New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-01-01
NOTES FROM LONDON.
- JOHN LEMOINNE-LORD ROSEBERf'S
WORD-MR. LOWELL AND OUIDA-TIIE
SILENT BOOKSELLER-MR Be
SAINTS TESTIMONIAL.
London. December 90.

said In have begun with Theirs and Guizot IL
included long list of great writer's of the French
press: Of men otherwise great Who began or adj
yanccd their fortunes as journalists. John Lee
moinne was far more a journalist than anything
else. The work of his life lay In TIE journal
des Debats," and not in the Senate, to which he
attained late, and in which he made 10 particular
figure. During nearly all this time he iulhheo ne
mans maxim that man ought to write in only one
newspaper He and Renan, wide apart as thelr
spheres lay, were colleagues in the same great
naper. For the "Debats," though it would never
have attained 10 great circulation in New-i ork,
and still less in Chicago, was great by reason OF
the greatness Of the writer's who were connected
with it all through the golden age OF french Jour
nalism.
Never. / suppose, has there been a period IN
journalism when better work OF a particular KIM
was done probably never when it was 50 goou.
The men of that period wrote because they hao
mastcred their subject they did not master their
subject in order TO write. Iemoinne was an au.
thority in foreign politics. He knew England anu
English. for example, then and now rare accon'-
plishment in France, whether among JourhailS''
Or statesmen, or any other class. Tie was lilas.ci
Of the style which suited the journal for when lie
wrote; a style that had the merits OF sedatchess as
we'll IA point that had the authority which comes
classic in the fine sense which Sainte-Beuves denim
ton gives to that word; which was both readable
and read.
Like others. or many others, Lemoinnc signed
his articles, and his name was known all over
Europe He was Liberal under the EMPIRE a
Conservative under the Republic IL was hot
necessary to change his principles IN order 10 DC
both England in the days of the third EMPIRE
was a much less Liberal country than II has since
become but, compared with the despotism OF the
Little Napoleon il was as Light to DarKheS'
Iemoinne's influence was one OF those Which, our
ing those black days, kept French OPINION Steady
and patient. With the overthrow OF Napoleon
great part of his work ended. Some OF the rewar"
of itr-what the world considers rewards-was 10
come later. He chosen TO the Academy Ill
1875 He had tile courage, if courage were needed
and the loyal good sense to tell his fellow Aca-
demicsns and the world Of letters that he had been
elected as q journalist His literary baggage con-
sisted of leading articles plus his much less n'l-
merous and less important contributions to the
"lievue des Deux Mondes," then. as now. beyond
comparison the first Of French periodicals. If you
care to point the contrast. you need only call 10
mind the protest of a leading member of the Atle-
naeum Ciub in london against the election OF D.
lane. The worthy cid gentleman who opposed
the choice by the committee OF the great edltor
opposed it on the express ground that Journalism
had nothing TO do with literature iot appre-
bend the French Academy holds nearly as
high q place In literature as the rather sleepy ana
very respectable but miscellaneous company OF
cubmen whose headquarters are i'll Pail Mall. Five
years later Iemoinnes political services were
recognized by his election TO q Life Senatorship,
and again by the offer Of the mission to brussels
His name will live in the history of journalism,
Ioxy .,,I ohottll
the higher journalism have its fun share Of aten
ton. Whether Lemoinne had other ambitions
Know not but he enjoyed during great part OF
his life that serene and not ignoble satisfaction
which sprang from the knowledge that, each day
or each week, he welded direct influence on
opinions and affairs. He was looked for. he was
read carefully, and he maintained amid all the
temptations of publicity and power unstained
integrity.
The word which Lord Rosebery applied to Mr..
Colin Forbes's Canadian portrait of Mr.. Gladstone
was not noble" as reported next morning, but
"notable." The error is an easy one for re-
portt TO make, especially amid clouds of tobacco
smoke, but the difference is considerable. Perhaps
it were kinder to Mr.. Colin Forbes to leave the
mistake uncorrectcd Mr.. Forbes, however, has
had his full share of renOwn for his work and IL is
not quite clear whether the rcnown be not due to
the suDJCcJ vi Tie lcdSG as IiuCii as W
the painting of it, or TO the merit Of the portrait
considered work OF art
Mr. Lowell, the Ncw-York publisher whom Ouida
attacked in company with Mr. Heinemann and the
late NJ. Wocott Balestier, makes his bow TO the
lady in to-day's Times Mr.. Heinemann, how
ever, and indeed Ouida herself, had left Mr.
Lowell nothing to answer. Accordingly, he says
ditto 10 his British colleague. If he had stopped
oil hoy hccn In Mr.
seems to cherish certain grudge against the
author, be he who he may, who, as author, pre-
sumee to take q different view OF things from the
publisher. He talks of the proneness OF iratc
authors 10 shower benedictions on the heads Of
their unhappy publishers; adding that gratui-
tous and calumnious attacks of this kind lUuida's
kind on the honor and good faith Of publishers
are not creditable to authors who indulge in
them"
This makes it in order to ask Mr.. Lowell who are
the other authors, American or British, who have
INDUCED in gratuitous and caumnious attacks like
Ouida's the honor and good faith of publish
ers? Mr. Lowell has perfect answer 70 Ouidas
attack Why need he impair the force of it by
insipuaticns against authors? He cannot expect
other authors TO identify themselves with this
Sirate, lady lie would not be better but worse
of, il they did.
The publisher in truth, is not in position to
take I'D Mr. Lovelrs attitude. lie has been for
some years past the object of attacks or of
criticisms, to many of which he has not yet found
il convenient TO reply. 1t will he time enough to
raise new issues when h. has disposed of the old.
Ouida gave him chance which he seems eager
sliahtly too eager-to improve. lie will not sue
cect, try ne ever so hard, in identifying her with
authors in general. Ter grievance existed only
in her imaginatio So author champloned her
cause. But whea ,"sl grievance against bad
publisher is set ieft, ae rood publisher, VINO -
not attacked, seens almost as angry 10 the pad
one who is Mr.. Lowell name is associated In
the minds Of the British r'.uc with certain ante
Copyrixht-law proceeding whinh nara NAMES