New-York tribune., 1897-06-27
COUNTESS ANNA POTOCKA.
THE MEMOIRS OF A CLEVER POLISH
LADY.


Baireuth. sister to Frederick the Great. the co.
abettor and co-intrigucr of that unscrupulous
politician. Anna Potocka born-as Auna
Tuszkewicz-with artistic and literary talents.
The artists nose. at the end thickening and up
turned, such Moliere had is observa-
bic in Angelica Kaufmann's picture of the
Countess. who thus confesses her CacoUthes-
scribendi How impatientIy was | wont t.,
await daylight when 1 might cast upon paper
the IDEAS which had evolved in the calm of the
nlsh'. other passages stamp her the reflect
i've judge Of painting and architecture
She wrote her "reminiscences i'm The French
language of which her mastery was absolute in
all but the elements. Let the unbeIiever turn
In the published volume to the specimen pas,
there inserted and he Will find apses of gram
mar ana spelling to make a schoolboy laugh
and smiling disregard of the use and almost
OF the existence OF accents Yet th, stvJo i
altogether admirable. 1t runs smoothly along
with graceful facility of expression \ most
haPpy khack OF words. and an unconscious cicN-
efheSS or thought OF Louis NVIII she says
mat although she was hardly of an age to
judge him. he nevertheless pleased her. hav-
ing i air tout bon ct tout rend' Nine WaI.,y-
SKA she endows with an "aplomb modesto"
NOR was her epigra NINA tic touch of diction coz
hhed I" what she wrote How d.. uancrr"
asked Napoleon Of her in '.'S quick. abrupt
manner In truth ne was the reply for 4
great man our dancing is perfect" Jhourh
the inaSinative side of her cbar,ctar ,,.,s
s'-""siE developed. philosophy and fairness
Mc't not excluded The classic regularity Of
''e ''''uieS ana form Of her daughter Natali1
she attributes to the prenatal infiucnc, es,oh
iShed py constant study and admiration ~,
h"e WORKS OF art. Stanisaus Augustus Pnpi,-
'o"Skl. the last Polish King history ,,r,no,,,,..
~ nave oeeh a weak sovereign and an anitll.
' "i'" Vi MN ms own niece writes: ~I:u,
80 prodisat toward the private i'd
Viduai. had refused the monarch thar viii
he ,itI..y
countess PotockaS memoirs sb,v. 49,, 49, ~.
i'C'i"iite' patriotic. larCe-ninied iut.uio.,,
"''""- y mortal of her sex ana rank cnurj
t,''E escape smack of vanity and a l,sir.
'" 'hlt W" must pardon the hand
So'ie' petiattercd grand" dame Her ,,ri,ir,,
are free from pettiness She rov.r ,,.,
snowy sentiments. never enlargas upon insir,iG
cant laly or household concerns never wcarias
, ~ '"o''' sermons the flow of hal maternal
love never makes the reader look ot ,b. c,cL
impulse the evil spirit Of sincerity may soma
''''eS nave forced false Judgment from her Sh,
IL amazed at ana bushes for. Nine Walewska.s
prompt surrender to the imperial blackboard
''N'i"' oi all persons the most likely To
MILO" "hat ttanspired behind the curtain dweIls
at length upon the fair Poles distrcssful t.ars
ms gross. adulatory prejudice was capalln or tho
praZeh words His Majlsty's profound respect
iof 'he rights OF a legitimate marriage. and his
antipathy against divorced persons was no, tba
"A
quiSh"r OF either PruSsianS or petticoats Also
aheht the personal appearance of Marie Louise
Is countess fot"cka at variance with the chief
valet, who speaks Of the Austrian princess os
beng n beautiful woman. Countess Potock,
sees IN her person nothing remarkable but .ba-
weli-Shaped feet. If painted portraitur,. H.. NOR
an arrant deceivcr. the Polish ladys criticism, =.
regards the EmpreSS'S face. any rate is corr
rect.
On the heels OF the F.mperor's affair at War
saw with Nine. Walewska came an attempt ON
the complaisance of the sterner Anna bv the
brilliant poseur Murat. His intended imitation
or royal raScality met with proper scorn But
Tor some TIM" Murat continued to importlu, tba
Countess with his CiaScon compliments when
at length her plain displeaSura and
ennui he exclaimed. with mcIodramatic air"
'NouS n cteS pas ambiticuSe VouS n aimee pas
les princes OF other liebeSantr3gc made 10
the Countess. one awakened response. that of The
chlNalrouS NJ. De +. she. who was a wife
returned the passion of anothcr's husband But
the nobility Of the man sustained The honor of
the woman; their connection ended with his con-
fession of love. This spoken confession is set
down in its fun length OF eleven hundred words
How, without plentiful aid from tne IMAGINATION
was ii possib" to record from memory So long 4
speech, uttered in the now halting. now rushing