how the Prince plied his wooing, nor why he failed. The fair Clementine, who thus, possibly, lost her chance of being an Empress, married Monsieur de Beaumont, and now represents her rejected admirer as the French ambassadress at the court of Austria. Shortly after this visit to Lafayette, Mr. Cooper was in London, and mentioned to the Princess Charlotte (the widow of the elder brother of the present President,) this venture of Prince Louis into the den of the Orleanists. "He is mad!" was the only reply. But the finger-post of that way madness lies," does not always point truly. At any rate, there is a certain "method in his madness," for the same match between Imperialism and Republicanism has been the Prince's pursuit ever since, and the chances are that he will finally bring it about-Clementine's and other intermediate unbelievings, notwithstanding. 66 SCHROEDER AND FAY. 66 THE appointment of Mr. Schroeder as Chargé d'Affaires to Sweden, gives us that "threshold of commendation," by which we have long wished to enter upon the subject of FITNESS IN DIPLOMATIC APPOINTMENTS. Before generalizing upon the matter, let us say more definitely, to those of our readers who have not had the good fortune to meet Mr. Schroeder, that a better model for an incumbent of that particular office could be picked from no diplomatic school, even in Europe. With singular elegance of person and a temperament naturally courtly and gracious, Mr. Schroeder is, in the best sense of the phrase, an accomplished man." He has had such an education as few young men get in this country; and, to the solid acquirements necessary in his profession as an engineer, are added a practical acquaintance with European languages-acquisitions such as are rarely made by gentlemen of leisure, in the arts and music-fine scholarship-and habitual familiarity with the forms of refined society. A lovely wife, who has been the charm of the brilliant circle of which her mother's house is the centre at Washington, will not be a trifling accessory to what the new Chargé takes with him to grace his office at the Court of DIPLOMATIC FITNESS. 135 Sweden. We may well wish our country were always, and at every Court, to be as favourably represented. The appointment alone of Minister to England might be kept, without objection, to serve its present purpose-a step of honor by which a Government Secretary could leave the Cabinet with dignity, or a shelf whereon a politician could be set aside as an honorary bust, when the plastic clay of his party influence stiffens beyond farther moulding. England knows our country well enough to make allowance for any manners in any man whom it was necessary for the American President thus to reward or get rid of. The language being the same too, the talent which had brought the new Minister to his eminent position at home, would be likely to come out in conversation; and force of character and originality of mind would be appreciated by English statesmen, even through the nasal accent, exaggerated phraseology, and newlyadopted manners, which would very likely be their accompaniments, in a purely political appointee. The mission to France is also, perhaps, too important a gift to be taken away from party bestowal; and both this and the mission to England, from our important relations with these two countries, require men of sound judgment and some breadth of opinion and experience-though, to have our country represented at Paris by a man who does not fluently speak French, let his claims otherwise be what they may, is a discreditable possibility which we trust to Heaven our public sense of dignity will outgrow. Allowing overruling reasons to make exceptions of these two Missions, however, the others, it seems to us, (and the Secretaryships of all,) should be given to those only who have the kind of education to enable them to perform their duties properly and gracefully. A knowledge of French, which is the diplomatic language all over the world, ought, in common decency, to be the sine qua non of eligibility. Good manners, presentable family, and such character as would make a man a desirable acquaintance in his own country, should also be indispensable; and, to make the offices worth accepting by such men, they should be permanent, or changeable only by promotions granted on the principles of professed diplomacy. For all the emergencies of diplomatic transactions, elsewhere than in England and France, an easily acquired know ledge of International Law would abundantly suffice-or there is experienced counsel and legal advice to be had for the seeking-out, in any capital where there is a Court. But official duty is the least part of that for which a diplomatist is called upon. However few may see or have intercourse with him, his qualities are known throughout the country to which he is sent, and he stands for a type (and a favorable type, too) of his own country's civilization, intelligence, and manners. America particularly, which is so far away, is judged of by its diplomatic representatives; and, since the gaze of every country in the world is directed especially toward America by the pointing finger of emigration, the authenticated specimen which officially represents it, is looked upon with more critical examination even than the diplomatists of other countries; and the inferences of such scrutiny are by no means of trifling importance. Will the reader recall to mind some of the late applicants for Foreign Missions, and imagine them figuring in European capitals, as fair specimens of our country's best education and manners! There are two languages necessary to a Foreign Minister or Chargé, without which he cannot discharge the duties of his office. His principal duty, of course, is to keep his own Government better advised than it can be by foreign newspapers, of the true state of the country he is sent to. The undercurrent of opinions, as expressed in the free and friendly conversations of society, is what he is officially bound to be acquainted with; and for this, we say, he requires two languages-the French language in the first place; and, in the second place, the language of polished manners, without which no one will exchange with him more than the most formal courtesies. But, besides this incapacity for official duty, there are awkwardnesses consequent upon an ignorance of the French language, which are a shame to the country that has sent out such an ignoramus. As compliments of course to any new American Minister, he is invited to a succession of dinners, given him by the Ambassadors of the different Powers of Europe. There is no language but French spoken at table-and there sits the guest of honor, blundering ludicrously if he tries to make a remark, misunderstanding ludicrously all that is said to him, or looking ludicrously like an idiot if he is entirely silent! It is a matter of form that he is invited to every large party, and he goes always to SCHROEDER AND FAY. 137 Court receptions-standing about, every where, without a word to say, or talking so awkwardly that every one avoids him; and it takes but a short time for such a man to become the laughing-stock of a foreign capital-as many an American Minister has been, under just these circumstances. We wish our "appointing powers" could know how this Government is graced and honored in Prussia, by the courtly knowledge, high principled life, and winning manners of the Secretary of its Legation, and sometime Chargé, Theodore Fay. He and his admirable wife and sweet child, after twelve years' residence in Berlin, are the beloved of that Court and capital,—no diplomatic family better known or more respected. In the month which we passed there, when last abroad, we became convinced that a character which would stand the test of long residence, superior personal qualities, and intellectual habits and tastes, were of far more importance than is generally supposed, in the diplomatic representation of a country. The respect with which Fay was met and treated, in all our many walks about Berlinthe evident partiality and affection felt for him by all classes, the deference shown him in society, and the consideration with which (as I learned from various competent authority) he was invariably treated at Court, could not but be advantageous to the estimate of America in that country, while, at the same time, such tribute was most creditable to himself. With such a Secretary, indeed, the injurious impression of even an unfavorable specimen of a Minister, would be partly neutralized. We think there is already a leaning toward making our diplomacy, as it is in other nations, a regular profession. We are delighted with the appointment of Mr. Schroeder as a step towards it-for, as in the case of Theodore Fay, the admirable qualification for the office will create such reasonableness in his retaining it, that an Administration would not remove him except for promotion; and this makes it at once into a profession which a prudent and highminded gentleman might profitably adopt. THE NEW PRIMA-DONNA, STEFFANONI. WITH powers of attention overdone with extra labor, (preparing a book for the press, for which we venture deferentially to bespeak the favor of our readers, as well as indulgence for less of labor elsewhere,) we went to the opening performance of the Opera company from Havana. With so little likelihood to be pleased, seldom has one sat down to a play. Private advice that all the singers were suffering from the epidemic influenza, did not improve expectation. Patience protesting against the great delay in raising the curtain-ears objecting to the too noisy performance of the delicious overture-tenor annoying us with an ill-joined piecing out of his voice with a falsetto-were other clouds upon the horizon of our admiration, threatening to shut from us the brightness of the new-sprung star. Enter the Druidical priestess, at last-unexcited with any expectation of applause, apparently-very cold and very indifferent-decidedly a handsome woman, and probably trusting carelessly to thatbetter musical execution than we expected, but voice husky in the lower notes-throughout the first scene or two, in fact, dismally justifying unfavorable anticipations. We employed the time in analyzing the renowned loveliness of the fair Steffanoni. She is tall and large. Her face is one of those that would be frightful in daguerreotype, though beautiful in nature; not regular, but with that look of folded-up expression, as if capable of great beauty "if need were. Her upper lip is unfinished on the inside, and, during im-. passive singing, does not play well upon the teeth-eyes small, as is apt to be true of impassioned women, and nose slightly turned-up, idem. Her walk was most majestic and unpremeditatedly graceful. Her arms and hands were admirably full, tapering, round and white; and the dimples on her fingers were of infantine depth and distribution. Arms: managed with such unconscious grace and effect, we made up our mind from the first, we had seldom if ever before seen. As the Druidess went on, and sang her invocation to the moon, it became gradually evident, we thought, that justice had not been done, by fore-running Fame, to the finish and |