New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-02-26
SOME FAMOUS MEN.
pOLIOCK,s "REMINISCENCES.

ERicK POLLOCK, second D.rones In nt two Son
umes. lemo, PIP VIII, 800: VIII, ga MacmhAn
4 Co.
These volumes of "reminiscences arc exceed.
hgly pleasant reading, being the rcooliecuons o,
me who was at the same time distinguishes
iurist A man Of letters in touch with all the
.mjneut people OF his time. and quick TO eaton
the Interesting points Of events interviews con-
verxatfons and functions. Brought up IRON,
ss;,dhood IN contact with the brightest minds OF
the English bar for he used to accompany ms
father who was afterward Chief Baron, on CIR
cuit). associated at the University OF Cambridge
with number Of youths who attained ois'inc-
zion in many lines afterward. being all his life
= Welcome guest at the houses Of the most emil
,.nt men of letters. also affiliated by his tastes
18th scientific circles, II would be difficult to
0rd \ more trustworthy or capable annalist for
che lighter forthputtings of what may be termed
distinctively the brainy circles Of English so
ciety.
The Pollocks are a family many Of whose
members have achieved distinction, ana in every
case by personal merit and ability. The father
OF the Chief Baron tthe first baronet was q
wel-todo London saddler All his sons appear
10 have made their mark in the world, and sew
eral of his brothers also. Pollock made HIM
self a name in the disastrous Afghan expedition,
Pollock became an eminent man OF science, and
others were eminent lawyers and judges Sir
Frederick, the author Of these "reminiscences has
not undertaken TO write complete autobiogra-
phy but rather what the French term memories
pour servir He has confined himself usually TO
noting interesting and amusing facts and remarks
rs he encountered them emitting all reference 10
Che more serious events of his time and modestly
withholding his own opinions in the majority OF
Instances.
At Cambridge young Pollock Joined the Union
Debating Society, and was subsequently honoreo
bv election as a member of the Cambridge Con-
versazone Society, better known as The Apos-
ties II was so called because the qualihca-
items for membership demanded so high stand
ard Of character. Neither wealth, rank, social
position nor even intellectual attainments, count
cd for anything in the candidates behalf. lie
must as one Of them put it, have an apostolic
spirit in him to be accepted. Strange as this
method may seem, it resulted in the choice OF
number of rarely gifted young men, as the follow
ing partial list Of old members shows:
Among those now deceased, whose subsequent
careers justify the above remarks. Sir Arthur
Helps may be named himself, +. ID. Maurice, John
Sterling. j. NJ. Kemble the Anglo-Saxon scholar:
Charles and Arthur Butler, Trench Archblshop OF
Dublin. Blakcsley Dean of Lincoln Edward
Horsman SPEEDING, Arthur Halam. Lord Hough-
ton, Afford Dean OF Canterbury, Thompson late
Master Of Trinity. Tom Taylor w. X. Clifford
and F. Bafour, 1t of this society that LORD
Tennyson wrote that they
"heId debate, band
or youthful friends a on MIND no ana ar''
And all the teamwork of the land;
and in addition to In Memoriam" more than
one Of TennysOns minor pieces is addressed 10
members OF this society.
He gives this amusing account Of his first APP
pesrance in court to try a case after being called
to the bar No doubt many young attorneys can
smpathize with his feelings:
II fell TO me- of course to examine the first wit
ness | knew my brief by heart but got up in
the greatest funk to do my duty. The court
swan round me- did not know what questions
I asked, or what answers came from the witness
box. and sat down thinking il was all over WIN
me- and wishing the floor would open TO let me
disappear as completely and quickly as possible
A. the close of the case little scrap OF paper Two
Inches square, passed to me in the cleft OF the
crier's white wand, and. to my vast surprise ana
pleasure, ] read note from Dundas the judge
which said. "You examined your witness quite
like old and experienced hand, reminding us OF
O patre Pollock,
Filius Pollochor"
He tells an odd story Of Lord Dudley. who
one of the most absent-minded men who ever lived,
unless it might be the Rev. George Harvest
lie was dining with King William and Queen
Adelaide and was sitting next the Queen Some
OSn was nanucu fOuUu W NnlCu i%OIu Iuui'S
helped himself, and finding it much to ms hiking,
and being great Judge of good eating, he thought
it his duty to tell his neighbor of it. SO, forget
ting where he was and all the etiquette OF the
palace he turned to the Queen and said, You
really ought to take some of this, 1t Is most ex,
celent" The Queen only smiled and thanked
him. A minute afterward the same thought came
again into Lord Dudley's head, and again he
strongly urged the Queen to have some with the
Same result. After another short interval, for the
third time he pressed the capital merits Of the dish
ba i
glad You like it. Lord Dudley. 1t must be very
good for this is the third time you have told me
of it Then he remembering that but f3 h ha
by all the table, Damn the woman, so 1t Isl
Sir Frederick met Carlyle often enough to form
an estimate Of his character and therefore his i'm
prcssions are Of considerable interest Here is
note on the subject
A day or two afterward there was little ex-
pediton from the house to the top OF Skddaw
IN descending 1 happened to be thrown together
with Carlyle. and he talked all the way down
about shams and wndbags. and how Burns ought
20 have been King Of England and how George
the Third ought to have been the cxciscman. But
he was most severe about Parliamcnts and parha-
mentary representation and voting Tor members
fng the registration of voters: and, as he knew
what should shortly be doing in the county, ne
fell foul Of revising barristers and chaffed and
Tau ghed at me In the heartlest and absufdest OF
WAYS to my great delight and amusement. For
as always happened, when I saw him in later
years and he used to break forth in his wild and
strange way did not believe he meant half Of
what he said It was grim enough very often
but there was always great deal OF latent humOr
in il all In the middle Of his most trenchant de-
nunciations there would be q twinkle or the eye
and a laugh and a sort of quiet, mental dig in the
ribs much as TO say You must not thinl< this
is all quite serious do not mean to assert that
never heard him say Intentionally rude and un-
iust things for he did so: but they We're the ex
ception and not the rule. So that. on the whole
his conversation was most genial and delightful,
especially when he was telling OF his own early
DAYS and about Annandale, or recounting some
cnrions anecdote from history. when one could
listen TO him with the most perfect admiration
Faraday was fond Of novels and thus expressed
himself on fiction