New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-18
TWO DIPLOMATISTS.
RARoN sOLvYNs. LATE MINISTER OF
BELGIUM. AND COUNT BYLANDT.
LATE MINISTER OF THE METH
ERLANDS. IN LONDON.

baron Solvyns. who died suddenly last week,
had been Belgian Minister in London for twenty
years-a fact on which respectfully recommend
the spoils-loving and Ofiice-jobbing politician in
America TO ponder. II is not perhaps, very
difficult critical business to represent Belgium
at the Cour. OF st. James. 1t is almost family
mission, the relations of Belgium ana England
being what they are But neither Baron Sovyns
nor anybody else would have held such post
so long unless he had peculiar fitness for it.
He had that He had the suavity, the tact. the
good sense and the sense Of proportion which
such place demanded. He did not unduly
magnify his office. and he did not permit any
body to belittle II.
Not pre-eminently man Of society, he was
welcome in society and bcloved-the word is not
too strongly his colleagues and friends. The
impression you first derived from knowing Baron
Solvyns was an impression of sincerity, and it
was last as we'll as first His amiability was
unfaiing yet it did not impair, amiability
so often and unjustly does, this impression Of
sincerity. Of veracity of solidity OF character
The very elaboration of his speech i'm
pressive True, he was a Belgian, and the
volubty Of the Belgian Is. as rule. inferior
to the voubty Of the Frenchman. or, at least
of the Partisan. But in Baron Sovyns this
leisureliness Of speech seemed individual and
not national. He was never in hurry about
anything.
A placidity of disposition such his gives
diplomatist as it does those who not diplo-
matists. no slight advantage in a world which is
now but too apt to conduct its affairs at break
neck speed. He had an American wife and few
or no enemies His position did not require
him to make enemies. unless. perchance. there
were other Belgian diplomatists who envied him
his long tenure of coveted post. AS Belgium
is protected State. her diplomatic service is
not Of very exaciing kind. save at critical
moments, when her neutrality is threatened
from the French German frontier. There
are other critical moments. when it is not per-
haps threa tened, but is discussed, and discus
sion itself is a perilous thing with reference to
so delicate matter neutrality But If the
waters ever were troubled in Baron Solvyns's
time, you would never have guessed it from his
demeanor His serenity perfect.
People in London who knew something Of the
Court OF Brussels used to wonder how he got
on with the King. Curiosity of that kind is
seldom gratified except by indulging in guesses
The King was. and. believe. is. at times, tenn
pestuous. 1t would be just then that the Sc
dateness of his Minister in London would be so
useful to both Baron Solvyns had indeed
something more than serenity; he had sweet
ness Of nature If he disrusted his fellow
men. as suppose most diplomatists of seventy,
and even some who are not diplomatists. must,
he seldom thought it necessary 10 show his dis
trust. A considered restraint in such matters
is one of the secrets Of diplomacy.
There is a pleasure in remembering that Baron
Solvyns and Mr. Lowell were great friends.
Mr. Lowell liked him heartily-he had i'm
mense capacity for liking people-and the Bel
Minister in Lowndes Square. They both played
whist. neither Of them too we'll to consider II a
pastme and not-as it is too commonly regarded
in London-either as a scientific pursuit an
operation Of finance. The Belgian the
better Of the two at whist. and run Of Ill
luck could disturb him. don't know whether
anything ever disturbed him. nor whether he
showed that he disturbed. 1t is no
light nor common gift thus to pass through
life with an apparent immunity from all its dis
agreeable agitations and at the same time. an
undimnshed power OF enjoyment and Of use
full and honorable work.
A little time before Baron Solvyns died an
other diplomatist Quilted this scene, Count By
landt who had been for even longer time
think. the representative Of tire Netherlands at
the Court of st. James He. too. a figure
In London. and q most amiabe and popular
one. Perhaps he went rather more into general |
society than Baron Sovyns did and cultivated |
more assduously his remarkable social talents.
He had in q very high state Of development the |
art Of the raconteur. 1t is an art which has |
now fallen. to some extent into discredit in
London, and hear that even in New-York the |
appetite for telling is less keen than it was.
Count Bylandt had, at any rate, a vivacity
and precision Of narrative at all times, and
especially rare in England, where vivacity is
seldom the word you would select as most ac-
curately descriptive of dinner-table talk or OF
in general. He spoke English
fuently. but preferred telling stories in French
His repertory was very large. His diplomatic
experiences had been large. lie had the manner
Of man TO whom courts and drawing rooms
had long been familiar That is but another
way Of saying that, with all his animation. he
had Of manner. He had also a cordalty
v hich in his energetic expression of 1t, was not
English and certainly not'French. nor. I think.
Dutch. though have known other natives Of
Holland who had It,
1t was. at any rate his own. His entrance into
room always eniivened the company. He was
brisk. alert. electric, yet with no excess or un-
emphasis. There was a genuine
riendliness about him which dispelled every sug
,estion Of insincerty or Of the artificial Whether
IL d i@ohuoH uihher 'dpe OF IN d country House'
,r at Mr.. Alma-Tadema's studio he was exactly
he same, and to men and women of all degrees
n life he the He and Mr.. Alma
radema were. Of course. countrymen and the
Dutch Minister was often to be seen at the house
Il the Dutch painter. Count Bylandt had tina
general knowledge of art which Is common
lbroad. not common in England. If he had had
lone. there would still have been a sympathy
between him and the wonderful painter who re-
PRODUCES for the nineteenth century the life Of
md before the beginning of Christendom. Count
Sylandt used to stand lost in delight before some
anvas which the scenes Of Athenan and
;raeco- Roman life lived again. Then he would
ome back, as 1t were. out Of the Pagan world
md discourse of 1t with a genuine perception Of