The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-08

Intimate Appreciation Of q Fashlonab,,
London Lecturer.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir, ocrs.
slonslly we read IN newspapers and nc-iod-
Gals the opinions, nay. the pronunciau4antos
OF DR.. Emil Reich of Hungary, now % london
IL II not time to tell Americans that this genial
and highly talented gentleman is taken serI,
ously only by q certain semi-fashiol apls so,
in England. principally because OF hs pala
face. his black hair flying athWart his lconins
c~ountenance. his dramatic gestures. and tia
oracular manner in which he promulgates m,
eccentric and radical o%pinLons1
Let me say. once for ali, that Or. Reich ha,
been an intimate friend Of mine since Isa,
when he contributed to a periodical In London
OF which / was then editor; that ! IKE MIN
personally very much indeed: that he - hon,
est; and that his head Is crammed ml q,
knowledge. particularly In regard to phi-
losophy. history and languages. That he SET.
himself up a. a historian L. ho-sysr
standing joke among those who know, for
Of all men he lacks the principal Q~ualaca-
ton OF the historian. namely. the critical
faculty. which p~resupposes an unbiased
mind. Nobody In existence il SO full OF
prejudices as DR.. Reich. His likes aud dis
likes are pronounced and as unreasonlny "a
an Irishman's opinion on England. Hr spent
several years in the United States, but as wa
do not incline to be taken in by Oratorical
poseurs a. much as our British cousins, Ia
failed to rise. and therefore left America with
q strong hatred of everything American.
This hatred he has transferred to the MOTHER
land. for. although he makes his money out
Of the English. he hates them cordially. On
the other hand. he loves the Russians. and
simply adores the French. which is not won-
derful. since Mrs. Reich was a French lady
and q charming one. Here is the characters
stio personal equation.
In the matter Of oracles this paragon Of
history has been singularly unfortunate. I
VIII merely mention the fact that in a lecture
delivered In q London school during the
Russian-Japanese war he ridiculed the idea
OF Japan getting the better Of her colossal
enemy, and wound up with the statement.
delivered In his most ramatio manner. II
the Russians ever give in to the japanese |
give you leave to call me a dog" Still more
unfortunate was the appearance of his latest
book Just after the fall OF Mukden, the posi-
buity Of which event is laughed to scorn in
one OF the chapters.
DR.. Reich has ever prided himself on hs
knowledge of. and also his invincibility with. tina
fair sex, but like many men OF this character
he is ~laughably deficient in such knowledge.
No man ever lived so long in the United States
and learned less about the real character OF
the people. and especially OF the women. He
is absolutely blinded by his prejudices, and
with him the wish Is father to the thought in
every case. As a commentator upon national
character or current events he is TO laugh"
n historians OF any standing all over thu
world do laugh at him. Let US hear no more
Of his opinions; they are not even funny.
say all this with a sincere liking for the
man and admiration for his many good quail
tiles. Much OF II I have often told him to his
face. BAcKwooDsMAN.
MILFORD. N. s., November 5.