The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-22

explaining the development OF these three
characters through the music of the
operas in which they appear. it /:
illustrated by musical phrases intro
duced from time to time. The view Of
| the author is that while 1t is quite true
that one must be educated up 10 a full
appreciation of the works Of Wagner, the
ideas therein presented are yet so funda-
mentally simple that it is possible for the
average mind to discover something OF
their beauty and power She points out the
fact that Wagner gave us divinity in Wo-
tan, humanity in Siegfried, and divini-
| ty in humanity in Brunnhilde, three
| world types. The truth is that Wagner is
| a reincaruation of the ancient Teuton
| spirit, with its weirdness its purity, its 81
gantic, almost grotesque mythology and
wild beauty; and the inner meaning of his
work appeals to the soul of the Northern
races. and more deeply to the world-soul
| in all humanity. The little book will be
particularly interesting to students OF
| opera tNew York: Harper Bros. SI.25.)
Admiral George Dewey: A Sketch of the
| Man. by John Barrett, suggests to the
| reader the somewhat irreverent comment
| that the subtitle might well have been
| "A Sketch of the Man John Barrett for
there is certainly quite as much of Mr..
| Barrett as of Dewey in the little volume.
| From the dedication in which the first per-
| sonai pronoun, singular. is used twice, to
| the appendix, in which there is portrait
| OF the author in most unconventional po-
sition, Mr.. Barrett trots through the pages
| in close proximity % the Admiral; and
| while he does not for an instant lose sight
| of his subject he also manages to keep
one eye fixed upon himself. In fact. the
tone OF two or three chapters is such that
enc begins to doubt whether il really was
Admiral Dewey who was so diplomatic in
various trying situations or Mr.. Barrett
who managed the whole affair and has not,
up to the present time, got the credit Of
1t. Here is one of these passages:
As long the Filipinos RETAINED from attack
ing and fighting the forces Of the United States
Government. ! did all in my humble power to
prevent a possible conflict and invariably gave
the Eiipnos credit whe-e they deserved it. On
the other hand, when, / d away by unfortunate
influences and inspired by false conceptions Of
the attitude and intention Of the United States
Government they saw fit to declare
war against the United States. |. like many 9th
ers who had followed carefully the situation, sup
ported the Government in its determination to
put down the instruction and establish peace
and order throughout the islands under recog
nized American authority.
1t is to be presumed that Admiral Dewey
was one of those Others who determined
to support the Government but we under
stand from this. with great thrill of awe
and admiration. that if 1t bad not been for
Mr. Barrett the Government would proba-
bly, not have been supported at all.
1t is interesting TO discover, in book
prepared for publication nearly year ago.
some remarks upon Admiral Dewey's ideas
Of the Presidency. and they shall be quoted
in part:
Great quantities of letters and te!egrams rolled
IN on him from prominent men in America, ask
ing him if he would be a candidate. These s1g-
gestions came from OF Republican as well as
Democratic faith. If i were TO give here i list
Of those who wrote him. it would prove most
interesting and instructive.
1t would; it would
1t might even astonisll Mr.. Mckinley and Mr.
Bryan Those which the ADMIRAL mentioned were
told in confidence, and they cannot be repeated
here.
This is positively cruel.
that would tempt tine Admiral to accept the
Presidential nomination. That would be either a
request from both great parties, or 4 unanimous
request from one party where it in such a
position that acceptance would be tdntamount TO
an election. The Admiral has never said any
thing OF this kind TO me, but, with all lis re-
iusas to consider the position, do not believe
that he would stand to one side and say that he
would not accept if he fully convinced that
il was a duty which he owed his country.
As to the Aduirais politics it can be
said that he is neither a pronounced Democrat
nor Republican. He once discussed this matter
with me, and said that his life had been 50 alb
soutely removed iuom the direct influence Of
politics that he did not class himself as belong
ing TO any particular party. He has
numerous friends in both parties, and no parti
cular pTciudices in favor Of either. He IS gov
erned more by the man iJminlted than by the
party nominating him. Anyone who discusses
politics with him can plainly that he cannot
be distinctly placed in the ranks Of either of the
great parties.
An interesting scrap of conversation oc-
CURED between Mr.. Barrett and a gunner,
in which the latter was asked what he eX-
pected 10 do when he sailed away from
Mrs Bay. The gunner said:
90? Damn little did | or anyone else on this
ship care as long as the old ordering it.
We knew We were going TO a hot place, and
meant 10 make il hotter still for the Spaniards !
but, man, would have sailed straight into hell
after him."
Then Mr.. Barrett coyly observes that he |
has several other similar sentences in his |
notebook, which he viii for obvious reas-
ons omit, on account of the strong sailor |
language used.
There are numerous interesting glimpses |
Of Admiral Dewey in this little book, but |
If Mr. Barrett were weeded out, the vol |
ume would be considerably smaller than |
it is. New York: Harper & Bros. !
sL25.)