New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-10-08
A LITERARY MAN on THE RAMPAGE.


a LITERARY MAN on THE RAMPAGE'
Four or five months ago THE TRIBUNE, reviewing
a Life of Samuel Adams by Professor James X.
Hosmor, of st. Louis, blamed the author for
making too free of the previous laDors Oh the
late William V. Wells, and for doing injustice 10
the character of Adams, whom he accused OF
political dishonesty. trckery, insincerlty and I'M
truthfulness The incidents cited i'll support OF the
charge against Adams were examined one by one
and we declared that they did not prove the case
The criticism was legitimate and well considered
and we SEQ no reason to modify any part OF H.
Suddenly-although certainly rather late-Mr. Johh
Fiske bounces into a St. Louis newspaper. like
ball of fire from outor space; and to all that HE
TRIBUNE has said about the book in question he
opposes not a counter-argument, but dogmatic
lis not so " and !, brutal You n fool"
This is a free country and anybody who docs not
like tho opinions of The TRIBUNE is Mt liberty 10
say SO; but of course if we had fOresecn this
appalling demonstration of dissent we might have
been cautious about expressing any opinion at all
until Mr.. John Fiskc had had time to toll Us what
we ought to think. Tho dISapproyal OF Mr.. John
Fiske author of several books published in Boston,
Il a dispcnsatOn so severe that even II seasoned
fighter ike The TRIBUNE might not bear up under
it, And VIC must confess, to our Shame ana grleI,
that Mr. John Fiskc's disaDproval is total ana
uucoapronisng. Alas! we have not pleased MIN
at ALL We remarked that Professor llosmerS book
WAS III done. and hc shouts that 1t is excellent.
Well, We cannot admire his taste or respect his
critical Judgment. but no is welcome to what com
fort no can get out of them We objected to the
description Of Adams rs n crafty and unscrupulous
politician: and hc shakes his list in our face
crying that he knows all about Adams for he has
studied tho period and that to qualities which
Professor HOsmcr attributes to his hero are not
dscreditabe in q statesman. Mr.. Fisko II not
alone i'm tho distinction of hl'lng studied the
Adams period, but we are quito content to leave
Inn in exclusive possession OF his principles oil
political morality. Lastly to our statement that
the freedom with which the author has drawn from
the work of his predecessor shows an imperfect
sense of literary proprioty. hc replies ut white
heat that we never said sicr thing and that all
historians must needs follow the same method. We
cam only Say that ii we ever catch Mr. John tiske
doing SO, it will be- our pleasing duty to skin hin
alive.
1t should be remembered that for his yitupcrativo
attack upon temperate criticism MT flsHo
received no personal Provocati02. 1t was not ms
book Tho prDpclling force which drives nm 10
such truculcnt behavior is merely a difference oil
opinion upon literary and historical question
order. But it would appear that to differ from Mr..
John FiSkc-or TO have Mr.. John fiske conclude to
di Ter from you-s an owl lcnce of moral ana intel
lcctual dcpravity, SO THE TRIBUNE il accusrd OF
cross piece of cauany." of rCsenting an oNhlbI-
ton of caador and judicial lraEknrs9 because II ~
incapable Of approaching such high qualities, OF
grossly incorporating facts, and OF venting
ignorant Spleen -; aud all tins mmcasurcd coarse
ness of abuse il poured forth with an assurance
which fills M with amilcment Nh. John Flskes
sense Of literary propricty and s sense OF personal
drcorutu seem 10 he cquly Obtuse. Even at tba
risk Of bis catching ire agaln-1itcr four or five
months We snail venture o. say that although 1t
might bc convenient II some Mflllblo oycr-CrItic
were seat into the world TO correct opinions to hurl
anathcmas. to toll people that they arc asses aud
generally 10 SGT us right without the bother Of
giving reasons we have evidence yet that Provi-
dsuce has made any such arrangement We icnr
that Mr. Iohu Fislo has mistaken his place IN the
order of tho universe; or to borrow tho language
Of tho vulgar. it is high time that Ec got himself
4 bigger pair of brocclcs