New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-06
AN ENGLISH EDITOR.
FRAGMENTS FROM THE MEMOIRS OF
b, HENRY REEVE.

Reeve for many years Editor of "The Edinburgh
Review" a powerful leaoer-writcr OF THE
london Times" an official Of the British Gov
crnmcnt and the friend or acquaintance Of most
of the great men OF his time. 1t is said OF him
that he was not on the whole popular man
'his assumption Of omniscience was often found
Irritating beyond all bearing"-and there Is a
Gtasy that Rogers. when asked to walk home
with him from dinner party snarled out,
sWak horne by yourself. sir; am sure you will
be delighted with your company" 1t was also
said of him in connection with this belief In
himself that Editor Of THE Edinburgh he
was always ready to correct Max Mulers
philology or Owens natural history.
One Of the most suggestive things found In
these memoirs is the recipe" for memoir
writer. contained in an appeal by Broughams
brother 10 Reeve to advise Lord Brougham to
leave politics out of his memoirs and stick to
the personal as much possible:
Mind you dwell on books of biography which
have failed for lack of personal matter and
anecdotes. and use this argument-that If he
wishes the book TO be eminently successful In
commercial point Of view he must give as much
as possible Of every detail. matter how
minute and tell everything connected with his
own history and doings -. People don't want
10 read history in such book as his autobiog-
raphy; what they want is his life. and not a
history OF his own times. IN snort, every
personal thing. no matter how trifng. will be
the making, as the omission will be the mar
ring Of the book. Don't forget to quote
Guizot: also tell him that Lord Mamesburys
heavy book was saved solely by the gossip in
the third and fourth volumes. The first two are
heavy historical matter that would have SUNK a
SeVenty-four
Reeve was selected by Greville to be the edi-
tor Of his memoirs and it is recorded that he
made a small fortune out Of them. He tells us
that Grevile sent for him day and said:
"And now l want to speak to you about my
own affairs. Reeve. am getting deviiish old.
aad | think in ALI probability have not long
to live. | have therefore been considering
what | ought to do with the journals | have
kept all important occasions for so many
years Of my life. They amount. think. to
ninety volumes. and extend over nearly fifty
years. | left off writing them two years ago.
finding that since l withdrew from the office
knew less Of the course OF events Let Us look
at them" He then opened The lower part OF a
bookcase. in which saw these volumes in
row. He then added. Now will you take
charge Of them? have been thinking A great
deal Of what can do with them. They contain
a good deal Of curious matter, as you know
which may be of interest hereafter can DO
nothing better than leave them in your hands
You will be the judge whether any part Of them
and what can be published"
Reeves suggestion to Greyille that he had
treated George " severely brought from the
chronicer the reply:
Il what l have said OF him is not hatterng;
but that is what he was Their asked ann
about the passages in cipher. He said he had
invented this cipher himself for the purpose or
his journal; that he could read H. but NOBODY
else That he would read 10 me the passages
in cipher II would bring them 70 him; but he
added For that matter. the truth Is the greater
part Of them had better be omitted. as they re-
late to things which are better forgotten lie
then mentioned that he had told Henry Greville
that 81 was to have the journals Ana l
afterward found that he had minated his IN
tentIOn TO Mr.. Barring, and. l think, TO Loro
lie.
When the memoirs appeared Queen Victoria
was Ind ignant at the unpleasant passages con-
corning her predecessors, and sent Arthur Helps
TO Reeve to express her disapproyal on these
grounds:
a. 1t was disparaging to her family. CO 1t
tended 10 weaken the monarchy. CD II pro-
ceeded from official persons begged Helps 20
reply with my humble duty. that the book
showed that IL the monarchy had really been
endangered it was by the depravity " George
Nv and the absurdities Of William ~, but that
under Her Majesty 5 reign ha0 DccOule
stronger than ever.
!. Reeve adds a footnote. Il saw the Grand
Duchess Of Meckenburgh the same day. but
don't think the Cambridges were very angry.
The old Duchess was having the book read to
her and frequently added amusing recoliections
TO it."
On one Of MS visits to Paris Reeve went 20 see
Balzac whom he found in the "Fabrique de
rAbsolu" There. he says, 1--WE found our way.
and at the end Of a long low room. as 1t were
between a study and boud9ir we found the
Magician himself, surrounded by proofs and
manuscripts which he was correcting and com
posing with rapidly that sets all the printers
Of Paris at naught. He talked chiefly OF hin-
self with the most bosterous and fantastical
self reclamation, for Il was more than apprOba-
ton: above all he drew out the lines and castra-
1nenta ton Of his great work before US, 10 when
all that lie has at present written Delongs' anu
which will contain the circumstances of human
life in all their variety, the motives and the
principles Of human action In their irreyocabe