The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-01-21

a quite different purpose 1ne create
part of my narrative has already beeI
printed in that very journal, which i'm
plies approval, But then to tixthe salien
! facts of James LamberFs case on thu
memory and Judgment Of its readers, this
1 epitome was drawn up. Viewed as what
it is, ali epitQme, it is not a cold dry spec
linen of its sort, A vein of gentle hu
manity kindliness, and ca dor runs thro
it. OF course it does not stirthe readers
pulse;Gno epitome ever does. But any
epitomist can also reduce my narrative
| to the bare facts. And then the two cpl
tones would agree in all particulars but
two; and these are not in direct opposi-
ton. .l '.| ."I. uH
l.. / did not know that large subscrip-
ton was ever raised for James Lambert.
The Glasgow journalist has added this
fact, and it is very important. ."
2. He uses these words: Lambert
claims to have saved the lives of more
than hundred persons" Lambert nev-
er sat up 80 extravagant claim in my
heoring, and cannot think the writer
of the article got thi from Lamberts
own lips,
These are the only discrepancies, the
rest is difference of form, notsubstance.
To contrast warm-blooded narrative
with its own epitome, and accuse it of
exaggeration because it has more color
than its outline, this was reserved for
"Scepticus" DIR. Southwood Smith used
to keep the skeleton of his friend Ben
them neatly clad in drab, but so contriv d
that the bony structure could be shown
in turn Of the hand; when he was in
the vein he would unlock door and
show his Bentham. Such sights are ex-
hilarating to men of science. Now sup
pose Dr. Smith had shown his Bentham
to some gentleman, who knew Bentham
in the flesh and thereupon this person
had folded his arms and nodded his sa-
gacious head, and then exclaimed: "How
/ have been imposed upon That figure,
then, which passed itself off upon the
world and me for Bentham, was gross
exaggeration; this is the real Jeremy
Bentham. Why here are his very bones
to prove il" "-7rsu lf .,- ,.
The last question-"How much of my
narrative is true, and how much is imag-
ined ?"IlWe all know what this means;
some people are SO narrow-mlnded and
illogical that, if a gentleman writes novels
and calls them novels, they think what
ever he writes and does not call novel
must be a novel, Mr., Disraeli wrote =
life of Lord George Bentinck. Is that a
novel because The Young Duke" Hen
rietta Temple "Lothair," &C., are nov
els? The dullest history | know is by
Smollett, the sprightly novelist; and the
history with the least fiction in 1t Is
"Charles Kill" by man who wrote nov
els and plays. Writers ofmy caliber are
only too glad TO escape sometimes from
fiction into pure truth. | have written
startling truths in the journals many
times before to-day; and never wrote
fiction in a sacred journal, nor shall l
ever, least of all on this occasion, when
| have invited subscription. 1t would
be dishonorable act, and one | should
be puzzled to distinguish from larceny |
will notseriously discuss question which
is an insult. But will do better.
l will classify the composition correctly
and then compare it on the score OF
accuracy with other individuals of its
class. .Da hGa --.h.u. ...-
"a Hero and Martyr is BIodRA-
PLY. Now biography is divided into
autobiography and biography. Autobi-
ography nearly always reveals some
truths that escape the other system. But
then it runs into self deception and self
laudatory mendacity Biography proper
is too Cften incautious and credulous;
trusts to hearsay; is compiled three deep,
and then is mere bundle of errors. In
accuracy is 80 thoroughly the habit Of
mankind, that if honest Jack tells you
what honest Jill told him, and you put it
down on paper, you are almost sure to
write something not quite true. Gods
truth has evaporated between Jack and
Jill, heaven alone knows how. Col.
Gardener, who died for the Crown at
Preston Pans, was a rake: he was await
ing an assignation with married wo-
man, when something happened that
converted him to religious life. A CO.
temporary divine published that the
something in question was celestial WIS.,
ion too bright for mortal eye, &c. Other
writers copied this, and it is now in forty
books. Jupiter Carlyle did what the first
publisher of the miracle could have done:
he went to Gardener for the truth, and
Gardener told him that he saw no celes-
tial vision, but took up a certain good
book, which so pricked his conscience
that he broke his assignation, and did
actually change his way of life. So much
for neglecting legal evidence when it is
to be had. Mr.. Hugh Mcdonald, the
worthy writer ofth article on Lambert
in The Glasgow Times, asked everybody
but Lambert how he saved the millhands
when the boat upset. The consequence
is that Mr., Mcdonald in his article, which
lies before me, represents Lambert as
swimming to and fro, and saving ALT these
people in detail.
But 1t wss da-k, and the majority would