New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-05-08

Current Talk of Things Present
and to Come.

The late Marion Crawford, whose posthumous
novel, The White Sister" is reviewed else
where this page, left the complete manu-
script Of another new novel, and il is limited that
there may be found material ready for
publication. Those who have long enjoyed his
work win hope that this expectation has some
foundation. One of the tasks assumed by him
not long before his death the writing of an
introduction TO a biography of Giuseppe Baretti,
the Italian lexicograph who the friend of
Johnson Burke Garrick Reynolds and other
famous figures in the eighteenth century. This
book, which is based very largely on Baretti's
letters. is TO be published. 1t is said to
contain much fresh information about Johnson
and the members of his circle
Apropos of Mr. Crawford and his writings. we
may quote this odd bit of narrative put on paper
by q correspondent of The Manchester Guar
dian In April, 1885. I went out to India on
board the P. and 0. steamship Sutlej and a
fellow passenger was Mr.. Jacobs. the Simla jew
ener whom Mr. F. Marion Crawford had used
as model for Mr.. Isaacs. I had several talks
to him. He wanted to take up theosophy,
but told me I should first have to become veg
etarian. He gave two COnjuring exhibitions on
board and once, at Suez, mesmerized n young
officer fresh from the Shop. and nearly made
him jump overheard Six months later a camp
of exercise at Delhi had brought hundreds Of
visitors TO that city and Mr.. Jacobs took suite
Of rooms at hotel He had tray Of foreign
gold coins and touchstone. He told me TO
Iect three coins that seemed to me to be most
nearly Of the same fneness, and 10 make
scratch with each while he was out Of the room.
He correctly named which of the three coins
had made the scratches. He would take up
jewel, but instead of looking at it would glance
at the eyes of the man he bargaining with.
Since those days he has been mixed up with law
cases. He had the most marvellous mixture Of
outward benevolence with a cunning that seemed
supernatural"
NJ Victor Marguerite has like many other
writer's made an excursion into particularly
perilous phase Of the French Revolution. His
new book lie Petit Roi d'Ombre." recites again
the history Of the unhappy boy who for
while Louis XVII. MI Marguerite has for his
romantic ending the rescue of the child; but at
that point he leaves him. not attempting 10 deal
with his after life, does Mr. Ayscough in his
lately published "Dromina."
An English writer aptly asks in The Pail
Mall Gazette" what foundation IS there for all
this rigmaroe about the escape of the Child of
the Temple?" He adds:
NJ Gossen, who prefers 10 write under the pen
Paris Revolutonnare" that Marie Jeanne, the wife
of Simon the cobbler survived until 1919, when she
had always boasted-as old women in warehouses
and infrmaries often do-of great possessed
by her and three years before her death she
taken to the Ministry Of Police and there made
declaration that the 'Dauphin' did not die in the
Temple. but had been smuggled out of it alive, to
which she added 'Je ne sails pas trop 81 cest dams
IN pauuet de hinge autrement.' AS the police
thought worth while 10 note on their report that
the decIarant seemed not TO have all her senses,
and that her faculties enfeebed." it is not
extraordinary that they should have cautioned her
10 hold her tongue IN future which she did. NJ.
CIossen. indeed. thinks that she was not lying
when she told the story, which she doubt be
lieIad herself: but as the only confirmation of it
that has ever turned up is that some of the names
n3en+ioned bv her as assisting IN the escape
those of real personages, and ii always the
interest of the Oreanst and Bonapartst parties to
reDresent the Restoration Of 1914 illegal, the
whole legend will probably be neglected by the
eerIous historian. It is satisfactory to hear from
NJ C$osseiin that the stories of the brutalities OF
Simon are equally apocryphal