The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-01-13
THURSDAY. JANUARY 10, 1895.
THE ENDURING iNFLCENCE OF
GREAT MIND.


magazine was the most potential agency
for directing thought that the world had.
Writers Of the hrIt order Of ability gave
their whole mind and energies TO the
preparation of magazine articles that
swayed great multitudes OF men with
wonderful effect. II was then that the
masterful essays OF Macauley and Car
Isle appeared. which have had as large
an influence upon human thought as any
publications Of this century. The maya
zine has greatly degenerated, however in
the last fifty years. 1t has followed
Journalism in the direction Of what IS
sensational. and one rarely meets with
a magazine article now worth the at
tention necessary for reading it. An eX-
ception, though. is an article in the
North American Review for December
1887. by ]. O'Connor Power. entitled
Edmund Burke and His Abiding In
fuence" This is an article Of absorbing
interest that will compare favorably with
the best that the old Edinburg Review
formerly gave the world.
II is now just one hundred years since
Burke died and if we were called upon
TO name the Englishman who has had
the greatest influence in shaping opinion
upon questions of government, We should
name Burke. Sir James Macintosh said
Of Gibbon. the historian Of the decline
and fall of the Roman Empire. that he
might have been stolen ont of corner
Of Burkes mind without being missed,
and Or. johnson said that Burke was
"nrst In the House Of Commons. be-
cause he was first everywhere" He was
truly a giant. and his writings are more
read to-day than they were one hundred
years ago. They are an ineXhausuDie
fountain Of sound principle. and robust
noble morality. Every public man. OF
whatever nationality who aspires to
place amongst his own people that car
ries influence because this man is re-
sue,ted. is a devoted student OF his
writings. any one Of which may be read
and studied with the greatest profit. for
no irnoble sentiment is 10 be found In
ANYTHING that ever came from his pen.
Rnrke's writings may truly be said to
have shaped all public thought in Eng
land for the past hundred years, and
surely nothing more fascinating than
they are is to be found in all the range
Of literature Mr.. Power gives this
splendid but just description of his style.
He says:
Passing by the critics ana venturing
~ an ordinary reader. 10 say how
Eurke's style affects me; my first impress
sion Of II Is that Of dignity tempered by
familiarity: a stately march OF phrases
and sentences Hghtened by n certain
harmonious ease. and combining the az
cnracv OF the written with the freedom
Of the spoken word. one notes IN IL
Wholesome dsdaln Of that mere smart
ness which some writers mistake for
originality. and i'm It's best examples. an
absence OF those expectations AMI con
colts which not even tho Hottest cio-
ouence can make tolerable. It's roDns,
afrectncss and grave simplicity are uS
distinguishing features In one place. while
in another IL ascends TO the realms OF
fancy without for a moment siackeninS
liz firm grip Of the subject matter. At
&c highest elevation. this noble prose
exhibits a wealth OF imagery, which the
great poets might envy, and power OF
Illustration. dazzling in its br!lliance. and
In It's fertility inexhaustible. Its effect
ts manifold. II relines the taste; II exalts
Tho Imagination: II edifes and stimulates
the moral nature. and II eniarges. IN
vieorates and enobles the understand
Ing"
Goldsmith. IN NJ Of Jealousy ana
piaueno doubt. said OF Burke that ne
rate TO party what was meant for man
kind" Burke. undoubtedly. was de-
voted marty man. but he had the nohlest
conceptions Of the relations which the
citizen should bear 10 his party. In his
thoughts on the Present Discomfort
ne has given the world the very hast de-
fence OF parties that ever was mace. bnt
with al his devotion 20 his party, Burke
would not sacrifice a single one OF his
convictions 10 his party when ne became
satisfied that his party was going wrong
us jife and the work we have referred
10 IS complete justification for those
democrats who refused 10 support The
chicago platform.
gurkes essay upon the freneh He'o-
,r,,on has been mora widely read. per
baps. than any other OF his works. ana
strangely enough Il caused MI. BUCKLE,
n his work upon civilization. TO say tha'