The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-05
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More Love Letters.
It seems that the taste OF the public
or the publisher-is not yet satiated with
the love letters of great men. for here
we have The Love Letters of Bismarck.
The volume is bulky one. and includes
letters written during a period of more
than forty years Whether the Man Of
Blood and Iron would have approved the
spreading of his intimate correspondence
broadcast before the world can hardly
be certainly known. though its publica-
tion is authorized by Prince Herbert Won
Bismarck. Possibly he would have regard
ed the matter with the chld-like sim
plicity which is Characteristic of a GER
tain German type, and enquired, why
not?'' There is certainly nothing wrong
in the letters, nothing to be ashamed of.
nothing which might not be read by a
Young Peoples Society of Christian En-
deavor. But for most thoughtful people
the question will stin remain. why the
love letters of great men should be gath
cred into a bunch and published to salts
fy the curiosity of a Laura Jean Libbey
type of mind as to their love-making.
AS to this particular collection, it will
be found that Bismarck's letters, like
himself, are simple, straightforward, and
to the point. They are also (the later
ones) exceedingly domestic, fun of details
of family life and anxieties as to the well
fare of wife and children. Most of them
begin with some term of endearment like
Sweetheart or My darling" and there
seems to have been just as much of this
tendency after marriage as before.
Although, as has been said. the book is
full Of the warmest expressions OF affec-
ton and interest in family affairs it is
are some glimpses of the great Chancel-
lor's daily life apart from his family. and
of his general attitude of mind. Many of
the epistles are not by any means simply
love letters. Some of them show a lit
erary talent such as might have made
Bismarck famous in itself had it not been
overshadowed by his greater gifts.
One of the most characteristic of the
letters. and at the same time one which
violates no confidence in being given TO
the world, since ii contains little which
might not as easily have been said to
friend, is the one of which the following
paragraph is a part. 1t was written in
1851. when the writer was expecting
diplomatic appointment.
Occupy yourself with French as
much as you can. but let 1t be thought
that you yourself have discovered that
1t is useful. Read French. but IL you
love me do not do so by artificial light,
or If your eyes pam you: in that case
you had better ask mother to read TO
you, for II is almost harder TO under
stand than to sneak If you know of
any agreeable piece of baggage you
can get in a hurry to chatter French
10 you. then engage one; Will gladly
paV the bill. You will enter here an
atmosphere of French spirit and talk,
anyway, SO you cannot avoid familiar
izing yourself with It as far as posi-
z Eranx af VI
you like and who Is available, let II
go; and at any rate beg you sincerely
not to consider this advice as a hard
ship, or otherwise than If / asked you
to buy yourself a green or a blue
dress; II is not a matter of life and
death; You are my wife. and not the
diplomats. and they can just as well
learn German as you can learn French
Only if you have leisure or wish to
read anyway, take a French novel;
but if you have no desire to do so, con-
slider this as not written. for / mar
ried you in order to love YOU in God
and according TO the need of my heart,
and In order to have in the midst of
the strange world a place for my
heart. which all the worlds bleak
winds cannot chill. and where ! may
find the warmth of the home fire, to
which | eagerly betake myself when it
is stormy and cold without: but not to
have a society woman for others: and
! shall cherish and nurse your little
fireplace, put wood on it and blow, and
protect It against all that is EVIL ana
strange for. next to Gods mercy.
there is nothing which is dearer and
more necessary to me than your love.
At the time that this letter was written
Bismarck had been married some four or
five years. The consideration and delicacy
shown by him in preferring this request
may be considered somewhat remarkable
by people who are accustomed to think
of him as carrying his own will with a
high hand: but. however infiexible he
may have been in the politics of Ger
many, he evidently did not carry his I'M
bending backbone into his home. There
is every evidence in these letters that in
one place he was the lover. not the mas
ter. CNew York: Harper &c Bros. 49,