The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-09-13
Recent Publications.


First on the list-not to make over-quick
turning from the political paths in which
mems minds have latterly made way-is the
memoir of Edmund Burke, written by Mr.
John Morley Biographies of English men OF
Letters: New York: Harper Brothers: Port
land; Loring, Short & Harmon) The sketch OF
Burke which this volume presents is exceed
ingly careful, spirited and powerful in execu-
ton. Its opening passage so brilliantly pre-
sents the portrait of the great orator as seen by
various eyes, that as a sample of Mr.. Moriey's
strong and effective style, it may be quoted
here:
1t will soon be hundred years since Burke first
took his seat in the House of Commons, and IL rs
eighty-fye wears since his voice ceased to be heard
there. Since his death, during his life, opinion
as to the place to which he is entitled among tne
eminent men of his country has touched every eX-
treme. Tories have extolled him as the savior OF
Europe. Wings have detested him as the destroyer
of his party One indiscriminating panegyrst eais %
him the most profound and comprehensive of polti-
cal philosophers that has yet existed III the world
Another and more distinguished writer insists that
he is a resplendent and far-seeng rhetoreian rath-
er than a deep and subtle thinker. third tells us
that his works cannot be too much our study, II we
mean either understand to maintain against Its
various enemies open and concealed, designing or
mistaken, the singular constitution of this tortu-
nate island. A fourth, the contrary, declares
that ii would be hard to lind a'Sngle ieauS pIcie
or prevailing sentiment in half of these works,
to which something extremely adverse cannot De
found in the other half fifth calls him one OF the
greatest men, and Bacon alone excepted the great
est thinker who devoted himself to the practce
of English politics. Yet oddly enough, the author
of the fifth verdict will have it that this great man
and great thinker was actually out OF his mnd,
when he composed the pieces for which he mas been
most widely admired and revered.
Mr. Morley has proceeded with rare mix
ture of caution and brilliant appreciative feel
ing to construct from these likenesses of the
great orator-so diverse and so conflicting IN
their presentments of his character and writings
a-portrait which may easily be recognized as
lifelike and consistent with the superb incon-
sistency of Burkes's nature. What finer
praise indeed, can be given to an orator than
this, fairly poetic in its serious, rhythmic
speech
Burke has the sacred gift of inspiring men to use
gra We diligence in caring for high things, and in
making theirl ives at once rich and austere.
As an example of Mr.. Morley's admirable
English, as well of his fine appreciation OF the
worth of Burke's eloquence, the passage above
quoted gives instant assurance to the reader
that the author of this memoir is prepared as
thinker and in a literary way, to give nota-
BILE and reliable biography Of Burke.
The early life of the great statesman is pleas
ant to read of; his father was a solicitor in
Dublin, of good standing, and his mother wa
of an old Irish family, the Nagles OF county
Cork. AT Trinity College, one learns from
Burke's journal that he was not eXtravagant
in burning the midnight oil to light the regu-
lar road of academic routine. He devoted
L cf in
gaining the ready and instructive knowledge
that is only taken by force Of such impulse.
He writes to his friend Shackleton in prose
and verse, the doings of every day, how he
rose early and walked before breakfast until
hunger drove him homeward; how he attended
lectures, wandered by the riverside which he
odiferously describes as the place
"where Liffey rolls Ter dead dogs to the sea-"
He read three hours day in the public Libra
ry-"the best way" he says .of killing
thought" The picture of his lively and versatile
youth is exceedingly interesting as frontispiece
to the description Of his ripper and more vigorous
manhood. Of the nine years after Burke left
college little is known. In 1856 he made his
bow to the public in his quality of author His
cdlly WOIho WClC hOo OoPONiahJ ouSNSo1hoA'
His pamphlet, A Vindication of Natural Soci-
ETY., was meantJ for parody on the manner
and matter of Lord Bolingbroke's writings.
Years afterward Boswell asked DIR. johnson
whether an imprudent publication by a cer-
tain friend of his, at early period of his life,
would be likely to hurt him? "No, sir, re-
piled the sage, "not much; it might perhaps be
mentioned at an election And in fact, in the
year 1865, when Burke had the thought to OBJ
tain seat in Parliament he gave himself the
unappetizing task of putting forth a second
edition of his pamphlet with preface label
ling it carefully for the good of the public,
''this is sarcastical.'' Or in the words of re-
cent bright little international sketch:
'.sare,'' said he, 81 spoke-how you say-de pleine
gaite dc cGur"
81 know" said the other, "out OF pure cussed-
ness.'
'.Exactmcnt, sare. Let us embrace and be
friends -
But to speak again seriously, this irresponsi-
Bile burlesque of Lord Boligbrokes style. was
pronounced genuine work of his pen by such
critics as Chesterfield and Warburton, and the
studies made for this imitation, left their last
ing mark upon Burkes own style of compost
ton. His first speech in Parliament was de-
livered in 1855, in course of debate where he
We'd successfully with Pitt, Fox, Grenville
and Murray. Mr.. Morley gives an interesting
and impartial account of Burke's failings
and virtues-shining among the latter traits
appears his uncalculating devotion to the liz
terests of his country and his party. His part
in the struggle between George Ill and the
American colonies, memorable in Burke's ca
eer, is carefully set forth in this biography.
Burke's belief in the care needful for constitu-
ito nal legislative work was emphatic "Our
constitution he observes, Islands on nice
equpoise, with steep precipices and
deep waters on all sides of it. In
removing it from a dangerous Gaming
toward one side. there may be risk OF over
setting it on the other" And this opinion he
repeated again and again in various fooms of
expression.
In 1771, Burke found it needful 20 deny that
he wrote the "Junius'' letters. Mr. Morley
ranks the writings of Burke upon American
Taxa ton, Cancellation with America, and the
Letter to the Sheriffs of Bristol, as his best
work; and believes them to be the soundest
and most complete manual for the study of
public affairs. Burke had generous sympa-
thy for lost causes, and for individuals in mis-
fortune; and Mr.. Morley gives pleasant anec-
dotes of this kindly trait At his farm of
Beaconsfeld Burke cultivated the turnip and
corn, experimental with pumpksn seed and
parsnps, with the same eagerness that he leg
islated and wrote. Here came the friend Of
his early years. the Quaker, Richard Shackle-
ton, who writes to his wife that, confused by
so sumptuous and worldly life, he went to
his bed in much exercise of mind as to whether
q blessing could rest upon such pomp. But
when he awoke, he tells her in his quaint
idiom, he was glad ''to find no condemnation;
but ON the contrary. ability to put up fervent
petitions with much tenderness on behalf of
this great luminary''
A violent change from these peaceful scenes
are the troublous times of the new ministry.
the tremendous episode of the impeachment of
Warren Hastings, and the confirmation of
Potts power Then followed the tragedy of
the French Revolution, and amid the red fires
Of this scene Burke played fine historic
part
7 49, stAtN1 &