The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-09-22
VEN hooks.
Brief Reviews OF Important and Interesting
New Publications.

hidnry Whitman from live Of the latest bulky
publications Of Heinrich Won PosohinRer, who
IL accounted tho most Industrious OF the Cor
mans who have devoted themselves 10 the
compilation Of Bismarck's history. An I'D
mlfablc portrait Of Bismarck, taken at Kissln-
gen In 1891, makes a frontispiecof for the volume.
In thls the Prince Is seated. his arms resting
on a cane. and tho foreground Is hlled witt
an mormon white hat. tho rim Of which Il
embclishcd with an autograph which tho
Prince executed and which Is as sweeping
and majestic as tho hat itself. In 1879 the
London Times said; Tho sparks OF wisdom
which Prince Bismarck was In the habit Of
emitting NJ his soir6s's will one day yet have
n higher value than the longest debates In
Parliament" and this utterance is quoted
by Mr.. Whitman and may stand as a motto
In explanation n the present volume.
That Bismarck had an interesting hahn Of
speech was discovered by tho French Gen.
WimpTcu after Sedan. Tho French and tho
Germans were discussing terms 81 surrender,
and Wlmpncn urged the Germans not TO press
their advantages too far and warned them
against a course which would lead to an endless
struggle between Prussia and France. Moltko
lad been carrying on the discussion with Winpf-
fen. but now Bismarck Joined in and expressed
himself thus plainly: Your reasoning. Cen
ernl. said Bismai ok, at first appears wei.
founded, but as a matter Of fact 1t Is not 50.
Generally speaking. one can rarely reckon
on Rratitude-neyer on the gratitude Of a ma
tlon: one can put some trust In the gratitude
Of a sovereign, and also In that OF his family,
under certain conditions one can even rely
upon II with confidence, but. ] repeat. one must
not anything from the gratitude Of a ma
ton. II the French people we're a nation like
other nations. II 1t preserved firmly established
Institutions. II 1t regarded those institutions
with reverence and respect. as we do. II the
throne Of It's ruler was stable. we misht then
reckon on the gratitude Of the Emperor and his
son, and attach a definite value 70 that gratitude
| But for the last eighty years the forms Of gov
eminent In France have had had 80 little sta
biity, they have been so numerous, they have
vociilatad with such cstranging rapidly. and
their changes have lain SO completely beyond
the bounds Of expectation. that one can reckon
on nothing In your country and II would ho
an act Of folly for a ncighboring nation Ia found
] hopes on the friendship Of any French SOW
eroign. To do so would be TO build a house
Of glass. Moreover. It would be foolish
20 suppose that France could ever forgive
our successes. Your nation Ia excita-
bic, e%nvious, Jealous and proud beyond
measure. France has declared war with
Pr~ussid-with Germany correcting HIMSELF.
thirty times within two centuries. On this
occasion, as before, the war arose from jeal-
ousy because you could not forgive us the VIC
tory Of Sadowa, though 1t cost you nothing
and in no way detracted from your reputa-
ton. But you thought that the glory OF war
was something to which you alone were en-
titled you would not tolerate near you a nation
that was your equal. You believed yourselves
unable TO forgive us Sadowa-you will never
be able to forgive VA Sedani II we made peace
now. you would resume the war in five or ten
years, ms soon rs you thought you were strong
enough: and that would be all the thanks We
could expect from the French nation. Our
nation is the opposite Of vours-honest and
peaceable. not consumed with a lust Of con-
quest. and only asking for peace. We wish
20 secure peace for our children. and In order
10 achieve this We must set a barrier between
ourselves and you. We need a strip OF land
and a chain Of fortresses which will continue
20 protect us against the attacks Of France"
Here was philosophy mingled with opinion.
and both Of very direct application. What
Bismarck said must surely have seemed to
wimpnen more important than the longest
speech ever made in Parliament. He broke
of the negotiations with dignity. We shall
renew the battle he said. Moltke said: Il
shall open fire punotually at 4 O'clock
Bismarck unbosomed himself Of certain per-
s%onalties to a London correspondent In 1857.
but the correspondent was not at that time az
liberty TO print them, SO much may be imag-
med from certain observations concerning
war with France and concerning Napoleon
and his advisers and agents. What do |
think might bring about war; Bismarck said.
"Of course an excuse would not be wanting IL
the French really needed one. but ] think the
greatest danger of all proceeds from Napoleon's
vacillating state of mind. He is become old.
but he is also become young that is to say. he
II. -. L. - 800. rta .fWAa RnW 20 v,EVlEA md
allows his fair wife to exercise a good deal too
much influence over him The Mexico business
was her doing. as | suppose you know. lie "a
not the man he used to be. and Europe will
not DO safe while his present state Of intellect
continues. Another source Of danger Is tho
intense ignorance and mendacity OF the men
who represent France everywhere. Look round
Europe for one capable or honest French agent.
Yours. Lstour, Is the only man Of integrity
among them all-the only gentleman. All the
others are knaves or so orassly ignorant and
prejudlCed that an Intelligent schoolboy Is
worth all of them put together. Grammont.
for instance, is half a fool and a notorious liar
l beg your pardon. ! should have said a lover
Of hoaxes. Benedict is more clever than tho
run Of French statesmen, though quite as dis
honest: but why Ia no more cleverl Because
he is an Italian, lie is also more amiable-
also because he is an Italian. These fellows
will neither learn anything nor keep quiet.
The consequence is that Napoleon Is worse
Informed upon European affairs than any other
sovereign"
In this talk Bismarck had also a little some
thing to say about Russia. Russia" he said,
lis like "a strong and healthy man who Il at
tackled by an illness. II ho will only take ad-
vice and stop at home for two or three days
he will get well immediately and be as strong
rs ever; but II he Will insist upon going out.
walking about and transactiug business abroad
as II he were well, then his malady will lay firm
hold on him and perhaps he will die. Two or
three days in the life Of Il man mean ten. tventT
or thirty years in the life Of a nation. RussIl
must stop at home She has got a great
future, her highest mobiles are Intelligent AMI
honorable. her peasants arc the bestfellowsi Ia
the world; It is in the middle that she Is rotten
tho official nobility. or Tchin. Is a violent
ulcer. eating away her bowels
OF course all these things are more or less
familiar: they have long been public property.
ukara ara g,y,o opapApYag In Tho yoIn,np and