The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-07-19
STORIES ABOUT MEN.
TIE PART PLAYED BY ANECDOTES OF
BIG MEN IN HISTORY.


Whom tho Story Is Told.
There is a story going the rounds of
the newspapers to the effect that during
She siege Of Petersburg General Lee
hurned aside from the grave duties and
dangers of his position to pick up and
replace on the limb of tree a nest full
OF young birds that had been knocked
down by Federal shell. A similar
story has been told of Lincoln to illus
Tfrate his tenderness of heart, and the
probability is that the fable originated
away back in the early dawn of civiliza-
tion. 1t is mostly so with the anecdotes
which figure in the history of great men
and events. When they arc not Dor
vowed from the ancients and handed
down through successive generations,
they are manufactured by skillful writ
ers to suit particular characters and oc-
-tcasions. We may be quite sure that
General Lee never paused in the course
Of n battle to look after distressed birds.
He was man of fine feeling undoubt-
edly, but it does not follow that no was
I'm the habit of making himself senti-
mentally absurd.
The story, in short, Is not characteris-
tic, and SO it has no historical value. A
distinguished mans fame is harmed
gather than helped when he is thus rep
resented as manifesting himself in an IL
logical and improbable manner. 1t
would be easy to believe Of Leo that he
stopped to ease the pain of wounded
soldier or that he gave his rations to
hungry prisoner, but it is not reasonable
90 suppose that his instinct of sympathy
Yaafr -ad h INT ~,
this story attributes to him. And thus
ae is with hundreds Of other anecdotes
that are used to impart an enlivening
Mavor to the dreariness of history.
The anecdote is desirable thing in
works which are intended to convey a
vivid impression of historical occur
rences or celebrated personalities, but it
needs to DO employed judiciously and
with rational sense of fitness. There
IL no advantage gained when such mat
fssr is introduced for the mere purpose of
giving variety where there would other
wise be monotony. The anecdotes pros
parity lies i'll its adaptability to the char
acter that is being portrayed and its
service as a striking illustration of an in
diyidual trait or tendency. We often
get better idea of man from some
simple story of his denoting tastes or
caprices than from the labored accounts
OF his more important proceedings. but
the story must be carefully adjusted TO
the logic OF the mans life and the salient
facts of his career, or it's intention will
be defeated.
The best historians and biographcrs
understand this and are accordingly as
painstaking and solicitous III the case of
an anecdote as i'll that of problem of
serious interest. They do not tell stories
os that sort for superficial effect or to
quicken tho readers tagging attention.
out to emphasize Il given characteristic
and to fill practical want in the way
OF description or analysis. The anccdOte
supplements and Eliminates the heavier
features Of the narrative 1t is used
with discrimination and not in II light
ana pro1niscuous manner. Tho picture
would not be complete without it. The
character would be dim and distant in
the absence of such aid to the apprccia-
'Gion of governing motives and peculiari-
ties.
1t is not really essential that anecdotes
Ahns employed shall he literally true.
Some of the best of them are pure i,,ven-
well imagined. a story that has IL rca-
&'nable degree Of probability and that
San be credited consistently with what
az known of the general qualities of a
character is useful even when it is not
positively accurate. There are some fic-
TONS of that kind which are worth more
Nh their way than many ponderols and
Glresome facts. All of the great figures
IN history owe something to these con-
venient fables. They are identified with
certain anecdotes that keep them in EASY
remembrance and that enable us to make
close acquaintance with them But tho
anecdotes Innst have the virtue of plau-
albility, or they will not answer tho pur-
pose.
Unless they represent things which
anight have happened without contra
sfictlon of the character to which they
relate there is no justification for them.
and they are reproach TO tho writer
who uses them an we'll as n damage TO
Che man whom they are designed to
benefit. The philosophy of the matter is
all contained in the statement that great
s1len, like small ones, are expected TO be
trne to the laws of their lives Ancc-
dotes which come within this rulo are
Historically valuable, whether strictly
trHe or only products of fancy, and those
which fall ouls1le of it are silly and mis-
Ghievous, ytgardless of the reputation of
the author or the purpose of the decep-
Gaon.--St. Lonis Globe-Democrat
Natures Protection For Unripe Fruit
For protection from the animal world