Evening star., 1926-05-08
THE LIBRARY TABLE
BY the BookLoUer.

There was a. time when man re.
spect for print was so great that 10
see something stated as n fact i'll a
newspaper, and still more In a book OF
history, was to give general belief 10
the truth OF the statement. A more
literate, a more sophisticated age. be-
lieves less wholeheartedly what 1t
sees In the masses of print which sur.
round and almost engulf 1t. Why we
should doubt or believe our books OF
history Is ably and Interestingly set
forth in The Historian and Histori-
cal Evidence" by Prof. Allen John
son. The author was until recently
professor Of American history at Yale,
and editor OF the CHRONICLES of
America" but has within few
months come to Washington to edit
the great American Dictionary OF
National Biography" Doubt says
Prof. Johnson, ''is the beginning OF
wisdom" Among the many kinds or
doubt which the historian must enter
tain are the doubts of the memory
Of eye-witnesses. Of propaganda, OF
deliberate forgeriea, and OF the mo-
tives of historians. All OF these points
are illustrated with interesting and
illuminating examples of the mistakes,
innocent or Intentional, of historians.
To the student asking whether this or
that recorded piece Of history is the
truth, the whole truth and nothing but
the truth" Prof. Johnson replies: ITO
say that a historian should tell the
truth is a counsel OF perfection. It
assumes that there is absolute truth
to which he may attain. The
most that historians can know is that
historical past which has been per-
ceived and reported by human intelli-
gence The historian can never
reach ma sthematical certainty, and he
is fortunate. indeed, if he can reach a
high degree of probability, probabil-
ity beyond reasonable doubt" In the
face Of such an answer the inquirer
may be inclined to a gree with the Gym
ical remark of the French Fontenelle,
quoted by Prof. Johnson, that history
is only a fable upon which men have
agreed" But the author does give a
systematic and illuminating analysis
Of the basis for judgments of histori-
cal writing, IN tracing the evolution
of historical study and record from the
time when history was a subdivision
Of philosophy to the highly scientific
method OF modern times. AS such il is
Of interest not only to writer's Of his
tory. present and prospective, but also
TO an intelligent reading public, de
sirous OF discriminating between his
tories and books which masquerade as
such.
In Charles q. Norris novel Pig
Iron are many of the touches OF
nature" which make the whole
world kim" Mr. Norris knows human
nature and it's weaknesses well. Sam
l. ,,-i, bnny1
ceeding finely i'll business, has a com
Portable, old fashioned brownstone
house, and a pretty wife. takes his
old friend. Taylor Evans. novelist,
home to dinner. He wanted Taylor
10 see his house, his style Of living
and particularly his wife During
the evening he also enjoys telling ray
lor about his growing favor with John
w. oates, the big financier. He Is
disappointed that Taylor does not eX-
press more enthusiasm, either about
the beautiful Paula or about his ac-
count Of business success. Taylor
wants Ito talk only about himself and
his work" He mas just completed an
other novel, over which he has
"sweated blood" and which he is sure
Is the best work he has ever done. SO
the evening IS a disappointing one TO
both men. Each wants 10 talk or nm
self and his achievements. and each
considers the other lukewarm in ap-
probation and egotistical. How many
conversations between friends dupIl-
cate this one between Sam Smith and
TAYLOR Evans. Most people find talk
ing about themselves and their own
work more interesting than talking
about their friends and their friends
work. Samuel Smith also often fails
to receive the attention which ne
thinks he deserves from his own fam
ily. One evening when he has re-
turned late TO his fashionable apart
ment on Riverside drive he findS MS
u1fe out, the maids out, his children
and their nurse asleep and his father
in.law snoring loudly i'll his small bed
room at the end of the hall. lie is
agCrieVed, partly because he IS nun
gry and there Is no ore TO get nm
something to eat, but even more oe-
cause there is no one around 10 "nohi
he can tell the story OF a clever deai
he has put over during the oaE. II
was q. good story. Jerry on Monday
morning would get a. great laugh out
Of it-Jerr-y was prince But,
damn 1t, a man ought to have a wom-
AN to tell such things to. A man ougn II
10 come home to q wife who would
laugh at his stories, sympathize WIN
him. praise him. be indignant wnere
re felt indignation. he elated when
elstion was in or5e-.' Yes, Samuel
Smith was very human.
* x = ):
In his Adventures of an Illus.
traitor" Joseph Pennell, who has dleo
since the publication of his book. tells
several interesting anecdotes about
his travels in Russia while he was
seeking subjects for illustrative treat
ment. He visited Berditchev. the ia
nous Jew city" without permission,
and might easily have found hlmselt
in Siberia as a result. When his book,
"The Jew at Home was published,
Joseph Conrad told Mr.. Pennell that
the people Of Berditchev, Conrads ma
tive city. had said that If the author
Of that book ever came back they
would cruelty him. At kiev Mr.. pen.
nell was witness OF the spectacle OF
the living death at a great Autumn
festival. The monastery, which he
had come to see and draw. stands high
above the city. within the walls OF the
fortress. AS he ascended to it, many
niIrrins from all over Russia were
annroac ching in swarms. Some had
come from Siberia and had been Is
months on the way. From the gate
way they crawled to the church and
there stretched themselves on the
floor to wait for the service. After
describing the festival and the serv.
ices, with keen appreciation for all
that was beautiful about them, Mr.
Pennell says: But as looked, great
stone in the floor was rolled away. and
leading downward was a fight OF
steps. One by one. the worshipers
near descended, and, as I, too, was
near. / went with them. The stairs
ended in a small crypt. lighter than
the church above. In the center. on
A great stone slab. covered with tap.
estry, lay a richly-robed metropolitan
wearing his crown, holding an icon
He was very still. BY his side, read,
ing a book, also on the slab. was seat.
ed a monk, who soon was brought a