The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1891-04-24
Literary.
New York SUM-

during their lives secluded their private
affairs and characters from their public
works more completely than did Leopold
Won Ranke, the prince of German histor-
ians. In his thirty-third year Ranke, in
answering violent atrack of Heinrich
Leo on his history Of the Roman and Ger
man peoples, said:
ut is difficult for me to speak thus of
myself, but have found it necessary out
of regard for the friends who honor me
with their society and the public who read
my writings" This sentiment was the
KEY note of Banke's private lifc-rcti-
cencc, seeking to avoid publicity, strong
dctcstation Of all self glorifcation, yet
wilhal sense of duty toward his friends
and scholars, to which the most deepseat-
ed inherent taste or prejudice of his ma
ture was compelled to yield Rankc sell
dom found himself in position, however,
in which his personality had to be shown
to the world, and so it came that man
who for two generations WAS one OF the
first scholars Of Europe, for an ordinary
lifetime the foremost of German hlstor-
ians, and for decades the adviser Of prln-
ces and diplomats, remained to his death
an almost unknown man among his young
or contemporaries. The veil was first
lifted from Ranke's personality by the
publication in Leipsic last month OF the
story of My Life" an incomplete bio
graphy, consisting mostly of Ranke's
diary and letters. The revelation has
shown to the world a simple hearted, sym
pathetic, deeply religious man. devoted to
the generations that came and went be-
fore him.
Rankc's love for his wife and his mourn
ING for her death cast the one great
shadow over the last years of his lie. "lt
I remember correctly he said in letter
to Won Mantculfel, Il wrote YOU once at a
time when we were preparing with flow
crs and garlands for the wedding OF my
daughter. To-day have again in my
home a bride-a bride of heaven She
rests between the green bushes and the
still, shining foliage of house plants, Gov
cred with blossoms and wreaths. But she
is dead cold as marble and beautiful as 4
statue Of marble That is wonderful
feature of naturc--how she works in the
dead, and still produces something, or
rather, all that is not essential departs,
only the fascination but also the feeling
of illness. Never have | seen my wife so
beautiful, so marble beautiful, as ycstcr-
day. The same features, the high brow
the back of the head clothed still i'll ,e
low hair, the closed hands outstrctchcd.
and the feet in the familiar natural posi-
ton. The whole figure was light and free
as | had not seen it for twenty years,
goodness still shining in every line Of the
face, and all permeatcd and elevated by
her gentle dignity. knccl beside her
tomb. | can hardly tear myself from il.
Aside from the preceding illness death
has never seemed 50 devoid OF terror as
now. All this is necessarily as it Is. Ma
ture works, &c il we're. plastically Re
memhcrance, regret, sorrow, and love are
mingled with admiration OF her ways and
prayer of appeal TO God
Ranke nursed for his family a love that
never failed or hickcrcd He outliyed
them all, parents and brothers as we'll as
friends and scholars Yct the bitterness
of their losses never led him to wavcr in
his devoted industry to the great science
lie had made his own On his nineticth
birthday, Immediately after the Mayor Of
Berlin had presented him with a letter OF
honorary citizenship. he set down in his
diary these words: And now back to
the kingdom of Otto ILL.,, with the con-
cluson Of which | was busy just as the
Mayor called.
With all his great learning, Ranke was
still as doclc as Il child. His willingness
to learn was illustrated by an incident Of
his life in his 18Th, s0th, and 6lst years.
His brother Ferdinand was philolosist.
"Our association was peculiar i'll that he
came to me every Sunday evening with
some work by an old author. Now and
then We read selections from the Bible, as,
for instance, Job and Romans. We de-
voted ourselves mostly, however, to pas
sagcs from the classics. Often my broth
er made special and careful preparations
for our reading. His face had, on such
occasions, an expression of cagerness and
interest. These hours raised me above
the plane of the views that predominant
in the modern world to higher and clear
err regions. Thus he gave me in MY o0th
year private lessons
As the years crcpt Oh and he drifted
further away from the deaths of his sec
ond generation OF friends and relatives
the rare old man began to feel even while
hard at his incessant work: paug OF iso-
laton and loneliness. He comtorted Ii i'm
self with this philosophy:
in the world of thought loneliness is
the best aid Of progress. With loneliness
a man is less disturbed By associations
and by his surroundings. am often
frightened when | realize how isolated
have become from both. Is that not ego
iismt Az allowable, Il necessary cgoiism.
however, for Oh it is based all the inner
life" And again: Age Is III tscl! lone
Illness" Earlier in life he had indicated
his feeling of isolation with the worlds:
"All Berlin contains for me but four or
five men, Yet he never lost his desire to
work On. In his S4th year he said i'll a
letter to Alfred Won Rcumont: ''Ihc COM
ing of spring has given me ii severe
shaking up. The young fellow seemed
surprised that wish for the eighty fourth
time 10 rcyel in leaves aud blossoms. But
! said to him. "Come, we are old friends,
let ne 20 with YOU again lie appeared
to assent, perhaps for the last time. How
ever, d|0rS CONNIE ui0ra, we will wait to
see.
Great historical figures cast their shnd-
ows over all Rankc's pages. Thcrs.
Room, Humboldt, and men Of 40 or 80
- L