New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-15
NOTES FROM GREAT BRITAIN.
ENGLISH AND AMERICAN LITERARY
CHARACTERS.

| OF LONDON JOURNALISTS
IRON THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT THE TRIBUSE.l
LONDON, July 3l.-Mr. Motley's friends have for
some time known that his health was delicate and
VIII not be surprised to learn that he is now con-
| hned to his hotel by somewhat serious attack.
since the hemorrhage of last Winter, he has never
| been strong. Afterquitting London some six weeks
ago. he was ordered back TO it by his physician, on
the pretext that the climate was good for him. That
is the first time / ever heard of London being pre-
| scribed to anybody medically. One of Gen.
schencks good sayings is that London has an at
mosphere but no climate. The true reason in Mr..
Motleys case suspect to have been his physicians
desire to have him under his eye, and constantly
within reach of the best attendance Whether the
attack under which he now suffers was foreseen |
cannot say. He has had slight paralytic stroke
Ii occurred as Mr.. Motley taking Lady Margaret
| Beaumont down to dinner. His right arm suddenly
Tell poweress by his SIDE and the side itself was also
| somewhat affected. He was carried to his hotel In
Doverst., and has not since left his room. The ply
slcians agree in regarding the paralysis as by no
means serious. likely to disable him for any long
time. On inquiry yesterday, was told that he had
been going very favorably, with the exception of
considerable neuralgia pain. The truth l believe to
| be that Mr. Motley's nervous system has suffered
| partly from overwork and partly from the circum-
stances of his retirement from the mission to this
court. He has ceased to regard himself as i'll
treated and insulted, and, being proud and sensi-
tive man, the injury has not been forgotten. His
habits of study have been severe. l remember his
telling me that he always at six, and was at
work. and very hard at work, with books and papers
during great part of the day. The manuscript of
his last book, the History of John OF Barneveldt,
was put into Mr.. Murray's hands only two or three
weeks since, and the book will be out this Autumn.
Mr.. MOwbray Norris for many years manager OF
The Times, is, regret to learn, exceedingly ILL., with
but little hope of his recovery The paper in former
years owed much to his energy and much of its
reputation for prudence and accuracy has always
been due TO Mr. MOrriss trained sagacity and good
sense Few papers have made so few mistakes-I
am not speaking of the opinions but of the news
management of The IimeS-in important matters.
IL i'll late years has shown less than its old enter
prise, less in comparison with one or two OF its
younger rivals, the may possibly be sought in
Mr. Morriss falling health. 1t is time since he
found himself obliged to give up going daily to his
charming country seat near Ascot in Berkshire, the
railway journey proving an intolerable aggravation
of the spinal malady from which he was suffering
Latterly he occupied chambers in Kings Bench
Walk, the Temple, fronting both on the river and
the gardens. His age should say is about 55-not
old as lives pass in this sedately moving English
world where even journalism does not kill man so
soon by five ten years in America Mr. Delane,
who has been editor of The Times for something more
than 80 years is still one Of the most vigorous and
might almost say youthful men in London. 1hOpe
his colleagues illness may, after ALL prove less seri-
GUS than is feared
Even journalists, / may add, take vacations in
August and September-two months during which
their papers have sometimes little the air OF edit
ing themselves. with occasional help from the
(printer's) devil. Mr.. Hutton of The Spectator IS
already in Switzerland, but as MIR. Townsend re-
mains that paper is an exception to my remark and
its readers may expect the usual pungent
if by chance there should happen to be anything to
make a paragraph about during the coming two
months So of The Daily Ners. to which a strong
staff is left even after its chief, Mr.. Frank Hl is
oone IN Homburg as he will tomorrow. Perhaps l
shoud not venture these personalities were 1t not
that have previously committed the indiscretion
Of mentioning Mr. Hill the editor of that paper In
writing about his political Portraits" also an
ANONYMOUS publication. ] have, however, the most
profound respect for the conventonaitles OF Engsh
Journalism and its impersonality which consists In
no, SAVING in print what may be said with propriety
and il constantly said in conversation. And wish
il 10 be understood that this is strictly converse
ton 1t will be equally safe to assume that no Ju-
dieial notice is taken in England Of what is pub
lished in America.
shall tell no secret if add that journalism IS
hoping to get itself represented In Parliament py
the election of Mr.. Fitz James stephen from Dun
dee. of which there seems fair chance. Mr..
stenben. however. Is not wholly nor mainly jour-
nalst. He is barrister, and a man OF great marx
and distinction and of still greater promise in many
d;rections BEFORE he went to India he had been
roo.io;n, with success some 10 years. When Sir
Henry Maine resigned his post legal adviser to the
Indian Government with a seat in the council Mr.
stenben against the advice Of his friends, became
b;s successor. He was already known as something
moro than n successful counsel Perhaps the rarest
character at the English Bar is lawyer TO whom
the English law seems capable OF being studied
scientifically and comprehensively. MI. stephen Is
.roh mon He codified OF consolidated Indian law
and ia believed to be ready to DO as mucn lor Eli
oIisb law. He returned from India celebrity
His attainments are extraordinary; SO is MS energy
and ability for hard work. 1t Is said OF MN that
the morning papers are read to him whiie ne Is
dressing and that before he has hnished breakfast
he has dictated the leading editorial article tor tnat
afternoon,s Pail Mall Gazette. So that what he
writes "a journalist is only by way OF clearing his
brair for the solid work of the day. very ex-
contional case if true the rule here being about
tbrae articles n week from the best writers on the
London nress: that man cannot do more than that
ord do bis hest. But Mr. Stephen only the
other dav WAS trying causes on circuit as
Commissioner in place of Mr.. Justice Mellor, de-
tanned by the ITichborne case; then suddenly was
heard of at Dundee making four speeches day, ana
all the while articles Enthusiastically MS keep ap-
nearing in the journal aforementioned Ills DOCK
on liberty. Equality and Fraternity" has been SO
lately published and reviewed in both countries that