New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-20

SUNDAY, AUGUST 20, 1899.
The curious fluctuations Of the proOfreader's
art have often been noted in The Tribune. We
observe with pleasure not untinged with appre-
hcnsion that literature is ut present enjoying
period Of comparative immunity from the fiend
ISL ecccntricities of the types 1t is several
months since we have witnessed any typOgraph-
zeal transformation like that to which Mr.
Michael MacDOnagh llludes in 'ChambersS
Journal" the transformation which made it APP
pear that an address Of John Stuart Milrs
which was to be printed in a five shilling pam
phlet. would really take the world by storm in
the form of five shilling elephant. 1t would
seem as if the whole question were dependent
upon some mysterious agency. Perhaps it IS
the weather though one would expect the dog
days more than any others to be prolific of
''hoWlcrS' Of typographical sort. and, rs we
have said this summer has been notable for
nrnt free from errors The secret. in fact OF
the periodical changes accomplished silently but
powerfully in this matter is not 10 be discoy-
cred Authors and editors cannot explain it.
The printers are helpless; they can only say
that some malignant power not in themselves
makes them turn freshly blown roses into
"frc>hly blown noses" We can only aScribe
these things 10 Fate. though if some author
turned compostor were to set this up he would
probably change the first letter OF that word.
NM Larglois and ScignoboS, of the SOrbonne,
have composed an introduction to the Study OF
History in which they lay great stress upon
the virtues Of what they regard as scientific
history. ana cast opprobrium upon all those mis-
guided scholars who let their imaginations
guide them in the work of construction" To
this in ''BlackwOod's,' Mr.. Andrew Lang re-
tors: Without imagination construction is
'impo>>bc. Without Imagination 10 conStrue
Chem documents are meaningless" SagaciOus
Mr. Lang. In this paper on History as She
Ought 10 Re Wrote" one Of the ARREST, wittieSt
and true>t thing, that ever came from his brill
liant pen. he has not only exposed the faulty of
NM. LanSloiS ana SeiGnoboS in particular, but
has stated with urbancly crushing force the OBJ
jccti0nS of readers against the scientific his
torianS in general. No objects to the
science in itself 1t is foolish for our French
authors to say that the public has nothing but
di>,lain for the whole of critical scholarship
What the public diSdainS is the scholarship that
is 50 cr.IsSly and pedInticaly scientific that it
leaves 30 room for human interest or for lit
crJry style What Mr.. Lang argues for, and
what thousands of us hunger for. is history
chat Intelligent men and women can read, and
thereby be instructed" Science aS he well puts
it, is "org1nizcd common sense. applied to in
Quiry." All historians of any worth have had
it. When science squeezes everything save
facts out of a history the latter becomes I'M
readable and useless Besides, As Mr. Lang OBJ
serves, neatly puncturng the bubble of the
scientific historians conceit. the history that is
absolutely up to date is never written. THE
Sup to date of to-day is the exploded fancy Of
"tomorrow." This being the case, every i'm
partial student will admit, let not the pedants
take themselves too seriously.