New-York tribune., 1908-04-04
4 German Tieec of the Character of
WiUion Pitt.

= II sI4: ii. s27 G P Putnanl's sons
~ Won Ruville has applied the industry and
.,,-oughness which have long been associated
-s.h German historical methods TO his elucida-
=. If the career OF William Pitt His three
,.--es are a monument OF patient research
- cautious judgment He has searched pub
- srd private archives with unwearytng zeal
= has been indefatigable in absorbing the
-,-it n contemporary literature. Every multi
ss-so,s detail Of an active life is placed under
= microscope and tested in the desiccatiye
oesses Of cold calculation Every word and
= * anaIyzed and pigeon-holed; every motive
: s5r,sted 10 a consistent formula The result
a. embodiment faithful and just in outline,
,,arlo1is IN finish. and bearing every attribute
= -4e man except the ruddy glow OF life It is
.-rrrrh OF science over the imagination, OF
=. catalogue over the picture.
= preliminary survey of England at the
-. NJ rile advent OF Pitt the author reminds
Sc she was a small state. having. UP TO the
--iasle u the eighteenth century, a population
: ,rlv SIX nHlions-or, including Scotland and
-lsr{ less than nine miliions-as against the
-.n-,-one millions OF France and the forty
-r4,-s q -he German Empire Her national
-.,a,7,e at this epoch amounted TO little more
.s.- E5Oaeo00, and her relative Importance
o,g the powers vas due solely TO CONNER
= and mercantile alertness, 2 well ordered
.r,rr5al system and well equipped fleet. The
,,aesion Of the Hanoverian dynasty had been
..-sn6ed by considerable confusion, presenting
,s-aIlel 10 that Of Charles Is time In both
=, -rs result Is attributed to a selfish motive
= ne desire, that is. to secure not constitu-
..-,sl rights or the equilibrium Of opposing
.--4s but the predominan.e OF a group OF indi-
ssu,s Proceeding from this point OF view,
- srtho- attributes Engiand's greatness TO
-s. business ninbleness, backed by gun
..xisr. The most striking developments Of the
r,rish constitution are ascribed to a simple
Gamble for salaries. and the popular ideas Of
4-assor7 are regarded nothing more than
.sta-yzeIgJl-s 70 help one set Of Office seekers
s1sins- another After this il is not surprising
- see -ha character Of Pitt discussed upon a
s~ersr- plane from that on which we have been
scrusrorled 70 regard il. No writer who has
r-ren Pitt e thought has hitherto failed TO note
-hst conscious Of his peculiar intellectual
movers and Of his genius for mastery, he was
sHa-7e with ambition 70 use his great gifts in
ne service Of his country. In the eyes OF the
greseur author this becomes a uniform banker
ing for Office. with its enoluments. The most
raEoxlcaI Of natures, sNayec TO conhlctlng
conclusions by gusts Of feeling and unexpected
mental processes. becomes a consistent place
tu--s- when measured by the yardstick OF self
E-erest.
Il Is a denetured Chatham that is thus pre-
serted 20 Us one II whom all the poetry Of
moral grandeur Is carefully externinated-
tha-a's greatness We are told, did not
lie IT counsel in his home o. his foreign policy:
II La- entirely in action. / was when the
decision had been taken. when he was placed IL
authority and the tine had come 70 act that he
showed what he was. Then he faced ali, even
the greatest difficulties and overcame them by
his auEacious energy and tenacity-" But II one
shan seek 70 learn from these pages what
prompted the action, what inspired the energy,
-rsr moulded the decision, what rare gift
uon far him the confidence a1d devotion OF
millions and bound them TO his fortunes what
vas he secret OF that eloquence that swept op-
POSITION from his path like leaves before tor
rrr-. whence came that wondrous insight into
M human heart that made him all but in
.srE7le Judge OF men what manner OF genius II
Tas that lifted England from comfortable medi-
ea~-v 70 De the mother Of empires and the mis-
tres n the seven seas, We fear the quest VIII De
II vain for the realms ofsthe spirit are not 10 De
uo--ed by the rule OF thumb, and those i'm
ualrzh-e Influences that shape the destinies OF
nations can never De acJudged upon the ouIl'
dead level Of sordid calculation
Lei IT rot be Inferred that the historian ad-
rsrces % MS subject il the guise Of the icono-
czsr- lining merely a. pulling commanding
lg1-= from is pedestal on the contrary. he
Processes profound regard for the man TO whom
be has -z.E 50 weignry a tribute in the prepara-
non ~ these volumes. Yet. not once. but again
and again. he pictures him actuated by motives
s. selfish and sor6id that DO not recognize
tie lofty Pit OF our dreams We first see hlin
tesi-ous q perfecting himself in the knowledge
q -n- world rolItIcal wisdom and the art ot
orator. His object was 20 secure mental pai-
a-ce and emotional Command throughout his
srruggl== COZ the highest earthly aims The sec
gd hrar.1 ol study was 10 provide him with the
nte.i-e---sL material which he needed Tor Inc
sua-uz-a1r o. MS object, while The third was m
JeadeG 70 give him that technical pertectlon
sttho1t which ali other knowledge would De
aseless- His oratory was means 10 power the
Hsed 1f which would have been less II the direct
pain had not been closed by the opposition or
te king But as George Il persisted IN hVlhg
sud e.glug on WaIpole when Ee ought 10 nave
oed and given Pitt chance. there was nothing
,or the latter 70 do but 70 carry on the struggle
against the favorite. This involved the adFah-
isEs " enabling Pitt TO perfect his oratorlcal
laEers and r. lay the foundations Of that non
a-s5e position which he was 10 occupy as the
g-ssI Comm0ne- This oratoTical training =
lronegroe1 = petty matter IN comparison with
II training ia the art OF administration Whlch
sa0u6 have been his. and Pitt finding the high-
sE position within reach by his own efforts Is
aeieved % nave cast away hrs opportunities OF
gaming thorough practical training in the
'sEless ~ the state IN my opinion says the
lso-lar- '-che most remarkable point IN PITT $
esree- is the rap-dity with which. notwithstand-
2 MS lack of training. he made himself &C
sla-lted vl-l t1e business Of The high Office with
f-c1 be r-as after.rard intrusced. Il would
@en i- Newcastle. the type Of an Enslsh
--realc-zt whose lie wes spent in administra-
-l2 Aera more cougenial subject for the writ