New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-16

e Englsh aPt pupil q Ss~Pah as F Fen S
ness OF elastic strength. Froude like Newman, can
educated men who understand each other to heights
Of genuine eloquenee. where the resources of our
full His vocabulary was large and various He
could play with every pipe in the Ianeuage and
sound ts What 0p he bs oxford qsed
more or less since about the Oriel style Per-
coInplished Dean of St Paui's Church does not
rival Newman and Froude at their best But he
slipshod writing He the fine flower of the
sheltered from the Winds OF heaven. such as cetu
Ius painted in everlasting colors long centuries ago
sizes and the minds of men. and cities, and gov
medley Of the universe He Troe for the ep m re
utude who read books for relaxation. who want to
ing done them He satisaed all he their inns re-
indeed wer tb OF fastd9us scholar Lucky
services Oh such reviewer.
In sense this passage tells the whole story
OF froudes career. His style to him what
technique is to the musical virtuoso. He was
indeed. virtuoso in the finest meaning of the
Woro, enVeloping the stuff out of which he made
ms DOCKS as in a rich garment. He was not a
sclenClc historian understand the type
to-day. AS Mr.. Paul remarks 'he must remain
outside the pale in the company of Thucydides
Iacltus' Gfbbon. Macaulay and Mommsen." We
scientists rave. They may pick flaws in Froude's
history of England. but they cannot impugn it's
essential value. Mr.. Paul labors unduly the
points OF disagreement between Froude and his
critics, repeating himself In his long chapter on
the History till he runs the risk of waking sus-
piclons that he is not, after ALL entirely sure Of
MS case He is equally redundant In his ac-
count OF the feud between Froude and Freeman
But we can excuse him tbs score of a pas
SlOnata ybiP yrbp oil iu
somethi g kindling about it. and he certainly
leaves his hero in an mpregnable position. We
particularly appreciate his exposition of Froude's
diligence in documentary research.
That telling, journalistic mode Of writing
which we have noticed in Mr.. Paul before &C.
casfonaly tempts him into remarks more
piquant than plausible. His allusion to NJ.
Bourget in the discussion Of 1.-THE Nemesis OF
Faith" seems dragged in: the comparison of
King Henry's love letters with Mirabeaus to
SOPHIE de Monnier is equally quaint; and there
is an Interpretation of Turner q painter of
Venice which suggests that Mr.. Paul would do
we'll to stick to literature and let art criticism
alone. a fine taste. too. would have directed
the omission of the anecdote of Froude's butler,
Nobody wants to know what that parsonage
had to say about his masters politics. There
are, indeed, a good many pages in this thick
volume which might well have been toned down
and condensed. On the other hand this might
have deprived the work Of some of the gusto
which is, perhaps its chief merit: and we ought
to add in justice to Mr.. Paul that he can, on
occasion, show much tact Nothing could be
better than his chapter the relations of
Froude and Carlisle. It is sympathetic and it
is obviously true One reioices to observe his
dignifed avoidance Of all provocative reference
to the recent obnoxious controversy; he has had
the good sense not much TO mention the
name of the most conspicuous figure in that de-
plorable affair. He realizes that the main thing
to do is to exhibit the manner Of man that
Froude was, to convey faithful and inspiring
impression of his writings, and this he has done
in a fresh and adequate manner. Some inter-
esting letters have gone to the making Of this
book-there is from Bret Harte, written
when Froude was publishing his Spanish Story
of the Armada" which we wish was not too
long to be reprinted here-and. while the biog-
raphy is sarily much concerned with the
works of it's hero his personal traits are not for
gotten. This is the first life Of Froude to be
given to the world. It will be long, we fancy,
before another is needed