New-York tribune., 1915-10-30
LITERARY CRITICISM
AND BOOK NEWS
A Roxburghe Club Book in Memory of the
ate Whitelaw Reid-Houston Stewart
Chamberlain on Wagner.

few weeks before his death. gives one
more testimony to his profound knowl-
edge Of al that went 10 the foundation
Of the Republic. Peculiarly appropri
ate, then, was the selection Of the Coke
papers 10 be dedicated and presented
TO the Roxburghe Club in his memory.
In purchasing them for this purpose
from Mr. Quaritch. through Lord Rose
berry, who had undertaken TO act for
her In the matter and 20 secure an
editor. Mrs Reid not only marked her
husbands alliance with a bookish or
ranization for which he had special
prediction. but rendered exactly the
kind Of service 20 historical investiga-
ton which he would have himself pre-
ferred. He knew. from much expert
ence. the Importance Of original sources.
lie would have rejoiced over the iden-
tihcation Of his name with precious
manuscript now made accessible 10 the
scholar.
Cokes digest Of the cases that came
before him owes It's weight 20 his nc
thodical habit Of mind and perhaps
even more 70 his disinterestedness.
When Lord Shelbourne appointed him
one Of the Commissioners 70 look into
the claims Of the loyalists he consented
10 serve only or condition that he
should receive no compensation. He
had at tho outset small sympathy for
tho people who were to appear before
him and his colleagues, but he was re-
solved to be Just, and 10 this end he
sought TO preserve the independence OF
his judgment in the completest detach-
ment. It may be noted in passing that
he soon came 20 feel compassion for
many Of the claimants. On one
occasion, when the matter had come up
in the House, he remarked that "he had
discovered such merit and suferings,
and such fidelity and attachment 70 tho
Government. that he now entertained
YOUR" But he had 20 exercise the
sharpest discrimination 10 arrive at
this conclusion.
IL was a motley company, II ever
there was one. that gradually formed
itself in London. to haunt the doors Of
the Commission and bewail if not curse
its leisurely tactics. Professor Eyer
ton, In his learned introduction. OBJ
serves that the frst thing to strike one
amongst the claimants is their very
miscellaneous character. an this crowd
the peer and the eX-colonial governor
are found side by side with the liber-
ated slave" And to make the task o.
the Commissioner the more Rrduous
there were, inevitably. 3 certain num-
Der Of impostors In the ruck These
latter, however, we're examined with a
thoroughness that, as the proceedings
wore on. easily discouraged imitation.
The claims disallowed as fatty fraudu-
lent were on the whole surprisingly
few in number The majority. II read
lily enough authenticated, were at the
same time fraught with difficulties for
the Commissioners. All the loyslists
were not necessarily 20 be credited with
the same kind or degree Of fidelity TO
the King. First, naturally. came those
who had rendered tangible services 10
Great Britain, and close behind them
were the loyalists who had borne arms
in her cause. But then the cases had
10 be very ingeniously graded, through
the ranks Of plausible turncoats and
absentee proprietors to individuals Of
great merit" and others who had met
with peculiar hardships.' Still, the
bald fact Of loyalty was the main one
70 be established; the amount Of suf-
fering il entailed was another question