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STUDIES
IN
CONTEMPORARY BIOGRAPHY
STUDIES
IN
CONTEMPORARY
BIOGRAPHY
BY
JAMES BRYCE
AUTHOR OF
‘THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE,’ ‘THE AMERICAN COMMONWEALTH’, ETC.
London
MACMILLAN AND CO., Limited
NEW YORK: THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
1903
All rights reserved
Copyright in the United States of America 1903
TO
CHARLES WILLIAM ELIOT
PRESIDENT OF HARVARD UNIVERSITY
IN COMMEMORATION OF A LONG AND
VALUED FRIENDSHIP
The first and the last of these Studies relate topersons whose fame has gone out into all lands, andabout whom so much remains to be said that onewho has reflected on their careers need not offeran apology for saying something. Of the othereighteen sketches, some deal with eminent menwhose names are still familiar, but whose personalitieshave begun to fade from the minds of thepresent generation. The rest treat of personswho came less before the public, but whosebrilliant gifts and solid services to the worldmake them equally deserve to be rememberedwith honour. Having been privileged to enjoytheir friendship, I have felt it a duty to do whata friend can to present a faithful record of theirexcellence which may help to keep their memoryfresh and green.
These Studies are, however, not to be regardedviiias biographies, even in miniature. My aimhas rather been to analyse the character andpowers of each of the persons described, and,as far as possible, to convey the impressionwhich each made in the daily converse of life.All of them, except Lord Beaconsfield, werepersonally, and most of them intimately, knownto me.
In the six Studies which treat of politiciansI have sought to set aside political predilections,and have refrained from expressing polit