New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-02
4 WRITING BARON.
1rrpAT1rRE AS A ROTHSCHILD MAKES
1T.
PERSONAL CHARAC list &c r 5 fRO IN

personal CHARACTE IT. e 500 5 fRO IN
FRENC HIsToRWY ,,, R Por naI1n octayo pp
VII 9Se Ncw-York: Macmillan Co.
Baron Ferdinand Rothschild's book Is nothing
moro nor less than a collection OF anecdotes
Strung together with little comment but WIN
co much Difference for the story and so little de-
sire to keep the author himself In the foreground
,hat ~ &c a wonder Baron Rothschild did not
,esve the work TO some one else. On the other
hand II 10 probable that he enjoyed the stories,
and found II an amusing task to put them in'o
banters He would have shown more OF the
shrewdness Of his family If he had taken pains
IN tell some of his anecdotes to his friends hrst
They would have told him. we are sure now
many Of them were older than the Middle Ages
90 which no refers in his first chapter. He has
told in brief more old. old stories than we would
ho,.s sunposed the most careless maker Of a
nonular lest book could have gathered together.
iIe ends his excuse so far he finds at all in
telling n number that are not so well known. ana
in having his book printed in the finest style OF
,ho nrass whose imprint appears upon the title
page.
c,rce Raron Rothschild has done nothing to
roo,,, coordinate his material, and to show what
reference II bears to history. W. need not pass
from, bis hook to any consideration OF the con-
nection between this story or that and the de-
o,onr,ert of France We will merely point out
.,at IN snte OF the staleness Of majority OF the
stores the various chapters are fairly good
roadipg one OF the Baron's best things occurs
At the very beginning Of his book where he
records the reply Of the Comte de Perigord TO
Uugues Capet. when the latter was proclaimed
King on the death of the last survivor OF the
Carlovingian line. The King found his barons
IN ipsubordinate company. and ne said 10 the
Comte one of the most difficult Of his subjects.
..Who made YOU Comte?" And who made you
q King" the Comte replied That Is an elo-
ouent relic OF the tenth century. Baron Hoth-
ecbild tells more than one story OF the iron rule
NJ etiquette at the French Court. and most OF
,ban, are familiar; but there IL one concerning
Marie Antoinette which Is, perhaps. less well
known than these. The Queen had christened
her chief mentor Comtesse de Noailles. Nine.
E,tinuette" once when riding donkey In her
nrivatc grounds she had fall. and looking up
iaughinply she cried out: Go and fetch Noaiiles
She will tell us what etiquette prescribes Tor
Ouaen of France when she falls off a donkey y
Was IL a fash OF historical sense or OF rather
cheap wit which led Baron Rothschiid 10 print
I'm a footnote to this anecdote. Mime. Etiquette
was guiotined In 179I"? 1t would be pleasant
n a book written with so much good humor and
with so much interest as Baron Rothschild's
could be cordially recommended, but except for
a comparatively fresh page here and there. there
IL nothing about his Handsomely made volume
which justifes It's existence. The world mas
never had any patience with the mob OF gentle
men who write with ease"