New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-16

Palp van Lip6orch.
Ii would he Unfair to sag that Professor Fowler
has not looked beyond the material provided for
him by Mr.. Fox Bourne. lie has found few things
not contained in that gentlcmans book-gettng
them apparently from Lord King and ether handy
authorities--and in some cases where he copies one
of Mr. Fox Bourne's extracts from Locke's Latin
letters, he uses different translation. But we
have not observed, either in HIS variations or his
additions, ANYTHING o! moment. In his account Of
IockeS residence IN the South Of France lie says
" 1t Montpelier | have not been able TO find any
trace of him either IN the library or elsewhere
Hence we may infer that Professor Fowler at
tempted some Independent researches but it is re-
maIkable that this part of his book, ike the rest
follows Nj. Fox Bourne with slaviSh fidelity, even
III the phrascololy. 1t contains nothing not IN the
larger work except an additional extract from
LocKe's journal which was printed 10y Lord King
CONDENSATION results sometimes in curious acct
dents AMI here is a specimen: Locke, according TO
Professor Fowler, left Paris with the view Of
making his way lcisurely 20 Montpelier and thence
TO Rome He travelled westward by way of
Orleans. BlOiS, ana Angcrs. On the banks OF the
Loire he noticed the poyeItystrCken appearance Of
the country" etc Now know that Montpelier
lies almost due south of Paris, and 50 does Orleans
Blois and Anglers are west OF the direct route from
Orleans TO Montpelier. ana hence to say that a
man starting from Paris for Montpelier travelled
westward by way OF Orleans, Bios, and Anglers is
not positively incorrect, though II mSleads the
reader OF suggests that perhaps the writer at
fault in his geography. We turn to Professor
Towers original to see where he got his unnatural
and loose form Of expression. and we speedily
enlightened. The journey which he sketches IN two
sentences IS the subject of two pages in Mr. Fox
Bourne from which the following sentences are eX-
tracts: Locke left Paris intending to 90 lcsurcly
to Montpelier and thence on 10 Rome. He
reached Orleans about the lst of July, -. H. was
at Blois the 9th of July. E. UdcfiiiHg West-
ward from Blois along the banks OF the Loire Locke
was disappointed by the overtystrIcken appear
nnce OF the country" This explains everything.
Professor Fowler made his Wrestling too soon after
leaving port.
1t is sometimes difficult to define the boundary
between plagiarism and the legitimate use of pub
lshcd historical materials; but 1t seems to us that
there can be little difference of opinion about the
improperly of the wholesale and practically an
acknowledged appropriation of the fruit of
nnothcrs labor of which this latest addition to the
English Men of Letters series furnishes such n IA
grant example. We say the appropriation Is prac-
tically unacknowledged for the bIief ana general
reference in the preface is far from meeting the re-
quiIements of the case. But even if the ackncwl-
edgmcnt had been ample, the Appropriation would
nevertheless have been unjustiliIbe. The larger
biography was the result Of original AID laOOrOus
research and il has not yet been long enough before
the public to enable the author TO reap the reward
OF his toll. lie has certainly moral right to in
sst that no man shall cut il down and make il over
into a cheaper book without his consent