New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-06
ONE OF HARvARD'S GREATEST TEACH
ERS. WHO HAS JUST RE-
SIGNED HIS POST.
uIs INSPIRING INFLUENCE ON A GENERATION
OF HARVARD MEN-ONE OF HIS HOB
BIES-NORTON'S FRIENDSHIP
WITH RUSKIN AND
LOWELL.

Professor of the History Of Art in Harvard
College is sometimes called the American Rus
kin" But Professor Norton's memory will hard
" be cherished simply on account Of such a
phrase, nor will his enduring distinction rest
altogether upon his gifts as an author as the
translator of Dante. the editor of the
Lowell and Of the Carlyle-GOethe correspond
ence Ii is as a teacher that he will be borne
most in mind for the impress Of his personality
and IDEAS will remain upon his thousands of
pupils for many years yet to come. 1t may. in
fact well be doubted whether Harvard has ever
had a teacher whose influence has been greater
than Charles Eliot NortOn's. He has been ect-
urng at Harvard for almost generation. and
within that time probably more men have sat
under him than under any other instructor or
professor that has ever helped to make Har-
wards name honored and great For that
son there quick response Of sympathy
when it was announced a fortnight ago that
Professor Norton would soon retire from active
work II was realized with sorrow by every Har
ward man throughout the length and breadth of
the land that the career of this great teacher
was beginning To draw to close.
Hgrvard's elective system in the last Two dec
sd,s has had its advantages ard its draw
backs hut no one can question that among its
blessings has been the privilege given to every
undergraduate at some time during his four
years TO choose one or more of the courses con
Quoted by Professor Norton. And there are
comparatively few graduates of Harvard of re-
cent years who have not eagerly seized this OPP
portunity. II has been necessary always to pro-
vide the largest lecture-rooms in the University
for Professor Norton's classes and even then
fiji the aisles with extra chairs. The reason has
been twofold. the first and lesser cause being
that the curses given by DR. Norton have been
Of general and broad character, requiring for
the idle man comparatively little work, yet
yielding him a good deal of general culture"
as the undergraduate might himself express it
TIE second and greater reason for the popular
NJ Of Professor Norton'S courses has been the
spri, Of sympathy and scholarship that he has
shown and the vivid interest that his own per-
sonality has inspir "a.
II would be wide OF the mark to believe that
Professor Norton's chief lectures were simply in
the History Of Ancient and OF Medieval Art (as
the annual catalogue describes them). Rather
have they embraced the history Of philosophy.
| Of literature and Of art in every form; they have
described the spirit that has been behind the
great movements of the world, and they have
been full Of the philosophy of life and OF the
ar, Of true living Withal. Professor Norton's
manner is 50 simple and kindly that the stupid
est youth gets glimmerins Of the Tight when
he listens to him.
Professor Norton has an international reputa-
ton and he is one of the last Of that group OF
men who In the sixties and seventies were
known abroad and, at home as the leaders OF
American thought Emerson. Lowell. Holmes.
Longfelop.. Bryant Curtis-Norton was friend
o. them all. and from them all especially from
Lowell gained much. Among his friends on the
other side Of the water were John RusKlh'
Thomas Carlyle Leslie Stephen and others OF
l the English men Of letters All OF Dr. Norton's
| tastes We're SCHOLARLY and his early acquired
| Earning md culture. made him a welcome and
l valuable comrade for such men as those VINO
| have been named.
A SCHOLAR IN THE LECTURE ROOM.
But if is in the class and lecture room rather
than the friend and helper of great men that
nos, readers Of this article will prefer TO recah
/ Charles Eliot Norton His two leading courses
l Harvard the one on ancient arr. Greek ana
Roman. and the other on nedi@vai ART espe-
I tally Gothic cathedral architecture. have al
! ways been given in alternate years HIS man
\ hsr Is quiet and repressed but always lui VI
i 'Vice and his tones. though lowt can DE heaio
i N every part OF the room. Professor Norton
\ Is his printed words testify. uses language tha'
almost classical In form. and he lectures !"
\ we same finished periods. whether ne Is u7
| sfibing the influence of Gothic architecture upon
france inyeghng against the commercial
sae Unitarian spirit Of the present age OF eA-
na@ng his opinion upon intercollegiate a'h
th.GA