The record-union., 1897-05-17

novel," is we'll known, but 1t has been
splendidly falsified of late by his own
niece He had to go to America on
lecturing tour to earn some money he
stood in need of, though he felt it as
a dire necessitas-nay, as dire indig-
nifty. 1t is true he had good prece-
dents, but evidently his Snowman was
not the best he could have chosen, nor
was Arnold himself very strong as
lecturer. England has not got from
him all that she had right to expect,
but whatever he has left has a finish
that will long keep it safe from the cor
rosive wear and tear of time.
Whens later in life, Arnold took to
theological studies, he showed, no
doubt, a very clear insight and a per-
feet independence of judgment, but he
had only a few spare hours for work
that in order to be properly done would
have required a lifetime. Yet what he
wrote produced an effect, in England
at least, more lasting than many a
learned volume, and he was allowed
to say things that would have given
deep offense if coming from other lips.
Arnold was a delightful man to argue
with, not that he could easily be con-
WINGED that he was wrong, but he new
er lost his temper, and in the most
patronizing way he would generally
end by Yes, yes! my good fellow, you
are quite right, but, you see, my view
of the matter is different, and 1 have
little doubt it is the true one!' This
went SO far that even the simplest
facts failed to produce any impression
on him.
POETRY NOT AN ART, BUT GEN
IUS."
We had a long-standing feud about
poetry. To me the difference between
poetry and prose was one of form only.
l always held that the same things that
are said in prose could be said in poe
try, and vice versa, and l often quoted
Goethe's saying that the best test of
poetry was whether it would bear
translation into prose or into a foreign
language. To all that, even to Goethe's
words, Arnold demurred. Poetry to
him was a thing by itself, mot an art
like other arts" but, as he grandly
called it, genius
He once had a great triumph over
me. An American gentleman, who
brought out a Collection of the Por-
traits of the Hundred Greatest Men"
divided them into eight classes, and the
first class was assigned to poetry, the
second to art, the third to religion, the
fourth to philosophy, the fifth to his
tory, the sixth to science. the seventh
to politics, the eighth to industry. Arm
old was asked to write the introduction
to the first volume H. Taine to the
i =
Noah Porter to the fourth, Dean Stan
ley to the fifth, Helmholtz to the sixth,
Froude TO the seventh, John Fiske to
the eighth
| do not know whether Arnold had
anything to do with suggesting this di-
vision of Omne Scibile into eight
classes; anyohW, he did not allow the
opportunity to pass to assert the su-
periority of poetry over every other
branch of mans intellectual activity.
The men," he began, who are the
flower and glory of our race are to
pass here before us. the highest mani
festations, whether on this line or that,
of the force which Stirs in every one of
us-the chief poets, religious founders,
philosophers, historians, scholars ora
tors, warriors, statesmen, voyagers,
leaders in mechanical invention and in
dustry, who have appeared among
mankind. And the poets are to pass
first. Why? Because of the various
modes of manifestation through which
the human spirit pours its force theirs
is the most adequate and happy"
There certainly was a great charm in
Arnold, even though he could be very
n QI1t
said a kind Of understood though sell
dom expressed sadness, as if to say:
1T will soon be all over; don't let US
get angry; we are all very good fell
lows" etc. He knew for years that
though he was strong and looked very
young for his age. the thread of his life
might snap at any moment. And so
it did-felix opportunitate mortis. Not
long before his death he met Browning
on the steps of the Athenaeum. He
felt i'll, and in taking leave of Brown
ing he limited that they might never
meet again. Browning was profuse in
his prOtestations. and Arnold, on turn
ing away, said in his airy way. Now.
one promise. Browning-please. not
more than ten lines" Browning I'M
derstood. and went away with a SOL
emn smile.
THE. TOLERANT AND AGREEABLE
RUSKIN.
Ruskin often came to spend a few
days with his old friends. and uncom-
promising and severe as he could be
when he welded his pen. he was al
ways most charming in conversation.
He never, when he was with his
friends. claimed the right of speaking
with authority, even on his own spec
ial subjects. as he might we'll have
done. 1t seemed to be his pen that
made him say bitter things He must
have been sorry himself for the severe
censure he passed in his earlier years
on men whose honest labor, If nothing
else. ought to have protected them
against such cruel onslaughts.
He was really the most tolerant and
agreeable man in society. He could
discover beauty where no one else saw
It. and make allowance where others
saw no excuse. l remember him as
diffident as a young girl full of ques-
tons, and grateful for any informa-
ton. Even on art topics 1 have
watched him listening almost deferen-
TALLY to others who laid down the law
in his presence. His voice was ALWAYS
most winning, and his language sim
ply perfect. He was one of the few
Englishmen I knew who, instead of
tumbling out their sentences like so
many portmanteaus. bags. rugs and
hat boxes from an open railway van.
seemed to take a real delight In build
ing up his sentences. even in familiar
conversation. so as to make each deliv-
| GRANGE a work of art. Later in life