New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-24

Against his short-sightedness as an econorixy
which seems tainted with selfishness when w,
think of how well be feathered his own nest 4,
to be set the readiness he showed to place IA,
fortune at the service OF the state During
the German negotiations in 1851" says Mr. Has
sail. ''the treasury being wellnigh empty b,
advanced the necessary funds. and on his death
bed he offered to leave his riches to Louis XIV.
Over his avarice. which was great his patriot
ism always triumphed." He was crafty and hs
was greedy, but he was not ungenerous More
over if he cared for wealth it was partly for tbs
sake Of the things really worth having which
wealth buy. His present biographer Dor
rows from the memoirs Of the Count Of Brienns
the famous story Of Mazarin among his works
Of art in the palace in the Rue Richeleu three
or four weeks before he died Brienne, hidden
behind the arras, watched the sick man In this
poignant moment. Determined to take last
farewell of his treasures the Cardinal. In his
fur lined dressing gown. stole into his picture
gallery. and dragged himself feebly and YEARLY
along. At each step his weakness forced him to
stop, and Brienne heard him murmIr ~ fqus
gutter tout ceIG.' As he went on he repeated. az
he gazed first on one object and then on an
other, III fdllt gutter tout celia" The picture "a
pathetic and there is elevatins suggestion In
it To the man so enthusiastic for the things Of
we can forgive some at least OF the shabbier
qualities disfigurfng his nature Summing up
with reference to the personality of his hero. Mr.
Hassan writes in this friendly vein:
Gentle and unassuning in demeanor. Mazarfn VA,
full OF kindness and readily accessible to all
Above the middle height, he was one OF tbs
handsomest men az the court Ills mar was au-
burn, his forehead broad. his nose large his beard
like the Queen Regent to whom he was married.
few who came into contact with him could resist
mind was more subtle than that Of Richelieu and
ItaIian-like. he preferred the reinements OF in
Instead OF attempting to break his opponents. hs
consistently endeavored TO bend them to adopt his
views. well educated man. his interest in art
and literature was remarkable In l545 he bought
the Hotel Tuboeuf. the site Of which now stands
MaZarin- During the rest OF his life he took every
opportunity of enriching his palace with works Of
art tapestry and with ali materials beautiful in
design. Clarendon tells us that after the death Of
Charles I Mazarin bought rich goods and jewels
Of the rhed CROWN of which he purchased the rich
beds. hangings and carpets which furnished his
buying RaphaePs cartoons, he enriched his gal
leries with many valuable pictures collected from
all parts of Europe. His tapestry had worldwide
fame. and though it was Temporarily dispersed in
l6oI 6y order OF the pnIaeI % Oh, F 6I was Ss
best dressed man of his day. and his wardrobe was
s rIiis Nbcb n Contained born yrt1oso. his
cabinets contained many priceless jewels and other
masterpieces of the goldsmiths art
The reader Of history who realizes the i'm
pOrtanCe or the UDeral arts 10 Jne WelIdre OK
a nation must always have weakness for
this connoisseur among statesmen Mazarin
lacked the highest genius for government and
is not to be ranked with the greatest Of the
men who have IabOred for France. but he len
the monarchy frne- than he found it. and
breathed his last with the comfortable conscious
ness Of having done much to fl Louis XIV for
the responsibilities OF his reign. He counsened
the king" SAYS Mr. HasSaII. only to choose for
Church preferment men who were capable. piOus
and loyal: to treat the mobiles and magistrates
well though the latter should not be allowed
to go beyond their regular duties: and especially
to relieve the wants Of the common people" II
was good advice. M1zarin always gave good ad-
vice With a Ioftier nature. more creative
mind and more Of the faculty Of the OF
action as distinguished from the diplomatist he
would have shone IS one Of the most bene1cent
figures in the annals Of France. AS it is. ha
name adorns them with I certain brillilnce