New-York tribune., 1885-03-03
UU1IEVER rs Is WHfT'

The qnestion i, not asked IN pcssimistic spirit.
but simply with a view Of elcltng the truth III the
light of facts enough to warrant generalization.
Alexander Pope was Of the opinion that whatever
Is Is right. Sir Robert Walpole. the other hand,
was nclined 10 believe that whatever is is wrong.
for he once exclaimed. Anything but history for
history must be false" Whom such men disagree,
who shall decided IL is just possible that If tho
pcint should bo taken before a really able referee
the decision would be that whatever Is Is mixed.
With no desire to hurt the feelings of those who
side with Pope. we may be permitted TO polnt out
that tho Wapolean hypothesis rests on pretty
strong foundation We are not now referring to
such considerations as that William Tell being u
hopeless myth never shot any apples or other
small fruit oil his sons head; that Freedom
did not shrek" whoa Koscui'ko foil, for
the good and sufficient reason that kosclusko did
not fall; that Cambronno himself being witness.
was not tho author of tho superb cxcllim, " The
Guard dies but never surrenlers" that there is no
"shady rll" by " cool SLOAN" Such counts rs
these III the indictment against history have long
been familiar Our present purpose IL to call atten-
,o, to additional counts IN the same Hdic TIN ent
which have recently been submitted. Here for IN
stance IS "A member Of the Geological Institute at
K,el writing to Nature that dying fish are ncapa-
HE Of nying for tho simple reason that the muscles
of their pectoral fins not large enough to bear
,b. weight of their bodies aloft in the air." OF
coutse there will be general disposition To excuse
diving fish from flying long they are hampered
with tbisyariety of muscle. But in the interval
they ought to SEQ the ethical improprioty
~ allowing themselves TO be called
"dying" tish. And so. too. the Dutch il
Mr. Weise is trustworthy historian,
onpht to stop asserting that their race is
10 be credited with founding tho venerable city OF
Albany Mr. Weise gives history back oyo by
showing that tho first settlers wore French.
Another historian. Francis Parkman, has lately
nroved as the result his Investigations that Long
fellow causes his readers to dilate with the wrong
snotions in that tac of Acadie named " Evan
cel,neu Then there IS every body's friend. the
saddle-rock oyster familiar in our 1ouths rs house
hold words lie holds his own on tho bills OF fare
and the sgn-boards, but. says The brooklyn Eagle.
there is not dealer who does not know that the
ovster to which that name "saddle-rock y be-
lonped disappeared long ago" This is very sad.
|. If tho time has arrived when American cannot
conido in tho oyster, the future OF the Republic
Looks dark The Proridence Journal which evidently
has no liking for Pope. attacks the whatever
,s-is-rght doctrine in this merciloss manner:
MACK lead Is not lead Mt ALL but compound or carbon
and ANAL quantity OF iron. Brazilian grass never grew
in Brazil ard not grass 1t IL nothing but Strips OF
~, Ionf burgundy pitch IL not pitch, ani does not
roIae from Burgundy the greater part OF II T. resin ana
nom oil Catgut Is made from the sntrais OF sheep
,ie hone Is not bone. but kind Of chalk once ncosed
a., the fossil OF extinct specimens of cutesh
Herman silver not invented In Germany and does
ot contain particle OF silver. Clbparas Needle was
moi erscted by the Egyptian Queen nor In her honor
Pompey's Pillar has no historical connection win
pomiey I'm any way Seangwax does not contain a
noriicls OF wax but It Is composed of Venice turpenne
.heao and cinnabar. The tu6erose Is no rose put
ac,e. of polyanthus Turkish baths did not originate
T., Turkey and arc not baths but heated chambers
Wbacbone bone. and Is said not To possess single
property OF bone
The impression is gaining ground that Sir Robert
Walpole was an unccmmonly able mana close and
occurats observer.