Year: 1873

Herald's Process Compared with that


OF Russia, Prussia and England.
1t has sometimes been, unjusHy urged
against the letters of the foreign correspondent
that they give entirely too biassed view of
events-that they are as deceptive as con-
sumption and as Aattering as an ivorytype
miniature. Consequently, with whatever
avidity the foreign correspondence may be
read, there are always a few fossiliferous
readers who claim that they can see further
than most men, and who bestow upon the
journalist that narrates foreign events a repu-
tation more complimentary to his imagination
than his ardor for truth. They believe that
he pactises his Establishments only
to deceive, and that if he is not
of the skill with which long practice enables
him to cover up his tracks They profess to
read with sort of amable cynicism, holding
their confidence in wise suspense, and nourish-
ing shrewd suspicion that they see further
into the humbug than their more credulous
neighbors. We can easily imagine the scepti-
cism with which q reader of this order would
be apt to peruse in any other paper than the
HERALD (if it were possible for any other
paper to contain it) the account which we
print this morning of Mark Twain's superin-
tendency over the Shah of Persia. 1t is not
difficult to picture the imbecile smile
of general incredulity, the growing
cape of astonishment, the concen-
trated expression of interest, and fually
fha aN oc .con
fication which would accompany the progress
of the perusal Perhaps it is not too much to
expect that, the first surprise over, there
would crop out in such readers mind
constantly strengthening sense of the eminent
propriety of the thing, conviction that it
was just the thing which ought to have been
done, which no othefpaper than the HERALD
would have thought of doing, or would have
done if it had thought of it. Then, perhaps,
there would succeed the reflection that the
foreign newspaper correspondent was not such
bad institution after all; that he often helped
us to see things in new light, and even
quickened the vision with which we did see
them; that he employed his American
spectacles to advantage in foreign atmosphere
and that a good long look through his
lorgnette was worth dozen stares through
the stupid spy glasses which the books of the
professional traveller may so often be said to
resemble
Several reasons have combined to render the
Shah of Persia's present visit to the principal
cities of Europe pre-eminently interesting
one. In the first place, it is not only the first
visit which the "King of Kings" has paid out
side his own dominions, but it is the first of
the kind which any Persian ruler has paid for
longer period than any save the antquarians
of history care to remember. In the second
place, the Khivan complications have settled
upon that quarter the regards of the world,
and the nations on this side of the Atlantic
are naturally interested in watching and criti-
cising the destinations which Russia on the
one hand and Great Britain on the other,
each endeavorng to subserve her own interests,
| are spreading before the Shah In the third
place, the number of distinguished. per-
sonages of all grades and conditions assem-
| bled during the last month or two at Vienna,
and reaching its most brilliant degree of
lustre during this potentate's visit has rarely
! been equalled in the history of the world.


Perhaps the only recent event which can be
| compared with it is the Paris Exposition
several years ago. When we add to these con-
siderations the reflection that every nation of
which the Shah has hitherto been the guest
has madly We'd with its neighbors as to the
most stupendous means of 'impressing''
him when we call to mind the fetes
and reviews of st. Petersburg and
Vienna, the naval exhibition of the English
| and the gorgeous programme in contempla-
ton in Paris, we are presented with facts suf-
fcent to impress us with the Importance
attached to the Persian monarchs tour and


with the anxious ingenuities which his hosts
are severally impelled to employ. Surely


never was such burden upon the hands of


entertainers before. To amuse the Shah be-


came psychological study for all the poten-
! tates of Europe. 1t would not be safe to
assume that this passionate child of the East


could be pleased with a rattle or tickled with


straw He must be cajoled without being


led to suspect it, and humored without be-


coming the cause of scandal. The freedoms


and licepses of his pampered despotism must


be made, somehow or other, to coalesce with


the restraints and etiquette of European courts.


And in the midst of all these batteries
and festivities he must be Impressed. That


was the great point. To omit to do that was


to fail of the one thing needful. Honeyed as
speech and suave as concession might be, he
must be made to feel the majesty and dignity
| and power of his august brothers, sent home
not only delighted, but in a state of meek and
,uiablt yoNsternation.


How far these intentions on the part of
European kings and princes have been Jar
ried out the reader may possibly gain from
Mark Twain q letter which we print this morn