Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1887-1890, 1888-04-21
Semi epky
ARNOLDS ATTACK.


will excite surprise and regret despite
the unfrieudly spirit manifested toward
this country in his last essay In England
Arnold lowered above many eminent
men by reason Of his great learning, his
mastery style and his services to educa-
ton. In that country his influence has
been considerable. He resembled in
some respects Samuel johnson. Like
that great man he was versed in classic
and English lore, but he was also dogma
tic and censorious. His untilnely death
will break the force Of the censure which
his recent article has aroused, but it will
continue to be bitter dose for those who
engage in the profitless task Of cultivat-
ing British favor for this country. From
any other pen the article might have
passed unnoticed, but those who talk so
glibly Of Anglo-Saxon unity must con
cede that Matthew Arnold represents the
sentiments Of that class, still powerful in
England, which hates democracy with as
hearty hatred as any Tory did in the days
gone by.
1t is the spirit in which Arnold wrote
rather than his words that will annoy his
admirers in this country, for we have out
grown that sensitiveness to criticism
which was evlnced in the early days Of
the republic. The paper is madeup of com
ments, some of which are trivial in the
extreme, while others rise above the com
monplace. Thus he says: "ln America
all luxhries are dear except oysters and
ice" Later on he qualities this charge,
which visit to California, the land Of
wine, fruit and tobacco would have dis
proved and says: "Luxuries are, as
have said, very dear-above all European
luxuries, but workingman's clothing is
nearly as cheap as in England, plainfood
is on the whole cheaper" The latter
statement will not do us much harm with
English workingmen, who have scanty
supply of the necessaries of life and few
ofsits 'luxuries. "The American cities"
Mr.. Arnold also wrote, shave hardly any
thing to please trained OF natural
sense of beauty. They have buildings,
that cost great deal of money and pro-
duce certain effect-building shall I
say, such as our Midland station at St.
Pancras, but nothing such as. Somerset
and WHITEHALL because, he might have
added, our wealth has not been wasted by
royalty.
Mr.. Arnold was displeased with the
press and becomes amusing in telling
what befell him. He says:
IF relate some of my own experien
ceB, 1t is because these will give clear
enough notion Of what the newspapers
over there are, and one remembers more
definitely what has happened to ourself.
Soon after arriving in Boston, opened
Boston newspaper and came upon col
umn headed: 'Tickings.' By tickings we
are to understand news conveyed through
the tickings of the telegraph. The first
ticking was Matthew Arnold is 81 years
old'-an age, Unjust just say in passing,
which had not then reached. The sec
ond ticking was: wales says Mary is
darling;' the meaning being that the
Prince Of Wales expressed great admira-
ton for Miss Mary Anderson. This was
at Boston, the American Athens. l pro-
ceeded to Chicago. An evening paper was
given me soon after l arrived; l opened
it, and found under alarge type heading,
'Wethave seen him arrive the following
picture of myself, He has harsh features,
supercitious manners, parts his hair down
the middle, wears a single eyeglass and
ill-fitting clothes.'"
1t was the American woman which saw
ed us from an almost wholesale condem-
nation. The stern critic relaxes enough
to admit that "almost every one acknowl-
edges that thereis charm in American
women-a charm which you find in al
most all of them, wherever you CO. 1t is
the charm of a natural manner, manner
not self conscious, artificial, and con-
strained. 1t may not be beautiful man
ner always, but it is almost always nat
ner, free and happy manner; and this
gives pleasure" 1t will be seen from all
this that Mr.. Arnold has not been very
profound. He talks on "civilization'
with more depth, but in that hypercriti-
cal spirit which provokes Indifference
rather than anger.