New-York tribune., 1902-08-24

he says. before the temptation to oo g.. a.
theatre assailed me, and succumbed To i. IN,
Coincide FRANCHISE affected my heart the On6-s
seduced my senses From that moment tho,
was kindled within so ardent a passion g..
the stage that the greatest sacrifice T b,r.
made in my life has been to renounce il Tb,a
frequenting of theatres produced in me q ,,.
cies of revolution of ideas and feelings fror,
which conclude that it is dangerous for vopn.
men" Obviously, with emotions like these ana
with the allurements of the court to which -,
social position exposed him. it was natural -.
his ambition to take an altogether mundane
turn 1t only needed his fathers Indignant -
pudiatiOn of his conduct. including a refusal =,
material support for two years, to throw hin,
upon the practice of a kind of elevated nsra
sitism- The distinction we imply is irnportan,
He was no vulgar sycophant, cringing and dis
honest. He gentleman. living honorab,v
by his wits. His own account of his auali6co
tions and policy as a hanger on in the graz,
world is worth quoting for the light it sheds an
French society in the eighteenth century.
The reputation for intelligence which had
already acquired opened the door to me 4
rather brilliant imagination, a sustained gayetv
the look and the charm of health noble wav
of thinking, lOftineSS of soul without assUmn
tiOn and independence which had the air onIv
OF hDerty, productions that were merely easy
and agreeable. but, above ALL discretion, secrecy
and spirit of conciIation and gentIeness Wars
the qualities which admitted me into good So
ciety, and soon made me sought there
From that moment 1 put fixed intention into
my whole conduct. / made a methOdica! syster,
of the life would lead, frivolous as it seems To
be, and foresaW that the plan would be verv
useful to 1 resolved to study men of ali
classes and all orders. and to instruct myself in
knowledge of the human heart while amusing
myself. / comprehended that this study of the
world would render NE capable Of great EN-
ployments should circumstances call me to
hrrT
good company and making myself considered
there. fail to find way to obtain some benches
on which l could live with decency.
He played the part of a typical abbe of that
time. made himself agreeable to men and women
in hioh place. dined with authors, and produced
lot of minor poetry II was very minor stuff
indeed. When he entered the Academy Crebf-
lon welcomed him with the remark. Your
genius has so far seemed to turn chiefly to
poesy.'' e.:IoSy certainly vague" as Sainte-
Beuve calls it. But when Bernis started in to
seek his fortune wit was much the fashion
and he soon travelled far by virtue Of his wit
and other companionable traits. He did not
reach his true niche until his appointment as
ambassador to Rome. at date subsequent to
tGat at which the narrative embodied in the
volumes before US is closed. But he had some
successes. At the very moment when his con-
ditiOn seemed most disCOuraSinS he found box
in his room with this note: Your situation is
known: you wish to pay your debts; you will
f-I in this box 1000 francs; the sender viii
not be made known to you until you in a
position to return them" The friend VINO
served him thus nobly was the Princesse de
Rohan-C Courcillon- This incident occurred bout
he time of the death Of the Duchesse de
ChdteaUroux and the rise of the 1Iarquise de
Bernis found favor in the eyes Of
he latter lady. whose influence was important
10 hi thenceforth- The liking was mutual,
and though there were moments in which her
,aprice and injustice bore heavily upon his
oyaIty he seems TO have preserved the respect
With which she first inspired him. Not unaware
# her malignant effect upon the King and the
.ourt. he yet had eyes chiefly for the finer s-de
4 her nature she loved letters and the arts,
ne says. She had a lofty soul, sensible and
he continues. and while he realizes
hat she was deficient in knowledge Of men
nd affairs" one must read between the lines of
lis memoirs to grasp the full extent of the
share in that process OF deteriOra-
ion which he describes as SOinS on amid the
q .liant life OF the court
1t is indeed for the picture that he gives OF
he parIous state Of the court and government in
is day that he is chiefly to be valued Brought
ITO the circle Of the favorite. and in due course
eceiving the notice of the Kiug. his intelligent
omments on public matters led TO his advance
lent and he was employed upon more than one
fair OF state before he gained the opportunity
, show, as Minister of Foreign Affairs, what he
,uId do as a statesman He could not and he
id not do very much. He did absolutely moth