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

characters through the music OF the
operas in which they appear. i is
illustrated by musical phrases intro
duced from time to time. The view OF
the author is that while it is quite true
that one must be educated up" TO 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 diyini-
~ in humanity in Brunnhiide. three
world types The truth is that Wagner is
reiucaTnation Of the ancient Ieuton
spirit. with its weirdness its purity, its 81
gantic, almost grotesque mythology and
wild beauty; and the inner meaning OF ms
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 10 students Of
opera. New York: Harper & Bros. Sl.25)
Admiral George Dewey. 4 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 MI
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 a most unconventional po-
sition, Mr. Barrett trots through the pages
in close proximity to 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
one begins to doubt whether it 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
it. Here is one Of these passages:
As long as the Filipinos RETAINED from attack
ing and fighting the forces Of the United states
Government. | did all in my humble power TO
prevent possible conflict. and invariably gave
the Filipinos credit where they deserved II. On
the other hand when, led away by unfortunate
influences and inspired 10y false conceptions OF
the attitude and intention Of the United States
Government they saw fit to declare
. war against the United States. l. like many 9th
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
nizod 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 a great thrill of awe
and admiration. that if 1t lad not been for
Mr. Barrett the Government would proba-
bly, not have been supported at all.
II is interesting TO discover, in a 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 kilograms rolled
in on him from prominent men in America, ask
ing him If he would be a candidate These sug
gtetions came from men OF Republican as well as
Democratic faith. Il were to give here list
Of those who wrote him, it would prove most
interesting and instructive.
It would; it would.
It might even astonisll Mr.. Mckinley and Mr..
Bryan. Those which the admiral mentioned we're
told in confidence, and they cannot be repeated
here
This is positively cruel
In my opinion. there is only one condition
that would tempt the Admiral To accept the
Presidential nomination. That would be either
request from 10th great parties. q unanimous
request from one party where it was in such
position that acceptance would be tautamount TO
an election. The Admiral has never said any
thing OF this kind to me, but, with all tiS re-
fIsalS 20 consider the position, ] DO not believe |
that he would stand 10 one side and say that he
would not accept if he was fully convinced that
il was duty which be- owed his country !
A. to the AdHirais politics u can be
said that be is neither pronounced Democrat
nor Republican. he once discussed this matter
with me. and said that his life had been so alb.
soutcIy removed irom the direct influence OF
politics that he did no; class himself as belong
ing 10 any particular party. lie has
numerous friends IN both parties, and no piru-
cular pr,iuLices in favor Of either. He is gov
erned more by the man nominated than by the
party nominating him. Anyone who discusses
politics with MIN can plainly see that he cannot
be distinctly placed in Tie ranks OF either Of the
great parties.
An interesting scrap Of conversation oc- !
CURED between Mr.. Barrett and gunner,
in which the latter was asked what he eX-
pected to do when ne sailed away from
Mrs Bay. The gunner said:
40? Damn little did OF anyone else this
ship care AS long as the old man was ordering it.
We knew We were going TO a hot place. and
meant TO make j, hotter s,il for the Spaniards,
but, man, We would have sailed straight into hell
after hint
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 q Bros.
$3.50