New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-03-09

W. VA
v good strongly recommends
"The Mind of Arthur James
Balfour: Selections from his Non-P
cal Writings. Speeches and Addresses.
1S79-19l7," edited by Wilfred M. Short
and published by George Doran; $3.50
1t is, he says, "a challenge to consider
Mr.. Balfour apart from his political rec
ord; as thinker, spirit, a person
atty" And Mr.. Hapgood goes on to
say:
"Ile is Il fascinating creature of fas-
cinating encourage, but his individual i'm
portance for history lies in his policy of
force and the British style of reform in Ire
land-in those long years when he led
either the government or the opposition
and in his success as a diplomat in the
greatest Of wars. AS his uncle believed in
him, he was put in Parliament at twenty
six; five years later he made himself ia
nous by applying to Ireland coercion plus
sensible concrete proposals as seen by
mind bred across the Channel; and at
fortyfour he was prime minister Nobody
claims for him constructive legislative rec
ordn his three most conspicuous subjects,
Ireland education and tariff, he solved
nothing-but the House of Commons, which
knows so much about Englands progress,
through many years loved and followed him.
England always has her men of acton-her
Rhodes, Gladstone, Chant Rain; she has a
quiet and prevailing instinct for getting
things done; but her governing class also
ence to political prizes. Sir Edward Crews
known preference for fishing over public
life, the Duke of Devonshires devotion to
country occupations, Lord Salisbury's in
difference, fitted the taste of an assembly
of gentlemen long accustomed to rule Mr.
Balfour's manner, his love of philosophy, his
rapierlike debating, his personal charm and
his courage reached the House of Commons
rs they will reach some who merely read
his written words. Brton will pass final
Judgment on some one by saying he is the
sort of man with whom one would like to
go tiger hunting. He is picturing character
in an emergency, when il would stand surely
to its undertaking. Nobody ever doubted
Mr.. Balfour's character.
"This frmncss is not to be exploited
type Of the British aristocrat has a kind of
unobtrusivc preference for the agreeable
I personally like the spring day. Mr. Bal
four says, in responding to a toast to liter
aturc, and bright sun and the birds sing
ing, and if there be shower or a storm. it
should be merely passing episode in the
landscape. to be followed Immediately by a
return of brilliant sunshine It is not tho
Lear or 0edipus type. | know not how
true it is, but there used to be statement
current about the time Mr.. Balfour was
coming into prominence, that the most quot
cd book in the House of Commons was
Alice in Wonderland and surely there is
no book that appeals more unqucstionaby
to high and rather late culture The fact
that the House of Commons liked it so much
is not unrelated to their love Of Mr. Bal
four, to whom human reasoning appears
much as a grotesque.
"Ihis type Of mind has made him more
formidable in destructive criticism than in
positive propaganda or enactment and IL
is 1T that his most notable pirce Of writing
should ks entitled a Defence Of phiIoyorh'c