancestor Pasquier seems TO have cherished the
most affectionate admiration. Yet the former
might not have approved of the changes in poll
tics which the grandson accepted as necessary.
The very fact that he had been a fellow student
OF Voltaire. and thus became familiar with the
modes of thought characteristic of that de-
structive foe Of the past led him to a feeling
Of reaction. His sincere pety," wrote his
grandson. "bore no trace of exaggeration. lie
avoided argument over these matters, and was
%. content to testify his belief by faithful OBJ
b servance Of its pratices." Aside from these In
fiuences Pasquier's education was such as was
usual with persons Of mis- rank. He learned the
ways of the world in soci-l circle dignihed and
yet indulgent Thus, as he says, 1.-THE old regime.
the one preceding the Revolution Of 1893. was not
sealed book to me; WAS already of this world
ere its downfall" He thoroughly trained in
the usages and traditions Of that old world, and
by the ideas of independence which were in the
air. 1t was only a spectator Of the scenes
that occurred in 1889 that he recovered his royal
list equilibrium.
From the day in January. 1887. when. not quite
twenty years Of age, he became a councillor Of
the "Parlement' Of Paris, he studied with watch
full eyes the rapid march of events toward the
Revolution. AS member Of the magistracy he
may have shared the feeling Of opposition shown
in the Parchment toward the measures proposed
by the Ministers of the King. yet he saw in
that opposition the beginning Of the series OF
facts which TO lead, without interruption, to
the Revolution Of 1883" His mature reflection
was that the Parliament yielded too easily TO a
craving for popularity. TO which its natural inn
portance should have rendered it Indifferent. Not
only did II refuse to register the taxes; it also
declared itself forever incompetent to grant such
.egstra tion and in so doing committed the great
est of mistakes. by dispOsing Of a future that did
not belong TO It," He saw that youth had shaken
of the yoke Of its elders. Imagination instead
Of experience became the guide of an Organiza-
ten which for hundreds of years had been the
gravest and wsest court in Europe. "Not hav
ing any other mentors" says Pasquer, signf-
cantly, as II to be wondered at that this youth
should have been carried away by the seductive
examples cas-; in its path by the greatest names
Of France, the La ROchefoucaulds the d1ar-
courts, the Luynes. the d'AumOnts the Luxenl-
bolrgs the Praslins and many more?' Then
ne adds, not excluding himself: Those who
were more clever, or who had more advanced
ideas than the others. took care to fan the flames
of our effervescence." 1t among these youth
full heads turned by the novelty Of the life they
were living that the fatal suggestion was made
of calling the States General The thought was
!. like vice-the more it was cherished. the more
welcome it became. And yet Pasquier was cool
e enough to observe the perturbation into which
older and wiser men thrown by the
hints uttered on all sides Of them.
young man. said one of these old mag
istrates who saw young Pasquers excitement.