The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-08-14

Victor Emmanuel, count of Turin, has
returned from Newport In the mood of a
aaint. He Is meditative. the light in his
room IL sifted through a lilac-colored cur
tain. and he asked yesterday. in the tone
with which the tyrant of Bagdad asked
scheherazade to tell a story. Have you
Jacobus de Voragine's Legenda Au-
rear"
It il a scarce book. If the count had
made q request for 1t in any other great
capital, what would have happened
He would have been disappointed. The
Bibliotheaca Magliabecchiana in Flor
ence, which he likes extremely. has the
book. but let's It be read only in the fres-
coed cabinet that an Argus guards. 1t
II chained at Hereford and locked at the
Rationale at Paris.
Here, having hesitation about nothing.
the person addressed by the count of
Turin replied, Yes, have Jacobus de
voragine's "Legende Aurea,' and in an
hour he sent it in various forms to the
counts room in the Waldorf-Astoria.
One was a manuscript of the sixteenth
century, one was printed folio by the
inimitable Bodoni, one was the transla-
ton by Morris, printed by the Kel1nscott
press. They came from two private
libraries of the city, owned by friends OF
Heber r. Bishop.
Really, this is fairyland!" the count
exclaimed. And he commented upon the
pleasure prepared for him of reading in
the evening in his room, under an electric
lamp, manuscript written perhaps in
the light of the eyes of cat, like Camo-
ems.
'Your enthusiasm for America Is
heightened by the facility with which
the 'Legende Aurea' may be obtained
here?" he was asked.
"My enthusiasm could not be height
ened," the count replied. 1T is very
special How remarkable it is that all
things mingle here so easily. Here are
the old and the new, the refined and the
brutal, force of matter and strength of
spirit. 1 have read the Legende Aurea'
In order to get out Of complex thoughts.
Count Carpenetto says that even the sky
here is new. l think he means that it
Is simple, but how complex simple things
are Simplicity is like the ray Of light
that may be decomposed into all the col
ors Of the solar spectrum"
us Newport simpler"
sIt Is simplicity ITSELF" the count re-
piled. Newport takes from antiquity
from the orient, from all ages, all that
made their special characteristics Of ele-
gance, and, without destroying them,
reduces them to the Newport formula
tell you this as it comes to my mind.
do not take time to criticise the ex-
preston"
Extend the expression from Newport
to America, and it will describe in an
ideal way the aim of America" the
counts visitor said, inquiringly.
"I am willing" the count replied. "At
Newport, more intensely than elsewhere,
the stranger has the impression of the
great variety of things that men and
women know. They have studied, they
have travelled, they have read. They
are capable of approaching all the ex
pressions of races.
IT was amazed at their faculty to re-
main attached to a limited portion of
land. 1t seemed as If they should be
cosmopolitan, absolutely, and there is a
great deal in the theory that cosmopoli-
tanism destroys characteristics that
make nations coherent. But patriotism
is generous at Newport. 1t does not ex-
clude justice to enemies and is very pro-
found patriotism"
The count of Turin turned the leaves
Of the manuscript of Jacobus de Vora-
gines' work. He admired the minia-
lures that were intact in their antique
grace. He read in French as fluently as
If he were reading the last novel of Ana
tole France, whom he admires, the Latin
In Gothic letters of the good old Italian
monk.
Don't you feel the necessity of often
taking leap into the past ages?" the
count asked. mo? 1t seems to me that
have been racing through life furiously.
have had to take interest in so many
things that would not have occurred to
me before my arrival here"
What, for example?" he was asked.
Manufactures, business enterprises.
imagine that the countries of Europe
that have pretensions to business ability
are not surpassed by America except in
the liberality of it's commercial laws. I
wish I had theory about these, but
have not"
"Your opinion of the American women
Is unchanged?"
ba