New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-08-16
The MAGAZINES.
HARPER'S FOR SEPTEMBER.

Harper's Magazine for September is a thoroughly
Interesting number which will come into the hands
of tourists and visitors to the country in time to add
sest to the last days of recreation Two
finely illustrated articles are, "Summering in the
Thousand Isles" by E. II. Ropes, which has life
like portrait of Dr. J. G. Holland. and Mr. W. H.
Rideing's description of "The English at the Sea-
side" In IAN Old Fort and What Came of It," by
N. III. Egleston there is admirable sketch OF
President Garfieds alma mater Williams College,
which contains the following tribute Of its most
distinguished graduate to its mostdistinguished
president:
II our newly chosen President, General Garfield,
were to disclose the influences which have given
battle, and in the councils of the Nation, and finally
have set him to preside over the Nation, he would
the reply from President Hopkins, If you come
here, we will do what we can for you,r he placed
with his own faithful eudeavors, what he is. In
deed current story to say noth hing of the public
his opinion of Williams College. and especially of
his great teacher there. Some years since, the
held in the City Of NewYork Which o Genera G Mas
held, then member of Congress- attended. The
s ssd the OF the college was discussed and much
The General listened attentively and when his
"PgSoH 1S Tas "a asked sxpessed himself as
he, give me a log-cabin in the centre of the State
OF Ohio with one room in it, and bench with Mark
Hopkins on one end OF 1T and me on the other, and
that would be a college good enough for me-"
Three or four illustrated poems by III. H. Nora
Perry, Sarah Orne Jewett and Marinus Willet are
marked features of the number and the ilust, ated
sketches and the stories add variety and humor A
practical article on "The Wheat Fields of the
Northwest" by Edward Storrs Atwator yields the
palm in the growing of grains to Canada. Professor
Herbert Iuttle III an article on The German EN-
prc" explains the structure and workings of Prince
Bismarcks administrative machine and offers many
interesting and suggestive passages like tue follow
ing:
In the first place. the German term " Reich (" does
not designate an empire as a form of government
distinguished from a Kingdom. for instance, a
public. Strictly taken, 1t means " realm" or
commonwealth" while the technical term for
pire, is Kaserrcch;" Thus the Roman Empire
might be cailei Reich, as was the old German
Empire because, for reason, the hereditary
principle i'll both was weak, did not exist and in
the present confedera ION; Reich, the so-ealied
imperial dignity, though hereditary in the royal
house of Prussia is not hereditary in the house of
HOhenzollern rs such. If the IIohenzollerns should
ever cease to be kigS of Prussia the would cease
;pso {acto to he Emperors of Germany. But the
Napoleonc Empire in France was always called
in German the "Kaseueich," because the inn
perial principle, whatever that may be-. was
state. The same observation held true of the head
OF the state III Germany. The press and the public
in other countries speak Of him commonly as the
Emperor of Germany, which is incorrect. There is
no such parsonage. The federal constitution sim
is vested i'll the King of Prussia, who sba bear the
title OF German Emperor. Our usage of language
make any clear difference between the title German
Emperor and the title the Emperor of Germany but
distinction is of vast Importance. The King of
Prussia is then merely President of the German
realm, and there is nothing imperial about him ex-
cept his title. There is no imperial crown no i'm
perlal privy purse no imperial civil list noimperial
suite, court palace. lie is simply King of Prus-
STA, cntrus ed with certain executive functions in
the German federal system
Finally the retirement of bismarck. which has
already been often threatened his death which
has now became daily possibility, would be a most
serious blow to the stability OF the Imperial system
w hO iaH he fnr
pnity-the Emperor, MOltoe, and Bsmarck-the
last-named could be least easily. spared. The En-
peror is a man of mediocre ability, even an O SOL
der and his son is in some respects his superior
Motke is unquestionably military genius; but
viii live after him. But the Chancellor has rigor
ousiy suppressed every rising pupil and has formed
administer The secret of his power VIII be buried
with Ia! hin in the grave. 1t is natural, therefore,
OF ms loss with dIsinay and be paralyzcd by every
nntavorabe report of his condition or his feelings
ms Is really the great danger which threatens the
Empire
In the Editors Easy Chair Mr.. George William
Curtis describes the effect produced by Wendell
Pbiipss recent Grafton at Harvard his listeners:
lie spoke perhaps for two hours, perhaps for half
an hour; But there was no sense of the lapse of
tme HIS voice was somewhat less strong but it
had an the old rec and the old music. He was in
IN tone, walking often to and fro, every gesture ex-
melody and grace aud magic, ali wit and paradox
ana power The apt quotation, the fine metaphor,
the careful accumulation of intensive epthet to
point an audacious and startling assertion, the
pathos. the humor But why try to describe beautyR
IL was ,consuInmate art, and as noble display of
nigh oratory aS any nearer spectator had known.
1t is usually thought that there must be great
occasion for great oratory. Burke and Chatham
upon the floor of Parliament plead for America
against coercion; Adams and Otis and Patrick
Henry i'll vast popular asserl blies fire the Colonial
heart to resist aggression Webster lays the corner
stone on Bunker HILL or in the Senate unmasks Sc
cesson in the guise Of political distractions Everett
must have the living LAFAYETTE by his side But
mere Is an orator without antagonist with no
measure to urge oppose, whose simple theme upon
literary occasion Is the public duty of the scholar
Bat he touches and strs aud inspires every listener
and rs he quietly ends his discourse with stanza
OF Lowells tina he has quoted hundred times
every nearer feels that it is historic day and that
what be has and heard will be one of the tradj
tons of Harvard and of Phi Beta Kappa. 1t does
not follow, because the audience was charmed and
overlooked with expressions of delight that 1t there
fore agreed.
THE CATHOLIC WORLD