Evening star., 1928-05-06
IDA GILBERT MYERS.

AMERICAS AMBASSADORS TO
Wilson. author of The British En-
bassy in Paris" etc. New York:
Frederick A. Stokes Co.
n OWHERE else has the spirit
IN of scientific inquiry taken
Sturdier hold than upon the
l. writing of history. Prior to the
rise Of this modern motive and
method history was, in effect, little more
than a rehash of already recorded
events. little more than a retelling of
tales already told many times over.
Lucky, the historian. If he could hit
upon some fresh arrangement OF the
old material, or could within 1t set up
better relationships. or could command
a happier way with words than his fel-
low workers had done.
The modern outlook upon research
has changed all this. No longer do
hearsay and half truth suffice. NO
longer is the false or questionable as
sumption accepted with its sequence OF
unsound deduction. Facts are now
vigorously tested for their validity. They
are interpreted by the new psychology
and illuminated by other periods oil MS
tory that are of kindred character. Inc
historian is nowadays digging In TO mo
every possible source OF complete mIor-
nation
Americas Ambassadors to France"
lis a case in point of the new manner OF
historical treatment Official archieves
recording the displomacy practlced be-
tween the two countries provide the au-
thor with a new and authentic neld OF
research. Founded upon this fund OF
first hand information is the story IN
hand. a story that runs through a CEN
tury and a half of intercourse between
America and France,
From the Revolution to the World
War the narrative reaches. From FRANK
lin to Wilson the representatives OF tne
United States to France stand, an I'M
nressive company devoted to mutual
understanding, to mutual service. Over
looking the whole, many ups and downs
in this line of international intercourse
appear. indicating critical moments OF
strain and impending disagreement,
fact that lengend and the Sentlmental
patriot has CLOSED over TO the smooth
surface of an ''unbroken amity. Yet.
these periods of strain are. after all, the
vital points in any study OF this SUBJECT
And 1t Is to these that the autnor oe-
votes careful attention In setting out
causes and defining settlements IL is
at these points too, that he measures
EAAAAANAN@A~-&S~
the time being, Is the United States
dealing with foreign country. For IN
stance. it comes as news TO read mere
of Minister Joel Barlow. away back IN
1911. trying TO bring Napoleon TO some
sense of the perfectly legitimate de-
mands of this country upon ms country
Ardent Barlow follows Napoleon into
Russia, where the fate OF the great man
was being settled. Barlow himself dies
of overstrain and exposure. his mission
failure There are any number OF
high lights in this interesting narrative
e internationalism Any number OF
new chapters that the general reader
has missed entirely and would have con-
tinued to miss had 1t not been for the
opening of these archieves TO the Jealous
hand of the present write For I'M
mediate service to students OF history
Mr.. Wilson has placed special stress
upon that part of his study that deals
with the period following the peace con-
ference, a period Of reaction and difil-
Guilty. when hopeful enthusiaSms were
supplanted by practical problems OF ad-
justment and the bitterness OF dlsap-
pointmerts To the AMBASSADORS OF
that period, Hugh Wallace and Myron
7. Herrick. the author accords q special
study, not only by reason OF the re-
naarkable services of these two repre-
sentatives of this country, but because
of the tense compleXity of the tnter-
national problem that the time projected
for solution.
Here is a brilliant narrative of fact
whose qualities indicate for it double
use To tie general reader 1t Is history
of special point that moves actively and
absorhingly through its course. To the
student OF foreign relations and the
fhnSH
study is one of prime importance.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND WALT
WHITMAN. By William z. Barton.
author of The Life Of Abraham
Lincoln" etc indianapolis. The
Bobbs-Me Co,
OSCAR WILDE has brilliant but
~ rather plaintive essay ON Ine
Decay of Lying" whose substance runs
art of living is bound To depreciate un-
der any strict and literal observance
of the truth. How Oscar Wilde would
have loved Walt Whitman. OF whom
Mr.. Barton says here: ] do not think
he was a iiar. he merely heo. De-
spite this flaw in the practice OF Whit
mar. the author sees q bond OF the
spirit between him and Lincoln In
pursui. of this he studies the two IN
such relationship as he Is able TO as
cover existing between them. rms
turns out to be frail thread. little
more than the fact of both being tenn
porariiy placed at the capital; place
fnent OF which Whitma makes much
more than the facts warranted, one
also OF which this genial author makes
an indulgent and amusing accounting.
Hardly a thing that Whitman claims
for himself in relation TO Lincoln
stands the test of any fair inveStlga-
tlon--yet a sufficient likeness exists De
tween them to warrant the comparison
and contrast set up here. Both Ger"
tainly are great eXponents OF democ-
racy both were simple and wholly un-
affected by the superficial aspects OF
life and its hehaviors. Here the authof
studies the poems OF Whitman IN thelF
origin and development, Here he re-
produces Whitman's famous lecture ON
lincoln a lecture that grew and grew
under the inventive impulse OF the
poet, A thoroughly delightful book.
whose genial indulgence does not stand
In the way of much original mveStiga-
tion that is of prime value as side
light upon two characters OF funda-
mental likeness and many an external
difference.
II y
THE L.I4ANFEAR PATTERN, BY Fran
els Riddle. New York Charles
Serihner'S Sons,
THIS novel, 80 admirable in construe-
ton. so even and Arm In its en-
tire fabric, comes 10 readers with the
flavors OF historic aetuality upon It,
Its author Is one Of family which for
a century and half has exercised ap.
preeiahle influence IN both local and
national AFFAIRS. This is \ story OF Phil.
adelphia Its background Is that nt
Philadelphia stAid and decorouS So
eiety. set along immovahle lines Of high"
ly respectable and responsible behavior,
The family of Ilanfear represents the