New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-28
vAr1HEw ARNoLD. MAN IND AUTHOR

London C0rresp0ndelce S0H francisco Chronicle
Matthew Arnold i one Of the great names # not
one of the great men Of Britain al the present time
lie has an extraordinary reputation aud influence.
HIS name is mentioned as often, think, among The
educated classes the name Of any man III tho
United Kingdom. One hears il continually IN Lon
don and a new essay OF book by HIM Is always GER
tain 10 make stir not IN literary circles alone. bat
IN social and political circles also.
He Is very OpuIOnated, decidedly egotsuc in "A
large way, and sometimes dlctatofal. lie I'M
presses different persons dissm arlY. know those
who deem HIM delightful, and others VINO pronounce
him unbeaTaDle. Inc tTulh Is thal De- Is moody:
Meet hun this evening. aud you may be charmed
With him meet Inn next week. aud yOu VIII dislike
him cordially. He has an inbred hatred OF common
place folks and is persuaded, III the face of nature
that men do not own the ngnt 10 be fools. When
thrown into the society OF men OF ideas and con-
genial tastes he is attractive. ana talks so eO-
Guenfy and wisely that It is treat 10 listen TO him.
But a. a rule ne is not accessible and keeps sedu
lousy out of miscellaneous society
MANY siOrIes-i cannot VOuch Tor them-9Te told
of his rudeness such refusing 10 see persons who
had brought letters to HIM, ana cncOunteIlng ann
able courteous men whom he knew perfectly well
with a stony British stare, as II he hhd never Seen
them. | have heard him styled snOb-" snOb
and fool " are constantly and unIustiy applied 10
we dlsappToye oi-but he Is n4thhg OF ,he SORT
and nobody well acquainted with him would couple
Arnold with the word lie Is, indeed, the reverse
of a snob His respect for himself approaches ven
Grafton; his sense of his proper dignity ana lnpor-
tance Is often ncImng. ShObS are not OF tLls
lie seeks not applause from the many but APP
81
ayerse 10 the modern method OF putting special
force into lines and fragments, believing that The
mind should be equally directed 90 the whole work,
as n Is with the Odd Greeks. He has received moro
credit for what he does not merit than any author
can recOilect. One is always hearing here and ut
home an allusion to quOtailOn from MS work
which Is IN 10 manner distinctive or noticeable. lie
saws things that anybody might have said, and
thew are mentioned a. strikingly original.
Curiosity is active here TO know what be believes
concerning eyangeiic subjects. Next 10 nothing, |
nres,lme. He has like most thoughtful men. Te-
noion of ms own. but his religion Is the anupOdcs OF
orthodoxy. He feels that there IS some sort OF ere
alive power behind the universe, though he does
not nretcnd TO any notion Of what the power
he He has no faith in dOgnatic theology, nor IN
rodcaIisin as ord narly understood. ether nor In
the blessing of public improvements Oh free trade
NOR in the policy of foreign conquest; nor III Macy
noliflcaI and moral schemes which one part OF tue
Kritish community sweaTs by and another part
swears A. He has ample iaith, however, IN cduca-
non aud has mastered the SUBJ ct as no other Eng
i;shman has; and If hc could be made Minister OF
Pnhlic Instruction, or something OF the sort, 1t
would be good for the Kingdom