The Portland daily press., 1881-06-20
Edward A. Freeman,
The Controversialist Who Is ABBOTT to
Devastate this Country.
London TRUTH

lLondon TRUTH
/ Imagine a man so we'll and minutely in
formed on all historical questions that he is
seldom able to assent to any general statement
without one or two qualifications at least. For
instance, it would be difficult to get him to ad-
init that Great Britain was an island fer the
expression Great Britain, politically consid-
cred, includes the adjacent Isle of Wight, be-
sides the Scilly lies and others; so that in one
sense Great Britain may be considered group
of isles. Again, though Englishmen may have
modified right to speak of famous king as
William I'LL, it is sheer inaccuracy for o
Scotchman, and worse for an Irishman; for he
was only the second Scotch king of that name,
and the first king of Ireland called William.
If you venture the observation that Napoleon
was great man you run the danger OF being
reminded by Mr.. Freeman that the en-
peror was short in stature. But you had
better let the subject of Napoleon alone in his
presence. He refuses to speak of the late
emperor of the French except as 81. N. Bona
parte." which, by the way, is about the sole
inaccuracy which it would be easy to fasten
on Mr.. Freeman; for if not emperor, Louis
Napoleon was certainly prince by right and
international law.
Not unnaturally, fippant persons have been
found to dub Mr.. Freeman a pedant. To do
him justice, he laughingly declares that the
cap fits him and he is not ashamed to wear it.
But, as rule, he is in too great passion
about something or other to be in q laughing
humor. The most usual cause of his wrath is q
supposed mistake in history by another writer
generally Mr.. Froude. And yet, as one reads
that endless series Of articles in the Saturday
Review, one was apt to think Mr.. Freeman
treated his brother historian rather hardly. He
ought to have been politer to the man who was
the means of putting so many checks into his
pocket. Every two or three slips Of Mr..
Froude's afforded the materials for good
slashing notice in the Saturday, Had Mr..
Froude written in more painstaking manner,
Mr.. Freeman must have suffered serious
diminution of income But. we never know
our best friends. IL. G8s.
Sometimes, as society learned very few
yoars ago, with amused surprise, Mr.. Freeman
explodes ON subjects of contemporary history.
His pet aversion was Lord Beaconsfeld whom,
to quote the simile OF a Comtist professor, he
used to charge at like bull with his head
downwards, obstinately refusing to see any
thing in the way of his own prepossessions.
Mr.. Freeman's diatribes on the Eastern Cues
ton might have damaged the Liberal cause
had it not been so good a one; in any case they
could only harm friends. The perish India
phrase, when explained away, amounted to a
simple platitude; but then it was so unfortu-
nately worded that the majority of men were
sure to attach wrong Specification to it. Mr..
Freeman once tried to get into Parliament for
Mid-Somerset, and OF course, came to signal
grief. He has the gold of learning, but none
of that small change which is Indispensable In
the everyday business of life.
His knowledge of all history, ancient and
ervation must be made, Literature he has on
ly studied to get at the facts Of civil and mill
tary annals He would give you list of the
doges Of Venice backwards without consulting
book, but would be puzzled to pen readable
paragraph on the character Of Shylock. Now,
the most valuable part Of history being probab.
ly what men have written, one sees at once
that there is one intellectual quality lacking to
Mr.. Freeman as perfect narrator OF past
events. And yet one had almost said he was
within measurable distance Of perfection. His
love Of accuracy amounts almost to mania At
the same time he throws himself heart and
soul into the period of which he is treating, and
is evidently more familiar with the events (say)
of 1851 than of 1881. Every now and then
you recognize the mans earnestness by finding
him in one of his passions. ~,
He has grown quite in love with the Old-En-
glish and Anglo Norman period. His very
children, am told, have been christened by
such antiquated names as" Elfred" and "Ead-
ward" and Ethelburgh." A special favorite
of his is Simon de Mountfort, or Earl Simon,
as MI. Freeman prefers to call him. One day
the Prince of Wales went down to Eversham
to open park, or lay foundation stone, or
perform some other equally important ceremo-
ny, and was formally presented by the mayor
with an address, which, though "taken as resd",
got into the papers. In it Mr.. Freeman dis
covered, to his indignation and amazement,
that the mayor had reminded his royal high
ness how Eversham was famous as the site OF q
battle won by former Prince of Wales. The
statement of the worthy burgess was substan-
TALLY accurate, and he had assuredly meant
no harm; but to speak of Earl Simon's defeats
an offence te % be- nassed % oyer and mS @ tbe mavor
was metaphorically fiayed alive in the next is
sue Of the Saturday. r- .st:e- soss {.