BISMARCK'S CHARACTERISTICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1898, 19 June 1890, Page 36

BISMARCK'S CHARACTERISTICS.

HIS VIVID ELOQUENCE AND HIS COOL COUKAGE IN FACE OP DANGER.

It is impossible, writes Sir Rowland Blennerhassett in the Nineteenth Century, to imagine Bismarck apart from his influence iv Parliament, and this brings me to consider him as a public speaker. He has always been fond of insisting that he is no orator. Like Kant and Goethe, he heartily despises rhetorical gifts. His great effort has always been to make his speech simple and plain, and to express himself as neatly, as clearly, and as concisely as possible, and appeal solely to the good sense of his audience. The result, moreover, is that of all speeches bis read far the best on account of the total absence of verbosity. They are

RICH IN THOUGHT, and elegant in expression, and are euro to be read in time to come, even for their high literary merit. He speaks with far more deliberation than any speaker I have ever known. The nearest approach to this characteristic was Mr John Stuart Mill. Niebuhr used to say that M. de Serre was one of the greatest political orators that ever lived. M. de Serre had by all accounts a great charm of delivery, and no doubt great wealth of expression. If Niebuhr had lived to read the speeches of Bismarck he would have discovered an orator who at least in many respects would come up to his view of a great speaker. In conversation ho frequently uses original and

STRIKING METAPHORS. A few years ago, speaking to an English statesman, he compared the French policy in Africa to a fiery gteed galloping across the desert of Sahara and finding the ground much heavier than was expected. It is now 25 years sinoe I had the honour of being first presented to Prince Bismarck, but the conversation I then had with him made ■such an impression that, though followed by many others, not a word of it has faded from my memory. Various subjects were discussed. Speaking of England, he expressed the opinion, whioh I know he has not changed, that although more Englishmen than formerly spoke German, the

IGNORANCE OB 1 GERMANY in this country was greater than ever. Thofle who had acquired the German language did not use it for the purpose of Btudying literature and trying \to understand the German mind. He did not believe that the work of any considerable German poet, from the Par rival of Wolfram yon" Bschenbach to the songs and ballads of Uhland, was at all widely or properly appreciated in England. "Nations," he said, "have not yet been drawn closer together since locomotion has become more easy. This is a melancholy reflection. In the days of my youth a certain number of English used to come here and stay some time amongßt ua. Now they

FLY LIKE WOODCOCKS across the Continent. No English leading public man has anything like the knowledge of Germany Carteret possessed 100 years since." Among his personal characteristics, Bismarck's extraordinary coolness and •courage are very prominent. Dr Droyson •told me that once during the revolutionary days of 1848 Bismarck went into an inn to get a glass of beer. There was a man in the room talking to a very excited audience, and -speaking most disrespectfully of the Queen of Prussia. Bismarck went up to him and instantly called upon him to apologise. The man demurred, bnt he soon thought •better of it, and expressed his regret before the whole revolutionary crowd. Three-and-twenty years after, in 1871, Busch tells us ■that during the partial occupation of Paris, Bismarck could not resist the temptation of ;-oing into the city. He was soon recogT'ised, and a crowd gathered round him and '' -camp threatening. He went up to the -. nnn who looked specially truculent, pulled \<' a cie;ar, and asked him for a light. 'hf: man was so astonished that he pulled

SHORT OLAT PIPE

' u< of his mouth and offered it to Bismarck ■•virh the most polite of bows. Stories ?' ! nsfrating Bismarck's humour are endless, %md we meet them at every turn. On one occasion he had to meet Heinrich yon ■Gagern at the house of Manteuffel on some •huMnes>s of a political character. Manteuffel left them alone to discuss the rubject they came about. Gagern instantly drew himself up and began to talk in a very loud voice, as if he were making a speech. Bismarck waited till he had finished, and offered Borne cold and curt remark. Gagern started off again and mode a second oration. Then a third ; at last he went away. Manteuffel came back and asked whether everything had gone well. "We settled nothing," was Bismarck's reply. "That is a stupid fellow ; he MISTOOK MB FOB A POPULAR ASSEMBLY."

Bismarck, as a boy, received the rite of confirmation from Schleiermacher in the Church of the Holy Trinity at Berlin. Schleiermacher started from the Moravian sect, and never lost "the influence of his early training. Partly perhaps, owing to the influence of Schleiermacher, Bismarck has always been attracted by their literature. Bosch tells us that early on the morning alter the battle of Sedan* the

Chancellor was summoned to meet the Emperor of the French. After he left his room, his neighbour entered it while the servant ■was putting it in order. Two books of devo-" tion of the Moravian sect were in the room ; one was called "Die tagliche Erquickung fux glaubige Christen," the other " Tagliche Lesungen und Lehrtexte der Brudergemeinde fur 1870." And the servant stated that his Excellency was always in the habit of reading the books in question before going to bed.