New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-02-04
TACT.
FAMOUS PEOPLE WHO HAVE 1T AND
HAVEN'T IT.

LAMENTABIY DEFICIENT IN TACT
BEACONsFIELD's INGENUITY.
Tao. is a word most difficult to define One of the
French dictionaries describes IL as "delicacy. or
delcacy Of Judgment" and that in my humble
onjnon comes nearest 10 the true interpreted
zion Of the quality 1t is one which is more in
dispensable to everyday life than any other, the
absence of which gives rise to boundess
misery. while its possession may be regarded as
torning one of the principal ingredients of the
happiness and welfare of humanity Lack Of
tact has served to reduce to ruin many noble
and grand career and to bring obloquy upon the
most upright Of characters while its presence
has served TO counterbaance serious defects and
not only TO successfully cloak moral shorcom-
ings but even 10 render them tolerable. For
tact implies kindness of heart. and to those pos
sessinc the latter are always inclined to
cord indulgence.
Napoleon H. for instance. man whose pri-
vate life far from being above reproach and
whose unfortunate surroundings brought dis
aster upon his house and upon his country. was
the most kind-hearted and at the same time
the most tactful of men. And It was not by his
craftsmanship nor yet by his conduct, but solely
by his extraordinary tact, that he able to
conouer the strong pretudices that had been
formed against him by Queen Victoria. by the
late Car and his consort and by so many other
Of the reigning families of Europe. There are
many instances that could be recOunted TO Illus
trate his tact But the following will probably
suffice: At of the court balls of the Tuil-
cries a gallant colonel. while waltzing lost his
footing and brought both himself and his partner
TO the ground. almost at the feet of the Emperor
Madame" remarked the Emperor. he assist
1,.l,
1e vols tomber ie Colonel La premiere fois
c'etat sur lie champ de bataie. Solferino"
az is the second time that have seen the
Colonel fall the first time it on the battle
field Of Solferino) That was a piece Of ex-
quisite tact and of kindly consideration. for it
was calculated TO raise the Colonel in the eyes
OF his fair partner and 10 dispel the sentiments
OF modification and humiliation which he would
naturally feel on account Of his awkwardness
But displays of tact such this not neces-
sarily limited to speech. Sometimes the very
avoidance OF any utterance constitutes tact. Few
people had more cause to appreciate this than
old Baron Schaeffer who for many years rep
resented Austria at Washington. The Baron II
may be remembered. returned home and handed
in his resignation IN consequence Of a blunder
which he had committed here by communicating
a strictly confidential Dispatch intended for his
own secret information. TO the American Secre-
tary of State. This mistake fo- time seriously
affected tho relations between Austria and this
country. Yet never word of reproach did the
old Baron receive from Count Kalnoky. the
Austrian Chancellor and Minister of Foreign
Affairs 1T was all my fault" Baron Schaeffer
used to say in discussing the matter with his
friends; but Count Kalnoky possessed far too
exquisite a degree of tact TO tell me So
Put 10 ri1x cfa6
sons of ancient lineage. or of high breeding and
Of lofty rank. The seaman on the deck or the
porter at the railroad station who discreety
turns away not TO appear to intrude upon
our grief in parting from those near and dear
TO US or upon our joy in welcoming them again.
displays just as much delicate tact either
Napoleon III or Count Kanoky in the two
Instances above quoted. And where could one
find more courtierlike tact than in that H-less
mayor of small English provincial town who
on the occasion of royalty attending ball at
the Mansion House in London. having received
a smiling warning from the Princess Of Wales
that her children were just recovering from the
measles. and that he must therefore beware
in dancing the quadrille with her. CALAMITY re-
sponded with low bow that he was not afraid.
and that he would be delighted to take anything
from so charming a source"
Mr. Gladstone though the most emarkable
and in many respects attractive figure in con-
temporary English life, is lamentably deficient in
tact. as was that other and almost equally popu-
lar Grand Old Man, Lord Palmerston. before
him. And it is entirely owing to this defect In
the composition Of their respective characters
that they never succeeded in hitting 1t off alto
gether with their royal mistress. Lord Beacons-
field. the other hand. possessed tact in such
a marked degree that he was able TO blind both
the old aristocracy Of England. we'll the
reigning family. 10 his innate and neradcable
vulgarity. and to induce them to submit to his
guidance. 1t was by tact that he managed TO
overcome all their prejudicea. and when he died
the Queen wrote about him to Dean Stanley as
"her dearest friend" and described his demise
as IAN absolutely irreparable loss" Among the
thousands Of instances Of the tact that char
acterized his dealings with the Queen l need
merely mention On the day that Queen
Victoria paid her last visit to the old states
man at Hughenden Manor, he was. of course. at
the station to receive her. as In duty bound.
The first person to aght from the royal train
was that most favored and trusted Of all the
Queens domestic servants her Highland gillie.
John Brown. In the most gracious manner. the
Earl extended his hand to John, and shook it
warmly, in full view of the Queen and OF all
the spectators Of Her Majesty's arrival. 1t was
a trihing act Of condescension. and yet it was
one which few would have had the tact to think
Of or II thought Of TO execute. through fear.
propably of the intention being misinterpreted.
Only those who know how thoroughly John
Brown was disliked by all those who approached
the Queen-his rough. blunt ways. and his in
difference TO anybody and everybody. barring
his royal mistress. being bitterly resented and
creating desire to huniliate him and keep him
''n his place" and al arms length-can appre-
ciate the courter-iike tact Of Lord Beaconsheld
in performing act Of graciousness which
cost him nothing. and yet which. small as 1t
was. contributed TO still further endear him to
his sovereign.
OF all tactless men. perhaps the man most
noted for this shortening was the late Lord
Derby. who Notwithstanding his extraordinary
talent. his remarkable common sense and sa-
gacity, lived and died soured, disappointed,
misunderstood and unpopular man. Lack Of tact