The Irish standard., 1896-01-04
MAN OF VERY Big BRAINS.
Sketches Of Lecky, Who Repre-
sents Trinity College in the
English Parliament:
Some Of His Writings Have No
Rivals in the Way of cur-
rent Literature.
He Thinks That Climate Has
Great Influence Upon
Public Morals.

Great Influence Upon
! Public Morals. y
There is no more curious and inter
esting character in contemporary life
than William Edward Hartpole Lecky,
recently elected to the English parlia-
ment to represent Trinity College. Dub
lin.. 1t is, of course, one of the strongest
tory constituencies in the United King
dom, and therein lies one of the curious
features Of the case, says the Chicago
Times Herald.
w. E. HI. Lecky was born of rich Dub
lin parents March 26, 1888, and was given
every advantage wealth could afford. Of
his ancestry there is nothing notable
known and his position in life was such
that there was no necessity for his dis
ting,lishing himself. A weaker man
would simply have travelled along the
beaten way, and would have left hard
and laborious study for those who must
labor. But as he grew to manhood he
felt the need Of work, and proved ca
pacity for it.
He studied at Trinity College and grad
/
Of arts. Two years later he published,
without signature, a work that created a
profound sensation all over the kingdom.
| 1t was called "The Leaders of Public
Opinion in Ireland" In 1868 the degree
| of master of arts was conferred upon him,
at which the country generally knew he
was the author of the work, and rated it
as the work of a very able man. 1t was
an exposition, and from a palpably.
though impartial, Irish side, of the causes
| by which the Irish parliament was dis
solved, and legislative union with Eng
land was effected. Nothing more COLI
elusive could have been adduced than his
arraignment of Casterleigh for the de-
bauching of the Irish electors, who voted
away the right Of their people to self
| government.
And vet, while the book was so plainly
| from the standpoint of an lrishman and
! a sympathizer with the nationallsts, the
book bore the impress of a historian, and
not that of a panphleteer. 1t was Calm
lsstatement, a judicial arraignment, dis
course which never rose to extravaganza, /
nor sank to anathema. In time when
! the Irish spirit was inf1amed the book
was stronger, perhaps, for the very ren-
son that it differed from the common rule
and presented a temperate review OF
| facts.
Ten years after his first appearance the
! ssLeaders'' appeared in new edition, and
this time over the name Of the author
But iii the meantime he had removed TO
| London and had won favor with the rulers
| Of the empire-lEllers in social as we'll as
| in political affairs. 1t was not that the
man was lion:zed so much. as that the
scholar soul of him was gratified by dhs'
| permission to search wherever he would
through the most secret archives of the i
government for whatsoever he might
wish in the preparation OF his later works.
Opportunities which he would have
sought vainly for years, had he been less !:
fortunately situated. came to him for ths4
asking. And he seams to have undergone
change In his sentiments. Maybe s1t#
was not that so much, after all. as that he
| now had a different point Of view. ll@% +
| For by this time he was deep In. the
prsparation of work more ambitions Z
than youth usually essays. He was writ
| ing his History Of the Rise and Influence
of Rational;sm in Europe" 1t was pub
lished in 1865. AT the age Of 27 ne as
| tonished the learned world with a Gyork
which man less fitted for the task would
have completed only when gray hairs .
x came to crown the labor Of life. Ths
book passed through five editions, its two
| volumes being translated into many Ian
guages; and it is TO this day textbook
| in many German universities, and ID an
accepted authority everywhere. 81
| From the beginning the man was a 4
| wonderful composer Of correct English.
His writings united an elegant style with Z
Judicial imparti~lity. No higher praise
| could be bestowed upon 1t than that Of eli
Berlin savant, who said 1t eyinced a more 4
than German erudition." And whatever
change may be noted in his sentiments
and the change was radical
there can.be no variation from the unlls- U
ual!y excellent style which Characteristic
mis- first volumes. He came to change hisss
opinion. f. He never departed from excel-M
lence. HI
H.s "History of the Rise and Influence
of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe,.s
was the first published review OF that
gradual depart tuge Of the thought tfuI null
t:tude from acceptance of established
myths, and beginning Of the outspoken
agnosticssm Of the times 1t was not
agnossicism which wins q rather doubtfllS
compliment in this latter day, but it WAS
the statement from a. brave and we'll.
equipped man Of the throwing Oft Of intel-s
lectual trammals. Through the ages that
and rule he followed and noted the in1ss
stances, increasing in number with eaclt
passing decade, Of a courageous, thOughS
often expensive, declaration OF fndspend BRO
ence. 4a5iesS gasSs;i 81. isss5 5 ssg5A
And with the growth of intellectuaISS
freedom, with the decrease Of that genaor-Sst
ya..p, which had ttnDttled all datiDnalaslll,ss
he tod of the bettersng Of the race. Srong Il
asss itss sFas, complete and exhaustive, itss
|,1narked xhes beginning Of publ cations ssa
kind A1id little more in the asay g