The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-07-15
MR. MOTLEl"S RECALL.

Mr.. MOTLEl"S RECALL.
THE first announcement OF Mr.. Frelinghuysens ap.
pointment as Minister to Great Britain, in place OF
MIR. Motley, was only premature. Yesterday after
noon the name of the new Minister sent in to
the Senate and Mr. Motleys diplomatic career is for
the second time abruptly terminated.
John Lothrop Motley was born at Dorchester,
Mass, on the 18th of April, 1914. His family, which
is of English origin, has been settled in Massachu-
setts since the seventeenth century, his maternal
ancestor, the Rev. John Lothrop, having been one
of the original Pilgrim Fathers. His early education
was received in turn at the Latin School, Boston,
and at the Academy of Round HILL He then en-
tered Harvard University, from which institution he
graduated in 1881. ON leaving Harvard he went
abroad passing year in study at the University OF
Gottingen, and another year at the University of
Berlin. Then he travelled for some time through
the South of Europe principally in Italy, returning
to the United States at the end of the year 1885.
Turning his attention to the law, two years de-
voted to its study, and in 1887 he was admitted to
the bar.
But he displayed but little liking for the drudgery
of the profession, and practiced but ittle at
that early period OF his life. Literary pursuits had
a stronger attraction, and turning his attention to
them, he made his first venture as an author by the
publication in 1889 Of a novel entitled "Morton's
Hope, or the Memories of Young Provincial" 1t
was issued anonymously at New York, and made
Up principally of sketches of German University life,
OF pictures OF the Revolutionary War. Although the
book was well written, it did not give much PROMISE
and attracted little attention that it found
its way to the back shelves Of the booksellers. His
success with his first venture was so poor that ten
years elapsed before MI. Motley again attempted
romance. He then drifted into diplomacy being
appointed by DanielWebster thensecretary of State,
to position of Secretary OF the American Legation
at ST. Petersburg. This was in the year1s41, and
before the close of the year Mr.. Motley
had resigned and was in Boston again,
busly occupied in contributing to the North Ameri-
can Rereir the NeU York ReUiec and other periodi-
Gals. Among the most noticeable of the fugitive
pieces which from his pen during the interval
between his first and second novel was an article on
Peter the Great in the North American ReveU for Oc-
ober 1S45 the result doubtless of his observations
and studies while residing at the Russian capital.
In 1S49 he again induged IN fiction, but with no bet
ter success than in the first attempt. His second
novel was entitled 'Merry Mount, a Romance of the
Massachusetts Colony In which the redOubtable
Miles Standish, afterwards so forcbly dellneated by
Longfellow, figured as one of the characters.
merry Mount" shared the fate OF 'Morton's
Bope,' but their author was not discouraged. He
became interested in the study of the history Of
Holland and devoted several years to its most care
ful and laborious investigation. The idea OF writing
work upon the terrible struggle waged by the
Netherlands against the overshadowing power OF
Spain in the sixteenth century was scarcely formed
engaged upon The same subject. dis first thought
was to abandon his project, but he concluded to
visit the great historian, to whom he altogether
unknown before doing so. The result of this inter-
view was so encouraging that he pressed the work
forward with all his energies, removing
to Europe and residing for nve years in
the neghborhood of the scenes he was
depicting for the better prosecution of his work.
On arriving In Europe, in 1851, he became dssasis-
fed with his labor as far as 1t had progressed and
threw it all away, commencing his task anew, and
going from Berlin to Dresden, and from Dresden to
the Hague, in the search for material. In his eXa-
mination of manuscript, as well as printed autho-
rifles he was equally indefatigabe and as his work
approached completion, Prescott generously came to
his help and in the preface to his History OF Philip
H." after remarking that the revolt in the Neither
lands was deserving OF separate and independent
treatment, announced that such work was in pre-
paration by Mr.. Motley, and expressed the belief
that he would 'do full justice to his important but
difficult subject"
These anticipations were found to be well estab-
lshed when in 1856, 'The Rise CT the Dutch Repub-
lie" given TO the world, in three octave volumes,
published simultaneously in London and New York.
The work embraced the period from the abdication
of Charles in 1865 to the assassination OF William
the Silent in 1884, and the exciting events which rem
dered it one OF the finest fields history for effective
dramatic writing were used to such excellent adyan-
tage that Mr. Motley at stride found himself the
peer OF ffeScOIt anu DducTOll. 1ue MOTh euJOgcu
large circulation in both Great Britain and the United
States, and was received with the
highest praise by the most critical
journals OF both countries. 1t reprinted in Eng
sh at Amsterdam, besides being translated into
Dutch under the supervision of Van den Brink, the
celebrated historian who prefxed an introduction.
A German translation was published at Iepsc and
Dresden, while French translation was brought
out at Paris in 1859 from the pen Of NJ. Guizot
Other substantial tributes also fell TO the lot of the
new historian The various learned societies OF Eu-
rope and America fastened to elect him to their
membership; the French Institute bestowed upon
him the corresponding membership made vacant by
the death OF Prescott in 1885, and in 1860 the Univer
sity Of Oxford, England, conferred upon him the de-
gree OF ID. G. Harvard in the year rendering
him LID, and many other American colleges fol-
! lowing these examples.
The high favor with which his first historical work
was received encouraged Mr. Motley to follow up his
labors In the same prolific field and in 1860 having
paid short visit to the United States two years be-
FORE he published the first two volumes OF his "His
tury OF the United Netherlands, the remaining two
volumes not appearing until 1865. He had originally
/ intended to bling down the history OF the Dutch
RepubIc in this Work to the synod OF DoTt but he