New-York tribune., 1911-01-15
J. A. FROUDE
A Portrait of the Historian
Drawn by Frank Harris.

Some thirty years ago. when Mr.. Frank
Harris the London journalist and novel
ist was young man. Carlyle gave him
letter Of Introduction to Froude. The
historian received him with friendiness,
and though they never became intl-
mate. they remained on good terms.
Mr. Harris gives in "The Academy some
recollections of their intercourse. de-
scribing an interesting personality and
rep .Cducing some amusing talk The
first time he met Froude The latter con-
fessed that he would rather have been
Odysseus than any other hero Of poetry
or romance, saying. with charming,
boyish smile, the super-subtle Greek
knew men and cities, was brave in war,
and wise in counsel; as typicaly Greek.
moreover as Robinson Crusoe was a
typical Englishman."
Mr. Harris used to meet him two or
three times a year, and so it is with a
certain authority that he draws this por-
trait:
A man nearly six feet in height with
| slight spare figure. and clean shaver, at
| tractive face-attraCtivc mainly through
| large nuick hazel eyes. The whole roun-
| tenance IS good a broad and rather blgI
| forehead. a shapely nose. suasive nps ano
clearly marked large chinmaItoeetthheorr thor9S
| showing age everywhere G am speaking ol
| 1882, age and a certain patience not deVoid
| of courage. The brown hair Is already very
| thin and Is retreating everywhere from tlt
brow: 1t is quite gray at the sides: about
| the ewes which are still young and cheef,
| full If not CAV. are innumerable lines Ano
| when he speaks his voice Is pleasant
| clear tenor with many infections in H.
am continually remarking that men VINO
write well have sgreeJble voices-the voice
| being a sort Of index TO sense OF rhythm
and style.
There is In this article an amusi-5 :
picture of Froude. very much disturbed
over the turmoil caused by the Life OF
Carlyle" He talked nonsense, says
Harris about accusations injurious to
his honor" but gradually talked himself
cool though he went on trying to argue
that to tell the whole truth was the
only way to do honor to his friend .
Leaving this subject Mr.. Harris turns
to two others of special interest to the
reader Of Froudo, that of style and that
of historical accuracy. He illustrates
the first with some suggestive sayings Of
the historian and the second with re-
vealing episode:
On ono occasion tho question or style
came up. anu this Froude handled with au-
Shority CARLYLE. he said had often COM
| planned that it took him ten years of inces-
SAINT labor to learn TO write. His life OF
Schiller was mere "copybook' stuff but In
| "Sartor he had at length found himself by
writing just as he talked and thought. In
| my own case said Froude, II had no such
| difficulty / was reading an essay the other
| day which | wrote at seventeen, and
| found nothing to alter in it, ] don't say
| this by way of self-praise; ii Is merely a
| fact" ,
| might take longer to learn 10 WELD Ex-
| calibur than a small sword. nor did ! think
it necessary TO risk friendship for the OBJ
vious.
Froude's mental limitations even In his
own field were narrow; he professed to see
no talent, much less genius, in Emerson
he was exceedingly proud OF the fact that
lie had praised Cesar and written life OF
him before Mommsen.
F'roude's inaccuracies which were so
harped upon by Freeman. arose chiefly, |
think. from his habit OF Trusting a nat
pointed example Of how inaccurate he could
lie unintentionally. Just before that voy-
1ge round the world. record OF which he
gave us in "Oceana," ] called on him and
told him I wanted TO interview him about
South africa II had always interested me,
and | had a high opinion OF the Beers.
thought them. indeed. even finer men than
the French Canadians, and believed that
they would make the best of citizens If left
n good deal alone. Froude quite agreed