The new North-west., 1888-05-04


which he herates American writer's for want
Of clearness are sentences so long and in
volved that the reader loses the subject be-
fore be reaches the predicate. But as ne IS
dead, let us briefly review what he did.
he was born Dec. "a, 1892, his father being
the noted Thomas Arnold, Of Rugby, who
reyolutionized the school system of England.
Matthew was thoroughly prepared by his
father, and entered Baliol college, Oxford.
under the best auspices. The latter years OF
the father and the earlier years of Matthew
were passed in the midst of that queer social
and theological ferment to which contempt
rary writers gave the vague title Of the "Ox-
ford Tractarian Movement" of which the
renowned John Henry Newman was the
moving spirit. Like the Methodist move
ment Of century before, it began in an az
tempt to ssyitalize doctrines"-that IS, 10
make the established church more mission
izing and evangel church. But the results
were wonderfully different. Newman dashed
into the controversy with the bro""
statement that the Protestant reformatloA
was badly managed, and that most OF the
arguments alleged against the old churcr
told more effectively against historic Chrls..-
anity, Once launched on this course, ne
pursued his logic unfinchingly to the end,
became Catholic and rose to high rank IN
that communion. Some 800 young Oxonlans
followed him into the Catholic church. Inc
other "Tractarians" divided into three
classes: one became High Churchlnen; an.
other. including James Anthony froude ana
men Of his type, dropped into mild mil
delity: while Matthew Arnold and those OF
his cast of mind grew or glided into myssl-
al half faith. which seems to an average
American like mixture of "hberal Chrls0l-
anitvn with Emersonianism and perhaps
small percentage of Buddhism. In 'Lltefa,
tura and Dogma" the curious reader Will
find part of this faith set forth III phrases
which are, perhaps, plain enough "hen
thoroughly studied
A. Oxford Mr., Arnold won the Newdegate
nrize for English verse. For some years ne
ncted as secretary to Lord Lansdowne, ana
for five wears thereafter was inspector OF
schools From 1857 to 1867 he was professor
~ ,,oetrv at Oxford, and thereafter was
writer lecturer and educator He was a
vol,,miuous writer and worked unceaslngy
90 his schemes of liberal education he
visited America several times, and llked Us
less every time; though he has daugnter
living in New York city, the wife OF
Frederick W. Whitridge, Esq, lawyer al
M 50 Wall street. They met n 1852 "hel,
che visited America with her father, anu
were married in 1884. Matthew Arno'd oiu
not admire American literature lie thousht
such humorists as Mark Twala ana pre-.
Harte national misfortune; d'a noe aalnle
that there was as yet distinctive lltera.ule
m this side of the ocean, and was shocked ~
our jovial system of naming towns % eSPe
cially at Podunk, Oshkosh smltcv'lle, mee s;s;t
hawicn and Kalamazoo. d1s recen: '.9.s 90
gave him occasion to write the aIt'cte tsn - .u,,
April number Of The Nlneteea'n ,aeE;"a Sen.n ~
Magazine, in which he speaks o' Anel. ,:n.sn =. -
"a nation Of ignoble braggarts nsths ~ - 20
fools paradise" 1t IS preoly se's'o'
shall make an effort to survive
A New Name for 1t.