New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-14

batable question at the Mansion House. What
was undeniable was the Ambassadors sincerity
He evidently believed that he had been pre-.
eminently useful as peace-maker and ne was
proud Of his record and grateful for the excep-
tional honors Of so splendid a banquet.
The English people may be tenacious In cling
ing to their theories, and they may be slow TO
recognize the fact that policies which operate
advantageously in their own country are not
equally useful among all sorts and conditions or
men; but they neither hostile to nor jealous
of Americans, and they have been emphasizing
in every possible way during the last year their
desire to remain at peace with them. They nave
accepted from Mr.. Cleveland an affront which
would have brought on war II II had been re-
ceived from Germany any other nation. They
have sanctioned the Monroe Doctrine agreed to
settle the Venezuelan dispute and acquiesced In
the arbitration treaty. In many ways they have
revealed their friendship for the United States.
This splendid reception Of the Ambassador at
the Mansion House Is only the last of a long
series of graceful compliments paid to the Amer
lean people by Royalty Ministers OF the day and
representative men Of eminence. There may be
abstract questions TO be debated in connection
with the arbitration treaty; but Il would be lit
tie less than churlish for Americans to refuse to
cerity which have characterized such interna-
tional episodes as the Lord Mayors banquet.
The report that Colonel John Hay will be
named as Mr.. Bayard's successor has furnished
significant proof Of the superior vitality OF
dialect poetry. The pike County Ballads are
mentioned prominently in all the sketches which
have appeared in print, and extended quota
lions have been made from Little Brooches"
N,ycfa NJ lpal
but recognition of his other literary work, nota-
bly, the Life Of Lincoln, has been duiler ana
more deliberate So well-informed literary
journal as The Academy" devotes two columns
to Colonel Hay as a mar of letters. and
passes over In silence the monumental work on
Lincoln. Other journals. with few exceptions.
refer to him as the author Of the pike County
Ballads" and as a worthy successor of James
Russell Lowell.
The time passed long ago when the surest
cynic in England could ask without convictins
himself Of ignorance the contemptucus question::
WHO reads an American book? Hut II is at
least peculiar proof OF the interest taken in
England in American literature that fugitive
bits of dialect poetry Should be remembered
when more serious and laborious work. inVolv-
ing years of systematic preparation. is forgotten.
Mr. LOWell's noble "CommemoratiOn ode" was
not a classic in England while he was here but
his quaint Yankee dialect poetry was constantly
quoted Brete Hartes dialect poetry Is more
Familiarity known in England than any American
work Of fiction, except, possibly, The Scarlet
Letter" When Colonel Hay is named as the
next Ambassador his "Castilian Days" is left on
the shelf and his fame as biographer Of Lincoln
is forgotten while the Ballads. which first saw
the light in The Tribune twenty-five years ago.
are reprinted as the consummate Hover or MS
literary genius. Apparently American literature
must be grotesQue in humor and fantastic In
form. or 1t will not be accepted in England as
having the racy virtues OF the SOL. l. ~ r.