The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-02-02
THE ILLUSTRATIVE POWER or
ANECDOTES.

THE ILLUSTRATIVE POWER or
ANECDOTES.
The most striking illustration and
memories of men are given by anec-
dote. Without its characteristic re-
minders the lives of the most eminent
men would be prosaic and lapse in a
very short time into the gloom of
commonplace. The expert biographer
never neglects an occasion to use anec-
dote to convey an idea of the pecull
arites of the genius whose memory
he Is attempting to perpetuate.
Charles the III would not be under
stood If Macauay had not related the
fact that he apolOgised to his friends
for abusing their patience by taking
such long time to die. That simple
anecdoto exemplifies his memory,
arouses our curiosity in his character
and biography and throws flood Of
light upon the prominent features and
characteristics of the man that makes
his biography so interesting to the
ordinary reader.
The peculiarities of our public men
are caught at by the biographer and
the historian and are used to
give point to the influences by
which they are animated in
public affairs. The life of Napoleon
Bonaparte is familiar to every school
boy, but il there had been no striking
peculiarities of his character that
were Illuminated by anecdote he
would DO remembered only as a
marauder on q grand scale and ty-
rant whenever authority could be
abused The lives OF Mr.. Clay and
Mr.. Webster are more familiar to the
generation that followed them than
of the other member of the great
triumvirate, Mr.. Calhoun, and that is
because the two former are surround
ed by a glow of anecdotal reminis-
cence, while the latter, wrapped in
the genius of his originality and in
the privacy of his excluslveness, left
no touch OF humor or pathos to throw
upon the canvas the sharp points of
his individuality. Mr.. Blaine, who
has just departed from this earthly
sphere, will be remembered much
longer than his mentally superior,
Roscoe Conklin, for every incident OF
Mr.. Blaine's life will be frightened
by personal "reminiscences and thrill
ing anecdote, while CoDkling will be
known only for his lofty contempt
and disdain of all things and
men about him. In fact, the very
strongest tie Conklin will have on the
future will be the incident of his con-
troversy with Mr.. Blaine, and while
it will be told as a part of Mr.. Blaine's
lite, it will serve to keep in memory
his great rival. Ben Buffers memo
ny will be preserved by anecdote.
Perhaps our own Sam Houston will
better illustrate the anecdotal power
of literature than any other man.
The stern qualities of his character
will be illustrated and illuminate his
tory with anecdote long after other
men, his equals, are relegated to OBJ
security. Old Hickory will keep his
place in history, more by the anec'
dotes that tell of his firm and indom.
liable will, long after any political
event of his life is forgotten. And the
battle of New Orleans will be read
side by side with the battle ofManas-
sas because the .peculiarities of the
two Jacksons will keep alive both
important events by incidents woven
into the web of history by illustrative
anecdote. Anecdote is the condiment
of biography and history and without
its attic salt the most tempting dish
will spoil and sour upon the al petite
of the reader. We would there
fore advise bioglaphers to season
their story with anecdote,
throwing boldly on the cam
vass the peculiarities of the subject.
JUDGE LINDSAY of Kentucky,
whom the legislature has just sent to
the United States senate to fill the
vacancy caused by the resignation of
Mr.. Carlisle, will in every respect
fill Carlisle's seat. He is man of
thorough accomplishments as a law
yer, with good and comprehensive
views of craftsmanship, and in no