New-York tribune., 1910-07-31

xss 9 survival of the Renaissance. He
MS born out OF due time. BY nature
hs vss a scholar. which is 8 eentrsdic-
tfon IL terms, huf true. He was in
truth scholar Of many accomplish
rvaenss-the Hurnenities. HisteTy. Po-
l;,ical and Economical Science, and
mich else Ysu could imagine him iiv-
ing his life in an Oxford quadrangle,
quite happy and quite useful in a way
IN the way Of the quadrangle. But there
sss another Geldwin Smith, kind Of
snostie. with a message from on High
te preach the Gospel. That is the Gold
win smith the world knew for near
sixty years.
Yet the Gospel he preached was his
or-r. asd not always the same. More
over. from time TO time the original
C7cldwin Smith reappeared, as il did at
Cornell That was after he had en-
dfred a period Of disappointment.
S,Ir the impression he left after many
years OF acquaintance was the same
We met. not frequently, but always on
exactly the same terms. He wrote TO
NE not frequently, vet in the course OF
years z large number OF letters; all eN-
sctlv alike. We were friends, but never
said anything about 1t His letters be
gan. MY Dear Smaiiey," and plunged
at once into the discussion Of the topic
a. that moment uppernost in his MIND;
O. Of the matter il which he thought
might. as 2 journalist, be useful to him
or 10 his scheme. They ended not less
abruptly Within four pages he would
have stated his case with the force and
clearness he used IN print: then without
: word Of transition, Very truly yours,
Coldwin Smith" At one time he wrote
much about Canada and her relations
70 the United States and the Inevitable
i-y Of her annexation by the United
states. for commercial If not political
reasons He vas surprised that ], as
an American. did not share his views,
bu. he never tired Of stating and re-
stating them, until finally he either
abandoned them himself, or became con-
WINGED that neither in Canada nor in
the United States was there any i'm
portaut party of his mind.
kept these letters. and il I could get
Ieare from his executors would print
them or some Of them But am under
no temptation at present 20 do ii with
cut leave. for they are all locked Up, with
g great many more not less Talua bic, in
3 safe deposit vault in New York. And
: have not TIE courage 10 disturb them.
When re met much the same thing
happened as when We wrote. A word Or
Two perhaps Of greeting, and then to
business. I used 10 think il 2 pity his
Interests were so many. AS he could not
deal with them ali exhaustively he dealt
with most OF them fragnentarily. He
became z sournelist- He wrote no matter
where. and or whatever subject had him
at the time in its grip The Bystander, =
which he founded and supported, never,
I think. had large circulation, nor ever
much influence except OF q secondary
KIND; often the most important OF all /
mean that he reached the minds of other
writer's and editors. and Of many who
we're neither, hut read this queer sheet
- order To know what Goidwin Smith
was thinking about. No medium Of
communication with the public wa too
5nsignifcant- When he used it it ceased
20 he Insignificant.
He did much for Oxford He did mucn
Tor Cornell. His rnultifarious activities
were likely 10 be productive whether
they seemed TO be right or seemed 70
succeed or not. For his was feTtiLzlng
mind. and stony indeed must be the
ground where what he sowed would not
take root. But II am 10 single out one
service be die should take The United
States. An Outline Of Political History,
I4qe-1sT1" He meant il chiefly for
England. But II happens to be the best
history Of its kind there is, whether for
Americans or English, and it was the
first history il which the anti-English
prejudice which disfgures most histories
f- American writer's had been omitted
The good example has since been fol-
loved. bat il was Goodwin Smith +Fho set
The example Il is. moreover, master
piece Of narrative. The author was for
so many years accused by Canadians OF
heinz too American that TO Americans
he cannot but be known as a friend Yet
let ne quote q sentence from the Pref
acc 10 this History:
If It comes into the hands Of an
American. his liberaiity VIII make al
Bevrance. for the position Of an English
men who regards the American Com
monUealth * the great achievement OF
his race. and looks forward 10 the
voluntary reunion Of the American
branches Of the race within its pale, yet
desires 70 DO justice 10 the mother coun-
rry and 10 render to her the NEED OF
gratitude which viii always be her due.
Trat vas dated in 1893, five years be-
fore England's refusal 10 join the Euro
peaH coalition in favor Of Spain and
against the United States taught US that
England vas CIR friend
one thing more. Goodwin Smith never
lost ms distinction as writer because
OF his continuous inmersions IN jour
naIlslu He is lesson to US all The
lesson IS there, but the learners are
nevee too many. Perhaps the coldness
0 his temperament helped him In none
o. his handwriting that ever 1 saw was
there Z trace Of hurry or OF lInpetuous
feeling The stream was full but did
Tot overflow its banks. For his style /
e. further back than the Renaissance
He had something Of the purity ef the
Creeks: the simplicity. the absence Of