New-York tribune., 1902-08-18
MEMOIRS OF INTEREST
THE LUCKY CAREER OF AN EIGH-
TENTH CENTURY STATESMAN.
Paris. August !.

Paris. August !.
Writers Of fiction are severely Handicapped
lust now by authors of memoirs and souvenirs.
Novels by Paul Bourget, Anatole France, Mar
eel Provost and Georges Ohnet are terribly dis
tanced by the diaries and journals of General
de Galliffet of Edward Blount. Of Nine Juliette
Adam. and this week the charming collection
Of anecdotes which NJ. CASTOR Maugras has Sc
lecte7 from unpublished letters of Nine. du
Defand. Baron de Fonscolombe, Marquis de
Saporta Horace Walpole and Marquis de Bar
thelemy bearing upon the daily lives OF the
Due and Duchesse de Choiseul Oe due ct Ia
duchesse de Choiseul. leur vie intme, ieurs
aims ct leur temps par Castor Maugras, aVec
des gravures hors texte ct un portrait en- hello
grav1re vol. ms. Paris. Plon-Nourrit, 1900
IS in foremost demand for the summer holiday
season.
The biographer OF the Duke and Duchess OF
Choiseul is a jealous admiTeT Of his hero and OF
his heroine He speaks of them with fervor
and affection "Choiseul," he writes, is one
Of the most sympathetic figures of the etgh-
teenth century. No one better than he personl-
fies the time and period, but if he possessed in
the highest degree its attractive and amiabIe
qualities, he was also endowed with all its
faults" This Is a large share OF virtues and
vices for man. and illustrates the impTac-
tica bllity Of trying to make single individual
.'personify" a whole century. Let take
Choiseul as Nj CASTOR Mangras presents him.
He was a little red haired man, with an active,
fussy. faultfnding disposition. His sparkling,
malicious eyes had impertinent. aggressive
expression. His mouth had a nockng, ironical
curve. His lips were constantly emitting smart,
crispy sayings. His pointed. upturned nose was
always scenting gossip or scandal He was
brilliant conversational:st, and his capacity for
uttering just at the right moment neatly turned
compliments made him favored courtier and
successful politician in what would nowadays
be called the lobby" of the Parliamentary AS
senbly.
The way in which Choiseul got himself ap-
pointed ambassador is amusing. II was in 1852.
The young gentleman Of Lorraine. descended
from noble but poor family, had found in his
wife's dowry a yearly revenue equivalent to
$4,000. which enabled him to make a good
figure at court II is characteristic Of the
period that his wife, whose maiden name
Louise Honorine Crozat was the younger sis
ter of one OF his mistresses, authentic duchess
who on her deathbed arranged the conditions
OF her sisters marriage and dowry with her
favored lover. Choiseul had been campaigning
in Bohemia in Italy, on the Rhine and in
Flanders and had fought in all the battles
which slrVed in those days an apprentice
ship for a statesman's career. He had attained
the rank Of brigade commander. But in mo-
nent Of heedlessness, some sarcastic WltticlsIns
about Nine. oe POmpadOur barred his way 10
court favor. LOUIS Nv at tnat time hdu a N4O-
lent caprice for the beautiful Nine de Romanet,
whose husband was cousin of Choiseul NJ.
de Romanet was furiously indignant and talked
Of setting fire 10 the palace OF the Tulleries-
MY dear cousin" said Choiseul to NJ de
Romanet don't get excited. but persuade your
wife TO go for a while TO the country. VIII
talk with her and arrange ma tlers satlstactor-
ny'
Next day Choiseul called upon Nine de Ro-
manet. who produced a package of love letters
in the Kings handwriting. Choiseul read them.
The King had even gone so far as to reply In
favora bic terms to very courageous question
put to him by Nine. de Romanet This question
was: IF consent to become your faVorite, will
you send away Nine. de Pompadour, and will
you give me her place and all her emoluments?'
Choseul for once in his life became a paragon
OF morality. He said
Il cannot allow you to dishonor our family
This intrigue must come TO an end. and in
four days you must leave Paris"
Choseul left his fra cousin in tears and
threatened 70 tell her husband about the Kings
love letters. The following Sunda" Choiseul
and his brother-in-law. N. de Goutant who was
brea kfasted together. Goutant said that the
pretty marchioness was in great alarm. owing
10 the Kings neglect. She SUSPECTED success
full intrigue OF a rival and felt that catas-
trophe near at hand.
Choiseul smiled and said. "One word from me
could restore Nine. de Pompadours happiness"
why don't you pronounce that word them
What is the use? II Is none Of my business.
Nine de Pompadour doesn't like me. aud l
ticular desire to appease Nine. de Pompadour"'
Goutant of course. related the conversation
Choiseul to cone to see her. Cho'sell refused
to comply with her requests for nearly fort
night during which the Kings neglect became
more and more marked At last he called upon
Mime. de Pompadour and found her, not like
the brilliant and triumphant marchio"ess OF
Latour's famous pastel portrait but downcast
and in tears
What Is the meaning of the ambiguous state
nent that you made 10 Goutant?' she asked.
Choiseul cruel enough to keep the mar
chioness in suspense for a while before re-
vcaling the Kings caprice for ms cousin, IN
order profit by IL to the greatest advantage.
Next morning Choiseul called again upon Nine.
de PomDadour and announced the departure of
her rival From that day the fortune OF
Choiseui assured. He WAS shortly after
ward promoted the rank of marechal-de-
camp and three months later was appointed
Ambassador a Rome to Pope Benoit xiv, In
IA pid succession he became Minister Of Foreign
Affairs Minister Of War Governor of Touraine,
Knight Of the Golden Fleece and the most in
fuential statesman in France. He'd il not been
for the passing ca price of Louis XIV for Nine de
Romanet which nearly led to the retirement OF
Mime de Pompadour Choiseul never would have
haar apnoinfad ambassador to the Pope ana