The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-26
LITERATURE.



the HERALD's Boston correspondence. To work
of this Importance We may. however, recur without
apology. When Mr.. Prescotts History of the Reign
of Philip H. made its first appearance, in the year
1865 there was announcement in it's preface that
history of the revolution in the Netherlands, which
ushered in the Dutch Republic. would soon appear
from 1.-THE pen Of accomplished countrynan,
MIR. j. Lothrop Motley" and that nothing might DO
wanting to procure for the forthcoming work
favorable consideration Mr.. Prescott added:-"No
one acquainted with the fine powers of mind pos
sessed by this scholar and the earnesness with which
he has devoted himself to his task doubt that hc
will do full justice to his important but difficult
subject" This announcement was. are sure, to
many American readers at least outside of Boston.
the first intmation they had received of tine new
literary star which destined soon to rise above
the horizon. and yet it far from being true that
Mr.. Motley had not at that date already moro than
once tried his prentice hand" in literature.
Born in Dorchester. Mass. NOW part of BOSTON,,
on the 18th of April. 1914. John Lothrop Motley
from his early youth intense lover of books, be-
traying an especial passion for poetry and for the
novels of Scott and Cooper. He was a boy 'of
most sensitive nature easily excited, but not tena
cous of any irritated feelings with quick sense of
honor and of entire truthfulness In the bloom of
his youth he thought to resemble Byron, and he
not behind Byron in point of literary precocty.
for at the age of eleven he had begun to write a
novel in which, at its opening. 1.-TWO horsemen might
have been seen." &C.. riding up to an inn in the
Valley Of the Housatonic.'
He was prepared for college at the Round Hill
School, Northampton. then under the charge Of
Mr.. Cogswell and Mr.. Bancroft, and while there
remarkable for his facility in acquiring languages
for his irregular habits of study for his addiction to
squirrel and rabbit hunting and for temper which
"wilfully impetuous. sometimes supercilious.
always fastidious" Entering Harvard College at the
age Of thirteen he genial and jovial companion
at the supper parties of his club but to the average
student" he seemed naughty in manner and cynical
in word" Shelley then his favorite poet, and
the text books on his table were sometimes crowded
off by "heaps Of novels" Rebuked by a tutor for
this latter preference he day replied. eyes, am
reading historically and have come to the novels Of
tho nineteenth century. Taken in the lump they
very hard reading
After graduating at Harvard two years were spent
at the universities Of Gottngen and Berlin the lat
ter of which Prince Bismarck his fellow student
and boon companion. OF his habits at this period
Prince Bismarck writes as follows in answer to let
ter of inquiry from DR.. Holiness
Enthusiastic adInirer of Shakespeare, Byron,
Goethe he used to spice his conversation sbundanty
with quotations from these his favorite authors.
pertinacious arguer, so much so that sometimes he
watched my awakening in order to continue dis
cussion SOME topic Of science, poetry practical
life cut short by the chime Of the small hours, he
lost his mild and amiable temper. Onr faithful
companion was Count Alexander Keyserling, native
of Courland, who has since achieved distinction
botanist.
Returning to America in 1884 he took up the study
Of law, but never entered seriously on the practice
OF the profession. In 1887 he married Miss Benja
min, sister of Park Benjamin. and two years after
his marriage published his first "novel, in two
Volumes" called "Morton's Hope" The book was
almost total failure Indeed considered q novel,
it is says DR.. Holiness ga map of dssected incidents
which has been flung out of its box and arrayed itself
without the least regard to chronology geogra-
ply" but il read as ian autobiography, prophecy
and record Of aspirations, it will be found that
Motley stood for the .hero of his own story when
sketching the career of Morton" in pursuit Of his
Hope"
In 1S41 he appointed Secretary of Legation to
the Russian Mission, bat did not greatly relish the
duties of the position and returned to Boston,
where he entered with zeal into the Presidential
paign of 1874 as a supporter of Henry Clay. whose
defeat seemed to him the kneu of craftsmanship in
the United States.
During the next few years he spent his time in
studying history for its facts and principles and
49,
not yet found his vocation in literature and in 1s4s
made new venture in fiction. MERRY Mount" was
an improvement on 'Mortons Hope but not much
more be said in its praise. Meanwhile, however,
he had been collecting materials for the work which
to cast all his former attempts into the kindly
shadow Of oblivion We refer. of course to the his
tory which Mr.. Prescott heralded in 1856.
The "Rise Of the Dutch Republic was .simultane-
ously published in England and America in the year
1856. Its praise was heard at once Gin mouths of
wiscst censure." Never before, fancy, had such
long patient and ploddng labor been the prelude to
work rich in the pomp and pageantry of a vivid
and captivating style.
The history Of the United Provinces, Mr.. Motley
conceived it, is not at all provincial history. 1T is
the history Of European liberty" He was not abb
sorbed in the pictorial aspects Of his dramatic story
that he could not its logical relations to the great
religious and political movement which then
spreading throughout Europe. and he makes his
reader that the revolutions of Holland, England
and America .are all links Of one chain" It would
be too much to say that in his historical writings he
had conquered all the faults Of his more youthful
may occasionally discern in the turn Of phrase in
the twinkle Of epithet. faint "Reminiscences of
certain sarical levity airness jauntiness which is
just enough to remind one of those perous shadows
of his early time through which his richly freighted
argosy had passed with such wonderful escape from
their dangers and such very slight marks of injury
In the earlier in the later volumes Of the history
of United Netherlands "he used stronger language
at times" says DR.. Holmes. ethan necessary,
coloring too highly. shading too deeply In his pic
torial deneation.'' HE could not hclp
writing, more or less. partisan. but he par
tsan the side Of freedom in politics and religion.
of human nature as against every form of tyranny,
secular pricstly. of noble manhood wherever he
saw IL against meanness and violence and impos-
turc. whether clad in the soldiers mail or the en-
peror's purple"
In passing from Mr. Motlcys literary character to
his diplomatic we called to walk ON tho
embcrs of personal controversy which still smoul-
ers in tho ashes of the recent past 1t to be
no part of DR.. Holmes purpose to rake among these
embers Tor tho sake of kindling them into the
blaze Of 'iery Indignation" but he makes no con-
far he ,.c .