New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-03-18
NEW PUBLICATIONS.

,,r,, AVN TIMES OF THE RIGHT HON. J0 oao
bright BY WILLIAM ROBERTSON fP' WV
Cassell g. Co. $3.50. NJ, Doh
7, Is impossible TO accord high praise TO MT hoo
ertsons work, though his subject was ger
character TO stimulate whatever oiosi "
rn,,ars no possessed. His Life" 10 not mueh nioio
.h, nbot :, this country should cali eau"
no,cn history such as put forward OH ponai -
presidential candidates The maker OF such ooVA
connot fail TO interest the general reauei onS "
irsarts enough illustrations of his heros or"'oS'
opd really il is this which redeems the VoI'nio u
fore ia from absolute inferiority' Jon DI'sn''
though in many respects typical hhe'isli''"
typlcal Saxon, in fact, as the late Aoranai, nay
,yard used 10 call him-has always possessed re-
.,nrl.oIlo mower of ingesting and comprehendlng
American history and politics. His American
snaecbes during the Rebellion exhibited so profound
ona keen an intuition and sympathy that they
,ornded like the utterances of an American STATES
man He never mistook the situation nor mis-
trusted the result His clear sense ms innate hoer-
alism. guided him infallby, and in all Europe the
red.rol cause had no more faithful enlightened or
noverfnl allv than the stanch Quaker orator ana
leader. Perhaps it was his American turn OF nina
that made John Brights acceptance by his own
countrymen so slow. But for many years he was
regarded by British responsibility very mueh a.
Bradlaugh is regarded to-day and " demagog"o
II is both interesting and instructive TO retrace MS
nolitica career and observe how his Radcalisin mas
once and AGAIN. been caught up with, adopted ana
left behind by those who were most shocked wheh
he first broached it, The plain truth is that ne Has
seen further than most of his fellows, ana they nave
made their dulness the measure OF MS revolutionary
tendencies Yet John Bright is at heart by no means
the reckless innovator his opponents have repre-
scented him to be. He knows at what he aims, ana he
foresaes consequences clearly He takes no leaps IN
the dark He has no sympathy with any OF those
modern social regeneratOrs who demand as pre-
,minarv the sacrifice of existing civilization. He is
however and always has been in deep sympathy
with the masses and he is popular Tribune If ever
there was one Born of race of rising workmen
too capable not to lift themselves but too simple TO
lift themselves out of reach of their humble fellows,
he has maintained his intimacy with the common
people and has their confidence and affection Ill re-
turn. And from the time when Golden broke IN
unon his grief as in the fresh agony of his wfe's
death he looked his career as ended, and appeal
ing to his great heart led hun out to forget his per
sonal grief IN battling for the relief of his suffering
eountrymen from the Corn Laws. he has been de
veted to the of humanity and mas laoOred Ior
il noby faithfully and effectively.
His Oratorv has often been described, and Mr.
Robertson has given abundant illustrations of 1t III
his hook But though John BrightS written or
recorded speeches are well reasoned gracefully
illustrated and clothed in simple but stately Eng
hsh the charm and the influence of voice and man
ner are needed 10 convey a Just apprehension OF ms
ability and power. lie is a master OF sarcasm Dut
his keenest thrusts are due TO infection, emphasis
and tone rather than to language, and the same Is
true of his pathetic passages. His voice is OF great
compass and singular purity and sweetness lie Is
not rapid speaker but makes every word tell, ana
every word seems the fttest that could have been
chosen.
OF late John Bright has seemed rather more con
servative than his party, and 1t IS quite probable
that he may think is going too far. But it IS more
likely than not that his judgment, whatever II be.
will be vndicated by time for few If any modern
statesmen have been more closely followed than he
even though public opinion has often been unpre-
pared 10 accept his views on their first expression
The speeches of such man will always be de-
serving of study. Mr.. Robertson has given copious
extracts from most of the more important ones and
10 those who have not leisure to read the published
speeches in full these citations will convey a very
fair idea of their tenor and value The biographical
part of the work is not done i'll the best style, but
the book is not destitute OF merit apart from the
points referred to elsewhere.