The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-18

-occupatious and opinions had httis m
common with the idle or trining side Of ths
society Of the day. The letters Of Henry
HaIlam, the historian, which are here pre-
sented suffice Of themselves amply 10.
Justify the publication Of tho volume
There are letters also from or relating
To Nine. de StaSi which were well worth
printing, and there ID o TRANSLATION OF q
remarkable letter from the Grand Duchess
Catherine Of Russia, In which she implores
her brother, Alexander l.. not 10 insass
upon marrying her to the Emperor Ma
poleon I. The letter proves that Ma
p~oleon's original desire was 10 marry
not Maria Louisa, the Austrian A~rchduchess'
but a sister OF the Gar. and that but Tor
the i~nsurmountable repugnance evinced
by the young princess his desire woulo
have besn fulfilled. The correspondence
now made public also shows that Scott's
irst novel. -wavsrley," was not received
/ with much enthusiasm In Edinburgh ana
that for a considerable time the merit
of the -Wixard Of the North" was made
~ouatelv reco Rnised in his own country.
Before reproducing some striking pas
s,ues from the letter In which the Grand
Duchess expressed her adherence OF q
| union W1Jn Ll0 EICuCh H%ARNhc
4, note that In September, 1905, Napoleon
| and the Car Alexander met at Erfurt.
and spent many days together In intimate
oonversation. In the course of which Alex
ander took occasion to deplore the fact
that NAPOLEON had no heir. Napoleon.
on his part, wondered why the Gar. who
40 often had expressed unbounded admira-
ton for him, did not pursue the subject
| z.-.hu. - >H.rkn~ him h{a aiakar Catherine
In marriage. He was at first inclined to
resent the Cars reserve on this point,
! but subsequently, told Talleyrand TO sug-
gest to the Russian sovereign that a family
|. alliance would strengthen the political
combination OF the two emperors. Mlley-
rand then had an interview with the Gar.
| whose reply was expressed in nattering
l,terms IA. to his own personal wish 10 be
come Napoleon's brother-in-law but who
intimated that his mother was opposed
to the match. He promised, nevertheless.
! TO try to persuade his mother. and with
regard TO his sister said hat without
doubt he should be able to prevail with
| her. The letter, Of which a translation
is now published, shows how much he
! was mistaken.
In. this letter the Grand Duchess tells
her brother that, as the Intended wife Of
Napoleon, her trembling heart would break
before she could reach the limits NJ his
usurped dominions. Who knows she
adds, swhether in that event his wounded
pride seeking TO avenGe itself on your
Majesty Cor the weakness Of your sister
might not produce an immediate rupture
| between Russia and France? Whereas his
| vanity would concur with other motives
| in inducing him to dissemble his disap-
pointment at my rejection Of his proposal
! The Grand Duchess goes on to say that
in order to show her determination IL not
the rash act OF a giddy and inconsiderate
girl, she, wouh recall to her brother the
, character, and conduct OF the man pointed
! out to her as her future lord and master.
-Alasl sire, in the long catalogue Of his
exploits, not a single virtue is discoverable
that could sven ~extenuate his numerous
crimes. He was already an assassin while
l was. yet but an infant, and every year
of nv advancement toward ~womanhood
, records his preparation OF some fresh
and shocking atrocity on the innocent
and unresisting." After reviewing Ma
~poleon's public acts the Grand Duchess
asks whether he has ever ceased to be a
harsh and capricious domestic tyrant2
Even his wife, to whom whatever might
have been her former misconduct he owed
the utmost gratitude as his benefactress,
has. on the contrary, experienced from
him the grossest and most brutal i'll treat
ment." How then could it be expected,
she pleads, that q for eign princess who
could have had 10 such claim on his kind
ness would be able to moderate his furious
temper, to reform his vicious and perverse
inclination and habits, or escape being the
victim Of his unmanly violence? The letter
ended with the assertion that the writer.
though not prone to superstition, could not
but consider as frightfully ominous an offer
of marriage from an imperial assassin to
the daughter and granddaughter OF two as
sassinated emperors. Il is well known
that the Grand Duchess ultimately married
the Duke OF Oldenburg.
In one Of the first letters from Henry
Hallam to Lord Webb Seymour. here re-
produced, we find some interesting CON-
ments or Hume's History OF England
-Hume's history writes Hallam, must
naturally delight you. So much philosophy,
such general views and 10 much liveliness
OF narration have seldom been united"
It is, nevertheless, pointed out that Hume's
defects are certainly considerable. Besides
his partialities, he has not taken adequate
pains, especially with the earlier part Of
his narrative. The English Constitution
he had never properly studied. His views
OF n are generally right. except in
rather exasgerating the rudeness OF former
times. 1t must be observed that a great
deal Of matter has been brought TO light
since he wrote" In 1918 we find Hallam
replying to Lord Webb's inquiry whether
Voltaire should be accounted an accurate
historian in tho -Eseai sur les Mpurs.'
In Hailam's opinion Voltaire does not de-
serve that oommendation. He seems TO
have known very well the history Of his
own country; not so that of others. Every
chapter relative to England, Italy or Ger
many will be found 70 contain misrepresen-
t~ations, some Of a very glaring kind
Hallam would not deny to Voltaire, however,
the merit Of having struck out a new line
in history, by combining the progress Of
society In arts and manners with political
transactions. In another letter, penned
In the same year. Hsllam defends himself
against his friends complaint that in his