New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1879-06-16
LONDON LITERARY TOPICS.
A R1nGRApHER oF nICKENs NEEDED.

THE rRREMAN-FROUpE CoNIRONEN b--ThOfho
soR HUxIEY's SCIENTIFIC BELIEF.
,YRoM THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNE
LoNpoN, May 3-Mr Hughes has abandoned his
biography of Dickens for the English Men of Let
tcrs series and no one has yet been found to
undertake the work in his place. don't know
what Mr.. Huehess opinions may be, but the dlih-
Guilty in his or any other writer's way is obvious.
Dickens retains far wider popularity with the
multitude than among men of culture, and an
author of the present day must choose between an
estimate of Dickens which will seem too low 10 the
mass of his readers and one which will seem too
high to the critics whose verdict he most cares for
With posterity be would be IN still greater danger
Questions have been asked twice over IN Parlia-
ment about General Roberts and The Standard cor
respondent whom hc expelled from ms camp. MIN
listers have given. as usual, vague answers. But
the case is as clear as sunlight. Mr.. Mcpherson
was guilty of telling the truh and that is why he
suffered. He was never even accused OF prema-
ture publication of military moyemcnts-thc one
unforgvable sin in a correspondent. He was
nccused of criticising General ROberls's mis-
takes; of substituting the plain truth for
the vanished bulletins which staff officers OF Cen
eral Roberts serving correspondents of other pa
pers strove TO pass off for truth. This commander
belongs TO that class Of generals who cannot endure
that any opinions but their own should be held OF
expressed within their jurisdiction. He would have
sympathzed with that unhappy general IN our war
who is said to have torn certain newspaper INTO
four pieces and stamped on them-al because II did
not believe in his change of base. But General hoD-
ortS has surpassed all his predecessors He not only
dismissed Mr.. McPhersOn-he appointed his sue
cessOr and his appomtce was one OF his own stan.
The one thing he could not do was to compel me
Standard TO publish his staff officers letters That
81, .rt-, Nl-a a
Journal has not lacked of late for Independence,
whether in political or military matters, and its
editor has the presumption TO think himself as alb
solute in his office as General Roberts is
In his camp. He has stood Loyalty By his
correspondent, has published his full statemcnt-a
statement which had the fault of being too long, but
was otherwise q thoroughly good One-and has
dealt with the whole question in leading article
which laws down sound principles of journalism
md leaves General Roberts in a position which his
enemies-if enemies he have-must enjoy.
Mr. Browning, who will shortly publish the new
volume of poems already announced, has not been
well lately. Society has had to dispense with his
genial presence. and good many dInncr-tables
have missed bis hearty tones and the inexhaustbe
variety Of his brilliant talk. He is BETTER one is
glad 10 say, and has again been out. Like so many
others, he has suffered from the intsrmnable sue
cesson of cast winds and bitter weather, which
have made this Winter memorable and to most peo-
pie, hateful. Among other sufferers Mr.. Gladstone
must be mentioned. Tie state Of his health was for
some days SO bad that bulletins appeared even in
the Conservative organs. or at least in that one OF
them which has more pride in England than in the
Tory party which just rules it. foolish story
was circulated that Mr.. Gladstone did not want to
take part In the debate South Africa; that he
was on Sir Bartle Frcres side, Lord Chemsford's
side, and l know not what else. But there never
was word of truth ia all that,
Professor Huxley reprinted last month in The
Niaetoeah Century his recent lecture at the Royal
Institution on Sensation and the Unity of Struc-
iure of Sensifcrous Organs" This he has rewritten
with extreme care, and it will be found to contain
an account of what may be called the key to his
system Of scientific belief Mr. Froude has Few
Words on Mr.. Freeman. 1t may be a matter for re-
crct that two men of such distinction IL literature
as Mr.. FTOude and 8ir. Freeman should engage IN
personal dispute But the fault is not Mr. Froude's.
Mr.. Freemans recent articles on Mr.. Fr0udo's
Thomas Beckett have gone far outside the merely
literary or historical questions at issue between
these two writer's. HIS criticism has taken the
form of personal attack. He has accused Mr..
Froude of dsingonuousness of dishonesty, of quib-
ling evidence, of misstatng facts; and this he has
done with a vehemence of invective which amounts
10 insult. Idon't think he has injured Mr. Froude.
Charges of that sort are apt to recOh on their
author, especially when they are urged with
the brutality which Mr. Freeman does not scruple
to employ. But there is limit to human patience
and it is no wonder that Mr.. Froude should feel
himself called upon 10 make direct reply. Nh. A
r. Wallace, whose name seems TO belong to the de-
partment Of Natural History. deals with political
economy, and tries to persuade the Brton that
Reciprocity is the True Free Trade. Nr. Edward
Dicey discusses once moro the Egyptian crisis, a
subject in which o good many Englishmen have
that direct interest which has it's in the pocket
and about which Mr.. Dicey has the direct knOwl-
edge which comes Of personal acquaintance with
Egypt and the Egyptians, from the Khedive down
ward. shOpkeepeTs view of "Co6perative
Stores" is stated by Mr., Thomas Lad-another
burning question. though of the domestic kind.
Finally. Mr.. Archibald Forbes. whose pen is seldom
Idle and never dull treats of "The Political Situa-
lion in Burmah." -Four OF five of Mr.. Forbess let
ters from BurInah have lately appeared in The
Daily Ners; raoy, picturesque, instructive and
original ever. He seems to have started of for
Burmah with that kind Of prophetic instinct
which distinguishes him. He went there inst before
the young Ksug took 1t into his head to slaughter
his kinsmen; q performance which gave Lord
Lytton a pretext for another burst of JInGo
energy and made Burmah an object of immediate
Interest III England.
Mr.. Forbes is also the writor of the leading paper
I'm Mr.. Edmund Yates's new monthly magazine,
Time, to which he contributes Plain Words on the
Afghan Question 1" and very plain they are. The
Jingoes hailed HIM as a recruit when he wrote on
Bulgaria. His account of Cyprus led them 20
doubt whether, after all. any steady comfort could
be got out of their new ally and this scathing e1
posture Of British misdeeds i'll Afghanlstan is likely
to complete their disenchantment. In tho Same
new periodical occur articles on Art Education"
by Sir COutts Lindsay, the spirited proprietor Of