Evening star., 1923-01-29

performance was not broken and
through his long life his mental ac-
tuai power was not enlisted in un-
worthy causes or devoted to any ig-
noble use. With him knowledge was
not simply power, but power with
conscious responsibility-powe to
comprehend. to inform, to improve. to
inspire-the instrument of an abiding
faith, of an ineXtinguishable ardor
to help humanity to realize its hope.
James Bryce was richly endowed. but
he gave as he was blessed, and his
fellow men.
Active in Many Fields.
I'VE are fascinated by the wide
range of his activities. AS Lord Bal
four put it, he was scholar, traveller,
historian, politician and diplomat; in
all these spheres he was a master,
and each sphere affected the others.
AS a scholar he was exact. with a
passion for accurate knowledge. He
had an Unsuitable intellectual curl
osity, which controlled him quite as
completely at eighty as at twenty.
The swift current of his interest never
slackened. His love of nature was
study of her various forms, and wher-
ever he was he sought the most inti-
mate knowledge Of his environment.
He lived among us in his later years.
put you can count upon your fingers
those who have ever known Washing
ton and the neighboring hills so we'll.
he mad a loving intimacy with all
the winding footpaths of our park.
he knew our birds, our trees, our
mowers, and he had the same interest
and facility in every part of the globe
TO which his wide travels led him. He
was historian and dealt with hosts
or dry facts, but you will search
literature in vain to find a more ex-
qulsite description than he has given
of the marvellous natural setting of
Rio de Janeiro.
His intellectual ardor was not
wasted In vain accumulations, in the
mere excitement of endeavor with
out sense of values. The chief in
else. which dominated all his ef-
forts and gave point to every activity,
was his interest in the development
or human institutions. He was a
historian not because he was satis-
ned simply to discover, to arrange,
to tabulate, to chronicle, but because
ne was profoundly engrossed in mans
progress. mans social experiments.
his political endeavors, in the onward
march of Demos
ut was for this reason that he de-
voted himself to the most thorough,
critical study Of our institutions and
that he was best qualified to make
report of our virtues. our faults. our
successes. our failures, our aspira-
tions and ideals. count him a
great man. said Emerson. who in
habits higher sphere of thought
into which other men rise with labor
and difficulty. He has but to open
his eyes to see things in a true light
and in large relations
Interpreter of Democracy.
James Bryce had the experience
and learning which gave perspec-
n inc irh ioI,
penetrated to the springs of our
national life. He never tired of the
vast endeavor to comprehend. He
did not palliate or patronize; he was
critical. but not censorious, and his
admonition never Savored of hos
tility or cynicism. He was always
sympathetic and thus did not fail Of
understanding. He became our men
tor, and If today any large proper
tion of the students in Gus schools
know the actual working of our in
stitutions they are indebted more to
James Bryce than any one who has
lived among us.
But his interest in the American
his broad interest in the resistless
urge and manifestations of the demo-
cratic impulse. He passed to the
severe task OF the comparative study
of democratic institutions, giving us
the fruit of his long-continued and
unremitting industry, of his wisdom
and calm reflection in his Modern
Democracy" He blinked nothing
which was discouraging. He did not
minimize difficulties, but he recorded
with fidelity. He was the best in
terpreter of democracy because of
his qualities of heart as we'll as of
intellect, and because with seeing
eye he kept the faith. He gave us
the comprehension of a noble mind
1T is this sort of effort which gives
promise of better international under
standing 1t is not in complimentary
the superfcialities of polite intercourse
that we find the assurance of mutual
helpfulness. 1t is rather to be found in
the dissipation of prejudices. in the
penetration to the heart of difficulties.
in the desire to know the actual con-
ditions of human lives, in the apprecia-
ton of the struggle of the human spirit
in differing environments toward the
common goal, in the deep sympathy
with every human effort at improvement
and in the recognition of the equipment
and opportunity which we enjoy as the
result of the labors of our forerunnerS
of every race and cline.
Was Fond OF Washington.
1--WE were so long resentful of being
misunderstood that in the midst of
recognized achievement we are not suffi-
ciently mindful of the duty and privi-
lege of understanding others. Let US
climb to the hilltops with the friend of
democracy; let US have keen vision with
a broad horizon: let us be Unsuitable in
the desire to know, in order that we
may work together: let US be passionate
TIH