New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-09-03

The beertiest frankest and most genial
NJ mankind" AS for the frankness, the
Fnglishmans opinion changed at the
time Of the Berlin congress. Bismarck
he saws. would never have hesitated
IN mislead correspondent or to disown
having used language he had unques-
tionably employed"
When Mr.. Austin's prose is not marred
by egotism II is readable enough, and 1t
is worth while to retrace some of that
story Of wartime as quoted in these
pages. He records again his observa-
ton that except among the INDECENT
classes there was no suffering for food
in Paris during the siege. He was some
what mortified TO find that the stores
with which he filled his carriage at Yer
sailles before entering the invested city
were not needed by the Partisan friend
70 whose aid he FASTENED. He defends
the invaders OF France, by the way
from the charge, often made of rapa-
clous and destructive conduct. Il can
testify" he says that they strictly OBJ
served the following regulation. If
they founG ,illages or houses utterly de-
serted thCr regarded them as 'spOils of
war But their tenants remained in
them, tho1, though a war contribution
was imposed. private property was re-
spected and not appropriated" Visiting
the house Of a friend at Marly-le ROi.
the Englishman found that though the
owner had departed, leaving only two
female domestlcs in charge, the Prus-
SLAMS had touched nothing. Mr. Aus
tin who ragards this as "a conclusive
instance" 1dds Marty was occupied by
a certain number of Landwehr men.
many of whom / found with young
French children on their stalwart Shout
ders thus c0nsoling themselves for their
separation frcm their own children"
The beautiful urbanity of the French
people living at and near Versailles in
those DAYS amazed the correspondent
The roar Of the cannon robs them of
their sleep. acquisitions have robbed them |
OF their carriages, their horses and the |
power Of taking the pure air If heaven; |
torn-up railroads and closed banks have |
robbed them Of their dividends and de- |
prived them of their means Of purchasing |
at the same time that horde or hungry |
locusts and interrupted markets have |
driven up the price OF nearly every con- |
ceiVable commodity. they are reduced from |
ease 10 anxiety. from plenty 10 want, from |
privacy 10 daily intrusion. from comfort 10 |
every form Of inconvenience, and yet they |
are soft and gentle, and mild in their ways, |
low in their voices affabe In their address, |
smiling polite and hospitable How would !
II be in England? Shall ] pause for |
reply? or shall ] go on TO inquire how |
would II be i'm Germany?
We find Mr. Austin's "reminiscences Of |
English politics and politicians less in
teresting, as we have noted, than those
Of his war time experiences and Of his |
literary associations. He has known /
many Of the Victorian authors. and in |
their letters addressed to him, as well as |
in mis- anecdotes. there are valuable |
glmpses Of character. Anthony Troll
lope describes himself To the life when,
on the eve Of a journey and while wait !
ing for a steamer, he mOurns over "a |
continuous and ever failing attempt TO |
be Jolly with nothing 10 do" He adds: !
Il cannot believe the Old Testament. be- |
cause labor is spoken Of as the cri con
sequence Of the Fall Of Man. My only |
doubt as TO finding a heaven for my !
self at last arises from the fear that the |
disembodied and beatified spirits Will not |
want novels" If ever there lived man |
with a craze for hard work ii was Troll !
lone. In another letter he expresses |
himself with characteristic vehemence |
apropos Of Mrs. Stoves publication of
the famous attack on the memory OF
Rvron II still feel" says Trollope. |
"that no more outrageous piece OF