Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-08-28
Froude. the historian.

The September Galaxy opens with
sketch by Justin Mccarthy of John An
thony Froude, the historian, who i
about to spend lecture season with us
We extract his remarks on
MR., FRoUDE AS A HISTORIAN.
The one distinct impression we carry
away from Froude's history is that of the
living reality of his figures. In Mar
loves " "Faustus" the Doctor conjures
up for the amusement of the Emperor 8
procession of stately and beautiful shad
ows to represent the great ones of the
past. When the shadows of Alexander
the Great and his favorite pass by, the
Emperor can hardly restrain himself
from rushing to clasp the hero in his
arms, and has to be reminded by the
wizard that these are but shadows not
substantial" Even then the Emperor
can scarcely get over his impression of
their reality, for he cries.
:" 1 have heard it said
That this fair lady, whilst she lived on earth.
Had on her neck a little wart or mole"
and lol there is the mark on the neck Of
the beautiful form which floats across
his field of vision. Mr.. Froude's shad-
ows are like this; so deceptive, so seem-
iugly vital and real; with the beauty and
the blot alike conspicuous; with the
pride and passion of the hero, and the
herone's white neck and the wart on it.
Mr. Froude's whole soul, in fact, is in
the human beings whom he meets as he
ny, fold hfc = l..
cal romancist, as some of his critics
have called him. he is a romantic or
heroic portrait painter. He has painted
pictures on his pages which may almost
compare with those of Titan. Their
glances follow you and haunt you like
the wonderful eyes of Caesar Borgia or
the soul-piercing resignation of Beatrice
Cenci. But is Mr.. Froude great histo-
rian2 Despite this splendid faculty, nay,
perhaps because OF this, he wants the
one great essential quality of the true
historian, accuracy. He wants alto
gether the cold, patient, stern quality
which clings to facts-the scientific fac
ulty, His narrative stands out in that
" dry light which Bacon SO commends,
the light of undistorted and clear Truth
The temptations TO the man with gift
of heroic portrait-painting are too great
for Mr.. Froude's resistance, hia genius
carries him away and becomes his mas
ter. Mr.. Froude has
created Mary Queen Of Scots as the
poets and painters have created
He has made her one Of
the most imposing figures in our
modern literature, 10 which indeed |
she is an important addition. So Of his
Queen Elizabeth; so, TO a lesser extent,
Of his Henry. VIII, because, although |
here he may have gone even further
away from history yet ] think be was
nisled rather by his anxiety to prove a
.heory than by the fascination OF pic |
.nro growing under his own hands.
Everything becomes fof the hour suhor-
Innate to this passion for the picturesque
IN good or evil Mr.. Froude's personal
integrity and candor are constantly
coming into contradiction with this ar
isno temptationj but the portrait gOea
1n all the same. lie is too honest and
candid to conceal or pervert any fact
hat he knows. He tells everything
rankly, bit continues his portrait. II
nay be that the very vices which consti-
ute the gloom and horror Of this por-
rait suddenly prove their existence in
he character Of the person who vas
;hosea 10 illustrate the brightness and