The Washington herald., 1906-12-30
WAS BORN IRELAND
Career of Mr.. Bryce, New
British Ambassador.
EMINENT SCHOLAR ANDAUTH0R
His Acquaintance with President
Roosevelt Began In the Eighties.
Home In London the Resort of Dis
tinEuished Men and WOmen-Wfde
Traveller and Mountain Climber.


tician, or even as a diplomat, that America
welcomes the Right Hon. James Bryce.
Many TO whom his name is familiar as
the author of THE American Common
wealth the most Illuminating oxposi-
ton Of American Institutions which has
yet been written. know little. If anything.
Of his career as an English statesman,
writes Henry Barrett Chamberlin, in 5he
/ Chicago Record Herald. II is as a man
of letters that he is known IN this coun-
try. and as such no Englishman deserves
better Of America than does James
/ Bryce. The work which America had
| adopted as a textbook In its schools and
/ colleges shows a sympathetic and intelli-
sent comprehension OF the character OF
American life. the quality Of American
ideals, and the practical working Of
/ American institutions which could have
been gained only by thorough and ex-
tended study. 1t is no snapshot view
taken from car windows, such as several
distinguished foreigners have presented
as perfect portraits Of American Bfe.
Before its publication IN 1855, Mr.
Bryce had made several protracted visits
in America. had travelled in every State
and Territory, visiting not only the large
/ centers Of population. but the small, out
of-the-way communities. town. villages.
and hamlets as well. He brought TO the
study Of American life sympathy with
modern ideas and democracy, a broad
university training historic knowledge, Il
! thoroughly disciplined and highly trained
mind, and judicial temperament which
enabled him 10 discern clearly between
the superficial and accidental manifesto
| tons Of American civilization and its
really essential characteristics His at
| titude is shown IN a paragraph embodied
in the book itself:
When first visited America, eighteen
years ago. I brought home a swarm Of
broad CONGRATULATIONS. Half Of them were
thrown overheard after a second visit. in
ISL. OF the half that remained some were
dropped into the Atlantic when returned
across il after a third visit. in lSs3 and
/ 1854; and although the two later Jour
neys gave birth 10 some new views. these
views are fewer and more discreetly eau
uous than their departed sisters Of 1870"
1t Is this eminent fairness and eageness
20 revise and correct hastily formed
judgments based on insufficient data that
has made THE American Commonwealth
the great commentary that II IS.
First Meeting with Roosevelt.
Il was in the visit Of 1854 that Mr..
/ Bryce first met Theodore Roosevelt.
whom he, even at that early day. recog-
nized as type Of vigorous. impetuous.
and able American manhood. destined 10
90 far. The acquaintance formed at that
I time. strengthened into friendship by the
mutual admiration which two men of
such eminent intellectual force must feel
/ for each other. makes the appointment
/ happy one, so far as the White House is
I concerned.
James Bryce is by birth an Irishman.
/ belonging to that northern province OF
/ Ireland which is peopled 20 a large extent
/ by Scottish immigrants. His lifelong desire
that Ireland be given a better system of
! government than England has yet granted
shows that this northern province Of
/ Ulster is not SO essentially un-Irish or
/ even anti-Irish IN feeling as the world
may think. He is the eldest son OF James
/ Bryce, IL D.. OF Glasgow University.
/ and Margaret, daughter Of James Young.
and was born IN lSS II was in his
F fathers university. from which he passed
/ 10 Oxford, that ne won student hOnors
prophetic OF his manhood career. At
/ Heidelberg he gained that knowledge Of
/ German which later had much 20 do with
T the friendly regard in which Queen Vic
toria held him. Before turning his atten-
ton 10 active political life. Bryce had at
tanned distinction as a historian, student.
and critic of modern life He studied
/ for the bar and was made barrister Of
/ Lincoln's Inn, in 1867. at the age Of %.
/ praCticing in the law courts till 1852. He
was appointed Tegius professor Of civil
/ law at Oxford in lSl, holding that office
! until he resigned il in 1885 His studies
were not limited TO those Of the law. how
eYer-literature, science and art claiming
much of his attention for ne is above all
| things a scholar and long before his en-
/ trance into parliamentary lire in 1880 had
/ obtained the highest distinction as a
writer Of history. The Holy Roman
/ Empire" published in 1852. is considered
/ by critics masterpiece Of historical
/ study, insight. and labor. That he should
/ have successfully written two historical
/ works dealing with such totally different
/ subjects as those of The Holy Roman
D
/ wealth indicates the high order Of his
/ intellectual attachments.
His Parliamentary Career.
/ His parliamentary career began in 1850.
when he was elected as liberal representa-
/ tive for Tower Hamlets, a London con-
stituency. As member Of the House of
/ Commons he was deeply interested in the
/ cause Of national education and took an
/ important part in two state commissions
appointed to conduct inquiries into the
working of the public schools. Later he
was chosen to represent a Scottish con-
/ stituency, and when his party came into
/ power with Gladstone as its head, he re-
ceived the important Office of under sec
rotary Of state for foreign affairs, an Of
/ fee which gave ample opportunity for the
display Of his intimate knowledge Of for
! eign countries. gained in extensive trav-
| els For America is not the only coun-
try which has attracted him in his wan
behring's. All of Europe is familiar ground
TO him. Asia Is scarcely less we'll known,
and a narrative Of his travels in Trans
Caucasia, with an account of his ascent
of Mount Ararat, published in 1871. shows
him to have been the first 10 explore the
summit Of that mountain. Mountain
/ climbing has been his recreation, and his
! trips have taken him every place where
1 there are mountains to climb.
| His opposition to the South African war
was based on a knowledge of the country.
! a knowledge embodied in his book I'm
! pressions Of South Africa" In 1892 he
| became chancellor of the duchy of Ian
/ caster and for the first time had a seat in
/ the cabinet. In 1894 he was given one of
/ the most important positions that the ad-
/ ministration could confer-president Of
] the hoard of trada Nhan the Con snrH-a-