The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-09-24
GOLDW|N SMITH THE SAGE OF THE GRANGE Grand Old Man of Canada is
 82 Years Old STILL AN ACTIVE WORKER Rich In Memories of the Past, Former Oxford Don and Famous Ills
 torian Lives Only In
 the Present.
STILL AN ACTIVE WORKER

l AsIlaH GitcS Only m 1 the Present.
 Stages are scarce. Rarely does a coun- try confer the degree upon more than one subject at time and even when such chosen one passes away sue cessor has to be long and earnestly sought for, says Frank Weigh in the New York Times.
 Britain created Carlyle It's Sage of Chelsea; the United States conferred the high title on Tilden. the Sage of Gramercy Park. and Canada has made Goldwin Smith it's choice as the Sage of the Grange.
 The Grange Is the Toronto home of the Grand Old Man of Letters. It is one of the historic houses of the Canadian city, if not it's oldest Being patterned after an old-World country house, it is 8 bit 1 of Old England in New Canada. pictur- esque in it's garmenture of ivy, and sur rounded by a parklike area studded with 1 superb oaks and elms. In its infancy. nearly century ago, the Grange was | on the outskirts of the little town; to- day 1t is crowded fin the heart of the city, with its roar and rush echoing from all sides and beating in upon the book-lined cloister of the aged scholar.
 To this charming retreat came Goldwin Smith in 1871. He has thus been citizen 1 of Toronto for thirty-four years, and a citizen of the highest type, rendering efficient service in many fields of educa- tional. philanthropic and civic activity, md Boo I.l rurff ous share of his means. He was largely responsible for the successful amalgama- l tion of the city charities; he has helped house the newsboys in handsome build 1 ing, and has presented home for nursing mission. In educational lines he has been an active worker on behalf of Toronto University. and is an earnest ad- vocate of the public school system of the Dominion.
 Ideal Working Center. 1 The Grange is an ideal working center for a scholar who has evolved into a sage "a man who, according to Webster's defi- milton, possesses gravity and wisdom, 1 sound judgment and prudence; a grave philosopher. Gravity and wisdom no one will deny the occupant of the Grange. l though there are not a few Canadians who, while holding him in highest es- teem. yet might challenge the sound judg- 1 ment, especially when the grave philoso- pher runs full tilt at current opinion, as he not infrequently does In many mat ters of public moment he sets himself to the task of rowing up stream, and from | that self-appointed task no degree of op- position or outburst of criticism will di- vert him. He is Canadas greatest free lance, a candid friend of his adopted country, and an absolutely fearless one as well.
 The workshop of the Grange Is the li- | nI If Gbf lined with the best thought of literature, ancient and modern. It Is, in the pro- fessor's phrase, a working library only, he having donated many years ago his first and larger collection of books to Cornell University.
 It Is in the library that the Sage re- ceives his forenoon visitors. The Grange has an euviable reputation for kindly hospitality Even the big brass door knocker has an inviting look. The caller realizes, when ushered into the reception room that Goldwin Smith is an old man, as he himself is the first to admit. Asked as to his health he replied; "There is nothing the matter with me but the ln- curable disease of eighty-two years" He speaks of writing with the trembling hand of age" His life of fourscore years and over has been not only long but an eventful one, if judged by participation in important movement and intercourse with famous men. The scope of his career is best shown by his own backward look.
 An Aged Spectator.
 'I have talked to Addington about Pitt -Addington who was premier of Eng land in 1901 I rememoer the rejoicings in England over the reform bill. I re- member seeing the farm buildings near my fathers house burned by raiders who opposed the introduction of thrashing ma chimes. l recall as lad seeing the serv- ants light the fire with finder box. I have seen a man In the stocks. l have heard the curfew."
 No wonder the aged spectator can say that during the course of my long life there has been marvellous progress of invention. and new forces-mechanical, moral. and political-haye come upon the scene"
 Dr. Smith tells an anecdote that still further bears upon his longevity. On re- ceiving portrait of an old political and social friend, Sir Thomas Beazley, he had written to thank him and to say how pleased he was to receive his portrait and how interesting 1t was to find that two at least of the old circle were still left. The writer received an answer from the son to say that it was not the father, his late friend, who had sent 1t. but the son; that he the sender was TO years of age, and his father. if he were living, would be 102!
 | other incident of his earlier days-of knowing Wellington and Peel; of the strenuous days spent with Bright and Golden in the propagation of the Man chester school of free trade. 'I am" he patheticaily adds. "one of the last sere leaves left huttering on that tree. and I am not ashamed of the tree on which I grew" He might tell of serving on the famous Gladstone commission on Oxford reform as far back as 1850 Or he could recall. as he once did. his cele- brated pupil in English history, the pres ent King Edward
 "A little class was formed for this scion of royalty. I used to examine him after the lecture, and I have no doubt that I bored him to extinction. But he never let me see that he was bored. From this gathered that he would successfully discharge the most arduous duties of royalty He would never lose his self command or, like one of his predecessors, knight a town clerk in mistake for the Lord Mayor!"
 Even his first year in Cornell in 1s6s- 70. when he assisted Ezra Cornell to lay the foundations of a great university to- be, re-emphasize the professors ripe old age.
 Does Not Live Entirely In Past.
 But these passing references to Dr. Smiths former days do not warrant the interference that he lives only in the past Quite the contrary. The bystander of Canadian journalism is still a bystander, and as such is an untrammeled commen- tator and critic. He continues 10 pen e weekly column for Toronto journal.