The Washington herald., 1907-06-16

Newman's Apologize Pro Vita Sua, ana
Sir Thomas Brownies "Religio Medicl.
has that appeal which always attaches to
the confessions Of belief of famous men.
Frederic Harrison has for years been
recognized as the leader Of the English
positivlsts. and in this capacity he mas
been urged many times 10 give an eX-
piicit statement OF the faith which he
processes. and so in this book, Apologize
Pro Fida Mea," he narrates the processes
of thought by which he has come 10 q
state Of mind in regard TO faith which
enables him 10 urge that at his death his
tomb may be inscribed with the words
'Ie found peace
Frederic Harrison was born in the faith
Of the Church Of England, and the simple
but impressive services Of his church
color. perhaps unconsciously, his views
Of life. He recalls some Of the village
church services. especially service
preached by an Anglican archbishop in
his lawn sleeves. which caused some re-
gret among the Quakers that they "en-
joyed no such privilege Of hearing the
Word Of God from cOnsecrated lips
Even to-day, positivist as he IS, he IS
frank to confess that he cannot resist
the appeal Of a choral service, and Is
moved by the beauties of gothic archi-
lecture He quite agrees with his great
teacher. Comte. that the medieval cathe-
drals are "the most perfect expression
Of the ideas and feelings of mans moral
nature" II is clear that Mr.. Harrison
is essentially religious in his own nature,
but he has found the need Of more solid
ground for his faith than theological
speculation. To him the Gospel Of HUI
manity is the most appealing. and he be
Heves that immortal life means the per
sistence Of human activity. Thus he
sums up his creed.
Life IS too real for endless sracllations-too ssr
ous i5r mystical f1rs5cdings- The fate Of
each man is bound MP with the desriuies OF hls
fellows IS they suffer he suffers, they flourish
he foDrisles they live hereafter. he lives here
after Tc love with them and for them, 20 Uofk
with them and for tlsm-this Is al that man can
know q dury-it IS an he can desire FOR happiness
and peace
Nj Harrison is seveuty-six years old.
He is know best 10 the world at large as
an author and his "Order and Progress.
"The Choice Of Books" Byzantine His
Of Ruskiu and Spencer viii not be soon
forgotten But this latest book Of his
promises to perpetuate his fine influence
and will most probably carry out its
authors ambition. which he expressed
thus. L have taken every precaution TO
have my belief respected 10y those l shall
so soon leave behind me-
The many Washington friends Of Mr..
Perriton Maxwell will regret to learn that
the July issue OF the Cosmopolitan Maga-
zine IS the last number which viii appear
under his editorship. Mr. Maxwell has re-
signed 10 devote himself exclusively TO
literary work. His connection with the
Cosmopolitan has done much for the mag
azine. which has gained both dignity and
many readers through his influence.
In The Awakening Of China" which
was reviewed i'm The washington Herald
last Sunday. its author, DR.. ". A P. Mar
tin. tells an interesting little anecdote
about the introduction Of the Morse tele-
graph system into China. over forty
years ago DR.. Martin exhibited to the
dignitarfes Of Pekin this wonderful Amer
ican invention. He says. The old men,
though heads of departments, ChucEled
like children when. touching the button,
they heard the bell ring; or, when wrap
ping q wire round their bodies. they saw
the lightning leap from point to point
It's wonderful they exclaimed. but we
could not use it I'm our country. The peo-
pie would steal the wires.
The latest suggestion for preveating the
decay Of the Irish language in the Irish
speaking districts-where, in spite Of the
efforts Of the Gaelic League. it is distinc-
lively losing grounds that Gaelic trav-
cling theater should be established. some
what on the lines Of those of Brittany and
Provence. During the last few years
many pIavS i'm Irish. by M Douglas HYDE
and other writer's. have been produced
in Dublin. which. though not an Irish
speaking district, is now the center Of the
linguistic revival The new propaganda
ought to be popular in Ireland, where the
dullness Of village life is lamented on all
hands.
Personality is the life Of Ellen Terry's
Memories of Ny Childhood running in
McCIurp's How many literary essays on
Nacready's art would it take to give so
clear an idea Of the possibilities of his
gifts as her two lines in her story Of
running into the white waistcoat Of the
old gentleman one night rushing back
TO change her dress between the acts?
She found that she had nearly knocked
over the great Mr. Macready and was
too agitated to speak any word in reply
10 his compliments of the acting she had
been doing on the stage. but even in
those short moments the strange at
trautiveness Of his face impressed itself
on my imagination. I remember dis
tinctly his curling hair, his oddly Colored
ewes full of fire. and his beautiful wavy
mouth" II is interesting in a way to
note that in her account Of Mr. oscar
ByTn. the dancing master and director
of crowds at the Princess Theater, a
man who taught in the theatcr the old
school Turveydrop department up
rirhtness Of carriage. and certainty OF
step. she observes that 1t would not be
a bad thing If there were more old
fops' like Oscar ByTu in the theateTs to-
day That old-fashioned department is
sadly neglected
The publication Of Thomas Dixon's new
book. "The Traitor" which has been de-
Iayed on account Of the illness OF NIr.
Dixon's daughter, will take place within
a few weeks. Doubleday, Page & Co.
are the publishers.
Continuing his autobiography in the
North American Review, Mark Twain
writes.
"Susy was a dreamer. a thinker. a poet
and philosopher. and Clara-weH Clara
wasn't In after years a passion for
music developed the latent spirituality
and intellectually in Clara. and hei
practically took second and. in fact, ever
fbtvE Dr1ao Taou u-ac from, the beofyvi-,e 9