The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-28
SOME NEW BOOKS.
Psul yssiii ON Franco

Paul Nssiii ON France
Some three months ago appeared the
posthumous volume OF Count Paul
vasili entitled Behind the Veil at the
Russian Court" which was duly re-
viewed In these columns March 22).
Now appears a later and apparently
latest volume from the same pen.
France From Behind the Veil. Fitty
Ycors Of Social and Political Life, by
Count PAUL NAsILI Dunk and wag-
nalls), which is Of an intercs. decidedly
superior to the former volume IN re-
spect that II is both more general and
more intense. Court politics." from the
fifteenth century to the twentieth. have
only the interest OF personalities. Under
their conditions this interest tends ir-
rcsistibly to become largely an interest
OF scandal. II has been known that the
court and the courtiers have been the
last TO hear OF the real tendencies and
demands OF the nation OF which they
fondly imagined themselves to be the
leaders. When this is the case and
when there Is none among the favorites
Of the court who has the qualities OF a.
constructive statesman the time Is ripe
for revolution. The revolution comes
in the more tragical guise for the rea-
son that nobody concerned has foreseen
its coming To the dsinterested OBJ
server that has long. for three genera
tons at least, been the plight of Russia.
Vt present the actual rulers OF Russia
instead OF paying enough attention to
the signs OF the times to set their house
in order In view OF the awakening of
the Russian people seem to have d.
verted themselves with the spectacle OF
the political ineptitude OF that people,
as exhibited by the earlier dumas. and
declining to anticipate the changes
which public opinion Will so soon de-
mand, with interest proportionate to
the delay in payment. Hence a study
Of that court must Of necessity have the
interest OF n chronicle. IL not scandal
Gus. at least frivolous, of a number OF
careless people dancing on the edge
yof volcano, or fiddlng while Rome is
burning. or otherwise showing a dis
regard Of portentous indications. Hence
there Is not much useful information
about the condition of Russia to be
derived from a court chronicle. even so
candid and well informed as that of the
author.
Russia, even in 1914. Is in fact very
much in the political condition of France
in 1889. But the Superior classes in
France have had their lesson. or their
dose" 1t is true that the Bourbons
who had learned nothing and forgotten
nothing, sustained and soothed by the
procedures OF the Congress OF Vienna
and the Holy Alliance, undertook to
govern France as II the French Revolu-
ton had not occurred. Louis XVIII.
had the good luck TO die in his bed be-
lore his policy had attained fruition.
II was his successor, Charles ", who
paid the inevitable penalty. The Revolu-
lion of 1880 showed him his error. as the
revolution Of 1S4S showed his to the
mitigated Bourbon Of an Orleanist,
Louis Philippe. Since 1s4S no Govern
ment has been possible or has even
been attempted in France which did
not profess to base itself on "the con-
sent of the governed" The Second
Empire lasted for eighteen years and
might have lasted indefinitely longer
and seated the son of Louis Napoleon
and Eugene on a popular throne but
for the awful mistake OF challenging
Prussia. At any rate government by
public opinion has been the professed
government of France for over sixty
Ntdio. tie result tlldl d huOWleuRe
Of the political men in France during
this period has been far more useful
for AN understanding of the country
than a knowledge of the political men
Of Russia for an understanding Of that
country. The authors knowledge was
as complete and exhaustive In one case
as In the other. He was attached to
the Russian Embassy in Paris for a
great part of the period which his
"reminiscences cover. and they cover
full half a century from the latter days
OF the Second Empire down almost TO
date. for II seems he died in Paris only
about year ago. He had what one
may call his Russian blrthright Of talk
ing good French, he was immensely
"sympathet!c" with French ideas and
French ideals. How should he not write
q good book about modern France?