New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-12-18

lou, nast who practically made and for many
years conducted THE Daily News" of London, |
as IN special sense entitled to the friendly re-
gard Of Americans. At the gloomiest period in
this country's history. when during the struggle
between North and South the sentiment of the
-7lilng classes in England emphaticalIy in
Favor Of the South, the young manager of The
News" turned all the strength of his paper
the support OF the North. His course brought
him into antagonism with the proprietor and
there was for the moment a question of his re-
unGuishment Of his post Abusive letters poured
into the Office Everybody knows you are get
ting heaps Of money from those scoundrelly
Yankees" ran of these. The niger hero
Lincoln is tottering to his fall and when that
takes place you and your gang Will be packed
out OF the country you disgrace" Then came
the news OF Gettysburg, and there more
scurr1lous letters and more demands that the
paper should desert what had become the win
ming side
MI Thomas tells US that Robinson left some
diaries and "a number of thick closely written
volumes Of jottings In his own handwriting de-
scriptive Of events of which he had been an eye
witness. and people he had and known
That these ''jottings" were of unusual interest
the few extracts permitted to reach US in their
original form attest Alas that they should be
so few! What Mr. Thomas has done has been to
retel in his own words and in a particularly
"reminiscences Il have not thought it neces-
sary desirable" he says, ito indicate in all
cases what is his and what is my own,"-and
he thereupon proceeds to paw over and spoil as
much may be the material for remarkably
good biography. 1t is a striking proof of the
value Of Robinson's recollections that even in
their cruelty transmogrifed shape they make up
2 decidedly entertaining book
RobusCn's position. his abilities and the
q E-Tr1Tla m e
lations with nearly all the interesting figures in
the London Of his time. and he set down in his
diaries many neat little sketches of these ac-
Quaintances, political and literary. Here is a
portrait OF Backmore, the author Of the i'm
mortal Lorna Done: - quaint, homey,
solid look with face clean shaver and frame
Of white whislIers and beard: like a respectable
mason. who in country town has become a
leading in small dissenting chapel OF
Charles Reade he wrote Round head, crisp
hair and mustache like a Frenchman
than 4 fellow Of Magdalen College Very tall
and very peppery." Du Maurier's happiness in
his sudden success novelist is pleasantly
recorded in a paragraph describing him as TAX
ing a seat OF honor at a dinner one evening and
whispering joyously. You see where they have
put me- Il is all that dear delightful little
Trilby's doing" It at another public din
ner that Robinson sat next to a member of Par
lament who observed TO him: There has beer
q great deal in the papers lately bout that
American writer named Rudyard Kipling." A
polite statement that Kipling English
made Impression upon him mo.
think not" he said: and he continued. But
really these Americans do get talked about"
Rcbinson's plea that In Kipltng's there
was perhaps Some reason for the talk evoked
slight condescension from his tnterlocutor-
-Oh- yes" he remarked. 81 have always under
EtOod that he is a very instructive writer
When youth Robinson Joined the forces
Of The Daily News" his mind was strongly In
fuenced by his brilliant colleague Harriet Mar
tneau They corresponded for many years
but never met until three years before her death
when he visited his hermit contributor al Am
beside. He describes her then in her seven
ty-second year. a neat plump little woman. the
first impression being How small!" She had
bright vivacious eyes and a pleasant smile
that did not exclude a certain look Of deterni-
nation Her queer shaped trumpet she
dressing her. moving her head about as the
other person moved in d manner that was fr-
resistibly comic to any unaccustomed TO the
sight Robinson records odd instance OF the
persistence of the journalistic instinct in this
venerable writer-she gave all the necessary
instructions for a telegram TO be sent TO the