New-York tribune., 1909-07-04
XXI.
London, June 81

mt
ia no+ he-trained diplomats, but whose
...o- e essentially undipomatic. Mr. Mot
- however so much more man or the
- .ban M Lowell that they cannot be
,..,,sted There is q similarity but no loeh-
80 Until Lowell came 10 London ne "as
-oc,use Motley had never been that Lo"eli
"a been a professor in Harvard University
,,o+1e- though a student and historian was
,,o1 what the English call 'Donnish' whereas
lowell had often the air Of lecturlng the com
-, as # company of pupils Delightful as
lie talk was the touch of the pedagogue WAS
,bors Indeed it may be doubted whether lie
=. university which is a world by itself, Is
- good training for diplomacy. An amhas-
.7or ought TO lie a man OF the world-it Is
-,e-ra,,s the first and highest Of his qualifca-
tions-but not a man Of d world. thoroueh
knowledge Of the Greek aorist or OF the pro-
caadjnrs Of Antigonus in Asia Minor Is not
,.a5ed in the conduct Of delicate negouauons'
nor did Lowell find his familiarity With spanish
literature Of much at the Foreign once OF
4, .rat larger foreign Office known as English
Society.
-oojet,- Was to Lowell in the beginning OF his
English experiences a stumbling block; ana 10
,ba end he only too often made a misstep. he
nc 1il,a,7 all the same The English are a peo-
81. who ran make allowances. nor do they eX-
,s., : n-Englishman TO be cast in an Eng
l;sr, mould They recognized his positive lherlts
They did not dwell what they thought ue-
ferts suppose I have before now told what
sluavs thought characteristic saying ol an
English host as Lowell drove away from his
door:
- need not tell You how much ] like Lowell
and how delighted ] am TO have hIm mere as
often as he Will come. But from the moment
he enters my house Till lie is gone 1 am in a
panic"
The panic into which this genial host fell was
due to LoweITs fighting spirit; surely not the
sp!rit Of dipIomatist. To that and 70 q pas
sion for accuracy which lie allowed to become
pedantic and aggressive. He left behind him
path Strevn with victims; a renown for brill
fancy: Just repute for many amiabe and de-
lightfuI traits. But the qualities essential 10
Minister were not among them.
NTr 2 J. Phelps. who came after him. was a
lawyer. and a lawyer may perhaps be expected
TO he more combative than professor; but it
was not So Nj Phelps took Mr- Lowells house
in Lound Square: a respectable dwelling in
very good square, but by no means an ideal
legation. When Mr.. Phelps became its tenant
the atmosphere changed: the climate was a
softer climate. The amelioration was due. in
rart 10 Mrs Phelps who beloved Mrs
Lowell had been an invalid Her husband used
TO say: My wife has no acquaintance and /
have no invention''-as an excuse for social
shortcomings But Mrs Phelps knew great
many people and charmed those whom she
knew.
Il is doubtful whether an ADLER man than MI
PheIps ever came from the United States 10
London as Minister. He was hailed at once as a
brother OF his brethren OF the bar; and they
put him on level with their best. His sim
picity Of character. his humour. his truthful
ness were evident 70 everybody. intellectually
he was auybody's equal. As Minister he had.
like ali lis predecessors his trade 70 learn. But
he soon learned what essential; learned
diplomacy as If it were a new cause he had to
master for great trial Bis mind was judicial.
He ought TO have been Chief Justice of the Su-
preme Court Of the United States.
With the promise Of 2 nomination TO that
great post in his pocket, he went home. but he
returned. TIE viii Of Mr. Pat Collins OF Bos-
fon-Iating Phelps because he would not.
Minister. be the instrument Of Irish i'll viii TO
Englsnd-had proved stronger than the will or
the word Of the President. Mr. Cleveland's sur
render-uo doubt under strong political pressure
deprived US Of Mr. Phelps's services Chief
Justice, and he became a law lecturer at Yale.
He was jurist who would have adorned either
place He also an orator who leaped into
fame BY single speech, at the farewell dinner
given him in London: although. indeed, his
speech at dinner Of welcome on his arrival was
scarcely less felicitous. a masterpiece Of ora
tory: digniied eloquent and pathetic" said Lord
Rosebery, a judge Of Oratory if there be one
We have sent to England many different
kinds Of Ministers and Ambassadors that they
must be pTaised-and, happily. most OF them
can be praised-with discrimination. and also
with brevity, for I cannot go on forever writing
on single topic I pass to Mr.. Hay The man
sion Mr. Hay leased in Carlton House Terrace
vas Ike ali those the south side Of that short
street looking on st. James's Park, adequate, and
even imposing. It was like unto the larger one
on the corner, formerly Lord Ardilaun's.
Lord Ridleys. When Mr.. Blaine entered IT
evening at concert he said TO the friend who
was with him: This IS the first really paatial
house 10 which you have brought me" Not
palace, but paiatiaL
Mr Hay knew as well any American then
living, or better, what a part social influences
could be made 10 play in diplomatic life. He
played tnat part with distinction. He was born
Tor it, lie had cultivated his natural gifts in
half dozen European capitals He had such
knowledge Of England and the English people
that il has always seemed a pity ne did not
write a book about them. But he left a record
as Ambassador which tells the story He was a
man who carried his point without collision.
He loved England and was beloved. When
President Mckinley sent for him to come home
and be Secretary OF State Hay said: II am a
soldier and must obey orders But all my fun
II life is over
As II turned out IL was not over stil
greater career opened before him. and he was
the first American Secretary Of State to make
an imaginative use Of his opportunities and a
great name IN Europe and Asia alike He was
the first American Secretary of State to take
the lead in a world-embracing policy; TO unite
the European Powers in support of it. TO ex-