Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-02-02
MATTHEW ARNOLD's BOOK.
How Chandler Took Himself and His
Country Down Peg.

How Chandler Took Himself and His
Country Down Peg.
Correspondence of the MorntnG Neqos.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 31.-I trust there is
no truth in the report l heard the other
evening that Matthew Arnold is about to
publish the impressions formed during
his American tour of last year. If he
published them all fully and truthtully
there would be some very unpleasant
things in the book, for he passed through
some very peculiar experiences, which
would not read we'll if published to the
world. At least, they would reflect no
credit on the towns in which they oc-
CURED. 1t is not necessary to prove this
that | should drag out all the peculiar
and ridiculous mistakes made in Western
towns by ignorant persons who undertook
to present MIR. Arnold to his audiences,
for the amusing entertainments given to
him not only West but East, l suppose that
fifty times at least, in the course of his Amer
lean experience, Arnold was publicly pre-
sented or addressed as the author of the Light
OF Asia. The confusion of thought on this
point, in the American mind, is painful TO
contemplate. To a sensitive, fastidious man
IKE Arnold 1t proved exceedingly annoying
anu embarrassing on many occasions. 1t is
sufficient to show that Arnold's book would
not be read with unmixed joy this side of
the Atlantic, to tell you one thing that oc-
Cured while Arnold was in Washington |
nave never seen the story satisfactOriallv told
In print. a very meague abstract was
published at the time and nothing
has been published about it
since Arnold was to read his old lecture en-
titled eli erature and Science" in which he
advocates the claims of literature to the most
young men and women as superior to those
of science. Speaker Carlisle, then Just elected
was to present Arnold to the audience The
Congregational Church. our largest audi
tOrium, was filed on the night of the lecture
with literally the best people in Washington
All the refined cultivated men and women
who could come came. There were MANY dis
tlngulShed men and women III the audience
II was probably, all things considered the
finest assemblage of the season. At s O'Clock
Mr.. Arnold walked in and up on the platform,
accompanied by Secretary Chandler Rev
Edward Everett Hale, Representative
William Walter Phelps and Commissioner
OF Agriculture LOring. All these gen
tlemen. eXcept Chandler were in eve5Ins
dress. Chandler was in an every day busi-
ness suit. He came promptly to the front.
his eyes twinkling wickedly behind his eve
glasses, and addressed the audience in his
peculiar down. East tones. "FellOW citizens
he began in stump-speech style, ''opeaker
Carlisle writes that he cannot be here to-night
on account of the pressure of public business
[ am to act in his place. l am more sorry
than ever that Mr.. Carlisle was elected
Speaker of the House." Then he went on tO
say that the relations between the United
States and England were now friendly and
we were always glad to listen to the criti-
cisms of our English cousins, retaining the
consciousness all the time that we would he
fully able to hold our own in any contest Of
the future.
THIS WAS SAID WITH A SNORT OF DE-
FIANCE
which might well have startled our English
guests. But Mr.. Arnold with this presenta-
tiOn arose and read his lecture, with some
mannersms to be sure, but still clearly and
pleasingly. When he had finished IL
was quite late, and everybody but Chandler
was ready to go home. But Ghandler's fun
was to come. He stepped briskly to the front,
though he had been yawning all through the
lecture. and remarked in substance: "FellOw
citizens" never Ladies and Gentlemenl II
know that the distinguished lecturer (sic) un-
derstands the American desire to hear both
sides of a question fairly stated. He has pre-
sented the case of literature. We would now
like to hear the case of science presented
Looking over the audience | do not see anv
scientists" There were dozens there tbouqh
from all the scientific bureaus of the govern
ment) lin the audience, and so we shall have
to depend for criticism upon the lecture on
the gentlemen sitting on the platform" To
the astOnlshment and conformation of eVerV-
body he then turned to the gentlemen sitting
to the audience thus: Fellow citizens, ST'
this is DR.. Hale, of Boston, a well-knOWn au-
thor and lecturer and clergyman. whose re-
searches have been in the science Of theology.
this is our Well-knOWn fellow citiZen, Dr. LOr-
ing, whose Investigations have been in the sci
ence of agriculture; this is a distinguished
member of Congress, Mr.. William Walter
Phelps, Of New Jersey. If not President. heis
at least President maker. He is skilled In the
science of politics. We will now hear from
these gentlemen. iDr. Hale" Poor DR.. Hale.
with his keen sense of humOr, sat, the very
picture OF puzzled astonishment, in classic
attitude on the extreme right of the platform.
with his big black cloak thrown over his
limbs. He rose at this summons with queer
smile on his face and remarked in
his own sweet, measured way: Ladies
and Gentlemen: There has been so
much said, and. on the whole. so well
SAID, that | will not further occupy the
time" Then he sat down-a ripple of laugh
ter passed over the audience as the famous
phrase from the lips of Hale's favOrite char
acter the Rev. Frederick Ingham was recog-
nized. Chandler waited for this to die away
and then came to the edge of the platform
again with, Fellow citizens, we know Dr.
Lorlng too well to expect so short speech
from him. and then made way for Dr. LOr-
ing: The latter usually so pOmpOus and self
sufhcleGt was for the first time IN years en-
barrassed. He blushed and stammered like a
scho0l boy. Chandlers Introduction had
touched his well known weakness for long
speeches, and he felt probably as ridiculous
as he looked. But he managed to saw without
seeing how awkward it was that he did not
see how he could better express his pleasure
than by shaking the hand of the great
in most clumsy fashion to the
great annoyance of Mr. Arnold and the great
amusement of Chandler "Now," said the
latter, coming to the surface again. ''We Will
hear from Mr.. Phelps" The latter was
very much disgusted with Chandler.
BUT HE GOT UP GRACEFULLY,
and looking straight before him at the au-
dience, said: Ladies and gentlemen, 1 am
glas to have this opportunity of expressing
the pleasure have experieHced in lfstepinS
to Mr.. Arnolfs eXhortatlon to that proper
cultivation OF our sense for duty and our
sense for beauty" Then he sat down, and
the audience, thinking the after farce at an
end, prepared to go. But Chandler was not
through with it yet. ''Fellow citizens" he
said, in his clipper way stepping to the front
Frederick Douglass in the audience. /
know we would all be glad to hear his
criticism on the lecture and to have him
move at the close of his remarks a vote of
thanks to the distinguished lecturer" This
was as startling as a bombshell. There sat
Douglass with his new wife right in the