New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-04

but a. the same time stout and heavily bult
His unusually large head was made to appea,
still larger by a mass Of curled and powdered
hair His coat buttons were OF some brightly
colored store o, and the buckles Of his shoes enor
r,ous His dress was an exaggeration OF IN.
fashion OF the dag. and in bad taste In his
eagernogs to be polite he made absurdly low
bows and began the conversation with preten.
tious and rather vulgar compliments HIS man.
ners wanted the ease which is acquired by mix.
ing in good society. and this awkwardness was
most conspicuous when he addressed the ladies'
II was only when the conversation turned on
politics that the eloquence with which he poured
forth a copious store Of just and brilliant ideas
fascinated his audience, and made them forget
all superfcial absurditics." When young Hen
rette Van Haren first saw the man to whom
she so LOYALTY and helpfully devoted herself she
drew back with repulsion. but by and by she
came to consider his features well suited to bis
genius His countenance was expressive" she
saws his mouth charming, his smile very at.
tractivc." Behind the rough and spotted face
almost uncouth, there was an indescrbabk
magic. He carried that magic into the midst Of
the political fray at Versailles and at Paris
There be won himself name, won himself
sired.
! He failed for the two reasons Indicated ABOVE
In the first place, because. as he Knew the TOE
of revolution could not be arrested by thA
| genius of a single man. and the politicians d
| the time were not prepared TO see the nier'ts
what was constructive In his thought Sec
ondly. he failed because he had TOO terrible
past. What could not have done had conn
IN the States General with the reputation OF
Malesherbes" he exclaimed not long before ~
death. and one is tempted to speculate win MIN
upon those unredeemed possibilities lie wouN
not have attempted too much lie assured NV
King over and over again that the HeVoiuum
was too far advanced for the old abuses ever 70
no revived The efforts Of the Government mus
be. he held along entirely new lines lie wan'N
true civil eouality. a free press. decent system
| of pubIic education and he thought these thing
couId best be secured by giving the people Z
voice in the Government He looked longingv
upon the English Constitution, and one cannd
help returning to the thought o. what Miraoeaa
might have accomplished IL his colleagues aaa
| listened to him as he expounded the meha
| the English form OF sovernmens-merils WINCH
his splendid common sense would have pre-
vented him from extolling in any merely ac&
! demic spirit But he did not put too mucn fain
| In representative government: he chung 70 ID
Parliamentary, but he also chung to the kingT
| idea and his great claim to honor Is that
tried to fuse the two forces By enlightened and
even noble methods. Thus he looms large
| French history as type or "what might nav
| been" We do not know that his ideas wouN
have succeeded, but at least we wish thar
might have had the chance to put them u
practice to give them a test. Fate was againa
him. Though he had an almost Incredible power
OF work, though he fought his battle against inc
stupidity OF the Assembly and the yacillation
the King with stupendous energy and persS'
ence neither King nor Assembly trusted him
He beat his head against stone walls
To the historical student he remains per
sonage of extraordinary significance lie VI"
original. He had immense vitality. lie na@
above all. the distinction Of man with ideas
Living and dying In a sort OF dramatic fury.
nevertheless stood among the men who IA"
| been on the side of steadfast health and grow"
! in human thought. All that is gross and gnoo"
/ in his biography fades beside the flash OF ?"
ltical wisdom that comes from his piercing eys
| He had insight which few OF his contemporaries
could claim, and with this insight he had know
/ edge: he was prepared; he could plan for ~
future It does not matter for US that IN Gu
! forty second year he was deprived OF all sna"
/ In the future OF the French nation To have &C.
served participation In IL on high grounds W"
enough 10 set his name high. Mt Willerts az
probation OF his greatness is thorough ans
warm. This book gives a trustworthy ana
pleasing portrait of Mirabeau. The narrative
at times entanged, but the main points q"
never obscurcd- Lewis" for Louis In anu
sion to the King. should not have been retane~
The use of this form in Macaulay. ratified 10 I"