New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-09
TOPICS IN PARIS.
pprrrNDEpS on HORSEBACK-THE NEW
IMMORTAL" - LASSAILE'S EN-
TERPRISE.

through a fall from his horse In Spain that II WIS
feared at one time he would remain Grippe
for life and when he has peeh orueieu "
Italy in consequence Of persistent cous" WIFI"
some specialists whom he has consulted nave pio-
nounced to be the beginning OF consumption '"e
first thing that he does Is to break MS ahhie' ~
disocate his shoulder and to injure himsen III
ternallv in so serious a way while out riding
with his sister and brother-in-law. the Duchess
and Duke of Aosta at La Mandria. as to send MS
mother and the family physician, Or. Recamier'
racing across Europe from Seville and Paris re-
spectivey to his bedside near Turin.
1t is not merely from purely physical point OF
view that his mishap has injured the Duke 1t
has also inflicted no end Of harm upon his cause
since the frequency Of his spills while riding
has given rise to the belief among his fellow
countrymen that he is but an Indifferent horse
man. Now there Is nothing more damaging Tor
a Pretender than such reputation as This, es-
pecially in France where the "homme cheval
appeals to the populace to a far greater degree
than any clever statesman or brilliant political
leader. Few people abroad can form any idea OF
the extent to which General Boulanger owed MS
mower and vogue to his celebrated black charger,
and Napoleon III would never have become either
President Of the French Republic or Emperor OF
the French had he not possessed in spite OF his
abbreviated legs and phenomenally long BODY
splendid English hunting seat in his saddle. Ana
II to-day the prospects Of the Bonapartlst Pre-
tender Prince Victor Napoleon. are many degrees
below Zero 1t is IN great measure attr1butaoie
to the reputation which he enjoys OF being
miserably bad rider. his falls from horseback at
Brussels being frequent as they are ridiculous.
Had the Comte de Chambord not been cripple,
and been able 10 mount a horse on the occasion
OF his memorable visit to Versailles in 1874, when
every thing was ready 70 place him on the throne,
France might to-day possess monarchical IN
stead OF a Republican form Of government
Strangely enough, II was 10 question OF horse
manship more than 10 anything else that the poor
young Prince Imperial, tae most promising or all
French Pretenders owed the loss Of his life In
South Africa, since II he had been able to mount
his tall charger he would have succeeded in get
ting away from the Zulus just easily as did his
companions. who deserted him in such a cowardly
fashion.
From an equestrian point Of view It is GER
talnly Prince Victor's younger brother, Louis.
who stands the best chance Of benehting by
any morarchcal restoration in France, since for
the last ten years more he may be said to
have spent his entire existence on horseback,
first as a major OF Italian cavalry and subse-
quentIy as the colonel In command Of the crack
Mini Novgorod Dragons Of the Car Added
t. his splendid Workmanship he possesses the
accomplishments, so rare In this country, OF
being able 10 hold his tongue Like his uncle,
Napoleon ILL., he is reticent even to the extent
Of taciturnlty, and as one knows what he Is
thinking about-to use FreI expression.
what he has behind his head"-hs silence has
given him the reputation OF possessing extraor-
binary sagacty and cleverness.
While the political fortunes OF the house OF
Bourbon Orleans are distinctly on the wane In
thls country It's influence in the world OF art
and literature shows sign Of decrease strk
Ing evidence thereof being afforded by the cleo
ton OF the Marquis Costa de Beauregard a
member OF the Academy In preference 70 such
IA man as Emile lola, or Puvis de Chavannes
The Marquis who was one OF the most intimate
friends OF tho Comte de Paris. and to whose
care. well "a 10 that Of the Marquise, was
ntrusted Princess Helene OF orleans, now
Duchess OF Aosta, on the occasion Of her visit
to Egypt and the Holy Land IL perhaps the
most brilliant cOnversationalist OF the Paris sa-
Ions. and an idea may be gathered of his fame
in this respect from the fact that when he
either plays cards or dimes AT the Jockey Club
there is a regular struggle on the part Of the
younger members to sit near him. for the pur
pose of gathering up the crumbs Of his scintillat
ing wit SO as TO be able to retail them as their
own. He has also written couple of books.
lie Roman dun Koyaliste" and I'm Homme
dAutrefois." well volume or two Of
verses But there Is nothing in this scanty
llterdry baggage OF his To enttle him 10 figure
~ a star in the armament of letters and his
election as one OF the "Immortals' must be
garded as tribute not to his qualities an
author or AS poet. but merely to his worth
a brilliant member If Partisan society and to
the influence OF the Royallst following in the
Academic Franchise. The Marquis is more OF
a cosmopolitan than Frenchman; for his
father WAS an Italian nobleman POSSESSED Of
large estates I'm Savoy. who held the position Of
Grand Equerry and Of Master Of the Horse 10
King Victor Emanuel His mother a MEM
Der OF the ancient french house Of de Vetrac.
her father the Marquis of that title having
achieved much renown French Ambassador
at s.. Petersburg after the fall Of the First Ma
yO,con. while the Marquis Costa de Beauregard
himself received his education in Brussels and
in England.
When Savoy was incorporated into France
and its Inhabitants were called unon 10 choose
which nation they wished to belong to- the
Marquis. whose father had meanwhile died
was led by the infiue nee Of his mother to decide
in favor Of French citizenship, and IL was as a
Frenchman that he took part, along with his
three brothers. in the of 1901. Two OF
the brothers were killed In battle, and he him.
self. after being wounded severely In the fight
at Herlcourt, was carried off as a prisoner into
Germany. where he lay for several months In
the hospitals at Carlsruhe between life and
death. While there he visited several times
by the Grand-duchess of Baden. who. ignorant
of his fortune and rank. made point each time
OF carefully leaving twenty mark gold piece
on the table beside him for the purchase Of
small comforts OF which she believed him to
stand In need The Marquis has carefully pre-
served these coins among his many mementos
OF that fateful year. His captivity was brought
to unexpected end through his totally I'M
solicited election to represent his native district
In Savoy IN the newly constituted Legislative
Assembly the terms Of the armistice providing
that the German authorities should place no
hindrance whatsoever In the way Of those
elected To that body. which was to decide upon
the form OF government to be adopted by