New-York tribune., 1878-12-20
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
uo,vEss MEMOIR OF MOTLEY.

this biography, the reader shoulu pear III "inu WV
Intention of the author to present simple Outline
of facts which may serve as an aid to some iuture
writer rather than to furnish an elaborate ana
systematic record of the life of the distinguished
historian It may be regarded, in truth, as
memorial of personal friendship dwelling with
affectionate enthusiasm on the intimate uahs Oh
character which rendered Mr.. Motley the object OF
an almost idOlatrOus attachment with large
circle and revealing the private graces and virtues
which we're never eclipsed amid the splendors OF
his literary renown. Mr.. Motley was indeed man
born to be loved as well as to be hOnored. lie was
endowed by Nature with an exuberant and i'm
passoned vitality which sent its powerful impulses
through every element of his being, giving char
acter of strongly marked individualsm both TO ms
literary achievements and his conduct of life. The
personal features which surrounded MIR. Motley
with so brilliant q halo of admiration and love are
painted by DR.. Holmes with singular felicity.
His pencil has been inspired by ardent affection,
but he has not been betrayed by his warmth OF
feeling into an excess of cOlOrIng. Every one who
knew Mr.. Motley will recognize the truthfulness
of the portrait, while the coolest stranger VIII
detect no tendency to false or inflated euloglum.
John Lothrop Motley born in Dorchester, at
that time delightful suburb of Boston, and now
part of that CITY, on April 10, 1914. His childhood
gave early promise of the qualities which were
afterwards developed into such rich maturity. His
organization was delicate and he had little taste
for the usual amusements of bOyhood, except skat-
ing and swimming, in which last exercise he ex-
celled. He was q great reader, was never without
n book in his hand a volume of poetry one of the
novels of Cooper Scott He was sensitive IN his
feelings easily excited, with quick sense of honor
and always singularly truthful. When about ten
years old he was sent to the famous Round Hill
school at Northampton, where he showed remark
Ill .nIo for Ion led QS "A
and writer and was greatly admired for his manly
qualities He was little spoiled at this tme
it would seem, from the batteries he received he
obtained praise too easily, and learned to trust too
much to his genius; with his beauty, bis precOcious
intelligence his personal charms, he might have be-
come universal favorlte yet be does not appear to
have been generally popular. He was too wllful
and impetuOus, sometimes supercous, always
fastidiOus He would study as he liked, and not by
rule, though he never reprOached for any great
offences. At this school he gained knowledge of
the German language, and some degree of acquaint-
ance with its literature, an acquisition much less
common then than at the present time.
In 1927, when scarcely turned of thirteen, young
Motley entered Harvard College, where he gradu-
ated in due course four after He at once took
a high rank in his class, but growing negligent in
his studies, the Faculty gave him leave of absence
for year in the family of country clergyman,
mild form of discipline not uncommon at that
day. He returned to college good deal sObered
down, and worked rather more. but made no effort
for rank in his class. He did not care to make ac-
quaintances, was naughty in manner, and cynical
in mood, and of course was not popular favOrlte,
though recognized for his brilliant qualities. HIS
mind was all this time fermenting with various pro-
jects. The drawer of his wuting-table was kept
half full of sketches, unfinished poems and scenes
of plays, which he would sometimes read at the re-
quest of a friend and now and then he would burn
the whole and begin again to fill the empty drawer.
In his Sophomore year he kept up with the studies
of his class, but "hs heart in the highlands"
as was often the at Round Hill. when chasing
squirrels or rabbits through forbidden forests AL
though he did not attain high college rank, the
rules of the Phi Beta Kappa Society," which limited
the number of members to the first sixteen of each
class were stretched in bis favor, tribute to his
ability, and an evidence of the anticipation of his
distinguished future
Soon after leaving Cambridge, Motley passed two |
years at the universities of Berlin and G0ttlngen
where he excited much attention from his fellow |
students (including the future Chancellor of the |
German Empire) by his conversation, sparkling |
with wit, humor and originality" his personal |
beauty and his admirable temper. Upon his return
he devoted himself for some time to the study of
law, but never became seriously engaged in the
practice of the profession. About this time he
formed the acquaintance of Mary Benjamin-a SIS
ter of Park Benjamin, who was afteTward distin-
gushed as poet and journalist in NewYork-a
lady of whom Dr. Holmes remarks, that those who
remember her at that time Find it hard to speak
of her in the common terms of praise which they
award to the good and the lovely" She was not
only handsome and amlable and agreeable, but
there was a cordial frankness, open-hearted sim
cerity about her which made her seem like sister
10 those Tho coud helm becOmiuQ her lovers They
. were married March 2, 1887.
Mr.. Motley's first work, a novel called "MOr-
toms Hope" appeared in 1889. Its reception was
anything but favorable. ut must be confessed"
says DR.. Holmes, that as a story, 'Mortons Hope
cannot endure a searching, or even a moderately
careful criticism. 1t is wanting in cohesion, in
character, in proper regard TO circumstances
of time and place it is map of dissected incidents
which has long been flung out of its box and has
arranged itself without the least regard to chro-
nology OF geography" Still, in the midst of all
these marks of negligence, the philosophical stu
dent of history here and there betrays himself the
ideal of noble achievement glows in an eloquent
paragraph, or is embodied in a loving portrait.
In the Autumn of 1S41, Mr.. Motley received
the appointment of Secretary of Legation to
the Russian Mission at St. Petersburg. The
position was not at all to his mind, he found
the climate unfavOrable, and he soon decided
TO leave a place where he had nothing
TO do and but little TO enjoy. After few
months residence he returned to America and de-
voted himself chiefly to literary pursuits His first
serious effort in historical composition was long
article on Peter the Great IN The North american Re
siep for October, 1916. THIS was brilliant and al
most dramatic narrative. The appearance of such
scholarly essay was surprise to those who had wit
messed the failure of MortOn's Hope" 1t was q
SKETCH or rather study for larger picture but it
IL. - h