The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1901-11-23
NEW hooks,
~.,,,.s, Hook About washington.

xorship which mas leo 10 INC pubhcauoh oi
.The True Benjamin Franklin and The
rr,e Thomas Jefferson" finds its latest ex-
n,ession in tho volume entitled George
Washington by Norman Hapgood Mac
miIlan). The authors purpose Is TO tell
the truth, in the conviction that a dis
olosurc of the truth can harm no one who
has any solid title to respect. Unques-
,ionably. his narrative should not have the
.sact Of lowering Washington in the mind
=, anv reasonable reader. while, on the
other hand, by revealing him as intensely
human. IL renders him moro Ineligible
and more sympathetic. There was even
r,ore danger in the case OF Washington
than in that Of Franklin or Jefferson, that
be would fade into a myth, the historical
,oc,s Of his career becoming entirely OBJ
scured by legends. MIR. Hapgood shows
mat Washington, like all other human
bcinrs, was largely the outcome OF his
environment, TO which, and to n natural
opickness Of temper, may DO traced most
~ the shortcomings which he exhibited.
Not on thiss score. however, can be explained
aN. - his deficiencies of education.
Among his contemporaries there we're
mon Beniamin Franklin was one-who
had no advantage over him with respect
In early opportunities OF instruction, yet
who by self-teaching made good the lack
Of university tuition. He had greater
facilities for self-cducation than had Abra-
ham Lincoln, and, bad he turned them
20 account, he could have himself written
his Farewell Address, as Lincoln him.
self wrote the speech which he delivered
a, Gettysburg. lie might, at all events.
have learned to spell; it is well known that
,ha ortbography and punctuation of the
letters collected by DIR. Sparks were stu
dioisly corrected. In fact, 1t was Sparks
who thought IL needful To begin the pro-
cess Of apothcosis. The author OF the book
before us makes no such mistake. On the
,uhiect OF Washington's scholastic &C
ouiremants he remarks: That his learn
inc WAS small il not TO be- attributed TO scant
opportunity, since he never showed much
hun ger for books, and many famous men
who later surrounded and obeyed him
vnn more education against greater odds
II mo studied Latin, he never used or re-
membered il; nor. in spite OF his frequent
experience through life with the French
was he ever able to use their tofgue. Not
only in spelling but in grammar he was
all his life deficient
On the other hand. he showed in youth
some aptitude for mathematics, but all
his schooling ended before he was sixteen
and he did not subsequently, supplement
II by jealous application 10 books, unless
they could be turned to practical uses. He
sent abroad foc works on agriculture, in
Guiding one oY which he had heard. A
New System Of Agriculture, or a speedy
way TO Get Rich
With regard 10 Washington's treatment
Of his slaves, tho incidents and opinions
cited In this narrative are drawn mainly
from the last years OF his life, when his
conscience had reached its most sensitive
state. Ultimately. he decided neither TO
buy nor TO sell slaves; yet, when he was
badly in want Of q cook. he bought n
The extent TO which Washington would
20 to recover his negroes was contrasted
shortly before he died, with his sense OF
the Importance Of e~vincing a respect Tor
public opinion In the two following eI-
tracts from his letters: 1T Is highly prob
able Paul has left the parts 10y water or
land). II Mr.. Dulany IL disposed TO pur-
sue any measure for the purpose OF recover
Ing his man, I will Join him In the expense
so far as il may respect Paul. But l would
not have my name appear in any adver'
tisement, or other measure, leading TO II.
Again: Il nave no other objection to the
advertising OF Pau than that of having
nv name appear therein: at least IN dnl
papers North Of Virginia: and that he ha'
not gone South Of il il natural TO infer
N he was governed by motives OF polio,
or by advice"
Our authors comment o n these extract
4 He was not a QuiXote, few great mel
are. he was not even a beautiful or imagins
tive soul His feet were always on tn
earth Having made this concession
Mr.. Hapgood submits that looking IN
fac,- Of human nature fairly In the fac"
We get a boiter encouragement from met
Of inspiring hrcs. among whom Washing
ton ia perhaps the highest modern hero.
Here We are reminded Of IA" declaratloi
made bv Washington 20 Louis Phlllpp"
when the latter. an exile IN America, was
guest al Mount Vernon. Noticing III
hosts yoIumiuous correspondence, ~
exile asked whether De- did not fear tia
ZONE ~ 80 words OF deeds would com
up IN Judgment against him when IA" III
tor.ln va making ~ the estimate - hi
pare-r Washington answered that w
rad never -aId anything or vrtten any
tiiug shirh be- cared tu recall, nor ha'
ever duur HuNf.lrg WITCH Do" trgn"tiel
Tile say Yur author. 'Na- q -frang" state
mont tu i@ a..t 90 wlHr after YEAR, "
var aud ysaf- ~ r-tair-mau-hip and YET
sy,n Boo OBJ. face Of plruflr.r modoil
sufi#I-u. 90 atiI wear. rh, faur = truth
o. ~rN hruru rHat D. vaz jniu Adam.
80 har.aUIY-fz vI. uf.fsasd m tt" CO...
rHH taI ,.rFI.r rlaf tha -upfrm" CON
mafI 30 tIt ,..ula. f.f.ss -luuld h. gls'.
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