New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-07


rapidity. and that he must have had sorn.,,''
besides sOciability and capacity for dr,.
which to build his fortunes. 1t is known w.
he received q fair education. His por,
painted by Kneller, shows him to have
q man of refined and intelligent demeanor
= word we have quite as much reason for
suoning that Jeffreys began life in London ~
c,everucss and strength Of character as wst.'
for believing that he was mere adventm..
drunk half the time and entangled in vu,.
intrig,Ies for power in his sober hours. 90
certainly did not lead life that would N.
mend itself to sober student or an anvil.
father. but his pleasures were not so wholly =.
crossing as to prevent him from giving \.
charms and his talents every opportunity !,
showing themselves off to some advantage D.
never forgot he had a career TO make
Al twenty he was called to the Bar and fa
pIenty Of work awaiting him Fortune smas
on the young man. He had talents he h
friends He started full Of promise. which \
fulfilled with precocous rapidly: at TWEEN,
three ne was a judge" Jcnreys won his frs
advancement in the City. which in those A.,
was practically cotermnous with London 4.
self and was OF high political significance N.
King wished to control it's councils and as IN
struggle between Court and Aldermen promis..
10 come to an exciting head some day, Jenrsv
was deeply concerned as to which side he woua
choose TO range himself upon. ConseryaIy.
by nature. he preferred the Court but he ha
10 be circumspect and patient. He decided y,
split the difference while waiting and 10 nal.
himself useful in both camps. but especial,
in the Kings. This means that in a YER
short time he became. strictly speaking. 50,
among the men Of the city. That a your,
man with a career to make" says Mr. Irwin,
SHOULD adopt the profession Of u political In
former was in no way shocking to the unscu
pulous spirit OF the age" and noting an a.
mixture Of honesty and dishonesty, of princlys
and interest in the conduct Of many sever,
tcenth-century politicians h. thinks We ous
to admit that Jeflreys also may have bee.
partially actuated ID principle when he tunnel
from the confidence Of his friends in the Cy|
to the willing ears Of his friends AT Court and
told all he knew This Is the keynote 10 Mr.
Irving's argument throughout the book He
says in substance that it was the custom ul
push ones interests As energctcally as %:
could by underground methods if not by fair
means and he does not see why we shDal
think i'll Of Jeffreys because NJ followed I'll
practice OF his time. How the honest lawynk
OF the period-and there were some such-s
cured their fortunes. Mr.. Irving does not 50 I
tn innujre. The two Norths strike him as d. 4
orous and sometimes contemplate. He grs K
ingly admits their integrity. but cannot II
snecring at them for their co!oriess idier {
GRASSES Somehow. he never mentions JefTE
toeether with one of the Norths without a <
ing the impression that beside the unscrupas +
but brilliant character Of the former the B
mirable traits Of the latter are really TOO
for any one to have patience with them al
The truth is that Mr.. Irving has been =
mated by what he appears 10 consider he 2.
nality and power Of Jefreyss character q 4
the portrait he draws is therefore more
uresquc than true. Whenever h. finds 2 II
Judge in dscredtable predicament. hi II
him out Of it by laying stress upon The & +
ditions of the time Everybody was con'ak
Of the truth Of Titus Oates's revelations u
corning the "Popish Plot and il was persN
natural that JcfreyS should have been = I
WINGED with the rest. Disgust with the NE
House Plot was general. Why should wed
pect Jeffrcys To be- more enlightened than 2 I
contemporaries? As the excitement grew
plicating the Council az Six and bringing Az /
non Sidney before Jeffreys why should We II
To him for a treatment Of the situation ", I
none Of his colleagues would have sancuanl
by this time Jcffrcys was Lord chief Jusa
and without losing all his prestige IN the lQ
had Identified himself first ana last win =
Court, The conviction Of Sidney was imN
tant To the Government. who regarded hin
what h. assurcdly vas the most dar.ng ms
interruptions and most revolutionary 81 n~
enemies" What more natural thln maj u
frcys should bring about the conN. Ion' ,"
when Mr.. Irving note; that "Jenro}s dA y