SMITH 



5413 



SMITH 



Augustus Thomas, and was highly popular. 

 Smith's ability to observe and describe minute 

 details adds to the vividness of his sketches 

 and stories and gives them an air of probability 

 that is delightful. 



SMITH, GOLDWIN (1823-1910), a man of let- 

 ters whose writings on history and on the af- 

 fairs of the day spread his fame wherever Eng- 

 lish is spoken. He was born at Reading, in 

 Berkshire, England, was educated at Eton and 

 at Magdalen Col- 

 lege, Oxford, and 

 in 1847 was called 

 to the bar. He 

 made no attempt 

 to practice law, 

 but during and 

 after his years as 

 professor of mod- 

 ern history at 

 Oxford (1858- 

 1866) devoted 

 much attention 

 to journalism. In GOLDWIN SMITH 



1864 he delivered a series of lectures in the 

 United States, and in 1868 removed to that 

 country and accepted a position as professor 

 of English and constitutional history at the 

 newly-organized Cornell University, Ithaca, 

 N. Y. Three years later he resigned his profes- 

 sorship, and after that time made his home in 

 Toronto, Ontario, and is therefore considered a 

 Canadian. 



Smith contributed to the chief English and 

 American papers, and in Toronto founded The 

 Canadian Monthly, The Nation and The Week. 

 Everything that came from his pen com- 

 manded an interested audience, not only be- 

 cause of the sound knowledge on which it was 

 based, but also because of his unusual skill in 

 the use of language. His historical writings, 

 which include Irish History and Irish Charac- 

 ter, A Short History of England down to the 

 Reformation, and Irish History and the Irish 

 Question, are marked with extraordinary vivid- 

 ness, and show, moreover, sound historical 

 judgment, though they often roused the oppo- 

 sition of politicians. He stirred up much an- 

 tagonism, also, by strenuously advocating the 

 union of Canada with the United States, not 

 only commercially, but politically. 



His writings were very numerous; in addition 

 to those noted above, the following may be 

 mentioned: My Memory of Gladstone, In 

 Quest of Light, Guesses at the Riddle of Exist- 

 ence, The Founder of Christendom and Labor 



and Capital. What he wrote in connection 

 with the industrial situation as he viewed it 

 was the reflection of personal work he under- 

 took to bring about more cordial relations be- 

 tween the various elements of society. A.MC c. 



SMITH, HOKE (1855- ), American jour- 

 nalist and political leader, born in North Caro- 

 lina and educated in a private school conducted 

 by his father. In 1872 he removed to Georgia. 

 In the next year, even though only eighteen 

 years old, he was admitted to the bar. He 

 became a leader in his profession and also 

 found time to make the Atlanta Journal, which 

 he owned from 1887 to 1898, one of the lead- 

 ing newspapers of the South. His first activity 

 in politics was as delegate to the Democratic 

 state convention of 1882; he was Secretary of 

 the Interior from 1893 to 1896, in Cleveland's 

 Cabinet, and was governor of Georgia from 1907 

 to 1909. He was reflected governor in 1911, 

 but resigned after a few months to become 

 United States Senator. He was reflected in 

 1914 for the term ending March 4, 1921. 



SMITH, JOHN (1580-1631), a famous leader 

 t)f the English settlers of Virginia in 1607, was 

 born at Willoughby, Lincolnshire, England. 

 His adventures as told by himself are marvel- 

 ous, and cannot be credited entirely. As a 

 soldier of fortune serving in the Protestant 

 ' wars against the Saracens he states that he 

 killed three gigantic Turks in single combat in 

 Transylvania, and thereby received his coat-of- 

 arms, emblazoned with three Turks' heads. 

 Taken prisoner in the Battle of Rothenthurm, 

 he claims to have been sold as a slave and 

 given to a Turkish lady, who fell in love with 

 him, but desiring freedom above all else, he 

 killed his overseer and made his escape, eventu- 

 ally reaching England. 



It is a matter of record that in 1606 he sailed 

 as an ordinary colonist in the expedition to 

 Virginia, but showed such ability that soon 

 after the settlement of Jamestown he became 

 executive head and ruled so firmly that order 

 quickly succeeded confusion. Captured by 

 Powhatan in December, 1607, he declared he 

 was saved by the Indian girl, Pocahontas, who 

 threw her body on his when the executioner's 

 ax was about to fall. He was so badly 

 wounded by an explosion of gunpowder in 1609 

 that he was compelled to return to England. 

 In 1614 and 1615 he explored the New England 

 coast, made fairly accurate maps and wrote 

 interesting descriptions of what he saw, and for 

 this service received the title "Admiral of New 

 England." 



