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Tous les autres exemplaires .. linaux sont filmds en commenpant par la premidre page qui comporte une empreinte d'impression ou d'illustration et en terminant par la dernidre page qui comporte une telle empreinte. Un des symboles suivants apparaitra sur la derni^re image de chaque microfiche, selon le cas: le symbole — ► signifie "A SUIVRE ", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Les cartes, plarches, tableaux, etc., peuvent etre filmds 6 des taux de reduction diff^rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, il est filmd d partir de Tangle sup^rieur gauche, de aauche h droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le -lombre d'images n^cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 32.x 1 2 3 4 5 6 HAPHAZARD PERSONALITIES- oiii'sriA' oir NOTED AMERICANS BY CPIARLES LANMAN ACTHOK 0, THK PKIVATE I.IK« oi. I^ANIBI, WKBBTER. BTC. BOSTON LEE AND SIIEPARD, PUBLISHERS NEW YOKK . CHARLES T. DILLINGHAM 1886 COPYllIGIlT, 1885, LEK AND SIIEPARDc ALL KIOHTt) KE8EUVED. Printed ami A7« ctinlmwil 1,y ALFi;i;i) MUDOK AND BON, 21 Franklin St., Bostou. PEEFACE. Dmima my protracted experiences as a merchant's clerk ill Ntw York, a newspaper man, an author and artist, and an official, in Washington, it has been my fortune to make muoy good friends among the noted men of the time, and it i« ^) u portion of these that I have devoted this volume. My ci.ject has not been to write biographies, but merely to give- such interesting revelations of character as have come imdor my own personal observation. In doing this, I have been obliged, occasionally, to be a little autobiographic in my methods; but there seemed to be no alternative, and the reader must not question my sense of delicacy. The per- sonal records in my possession have by no means been ex- hausted in the following pages, and I cannot but hope that when the proper time arrives, some additional recollections wdl see the light, and be as warmly welcomed by the public as my literary efforts have always been in the days that are no more. COT^TET^TS. JoMicPFi Henry .... IIknhy W. Longfkllow .ToHKPii (iAMvs AM> William W. Skai Washinoton lin in(j . Gkoikjh Pkhkins Mahsu William C. Bkyant IIknky Clay .... JjDwaim) Kvkrett Pa UK Bkn-jamin .... HOICAGK GkKKLKY .... Pktbu Fouck .... William S. Mount .Tamks Brooks .... Lewis Cass ..... Manton Eastbitrn Louis Lkgrand Noble William B. Sprague . William Jkrdan and Washinqton Ii John IIowaim> Payne . EmvAHi) N. Kirk .... Elisiia Kknt Kane George W. Betiiune . Emanuel Leutze .... Charles Heavysege . Lafayette S. Foster . Charles Dickens and Washington I William A. Buckingham . JoHxF. T. Crampton . Samuel Tyler .... WiNFiELD Scott . . ', . Charles, Mackay . . . . Clark Mills .... * Charles P. McIlvaine Martin F. Tupper Alexander IL Stephens . '. Henry R. Schoolcraft '. George B. McClellan John Trumbull . . . ' )N vino RVIN Paob 7 27 41 76 91 109 120 130 140 15.-, 160 168 180 184 201 206 226 228 231 238 243 2:.o 254 259 277 282 288 290 304 316 320 329 334 339 342 365 370 379 HAPHAZARD PERSONALITIES. JOSEPII TTENRY. My acquaintance with iliis eminent man ])egan in 1818, and war, one of tlie silken threads in tlie warp of my life. AVilh him and liis family I boarded for a few months in the honse of Ilenrv U. Schoolcraft in Wa8hinL''ton. He seemed, from the first, to take an interest in inv welfare : and while he honored me with his advice on matters con- nected with my duties as a writer for the National Litel- Itgcticer, his wife treated me with the greatest kindness, so that my affection for the twain was most sincere. This is not the place, even if the ability were mine, to connnent upon his splendid career as a 'nan of science, nor do I propose to repeat the record of his life Avhich I prepared for my "Biographical Annals"; one or two incidents, however, coiniected with his boyhood, which were narrated to me by himself, may with propriety be mentioned here, for the puri)ose of showing his introduc- tion to the worlds of literatuj-e and science. Having lost his father, William Henry, when a mere child, he was early sent to live with his grandmother, in the village of Galway, Saratoga County, N. Y. When in his tenth year, while trying to capture a pet ral)bit, he followed the animal into one of the air-holes under the village church ; prowling about on his hand and knees, he was attracted by a gleam of light in one corner of the [7] 8 IIAPTTAZAUn rKIlSONALITIKS. IjuiUlinjT, and iiftor duo investii>;;iti<)n ho found that it procoodod from ji rooia whoro tho llooriniij lisul boon loft unilnislu'd, loii\ hiLC a spnoo HUilicionlly hir^o for tho body of !i smimU boy to \niHH tlirou<^li. Tlio opportunity was n(>t noijloctod, and ho soon found liimsolf " alono in Ins «;lory," in tiio villajjjo librai'v. 'IMu; books woro not many, and woro vory dusty, l)ut tiioro was a oharm in the; siUuico of tho pliK'o, as woll as in tho iUioit oxplorntion upon wliich hi'. h;\(\ ontorod. Ho t<;ok from tho sliolf a book, whioh ]i:ip})('nod to bo '*" Tiio Fool of Quality," and, haviiiiji; forgotten his rabl)it, ho bogan to road. IIo Ix'onmo much intorostod, and road until nij^htfall, Avhcn lio rotirod l)y the dark passage throuiih wliioh ho had ontorcd. IIo mtulo ii sooond and a third visit, and having l)oon nnmo- lostod, oontinuod his visitjitions until ho had road and enjoyed every novel in tho library. From tliat time until he attained his sixteenth year, and while aotihg as a elorlv in a store, he was an inveterate novel roadiir, and except- ing for the tondonoy of the habit to make young people unduly fond of the theatre, his later testimony was to tlie effect tliat novel reading may be of advantage to some minds, by way of strongtiiening the imagination. His passion for novel reading ended quite as suddonl}^ as it liad Ix^gun, and the transition to a higher pliaso of culture happened after this manner. When in his six- teenth year ho was living in All)any, wlioro lie w.'is born Dec. 17, 1799. His mother, a noble and a handsome woman, here kept a pi'ivtite boarding-house for a time. Among tiio boarders was a gentleman of literary tastes, and by a mere accident one of his bo(jks fell into the hand of young Henry. The title of it was " Lectures on Experimental Fhilosophy, AstroJiomy, and Chem- istry," by George Gregory, D. D., London, 1808. Ho JOSKIMI HKMEY. 9 took tlu' Itook, and on roadiiii; a |)nssMee;niii! so niueli interested in (lie volume that its owner preseiiti'd it to liiiii, :ind it was ever jifterwiird kept by I'l'ol'essor Ileiirv as one of his treas- Ili liii>lil' ures. Jiis rensons lor so niL>,lily !i[)preeiMiini!; it are sel forth in the followinji; words, wliieli will be found written Ci) i-he fly-lenf of the nieniora])le volume : — " This book, although by no means a profound work, has, under Providence, exerted a remarkable iiilluenee on my life. It aeeidentally fell into niv hands when I was about sixteen years old, and was the tirst ])()ok, with the exeeption of works of (iction, that 1 ever read with atten- tion. Jt opened to me a new world of thought and enjoyment, invested things, before almost unnotieed, with the highest interest, fixed mv' m'uu\ on the study of nature, and caused me to resolve, at the time of reading it, that I would devote my life to the ac(j[uisition of knowl- edge. — Jo.se2>h JFcnry."* 'I'liis was written in 1837, just before leaving for Europe, on his first visit ; which tour, as he once told me, was of very great benefit to him in his various researches. After reading Dr. (Iregorv's book, he ))e; company of professional actors, lie was impelled to visit the Thespian Theatre to see the young amateur of whom he had heard so favorablv. The plav that nio;ht was ' Hamlet,' and the manager was so sti'uck with the young actor's abilitv and intelligence that he sent for him and made him a very tempting oiler to join his own company and adopt the stage as a profession. "Just before this," explained INIr. AV ved to his audi- tors, " the young man had received an olfer of a gratui- tous education from Dr. Beck, president of the Albany Academy, and the night the manager spoke to him he sought the counsel of two of his chums. One of these JOSEPH HENRY. 11 two was Muster Thurlow Weed, then n yoiin<5 journeyman printer. Both advised him strongly to accept Dr. Beck's offer. But the young apprentice was still in doubt. His inclination prompted him to go on the stage, while his judgment dictated the acceptance- of Dr. Beck's kind offer. lie left at last, saying that he would talk with his employer about it. " Silversmith Doty liked the lad, and believed that he had a career of usefulness before him in some learned profes- sion ; so when the lad told him of the two offers he had received, he said kindly, but firmly : ' Joseph, you are under indentures to me for two years yet. If you will accept the offer of a free education, I will let y(jd go freely. But if yon conclude to go on the stage, \'()U must make good to uie the loss of these two yeai'S of service.' This determined the lad, and he went to Dr. Beck's, studied faithfully, graduated with honors, and became one of the first scholars of his day. "Of course," said the narrator, with a quiet smile, " you are curious to know who he was. I will tell you. The lad was Dr. Joseph Henry, the late president of the Smithsonian Institution, and whenever lie came to see me in New York before his death, he and I used to recall how small an incident it was that turned the tide of his life into its current of widest usefulness. He was for three years a tutor in the family of Stephen \'an Rensse- laer, the patroon, and it was after he left this family that he obtained a position as surveyor and helped to run the route from West Point to Lake Erie." He afterwards became an assistant at the academy over which Dr. T. R. Beck presided, and had some dillunilty ■ with a brother of the doctor, arising out of a spirit of rivalry, and that circumstance made him very unhapi)y. 12 HAPHAZARD I'KRSONALITIES. At this p!irtl{Mil:ir :iine, while out wulkiiig, he met his warm prrspiijil friend, Greorge Clinton, wlio inquired the ctiuse of his Mppurent dejection, iind on being informed, he iniide this remark Ilenrv, it is your duty to h>:ive Allmny, as you know a propliet is not without honor Kayo in his own country." Hut the time for his dei)arture li:\d not arriyed. It was at this period that he began, and put upon pa[)er, some of the tliougths he had bern cherishing, and printed tlicni in the transactions of tlie Albany Insti- tute, amorg thcui an ai'tlcle on the Galvanic MultipUer; and became a contributor to the " American Journal of Science and the Arts" in ]entlv tapped him ou the shoulder and spoke a kindly word. m JOS El 'II HENRY. 13 That friend was John Dunlap, arul one of his remarks was this, "Don't be depressed, my good fellow; the time will come when All)any will be proud to claim you as her son ! " That riuht has since been heartily claimed, not only by tlie city of Albany, but by his native country. How Professor Henry afterward passed from Princeton to the head of the Smithsonian Institution is universally known , that transition was made with a reluctance allied to that which lie felt on leavino- Albanv ; and in these davs of excessive onice-sceking, it is worthy of remark that he never desired or solicited any olRcial position in all his life, except that of a country schoolmaster, and never entered upon a new sphere of duty, without fear and trembling. At the time of my first acquaintance with Professor Henry, and through all the intervening years, the great institution which he was called upon to organize seemed to be the absorbing theme of liis tiiought, and I have been surprised to see how his enlightened and far-seeing plans have all been carried out. In those early days, there were many men in Washin^Tton who were worth knowing, and whose influence upon a young man was calculated to be» of lasting benefit ; and through such men as Professors Ilenry, and A. 1). P>ache, Gales and Seaton, and George P. IMarsh, I had access to the most cultivated society. The refined and elevated gatherings which were held at the houses of all these noted men were a real blessing in my experience ; and when Congress was in session, such men as Clay, and Webster, and Calhoun often stepped into those eddies of literary and scientilic culture. Although niv relations with Professor Ilenrv were only those of a personal friend, he was wont, occasionally, to call upon me to help him in matters of a purely literary 14 IIAPIIAZAKn rKUSONALlTIL^. clianieter, and what very little I could do for him was paid for most liberally, l)y the information he communicated to me in a quiet way, and by admitting me into his entire con- fidence. He was so conscientious in the performance of his ollicial duties, that he ever seemed disinclined to waste the hours of business in the formalities of social life ; but when the cares of the day were ended, he took great pleasure in entertaining his friends at home, which he always did with surpassing dignity, kindness, and grace, and in attending the dinners and select receptions of his official friends. But of all the place-! where it was my privilege to meet him, none could compare with his private study in the Smithsonian Institution, when he was alone, and the silence of the place at niglit invited the mind into the higher realms of thought. Some of my interviews with him will alwavs live in mv memorv ; and if it were proper to do so, I might mention remarks there first uttered by the man of science, which I have known to cul- minate for the advantage and honor of deserving men in the literary and scientific world, who were perhaps unaware at the time that their aliilities were appreciated by the great discoverer and philosopher. It was by him that the genius of Simon Newcomb was fostered ; and I remember on one occasion, when he read to me a letter which he had just written to a noted astronomer of France, in which he spoke of Professor Newcomb in extravagant terms of praise, I said to him, "The young astronomer ought to see that letter" ; but he replied, "Oh, no, he will never see it, but he is a remarkable man ! " Among the items of his conversation which 1 remember are the following : How strange it was that Presidents Lincoln and Grant could never be induced to visit the Smithsonian Institution ; how, when the professor once fli JOSEPH HENRY. 15 made an allusion to A. D. Bacbe, the latter replied, " Oh, yes, you mean the man who gave away his fortune so foolishly to the Smithsonian Institution for scientific pur- poses;" how he met a man in 1872, who thanked him for his lecture on architecture which he had heard at Princeton thirty years before ; and how no recommendation or scheme which he hiul originated had ever been unsuccessful. Like Daniel Webster, he was an early riser and did much of his correspondence in the morning, and usually spent two or three hours in his library before breakfast. The first iioto I ever received from him was written in December, 1848, and the substance of it was as follows : "I am sorry to learn that you are confined to 3'our room, and that 1 have not been a])le to call to see you. Mrs. Henry bids me say that she will be glad to receive you into our house, and to administer in any way she is able to your comfort. The invitation to our house is not a mere com- l)limentary offer, but one which is intended as a real ex- pression of feeling. Please let us know by the bearer how you are." Another letter, illustrating his familiar style, is given entire : — Princeton, Aug. 14, 1841). My dear Sh', — Mrs. Henry reminds me that I ought to acquaint you with the reason why we did not pay our respects to your lady, before our departure for the North. We started w^ith the intention of doing so on the day of the presentation of premiums at the Seminary (in George- town) , but we were so long detained by the ceremony that my time was exhausted, and I was obliged to drive im- mediately back without calling. After that, on account of sickness in the family, and preparation for starting, INlrs. H. could not find an opportunity of visiting Georgetown. T 16 IIAPIIAZi* Ul) PKHSONALITIES. I am off for Camlu'idge this inoriiing. Mrs. II. will follow 1110 in a few days. Wo shall prol)a])ly give Mr. Baclie a visit in his camp on the hills of New Hampshire. The College of New Jersey has just opened with a large addition of new students. The village is entirelv free from evervthing like cholera. Tlie survivors of the late railroad accident are all in a fair way of reeover3\ Am- putation has in no case been found necessary. I have been shown a drawing of the appearance of the wreck, immediately after the collision. Such was the momentum of the moving mass that one car penetrated another, and the two in the drawing are represented as occupying the same space. It is passing strange that any of the occu- pants could have escaped with life. The sufferers have received unremitting attention from the citizens of the village. I see by the papers that you are about to publish, in the form of a volume, vour travels in the South. I have no doubt that this volume will sustain and increase the reputation you have already acquired. You can now neither go back nor stay still : you have given to the world a pledge of new exertions. IMan is capable of indefinite improvement; and he who has done one thing well awakens the expectation that he will do something better. lie who has commenced to ascend the steep of " fame's proud temple" must expect to find no resting- place ; his exertions upward must be constant, ^ — to pause is to descend. -_WilI has entered college, and has just been summoned to attend his first prayer in the chapel. With kind regards to your lady, I remain Truly yours, Joseph IIenky. JOSKl'lI IIKNIIY. 17 The ullusioii in this letter to Pi-ofossor Bjiclie reminds me of tlie fact tiuit he was iu tlie liii])it of receivin«r visits from his friends, in camj), wlien out ni^on liis sdentilict tours in summer, and also tliMt Jiis most aecomplislied wife always accompanied him, and often assisted him in liis trian-ulntions. The n.ilway accident alluded to was one of the most fatal tluit ever occurred in New Jersey. The person mentioned as Will, was Professor Henry's only son, an adminible young man, who died in hfs early prune, but left behind him three charjnino- and hiohly accomplished sisters to comfort and cheer his parents in their declining years. The letters and notes which I received from Professor Henry were many, but 1 will only mention two of them in this place. Soon after lATr. Corcoran had suirgested the Idea of my having charge of his picture gallery, when organized, I naturally luentioned the (drcumstlmce to Professor Henry, and in the goodness of his heart he sent the following to the trustees of that institution : — " An intimate acquaintance with Mr. C. L , of more than twenty years, has resulted, on my part, in a warm friendship, founded on his estimable character as a man, a writer, and an artist. " I learn with much pleasure that he is a candidate for the directorship of the Corcoran Art Gallery, and I most sincerely hope he may be appointed to the oflice ; since, independently of my personal predilections for him, and in view of the prosperity of a noble institution in which I feel a deep interest, I can truly say I am acquainted with no one who possesses in a higher degree the various qual- ifications necessary to properly discharge the duties of this important position. Joseph Henry. " SMrrnsoxiAN iNSTrruTiox, March 17, 1871." 18 IIAIMIAZAKI) I'lCIlSONALITIKS. For nie to print such u tri])utc fi'oin sucli ji man nuiy lie cleenR'd iiulelicute ; but it is liurd for mo to pljiy the hypo- crite, and as I have always tried to merit the g[;ood-will of the best of men, 1 can only say that such testimonials afford me the most solid satisfaction, and 1 am uot asliamed to confess the fact. Not loniir after Prof essor llenrv had thus volunteered to second the wishes of ISIr. Corcoran (as expressed to me), I found that his inlluence with his own trustees seemed to have been lost ; and when I saw that the real power lay with other men, and that their ideas of art were to rule the "-allery, I withdrew my claims as a candidate. Not lonii; afterwards a vacancy occurred in the IJoard of Trus- tees, when Professor Henry was called upon to fill it ; and although several members of the board were men of real culture, they took no special or active interest in the gal- lery, and the only member of the board with a nationtd reputation was Professor Henry. And here comes in a rather remarkable fact. When the time arrived for reyu- larly organizing the art gallery, the only member of the board who was not notified to be present on the important occasion was Professor Henry ; and whether the sui)posed forgetfulness had its origin with the active members of the board aforesaid, is a question which need not now be distur])ed, as their own candidate was duly elected. In June, 1871, a note came to me from Professor Henry, as follows : — ' ' I write to ask that you will call at the Institution as early as you can conveniently come. I wish to see you in regard to a literary matter, in which it may, perhaps, be for your interest to engage. '»"»' " Truly your friend, "JosErii Henry." JOSEPH IIKNuy. 19 Tins note was reeoivod hy mo, al)out one houi- after 1 Imd returned home from my summer tour to tl.e n.oun- tarns and sea-shore, and at the particular time when [ was undecided whether T should devote the cominir winter to my pcmcil or my pen. I was promptly on hand, heard from the professor that lie had been asked I)y Arinori Mon, the Japanese minister, to nominate some person to write a book about the United States for use in Japan ; luid thus began my long and very agreeable experiences with the Japanese government, which have elsewhere been recorded; convincing me, beyond all possible doubt, that there is an Omnipotent Hand directing all the affairs of men. The book here alluded to contained an article on scientific matters and as it also had an allusi(m to Pro- fessor Henry's discoveries, I sent it to him for correction, when he returned the following answer : — Smithsonian Institution, Feb. fi, 1872. My dmr Sh',—1 return you the manuscript of the article on science, after having made some changes of ini- Portnnce in order to render it better adapted to the use for which It is intended. T have, as you see, omitted the last paragraph, which if retained would appear invidious and, indeed, unjust ; since It refers to one invention among the many which have been PHKluced in our country. I have, in order to meet your WKsUes, uiserted my name in the paragraph above the last ; whicn, I hope, will suffice for my glorification. I think It important that 1 should see a proof of the ai'ticle. Truly yours, etc., JosEni Henry. 20 IlArilAZAUI) I'KIlSONALITIIvS. In Aupjust, 1872, there w:is a sli^lit nrisunderstanding between Mv. Mori, the J:ii)tuiese minister, and myself, and as I had been iutrothiced to that gH'iith'mnn by Pro- fessor Henry, I thouglit it my duty to notify him of what had happened, — he was then at the sea-shore, — and here is the reply he sent me : — Rye Beach, 1^. II., Sept. 11, 1872. My dear Sir, — I am surprised and p^rieved to learn what you have informed me in re<2;ard to the Japan affairs. I do not see how Mr. IMori can do without you. lie has no aptitude for luisiness, and will fall a ])rey to any plau- sible fellow who liMs the opportunity to gain his confidence. Indeed, I liMve come to regard the attemi)t of the Jap- anese to become suddenly civilized, and to change at once all their customs, with considerable solicitude. They are certainly undergoing a great change, but what the result will be is not very clear. They cannot, on the doctrine of probabilities, choose in every case the right course, since there is but one right among many wrong ways. I tliini< the proposition to introduce at once into the counti'v our system of common schools is one of doul)tful propriety, and that the person they have chosen for the direction of tlie system is not quite as prudent as he might be. 'IMie remarks he made in regard to the acts of our government with reference to the Japanese were received with disfavor at the educational convention at Boston. What they want first is a knowledge of arts and sciences, and after that a gradual enlightenment of the people gcmerally. As I have said elsewhere, the change must work downward, not upward. Another matter in which I think they have been badly advised is that of the introduction of paper money, which, 1 am sure, will lead to evils of the gravest character. JOSKIMI IIKNRY. 21 I i)!U'ti('ii)nto iu your fiHilinjr.s roIe la dure outweighs many successes. ' l'«'.-"- oiii' fnend, (leneral Capron, will lind himself in :i - to •jv New to ^ivo e, Loii- oiir foo- • liu'lit- usliiiig- J. II. If, unci r, I). C. ic- iijil { ith his IS ho is ho do- to bo suggest the ;ii)[)()intnieMt of INFr. Luinnsui jis the represeiit- titive of Wjishington, wliere ho resides. lly wJiy of sni)[)()rtiMg my iioiiiiiiution, I beg h':ive to hiy l)efore you :i set of eredentiiils in his ))ehulf, pi-epnrcd for use in unotlier (|ii:u'ter : by two cx-presiih'uts of the New York Av'iideuiy of Design, Professor S. F. W. Morse :uhI Dnniel Huntington ; ]»y Williuni C IJryjint, oue of linj foiuuk'rs of the New York IMuscuni of Art; by .buues Ih'ooks, for whose »Iournj»l Mr. Lunnuin w:is formerly !i writer upon Art ; l)y Professor Sjinniel Tyler, who is jie- (luiiiuted with tlie nrt tiffuirs of AVMsliiuiituu ; jind by vom* oljeihent seryiint. The joint resolution sul)mitted l)y Mr. < Cox mentions three pei'sons, nil residing in New York. Should you or other meml)ers of the Library Comniitteo desire to see some of JMr. Lanmun's pHxhietions, I um cer- tain tluit lu! would gladly arrange to have you visit liis house and inspect his pictures and valuable art library,. jMy reason for appealing to you in the matter is that I am sure you feel an interest in st'cing the metropolis beau- tilied, and from your long experieuco can act understiiud- ingly in advising the conunittee. 1 have the honor to be- very truly yours, JosErir TlKNiiY. Hon. J. A. Gaufield. During the summer of 1875 it Vv'as my privilege to spend a few weeks in the daily companionship of l*rofes- sor Henry at lilock Island. Our several families were with us, and altogether we certainly had a "glorious time," h(msed in the comfortable and elegant Ocean View Hotel. His business was to try a series of experi- ments with the fog-horns, which ended in his demolishing u pet theory of Professor Tyndall ; and my occui)ation 24 HAPHAZARD rEllSONAHTIES . i'l! i WHS to study and depict on caiivsis the ])eantios of the SMrf, along tlic shores of the island. On several occasions I waited upon him while trying his experiments, and »vas amazed to see, in view of his advanced age, with what persevering industry, supi)orted by rare excitement, he followed up his investigations. Hut there was one incident which happened to us which made me well-nigh resolve that 1 would never again drive a span of horses, or a single one, in a carritige or wagon, tchen tiif/ annpanion ivas a [freatmau. One morning, when taiving the professor to (he new lighthouse, where he was trying his ex[)eriments on the pliilosophy of sound, the traces of the harness l)e- came inifastened as we were going down a hill, andnotiiing but the h:ind of Providence prevented him, if not l)otli of us, from l)eing killed. The accident reminded me of the more serious one which hai)pened to Daniel Webster and mvself near Plvmouth in 1852; and what added to the marvel of this escape was the fact that I was driving a very spirited and almost unbroken colt. To have been with Professor Ileiiry, when ho was per- forming his important experiments on sound, was a cir- cumstance to be rememl)ered with gratitude, but it was a greater privilege to be with him on several occasions at the Centennial Exhibition in 1*he \. ft. went to Professor Henry and ntirrated all her trials. After ft/ listening to her story, he said that he api)reciated her noble spirit in seeking the irksome employment of a clerk, and added, " Is it possible that a daughter of Charles Wilkes should be compeUed to ask twice for a petty clerkship? " wlieii the dear old man's feelings overwhelmed him, and he \vei)t like a very child. It was not loin*- after that in- ■*■ ft/ ii terview before the lady had obtained the position she desired. ,^— — — •' During the year 1877 the friends of the professor fre- quently suggested that he needed and fully deserved some respite from his public labors. On one occasion his fam- 26 IIArilAZAllD I'KRSONAMTIES. ily physiciiin, Dr. Grafton Tyler, intimated that he might at least give up his connection with the Lighthouse Board, and his sudden reply was, " Not that, not that ; .some other duties, perhaps, but not that." His interest in scientific studies was unabated, but he did not work with his for- mer vigor ; and as of old, he went occasionally into society, where he was as dignified and agreeable as he had always been. After entering upon liis eightieth year, he began to discuss with his intimate friends the propriet}^ of resign- ing the position of president of the Academy of Sciences, at the annual meeting in April, 187ut it was ticenty-seven ye(U's before I receiyed a reply from Mr. Longfellow. When, in 18(15), I sent him a copy of uiv ''Dictionary of Congress," for the reason tliat it contained a notice of his fatlier, I imi)royed the occasion to remind him of my former conmumication, and then he wrote me the f oUowiuii : — CA^iinniKiK, Xmas, 18(59. Ml/ dear /Sir, — J jiaye had th(! pleasure of receiving your letter and your " Dictionary of Congress," and hasten to ». ft t* ' thank you for this mark of your remembrance and re- gard. The volume is very valuable and very interesting, not- withstanding the modest disclaimer in vour letter. The proverb says, " No l)ishop should speak evil of his reliciues." Certainly you should not of yours. I am 1 ft. ^ c> sure to find here information which 1 could find nowhere else. 1 remember, perfectly well, receiving your former vol- unu!, many, many years ago. I n>meml)er, efpially well, writino- to you at the time in acknowledgment of your kind- ne.'jS ; and 1 am very sorrv to learn that my letter never a. ^ ft. reached you. We nuist set it down to one of those mis- ha})s which sometimes thwart the best concerted schemes and the most punctilious correspondents. We shall never know how nmch mi^cjiief has been done in the world by HENUY W. LONOFKLT.OW. 20 ds in the Liwtliorne unci when V Hours," 1 of thein, lodgments [ received [ sent him he reason roved the ition, and ,s, 1800. vino- vour hasten to tmd re- ting, Hot- ter. The I of his I am . nowliere mer vol- [illy well, jur kind- ;er never iose mis- schemes all never svorld by the miscarriage of letters. Thanking you once more, and wishing you all the good wishes of the season, I remain, my dear sir, Yours truly, Henry W. Longfellow. In November, 1871, wiiile exhibiting a portfolio of my sketches in oil to a nephew of the poet, W. P. P. Long- fellow, we stumbled upon a view of Norman's Woe, near Cape Ann, when he remarked, " My uncle should see tliat picture, for I know it would greatly interest him." On the next day, accordingly, I packed up the picture, and with another (a view on the coast of Nova Scotia, the home of Evangeline), sent it off to Mr. Longfellow, accom- panied by a note of explanation in which I recalled the fact of our meeting many years before at the house of I*ark Benjamin, in New York, who was the first to pub- lish the poem about the ^' Hesperus," and who paid for it the pittance of twenty-five dollars. The letter which Mr. Longfellow sent me in return, worth more than a thousand sketches, was as follows : — Cambridge, Nov. 24, 1871. Ml/ dear Sir, — Last night I had the pleasure of receiv- ing your friendly letter and the beautiful pictures that came with it ; and L thank you cordially for the welcome gift and the kind remembrance that prompted it. They are botli very interesting to me, particularly the Ileef of Norman's Woe. What you say of the ballad is also very gratifying, and induces me to send you in return a bit of autol)iography. Looking over a journal for 1839, a few days ago, I found the following entries : — 30 lIArilAZARD PERSONALITIES. Hi I ! : " Decern] XT I 7. — News of shipwrecks ; horrible on the coast. Forty bodies wtislied ashore near Gloucester; one woman lashed to a i)ii'ce of wreck. There is a ree^' .ulled Norman's Woe, where many of these took place. Among others the schooner ' Hesperus ' ; also the ' Seatlower,' on Bhick Kock. I will write a ballad on this. " Deceml)er 30. — Wrote last evening a notice of All- ston's Poems, after which sat till one o'clock by the fire smoking, when suddenly it came into my mind to write the ballad of the schooner ' Hesperus,' which I accord- ingly did. Then went to bed, but could not sleep. New thoughts were running in my mind, and I got up to add them to the ballad. Tt was three by the clock." All of this is of no importance but to myself. How- ever, I like sometimes to recall the circumstances under which a poem was w^ritten ; and as you express a liking for this one, it may perhaps interest 3"ou to know why and when and how it came into existence. I had quite for- gotten about its first publication ; but I find a letter from Park Benjamin, dated Jan. 7, 1840, beginning (you will recognize his style) as follows : — "Your ballad, Tlie Wreck of the Ileaporus^ is grand. Inclosed are twenty-five dollars (the sum you mentioned) for it, paid by the proprietors of The New York Worlds in which glorious paper it will resplendently coruscate on Saturday next." Pardon this gossip, and believe me, with renewed thanks, Yours faithfully, IIenky W. Longfellow. By way of prolonging the delightful "gossip" just given in Mr. Longfellow's letter, I submit the following, obtained from him during a personal interview. Among I ( ITENUV W. LONC. FELLOW. 81 jle on the stor ; one ee^ .iiiled Among ower,' on e of All- >y the fire to write I aecord- ;p. Now p to iidd f. How- ces under a Hkinii: why and luite for- tter from (yon will s grand, ntioned) 'c World, scate on I thanks, LLOW. llowing, Among the eonsidenitions wliich induced hira to write about the "Hesperus" was the " indescril)a])ly sad" name of Nor- mcDi'fi Woe, which the newspapers mentioned as the scene of the disaster. With regard to his poem of Excelsior, it was suirjrested to the ])oet hv the loftv sentiments con- tained in a letter which he had received from Iiis friend Charles Sumner. As his ideas developed, he resolved to display in a series of pictures the life of a man of gen- ius, resisting all temptations, and casting aside all fears, licedless of all warnings of danger, pressing onward in the great purpose of his life. As the poet wrote to his friend C. K. Tuckerman, " He passes through the Alpine village, through the rough, cold })aths of the world, where the peasants cannot understand him, and where his watch- word is an ' unknown tongue.' He disregards the hap- l)iness of domestic peace and sees the glacier, this fate, before him. He disregards the warning of the old man's wisdom and the fascinations of woman's love. He answers to all, ' Higher yet ! ' The monks of St. Ber- luird are the representatives of religious forms and cere- inonies, and with their oft-repeated prayer mingles the sound of his voice, telling them there is something higher than forms and ceremonies. Filled with these aspirations, he perishes without having reached the perfection he longed for ; and the voice heard in the air is the promise of immortality and progress ever upward. You will per- ceive that ' excelsior,' an adjective of the comparative degree, is used adverbially ; a use justified by the best Latin writers." Unlike the productions just mentioned. The Psalm of Life was the spontaneous outgrowth of his mind ; and it is a singular fact that while he at first hesitated to give it to the public, when published, it immediately became one 32 n A rn a z a h n r euson alities . of the most popular of all his poems. It was this pro- duction, moreover, whicli iiwluced an Englislimiin, wlien the poet WMS in P^ni^laiul, to accost hira when about to enter liis carriage, and to ask the privilege of shaking by the hand the man who had afforded him so much plens- ure ; and it should put all American readers to the ])lush to learn that while the two jx^mus entitled The Psahii of Life and the Reaj)er Death were both published in the old " Knickerbocker" magazine, the editor thereof did not tliink their author worthv of any remuneration : but the origin of EvcuHjelhie is also very interesting, and is here given in the poet's own words : — "Hawthorne came to dine with me one day, and bi'ought a friend with him from S;dem. While at the din- ner, tlie friend said to me, ' i have been trying to get JIawtliorne to write a story about the b;;nishnient of the Acadians, founded upon the life of a young girl, who was then separated from her lover, spent the balance of her life searching for him, and when both were old, found him dying in a hospital.' I caught the thought at once, that it would make a striking picture if put in verse, and said, ' Hawthorne, give it to me for a poem, and promise me that you will not write about it until I have written tlie poem.' Hawthorne said there was nothing in it for a story, and immediately assented to my request, and it was agreed that I should use his friend's story for verse when- ever it suited me to do so." ; In July, 1872, after William L. Shoemaker, of George- town, D. C, had read to me one of his poems, he expressed a desire to know what Mr. Longfellow would think of it, whereupon I volunteered to send it to Cam- bridge, accompanied by a second poem, with an explana- tory note. In due time the following pleasant letter was received : — i|il! ■ 1 HENRY W. LONGFELLOW. 33 ras this pro- ^limun, wlien len about to shjikiiicr bv much ])lo;is- to the l)hish 7ie PsnJni of sh(Ml in the ireof (lid not on ; but the and is here day, and 5 at the din- vinir to got lent of the rl, wlio was inee of her , found him once, that ', and said, )ioinise me written the n it for a and it was erse when- of Georjre- poems, he How would t to Cara- 1 explana- letter was Nahant, July 20, 1872. My dear Sir, — These are both good poems that you send me, and particularly The Cardinal Flower, which I like very much. Were I to criticise it in any way, I should say, suppn^ss the stanza beginning " No ritual pomp is here," and the one following, because they remind the reader of Horace Smith's Ili/mn to the Flowers, as you will see, if you read the two together. I write you tliis from the seaside, where your paintings of "Norman's Woe" and the "Coast of Acadia" adorn the parlor walls, with other sea views by other hands. Thanking you in advance for your book ou the "Japan- ese in America," I am, my dear sir, Yours truly, Henry W. Longfellow. In December, 1872, I sent the poet a small picture exe- cuted by a Japanese youth, which he acknowledged with great kindness, wishing the young artist all prosperity. During the sunnner of 1873, while spending a few weeks at Indian Hill, in Massachusetts, the delightful residence of Ben : Terley Toore, it was again my privileo-e to meet Mr. Longfellow. He had come down from Nahant, with his friend Charles Sunnier, for the purpose of visiting, for the first time, the Longfellow homestead in Newbury. After that visit he came by invitation, with the senator, to Indian Hill, where they enjoved an early (In.iH.r and a bit of old wine, after which Mr. Poore took " us all m his carriage on a visit to the poet, John G . Whit- ^ tier, at Amesbury. The day was charming, the route we toUowed was down the Merrimack and verv lovely, and the conversation of the lions was of course delightful. 34 lIArilAZAUi) PEUSONALITIE!). We found Mr. Whittier at home, jind it was not only a great treat to see him there, ])ut a noted event to meet soeiall}- and under one roof three sucli men as AVhittier, Sumner, and Longfellow. The deportment of the two poets was, to me, most eaptivatinjjj. The host, in his simple dress, was as shy as a school-hoy while iNIr. Long- fellow, with his white and flowing hair, and jolly laughter, reminded me of one of his own vikings ; and when ]\L'. Whittier brought out and exhibited to us an anti-slavery document which he had signed forty years before, 1 could not help recalling some of the splendid things which that trio of great men had writt 'L on the subject of slavery. The drive to Newburyport, whence IMr. Sunnier and ISIr. Longfellow were to return to Naliant, was not less delightful than had been the preceding one ; and the kindly words which were spoken of Mr. Whittier proved that he was highly honored and loved b3'his noted friends, as he is by the world at large. Befor^^ parting from INIr Longfellow, he took me one side and spoke with great interest of the old homestead he had that morning visited, and expressed a wish that I should make a sketch of it for him, as it was then two hundred years old and rapidly goinix to decav. On the folio win": morning I went to the spot and complied with his request ; a few weeks after- ward I sent him a finished picture of the house, not for- getting the well-sweep and the old stone horse-block, in which he felt a special interest ; and he acknowledged the receipt of the picture in these words : — 4 Cambridge, Oct. 18, 1873. My dear Sir, — I have had the pleasure of receiving your very friendly note, and the picture of the old homestead at Newbury, for both of which I pray you to accept my II EN UY W. L(»NGFKLh()W. 35 ot only a t to meet AVliittier, tlie two it, in Ills [r. Lon^r- huighter, vlieti ]Mr. ti-slavery I, 1 could liicli tliat slavery, and ]\Ir. not less and the 11* proved I friends, rom Mr itli great ^ visited, tell of it 1 rapidly it to tlie vs after- iiot for- elock, ill Iged the , 1S73. ing vour mestead Ljept my most cordial thanks. Bo assured that I value your gift liiglily, and api)reciato the kindness which proniplcd it, jind the troulele you to(jk in making the portraith of the old house nnd tree. They are very exact, and will alwavs remind me of that pleasant summer day and Mr. I'oori''s chateau and his charming fjimily nnd yours. If tilings could ever l)e done twice over in this world, which they cannot, I should like to live that day over iigaiii. AVitli kind regards to Mrs. Lanmnn, not forgetting a word and a kiss to your little »Ia[)aiiese ward (Uine Tsuda), I am, my dear sir, vours truly, IlENllY AV. LOXUFELLOW. In the letter which I sent to the j)oet with my picture, after giving him certain particular, 1 added the follow- ing : — '^When the builders of that house were designing its fair proportions, little did they think that it would be the destiny of one of their posterity to make their family name one of rare honor throughout the world. '' With regard to that visit to the home of AVhittier, it will ' live' in my memory with the Voices of the Nighty the Briikd of Pennacooks and a certain clarion voice which has often l)eeii heard in the Senate. To have seen three intel- lectual giants, w'itli their armor off, under one roof, as I (lid at Amesbury, was never equalled in my experience excepting once, and that was when I saw AVebster, Irving, and Bryant dining together in New York, ever so many years ao-o." One of the most charming traits in Mr. Longfellow's character was his love for children ; and the child of the Orient, mentioned in his letter, whom he met at Indian Hill, will never forget the many pleasant things he said to 86 HAPIIAZAIII) I'KUSONALITIKS. her as he held her on lii.s lap and playod with lior lonjjf black hair. And when, a few years afterwards, lie was inlonued that his little friend was a great admirer of his writings, and eonld memorize a lunnher of his poems, he prol)al)ly beeame a more devoted child-lover than before. Hemembering, with rare pleasnre, nuich of the conver- sation which })assed between the poet and the statesman, on tlu! occasion alluded to above, the; Good-nifflit sonnet, which the former published in 1H7."), in allusion to his departed friend, impressed nie as woudcrfully beautiful and affecting : — ♦• Kivcr, that stealest with sncli silent pace Around the City of the Dead, where lies A friend who bon; thy nanus and whom these eyes 8hall see no more in his aeenstonied place, Linger and fold him in thy soft embrace, Anil say good-night, for now tlu; western s]W. 37 Jiipaii- CA3inini)()K, Nov. 2:5, 1S77. Nil dear Sir, — I have this inonrmijj liiid tlio i)U':iHur(' of rccoiviiiji; your k'tU-r niid the Jiipancse verHiou of a por- tion of Kcnimosy wliicli you were kind enouj^h to send inc, Mud for which 1 hvrees, you til) id, and '< James ascendency, of which the following is a single instance : Upon some occasion of wages or want among the working l)eople of SliefTield, a great popular commotion had burst out, attended ])y a huge inol) and riot, which the magis- tracy strove in vain to ai)[)ease or (piell. When all else hud failed, Mr. Gales bethought him of trying what he could do. Driven into the thick of the crowd, in an open carriiige, he suddenly appeared amongst the rioters, and, by a few plain words of remonstrance, convinced them that they could only hurt themselves by overturning the laws, that they should seek other modes of redress, and mean- time had all better go home. They agreed to do so, but with the condition annexed, that they should llrst see him home. Whereupon, loosening the horses from the carriage, they drew him, with loud acclamations, back to liis liouse. Such were his prospects and position for some seven years after his marriage, when, of a sudden, without any fault of his own, he was made answerable for a fact that rendered it necessary for him to flee beyond the realm of Great Britain. As a friend to Reform, he had, in his journal, at first sup})()rted Pitt's ministry, which had set out on the same principle, but which, when the revolutionary movement in France threatened to overthrow nil government, a])an- doned all Reform, as a thing not then safe to set about. From this change of views Mr. Gales dissented, and still advocated Reform. So, again, as to the French Revolu- tion, not yet arrived at the atrocities which it speedily reached, he saw no need of making war upon it. In its outset, he had, along with Fox and other Liberals, ap- plauded it ; for it then professed little but what Liberals wished to see brought about in p]ngland. He still thought it good for France, though not for his own country. i.i U i i 4fi IIAniAZAUD PERSON ALITIES. II Thus, moderate as he was, he was counted in the opposi- tion and jealously watclied. It was in the autumn of 1792, while he was jrone upon a journey of business, that a king's messenger, beiiring a Secretary of State's warrant for the seizure of Mr. (J ale's person, presented himself at his house For this proceed- ing against him the following facts had given occasion. In his ollice was employed a printer named Richard Davi- son, — a very quick, capable, useful man, and therefore nmch trusted, — but a little wild, withal, at once with French i)rinciples and religion, with conventicles, and those sedi'ious clubs that were tlien secretly organized all over the it- land. This person corresponded with a central club in J.'} idon, and had been rash enough to write them, just then, an insurrectionary letter, setting forth revolu- tionary plans, the numbers, the means they could com- mand, the supplies of arms, etc., that they were forming. This sage epistle was betrayed into the hands of the gov- ernment. The discreet Dick they might very well have hanged ; but that was not worth while. From his connec- tion with the Register^ they supposed him to be only the agent and cover for a deeper man, — its proprietor; and at the latter only, therefore, had they struck. Nothing saved him from the blow, except the casual fact of liis a])sence in another county, and their being ignorant of the route he had taken. This his friends alone knew, and where to reach him. They did so, at once, by a courier secretly despatched ; and he, on learning what awaited him at home, instead of trusting to his innocence, chose rather to trust the seas ; and, making his way to the coast, took the only good security for his freedom, by putting the German Ocean between him and pursuit. He sailed for Amsterdam, where arriving, he thence made his way to ■ , 1 j; ".: ' sfl di lii..^ JOSEPH OALES AND WILLIAM W. SEATON. 49 Hamburg, at which city he had decided that liis family slioukl join hiin. To England he conld return only at the cost of a prosecution ; and though this would, of necessity, end in an acquittal, it was almost sure to be preceded by impiisonment, while, together, they would half ruin him. It was plain, then, that he must at once do what he had long intended to do, — go to America. Accordingly, he gave directions to his family to come to him, and to Montgomery that he should dispose of all his effects and settle up all his affairs. Tiiese otlices that devoted friend performed most faithfully, remitting him the [)roceeds. The newspaper he himself l)ought and con- tinued, under the name of the Sheflield Iris. Still re- taining his alfection for the family, lie passed into the household of what was left of them, and supplied to the three sisters of the elder Joseph Gales the place of a l)rother, and, wifeless and childless, lived on to a very ad- vanced age, content with their society alone. The last of these dames died only a few months ago. At llaml)urg, whence they were to take ship for the United States, the family were detained all the winter by tlie delicate health of Mrs. Gales. This delay her husband l)ut to profit, by mastering two things likely to be needful to jiim, — the German tongue and the ai't of short-hand. Tn the spring they sailed for Philadelphia. Arrived there, he sought and at once obtained employment as a printer. It was soon perceived, not only that he w^as an admirable workman, but every way a man of umisutd merit, and able to turn his hand to almost anything. By and by, reporters of Congressional debates being few and very indifferent, hia, employer. Clay pole, said to him, " You seem able to do everything that is wanted : pray, could you not do these Congressional reports for us !'' 50 IIAl'IIAZAUI) PKU.SONAMTIKS. better than this (Iruuken C'alknuler, who p^ives us so much trou])le?" Mr. (ink's iv[)liecl, with liis usu:il modesty, that he did uot know wliat he could do, ])ut tliat he wouhl try. T\ui next day ho attended the sittino; of Cong; and brought away, in time for tlje com[K)sit()rs, a .litiiful transcript of sucli speeches as had been made. Appear- ing intlie next morning's ])aper, it of course greatly aston- ished everybody. It seemed a new era in such things. They had hetird of the like in Parliament, ])ut had scarcely credited it. Claypole liimself was the most astonished of all. Seizing a copy, he ran around tlie town, sliowing it to all he met, and still hardly com[)reh('nding the wonder which he himself h;ul instigated. It need Imrdlv be said that here was something far more profitable for ]\Ir Gales than type-setting. liut to ai)ply this skill, possessed by none else, . the exclusive advantage of a journal of his own, was yet more inviting ; and the opportunity soon offering itself, he became the purchaser of the Iinlcpendimt Gazetteer^ a paper already established. This he conducted with suc- cess until the year 1799, maiving both repntation and many friends. Amon<>; the warmest of these wore some of the North Carolina members, and especially that one wdiose name has ever since stood as a sort of proverb of honesty, Nathaniel Macon. By the representations of these friends, he wtis led to believe that their new State capital, Rahngh, where there was only a very decrepit specimen of journalism, would afford him at once a surer competence and a happier life than Philadelphia. Coming to this conclusion, he disposed of his newspaper and printing-ottice, and removed to Raleigh, where he at once established the Register. Of his late paper, the JOSEPH GALES AN1> WILIJAM W. SEATON. 51 HO much nodesty, tliut lie .'111(1 -aithful Appcnr- Y JiKtoii- thinirs. H'ui'cely sIuhI of )wino- it woiidor hv: HJlid OtduH the 't more elf, he 'teer^ a th suc- ui {11 id 3 some at one ^erb of )ns of State icrepit surer omiuff r and he at % the Gazetteer^ we tshull soon follow ihe fortunes to Washin«j;- toM, where it became the Int('Ui(jcnrer; meantime we must llnisii wluit is left to tell of his own. At Raleigh he arrived under auspices which gave liim not only a reputation, but friends, to set out with. Hotli he so(yii conlirmcd and augmented, liy the constant merit of his journal, its sober sense, its moderation and its in- teiiiitv, lu! won and invariablv maintained the conlidence of all on tiiat side of politics with which he concurred (Ihe old Hci)ul)lican), and scarcely less conciliated the respect of his o})poiients. lie (piickly ol)tain(Ml, for his skill, and not merely as a i)artisan rewiird, the publie printing of his State, and retained it until, reaching the ordinary limit of human life, he withdrew from the press. In the just and kindly old Commonwealth which he so long served, it would liav< l)een hard for any p:irty, no matter how much in the asc' Hhint, to move anything for his in- jury. For the love an esteem, which he had the faculty of attracting from the (iist, dee[)ened, as he advanced in age, into an absolute reverence the most general for his character and person ; and the good North State honored and cherished no son of her own loins more than she did Joseph Gales. In Raleigh there was no figure that, as it passed, was greeted so much by the signs of a peculiar veneration as that great, stalwart one of his, looking so plain and unaff'xvtad, yet with a sort of nobleness in its very simplicity, a gentleness in its strength, an inborn goodness and courtesy in all its roughness of frame, — his countenance mild and calm, yet commanding, thought- ful, yet pleasant, and betokening a bosom that no low thought had ever entered. You had in him, indeed, the highest image of that stanch old order from which he was sprung, and might have said, "Here's the soul of a baron _.,:-m 52 HAPHAZARD PERSONALITIES. i !l in the body of a peasant." For lie really looked, when well examined, like all the virtues done in rough-cast. With him the aijfe of ne(;essarv and of well-merited repose had now come ; and judging that he could attain it only }»y (putting that habitual scene of business where it would still solicit him, he transferred his newspn[)er, his priMting-oliice, and the bookstore which he had made their adjunct in Kaleigh, as in Shefrield, to his third son, Weston, and removed to Washington, in order to pass the close of his days near two of the dearest of his chil- dren, — his son Joseph and his daughter Mrs. Seaton, — fium whom he had been separated the most. Jn renouncing all individual aims, INIr. Gales fell not into a mere life of meditation, but sought its future pleas- ures in the adoption of a scheme of benevolence, to the cnlm prosecution of which he might dedicate his declining powers, so long as his advanced age should permit. A worthy object for such efforts he recognized in the phin of African colonization, and of its aftV.irs he accei)ted and almost to his death sustained the ma.iagement in chief ; achieving not less, by his admirable judgment, the warn\ ai)proval and thanks (^f thnt wldesi)read association, than by the most amiaV)le virtues of private life winning in Washington, as he had done everywhere else, from all thnt aj^proached him, a singular degree of deference and affection. Hut the close of this long career of honoi- and of usefulness was now at hand. In 18o!) he lost the wife whose tender- ness had cheered the labors and whose gay intelligence had brightened the leisure of his existence. She had lived the delight of that intimate society to which she had conlined faculties that would iiMve tulorned any circle whatever; and she died lamented in proportion by it, and by the only JOSEPH GALKS AND WILLIAM W. SEATON. 53 d, when ist. ■inerited !itt;iin it vliere it per, liis lie their :'(i son, to puss is cliil- itoii, — ^ell not ? pleas- to the dining lit. A )l;in of hI and C'liief ; vvnnn 1, tluin ling in ill tlijit a ill 1(1 ulness LMidei-- L'e had ed the - nfined tever ; 3 only others to whom she was much known,— the poor. Her husband survived her but two years, expiring at his son's house in Kaleigh, where he was on a visit in April, 1841, at the age of eightv. He died as calm as a child, in the placid faith of a true Christian. Still telling his storv in the order of dates, the writer would now turn to the younger Joseph Gales. As we have seen, he arrived in this country when seven years old, and went to Raleigh about six years afterwards. There he was [)laced in a school, where he made excellent progress, profiting by the recollections of his earlier lessons, received from that best of all elementary teachers, a mother of Avell-cultivated mind. His boyhood, as usual, prefigui-ed the mature man ; it was diligent in study, hilarious at play ; his mind bent upon solid things, not the showy. For all good, just, generous, and kindly things he had the warm- est imjiulse and the truest perceptions, (^uick to learn and to feel, he was slow only of resentment. Never was man born with more of those lacteals of the heart which secrete the milk of human kindness. Of the classic tongues he can be said to have learnt only the Latin ; the Greek was then little taught in any part of our country. For the positive sciences he had much inclination ; since it is told, among other things, that he constructed instru- ments for himself, such as an electrical machine, with the performances of which he much amazed the people of Raleigh. Meantime he was forming at home, under the good guidance there, a solid knowledge of all those fine old authors whose works nuide the undeo;enerate literatui'e of our language and then constituted what they called Polite Letters. With these went hand in hand, at tliat time in the academies of the South, a profane anuisenu'nt of the taste. In short, our sinful youth were fond of B ■J' 'I T 54 IIArirAZAIlD PKRSONALTTIES. I stage plsiys, and even wickedly enacted thein, instead of resortinj*; t(i sin<2:in<2;-.scliools. Joseph Gales the voun<>er had his bovish eiiiiihition of Roscius and Garrick, and \)vv- fonned " top parts" in a diversity of tliosc sad comedies and merry tragedies wliicii ])oys are apt to make, wh mi tliey get into bnskins. Bnt it nuist be said that, as a theatric star, lie presently waxed dim before a very liand- some yonth, a little his senior, who jnst then had entered his father's ollice. lie was not only a printer, but had already been twice an editor, — last, in the late North Carolina capital, Halifax ; previously, in the great town of Petorsburij:, — and was bred in what seemed to Ilaleiuh a mighty city, Richmond ; in addition to all which strong points of reputation, he came of an F. F. V., and had been taught by the celel)rated Ogilvie, of whom more anon. He was familiar with theatres, and had not only seen, but even criticised the great actors. He outshone his very brother-in-law and colleague that was to be. For this vouuii' <»;entleman was William Seaton. . Meantime, Joseph, too, had learnt the paternal art, — how well will appear from a single fact. About this time his father's otllce was destroyed by fire, and with it the nnlinished printing of the legislative Journals and Acts of the year. Time did not allow waiting for new material from Philadelphia. Just in this strait he that had of old been so inauspicious, Dick Davison, came once more into l)lay, but this time not as a marplot. He, strange to say, was at hand and hel[)ful. For after his political ex- ploit, abandoning England in disgust at the consequences of his gunpowder plot, he, too, had not only come to America, but had chanced to set up his '^ type-stick " in the neighboring town of Warrenton, where having flour- ished, he was now the master of a priuting-ottice and the JOSEPH G...LES AND WILLIAM W. SEATON. 55 conductor of a newspaper. TliitluM-, then, young Joseph was (l; of certain corner-stones, in 1702, that the government would fix itself at this s])ot, or throuiih an odd local faith in the di'eams of some ancient visiouarv dwellins: liard ])v, who had, manv vears l)efore, foretold this as the destined site of a great imperial city, a second Kome, and so liad bestowed upon Goose Creek the name of Tiber, Ion"' before this was Waoliiuiiton. Tlie founder of this preadamite journal was Mr. Benjamin Moore, its name, The Washingfon Gazette, its issue, semi- weekW, its annual price, four dollars, and the two leading principles which, in that day of the infancy of political "platforms," liis salutatory announced, were, first, "to obtain a living for himself," and secondly, " to amuse and inform his fellow-mortals." How long this day-star of our journalism shone before night again swallowed up the premature dawn, cannot now be stated. It must have been published at what was then expected to be our city, but is our penitentiary, Greenleaf's Point. TOSKPH GALES AND WILLIAM W. SEATON. 57 To the Intelliyencer young Mr. Gales brought such vigor, such talent, and such skill in every department, that within two vears, in 1809, he was admitted by Mr. Smitli into partnership ; within less than a year from wdiich date, that gentleman, grown weary of the laborious life of the press, was content to withdraw, and leave him sole proprietor, editor, and reporter. An enormous worker, however, it mattered little to him what tasks were to be assumed ; he could multiply himself among them and sullice for all. In thus assuming the undivided charge of the paper, the young editor thought it becoming to set forth one main principle tliat has, beyond a cpiestion, been admi- raltly the guide of his public life. He said to his readers, " It is the dearest right and ought to be cherished as the proudest prerogative of a freeman, to be guided l)y the unbiassed convictions of his own judgment. Tliis riglit it is my firm puri)ose to maintain, and to preserve invio- hite tlie independence of the print now committed into my hands." Never was })ledge more universally made or more rarely kept than this. It was towards the close of 'My. Jefferson's presidency that Mr. Gales had entered the ollice of the Iiitclliyeiu'ei', and it was during Mr. jMadison's first vear that he became joint editor of that paper. Of these administrations it liad been the supporter, only f;ht dales and Seaton together as partners in Inisiness, witnessed an alliance of a more interesting character; for it was in 1813 that Mv. (iales married the accomplished dangliter of Theodorick Lee, younger brother of that brilliant soldier of the devolution, the "Legionary Harrv." But at this i)oint the writer must go back for a w^iile, in order to brin<>: down the st(jrv of William Seaton to where, uniting w ith his associates, the two thus How on in a sini>le stream. He was born Jan. 11, 1785, on the paternal estate in King William County, Virginia, one of a family of four sons and three daughters. At the good old mansion passed his childhood ; there, too, according to what was then the wont in Virginia, he trod the lirst steps of learn- ing, under the guidance of a domestic tutor, a decayed gentleman, old and bedridden, for the only part left him of a genteel inheritance was the gout. But when it be- came necessary to send his riper progeny abroad for more advanced studies, Mr. Seaton very justly bethought him of going along with them ; and so betook himself with his whole family to Richmond, where he ^'^as the possessor of houses enough to afford him a good habitation and a genteel income. Here, then, along with his brothers and sisters, William was taught through an ascending series of schools, until at last he arrived at what was the wonder of that day, the academy of Ogilvie, the Scotchman. He, ))e it noted, had an earldom, that of Finlater, which slept while its heir was playing pedagogue in America, — a strange mixture of the ancient rhapsodist with the modern iii- GO IIAl'IIAZARD PERSONALITIKS. strolling ac'or, of the lord with luni wlio lives by his wits. Seot lis he was, lie was better fitted to teach anvthiiiir ratlier tliau eomnion-seiise. The writer must not <:;ive tlie idea, however, that tliere was in Lord Finlater aiivtliinu; but eceeutrieitv to dero". A very solid teacher he was not. A great enthusiast by nature, and a master of the whole art of discoursing finely of even those things which he knew not well, he dtizzled much, plensed greatly, and obtained a higli reputation ; so that, if lie did not regularly inform or discipline tlie minds of his pu[)ils, he probably made them, to an unusual degree, amends on another side. lie in- fused iiit(> tliem, by the glitter of his accomplishments, a high , admiration for learning and for letters. Certainly the number of his scliolars who arrived at distinction was remarkably; and this is, of course, a fact conclusive of great merit of some sort as a teacher, where, as in his case, the pupils were not luiiny. AVitliout pausing to mention others of them who arrived at honor, it mav be well enough to refer to Winfield Scott, William Campbell Preston, 1>. Watkins Leigh, Willinm S. Archer, and AVil- liam C. llives. The writer does not know if it had ever been designed that young Seaton should proceed from Ogilvie's classes to the more systematic courses of a colle"e. Possil)ly not. P^ven among the wealthy, at that time, lioine educa- tion was often employed. The cliildren of both sexes were committed to the care of ])rivate tutors, usually young Scotchmen, the graduates of Glasgow, Edinl)urgh, or Aberdeen, sent over to the planter, upon order, along with his yearly su[)ply of goods, by his merchant abroad ; or else the sons were sent to select privi.te schools, like that of Ogilvie, set up by men of such abilities aud JOSEPH GALES AND WILLIAM W. SEATON. 61 scholiirsliii) as were supposed capable of perforining the whole work of institutions. At any rate, our youtli, witliout further preparation, at the age of eighteen, entered earnestly upon the duties of life. He fell at once into his vocation ; impelled to it, no doubt, by the ambition for letters and public affairs which the lessons of Ogilvie usually produced. Party ran high. Virginia politics, Hushed with recent success, had added to the usual passions of the contest those of victory. Into the novelties of the day our student accordingly plunged, in common with nearly all others of ti like age and condition. He became, in short, a politician. Though talent of every other sort a])ounded, that of writing promptly and pleasingly did not. Young Seaton was found to possess this, and therefore soon obtained leave to exercise it as assistant editor of one of the Kichmond journals. lie had already made himself ac(|uainted with the art of printing, in an ollice where he became the companion and friend of the late Thomas Ritchie, and it is more than ])robable that many of his youthful '' editoritds " were " set up " by his own hands. Attaining by degrees a youthful reputation, he received an invitation to take the sole charge of a respectable paper in Petersburg, the liejmhlican, the editor and proprietcH- of which, IMr. Thomas Field, was about to leave the country for some months. Ac(piitting himself here with great ap[)roval, he won an invitation to a still better position, — that of the proprietary editorship) of the JS^rth Carolina Journal, pul)lished at Halifax, the former capital of that State, and the only newspaper there. He accepted the offer, and became the master of his own independent journal. Of its l)eing so he proceeded at once to give his i)atrons a somewhat decisive token. They were chietlv Federalists ; [ j-ir, 62 IIAPHAZARI) rKUSONALITIES. it wus a region strongly Federal ; and the gazette itself had always niaintained tlie purest Federalism but he forthwith ehanged its politics to Uepuhlieau. There can be no doubt that he who made a change so manly conducted his p;4)er witii s})irit. Yc^t he nuist have done it also with that wise and wiuning moderation and fairness which have sin(;e distinguished him and his asso- ciate. William Seaton could never have fallen into any- thing of the temi)er or the taste, the morals or the man- ners, wiiich are now so widely the shame of the American press ; he could never have, written in the ill spi)Mt of mere party, so as to wound or even oft'end the good men of an opposite way of thinking. The inference is a sure one from his character, and is confirmed by what we know to have happened during liis editorial career among the Fed- eralists of Halifax. Instead of his paper's losing ground under the circumstances just mentioned, it really gained so larij-ely and won so nuichthe esteem of both sides, that, when he desired to dispose of it, in order to seek a higher theatre, he easily sold the property for double what it had cost him. It was now that he made his way to Raleigh, the new State capital, and became connected with the Ut^fjister. Nor was it long before this connection was drawn vet closer by his happy marriage with the lady whose virtues and accomplishments have so long been the modest yet shinino; ornament and charm of his household and of the society of AVashinyton. After this union, he continued his previous relationship with tiie Jiegister, until, as al- ready mentioned, he came to the metropolis to join his fortunes with those of his brother-in-law. From this point, of course, their stories, like their lives, become united, and merge, with a rare concord, into one. They have JOSEPH GALES AND WILLIAM W. SEATON. 63 had no bickorinc:s, no misunderstandin*^, no difference of view which a consulttition did not nt once reconcile ; they have never known a division of interests ; from their common coffer each has alwavs drawn wliatever he chose ; and, down to this day, there lias never been a settle- nientof accounts between them. What facts conld lu'tter attest, not merely a singular harmony of character, but an admlral)le conformity of virtues? The history of the Intelligencer has, as to all its leading i)articulars, been for fifty years spread before thousands of readeis, in its continuous diary. To re- chronicle any part of what is so well known would be idle in the extreme. Of the editors personally, their lives, since they became mature and settled, have presented few events such as are not common to all men, — little of vicissitude, beyond that of pockets now full and now empty, — nothing but a steady performance of duty, an exertion, whenever necessary, of high ability, and the gradual accunuilatiou through these of a deei)ly felt esteem among all the best and wisest of the land. Amidst tlie many popular passions with which nearly all have, in our country, run wild, they have maintained a perpetual and sage moderation ; amidst incessant variations of doctrine, they liave preserved a memory and a conscience ; in the frequent fluctuations of power, they have steadily checked the alternate excesses of both parties ; and they have never given to either a factious opposition or a merely partisan support. Of their journal it may be said, that there has, in all our times, shone no such continual light on public affairs, there has stood no such sure defence of whatever was needful to be upheld. Tempering the heats of both sides ; re-nationalizing all spirit of section ; combating our propensity to lawlessness at home and ill 64 IIAPIIAZAUD rKItSONALITIES. MojijrcHsioii tiln'ojul ; si)r('ii(rnio; conHtimtly on cuch (pU'S- Uniof tlio (lay II mass of Homul iiifornuition, — tlio von- crablo editors luivo been, nil tlio while, :i power mid Ji Bjifetv in tlie land, no matter who were the rulers. Neither party could have s[)ared an opijosition so just or ji suj)- port BO well nieasuri'd. Thus it eunuot be decsnied au Anieriean exagjjferation to declare the opinion as to the iu- lluence of the Intclli'yotrcr over oui' public couusels, that its value is not easilv to be overrated. Never, meantime, was authority wiehU-d with less assunii)tion. The Iiitc/dgeiKrr could not, of course, hel[) beini^ awan; of the weight which its opiuit^ns »;lways curried among the thinking; but it has never betrayed tinv consciousness of its intluence, nnless in a ceaseless care to deserve resi)ect. Its modesty and candor, its fair- ness and courtesy, liave been invariable ; nor less so, its observance of that decorum and those charities which con- stitute the very grace of all pu])lic life. On the score of dignity it has never htid a superior and seldom an equal in any country, and numerous instances might l)e cited, at- testing the fact that no sums of money ever had the power to make them publish insincere opinions or admit to their colunms improper advertisements. From the time of their coming together down to the 3^ear 1820, Gales and Seaton Averc the exclusive reporters, as well as editors, of their journal; one of them devot ing himself to the Senate, and the other to the TTou^ Representatives. G enerally speaking, tlie}' pul •^' '*• running reports ; on special occasions, how( « gi^ ■ , the speeches and proceedings entire. In those days tliey had seats of honor assigned to them directly by the ^-.tde of the presiding olTlcers, and over the snuff-box, in a quiet and familiar manner, the topics of the day were often dis- JOSKPII <}ALKS AND WILLIAM W. SKATON, 65 OBSSed. To tho i)rivilo^('S llicy then enjoyed, l)ut more especisilly to their Hiijjfiieity and industry, are wo now in- debted, lis a eountry, for their " Uei>ister of Debsites," which, with the Infi'l/if/cnccr, h:is beeonie a most ini- poi'tant part of our national liistory. As in their journal nearly all the most eminent of Anierietm statesmen havt? diseussed tius affairs of the country, so have they been the direet means of })reservini5 many of the speeches whicii are now thc^ aeknowh'dged ornaments of our political lit- erature. Had it not been for Mr. (Jales, the nr(>;tt intel- lectual combat between Ilaync and Webster, forexampU', would have ])assed into a vague tnidition, perhaps. The original notes of jNlr. Webster's speech, now in Mr. (Jales's library, form a volume of several hundred pages, and, having been corrected and interlined by the statesman's own hand, present a treasure that might be envied. At the i)eriod just alluded to, Mr. Gales had given up the practice of reporting any s[)eeclies, and it was a nu-re accident that led him to pay Mr. Webster the comi)linient in question. That it was appreciated was proven by many reciprocal acts of kindness and the long and hap[)y intr niacy that exist(Hl between the two gentlemen, ending only with tlu? life of the statesman. It w:»s INlr. Web- ft/ ster's o[)inion, that the abilities of jNIr. dales were of the highest order ; and yet the writer has heard of one in- stance in which even the editor could not get along witii- out a helping hand. Mr. Gales had for some days Iteen engaged upon the grand jury, and, with his head full of technicalities, entered upon the duty of preparing a cer- tain editorial. In doing this, he unconsciously employed a number of legal j)hrases ; and when about half through, found it necessary to come to a halt. At this juncture he dropped a note to Mr. Webster, transmitting the un- i GG II Ari I A Z A U 1> PERSONA LITIES . finished article iind expLiiuiiig his (lilliciiltv. Mr. AVeb- ster took it in hand, finished it to the satisfaction of Mr. Gales, and it was pnl)lislied as editorial. Hnt the writer is tres[)assing ui)on private <2:ronnd, and it is with ii'reat rehictance that he refrains from recordinc: a long list of incidents which liave come to his knowledge, calcnlated to illnstrate tlie manifold virtues of his distin- guislu'd friends. That they are universally respected and beloved by those who know them; that their oi)inions on pul)lic matters have been solicited by Secretaries of State and even by Presidents opposed to them in })olitics ; that their journal has done more than any other in the country to promote a lieaUhy tone in polite literature ; that their home-life has been made happy l)y the influences of refinement and taste ; and that they have given away to the poor money enough almost to build a city, and to the unfortunate spoken kind words enough to fill a library, — are all assertions which none can truthfully denv. If, therefore, to look back upon a long life not mielestib/ spent is what will give us peace at last, then will the evening of thei»' davs be all that tliev could desire ; and their " silver hau'S," the most appropriate crown of true patriotism, ** Will purchase them a good opinion, And buy men's voices to commend their deeds." P. S. As a kind of sequel to the foregoing article which was written shortly before the death of Mr. Josej)!! Gales, in LSGO, the writer submits the subjoined in menioriam paragraphs respecting the National Ldelliyencer and its famous editors : — Joseph Gales died in Washington, July 21, 18G0, and "William W. Seaton also departed this life on the Kith of June, 18GG, in the same city. On the 31st of December, JOSEPH tiALES AND WILLIAM W. SEATON. 67 cs, iani its !\ik1 of 1864, appojiivd tlic last number of the National Intelli- gencer under the auspices of its tlu'ii survivini»- editor, wlio, on that day, and when within '^:ie month of his eiglitieth 3'ear, retired to private life. In other hands the })aiK'r, thoUij:li hearing; the old name, ])e('ame a new affair. Its brilliant sun went down behind the horizon while vet ihe sky of our country was obscured with the clouds of civil war ; but its fame will ever be gloriously identified with the honor and happiness of the American Union. From every part of the land — from the North and the South, the East and the West — went forth a loving benison for the prosi)erity and peaceful decline of the surviving patri- arch of the American press. But before eighteen months had passed away, t-ic retirement to private life was fol- lowed })V the death of the veteran editor, and thus ended the renuirkalile cancer of Gales and Seaton. - Between the yes'rs 182;") and 1;ratifieation a few para- graphs ))earini>; upon his own private habits and oi)inions. The title of his essay was " Abltotsford," and the subject of mine shall be "A Day with Washington Irving," for I propose to confine myscilf in this letter to what 1 obtained while on our visit to Arlington. Hardly had our carriage ceased rattling over the stony streets and reached the long bridge across the Potomac, before his conversation became so interesting that I invol- untarily seized my note-book. At this ])r()fessional move- ment he smiled, and as he did not dennn*, I proceeded to question him in regard to his literary career and other kin- dred matters, the substance of his replies being as follows : He was born in Williams Street, New York, and was first sent to school in his fourth year. The first books he ever read were " Robinson Crusoe," " Sindbad, the Sailor," and an old serial called the " World Displayed." His first attempts with the pen were made in his thirteenth year, and consisted of rhymes, which were soon followed by a dramatic sketch. In his sixteenth year he stopped going to school and became a lawyer's clerk. . rr ■Washin*(;ton ikvino. 77 Williiim Jordan, of the London TAterary Gazette^ was one of Ills carlii'st and Itewt frit-nds. lie was the first to repnlilish some of tlie stray papers of the " Sketch- 1 look," and, if vou will ijardon mv eicotisin, I will lierc fix the faet that tlic Hrst and several of the most friendly reviews ever pnhlisJR'd in Knjj:l;»nd, of my own prodnetions, were written hv the same distinLjuisluMl crititr. At the time ' alluded to, Mr. Irvinic was alloat in the world, and de- pended upon his pen for a living. After several of the essays had ap[)eared in the (rnzcttc^ the editor recom- mended that the whole collection siionld be print<'d in a book ; and this, after some delay, was accomplished. The book was offered to John Murray, but was declined. Walter Scott recommended it to Archibald Constable, of Edinburgh, and he was ready to take it, but in the mean time Mr. Irvini^ had it i)ublished upon his own venture. That effort proved a faihn-e ; but the work was subse- quently successful wdth the miprint upon it of John Murray. • At this success no man was more astonished than him- self ; and when an American critic spoke of the story of ".Rip Van Winkle" as a futile attempt at humor, he said he was more than half willing to believe his judeen to utter his thoughts in the fewest possible words, as sinqile and i)lain as language would allow. The only poetry he had ever attempted was a piece entitled '' Lines to the Passaic." These verses were written in an album for the anmsement of a party of ladies and gentle- men at the falls, which he had joined. He said thcv ought never to have been printed, for in his opinion they were very poor, very poor stuff. In 1802, when nineteen years of age, he })ublished in a paper called the Chronicle, edited l)y his l)r()ther, a series of letters over the signature of "Jonathan Oldstyle," but these productions he never acknowledged. In consequence of ill health he went to Europe in 1804, and after his re- turn to New York, in 1807, he took the chief part in Sal- magundi, was assisted by his friend Paulding, and all that he ever received for his labors was one hundred dollars, while the publisher pocketed not less than fifteen thousand dollars. " Knickerbocker's New York " was i)ublished in 1800, some of the early editions having been illustrated by 6 82 HArnAZAllD PERSONALITIES. the pencils of Allston and Leslie, and in 1813 he edited the " Analeetie Magazine," at wliicli time he became a staff officer and was called Colonel Irvinijr. The years in which his succeeding books made their appearance, as near as he could remember, were as follows : '• The Sketch-Book " in 1.S18 ; " Bracebrido-e Hall" in 1822 ; " Tales of a Travel- ler," 1824 ; "Columbus," 1828 ; " Conquest of Granada," 1821); "Alhambra," 1832; "Crayon Miscellany," 1835; "Astoria," 183(;; "Bonneville's Adventures," 1837; " Oliver Goldsmith," bSPJ ; and " INIahomet," 1859. The University of Oxford mnde him an LL. D. in 1831, when he was secretary of legation in London ; and the date of his a})pointment as minister to Spain was 1842, the siime having l)een conferred without his solicitation. The lifty- guinea gold medal conferred upon him by George IV. was for histcM'ical composition ; and the person who received the other medal of the same year (1831) was Henry Halhim. He touched upon literary me i generally, and a bit of criticism on Thackeray seemed tome full of meaning;. He liked the novelist as a lecturer and a man, and his books were ca})itMl. Of his novels lie liked " Pendennis" most ; " Vanity Fair" was full of talent, but many passages hurt his feelings; " Esmond " he thought a queer affair, but deeply interesting. Thackeray had (piite as great talents as Dickens; but Dickens was genial and warm, and that suited him. On h)okiiig at a [)i( taresque group of children by the ro.' ' 'de, he w;is reminded of ^Vilkie. He knew the pamter well. Returning fnmi Italy, AVilkie had heard of his being in Spain, and went all the way to Madrid to spend a couple of months or more. He spoke of the art- ist as an honest, 1»lunt mnn, a capit:d j^ainter, but in a few of iiis Spanish pictures had committed the error oi intro- WASHINGTOX IRVING. 88 ducins: Scotch accessories. When in Madrid thcv walked Ji great deal together, went into all sorts of i)hi('es, and the painter was constantly taking sketches. " On one occasion," said ^Ir. Irving, "when my attention had been attracted by a gandily dressed gronp of soldiers and women. I turned to him and said, '•There, Wilkie, there's something very fine ! ' lie looked attentively for a mo- ment, and shaking his head, hastily rei)lied, ' Too costumy, too costnmv.' The fact was he delighted more in the rich brown of old rags, than he d.id in ,he bright colors of new lace and new cloth." Si)eaking to INIr. Irving of a headache with which I was sutfering, he remarked that was a thing which he had never exi)erienced. Indeed, he thought that no man had ever lived so h)ng a life as he had with fewer aches and pains. lie mentioned the singular fact that for a jx'riod of twenty years, from 1822 to 1842, he had not been conscious of tiie least bodily suffering. A good dinner was a thing he had always enjoyed, but he liked it plain and w'ell cooked. In early life he was very fond of walking, but owing to a cutaneous afl'ection which came upon him when in S[)ain, hi^ ankles were somewhat weakened, and he luid since that time taken most of his exercise on horsel)ack. This last remark was made in reply to the surprise which Mr. Cus- t!s ex[)ressed on seeing him skip up a fiight of stairs three ste[)sata time, and for which ho apologized by saying that he freipiently forgot himself. While alluding to his habits, he remarked that a quiet, sedentary life agreed with liim, and that he often sat at his writing-table, when at work, from four to six hours, without ever rising from his chair. lie also avowed himself a great lover of sleep. When at home he alwa3's took a nap after dinner, but somehow, of late years, he could not sleep well at night. lie fivquently ■ 84 HAPHAZARD PERSONALITIES. spent more than half the ni<2;ht wakeful, and at such times he was in the habit of reading a great deal. He said he really envied the man who could sleep soundly. I iiad a siiort talk with Mr. Irving al)out the copyright treaty, wliicli was drawn up by Messrs. We])ster and Cranipton, and is now in the hands of Mr. Everett, lie did not believe it would ])e ratified by the Senate, and spoke in rather severe terms of the want of intelligence, on purely literary matters, of that distinguished ])ody ; and also of the conduct of certain publishers, who are doing all they can to prevent the ratification of the treaty. An incident related bv Mr. Irvinii;, going to illustrate * the character of Andrew Jackson, was to this effect : — When secretary of legation at St. James, in 1831, he was left by Mr. McLane to represent the country in the capacity of marge (Vdjfaires for a period of three months. During that time the coronation of AV^illiani the F<^urth took place, and his expenses were unusually heavy. When he came home he presented a claim for one hundred i)ounds, whicli was a smaller sum than he had expended. The President said there was no law providing for such claims, but ordered the pay of a charge for the time employed. And he did receive it, — a sum amounting to more than twice what had been prayed for. ]\Ir. Irving's feelings have recently been very nnich hurt ])y discovering a note attached to one of his letters from Madrid to the Department of State, to the effect tiiat ]\lr. JNIcLane told ]Mr. Trist, that he (Mr. I.) originated the idea of Spain's offering to mediate between the govern- inents of tiie United States and Mexico during tlu^ war of 184(). The letter in question states explicitly that General Saunders, who succeeded Mr. Irving as minister to S[)ain, asked him to speak to the Spanish government on the sub- WASiIIN(iTUN IRVING. So joft. He agreeil witli Ooiieml Snundors, and tlioiiuiit it a i>«)()(l oi)p()rtuiiitv for S[)iuii to do soim'tliiiii»' huiidsonu', hut tho idea did not orii;iiiato with him. The pencil note on the letter contradicts this, and jNIr. Irving has been further grieved by finding that(ieneral Saunders, in his des[)at('hes, makes no acknowledgment of the fact that he re(iuested Mr. Irving, as then a private citizen, to suggest the idea nnoflicially to the Spanish government. During our morning's conversation we touched upon the city of AV'ashington, and in speaking of its " nuignilicent distances," Mr. Irving was botli amusing and severe upon those who laid it out. ])luing-out here, whic- ' usiness had been near killing him, was very disagree-; sr , large par- ties particularly so. " You genei ally Jia,. to take your seat," said he, '• at six o'clock, and as you are sure to be seated bv the side of some one whom you never saw or heard of, with whom you nuist keep up a constant talk for three hours, the time thus wasted is annoying in the ex- treme, and the ostentatious ccnirses were so regular." I>v watching the dishes he could tell exactly how far the enter- tainment had advanced. And everywhere the food was cooked in precisely one manner. He tliought that one man did the cooking for the entire town ; that one vintage sup- plied the wine, and one confectioner the fancy articles in that line, for they were always stamped with one name. But enough. Though not afraid to tire you with pleas- ant reminiscences of a man universally honored and be- loved, my selfishness and modesty prompt me to reserve a portion of my notes of Mr. Irving's conversation for fu- ture consideration. A few of his statements bearing upon the truth of history were full of interest. Yours very truly, Charles Laistman. Peter Force, Esq., Washington. 8G irAl'llAZAlll) rKUSONALITIKS. The siibjoiiu'd corrosnondonce is intended cliieflv for niv l)er.soii!d friends, ;ind for tliose who feel so great im inter- est in W!isiiin«i;t()n Irvinii; tiiat they read everytliin«»; from his pen with pleasure. Sliould my modesty be (questioned for printing it in this plaee, 1 can only reply that it was the " Sketch-Book" which originally incited me to venture upon tiu! [)leasures and the dangers of authorship ; and that, next to doing some little good, my limited ambition has been to please my readers ; and having succeeded in pleasing the Father of American Liti'rature, I have a right to be gratiiied and thankful, lint the letters which follow, exhibiting the writer as a friend, bring out here and there a few interesting points of (;haracter which 1 consider the rightful property of the pul)lic, and 1 submit them pre- cisely as they w^ere written and without any connnents of my own : — SiTNNYSIDE Oct. 15, 1847, My dear Sir, — T w^^uld not reply to your very ol)liging letter of Sept. 10, until I had time to read the volumes which accompanied it. This, from the pressuie of various engagements, 1 have but just been able to do ; and I now return you thanks for the delightful entertainment which your summer rambles have afforded me. I do not see that I have any literary advice to give you, excepting to keep on as you have begun. You seem to have the happy, en- joyable humor of old Izaak AValton. I anticipate great success, therefore, in vour " Kssavs on our American Fislu'S," and on "•Angling," which I truest will give us still further scenes and adventures on our great internal waters, depicted with the freshness and graphic skill of your pres- ent volumes. In fact, the adventurous life of the angler, amidst our wild scenery, on our vast lakes and rivers, niust furnish a striking contrast to the quiet loiteriugs of the imn||fl I WASHINGTON IRVING. 8; Englisli niiolcr Jiloiifz; the Trent or Dove, with country inilknijiids to .siiisj; madrigals to liiiu, and a simg, dtrt'iit country inn at night, wiicrc he may sleep in sheets that have ])een hiid in hivcnck'r. With best wishes for vour success, I am, mv dear sir, Very truly, your ol)liged, Washington Irving. SUKNYSIDE, Dec. 21, 1852. My dear Sir, — T have delayed answering your letter until I could acknowledge the receipt of the work which was to have accompanied it, and which has just come to hand, having been lying in the oftice of my nephew in New York. I have been reading it with great interest and satisfac- tion, 'i'he peculiar features which it gives, of Air. AVeb- ster in domestic life and at his rural home, are extremely endearing and calculated to enhance the admiration caused by his great talents, and eminent services in his public career. Accei)t my sincere thanks for the work, and for the kind expressions of 3'our letter, and believe me, Very respectfully. Your obliged friend and servant, Washington Irving. SuNNYSiDE, Jan. 23, 1853. Mff dear Sir, — I am glad to learn that you intend to publish your narrative and descriptive writings in a col- lected form. I have read })arts of them as they were pub- lished separately, and the great pleasure derived from the perusal makes me desirous of having the whole in my possession. They carry us into the fastnesses of our raoun- 88 ir.Vl'lIAZAliO I'KliSUNALlTlES. tains, the depths of our forests, the watery wilderness of our hikes luid rivers, jijiving us pictures of Btivage life and savage tribes, Indian legends, fi«liing and hunting anec- dotes, the adventures of trappers and l)aekwoodsnien ; our Avhole areanuin, in sliort, of indigenous poetry and ro- mance ; to use a favoritxi phrase of the old discoverers, they lay open the secrets of the country to us." I cannot hut ])elieve vour work will be well received, and c; ith th ih hich dlv meet With best wishes for your success, I remain, my dear sir, Yours, very trul>', Washington Iiiving. SUNNYSIDK, Aug. 24, 1855. My dear Sir. — I am verv nuich obli<>ed to vou for vour kind offer to borrow for me the newspapers cont;iining ac- counts of the death and funeral of Washington, l)ut will not task your kindness in that respect, as I have at hand copious details of those events in the volumes of contem- porary newsp:ii)ers in the New York lil)raries. 1 shall be most hnppy to see .Mrs. Lanman and yourself at Sunnvside, should vour excursions bring vou into these parts. Yours, very truly, Washington Irving. iliil SuNNYSiDE, March 2, 1857. 3fy clear Mr. Lanman^ — I am suffering a long time to elapse without acknowledging the receipt of a coi)y of your work which you have had the kindness to send me, and ex[)ressing to you the great delight I tnke in the pe- rusal of it. But when I ivmind you that 1 am approach- ing my seventy-fourth birthday, that 1 am laboring to WASHINGTON HIVING. «U liiuiicli thi; fourth volumo of mv " Life of Washiiii'toii,'* and that mv table is loaded with a continiiMllv iiu'reasiiiijj iiuiltitude of unansweivd letttTs, which I vaiidy endeavor to cope with, I am sure you will excuse the tardiness of my correspondence. I hope the success of your work lias l^een equal to its merits. To me, your "Adventures in the AVildts" is a continual refreshment of the spirits. I take a volume of your work to bod with me, after fagging with my pen, and then ramble with vou among the mountnins and bv the streams, in the boundless interior of our fresh, unluickneyed country, and only regret that I can but do so in idea, and that I am not young enough to be your companion in real- ity. 1 have ttdvcn great interest of late in your expedi- tions among the Alleghany Mountains; having been campaigning in my work in the ui)per part of the Caro- linas, es[)ecially in the Catawba ccMuitry, al'-mt which you give such graphic sketchings. Keally, I look upon your work as 'Avade mecitm to the Amei'ican lover of the pictur- esque and romantic, unfolding U) liim the wilderness of beauties and the varieties of adventurous life to be found in our tjreat chains of mountains and svstems of lakes and I'ivers. You are, in fact, the j^icturesque explorer of our country. With great regard, my dear Mr. Lanniau, Yours, very truly, "Washington Irving. \ ™ , ! : i 1 !, SuNNYSiDK, May 0, 18r)7. My (h'xir Mr. Lanman, — I have been too thoroughly occupied in getting a volume of my work through the press to acknowledge at an earlier date your letter of March 24. ir 90 IIAIMIAZAKI) riCKSONALITIES. T?('SjK'('tiiilish lani>uai»:e, and also on matters connected with art ; and when I removed to Wasliington in 1848, and he was in Congress, his house became to me v)ne of the most agreeable and profitable resorts in the metro[)- olis. Indeed, his treatment of me was so uniformly kind, that I consulted him in regard to all my personal as well as literary affairs ; and as I continued to enjoy his friend- ship, often found it ditticnlt to decide whether his great learning, his sound practical common-sense, rare integrity, or his warm-hearted nature was the predominating element of his character. His knowledge of art, in all its phases, and especially the histoiT of engraving, was most com- plete ; and there was a time when his collection of proofs, after the great masters in that branch of art, was ihii most complete and valuable one in this country ; and it has always seemed to me since then that there was a special propriety in his being permitted to spend so many years IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) m. 7 .-^1 ^■^. o ,A^ <\ % C^- 'f^c f/- % !.0 I.! 1.25 llllltt IM 140 tm 1.4 12.0 I.C 1.6 p% ^ ^ a^ m ■^^ c>% /} oS "-l /; O^ ^ ^ /^ Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 ^^■V iV ^'^ \ \ /^ -i^ ^^2% 6^ % V ^ "% n.^

it upon him by the Eastern authorities ; and when he dehvered a certain speecJi in modern Greek, in Athens, tlie people were astounded, and his Ivuowledgc of their hmgnage a(hU'd greatly to liis iiifluence. His sympathies were so completely with the Goths thut he traced to their presence whatever was great and peculiar in the character of tiie founders of New Eni>land. In his work on the Goths he contrasted the Gotliic and Konian characters, which he regarded as the great antagonistic principles of society at the present day. lie was not only a lover of Scandinavian history, but the lei>;ends and nivths and w'cird mythology of Northern Europe, as well as its ocean, coast, and mountain scenery, had a strange fasci- nation to his mind, and he was entirely familiar with them all. Very few men have exercised so great and important an influence on Ameri(!un literature as Mr. iVIarsh ; and when we add to his character as an autiior what he has accomplished in the field of diplomacy, we may safely class him with the very best and most useful public men of his time. As minister to Turkey ai-'d Greece, to which posts he was appointed by Presidents Taylor and Fillmore, and to Italv, he served liis country with rare success for more than twenty-four years, rendering essential service to the cause of religious toleration in the Turkish Empire. One of the best a[)pointments made by President Lin- coln was that of Mr. ^larsh as minister to Italy, in 18G1. When he came to Washington to receive his credentials, I met him frequently, and was honored by receiving again from him nuich valuable literary advice. IVIanv hints that he gave me about my " Dictionary of Congress " were espe- cially important. 1 very well remember his advice; in regard to st\le in writin24), Amadis de Gaul, and Palmerian of England. In lexicography, I have the best dictionaries and grammars in all the languages of Western Europe, and many biogrtiphical dictionaries and other works of reference in various languages. I have also Si# 98 IIArilAZAUD PEUSONALITIES. left with her, and I am sorry to say has not yi't sent it home, and, of course, I have not seen it. As soon as I can get time to look it over, I will write you on the subject. The pictures Mr. Teck took appear to me, though not highly finished, to indicate much artistic talent ; and I trust you will pursue your profession with an ar(h)r as inexhaustible as Nature herself. A little study of natural history, particularly of botany, on the natural system, geology (read JacH's "Principles"), and meteorology (see the works of Luke Howard, late editions), would prove of the greatest service to you, and as an aid to the cidtlvathn of the eye would be beyond all price. Don't be led astray by Hazlitt, who was but a coxcomb in mat- ters of art, after all. No Englishman ever liaV or can have, a true idea on the theory of art. Mrs. Marsh, who has travelled with me some eight hundred miles in an open wagon without benefit to lier eyes, sends her compliments. I shall at all times be glad to hear from you, and to be of use to you in any way in my power. I hope I may be more at leisure when I next have occasion to wa-ite. Keep in mind the distinction between the art of seeing and the facult}' of sight, for herein lies the difference between the artist and the man. I am, dear sir, truly yours, George P. Marsh. P. S. My Icelandic grammar is a 12mo of one hundred and fifty pages, partly original, partly compiled from the works of llask, and was printed about six years since, but never published. "With regard to the final disposition of his library and proof engravings, a part of them was secured ])y the Smithsonian Institution, at the time he went to Europe to GEORGE PERKINS MARSH. 99 y reside, but the lai-i2;(^st and most valuable part, I believe, was retained in bis possession. The allusion to Danville, in the forei>join<>j letter, recalls to my mind one of the most delightful mountain trii)S of mv lonu: exi)erienee in such matters. It was inaui»urated ])y i\Ir. jNIarsh himself, wlio was accompanied by his wife and her sister, and also by Senator S. S. rht'l[)s, and the grateful deponent. With all his natural sedateness, jMr. Marsh was the life of tiie party, but the famous senatorial orator said manv thinos which were enjoyable in tiie extreme. The scenery that we passed through, made up of views along the Connecticut valley, and of the (Jreen and White Mountains, was very beautiful, and every h)cality of special interest, like Danville itself, was made doul)ly interesting by some historical fact or story or per- sonal incident related by Mr. INIarsh. Evervthing in nature attracted his attention, — hills, rivers, trees, way- side plants and flowers, the birds, and even the butterflies that flitted in the sunbeams ; and when n«)t talking after the manner of an artist, his comments were those of a philosoplier. AVhen, as was sometimes the case, the senator made an allusion to i)ublic men and affairs, lie would expatiate ui)on the doings of Congress ; and when lie mentioned certain prominent names, I wondered, in my boyish sim})licitv, whether Senator Phelps was an average specimen of the great men of America, not knowing that very few of them were his erpial in intellect and character ; and it now seems to me like a dream that it should have been my fate, in process of time, to " take the lives" of at least five thousand of those wonderful congressmen, Ix'fore the class had degenerated to what we see it in these demagogue days. In the way of art criticism, the following letter, with I v'.l 100 IIAIMIAZARI) PERSONA MTIKS. j its {iiinisin7t-tanned) human skins more or less pos- sess. Look at one of his faces ; you see thi'rein a skin, not of painted tin, but organized with cuticle rete ntKcosinn veins (not varicose, neither), and the Devil nnd mII, just as in life. What is more, under that same; skin thert^ is flesh, muscle ; more yet, beneath the integuments is a skull, and that not of plaster, but real bone madv' of phosi)hate of lime (I believe it is), and what not. His portrait of myself (the greater the subject the greattT the work) is his ojius maymim * (that's Latin for chef *NoTE. — You are a youuii; writer. Learn to profit hy tlie exampie of your seniors. Observe liow skilfnlly, after Iiavin^ spoken somewhat l)oastfully, perhaps, of myself, I suddenly draw the attention of my correspondent away, and prevent him from dwelling on this little outl»nrst of vanity, — shall 1 call it? J OEOROE PEKKINS MAUSn. 101 IS d^oeuvre, Jiiul tluit is Froncli for inastorpicce, which, si^niii, is as one sliould say iu your vornacuhir, Potttiwjittuinie — iio-f»uin-n. If you work on art, I . . . should tempt you to speak all too flatteringly of Lanman, late landscape painter. My own example herein may at the least furuisli you valuable hints as to the mode of doing yourself (what perhaps others won't) justice in nn inoffensive way. i 102 IIAPHA/AUI) rEU.SOKALITIKS. In the following letter he continues his critieisins on art : — FiT(MiiiUR(j, May <^), 1-^47. Dear /Su% — UHicn I sent you thut luuTied scrawl from liurlinglon, I faillifully i)uri)()S('(l to write you more at length from l»oston, where I liopi'd to meet both Ilealy and liis works ; and truly I had done so, but the cares ol this world sprung up and i)i'evented me. I saw at Boston licither Ilealy nor any of his j)ictures, nor have I nnich lo add to what I wrote before, except that his friends agrv'i^ in saying that lie is rapidly improv- ing. Vou know, I sui.i)ose, that he is engaged upon a great picture, '• Webster Keplying to Ilayne," for gentle- men in Jioston. 1 have seen the sketch, which seems to pi'omise nnicli for the picture, as well as m.'iny of the i)or- traits i)ainted as studies, and have no doubt that as a, sti'ictly historical (not imaginative, mIucIi, fi'om the natui'c of the subject tind tlie nearness of the })eriod of tlu^ ao tion, it can ])e to but n very limited extent) picture, it will rank above anything American art has [jroduced. The locahty — the Senate Chamber — is not u very [)ictures(pie one, but the (h'aperies of the huhes' shawls and other femi- nine gear may l»e so used as to break the stiffness of the liallerv : and there is room for much varietv in the ar- rangement and grouping of the audience, us well as in the management of light and shade. The study of Webster himself is nuieh the best likeness of that wonderful head vet painted. ' One of his best things is his Jackson, painted dui'ing the last four days of the old man's life. Painful it is, of course, as any truthful representation of a dying man must he, hut it is of rare excellence. It is a front view, one side of the face in shade, most capitally transparent, and I GEOROE PKRKINS MARSH. 103 in coloring, cxprowsion, jittitiulo, drupcrv, most sidinirably luiniionioiis. Vou iimy si'c ii <;o()(l inliiiiituro copy tit Dubourjiil's room, lirojuhviiy. The ()rl<»;iiuil, jis well as many others of Ills best portraits, was painted for Kiui^ Louis Philippe, who hus been a very liberal paUon to llealy. You have by this tlnu^ seen the dae was made last spring ])etween Weir's paintinjj;, and that poor l)ald (hud) of Chupmun's, by which l)()th werei»reat ij;ainers, — Weir's being seen to nmch bi'tter advantage, and Chapman's no longer in (hinger of l)eing seen at all. I'lie i)riMcipal crit- icism on this picture, Avhich the daguerreotypi; will not sui>:<>est to vou, is the extremelv faultv {irrungement of the coh>rs, the centre of the i)iece and of the action, which slujuld also be the focus of attracticm, ])eing colored in one almost imiform stone dead, dark, gloomy, repulsive tone, and all the warm and pleasing colors thrown to the extremities, the circumference of the canvas. If this capital error had been avoided, and the stiff attitudt; and awkward pose of the head of one of the kneeling male figures (I have forgotten the name) corrected, i think the picture would liave been universally allowed to i)ossess merit of a very high order. I am now on my way to liurlington, and hope to fuid your book there on luv arrival. iHlj Yours truly, Georoe p. Marsh. Having sent a copy, soon after its appearance, of Mr. Marsh's book on the " Camel," to the London " Athenreum," 104 HAPHAZARD rEllSONALTTTES. |i|( I ■■ iiiid tlie revie»v wbicli followed having l)een sent by me to the author, lie rotnriied the following reply : — BujiLTXfJTOX, Sojit. 21, 1850. Dear Sir, — 1 am ninch obliged to you for sending me the "Athenamm." more still for writing the review of my little l)ook, if indeed voii did write it. The i)rol;al)ilitv lli:it you might hnve done so struck me at first; ])ut upon repernsing the :;rtiele, it seemed to nie so English in Its toneth:itI iuirdlv thouuht it could he the work of a brother Vankee. I believe it has been favorably mentioned in the critical notices in the '• North American Review," Init that I have not seeu. With that exception, none of the critiiiues u[)on it, exce[)t this in the "Athenieum" (tliough some of them have ])een complimentary enough), have siiown tiny intelligent appreciation of the char;u;ter of the book. It is <>'.i'- lish mnrk of appreciation, it may sell better. Hitherto there has been no demand for it. I am glad you are collecting your w'orks in a more per- manent form. I suppose you don't spare tlie labor of revision and improvement. Not that yf)ur writings par- ticularly iieed it, but as AVi(h)w Bedott says, '"lis are all, poor creatures," and perliaps you may have nodded some- times, as well as the l)lind old heathen Homer. Well, Fremont will be elected, won't he ? Fine stampede at Washington about the 4th of March next! How the rats will come and go \ Very sincerely yours, Geo ROE P. Marsit. AVhen, in 18r)8, T was preparing for publication the first edition of my ••' Dictionary of Congress," I appealed { > GEORaK rKKKINS MAR8TT. 105 Mr. Marsli for some fuels about eorUiiu Yermout men, and he sent me the following rei)ly : — 22 IlNivniiisiTY Place, Xew York, Dec. U, 1S,-,S. Ih'iii- Ldumav, — Youis of the .'Ul did not reach me till four oi' live days after its dnle, and the eyesi<»lit wiiich :iii iulliinnuatiou of tlie evt; Jims left at mv disposal lias been so completely absorbed in the pre[)aration of my lectures, tli:»t I h;ive bt^en unal)le to reply till now. The two lleman Aliens were remotely connected witli each other, and both, I believe (11. Allen, of Colrhcsfcr^ minister to Chili, who died at IIi<»huate, certainly), witli the Ethan Allen family, but 1 have at hand no(luuht l)v her husband, in his arms, into the drawinu^- room; and it was chiefly owing to his long-continued and tender care that her subsecpient life Avas comfortable and hapi)y. During hei' long residence; in Italy, she spent very nuicli of her time and thoughts and money in the cause of charity, and often administered to the needy by proxy, when too ill t' leave her own bed. Having noticed ^^ t some curious errors have crept into the papers in rej;cird to the books published by Mr. JMarsh, I submit a list of them which I presume will be found accurate : His Icelandic grannnar was printed in 18.'}8, but 'l <1 GEORGE PKllKINS MAUSII. 107 never published; "The Camel, etc.," appeared m 1856; " Lectures on the Enghsh Lauf^uage " and " Wedgwood's Etymology, Annotated," in 1801 ; "Origin and History of the English Language," 1802 ; " Man and Xiitinv," 18G 1 ; and it was this last production which the author amplilicd and iniblished, in 1871, under the title of "The Earth as iModillcd 1)V Human Actions," and which was translated into Italian. But the reviews, essays, and speeches which were published in i)amphlet form would make many ad- ditional volumes ; and there are reasons for believing that other valuable productions from his pen will hereafter be given to the world. A course of lectures that he delivered before the post-graduates of C*olumbi:i College have been connnented upon as unequalled by any others ever de- livered in this countrv, and vet he used to say that his audiences on those occasions were almost invisible, — a sad connnentary on the intellectual tastes of our people. Among the many warm personal friends of ]Mr. .Marsh, there was not one who remained more devoted than Senator (Jeorge F. Ednnnuls. It was partly through his influence, undoubtedly, that the di[)lomatic scholar was permitted to spend so many years in foreign countries. And tln>rebv hanii's tills little story : As INIr. JMarsh was not a ])olitical l)artisan, but known to have a conteni[)t for all dema- gogues, "vpeated efforts were made to have hli i recalled, but his faithful senatorial fi'iend ;dwavs sciuelched the unworthv etforts. This feeling of animosity, it is said, at one time permeated the l)e[)artment of State. In one of his de- spatches from Italy the minister thought pro[)er to append in cipher his very decidc'd and unfavorable oi)inl()ns in regard to the Italian government, which were, of course, intended to be confidential ; but when this despatch made its appearance in the regular volume of published corre- 108 IIAl'IIAZARD TEUSONALITIES. \H''\ Mr: i spondoncu, it wjis foiiiid that the cipher desptitch alhided to had been trtiiishited tiiid publislied. From every point of view this con(hict was improper ; l)iit the motive at the bottom of the whole business (and sehisli motives are very connuon in Wasliington) was, that the JtaUan govern- ment wouhl l)e angry and naturally insist upon the recall of rdr. INIarsh ; the excuse given for this improper publi- cation having been that it was a mistake. It was a mis- take, and of the sort allied to a crime. In the mean time, however, JNIr. JMarsh continued to perform his diplomatic duties without fear or favor, and after the manner of a true man. AVhen 1 recall the career of this eminent scholar, I am impressed with the harmony of his life as well as of its ending. He left college fired with a desire to acquire knowledge fnnn the study both of books and nature, and, whether following tho profession of law, or serving his country as a statesman or dii)lomat, he never varied tnmi his orignal purpose. He first saw the light in one of the beautiful valleys of Vermont, and he died in an equally beautiful valley among the Apennines, almost within the shadow of the most ancient seats of learning. In his early prime, his mind revelled among the historical records and wild sceilery of Scandinavia ; it was then his privilege to travel extensively throuoh the countries borderinir on the INIediterranean ; and when the shadows of his life were lengthening, Providence gave him a pleasant home mider Italitin skies, where he died, and where his grave is certain to be visited with love and veneration by thou- sruds of his countrymen iu future years. WILLIAM CULLEN lilHANT. 109 WILLIAMS! CULLEN BRYANT. II I FIRST became acqciaintod witli tliis cole! rated poet and noble iientleman in the year 18'6H, and the affection 1 felt for Ills -writiniis as a boy lias ever remained unchanued. Many of his poems are so pnre and trne to mitnre, that the old and younii;, and esi)eciallv the thonii'htful in eyerv sphere of life, haye ac(piired a regtird for them allied to their love of flowers and ])rii2;ht skies, the woods and monntiiins, and the various charms which characterize the seasons of the year, lint he also attaint'd the hiahest rank as a writer of prose, whether giving his impressions as a toui'ist, deMvering addresses on subjects connected with literature and art, or connnenting upon the politics of the day, in the joui'ual which he conducted, with unsurpassed judgment and ability. The fact that he should have been the editor of a single newspaper, the Evening Post, for about half a century, is unparalU'led in the liistory of journalism in this country, excepting in the case of .b)scph dales and the Xatimial LifcUifjencer ; •and when we remember that, dui'ing all this period, his sincerity of purpose in advocating his political o[)ini()ns, and his integrity, were never questioned, it is not to be wondered at that his name should have l)ecome a house- hold word throughout his native land. And as to his well-known love for the fine arts, it was only on a par with the affection which the artists of the country always entertained for liim as one of their best friends. Soon after the appearance, early in 1840, of a work called "Altowan," WTitten by an Englishman and edited Utfi 1^ it H no HAPHAZARD rEIlSONALITHCS. im n by J. Watson Webb, I hiippcned to be in the office of the Eveiilng Post when the book came up for discussion. I hinted to the editor that the work and tlie anonvmous autlior deserved a hisliing, and after giving my reasons, with which he was impressed, he asked me to take the worlv in hand, for his journal. I told liini 1 should l)e too severe, and he would not print my oi)inions, but he replied that he would publish every word. I thanked him for the compliment; reviewed the ])ook, forthwith, as it deserved ; and, whatever may have been the cause, it was never heard of anv more. Indeed there never was a time, since its foundation, when the Evening Post was not a power in tlie land. From that time forward I had a free passport to its columns ; and duriug my residence in New York 1 not only enjoyed the privilege of consulting INIr. Bryant on matters literary and artistic, but received from him many favors, and was afterwards an occasional con- tributor to his journal. In the sunnner of 1846 I met Mr. Bryant at the Sault St. INFarie, on my return from a trip to the head-waters of the Mississi})pi Biver, and in one of his letters to the Post lie honored me with this notice : — "Among these C()p[;er-hunters came, passenger from Lake Superior, a hunter of the picturesque, Mr, Charles Lanman, whose name I hope I mention without impropri- ety, since I am only anticipating the booksellers in a piece of literary intelliGfence. He has been wandering for a year past in the wikU; of the West ; during the present summer he has traversed the country in which rise the springs of the Mississippi and the streams that flow into Lake Superior, and intends to pul)lish a sketch of his iourney soon after his arrival in New York. If I may judge from what I learned in a brief conversation, he will WILLIAM OULLEN BRYANT. Ill hn- ece r a lent I the Into lliis pav rill give us a book well worth readini?. He is an artist as well as an author, and sketched all the more remark; hie places he saw in his travels, for the illustration of his volume. On the river St. Louis, which falls into the western ex- tremity of Lake Superior, he visited a stupendous water- fall, not described by any traveller or geographer. The volume of water was very great and the per[)endicular descent a hundred and lifty feet, lie descril)es it as second only to Niagara." When the "Letters of a Traveller" were published in Ijook form, in ISol, the foregoing paragraph was omitted. 1 was surprised to notice this, but, suspecting the cause, wrote to Mr. Bryant on the subject. He frankly told me, in a kind letter, that discredit had been thrown upon my story, in his mind, by a savage assault upon me printed in the " North American Review" ; ])ut, with my explanation before him, he regretted that he had man- ifested a want of confidence in my narrative. On seeing it announced in 1801) that a new edition of the " Letters of a Traveller" was about to appear, I wrote again to Mr. Byrant, and after reminding liini of the old trouble, took the pains to prove to him, by reference to certain geological reports, that, in the main, my statements about the Cascades on the river St. Louis were true. To that letter I received a friendly reph% and when the new edi- tion of the book came out the excluded paragi'a})!! was restored to its proper place, and my position was thus fully vindicated. And this is only another instance of that integrity of purpose which always characterized the con- duct of the distinguished poet and journalist, in his deal- ings with his fellow-men. As to the attack in the " Review," it was written to order by Francis Bowen, of moral philosophy fame, and jxnV? ii!! i 112 HAPIIAZAIID TEltSONALITIES. 1 ■ [ i ■ i 1 ■ ; ' ; {lil»>l for by the " American Fur Company," for the Bole reason that I had deemed it my duty to expose some of tiie out- rageous deahngs of that company with the Indians of the Northwest. Long before the days of p]iot()grai)liy, or before it had become common for artists to make ehiborate sketciies of American scenery, I used to exiii])it my portfohos to Mr. liryant, and my unpretending productions seemed to afford him [)U'asure. In my boyish ain])ition, and while yet a Pearl Street clei-k, I painted a snndl pictun^ in illustration of one of his own poems, and presented it to him, when he sent me the following note, which ought to have encouraged me to become an artist by profession : — New York, Nov. 3, 1874. My dear Sir, — I thank you for your picture, wdiich ap- pears to possess great merit and give high promise of your future success as a landscape painter. It has the quality of individuality both in the general effect and in the de- tails. Your trees are real trees, of the different kinds which we see in our forests. I am a very deficient connoisseur, ])ut T shall always be happy to look at any of the productions of your ])encil ; and though my opinion cannot be of any value, I shall be willing to express it In haste, yours truly, W. C. Bryant. The other letters which it was my privilege to receive from JVIr. Piryant were all in keeping with the al)ove, and here is one in which he alludes to the omission in the first edition of his " Letters of a Traveller." i , 'm WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT. 113 CUMMINGTON, MASS., Aug. 2, 1869. My dear Sir, — I hardly think tluit any bookseller will think it worth his while to bring out Ji new edition of my " Letters of a Traveller," thougii 1 see it stated in the Everih}(/ Pofit that Mv. Putnam proposes to do so. Notii- inji* had Ijeeu said to me about it. I do not remember the circumstance to which you refer, but take it for granted that vou are accurate in vour recol- lection. If you will let me know what the passa<2;e was which I omitted, and Avhere it came in, I will consider whether it ought to be restored, in case a new edition should be published. I am, sir, very truly yours, W. C. Bryant. Durino; the twcntv-eight vears between ISlo and 1871 my time was occupied in writing for the i)ress, in looking after the custody of books or in writhig them, and in painting an occasional picture for my amusement ; and when, in the latter year, William AV. Corcoran asked me if I would like to become the director of the Corcoran Clal- lery of Art, and told me to place credentials before the trustees of that institution, giving me reason to believe by this voluntary mention of the subject that he would use his personal inlluence in my behalf, I wished him to be fortified with a few testimonials, and I mentioned the matter to several prominent friends, including Mr. Bryant, and his letter to the trustees was as follows : — - - - New York, :March 20, 1.^71. To the Trustees of the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Gentlemen, — I take this method of adding mv testi- mony to that of others in favor of appointing Mr. Charles 8 1 ■! ■t T'' « ■1! l|^ 114 HAPHAZARD PERSON ALITIKS. Liiiiman to the superintendence of tlie Corcoran Gallery. Mr. Lannuin liiiB vtiriouH (iUaUdcations for that cliarge. He has for the last thh'ty years occupied a portion of his time with the study of art, in which he has always taken a special interest. lie has written of artists in various })ub- lications, and criticised their works, and in different ways has ac(|uired the knowli'doe and taste which would make his services valuable in the direction of a public gallery of the fine arts. Respectfully, W. C. Bry.vnt. In Mr. Bryant the reader will see a specimen of that class of friends who have l)een among the Uiading com- forts of my life, and I need not the advice of Shakespeare, to " gnipple them to my soul with hooks of steel " ; nor is there any danger of my ever mentioning tlieir names with- out a feeling of gratitude. By way of showing wiiat my feelings towards JMr. Bryant were, twenty years prior to the date of the preceding letter, I submit tlie following Avhich appeared as the Dedication of my Ijook entitled " Records of a Tourist," first published in 1850 : — To WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT, ESQ., IN WUOM ARE ULENDKl) All tub more exaltkd attuibutes of tub Poet and tuk Man, this volume Is AFFECTIONATELY Inscribed. "When, in the early part of 1874, it was announced that Mr. Bryant would superintend the publication of a new " History of the United States," as he had done the work entitled "Picturesque America," I sent him two or three volumes of my own, which I thought might be of use to him, and I took occasion to speak of the treatment which ill it WILLIAM CULLEN HRYANT 115 ^ dm i; I had reci'ivrd in tlie piihllcjilioii last naiiicd, in which my iiccount of the Fivnch IJroad River had Itecn i)rinted with- out credit, aud this was his reply : — New Yokk, April 14, 1874. 3ff/ dear Sir, — I thank you for the volumes which you were ho obiij'injx ti^^ to send uie. Thev will l)e of real use in eompilin*!; the history. I shall j)ut tiiem in the hands of Mr. Gav, on whom I devolve most of the 2cork. 1 never heard of the plaj^iarism of which you vSpeak. It was of course the otTence of some person emph>yed by Mr. Hunee to write an account of the region to which you re- fer, and Mr. Bunce doubtless knew nothing of it till you informed the Ai)pletons of it. It was inexcusable. I am, very truly yours, W. C. Bryant. !! (:w«' A few months after the above date (in the month of June) I had occasion to write a letter to the distinguished poet, in which I informed him that my Japanese ward, Ume Tsuda, then a child of less than ten years, had been winning many honors, at the private school which she at- tended ; that she was fond of poetry and had recited before a large audience the poem of the " White-footed Deer," in a most effective manner and without making a sin"le mis- take, aud that she permitteil me to send her card picture to the great man she had learned to love. To that letter 1 received the following beautiful reply : — RosLYN, Long Island, N. Y. Dear Sir, — I thank you for the pleasant little anecdote related in your letter. IMease give my best thanks to Miss Ume Tsuda for the likeness of herself which she allowed 11 m 1,1 116 HAPIIAZAUI) PERSONALITIES. you to st'iid im'. I yliiill i)r('sorve it oarofully a8 the por- trait (»r OIK! who lia.s won ]»y her aiiiialtlo qualities the love of till' lioiist'jiold ill which who lives. If there is any merit in my poem of tiie " White-footed Deer," it consists in tlie spiritof humanity towards tlie in- ferior animals wiiich it ineiiieates. SIk; may for<::et the poetry, siieh as it is ; hut tlie lesson, J li connt eij^hlv years of one's life -with the feelinji; that there cannot be nianv more of liu'ni is ratlier a mehmeholv task, but its saihiess liiav be somewhat niitiuated bv cheerful <;reetinij:s. I thtmk von also for the ])ictnre which came ^vith vonr letter Tiiere is a p:rave and (juiet *i'race about it, — thoui^h with nnich richness of coloring, which suits the autunnial season of the year as well as the autumn of life. It is creditable to vonr ])encil, and I accept it as emblematic of your kind estimate of my old age. I am, sir, truly yours, W. C. 15 in ANT. I ( The printed tributes of regard Avhich heralded Mr. lirvant's eightieth birthday wci'e very mimerous and elo- (jnent, but among them all there was not one which cov- ered the whole ground more completely in few wortlsjthan the following from the New York Observer, written, 1 \nv- sume, by my old friend. Dr. Prime : — "Mr. Bryant's career is one that may be wisely com- mended to the admiration of those who are looking u})- ward with anxious eves as to their future in the race of life. Born in a retired yillage of jMassachusetts, edu(;ated at Williams College, dependent npon his own industry and genius, with strong moral convictions ; temperate, syste- matic, and persevering ; a poet and yet practical ; not given to visions and dreams, but realizing that life is ' real and earnest,' he has steadily, quietly, and nobly wrought out .; 118 HAPHAZARD PKRSONALITIES. for himself a character that is to-day more enviable, per- haps, than tliat of nny other citizen of tlie United Stiites. Without ever havini>; held office, which would have been thrust ui)on him had he been willing to receive it, in the pursuit of the most labori(ms and responsible of nil sec- ular professions, by his pen emi)l()yed solely for the im- provement, elevjition, and delight of the world of readers, he has won fame, love, reverence, and that measure of wealth which makes old age comfortable, graceful, and happy. And crowned with the peaceful hopes of the Christian, which add an eternal future of enjoyment to the pleasure of the present, the measure is full, and we have a riiiht to count him blessed amouijr men. May his example be a blessing also to those who come after him." In a note addressed to Mr. Bryant, in 187G, I mentioned the fact that 1 had seen a poem in a school book, attributed to him, on the subject of "Immortality," and liiul been greatly puzzled about it, as I thought it could not have come from his pen. In his reply he wrote a« follows : — "The poem on ' Immortality ' is an old affair. It ap- peared some fifteen or twenty years since, under my name, and after a .vhile I was obliged, in self-defence, to disclaim its autliorsh.ip, as it was not written by me." In the death of Mr. lirvant our country lost one of its purest and most gifted citizens ; the literary world, one of its best poets; and the press, onfe of its brightest and most influential ornaments. As if in answer to one of his poetic prayers, he died in the month of " flowery June " ; the tributes to Ills memory, which were published innnedi- ately after his departure, were quite uni)aralleled in their number, their affectionate spirit and high character ; and I can now fancy that all the characters in Leutze's exquisite illustration of " The CatterskiU Falls," as they mournfully w WILLIAM CULLEN liKVANT. 119 sweep in eircles around their moonlit and icy liome, are forever singing the praises of the i)oet who cnHed them into being. The fact tliat, as ''time and chanee deter- mined," he was in the hal)it of attendini*- hotli the Unitarian and ]*i-esl)vterian ehurelies, is to mv mind only an evidence of his sincerity and rare liberality as a true Christian, and yet it is one which has led some people to doubt his ortho- doxy. On that point I have only this to say, that I want no better evidence of his soundness on the subject of re- ligion than what is found in liis two poems entitled '"He hath i)ut all Things under His Feet," and '' Keceive Thy Light," and in the "Prayer" wliich he and his betrothed wife uttered together in 1S21, wliich was so touchingly re- called by the poem in memory of his wife found amonii- his papers after his own death. But more important than all was the Preface he wrote for the work entitled " The Re- ligious Life," by his friend Joseph Alden, the beauty and value of which cannot be overrated ; and yet in tlie autlior- ized " Biography of the Poet " tliere is not one allusion to this priceless bit of autobiography, uor to the clergyman in Poslyn, who was the friend and pastor of Mr. Bryant. In- deed, taking INIr. Bryant's writings as a whole, in connec- tion with the religious manifestoes of his old age, his pur- pose would seem to have been, not only to })urify the human heart, but to make his fellow-beings htippy, both in tliis world and thtit beyond the grave. With the materials tliat were placed in the hands of Paike (Jodwin, it would have been impossiltle for him to make an uninteresting book, but it was unfoi'tunate that he should have proven himself in th'S, as in his preceding publications, to be without the more delicate sympatliies of the human heart, and inca- pable of being just when discussing the religious position of the man he was anxious to honor. ij i I il y 120 lIArUAZAUD TEllSONALITIES. m\' \i HENRY CLAY. I HAVE never been n, politician, hut in 1844 I had a ter- rible aitack of the Whig fever in the city of New York ; it lusted for perhaps six weeks, and then it was that I cast niv first and onlv vote in a Presidential election, and, of course, my ideal was Henry Clay. My father aud ^rnud- father had both been attached to him as personal friends, nnd 1 did not then, and never wished to be, less devoted than they Avere. I first stiw Mi*. Chiy in New York in LSof), ou the occasion of one of iiis visits to that citv, and I remember tlmt there was not nnich dignity in the manner in which the enthusiastic people literally carried him over their heads from liroadway into tlie Astor House. I afterwards heard him speak in the Senate, visited him fre- (luently at his hotel in AVashiugton, and at tlie time of his last sickness had tlie pleasure of hearing i\[r. AVebster, at his own table, speak of his great rival in these terms : — " jMr. Chiy is a great man ; Ix'voud all question, a true; patriot. He has done mucli for his country. He ought loug ago to have been elected President. I thiuk, how- ever, lie was never a man of l)ooks, a hard student, 1»ut he has displayed remarkal)le genius. 1 never could iui- agini'. liim sitting comfortably in his library and reading quietly out of the great books of the ])ast. He has been too fond of the W(n'ld to enjoy an\ thing like that. He has been too fond of excitement; he has lived npon it. He has been too fond of company, not enough alone, and has had few resources within liimsc^lf. Now a man who cannot, to some extent, depend upon himself for hai)i)i- ness is, to my mind, one of the nnfortunates. But Clay HENRY CLAY. 121 is !i great man, and if lie ever had animosities against me, 1 forgive liim and forget tliem." If in tlie ease of INIr. Clnv 1 cannot recall anv incident within my i)ers(^nal knowledges ilhistrative of his character, it so hn|)i)ens, however, that I can lay before the reader a few of liis letters. The first in the order of date, and addressed to my father, in 1817, will explain itself, and is as follows : — Washington City, 28th Octo])er, 1817. JSir. — I have received the letter wliich von addressed to me on the lOth instant, re(|nestiiig information rehitive to the prospects wiiich a young m;in of good education would have of ])eing employed in Kenti'cky as a tutor in a private family, or in the i)rofession of law. During my residence in Kentucky 1 successively em- plojH'd two young gentlemen as tutors in my family (one from New England and the other from New Jersey), to each of whom I gave $W0 \k'v anmim and boarded him in my family. I think it probable that on similar terms, with proper recommendations, you could obtain innni'diate employment in Kentucky. Our system of education not l)eing so good as that which prevails with you, gentlemen who have large families and can alford the expense are frequently desirous of engaging private tutoi's. Success in the profession of the law d('i)ends upon so many circumstances that it is almost imi)ossil)le to i)ro- nounce a j^i'iori what degree of it will attend the exertions of any pai-ticular candidate. One mav, however, safely assert with respect to the jnu'suit of it in Kentucky, that even a moderate share of talents, accompanied Ity pro])ity, industry, patience, and economy, will be — and in a ])eri()d nuich shorter than in older countries — rewr.rded with a competency and respectability. With the (pialillcations sug- 1 m yn 122 IIAI'IIAZAUI) rKRSONALlTIES. gested, I do not think itniuteriid in wluit part of the State ti location is made. Tliere is room anywhere, thongh there may be some difference as to the period in which one would realize his hopes in the several i)laces that might present themselves. Should you determine upon the pursuit of that proiession in Kentucky, or, indeed, in any i)art of the Western States, mv advice would he that vou should go out, reconnoitre, and determine for yourself. Terms of admission to the bar, with us, are upon the most easy and liberal footing. No previous residence is required, and the license to practise what the law prescribes is usually granted after very slight examinations of the a})plicant. Partnerships in the profession are extremely rare with us, and perhaps desirable to neither party. The business of the counsellor and attorney is not separated as it is in New York and some other parts. I have not considered myself a practitioner for several years. I shall l)e happy, sir, if this letter may, in any manner, be useful to you, and it will give me great pleasure to com- municate to you any further information, or to render you any aid in the prosecution of your object, in my power. I am your obedient servant, H. Clay. CiiAKLES James Lanman, Esq., Norwich, Conn. A letter which Mr. Clay wrote to my grandfather in 1820, who as a senator had voted for the admission of Missouri as a State, is also in my possession. INIr. Clay was at that time in Kentucky^, and his correspondent in Washington, and the object of the letter was to introduce the two newly elected senators from th.e new State of INIissouri, David Barton and Thomas II. Benton, and the letter was as follows : — HENKY CLAY. 123 Lexington, 31st October, 18-20. Dear Sir, — I am quite sure you will not consider nie us trespassing too much upon the sninll acquaintance wliicli I have with you, in introducing to you INIessrs. Barton and Benton, the senators from Missouri. The li])erality wliicli niarlved your course on that interesting question to which their State has given rise, indei)endent of otlier consi(h'r- ations, makes them anxious to know a gentleman avIio. con- sidering the Constitution and the tranipiillity of the Union alone, has l)oldly done, at all hazards, what he eonscien- tiouslv believed his dutv. I am i)ersuaded that you will see, in the contribution of talent, of information, and of patriotism which these gen- tlemen will make to the national councils, additional cause of forafication to your disinterested course. I cannot but hope you will be spnred the renewal of a discussion which threatened so much, and which was, I think, so happily terminated. AVith great respect, I am, Your obedient servant, II. Clay. The Hon. James Lanman, etc. When in 1850 I first met Mr, Benton in Washington, he forthwith began to talk in very pleasant terms al)out my grandfather, telling me that he remembered his knee- breeches and powdered hair ; that he was an admirable horseman, and daily took an airing in the saddle. AVith regard to Mr. Benton himself, he had a similar passion for a fine horse ; and while I do not class him witli such men as INIr. Clav, he had many of the characteristics of a grand old Roman senator, and was a distinguished honor to his country. His j^lace of residence in AVashington I remember as the perfection of a home. Nor do I wonder at .; w Ji ::ii H irr 124 HAPITAZATID FERSONALITIES. this when I recollect tluit, aecordinj^ to a promise he inndo to his mother when a mere boy, he never participated in a ij;Mme of chance, nor indulged in the use of tobacco and si)irituous beverages. That he was, liowever, sometimes a little intemperate is proven l)y the public records. AVhen jMr. Clav wrote the above letter of introduction, little did he imagine that thirty years afterward he would be falsely charged l)y INIr. Benton with writing a calumnious letter; and that in repelling the charge on the floor of the Stuiate, he would be forced to use the language which caused him, for tiie oillv time in his life, to be called to order by the President of tlie Senate. AVith regar;! to the sul)j{)ined letters addressed to nu'self , I puint them with this one remark, that at the time they were received, excepting one, I was connected with the l!i aw York Daily Exjn'ess. in f: ■) i k L. AsiiLANi), Sept. 28, 1844. M)/ dear /^it\ — T have only time, through an amanuensis wlio writes upcm my dictation, to make a ])rief acknowledg- ment of tlie receipt of your friendly letter, and to thank you for the kind sentiments towards me which it expresses. I most sincerely hope that the prospect which you present of the enthusiasm wliich prevails in the AVhig cause may terminate in its successful issue, less on my own account than that of our connnon country. Il)elieve that such will be the result, if the AVhigs put forth their earnest exertions, undismayed by the boasting and bragging of their o[)i)o- nents. - > -• I am i::reatlv obliged by the offer, which you kindly make, of the two volumes Avhich you have composed, and I should be most happy to receive them. ,At present, I know of HENRY CLAY. 125 no opportunity hy wliich they can be conveyed. Perlmps some one may shortly present itself. I am Avith oreat respect, ^ Your friend and obedient servant, V ■■■;'„: '■"■:;.,/ ' ' H. Clay. ' Ashland, 14th April, 1X47. My dear Sir, — I thank you for your kind letter on the melancholy occasion of the death of my beloved son. My life has been full of domestic afflictions, but this hist is one of the severest among them. I derive Some conso- hition from knowing that lie died where he would have chosen, and where, if I nmst lose him, I should have pre- ferred, on the l)attle-field in the service of his countrv. I am, respectfully, . Your obliged friend and obedient servant, II. Clay. AsTiLAND, 22d April, 1847. My dear /.S'?V, — I received to-day your friendlv letter, and a number of the Express, to whidi it refers, ^contain- ing an account of the proceeding-son the occasion of the celebration of my l)lrth(hiy in the city of New York, with wliich I was honored by my young ivhig friends. Filled as my heart is with grief for the I()ss of my lamented and beloved son, I cannot but feel profoundly gn.teful for the enthusiastic compliment which has beenthus rendered to me. I wish that I was moi-e conscious of deserving it than I am, and that I did not feel that of all our country- men, Washington only merits the anniversary of his birth- day to be commemorated. I thank you for the interesting details attending the cele- bration, which you have done me the favor to'omnnmi- cate. is , ( ' : ! '( t5 126 HAIMIAZARD PKUSONALITIES. I, ■ ■" ■ - ■ 1 ' ' I h H' li(> ploused to give my hest rogartls to Mr. James Brooks, your associate. I remain truly, Your friend and obedient servant, H. Clay. Ashland, 1st December, 1847. Dear Sir, — I thank yon for your friendly letter of the 24 til ulto., with a cojn' of my late speech, on the Mexican war, delivered at Ix^xington, on the 13th ulto., as pub- lished in the Exj^'css, the constant kindness of which towards me I have always felt and duly appreciated. The important point of the speech was that which asserts the power of Congress to decide on the objects of any war, and calls upon it to proclaim what shall be those of a fur- ther prosecution of the existing war. If Congress will act, I cannot doubt that peace will speedily ensue. May God grant us that great blessing. With great respect, I am truly yours, II. Clay. AsiiLAXD, 6th December, 1847. Mf/ dear /Sir, — I thank you for your favor of the 30th ulto., with the highly interesting pamphlet from the pen of INIr. Gallatin, and w^hich, althongh received only to-day, I have already perused with great satisfaction. It is distinguished by strong facts strikingly arrayed, and strong arguments, which always characterize the producr tions of that eminent and venerable citizen. It cannot fail to exercise a powerful influence in behalf of the cause of peace. Will he also be accused of seeking the IVesidency because he has counselled his country against the further prosecution of an unjust war? With great and constant regard, 11. Clay. HENRY CLAY. 127 V. Among the volumes in my library 111)011 wliich I pliice a vspeciul value is one containing the private C'<)rresi)oncl- enee of Mr. Clay, presented to me ])y William V\,\ Seaton, and the mention of his name recalls an interesting incident which occurred at liis own ta})le. Dnring the i)eriod when AVilliain (iaston and Ilenrv Clav were l)otli in C'on<»:ress, they had an oratorical contest, which was not satisfactory to the latter, and resulted in a prolonged alienation between the two statesmen. Forty yeai's after the aforesaid debate these two men met at the table of JNL. Seaton. At first, they were both disposed to l)e very dignitied towards each other, and the moment Mv. Seaton observed this, he remembered the long-forgotten dilliculty between the cham- pions of North Carolina and Kentucky, and at once pro- pounded this setinment, "Friendship in mar])le, enmities in dust" ; and from that hour Gaston and Clav were warm friends until they were parted by death. Another incident in the life of Henry Clay, which came to my knowledge from the Rev. Dr. J. T. AVheat, a man himself of very su[)erior abilities, it seems to be my duty to preserve iu this place. It w^as long ago, and the rev- erend gentleman just named had visited Washington, his native city, ou a begging expedition in behalf of a church in Ohio, and among his letters of introduction was one to Mr. Clay. On visiting the reception-room at the Sen- ate, Mr. Wheat sent his card to the senator, and after he had delivered the letter he was told bv IMr. Clav that he was about to participate in a d(!bate, and that he would be very happy if Mr. AVheat would call at his house in the evening and take tea with his family, when they would discuss the pending business. The invitation was accepted, and the result, to use Mr. Wheat's own language, was as follows : — i ' 128 ITAPnAZARD PERSONALITIKS. >m\ p f ' '; , ' i I '' f 1 ' ^^ " When 1 jirrivod, the servant took me to the family sit- ting-room, and withont annonncinfjj me, left me standing at the open door. Mr. Clay was seated at a table on which a lamp was ])nrning, and so absorbed in reading a little book that J had advanced (piite near to him and spoken Ix'fore he was aware of my presence. He received me in his nsual courteous manner, and f took a seat by the side of the table with him. At a pause in the conversation which followed, mv curiosity to know what was the little book in which JNIr. Clay was so dee[)ly interested prompted me to take it up, and T was greatly surprised to find it a child's Sunday-school l)ook. Seeing this, INlr. Clay remarked, ' You are no doubt suri)rised at your discovery, but I often read the 1)ooks the children bring home from the Sunday school.' And, while the smile gave place to a tender gravity in his noble countenance, he continued, ' My life, YOU nmst know, my dear sir, has been a very worldly, irreligious one. It is only of late years that I have lu-gun to give earnest heed to those things which concern me most nearly ; ami 1 really need the instruction which I get from these Sunday-school books. I also receive some encour- agement to ho[)e that I have at least the beginning of a new nature and life in me, ])ecause I can understand some- what, and sympathize with what I read in these ])ooks about the church, and the character and life of a Christian. You know,' he continued, ' when we read a work of 11c- tion, we sometimes say of a character or scene, that the description is true to life and nature. We verify it by our own consciousness and experience.' Then, with increased earnestness, he asked, ' Do you think, my dear sir, that 1 am presumptuous in hoping that there may be in myself the new nature, the divine life, since I really find pleasure in reading religious books, and receive much needed assist- it DBt >in ur- a ii\e- :)ks :in. ic- the our ed hat self lire ist- ,s IIKNUY (LAY. 120 ancc from tlioni in my poor (Muloavors 1<> lend a jx^mHv nnd aCliristiiiii litt; .'" '•* AVIiMt could r answer, luitto assent most heartily to this nx'ek ln(|uirv so unexnceh'd Mild so toucliinu ? I w"iil wvw 1*1 « fiiiiy into till S('i'i|>tMr:d jjfronnds of liis fiiith :'.nd hope in Cin'ist, nnd w:is deeply moved ;il (indini!; myself so p:i- tienlly listened !,> by one, intellectually, so f:ir :il)ovti me. That the <^reat statesman, on whose ehxpience a listeniui:: Senate huno-, should show such humility, forcibly recalled the declaration of Christ, ^ Kxcept ye be converted, and ])ecome as little children, ve shall not enter into the Uinjj;- dom of heaven.'" JMr. AVheat not only enjoyed liis cup of ten, and ob- tained a handsome donation from his host, but bi'fore Iciivinii' the house heard one of the children makt> the re- mark, '' We do not have a chance to read our Sundav- school books, because ji'randpa is always taking them away from us for his own ])leasure." That Ilenrv C'lav was a great man — as orator, states- man, and i)atriot — is the universal tribute of his countrymen ; but that there was imich in his character calculated to w in the alTection of those who knewliim. is conclusively j^roven bv the fact, that, amon<>; the latest words uttered by him, when dviuii', were these, "Mv mother, mv dear wife," showiuii" that, while i)assin<>: throuoh the dark valley, his heart was cheered bv the uu'morv of thosi! whom he had tenderly loved, and were awaiting him in the better land. As T recall the splendid tributes that he paid to religion, and how' his two great rivals, Calhoun anIits uaturallv revert to the erowniuij; ne Ixmmi h lover of cliildn'U, Imt'lt ol'tni .sciMiu'd :i8 if lie Tailed to re('o" to furnish a sketch of his birth- place, to be engraved for the new edition of his works. I should think such an illustration would f(n'm a very pleas- in«»' addition to the interest of the work ; and if you will have the goodness to forward the drawing to me, 1 will innnediately propose to Messrs. Little & Brown to hav(^ it engraved. I am, dear sir, very truly yours, Edwaud Everett. Cambrtbge, 4th November, 1851. Dear Sir, — I ought long since to have acknowledged the receipt of the interesting drawing of ]Mr. Webster's Ttirthplace. It was immediately placed in the hands of the engraver, and wall adorn one of the volumes of the new edition of his works. , I remain, dear sir, very truly yours, Edward Everett. EDWAUI) KVERKTT. 181 In view of tlu' f(>r«'!j;()iujx« !>nf tlio lotttT from ISfr. WchstiT to Mr. Kvcivtt, jihout to follow, ii Itrii'f slatt'iiuMit nuist hero ])o iMjidi'. The t'lii^raviiij^ alliulcd to did not iiiako its appi'araiice in Mr. Woltstor's works, hut in tiie plat't! of it llii' view of ii fanii-hoiist> niljniuiiHj the birth' place. I'll ' li'.'miino picture was pulilishcd in tlu' '* Private Lifts" and also in Putnam's '• Homes of Aujerican States- men"; and wlu'u the original drawinj^ was made, Mr. Wehster sat hv the side of the author and sanctioned it on the Hjjot. Shortlv afterward the house was demolished. WIkmi the farm-house view made its api)earaucc, Mr. AVcb- stur pronounced it ii '' miserable mistake." Mr. Wehster to 3fr. Everett. Maksiifii'.li), Oct. 8, isr)l. My dear Sir ^ — The liouse delineated in ]Mr. Lannuin's sketch is the very house in whicli I was l^orn. Some of my older brothers and sisters were ])orn in the first house erected bv my father, which was a lo<»:-cabin. Hefore mv birth lu! had l)ecome able to build a small frame house, which some persons now living will remember, and whi'h is accurately dei)icted by JMr. Lanman. This house, in its turn, gave way to a much larger one, which now stands on the spot, and which was built l»y those who purchased tlu; property (^f my father. 1 liave recently ri'j)urchased the si)ot. I will look for Mr. Marston's note, but I thought you had it. I will revise the several dedications, and en- I'lose them by this mail or the next. — , Yours always truly, Daniel Webster. i! I 132 HAPHAZARD TKRSONALITIES. ]5osT()X, 30tli Octobor, 18G2. Dear /Sir, — I have yours of yestordtiy. The only h'tter of Mr. Webster on wliieh I ciin L»v niv hand in time to forward yon, as you request, by return of nmil, is a very short one Avliich you co[)ied, T presume, last summer. Having myself quoted a i)art of it in a speech in Faneuil Hall last AVednesdny, there is the less impr()i)riety in send- ing- the rest; although I wish I could send you one in which there is no allusion to myself. Most of the letters which I receive from Mr. AVebster are of too conlidential a ua^" d to be published for a long time, I remain, with nuich regard, j'^ours, Edwaui) Ev^niETT. P. S. I have a letter from Mr. Webster in wiiich you are s})oken of, which I will send you ii it can be got at in season. The letter of the 21st of July wns in answer to an invitation to attend the dinner of the Alumni at Cam- bridge. TJ>e Enclosure. Boston, July 21, 18r)2. Mff dear Sir, — T go to Nahant this morning, and if that of to-morrow shall open with the same prospect of a burn- ing (lav as this h:is done, I shall remain in the Swallows' Cave, or other shelves of the rocks. Ihit if the weather be cooler, I shnll hope io be with you at dinner :it Cam- liridge. It will be delightful to me to meet so ni:iny as will l)e there, not yet starred in the catalogue, and to rec- ollect othei's who are. But a main pleasure, my dear sir, will be to hear you, to whose voice I have not listened, either in the i)ublic nssem- bly or at the head of the table, for a very long time. We EDWARD KVKKKTT, 133 nn- hat irn- )\vs' lior aiii- y as now and then see stretching across the heavens a long streak of clear, blue, cerulean sky, without cloud or mist or haze ; and such appears to me our ac(iuaintance, from the time when I heard vou for a week recite vour lessons iu the little schoolhouse in Short Street to the date hereof. Yours always truly, Daniej. Wki'.stkii. The above was intended for the lirst edition of the "•Private Life," but was omitted out of regard for the opinion which IMr. Everett subsequently expressed, that " it would be out of taste " for him to permit its publica- tion at that time. There were other reasons also, which soon afterward transpired, calculated to keep back fn^ni the printer certain other letters, already in the j)ossessiou of the author ; and the two following letters from Mr. Everett, touching their disposition., are not without interest : Boston, ±1 Xovembcr, b^.rJ. Dear Sir^ — T heard yesterday, what I did not know be- fore, that I was named iu Mr. Webster's will as his literary executor. This has led me to reflect seriously upon the subject of the publication of his letters. They will form the most interesting and valuable part of his nn[)ublished writings. If judiciously collected and edited, they will add, if pos- sible, to his fame ; and they will have a great pecuniary value for his family. It is highly desirable, tlu'refore, that they should not be published in detail, but that they should be returned to the family for the purpose of publication e?i masse. Vour exaiu[)le, from ycmr known comiection with Mr. Webster, and attachment to his person and mem- ory, will be apt to give encouragement to others who have ^^^ '( 134 IIArilAZARD rERSONALITIES. il his letters in their possession, to send them to the press. Would it not be better for you to withhold them ? Lei>idly, I believe, the })n)perty of letters is in the writer, except for the purposes for which they were written. 1 do not throw out tills last suiiuestion with Ji view to intlueuce vou, lis 1 know vou will i^ive :dl due heed to the other views of the sul)ject. When I wrote to you hist Siitiu'diiy, it was in the haste of the moment, without time for reflection (as you wished an answer bv return of mail), and without knowino; thnt jNIr. Webster had imposed upon me any duty in reference to his literary remains. 1 am, dear sir, very tndy yours, Edward Everett. Boston, 21st December, 1851. Dear Sir, — T have yours of the 19th, with a copy of the *' Personal jNlemoiials " of Mr. Webster. I have had time to glance only at a few i)Miies of it, but they are enough to satisfy me that it will not only be read with great inter- est by Mr. AVebster's personal friends, but render jrood service in promotiuii; liis political interests. I think very favorably of your suggestion as to jippending Mr. Choate's late speecli to a new edition of your '• Memorials." I am very glad you found the anecdote 1 sent you w(jrtli • your collection. I thought it very interesting. I will look at such of Mv. AVebster's letters as I have preserved, and if I lind one which I think can be [)ub- lislied with i)ropriety and advantage, you shall have it. This, however, is not very likely to be the case ; inasnmch as the very circumstances which give interest to such let- ters render them also confidential. . I enclose you a cutting from a newspaper wh'.ch stotey EDWARD EVERETT. 135 some tliiiiQ-s a little more fiillv tlitin T liuve seen them be- fore, although others are given inaccurately. The name of the historian of Norwav, at tlie bottom of page .'M of your pamphlet, should be Pontoppidau. 'I'here is a little over-statement in that anecdote. Page .S7th, line 7th, " dii)lomatique corps" would look ])ottcr if printed corpn (Jiplomntiqne. As ])otli the woi'ds are French, thev would look better arranged in French order and printed in italics. There was a dinner given at Salem to Mr. Webster in bS.'M. In a toast at that dinner this sentiment was given in additi, the articl^i in ''The North American Keview " was written 1)V Mr. Ticknor. ra'>e '2i\, Mr. Otis inli»ht be named among the eminent lawyers of the Boston bar. What I said in my former letter alxmt the sea serpent might embarrass yon, without further ex[)lanation. 1 think the naturalists of Boston could not have pronounced the small serpcMit alluded to, ;ind called by them /Scofisphis^ to be exacthi an'rcspondinif with that described in Bishop Pontoppidiin's work, which is a terrific; monster, rising up from the sea nearly as ]ii<>h jis the mast. Vou mii'ht say a "■ miniature resemblance." Page 17, Ttiutaug is misprinted Taubang. rM})tain Crocker transmitted from Buzznrd's Bay to Massjichusetts Bay a large num])er of tiiese lisli, a subscrii)ti()n haying been raised by gentlemen of Jioston to defray the expense. This is the orii»in of the l)lack lish in Massachusetts liay. I had this from Captain Crocker at New Bedford in IHlJG. I remain, dear sir, very truly yours, Edward \\ \er irrr. Department of Static, Sth Novemlxi-, 1S52. Dear /Sir, — I have your nott; of this inoi'uing with four- teen letters of Mr. Webster's, which I shall lose no time in transmitting to my associates in Jioston. 1 sh;dl be hapi)v, when it is convenient to you, to receive; the other letters to which yon allude. Yours, dear sir, very truly, Edward Everett. lllpl El)WAin> KVKUKTT. 13^ A letter which the writer h:ii)i)ens to have in his posses- sion, written 1)y Mr. Everett to Mr. Webster, ; insight into the editorial hil)ors of tlie f(^rnier, that no apology is needed for preserving it in tliis place : — ('AMivh'iiKJK, 'iath August, 1852. Dear Sh\ — T received yours of the 2.')d yesterchiy, juid WMs much relieved by it. I siiould not only liave been very sorry to omit tiie tariff s[)eech in (pieslion, but should have been i)erplexed from not knowiug the principle of exclusion. I enclose you the list of speeches to go with the tifth volume, as drawn out l)y Mr. A])bott. The pencil marks record what he undei'stood you to say when he ri'ad the list to you. lie may have read it to you at a moment of uneasiness or preoccupation. The indications of the subjects of the s[)eeches may sometimes be too brief to recall them distinctly to your memory. Vou cau, if vou please, I'un it over, and mark with your ix'ucil what is to ])e inserted or what omitted. If vou do not I'ecollect suf- liciently to decide, I will do my best. I ought to have the pai)er back, if possible, ]»y return of mail. I sincerely hope that your nntive air :ind comjiarative repose will protect you from your unwelconu! animal vis- itMiit. It is not without compunction that 1 invade your retreat. I would not with any business which could be done ])y any one else. Yours, ever sincerely, EdWAUI) EVKIIKTT. P. S. Mr. Abbott gave nie to understand that, iu the speech in vindication of the treaty of AVashington, you wished Mr. C. J. Ingersoll to l»e let otf more gently than he is in the speech as delivered l\v you. It is not very easy to mak ; a trip hannuer strike a little more softly, but 1 will do what 1 cau. ■ « ■ I '( 138 HAPHAZARD PERSONA LTTTES. With regard to the grciat mass of letters addressed by Mr. Webster to Mr. Everett, it may here be stated that the hirgest proportion of them are to be found in the " Private Correspondence" of the former, pubHshed in 1857. And now, bv wav of showing how Mr. Everett never omitted to do a kind action when in his })ower, and more especially when it was in any way connected with INIr. Webster, the f(>llowing note is appended. It sliould l)e stated, by way of exi)lanation, that when Mr. Everett was Secretary of State tlie writer had charge of the Copyright Ihireau in that department ; that there was a messenger in the same department who had been devotedly attached to Mr. Web- ster ; that he was eminently qualified to perform the duties of a copying clerk, and was exceedingly anxious for pro- motion ; and when the writer set forth tliese facts in a note to IMr. Everett, in connection with an existing vacancy, the following was his reply : — 'In II: DEPART3IENT OF STATE, 3d December, 1852. Dear Sir, — I was very happy to comply with 3'our rec- onnnendation in the appointment of Mr. George Bartle. I had ah'eady given tlie place to a nephew, who is on liis wav to Washington, as I was desirous of having a relative near me whom 1 could occasionally employ in matters of personal confidence. lint as soon as I lieard that Mr. linrtle had earned the place by faithful service in a sul) ordinate capacity, I determined he should have it. - 1 remain, very truly yours, _ i:. ^^^^ . . ; ^ Edwaku Everett. _ The letter which follows will speak for itself : — li^ :1 EPWAKD EVERETT. 139 Washington, 10th Fobnuiry, ISi')-!. Dear Sir, — I am much obliged to 3'ou for the eo[)y of the English edition of your life of Mr. Webster, kindly sent with your note of yesterday. • I fully concur with the opinions expressed by Mr. Irving, on the subject of u collective edition of your narrutive and (l.'scri[)tive writings. Having, during :ill the time since they began to ai)pear, been engaged on ollicial duties which have left me but little time for general reading, I um not familiar with all of them ; but from what I have read of them and from Mr. Irving's emphatic and discriminating connnendation, I am confident the series would be wel- comed by a large class of readers. You have explored nooks in our scenery seldom visited, and described forms of life and manners of which the greater part of our busy population are wholly ignorant. Toi)ics of this kind, though briefly sketched, are or ought to be, in this country, of far ureater interest than the at- tempted descriptions of fashionable life in Europe, which form the staple of those trashy works of llction constantly poured in upon us frt)m abroad. Wishing you much success in your proposed undertaking, I remain, very truly yours, EdWAKD EVKIIETT. When the collected writings, uientioned above, were published, I sent Mr. Everett a copy, and he returned the following: — Boston, 2d January, 1857. Dear Sir. — I duly received your letter of the I^Oth, and this day the promised volumes came to hand. I am much obliged to you for your kindness in sending them. A % 140 IIArilAZAUD PERSONALITIES. luisty gliincG at tlu'ir contents convinces me tlmt, in tlie novelty and vurietv of the tonics treuted, 1 shall iind a rich treat for more than one leisure hour. 1 remain, dear sir, with the friendly salutations of the year. Very truly yours, Edward Evkrett. ITis opinion of my "Dictionary of Con<2,ress," a copy of which I sent him in March, 18,")!), was as follows : "• 1 am nuich ohlincd to you for the present of a copy of this valual)le publication. It must i)r:otten by all the i)arties concerned. Many years afli'rwards, however, and while yet lankling under the sn[»posed wrong which he liad endured, AVillis thought proper to revenge himself in a manner that would be likely to quiet his animosity forever. He did this by writing aud printing a dramatic poem entitled " Don Pedro and liis Two Sisters," in which he so far for<»;ot himself as to ridicule the lameness of his old enemy, and by that act, in my opinion, he ijreatly injured his own fair fame. Should any of those who have since then sufl'ered from the critical pen of l*ark lienjamin make the retort that he was justly served by Willis, they ou<>lit to remember that while it is excusable in a critic to condenui a stupid or unworthy book, it is against the laws of nature and of civilized society for any one to make sport of the physical misfortunes of a fellow- man. Prompted ])y his tastes, and perhaps by his inal)ility to move about like other men, Mr. Benjamin early determined to devote liimself to literary pursuits, not so nuich for the purpose of making money, for he inherited a handsome fortune, but for his own personal amusement. In 1835 he l)urchased the New Entjlaml Magazine of its able and dis- tinguished founder, Joseph T. Buckingham, and during the closing year of its existence, edited it with discretion and ability It was at that time that he formed the acquaint- ance of such men as Charles Sprague, Richard H. Dana, Henry AV. Longfellow, and Oliver Wendell Holmes, and I happen to know that all these gifted poets always com- manded his veneration and esteem. The touching lyrics VAllK UKN.IAMIN. 11 ;j of the first, he knew ])\ lu'iiil ; the " liuccimccr " wns liis pJuliciilMr fiii'iid ; the ''N'oiccs of the Ni^lit" sank (h-eply into his Koul, aiul lie liad a vearnini'- atleclioii for " 'IMie Ltist Leaf," and was wont to sliout like a wild l)ov as "The Old Ironsides" i)assed across his vision. In 18;]() the New EikjUukI Maijuzino was joined (o tlu^ Anicrican Montlihi Maf/aziiK^ ])nl)lislied in New York, of which periodical lie was tlu' chief editor foi" two years, althongh receivin*;" valuable aid fi'oni its precedin()tten " Chronicles of Froissart," and em})loyed the ablest writers he could command to su})ply him with early translations of Eugene Sue antl other poi)ular French authors. The live years during which he wielded the scep- tre of the lloWrZ were the busiest of his life. He was a ])achel()r at the time, and lived in handsome stvle. AVI* at his ollice he worked without ceasing, and very hard, I.. the moment he emancipated himself from business, off he started in his gig to enjoy fresh air and anmse himself with th(! novelties of the town. He was fond of a handsome liorse, and was expert in driving ; he also loved a good dog, and always had one for a companion. He kiunv everybody, and was fond of entertaining his friends, and his little dinner parties were delightful in the extreme. His house was tilled with books and pictures, and all the fresh pui)lications of the world were constantly de[)()sited in his home library, as if by magic. He was an admirable reader, and talkevl magnillcently ; and when in the mood, after a repast that could not well be excelled, and he hap- pened to have some special friends at table, one u» the red .le ;il)- (>m leel )()d avs seemed to be iiioxliaustlble, iiud not likely ever to 1)0 for- gotten by those wlio listened to him. On one oeeasion that I remember — a Sunday eveniny; — while he was cut- ting the leaves of ii new edition of Coleridge's poems, three gentlemen called in, merely to make a niomentary visit. One of tiu^m was a elergym;ui, and engaged to preach a sermon at St. J'aul's in al)out an iioiir; Mnotlicr was a lawyer who had promised to talve a lady to hear the preacher ; and tiie other was a young gentleman who had a special engagement with his lady-love. Not one of them, it so happened, was ftimiliar with " Tlie Ancient Mar- iner," and when JMr. Benjamin found this out by accident, he directed his visitors to be quiet, and said tlwit he would read it to them. They remonstrated and plcMded their several excuses, but his "glittering eye" lixed them in their seats, and they wre silent. lie re;id with a power that was as marvellou as the poem itself ; he "had his will," and the guests ai listenetl, oblivious of everything but the weird form of "Tiic Ancient JMariner." Of course the progrannne at St. Paul's was changed, and a dozen years thereafter the aforesaid clergyman was wont to speak of Mr. Benjamin as "that rascally Park." With the windiug up of the N'etv World terminated the onlv really successful business career which he ever ex- perienced. Those who knew him best were astonished that he had continued in it for even five years. He sub- sequently made one or two other ventmes in the periodical line, but was not successful. His last effort was made in Baltimore. Then it was that he had the good sense to take unto himself a wife, and from that time nntil his death he occupied his time in a quiet manner, with the pleasures of literature, wuth the education of his children (all of wliom inherited a goodly portion of his rare talents) , 10 T 146 HAPHAZARD rEKSONALITIKS, 'If! and wltli the congeiiitil employment of delivering an occa- sional lecture or poem. lie died at his residence in New York, Sept. 12, 18G4. As a man he commanded the respect of all who knew liim. Thougli impulsive and somewhat domineering in liis manners, he delighted in doing good with kind words and with his i)urse. He respected religious men, but despised the hypocrite and pretender. He was, indeed, quite pop- ul^ir with the clergy ; and once, when Henry AVard Beecher asked him why he did not come and hear liim prench, he rei)lied, " I do not visit places of anuisement on Sunday." As a scholar liis acquirements were very extensive, but lie was too impulsive by nature to make the best use of them. As a critic he was disi)osed to be severe ; he did not always spare even his friends when an opportunity offered to say a smart thing at their expense ; and when he thought an author really unworthy, he took pleasure in covering him with ridicule. In all this there was no real malice, for it resulted chiefly from a h)ve of fun. Tn the ei)igranHnatic style of his prose, he resembled William Ilazlitt That he was a decided wit was universally conceded bv his friends and acquaintance ; :.iid as a public speaker, whether deliver- ing an ordinjiry lecture, or reciting one of his satirical poems, he was sometimes exceedingly eloquent. His per- sonal appearance, when seated, was imj^osing. His liead >vas lartje, eves of ^ li<>iit hazel, and his bust massive : l)ut his lameness waK of such a character as to make the use of two crutches constantly necessary. He had a ringing but nuisical voice, and when he felt well, and was on the "high horse" o^ excitement, he used it very nnicli after the manner of a stalwart mariner in a gale of wind, and oftentimes to the great amusement of his friends. He w». PARK BENJAMIN. 117 icul ier- ■tid )iit IIKC tho Iter luid lie died after a brief Hliiess, of an inrtiimniutory disease, deeply lamented by a large circle of personal and literary friends. I'lie ruling traits of INIr. Benjamin's character are to be found in his poetry. Wliile it may be true that a greater p.'irt of his ciitical writings were thrown otf upon coini)ul- sion, and in obedience to the printer's cry for ''co^n'," his poetry was generally the offspring of his henrt. ISo col- lection of his poetical writings was ever made by himself, and hitheito they have been enjoyed by those only who hnd the opportunity to consult the files of the New Eug- hiiid j\l(Uj<(zi)t<', the American ^Foiifhl//, tlie Kitirlxcrhoclxcr^ the Demori'dtic MeDt'cw, the Xow Yorl'cr, the Xoa World, the /Southern Literary j\r<'.sse)i(/('r, and nlso seveiMl lending dailv iournals of the dav. It is true, that K. ^V. (Iris- wold, in his com})ilation of " American Poi'try," gives us al)out twenty of his pieces, ])ut they do not l)egin to do him justice. A poem entitled " The jNIeditation of Nature," wliich he delivered before the Alumni of Washington Colli'ge, in 1832, stamped him fnmi the start as a man of genius and a poet. His next elal)orate poem was a satire on the sul)- iectof "Poetrv," wliich he delivered before the JMercantile Library, of New York, in 1.*^I2, wliich was received with great applause, and had an extensive circulation in pamphlet f(n*m. In IS I.') he ai)peared before a Boston audience with a poem on " Infatuation." '^hi^i was also a satire, and an improvement, oerhaps, on his previous ef- fort in the same stN'le. But the lyrical writings of Park Benjamin occupy a hiiiiier o-round than his satires, and tliev are, at the same time, much more extensive. It is through them, more- over, that we gain the best insight into his character. The 1 148 HArilAZARD PERSONALITIES. 1 i sentiinent of love inspired many of his shorter poems, l)iit, iu the gretit majority of his effusions, he could not helpLj;iving expression to a love which embraced the wliole of human kind. Altliough it was not his fortune to see much of tlie ocean, in his maturity, the fact that lie had voyaged on the Atlantic when a child inspired him with a love of the sea, and it made him happy to sing of the "Nautilus," the "Stormy Petrel," and the " :Mariners," whose homes were on the deep. With wit and fun his nature was overllowing, and his satires give us a taste of his quality in those particulars ; in his lyrics he seldom ventured beyond the bounds of quiet humor ; but in efforts of this kind he was always happy. When the ]\e])eUion of ]-, the lirst contiiinin<»; an aUusiou to my connection with the Cincinnati Chronicle, and when he was eonductin": The American Continent : — .:|l ln- lie Ihc he Le- ns ho BALTnioiiE, April 4, 1840. 2\fy dear Charles, — So you are once more seated in the chair editorial. I was yery glad to see it, and I trust you will not soon desert your present position, — it is a higlily fayorable and honoi-ahle one, — and you may rely upon this, if you stick to your sent, perseyere, lahor, never give up, you will attain all the success your ambition pic- tures. T feel truly obliged ])y your snuishing of Lester; 1 shall give him this week a finishing stroke in the sh:n)e of a letter from Powers, of which 1 will send von jiu e:irlv co})y, so that you may transfer it to your colunms, with such connuents as you deem proper. You will soon see in the Continent such .1 notice of yourself, in your present connection, as will please you. Our enterprise here has been quite successful, though I caimot say I am particularly in love with lialtimore as a residence. The women are beautiful as llebes, but the men are a sleepy set, though ca[)ital good fellows socially. There is noplace for me like New York, and I shouldn't wonder if we should take up our whole pi-inting establisii- ment and walk back there one of these warm sunnner mornings. We intend nothing of the soi't at present, but we shall see. There is prol)al)ly no eity in the country in which there is so little literary taste as here. It is neither North nor South. But I shall liave effected aJl the object I had in coming here, and that is a comfort. Our con- ir>o IIArilAZAliD rEliaONALlTlES. ceni, Willuiin Tiiylor & Co., has a house in New York and one in Phihiclelphia. If you will say a word in our favor, as pu])lish(,'i's and clever follows for AVesteru folks to deal with, you will confer a favor on nie. I suppose you often lu-ar from home. They were all well and flourishing when I last heard from Norwich. 1 trust we shall meet there this summer. Affectionately and truly yours, Pahk Uenjamin. I My dear Charley^ — Addressing you thus, with the familiarity of ''Auld Lang Syne," 1 ask of you a special favor. You are, I presume, ^)c/*so?i(t//^ acquainted with AVelles, tlie Secretary of the Navv. AVill you speak a word to him pemonaUy^ if you can possibly create the opportunity, in favor of the nomination of my son, l*;irk, as midshipman in the Nayal Academy? Mr. Secretary has power to nominate to all vacancies ; and there are just now a good many, the Soidheni districts being uiiui)plied for. 1 think INlr. AVclles most favoraljly disposed towards me, and I feel sure that a word '' s})oken in Sf^a.sou " to liim will be effectual. Will you now take or make occasion to say to the Secretary that necessary word in behalf of the cliild of your ancient friend? Park is a fine bov, con- siderably above the usual size of lads of fourteen, in good health and very well educated. He has all the re(piisites of the i)rhited regulations, and would, I am sure, pass a most satisfactory examination. I am not aware that this administration, except barely in the a})p()intnK ut of my brother-in-law, IMotley, to Austria, has done anything to reward or even I'ecognize the services of literary m* .i to the country. Perhaps you might hint something of the PARK BENJAMIN. 151 sort to Mv. "SYelles. Of one thing I am confident, my son's appointment to the Aciuleniy wouhl l)e most favorably received ])y my coufreres of the news[)ap(T press. Such '?^?q)olitical appointments — when })()litics create poor gen- erals and poor custom-house tide-waiters — are alwnys, as you know, cordially commended by the press and tlie public. Do what you can, my old friend, in behalf of my son. We are living here at No. 75 West 45th Street, near neighbors to your sister Julia, who is at 8G West 43d Street. She has been most neii^-hborly and kind. I am indebted to 3'ou for a couple of introductory epis- tles to " parties," as the Knglish say, in Canada. I had no occasion to use them, as I went no farther than Toronto, but 1 am grateful for the favor, nevertheless, and espe- cially iiratitied since it was conferred by you. I pray yru help me, if you can, by a few words to the Secretary of the Navy, and believe me, as of yore, Truly yours. New York, June 6, 18G3. Park Benjamin. New York, Xov. 17, 1803. M}i dear Charley, — I am engaged to lecture in Wash- ington on Friday, Dec. 4, by a INIr. AVolf, of AVolf & Hart, attorneys. Is he ''good" and to be relied on? Terms, $100 and hotel expenses. I expect, accom[)anied by my son Cieoriie, to bo in AVasliinijton on the 3d or 4th. Do you want us to come and make you a small visit? As I abominate hotels, I would willingly save INIr. Wolf the ex[)ense, especially as my doing so might induce him to give the same money for one or two more lectures, this and following. Now write me candidly in reply how i !l ^1 152 nArHAZAIll) PERSON ALITIES. you are at prescut situated, whether 2>CKf'^ctly convenient and so forth. The probability is that I shall not remain except for a day ; l)ut I may for some days, in which case I suppose I could lind some quiet abidin3 to you, iiiul shall be very grateful for all that you can say in tlie Infelliyencer, or elsewlierc, a])out my lectures. I hope you are not going out of AVashington on purpose, so as not to be bored with going to the lectures. I shall be sorry to l;e denied the pleasure of a sight of your dear, familiar visage. JNlr. Wolf wrote me, there is somewhere in "Washington a Mrs. Patten, who used to board me in N(!W York, She keeps house, and I wish she could be discovered, she would be glad to give me her best room. But 1 have not her address. Is Donald IMacleod in the Treasury Department? See him and ask him why he did not answer my letters, please. George, my son, will come with me. 1 dare say you and Mr. Wolf will llnd me some quiet lodging. Affectionatelv, Pauk Benjamin. There is, in P»'ofessor Longfellow's "Outre Mer," an affecting incident, beautifully told, of the death of a young Irislnnan, who had come to Italy to study at the Jesuit College in Kome, and had taken the orders of a Capuchin friar. The original draft of a poem written by INIr. Ben- jamin on this sul)ject, entitled "' The Ca[)ucliin Friar," was presented to me, and 1 print it with great pleasure. While dying, the Fi'iar knew of his situation, but would not give up the hope of reaching his own home before his decease. He spoke of his return to his native land with childish delight. This hope luid not deserted him. It seemed never to have entered his mind that even this con- solation would be denied him, and that death would thwart even these fond anticipations. " I shall soon be well enough," said he. «! L ! 154 HAPHAZARD PERSONALITIES. " Oil, I shall soon be well ; I shall not die Beneath the glories of this melting sky, — These soft, deep hues that bathe the classic land Of Italy. These gales that are so bland. So balmy, and so cool, npon my grave Shall not, at vesper's chiming, rest and wave I Tell me not I am dying ; for 1 feel New blood nectarian through my arteries steal, And blest Ilygeia fans me with her wings Laved in the source of Life's perennial springs. But a few days will pass, and I shall be Upon my home-return, dear friend, with thee. With thee I '11 leave each hoary Apennine, Cross the high Alps, and sail adown the Rhine, Pass England's vales, where joy and plenty smile, And greet thy shore, my own bright emerald isle ! Then, niocher, sisters ! your soft hands shall stray O'er my flushed cheeks and cool the heat away ; And when the death-dew beads my stony brow, Mark with what truth I kept my holy vow, — My vow to heaven, to live uniouched by love. Save that of earthly saints for saints above, — The love our Saviour knew, could he have died Nor in his anguish on his mother cried ! " Mi! > ii Wli I :# lie ceased and turned his forehead to the air That came from flowery banks to visit there The sick man's couch ; the twilight shadows fell In deeper lines — I l)reathcil my sad farewell; But going, turned once more that face to view. Once more to see that cheek's carnation hue. Ills eyes were closed, a smile of beauty slept On his thin lips : I turned away and wept ! When breathless I arose, he had not stirred And quiet lay, until an evening bird, Hidden among the leaves of some near t-ee. Poured sudden forth a flood of melody ! in IIOIIACE (JllKKLKY. 155 *• I know that strain ! " he; cried, " I know that strain; Sing nie to sleep, sweet sister, sii'g again ! " He sank to sleep — to sleep, to dream that he Had crossed the billows of the far, wide sea; That in his mother's cottage door he stood And gazed on each familiar stream and wood. Alas ! 't was all in dreams ; few evenings passed Ere the self-exiled stranger sighed his last; And that young heart was free as air to roam Not to his earthly but liis heavenly home. Pakk Bknjamin. NoKWicii, Aug. 14, 1837. IIOIIACE GREELEY. To use the laiiontige of Wordsworth in rej^ard to anotlier, the soul of Horace Greeley '' was like a stai-, and dwelt apart," but his star passed into a cloud, and the tempo- rary eclipse saddened the entire nation wliich his life had honored. I first became accjuainted with him when he was pul)lishini»; the New 17>/7iy-'r and before he had sttirted the Tribune, for both of which journals I wrote some of my lirst newspaper paragra})hs. I used to meet him at the hoL'se of my kinsman, Park Benjamin, and the impres- sions that I then received of his hiiih character and rare benevolence, from personal observation, steadily followed me through life down to the time of his lamented death. I never agreed with him in his religious views and all his various schemes of reform and benevolence, nor could I always agree with him in politics ; but, as a man of mind and of the strictest honor, he commanded my admiration, and I loved him. as a friend. His first letter to me was written in 1846, and the last 15C HAPHAZARD TERSONALITIES. ill 1H72; niul it was in the foniuT year tluit he recom- jiRMKU'd iiu; ill 11 most ilattoriiig insinucr for the lihrjirliin- ship of the IMercjiiitile Librury in New York. Jii 1^6.), after my friend, Emerson Etlu'ritls^e, hiul written u politi- cal hitter whieli attracted nnicli attention, jMr. (ireelev re- viewed it in severe terms, jmd I was induced to defend the motives of my friend, if not his arjynment. To tliat letter he sent me the following reply, which shows with what fearlessness and earnestness he was always ready to battle for what he considered right : — Office of The Tuiiujne, N. Y., Oct. 2, 1863. My dear Sir, — I have received yours of yesterday. If Mr. Etheridge had been a nullilier, or even a pro-slavery fanatic, his letter to ]\[emi)his would have been explicable, if not excusable; l)ut I know him to have been nothing of the kind in other days. I think, quite as earnestly as he does, that the President has trtnited Tennessee badly, but it was by exempting her from the operation of his proclamation of freedom. Had he not done this, she would ere this have been a free, therefore a loval and trancpiil State, on the high road to peace and prosperity. lint Emerson Etheridge did not assail him for what he had done ill, but for what he had done well. In IHOO, I insisted that Mr. Etheridge should be made clerk of the House of Representatives. When I did so his name had not been suggested, and I do not believe he had himself thought of the oflice. T knew he was not a Republican ; but I supposed he had eyes. Ilis blow at the President and his policy in the Memphis letter was unfairly dealt ; it was a parricidal stroke in the back, and it can- not be forgiven. It proves him ftdse-hearted and un- grateful, and the Breckenridge Democrats with Andy HORAOR ORERLRY. i:)7 Johnson have perceived the tnitli tliat henecforth tlie Iniou jind bhivcry cannot coexist. It ^va.s too late foi' Kucii a letter to have proccinh-d from an intclliujent convic- tiou ; its .spirit was bad and its terms insulting. Yours, Horace Grkkley. On two occasions T took the libertv of consnltini!; IVFr. Greeley in regard to my ** Dictionary of Congress," and the two following letters were the result : — New York, Dec. lo, 1805. Fn'end Lcuwum, — The publication of a "Dictionary of Congress," extended and corrected from year to year, so as to keep it fresli and authentic, is a wise and [)roHt- ablo enterprise, Avherel)y the autlior ought to make a good living. You can make one 1)V it, if vou will. IJut 1 see no more retison for making this a job, than for doing the like with liurke's or anv other 'vPeerage." If vou Mill first cut loose from Congress, and make it a work for the people, giving the election returns, with the rules and parliamentary companion, I sliall be glad to commend it, and feel sure tliat you will do well by it. I do not see how any book that Congress patronizes can be good for anything, since it cannot afford to tell unpleasant truths. Yours, Horace Greeley. New York, :May 11, 18G8. Dear Sir, — I learn with pleasure that you are al)out to revise your '• Dictionary of Congress," enlarge its scope, and separate it altogether from any connection with or hope of official patronage. I l)eg you to speak without ir)H lIArHAZAUI) PKUSONALITIKS. ili; roHcrvc, Jiud with ontirc cjindor of every porHon who shall 1)15 (h'ciiu'd worth Kpcnkiiiiu^ of at all. A work coinpoHcd of solid J)io^r:iphi(;!d faets, hIioiii alike of |)r:iiso and l»lanie, but uiiimpeiichahly aeeiirate in all i)oints, is needed and will \h) readily ap[)reeiated. Yours, iiOllACIO (Jkkklky. In a friendly letter whieh I addressed to Mr. (Jreelev, about the time of his nomination for the I'rtisidenev, I alluded to the old times in New York — alujut one tliird of a century Ix'fore — wIkmi we first l)eeanie accpniintiMl, and in view of his position and popularity, I nwide the remiirk tlmt *' the ])(M)ple knew tin honest man when they saw him," and this was Mr. (Jreelev's replv : — Niiw YouK, Juno 27, 1H72. Friend Lanman^ — Thanks for yours of the 2r>th inst. T liave all my life been (loin my reply : — " He is a man of thought. ITis instincts and hal)its are those of a gentleman. He is a true patriot, and in his HORACE GRKEUBT. 159 knowledge of stiilesmjinship has no superior among living Americans. lie was not the creature of accident, but is a lirst-cljiss Kpecimcn of a self-made man. lie has always niMnifi'sted a regard for n'ligion, l)ut could never wear the garl» of righteousness for selllsh purposes. He is a lover of iiis fellow-nien, and lias done (juite as much as any other to elevate the average; standard of tlie American character. His reputation as an editor is well-nigh uiuMiualled. lie has schooled an entire gt'ueration in the ways of })olitical knowledge. He is a man of the rarest charity, both in his heart and with his liand. "As a politician his motives have never been impeached. He has never been an olllce-seeker, but has habitually made war upon demagogues. As a husbnnd and father, he is without reproach. As a friend, lie has always been as true as steel. AVliile wielding power and possessing his honestly ac(piired wealth, he has never taken U[)on him- self the airs of an siristocrat. Klevated and earnest in his asi)irations, he has been a follower of truth, not only for its own sake, but for the comfort and hnppiness of his fellow-men. His honor and sense of justice have always been without re[)roach. His labors as a writer have given liim a world-wide reputation. " At the head of a i2:reat establishment, he has alwavs been considerate of the feelings of those in his empk)y. He came from the heart of the people, and has always been a repre- sentative friend of their interests and welfare. AV'hile ag- gressive in his cliaracter in the cause of truth, his impulses have been to foroive the erriu"'. Althou<>;h a determined politician, he has recognized the merit or good intentions of those who were not of his party. He has never sold his intluence for money. His boldness and self-reliance have been manifested by his manner of addressing public no nAniAZAUD PERSONALITIES. as8em))lies on the issues of the dav. Always a hard- working man Iiiniaelf, he has entertained tlie greatest respect for those who have to toil for a living. ""He is in all respects a man of temix'rance in his appetites. His personal associations are not with the low and the depraved, })ijt with the moral and cultivated classes. He is not the victim of anv debasing indulijences. ft- *n Cv His knowledge and wisdom t re not circumscriljed by the profession which he h;is done so nuicn to elevate. The farmers of the United States have never had a better friend ; and there is no class of the industrial population for whose prosperity he has not labored with zeal and effect. Whenever he has held a public i)osition, he has always actpiitted himself with ability and credit. His ideas of private and public economy have always been wise, rigid without meanness. He has been, by his writings, a teacher of statesmen, and fully deserves the honor of occupying the position of President of the United States." In the way of coincidences the followin:>' are a little curious : It was Mr. Greeley who virtually nominated Emerson Etheridge for the position of clerk of the House of Representatives ; it was Mr. Etheridge who, at the request of fifty congressmen, appointed me librarian of the House of liepriisentatives ; and the man who succeeded me as librarian was Whitelaw lleid, who subsecpiently became the editor of the Tribune. (II 1 1 '» PETER EORCE. TiTK American histcu'ian whose library was for many years to the bookworm the sunniest spot in Washing- ton was born in New Jersey, Nov. 20, 171>0. AVhen 11] TKTiai roiicE. IGl a child lie was removed to New York City, where he .'ic(|uire(l the art of a printer, and practised it initil liis twenty-fifth year. While yet au apprentice, his h)ve for l)ooks was so strong- that all his weekly earnings were reg- nlarly expcinded at the book anctionsof K<)bert]McMenonie, who kei)t a shop on Water Street, near the Tontine coffee- house, and who, in the kindness of his lieart, was wont to knock down a book to his \'onthful patron, when he knew that the boy had expended his h'st penny. When tlie second edition of " Knickerbocker's History of New York" was printed, young Force was foreman of the (jlfice where the work was done. One morning, while reading a lot of proofs ])efore sending +hem to Mr. Trying, he came to the list of old Dutdi names, and by way of a joke, he added some half-dozen other authentic names, that the author had jtrobably forgotten or never heard of ; and the proofs were i-eturned to the oilitj l)y ]Mr. Irving with these words, "N'cry go'"l. let them go in"; and they have all been retained in the subsequent editions of the work. In LSI,'), ^Ir. Force removed to the city of Washington, with whose prosperity, and the history of the general gov- ernment, he was long and honorably identified, in bS'JO he became the compiler as well as printer of the ''Biennial Kegister," commenced bv act of Congress in J.SK;, and this work he contumed to edit and print until 1.S2.S ; for his services as compiler he received nothing, whih' the same A\ork is now [»erformed by a clerk in the Department of the Interior, who receives extra compensation. The term " Blue liook," as a[)[)lied to the " Biennial Begister," was not recognized until 1820, the new title having been suggested ])y IMr. Force, since which })eriod the work has invariably been Ixjund in blue leather. Ilis idea, was to have something diiterent from the English books of simi- 11 162 HAPHAZARD PERSONALITIES. U I . It!l lar cliaracter, which were bound in red, and called " Red Books " ; and it is worthy of remark that, within the last twenty or thirty 3^ears, the English government has bor- rowed the American idea, and now publish what they call a "lihie Book." At the time that he took charge of the "Register," in 1820, INIr. Force began the publication, as editor, of a ' National Calendar," wdiicli was issued on the first day of every year, until 188G, and was pronounced by the best men of the country a work of great utility. In 1823 he also became the proprietor of a daily paper, called the National Journal^ which he published and edited until 1830, the same having been the oflicial paper during the administration of John (^uincy Adams ; from 1830 to 1840 he was mayor of Washington ; and for many years he was the honored i>i-esident of the National Institute, located in the metropolis. He w^as also for many years a leading olficer of the district militia. In 183G, prompted by a desire to extend the knowledge of American history, ]\Ir. Force i)ublished, in four vol- umes, a series of "Tracts and other Papers " relating to the origin, settlement, and progress of the North Ameri- can Colonies. The original material from which this work was compiled was widely scattered, veiy rare, and of in- tense interest to all those who take pleasure in tracing, step by step, the progress of the Colonies in population, wealth, and power, from the landing of the first white man to the establishment of a free and independent govern- ment ; and the work has ever been considered an invalu- al^le addition to our historic lore. But the great work with which Mr. Force is identified is the publication known as " American Archives : a Doc- umentary History of the English Colonies in North Amer- lea," from 1774 to the Declaration of Independence. The ^ili m PETEK FORCE. 103 '5 le idea originated with him, was compiled ])v liim, and puh- lislied l)y liim in conjunction with Matthew St. Chiir Chirke, iukUt the authority of Congress and at tlie expense of the general government. The act of Congress was passed in 180^5, and the first volume of the work, which is a large folio, was pi'inted in li-ick Imildiiiii', adioiuinff the owner's residence, in the centrnl portion of AVasliing- ton, and the few vohnnes whieli formed its niicU'US were purelijised more than fifty years ago. Excepting when visited hy the friends of its proprietor, mendjers of Con- gress addicted to historical pnrsuits, or literary })ilgrims from abroad, its silence was only l)roken ])y the pi'esence of an assortment of dogs and eats, which enjoyed the full range of the establishment, and whose characters seemed to have been influenced bv the solenni wisdom of the tomes among which they lived. If you chanced to see a mouse gnawing at a volume three hundred years old, and worth fifty times its weight in g(^ld, you had but to speak to one of the feline creatures, and it would rush to the rescue. If you happened to take up an old folio covered wdth the dust of years, and make a little too much fuss in trying to blow it otf, perhaps one of the dogs would rub against your knee, as if to sav, " Not too much of that, sir. We have respect in this place for eveiTthing that is old." Nor were these nooks and corners without guardians which were ])eyond the reach of the cats and d(jgs. In ever}'^ direction, almost, might be found happy colonies of spiders, and " Over many a quaint and curious volume of forli this splcudid Iil)rary ! In one obscure corner, for exampU', miiilit be seen no less than fifty volumes of origiual mauusci'i[)ts, with scores upon scores of intensely interestin«ij letters from such men as AVashinii'ton and the other patriots of the Revolution ; all of which material was to be pul)lished for the first time in the future volumes of the ''Amer- ican Archives." In another place were eleven volumes devoted to the correspondence of such a man as Paul Jones ; as many more to the lettt'rs of John Fitch, of steamboat memory ; and hundreds of odd volumes devoted ft. ' to the correspondence of other men who have made their mark in the history of their country. AVhile standimj ft. *. CI7 before one set of shelves, filled with thin volumes of every size and shape, but decked out in substantial bindings, we might hnve taken one at random, and find it to be " Carvjal's Oration," containing the first printed notice of the discov- ery of America by Columbus to be f: stnml)le(l into thi; i>allci"v of the old American Academy, he was fascinated by the i)ictnres of IJenjamin West and flohn Trumbnll, and fired with the im[)nlse to become a painter. His Ib'st picture was a l)ortrait of himself, painted in his twenty-lirst year ; and his first composition, i)ainted in the year following", rei)re- sented the '' l)aui;hter of Jairus " ; and by the time; he litid attained his twenty-fourth year he had i)i"oduced a sulllcient number of portraits and composition pictures to call forth from Washington AUston the commendation that he exhibited great power of expression, had a. firm, de- ci(U'(l pencil, and that if he would ap[)ly himself to the study of such mi'n as Ostade and Jan Steen, nothing Avould prevent him from becoming a great artist. After profiting by models from the antique, and the few good pictures to which he had access, as well as by the friendly advice of John Trumbull, he began to look to Nature alone for his inspiration ; and from that time until the day of his 1^ f 170 lIArJIAZAUI) rKUSONALITIES. death sho was his only uuidi! and toachor. ITo was un- questionably Olio of tlio most original artists of his day, and exerted a li:ii»[>y inlhienee on the public taste. lie was tlie pioneer, and continued the uneciuaUed master in liis special department; and he acconii)lis]»ed, to some extent, for American country life what David Wilkie did for the country life of (ireat Britain, or I)a\'id Tcnii'rs for his fatherland. In a few instances, the mere execution • of his pictures was (juile equal to that of the famous Scotchman ; but he contented himself with a sinht, it is also true, and the fact is u tellinu; tribute to his ijjenius, that he has been m Avhom he could talk freely, and on many days and nights it was my rare privilege to be that com- panion.. On one occasion that I remember, after spend- ing the day at some of the private picture gaUeries, wlure lie Avas always fieely admi"^ed, w^e had a quiet dinner ;it Delmonico's, ^vhare he sketched a funny waiter; at seven o'clock we att'Mided a wedding at St. Tliomas's Church, where he took ai outline t)f the bride's sweet face ; from eight to ten we h)unged in the exhibition-room of the Natiomd Academy of Design; from ten to twelve avc eu- j(>yed the nnisic and tiie dancing !it a large and fashion- able partly ; aiul \v\>inKl up the round of enterttiinment by visiting a terrible place, within a stone's throw of the City Hall, where we passed ourselves off as " roughs," for the purpose (^f witnessing in safety the spectacle of a bear baiting, and where poor humanity could be studied WILLIAM S. MOUNT. 175 in many of its most molanelioly ]iliases. Mount's visits to the city, excepting when professionally engaged, sel- dom lasted more than two or three days, for he very well knew that they were not calcnlated to improve his health ; and the same rnsty old sloop which, in the days of onr frolicking, bronght him to town from Stony lirook, was +he one to take him })ack again. There were many [)laces m the city where a bed and a seat at table were always at his service, but he liked to be free and indei)endent, and usually occujiied lodgings at the Trmmaiiy Hall Hotel, in the olden times. Accident ori<»inally took him there, but as it was the grand lieadquai'ters of tiie Democracy, and he was a strong Democrat in politics, he continue 1 a patron of that hotel to tlie last. Although nn nncoi.- monly practical m;\n in his ]ia])its of thought ;ind acting, he never tired of talking about art nnd nrtists, jd)out music and nmsicinns, and about the characteristics of in- dividual men :nid the beauties of inanimate nature. He looked upon m11 his fellow-artists with estal)lished reputa- tions as his superiors, and took great pleasure in fostering the talents of the young. In looking at a picture he always pointed out and talked about its l)eauties, leaving Jie defects to themselves. His abilities as a player on th(» violin were remarkable ; he composed much fine nuisic, and a piece entitled "The l^abes in the Wood," wliich he was wont to execute on his violin in some strange way with an ordinary door key, sehlom failed a briuii' a tear into the eyes of his listeners. Thoui>h not a relioious man by pro- fession, he had a high sense of honor, and venerated the Bible and respected its e\i)ounders, ind possessed a charity and love for his feUow-men allied to that which liis warm friend Bryant has so ehxpiently attributed to Scjiiller. He was a true man, a full-blooded American, and an 176 IIAPIIAZAIII) I'KUSONALITIES. artist whose name must always be meutioiiud with honor in tlie annals of American painting. Withont t:ilvin<»- time jnst now to recall and record tlie many traits of William IMount's l)eautifnl character as a m;»n, his hahits as an artist, and especially his novel ad- ventures, modes of studyin<>' nature, and rare powers a« a player on the violin, 1 have thought that the following* discomiected extracts from his many letters to me mioht be read with pleasure. 1 give them merely as a taste of his quality. Artistic Hints. — "I never paint on a picture unless I feel in the right spirit. AVhen 1 go into a painter's studio, 1 never turn his canvases round without a permit from the artist. I always pay my debts, and now and then play a tune upon the violin. I am not fond, like some artists, of talking about my dillicnlties. I try to be ha})py and wish to see others so ; and I think more of health than fame. AVork upon your pictures up to the last hour ))e- fore sending them to the academy. If you see anything that wants correcting, dash it out and paint anew. Again, keep down every part of your picture except that [)art which you wish to interest. Your eye will govern you. When vour iiicture is finished and von wish to take off tlie effect of the paint and at tlie same time give a sunny warmth, go over the whole with raw sienna, mixed with drying oil. I se a rag in putting it on. You can use blr;;, red. I' . yellow or an} other compound in the same way. In glazing, if you wish to cool your warm sliadows, use blue or any cool, trans[)arent color. I sometimes pick up very tine ochres along the country roads, and the grape- vine, when burnt to a coal, makes the beyt black T know." Pointing the Dead. — ^ I have just finished the portrait of a voung ladv, from a sketch taken after death. I out "W WILLIAM S. MOUNT. 177 II no- li, irt u. u; llV ilil - 1 y- ISO up nit )Ut H a buncli of flowers in her band, and tlie friends were per- fectly satisfietl. The mother was so struck with the Hke- ness that she turned aside and wept. She has so nnich confidence in mv drawinij;, that she wants me to raise up her husband. I have other invitations to bring to light the departed. If artists were called upon in time, it would save many bitter reflections. I am pleased to know there is one thing that can soften the heart of a miser, and that is death. He makes poets and painters '-espected." A Feio Personal Opinions. — "■ Elliot nas a soul ; there is nothing small about him. I admire his strength aud color. " With regard to Edmonds, his artistic talents fairly light up AYall Street. " Vanderlvn is an artist of oreat talents and close ob- servation, and the Ne^\' York councils ought to pay him one thousand dollars, instead of half that sum, for his portrait of General Taylor. AVhat a \nH)V compliment to the author of ' Cains INIarius ' ! " I agree with you that Huntington is a man of great abilities. In landscape he is often truly delightful. If he wv ''e to apply himself to that branch he might excel even Cole and Durand, great as they are. " ('ole hardW ever fails to win my admiration. " I am sorrv to hear of Durand's ill healtii. His land- ft- scapes afford me great pleasure. 1 wish him health and prosperity. " Grey is a queer fellow, but has bottom. " Rannev is a glorious fellow. */ cz? " AUston was great, but WMiited pluck. He ought never to have been frightened from Belshazzar's Hall l)y Martin. " Bonfield paints a capital sea view. 12 {i 178 IIAPIIAZATIT> PERSONALITIES. lii M " Morse ought never to have given up pjiiuting. " Kensett's sketches from ntitiire are excpusite. *' Casilear's pictures make me love tlie man. " Page, in his portraits, is .sometimes magnificent, ])Ut that twilight landscape of liis was a disgrace. " Weir is a big Indinn in art. " Gignoux's winter scenes cannot be beaten. " Church is tremendous, and deserves his wonderful success. " Leutze is a perfect war horse of a painter." JIis Mother. — " Yon did right in breaking that engnge- ment to yo and see a sick mother. Never forget vour parents, and there will be notliiiig to darken your mind in after years. 1 never slmll foi'get the warm ))ressure of my mother's hand when she was dying. It was the last pressure of approbation." Concerning a Critic. — "I have come off quite as well as I expected from under the quill of the ' Broadway' critic. It is singuhir that he Avill not ndmit that I can })aint a portrait. It may be that the truth of one of my heads mav have brought to his mind recollections of mercantile memory. He seems to fancy that no man must attempt to paint a map but neighbor Page, nor a landscape, be- cause neighbor Page Avas never gifted in that line. The fact is, he is the mere echo of his favorite, but 1 thank liiin for his good intentions." Citfj and Count ry Life. — '"I often ask myself this question, Am [ to stay in old Suffolk County as long as the children of Israel did in the wilderness? I liope not without visiting the citv occasionally, — a little oftener than I have done for the last twelve months. The loneli- ness and stillness here are getting to Ix- painful to me. The reason is, I stay at home too much. I must visit the WILLIAM S. MOFNT. 170 ladies more friMiuently, — go to apple-peelings juid (luilt- ings. After all, the eity is the plaee for an artist lo live in. RevnoUls considered th;it the three years he spent in till' conntry were so nuich time lost." Ahmit th, while talking or s[)enking ; also whether they were large oi- small. Yon know that when a man speaks, he moves his under jaw, the upper remaining (juite firm. The sanit^ when he laughs. Let me knowMiis luMght, the color of his skin, eves, hair, dri'ss, stvle of shoes or l)oots, his manner of standing while making a s[)eech, and whether he used his hands and arms extensively. When I saw him in the conrt-i'oom of tlu' City Hall he ajjpeared uneasy, and was walking back and forth like a mad bull. S[)eaking of Webster reminds me of Washington. How ( omes on his monument? I do not fancy the design. It looks like a hundred-leggi'd bug rfinning away with a i)il- lar, oi' a bunch of candies hanging down, or a whitew.-ish hiMish standiuii' readv for some uiant to take up l;v the handle and sweep the streets of the metropolis." ISO ITAriTAZAllD rEUSONALITTES. Darins: several of the later years of his life William JMouiit Avas a visioiiarv, and some of his conceits bor- dered closely ui)on S[)iritualism. Hut this blij^ht upon his intellect was the result, undoubtedly, of his long-contin- ued l)ad health. lie is now a disembodied s[)irit, and it will not become any of us, who are still irrovellinu' here below, to sit in judgment upon his weaknesses and motives. I ! - I. f! JAMES BROOKS. TTk was my friend, and T sincerely mourn his untimely depai'ture from among the living. I first became ac- ([uaintcd with him in 1e sent to Mr. IJrooks for distribution among llu' inmates of that house of woe, and subsecpiently resulted in an entire reformation of its character. Another line of observ^ation that I prosecuted was among the medical fraternity ; and as it was my privilege to know all the docts MS :i tnivoller were soiiiowliat reinark- nblo. AftiT s('('iiit :i sul>s('([ueiit period Jio visih'd Ks. if liroiiuht together and re[)iil)lislied as a wliole, would prohaljly prove that he was not surpassed by any other writer in that particular department of literature. Upon his whole career as a public man there rested ])ut one siii^li! shadow, and that, in my own o[)i:tion, was iiothinn' but the natural resnlt of assoclatin*^ with the demagogues of this notoriously cor- rupt age ; and it must ever be a source of regret, that the one assault that was made u[)on his integrity was made when he was in reality a dying man ; but though his chief desire for prolonged life — so that he might answer his accusers — w;is not granted, peace and hope were at his bedside at the linal hour. In looking over the letters which I have received from Mr. lirooks, I lind only one, and the copy of one ad- dressi'd to the trustees of the Corcoran Art (Jallerv, which I desire to produce in this place ; the first exhibits him as a friend, and the second simply gives me credit for inau- <>'uratin<»; a stvle of art criticism in Xew York, which is associated with many pleasant recollections. Aliiany, IVrarch '2H, 1848. 3f)/ dear Sir^ — A'oui" letter reached ine last evening, and I have but time to write a word. I cannot make the contract for the future which you wish ; because I contemplate some changes in business, the nature and order of whicdi 1 do not vet kuow, but I see l-i JAMES j;iJ()()KS. iUli no roMson — unless some extrnonlinnrv cirouinstniiccs pre- vent— tlint would f(>rl)i,l tlu. MiTnuyviueut we Imd prior to your (lei)jirtur(' for WMsliiuuton. I mucli vjilue your industry, activity, and p,'culi:ir tastes, and slioidd always be glad to avail myself of them. I thank you warmly for the interest you have taken in the Express, and can assure you I am not unmindful of your services. Yours truly, James Brooks. TA AsinxoTox, D. c., Juno 20, 1870. Gentlemen, — ChiivhH Lanmau, Esq., was an art writer for the New York Express more than twenty years ao-o, and was the first writer and critic who, +hrounh the Nmv York Express, etc., made that a dei)artment and science. lie showed himself in all these articles to ])e both an artist and critic, and in these won much rei)utation. I should think him admirably iitted to preside over your art gallej:'y. Yours respectfully, rp^ ii rr , ^ . James Brooks. lo the Trustees Corcoran Art Oallery, Washington, Tj, C. Mr. Brooks was born in Portland, Mc., in I.SIO ; in the eleventh year of his age became a clei-k in a store ; was a school-teacher when sixteen : and at tlu^ age of twenty- one graduated at AVaterville College. He Served in the Legislatures of Maine and New York, and was a repi-esent- ative in Congjvss from the latter State. Established the New York Exj>ress in l.S.SC. ; and he died at Washington in April, 187-']. A blessing on the memory of mv departed friend. 181 llA I'llAZAUI) riCUSUNA LITIE8. LEWIS CASS. It wns about tlie year 1H28 that I first saw General Csiss ill Detroit; and the hist time was at liis lioiise in Washington, In 1800, just Itet'ore he resigned the ollioe of Secretiii'V of State. In that etirlv time, as it was to tlie end, liis home was on the Detroit River, just without tlie limi s of the city of Detroit, and adjoining tlie estati; of AVilliMiii Woodhridge. I Imd l)een sent np from the river i\Misin to ninive a visit jit tlie Wood))ridges', iuid wjis tlius en:ihU'd, during my visit, and wliile phiyiiig willi the sons of the two l)ig men, to see .'iiid know the "' gretit gov- ernor." He h:id for nuinv vetirs iK'fore l>een a wtirm, jxTsoiinl friend of my fnthcr. :nid so continued niitil liis own death. Like tiint of JMi'. \Vood))ridge, liis home was suii'ounded with every comfort, and many of the ele- gances of life, hut they Avere as uiililve in charactei' as Avere the modes of thinking and the htibits of the two Jiien. In the house of the governor, the eye was attracted by numerous things connected with the Indians and the wil- derness ; but in the house of the lawyer, the various evi- dences of literary culture ])redominated. The former was militai-y, ollicial, and political ; the latter, peaceful, legal, and scholarly. As one or two elal)orate lives of General Cass have been pu])lislied, it cannot be expected that I should give any freshness to an outline sketch of his career; but as he was the friend of three generations of my family, and is lovingly remembered bv the survivors. 1 must he indulged to tlui following extent: lie was born in Kxeter, N II., Oct. 9, 1782. Having received a limited education in his native place, at the early age of seventeen he crossed the LEWIS CASS. 1H5 Allciiliiiiiv ]\I()init:iins on fool, to seok a lioiiu* in the (ii'cat West, then jiu almost unoxplorocl wildoniesH. lie sc'ttU'd !it ^liiric'ttii, ()., sttidicd 1m\v, and was suct'oss- ful. Kli'ctcd at twentv-tive to tlu' lii'iiislaturo of Ohio, lie ori^iiKitcd the l)ill whicli aiTosti'd the pi-occi'diii^s of Aiiron Burr, Mild, ns stated by rrcsidciit JelTersoii, was the first l)low J >fm % /a V ^ .%.^ W J^i' *^ .'sC''' ^r /A Photographic Sciences Corporation 73 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 iV iV '% V ^^ \ \ % A> ^^ .K^ C^. L^ o ie ^ I 18G HAPHAZARD PERSON AIJTIES. 4 position C()iii])ino(l, witli tlio ordinary dutios* of chief maj^is- trate of a civilized coniininiity, the immediate mana<2;c- meut and control, as superintendent, of the relations with the numerous and powerful Indian tribes in that region of country. lie conducted with success the affairs of the Territory under end)arrassini>; circumstances. Under his sway peace was preserved between the whites and the treacherous aiid disaffected Indians, law and order estab- lished, and the Territory rapidly advanced in population, resources, and prosperity. He held this position till July, 1831, when he was, b}' I'resident Jackson, made Secretary of War. In the latter pai't of 188G, President Jackson appointed him minister to France, where he remained until 1842, when he requested his recall, tiud returned to this country. In January, 1845, he was elected to the Senate of the l/^nited States ; which p'uice he resigned on his nomination, in INIay, 1848, as a candidate for the I*res- idency by the political party to which he belonged. After the elc'^-ion of his oi)ponent (General Taylor) to that oflice, the Legislature of his Stat(\ in 1849, re-elected him to the Senate for the unexpired portion of his original term of six years. AVlien JNIr. Buchanan ])ecame President, he in- vited General Cass to the head of the Department of State, which position he resigned in December, 1800. He devoted some attention to literary pursuits, and his writ- ings, speeches, and sttite papers would make several vol- umes ; among which is one entitled "France; its King, Court, and Government," published in 1840. He died in Detroit, June 17, 180(5, and will long l)e remembered as the most eminent and successful statesman of Michigan. As it is my intention, in all my notices of the public men I have known, to give the reader some particulars which could not be given by another, I now proceed to l!l ■ '^t: LKWIS CASS. ].)i '^^ fti^V" days since, that you intended to visit this countrv during the course of the ensuing season, and to attend the treaty about to be held with the Indians. I Rinc<3rely hoj^e that you will suffer nothing to divert you from this resolution. Certainly an accpiaintance with Indians and Indian affairs nmst be a great desideratum in the national legislature. It can only be acquired by personal observation, and by a free intercourse with tliem. I have no hesitation in saying tliat a few days spent among them will give more information respecting tlieir character, situation, wants, and feelings, than can be acquired during a long life in any other manner. '" Jnthe multitudeof (piestions upon the subjectof Indian affairs, which require the decision of Congress, practical 188 HAPHAZARD PETlSONALITiES. h. I II m^ : ! i; ' i ■ 1 f ilS- M Li li-kJl knowledge must be very important to the possessor, and hi_i2;hly useful to the body of which he inuy be a meml)er. The conti'tiriety of opniions whidi have appeared upon this topic, and tlie crude specuhitions whieli have met the public eye, conclusively prove tliat practical information is not brought to a consideration of tlie subject. "From Buffalo to this place, a passage in the steamboat is ple.'i.sant and expeditious. From here, to the place of holding the treaty, I will procure, with pleasure, the neces- sary conversance, and will take charge of everything which rclab'S to our personal convenience. It is not prob- able that the treaty will continue liiore than eiuht or ten days ; and I may venture to assure you that our jaunt will be perfectly pleasant. I do not know that there are any other lands in this quarter which it can be important for the government to procure, and consecpiently this is the last oi)portunicy of the kind which can occur near here. The treaty will be held in July, August, or September ; but the particular time will depend, in a great measure, upon the convenience of yourself, and of the other gentle- men of the Senate, who propose to attend. If yon have any wish upon the subject, be good enough to connnuni- cate it to me. You will of course come to mv house, and remain with me until our dei)arture. " 1 have not had the pleasure of seeing 3^our son (C. J. Lanman) since I received Judge Ruggles's letter ; but 1 shall re(piest him to accompany us, and I have no donbt but he will do so. As soon as the time is definitely settled, 1 shall write to you again, in order that you may arrive at lUiffalo in time to take passage in the steamboat without being delayed. With much respect, I have the honor to be, "Your obedient servant, " Lewis Cass." LEWIS CASS. 189 The treaty licre alluded to was made at Chicago, and was one of about tweuty which were negotiated by (icu- cral Cass. Tlie kind invitation which he extended in tha al)ove letter could not be accepted, but several of like cliaracter were accepted by my father, and often described to strangers at his fireside. Tlie jurisdiction of General Cass, while he was governor, extended over thirteen tril)es of Indians, numbering in all more than fortv thousand souls ; and few Americans have done as much as he did to enrich the government at the expense of the poor al>ori- gines ; but, to the extent of liis ability, he always treated them with kindness. After an experience of seven or cigiit years in dealing with them, his views in regard to tlie policy wliich should be adopted by the United States were fully matured, and then it was that lie addressed a letter to my father on tlie subject; it is long, but histori- cally V!vlual)le, was written from Detroit, Jan. 1!), 1820, and is as follows : — DETiiOiT, Jan. 10, 1820. C. J. Laxman, Esq. M]j dear l^ir^ — Various projects have ])e('u submitted to Congress, within a few years, for the reguhition of Indian affairs. But such objections appear to have existed against all of them as to prevent their ado[)tion. This ought not to exeite surprise, if we consider the nature of the subject and the persons who are to be affected bv these reaula- tions. Our intercourse, political and commercial, witli the In- dians can only be knov,n by tliose who are i)i-actically acquainted with it. It is a business of minute and exten- sive detail, involving an intimate knowledge of the In- dians, their habits, customs, wants, and feelings. Changes under such circumstances are dangerous ; it is vhich is now given to it, there cnn Ix; no necessity for the creation of an ollice in wiiich some new incipient proceeding sIjmU take place. The checks are now amply suilicient, and if they are not, the same ol)jec- tions will npply to all other accounts, and there will be some reasons for institutino- another ])rnnch of the treaty department for their examination. One clerk is charged with the ey.ecntion of this duty in the auditor's otlice, and it is readily and correctly done. If then there exists no necessity for the creation of such an office, in order to insure a prompt and accurate adjustment of the accounts, it will be difficult to determine wlmt other duties would justify such a measure. The Secretary of War is the head of the depnrtment, and con- sequently every measure would be submitted for his de- cision. What would ])e gained by the creation of an office, with its additional train of expense, to have merely t-\ %\. 1 I 102 IIAPTIAZARD fERSONAUTIES. 4 !j; as au intermediiite agent between the Secretary and those wlio ai'c to execute his decisions? Would it not be much more proper to create an independent oflicer for the Land Bounty Olllce, for the Pension OHice, and for every branch of duty wliich devolves upon the War Department. The duty of all these sections of the department are nuich ia, Alal)ama, the l\ed Kiver country, the Lower Mississippi, the State of Ohio, the whole lake country, and the State of New Yorl^, the comnuinication is nuich more easy and direct w'ith Washington than with St. Louis. The only Indians who have any natural connection witii that place are those u[)()n the Missouri and a portion of those upon the Mississip[)i. What possible advantage would ensue to the i)ublic by sending a connnunication from Pensacola, Natchitoches, or jMichillimachinac to St. J^ouis, i?i order that an ollicer at that place may forward it to Washington, and that the answer and instructions may travel the same circuitous route? The Indians at these places never visit St. Louis. Nor is there any connection which would lead them there. If an ayent to mana<»e Indian affairs at St. Louis is want- ing, then let him be apiminted. Ihit let not his juris- diction extend over persons and places remotely situated, of which he can know nothing. 13 Ii m tfii i \ t 194 IIArilAZAUD PEIISONALITIES. An important part of the duty of a superintendent is tlie distri])nti()n of the necessary funds to tlie respective agents. But St. Louis is very ineonveniently situated for tliis purpose! ; its cireulatlug medium cannot pass the ])oun(hiries of the State ; it would be wliollv useless in the southern, southwestern, and northwestern parts of the country. Remittances for these expenditures can be made from the treasury with much more ease than from St. Louis. It is the duty of an agent to license the traders, and to take care that the laws respectini!: them are faithfully ex- ecuted ; to pay the Indians their annuities, and to perform the various treaty stipulations which exist to p-rotect them in their persons and property, to prevent any persons from trespassing upon their lands, to examine and to re- dress all complaints, as well from them as from our own citizens, to carry into effect the reii'ulations and instruc- tions of the government ; and generally, by mild, fuMii, and prudent conduct, to conciliate their esteem, and to attach them to tlie people and government of the Ignited States. In the execution of these various duties it ma}^ readily be conceived how useless it would be to station an ollice at St. Louis with any power to control these agents and to report to the AVar Department. It will be much easier for the agent to report directly to the seat of government ; and the proper authority there can answer them as well as a superintendent. In fact, it is difficult to discover one solitary reason for the location of such an ofliee at that place. It is farcical to think of vesting in him authority to issue licenses throuiih the whole extent of Indian country. No tradei's embarked in this business pass St. Louis, except those destined up the Missouri. Can they travel from the LEWIS CASS. 195 northern and southern extreme of the l^nion to that phicc annuallv for the neeessarv authority to i)roseeute their trades? And when they arrive tiiere, what is known of tiieni? Why send them one tliousand miles from tlicir route to a person ignorant of tlieir eliaraeter and standing, unaecjuainted wilh the trade, and knowing Httle of its (h'tails, except in tiiat (piarter within hisown observation? Nothing is gained 1)\' this process to the government, the commissioner, or the Indians. Frauds will neither be i)re- vented nor [)unished. And the only result will be the establishment of a useless and exi)ensive olllcc, which will serve merely as a channel of conniiunica<^ion between the government and the agents ; which in all cases will in- crease and in many will double the distance and the time of comnnniication ; which will embarrass and delay the public service ; which will send the traders, at a great ex- pense, from where they are known to where they are un- known for licenses, and which will introduce confusion and insubordination into the whole department. I>ut Vv'hy is St. Louis selected as the seat of this ollice? The Indian tradt^ at that place has been greatly over- rated. The exportation of furs from IMichillimachinac is treble in quantity and still greater in value. Is tiiis trade to be turned from its natural and accustomed chan- nel to gratify any particular section of the country? Are the Indians between the lakes and the JNIississlppi, exceed- ing forty thousand in number, to be sent to vSt. Louis for the transaction of all their Imsiness? Such an eff*)rt may b(5 made, but cannot succeed. Their local situation and their habits equally forl)id it. The agents, by one of the bills, are required to make monthly reports ; and this requisition being injpracticable, in consequence of the exclusion of some of the agencies i I i 196 HAl'IIAZAKI) I'KUSONALrrihS. \m k' i; ■ It! I by the winter, it is iinpossihle U) diseover what is to be re- ported. The agent can only say, I sat l»y my fire t<)-(hiy and will to-morrow. The Indians at the approacli of winter se])arate for their hnntini;- (•ami)s. These they do not leave till si)rin«j; ; nntil then there is little to be done, and it is seldom that anvthin<«: occnrs worthy of notice. Jt has also been proposed that each trader shall sup- port !i blacksmith, provide iron, coal, cattle, farming uten- sils, and seed corn. In the nume of all that is serious, at whose expense is this to be done? The trader nnist charge it on the goods, and the poor Indians nnist ultimately pay it. Merchan- dise in the Indian country is already sullicientlv high, from the nature of the trade, and it is with ureat dillicultv that the Indians can purchase enough for their sui)[)ort. But if the traders arc to be loaded with these requisitions, it will soon be found that the most necessary articles will be placed beyond the reach of the Indians. How is it pos- sible, even at almost any expense, that anvils, bellows, blacksmith's tools generally, iron, etc., can be transi)orted in birch canoes or carried over the numerous portages upon men's shoulders ? AVho Avould undertake at any ])rice to drive cattle to the Ivocky IMountains, to the head of the JNIississippi, or to the extremity of Lake Superior? And supposing all this to be practicable and within the means of every trader, still it would be useless to the Indians. The animals would be killed, the seed corn consumed, and the fire of the blacksmith seldom kindled. The remote Indians cannot be brought immediately to adopt a system of agriculture. It is incompatible with their education and habits. The first impression nuist be made upon the Indians near our own border. They nmst see and feel the advantaues which are offered to them. And these Indians LKWIS CASS. 107 CMH procure all the necesHnry jutlcloH mucli cheaper within our Hettlcuients, than from tlie trach'rs. In fact, mH tlie iron Avork which they recpiire is nwide at the public; shops. Of the factories I have notliing to say. liut whether they Jire continued or not, it is certain that no power which cjin be applied will prevent private traders from en- terinj^ the Indinn country. Our settlements are so ex- tended that adventurers will emltark in tiiis business, and sound I'ollcy will dictate that wh:it cannot be prevented siionld b(; tolerated :ind regulated. The <>{)vernors of 'reiritoricss are ex-ofllcio superintend- ents of Indian affairs within their respective Territories. Whether a general superintending ollico be created or not, this dutv should remain. If the olllce be created, the ter- ritorial governor would be subordinate to the su[)erintend- ent. Tlie United States thus receives the service of re- spectable and highly resi)onsible olllcers in an importtint department, and this as a general bi-anch of their duty. The governors are, in fact, ngents, and conduct the Indian alTairs at the seat of their government, and have; a general superintendence over subordinate atTairs. It is dilllcultto conceive how the executive duties in a Territory can be performed without the exercise of this power. The Terri- tories are of course at the outskirts of the Union. Here our citizens and the Indians meet Collisions are i)erpet- u;dlv occurrinu', which demand the interference of some controlling authority. Injuries are connnitted and redress is claimed. There nmst be some power to wield and direct the physical force of the country, and this power must be authorized to hear and decide upon these sub- jects. In places so remote, it is also highly import.'uit that these questions should be investigated and decided hj an officer whose station would give dignity and effect i h ft I 1' I •!; ;; : ■<, r I. » 1 ! 1' w w ittil •VST: 7' f fif' 198 IIArilAZAUD PERSONALITIfiS. to his roi)r('senttitions. The Indians too, under all circum- stances, are desirous of appealing to the highest authority, and tlie representative of their great Father should be the point of union between them and their white ])rethren. This duty litis existed ever since the existence of Terri- tories, tind will be found in the ordinance of July, 187H. At the seat of government of Arkansas, at Pensacola, and at Dc^troit, some officer nuist be charged Avith these duties, and the p»ublic would gain nothing by talking from the gov- ernors their authority and vesting it in subordinate officers. It may be asked, AVliat can be done to aid the Indians? I answer, distrilMite gratuitously, to such of them as wish it, farming utensils, cattle, and seed corn ; begin with tliose upon our l)orders. Kmploy good men to teach them ; insure a mild, linn, and even policy ; give them occasionally goods, anuiuinition, and provisions ; let not their i)rejudices be shocked unnecessarily. Nor nmst we be too sanguine with respect to an innnediate result; time and experience will do much, l)ut all will be hazarded by a precipitate and injudicious policy. Very truly Lewis Cass. Wlieu, in 1821, the question was discussed about estab- lishing a land ollice in the Territoiy of JMichigan, General ("ass took an active part in designating the proi)er per- sons for the new olHces of register and receiver. Ilis c.'indidate for the former i)()sition was Charles Nc^ble, of whom, in letters addressed to Mai-tin Van Bui'cn and lU'njamin IJtiggles, he said, '•'• He is a young man of handsome tnh'uts, nntural and acquired, and with the fair- est character and best principles." The letters in question were borne ty his talking and laughing, conducted himself after the mnii- ner of a very foolish boy ; so improper was his conduct indeed, that one of the congregation spoke of him after- wards as " a disgraceful sprig of divinity." But the dan- cing days of that young man and poet came to an end ; and he is, to-day, a bishop of the Episcopal church. The ser- mon alluded to h;id a power in it I could not resist ; and, althouifh mv leanings, both as bov and man, have Itcen towards the Presbyterian form of worship, I wrote a letter to Mr. Eastburn on the subject of religion, and it is his reply which I now wish to print. AVhatever may be thought of the late bishop's imperious manners, or of his independence and church prejudices, his sermons prove him to have becm an eloquent preticher, his books displa}^ scholai'ship of n, high order, his personal friends will always sing his praises because of his kind heart and his fidelity, and the following letter will exhibit him as an earnest Bible ( 'hristian : — New YoiMv, March 2, ls:}7. 3fi/ dear young Friend^ — I hope you will not suppose me to be merely trying to make out an apology when I say to you that a succession of interruptions has hindered me from sooner addressing you on tlie interesting subject MANTON EASTIiUllN.. 203 of your spiritual welfare. Such, however, is the fact ; aud one reason of my wishing to see you was tliat I could have expressed to you in less time my thoughts and feelings, and probably with more definiteness, by a personal inter- view than bv anv written connnunication. It i>ives me sincere joy, liowever, to speak to you in any way ; but I UHist ])eijr that, if vou iind need of any further counsel, vou will lay aside all restraint and tiniiditv, and come to me as vou would to the most intimjite friend and brother. It lias pleased God to touch your heart with a sense of the vanity of the world, your own sinfulness, and your need of Christ. This is the first dawning of religious impression in your heart. Here let me impress upon you the great danger lest these feelings should l»e merely tran- sient, like " the morning cloud and the early dew." Such they will certainly be, unless followed up ])y the means of grace. Make it your earnest prayer, therefore, to (Jod that he will ])ring you to a deep lasting sense of your past sins, and that he would bring vou in gratitude and faith to lav hold inunediatelv upon the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ as the way of eternal life and salvation. In addi- tion to this, take up the liible and retid it regularly, accom- panying your reading with prayer for a divine blessing on its perusal. You Avill find, in this way, that your convic- tions will ripen into settled principles, aud that you will grow in happiness, in knowledge, in strength to oliey (lod's connnandments, and in the al)ility to pursue steadily the desj^iscd but certain road " which leadeth unto life." Allow me to suggest to 3'on, my dear sir, the expediency of your cultivating the acquaintance of one or more pious friends. Nothing is more calculated to encouraire and strengthen reliofious feelinus than this. If vou find that you increase in your interest in the great subject of reli- il 1 1 1 1 1 ^ ■ } : I : \l 1 1; j 1 1 8 f .n i\. ij ■ - I 1 ;. 4 204 IIAI'IIAZATID PERSONALITIES. •Ilt'j: i gioii, and that your knowledge becomes greater, T should recommend that you should connncnce some part in the duties of a Sunday school. Perhaps you may feel yourself unfitted for this ; l)ut there are yarious departments in the duty of a teacher, and you might 1)egin with tlie more easy. Tlie reason for my mentioninir this is that it would hrinLi you into accniaintance with some yoiniy uentlemen of de- cided C'lu'istian character, Avhose fraternal interest in you would be of great seryice, and whose occasional society would proye interesting. Another thing I would urge on 3'ou is this, to haye as little to do a.s j>o.s's/We with irreligious, worldly companions. To a certain extent a Christian is compelled to mix with the world in the daily business of life. Seek to preserye yourself from the contagion, howeyer, of eyil example and conyersation, eyen though you cannot ayoid witnessing it. And, if you haye been for some time on intimate terms with a few who are liying altogether for this Avorld, do not shake them off harshly, but so mnnage matters that 3'ou may appear l)efore them in an aspect of loye. If 3'our own views continue, these persons will, by degrees, drop off as a matter of course ; for ''how can two walk together except they be a":reed?" Of course I need not say to vou that, in no respect, should you comply with them in anything inconsistent with your present couyictions and with the light of conscience. Do not haye any compromise with worldly men. This will destroy your character at once, and will prevent God's blessing. Boldly and firmly, but modestly and Junnhht, take your own course and yield to nothino;. I should recommend you to have some religious book constantly in reading. When one is finished, take up an- other. This will elevate vour mind and warm your heart, I have, perhaps, not been (it till to the point in what I MANTON EASTliURN. 205 have said ; but you will easily perceive that, from my entire uiuicquaintance with your character and habits, I must speak to you a good deal in tlie dark. If what I have Siiid does not meet your case, 1 bei*', atfectionatelv, that y(ju will excuse me, and accept the ])W)"pose and inten- tion of my heart. It is my earnest wish to see 3'oii ; for I could say more in five mimites, in a conversation with you, than in whole sheets of letters. That God mav ])e i)leased to lead vou on to an entire \/ X ft, consecration of yourself to his service, and may at last ft. ' ft give you a phice in his kingdom of ha[)piness and glory, is the prayer of Your affectionate friend, Manton Eastburn. f That I subsequently V; iii!imu,*r ; aud the facility witli whiih he runs from bathos to pathos, aud from the broadest fun to the liigher regious of thou<;ht, ^'ive his letters au unspeakable charm. In tiiose addressed to me there are, of course, numv thills which it would not be proper for me to pul)lish ; l)ut the following disconnected extracts will give the reader an idea of my friend's qualities. The first letter he sent me after his arrival in North Carolina contained a description of Harvey's Neck, iu No- vember, 18 10, aud here is a single paragraph : — "Woods? A small rhapsody on timber. Eternal and dark, around the wide prairie-plnntatious do tliey stand; they move also ; and yet, when they have trooped it around the thousand corn anil cotton acres, all the dead hjug night with the wind, they stand all still in the morning. They have a character, too. They roar when you go into them, as nmch as to say, ' Kneel, mortal ! ' And their light green, unfading mistletoe they shake in your eye ; their moss, their long, long, very long silvery moss, of the olden time, thev skake in vour face. Hast seen the moss of a South- ern dismal? It hangs from the chins of the kinglv trees like beard borrowed from the departed C^y clops, or from their crests, like mane from a stallion behemoth. Only think of a deep woodland, all dripping, weeping ! aud that don't express it, for moss is neither butter nor tears. Jupiter may have poured an old gray cloud down upon them ; and the shreds of the wrack hang on the woods, dripping iu their cloud-bath. Glorious old woods ! Yon- der comes a cypress. He moves into my mind like the memory of a mountain. Old Monarch of the Dismal, why, he was born in the days of Cato ; he roared in the storms of the Cajsars. His court dress, like the laws of the Per- il I i .4!:,. - < ■ I 210 ilArilAZAUl) I'KUSONALrriKS. sitin, alters not. It is iiiudo of the nijjjH of jinti(iiiity, it is 8() ^niy and tiuie-«tuiiuMl. It is no (;ott^ or llovving robe^ but S(rarfs and i»ir(ll('S and tre.s.seH and heard, and sashes as j?ray as ashes lian<>iii', as ve have been created. . , . AVe are, my Charles, in the movement of a life that v ill brighten, ay, must brighten, until the smoky air of this world thins away into the atmosphere of realms eternal ! Yes, ever so. Gloria Patri, it Fih'o, et Spiritai Sancto. Amen. And when we meet in that higher and cloudless region, where not even so sinless and evanescent a thing as sleep can part us, oh, how will we live together, and discourse of time as of a shadowy, last-night's dream ! Oh, how will we live and love together, and by the power of thought and love weave combinations of bliss out of the rich deeps of eternity, until we weep (if there be tears in heaven) with ecstasv ; and because the ecstasy is innnortal ! " During the time that he was located in North Carolina, Mr. Noble made two or three summer visits to the Cats- kill Mountains ; and in one of his letters from that region, where he was sojourning with Kedney and Olmstc^ad, he gives this glowing description : — LOnS LK(}KAM) NOBLE. 211 ** Wo are just frctiii IIi<4li IVak ; this jifti'mooii we ijjot lioiiie. Wf left our Uum loom licri^ vostordav, at haU' past (»lii;lit, A. M. Wu (lined just J)el()\v tlio ])i'ak itself. — sav lifteeii liiiiidri'd feet, at least, from the suininit : and cleared up that suddenly, you may l>e sure, after we had smoked our usual ('i<;ar. Vou rememhei' our smoke under till' Perilous Kail, whei-e you hurt your knee? where I bathed in the fall itself? where we made tea? from wlu'uee you went around the eorner of the clitf, with some little fear? and then went uj) the (Jray Chasm — the Devil's ("haniher — and then j^ot u^) a wonderment at nature's stone walls and cellars, and lau;j,hed like a villain at my u[>- slip, come-down-slam? You renieuiber all, then, do you, in connection with that memorable dinner? Well, after just such another, we toiled our way up to that splendid peak of the C'atskills. Sonu^ rare climbiui*; we had of it, I tell you. When nearly up, we came to a belt of .i»ray rock, which was more than oui' match. We contented ourselves with i>etti;i<>' u[) half-way, and l)ackinsi; into some deep, narrow caverns, and puttinjz; our faces out into the clean, deep-down air, for the sake of that half-creation view which lay beneath and before us. W(^ then came meekly down again, and went around to a place where thunder and lightning usually come down. I guess; and there we scrambled up. It was all as of old, away up in that still, solemn, and serene world. The sound, the almost eternal sound of ^^inds in the lofty tlr-toi)S, above, around, ])elow you, like the munmn- of the surf, went on, us if wo li.'ul never l>een away or had never come. Wo flew around, at tirst, for a good place for wood and water. We encamped near there, down on the west side of a height. in a delightful fir grove. INIoss, like the richest cari)et, covered the rock upon which we Ituilt our fir-bough house. :^'l Mn^' h I 212 HAPHAZARD PERSONALITIES. • !i 'I ,(. , i. I ■ i i There we iite, cracked our jokes, and smoked ; talked of our own dear friends, the past and future, life and death, poetry and iniuiortality ; there we unit'jd in our full, rich service, with none to look down ujjon us but the solenui stars. Once, we essayed with torch to ascend the sum- mit and see the moon rise, but we had to go back ; torches, to see the moon rise on tlie very scal])-lock of the chief of all the Catskills, were not the thing. You see, the lir forest makes an everlasting night up there, at any time : and the exceeding chaos of the surface, although all covered with a living carpet, would not allow of our undertaking bv torchligiits an excursion of even a thou- sand feet .• . . We would see the nun rise, at any rate. We cliuibed up the loftiest of those steeple trees, the fir, and saw all creation. You should liave been there to wit- ness the scene, and then fainted, and have fallen down headlong in despair of ever seeing such another. To the east, it was a calm, sununery ocean ; to the west, it was a Pacific of most ex(piisite mountains ; and we seemed to be in the very centre of the world, with a bo.iudless pau- oranui all around the horizon." In 184;5, Mr. Noble's life in the lowlands of North Car- olina seemed to be injuring his health, and in a letter, headed '' Durant's Neck Creation," occurs this great mixture in a little space : — " I am going to cpiit this sickly lowland. It is killing my youth. O Charley, our youth ! We nmst keen it •-ft ft ' ft' L around the heart. I am here for a Aveek. This is a point of land in the golden-watered, golden-skied ^Vlbemarle. I am quite alone ; the wind blows ; the waves rip and tear their ruffled shirts all to rags. I have just come in from a long cedar point. It is a camping out of old cedars. They have concluded to stay there to jdl eternity. They LOUIS LEGRANl) NOJiLii. 213 'hey have made themselves into a big church, and huni>: thinj^s with lonij, silvery, solemn moss. Such moss I clouds of it, down the irreen boughs. Tliev can scarcely breathe or rustle ; it holds all still, while Nature goes on witii her ceaseless grace over the dew, ever sparkling upon the undying green below." In July, 1813, j\Ir. Noble left the sea-coast of North Carolinn, and with his friends, Kedney and Olnistead, yisited the mountains in the Avestern part of that State ; and the following is from one of his first letters from that region, which he siibsetpiently celebrated in his poem entitled " Angeline," and which it was my own privilege to visit and describe about five years afterwards : — " I have now ridden close on to one thousand miles in the saddle since July. You have no idea what an im- mense business it is to go over all 1 hnve "one over. Day after day to jog on in a weary motion. How tired and warm you get ! l>ut oh, the magnificence of these green, rich Alleghanies ! For weeks, now, have we ])een wind- inij from dark and shadowv vale, to vale dark and shad- owy. Now we walk side by side. Now we trot cheerfully along the vine-curtained banks of crystal rivers small ; then we toil up and up and far, far up among the trees, ' the high, airy-top ' trees of heaviest, glossiest polisli, and see thr()Ui»:h the boughs the big earth, blue and wide as the ocean, mingling with clouds and sky. Such, and a thou- sand things more of mountain kind, have been our life so long that I wish to go away to some miserable, sandy, sunny, pine-barren flat. O Charley ! you should go through this land. Here the solemn clond-heights assem- ble in one still, eternal dance ui)()n the vast plain between the Atlantic and the Mississii)pi. And while you stretch ftwav/ to the dim peaks that specti'e the vast airiuess be- 1 ;! 'i r. M\ Il » 1 1 ! if- llw 214 IIA ri I AZ A III > PEKSON ALITI ES . II M' I If^i yoiul the immense circle, of which 3^oiir summit is the centre, the eye {ihvuys at hist falls into the line of niurch where the Blue Ridge ijjoes dnrkly trooping from the countless assembly of pinnticli'S away, tivvay, lilid farewell to all its goodness. Witli regard to Newman's ''Parochial Sermons," I have rend them with pleasure and profit, and can oidy wonder liow skcJi a man could have Avandered from his earlier beliefs. n who did more than any other to mnke Nol)le a r The abid one mai churchman was ilie then Professor AMiittiniiham, li t 210 IIArilAZARD PERSONALITIES. ; ! ■ r if and he was earnestly enojaa;ed in tliat line of business, as a bishop, through all tlie intervening years. In the old days alluded to above, I used to write a good deal al)out the artists ; and, because of some opinions that I published about Thomas Cole, my friend Noble wrote to me as follows: "You do Cole real injustice, lie is a man of the most delicate feelings inuiginal)le, — a sinijuhir man in many things. I think I never knew so modest a man in my life, who has his right to be ini- modest. lie moves nmch in a world of his own ; medi- tates sublime things, which, once in a while, he uncovers for a moment ; looks forward to some great picture which will live in after ages, 1)ut which there is not love of art to appreciate now. He seems not at all pleased by usual newspaper criticisms. lie has his faults, I know ; but they are as little understood as his virtues. As to his nrs all np. I shall be glad to see him, — Sandy was always a good fellow. . . . IJnt if we are well carried and companioned on onr way by good angels, shall we not have a nice time? We '11 have some///n too. We '11 go back to boy-and-girl times. No harm in being children, I gness ; more in not being. Bag me np that man or woman for the Bosphorus, right straight off, who has lost ont of life's pockets all the popcorn of child- hood." In one of his letters, written from Glen's Falls in 18r)G, and when in one of his more sericMis moods, he tiiiis ex- claims : " The world narrows as we grow older, socially, and widens as a place of pilgrimage and troul)le and dis- appointment. I imagine the rationale of this is, that we carry along with us all our sad recollections and the re- membrances of sorrow and suffering, the sense of injured feelings and wounded pride. But our life speeds. \\\' go. The cars of life Jlf/ along the track ! By faith we jire gettuig glimpses now and then, through the thinning for- ests of eternity. Let us, let us live like men, not like fools, as the crowd are living. What scenes of desperate folly and crime are now being enacted in our country ! My God, save us from ourselves ! A war flaming and thundering on our borders seems almost the only thing to save us from the sin and crime and fierceness of our- selves ! " From a letter written in 1857, at Fredonia, I cull the followiui^ : "I am truly thankful for your free ex'jression as to the unprofitableness of my artistic and poetic tastes. They have been the evil genius of my life. But I am less in the ways of art and poesy than you suppose, and far more a plain, plodding workman in the field of God. X 3 LOUIS LEGUAND NOBLK. 221 am no more, practically, a poet ; I have scarcely written poetry for years. 1 shall most lilvely write no more. I road a litle Spenser and jNIilton. I read some of Spenser to a Bufftdo clergyman the other evening, ' Una and lier Lamb,' and he went to sleep and snored. lie was right. . . . The poetic, artistic life is behind nie ; a more sim})le woi'k-life is around and before me. I am in lieart for tiie great work of God, — over which I have nodded as the clergyman did over the poetry. . . . As you say, in your letter, we have been fricuids nearlv twentv vears. Long time in this brief and changing world. Let us, l)y all means, now cherish this friendship to the end. Be true to each other, — loving to the last. I am, I trust, wiser and l)etter tlian in the beginning of our days. And so are you. We cannot well afford to ptirt, at this advanced point of our journey. It would be poor economy." The above was written in 1857, and I am writing this in 1882, so that our friendship lasted forty-four years. Soon after the war for the Union had fairly connnenced in 18G1, Mr. Noble, who had spent so many happy days in the South, wrote to me in a most des[)onding mood. On one occasion he savs : "I have iust come home from the baptism of a dying child. Would I had died in child- hood also. Not that I am particularly unhappy ; but I would rather have had each of mv passing vears in lieaven than on earth. Who would go back for the few straws of happiness that have dropped upon his path? Who would reverse his life and walk right back on the same old track, meeting nothing but his old experience until he tumbled into his cradle? I have seen about enough of this, my native planet. Hard times make a lean salary and an anxious spirit. Let me go forward." I give the above for its originality, and not because I 222 IIAI'UAZAIID rEIiaONA LITIKS. H I in M Si'- I I Htiiu'tioii any snch nnniJinly philosopliy. My frioncl here forgot liinisclf, luul, :\s I i)rol);i]»ly nnswerod sit the time, no honest Christian nnin has any business to talk after this manner. In 18(!(J lie made a sunnner tour throiij^h New lirnns- wick and Cniiada, over one of my own l)eaten routes, and tliis was his first rei)ort on reaching home : " Had a fine time. Went tlie complete round. Came out on the St. Lawrence at JNIetis. There is a line road now from Frazer's, along the Matapedia. We caught salmon and trout in the Nepisiquit, at the eiuiin of rocks and tiie Grand Falls. Had your old canoe-men, — the Chamber- lains. 'I'hev all remember you, — said you were a splen- did fisherman. To throw a fiy for snlmon Avell is tlie art of few fishermen. I cannot do it. We cume home ])V Quebec and tlie White ^Mountains. Iljid a splendid sun- set and sunrise on Mount Washington. But, after all, you must hnve had the best of it. T prefer a more quiet life than the one we have had. Black flies, rain, leaky tents, and all that ; a great deal of rain. That kills one's pleasure." In 1^(57 he wanted me to make him a visit in New Jer- sey, and this was his way of tempting me: ''Hold a council of war ; have a h)ng talk ; light your pipes at your weekwaum's flame, and resolve. Paint up your faces ; sing your big war song, and dance your most com- plicated dance. Shake all the scalps and tro})hies of i)ast conquests, at^hieved on the bloodless p;ith of travel, and decide. And look ve, — decide on a visit to the lodire of this Chemokeman, with your squaw. This here Ne-she- nam-bam and his squaw desire to minister their biggest bowl of succotash to their brother and sister of the Great Totomac." LOUIS LK(JUANI> NOBLE. 223 Here is a bit of nonsense, betiring npon a solemn truth : — " 1 do not know wh:it to nay more. Sui)p(>s(« \ write a ' composition ' on miils. Nails are y;oo(l. Yon can lianir up smoked ])eef on nails. 'IMiev are ut a round of nightly routs is miser- able. All nonsense, this perpetual dancung ; and all wrong, these fops and beaux. A man needs a purse as long as a hose, and tilled, too, wntli money to keep a young Miss Sillv in rig for tomfool tlatterers. We know there is not the virtue of air in the talk and praise of yonng fellows. I do l)elieve women are half idiots. 1 like fun and frolic ; but just look at the solemn, and often distressed faces of i'.iese decorated asses while dancing. See their red pig- visages, as they whirl in waltzes and get dizzy. IJah ! No wonder the nation is going to the dogs, when fashion, folly, and extravagance reign. I have no respect for such a government and country as ours. I would get out of it, if I could, and live in Turkey among grave peo- ple. Pretty women for wives, — these dancing trollops. ?! '•* f V 1 ! I 1';. .11. 1. \ f! i: 1 ■ fin I: 1 •■ 224 IIAPIIAZART) PERSONALITIES. Nice men for husbands, — these wliirling, inonoy-spon(lin<^ monkeys ! IIuni])Uj^ this l)()jiste(l American people. Africa will i^ive as many saints to heaven as the I'niteu States of America. Well, I mean to spend my days in ahusino' such a land, and will find a deal of satisfaction in doinj;" it." In 1871, Mr. Noble lost his lovely dau^htiT, and his let- ters on that sad event, thouh the trial of a sur<»:i('al ()l)eration. In a note, written to ine a few hours after- wards, deseril)inh. After that nt mor(> thorns. AV'hat a sti'ange experience is this hinnai. life here ! Wliat does it all mean? AV^hat are the pur- poses of God, — all wise and all good? He will himself tell l)y and by." Uut Mrs. Noble did not recover, and in one of her husband's subsequent letters he wrote these words: "My dear wife's remains sleep by the side of Louis and Marv in the oravevard of Catskill, and her Spirit is iu the blessed rest of (iod, rejoicing in eternal light. . . . All has been to me like Avandering through a strange dark dream. ... I am out in i driving snow- storm and very poorly clad." In that last sentence, we see the evidences of a broken heart ; and it were better, for many reasons, that the cur- tain should now fall upon the life of my long-loved friend. He subsecpiently re-entered the pulpit, was settled at Ionia, ill Michigan, the region where he had spent his boy- hood. He died at that i)lace, in February, 1882, and was buried by the side of his wife and children at Catskill, in the shadow of the mountains he so dearly loved. 15 I! M M 22G HAPHAZARD PERSONALITIES. WILLIAM B. SPRAGUE. A GOOD and a gront man! Born in 1705, and died in 187(1, leaving to his country a spotless name. His '* Lectures to Young People" was one of the first books tiijit led me to think of the importance of true religion ; juul fnmi the year 1886 until his denth, I followed his splendid career with interest, and ever felt for him a sin- cere affection. In 180;"), for some reason that I have now forgotten, I sent him an article which I had written about the charming village of Stratford in Connecticut ; and the following note came to me in return : — ' Alhany, 11 November, 1805. My dear Sir, — I thank you for your kind note, and for the accompanying very interesting sketch of Stratford, which 1 shall add to a pretty huge collection of materials for some future historian of our countrv. 1 am gratified, of course, by your kind rememl)rances of me, and espe( iallv bv the intimation that anvthino; 1 have ever said or written has been of the least service to vou. I take it for granted vou are the author of the Couiires- sional l)iographies, and until this time I supposed you were my contemporary in college, having graduated in 1814 ; l)ut, on referrino- t() vour letter and the book, I (ind that your name is without the J. which belonged to the INIr. Lanman whom I knew. lie Avas from Norwich, and the son of a very eminent lawyer. I am, in^^ dear sir, with great rega"d, Very sincerely yours, W. B. SrRA(jrE. WILLIAM B. SPRAGUE. 227 lis The persons here alluded to were my father and grand- fntlior. The collection of autographs which was made by this eniineiit man was pc'ih:4)s unsurpassed hy any other in the country ; and its historical vahie was probably greatly enhanced by his acquisitions during the time that he was writing his " Annnls of thi' Americtin Ti'lpit." In 1807 he made an apjx^al to me to holp him in filling up some gaps in his " List of Letters by rromineut Politicians"; and I forthwith forwarded to him those he wanted, when he acknowledged their receipt as follows : — Albany, 1 July, 1S()7. My dear Si)\ — I am greatly obliged to you for the autograph letter of Secretary ])rowning, as well as the hoi)e which your kindness awnkenc, tliMt you may possibly, at some future time, send me a letter of the :»ttorney- ffeneral. From wlint you sav of haviuix been in a llible class under .Air. lUitler, in Dr. Skinner's church. I infer that I have misjudged in supposing that you wen^ identical with the person of vour name who was one venr before me in Yale College. I doubt not, however, that you are of the same family ; and, if so, I have had the plensure of knowing several of your relatives. With great regard, I am very truly yours, AV. Vi. SruA. Sprngue which was printed in the New York Ohspi'ver, by the devoted friend of the departed, S. Irenajus Prime. II: I 228 HAPHAZARD PERSONALITIES. WILLIAM JERDAN AND WASHINGTON IRVING. m Any event that has a tendency to recall the presence and ehai'ininsc character of AVashin«»ton Irvino; ouoht not to be nnheeded ; and the death of AVilliani Jerdan is par- ticularly suggestive on that score. The latter was born in Scotland, in 17 I'AVNE. 231 not iininiiidful of their interests. And what wonderful changes have taken phiee in New York during that period ! Its no])le citizens, Avho laid deep and l)road the foundations of its prosperity, iiave passed away by tlie Innidred ; and the story of its success, as a conunercial mart, is allied to those visionary tales of industry and opulence which have come to us from the far East. The manner in which th:i city of New York has fostered the fourth estate must ever be remembered with peculiar satisfaction ; and the Gothamite of to-day may point to the E.rjrrcs.s, the Even- ing Post, the Journal of Commerce, the Herald, the Com- mercial Advertiser, the Tribune, and the Times, in spite of their multifarious and useless politics, and safely assert that no other seven journals in the world have exerted such a widespread inrtuence througlujut all its borders. Jf, however, we were called upon to mention the one particular man who, by liis pen, has done more than all others to give New York its ])rilliant I'ejmtation, we should be compelled, and all men would acquiesce, to write the name of Washington Irving. JOHN IIOWAIM) TAYNE. "When the poet of "Sweet Home" was sojourning in Washington, after his recall as consul-general to Tunis, and before his reappointment to the same position, it was my privilege to see him frequently. He had been ])adly treated by JMr. INIarcy and Mr. Clayton, both of whom had promised their infhience for his reinstatement ; and it remained for ^Nlr. Webster, in LSol, to recognize his high character, and secure his return to Tunis. The eras of his strange life, upon which I mostly desired to hear him i 232 IIAniAZARD PERSONALITIES. K cou verse, were tliose connected with his '^ Ixniiood's lionie," where his fatlier had heen a schoolnitister, at East TTanip- ton, Long Ishiiid, and his adventures among the Indians of North Carolina. For the former })hK'e lie manifested the warmest affection, ])ut lie left it while yet a mere child and returned to New York Citv, where he was born. One incident connected with his life, which, I believe, has never been published, w^as to tliis effect : He went to the South, in a semi-ollicial capacity, when there Avas nuicli excitement in regard to the removal of the Cherokees, and as might have been expected, he espoused the cause of the Indians, so far, at least, as his sympathies could go. The result was, that he gave gretit offence to a squad of roaming " (ieorgia crackers," who liad dechired their hostilitv to the Indians. Thev arrested him, and kept him for several days as a prisoner ; and, one night, when housed in a h)g-cabin, thev held a carouse and anmsed themselves bv sinuing songs. One of tlie sonus thev sanii' was " Sweet Home," and wheii thev had finished it, they asked tlie prisoner wliat he thought of tiie music. He said, in reply, tliat when he wrote tiiat song he never expected to hear it sung under sucli peculiar circumstances. The "crackers" were astonished, and seei'ned inclined to doubt his words ; but they soon be- came convinced of the asserted fact, and with great gusto applauded the unknown poet, and forthwith told him that he was a free man, and that they would forever be his friends through thick and thin, and that if he should happen to get into trouble, he might count upon their sympathy and help. AYhen Mr. Payne was last in Washington, I was a fre- quent writer for the National InieU'i(jenc('i\ and that fact will explain the following letter which I received ; — JOHN HOWARD I'AYNK. 233 11 ■\Vasiiixgton, Jan. 26, ISoO. My dear Sii\ — Enclosed are the lines wliicli I si)okc of, with 11 roij<»;h caption, M'liich your genius may lick into presentable shape. It is essentiul that it appear as editorial. Miss Lynch was in a great hurrv when she gave me the paper, and she made one or two corrections. Slie desired me to examine the lines and the proof care- fully, and to see to the pointing and any further blunders which she might have overlooked. I am uncertain about the line, " My tomb! then from its door erelong," whether " My tomb ! when from its door erelong," has not been intended. I leave this to your sagacitv. AVill you have the goodness, when the piece appears, to send me one copy, and six to Miss Lynch ; for all of which I will pay you wheu we meet, which I hope may be speedily ? Yours most truly, Joiix IIoAVAiiD Payne. The subject of the poem here mentioned had entirely escai)ed my memory ; l)ut 1 subsequently heard from Ah-s. Anna C. L. Botta that it was entitled " Nightfall in Ilun- gary," and was ])ublished in IHf)! instead of lic, to tik. niul fascinatiii;j: tluui tliat of "hlv. (JiU'S, but it w;»s di'lliilitful iiud iiistriK'tive. Sonic luUlitioiial facts beariiii^ ou his own life, Avliicli I rcnienilu'r, wero as follows : That when a clerk in liis native citv, and only thirteen years of a<»'e, he wrote for the papers, and conceived the idea of tMlitinj^- a literary jonrnal, which was partially successful ; that his reception as an actor in New York was sinii)ly astouiidin*:: to himself and friends, but that the people of lioston were even more enthusiastic ; that he was only twenty years of a<2;e when he went to seek his fortune in Europe as a ti'aii'edian in I8I0 ; that his trauedv of " Hrutus" was written for Edmund Kcan, and produced in London in 1818 ; that while this play really saved Drury Lane Theatre from a collai)se, the amount of his compensation from that source was less than one thousand dollars; that Charles Lamb was not only one of his best friends, while in London, but frecpiently sent him a spicy letter, in one of which he said that his booksellers were constantly cheat- in«i^ him ; that while other actors were making money in London, he was on the borders of starvation ; that for a book he wrote on " The Neglected (leniuses of America," he could never obtain a })ul)lisher; that the song of "Sweet Home" was sui»i»ested to him by an air which he had heard from the lips of an Italian peasant-girl ; that it had always seemed a gri>at mystery to him that while he had done all he could to make i)leasant tlu; homes of other people, he had never been al)le to have a home for himself ; that it had always been a source of gratification to him, tliat such men as Ednumd Kean, Charles Kemble, Edwin Forrest, and J. W. Wallack had all represented some of his characters on the stage ; and that no man Inul ever been blessed with better or more devoted friends. And here, for the benefit of those fj 2.16 IIAIUIAZAUD rKIlSONALlTIES. M: W^ It: m i wlio can ai)pre('ijito un incident wliicli seems Jiliiiost ijiii(iu(; in its pathos, I su])nilt the followiiiij; : One winter nii^Iit in London, Payne was without money or credit, liad not where to hiy his head, lie tried to quiet the paii: tlu; ruins of Carthage — a death journey of several tiiousand miles — and a monument in the metropolis of his native land ! It was Daniel AVebster who sent Payne as .1 consul to Tunis, and who su])se(piently appointed K. S. Chilton to a clerkship in the Department of State ; and it is an inter- esting incident that the touching words which were for- merly on the tombstone at Tunis were written by Chilton, and were us follows : — _J 1 7" *' Sure, when th}'- gentle spirit fled To realms beyond the azure dome, ' "With arms outstretched, God's augel said, * Welcome to heaven's Home, Sweet Home."' \fh JOim IKnVAUD PA'l'NE. 237 til II y lis t'S ivc to I) :i Oll, III 1882, a, moveiiu'iit was iiuulo by William W. Cor- coran, for tlie reinoval of I*aym''s remains from 'J'nnis to the Oak Hill Cemetery in Wasliinf tiiat rare ac*t of kindness I have recorded in an nnpub- lished ])ioi;ra})hi('al sketch of IMr. Corcoran. The foUou- ine to the American nietroi)olis, where, with special lionors, they were dnly deposited, on the 0th of Jnne, 188.']. That the motive of Mr. Corcoran wjis credittil)le, on the score of liberality, and the idea poetical, none can deny, lint the parade which attiMidcd the second bnrial was out of place and unfortnnate. Tlu; mainu'r in which an inju- dicious choir, in sinoiii<>' the song* of " Sweet Home," sub- stituted for the origimd nuisic some insipid variations of their own, was a sickening mistake to me, and threw a shadow over all the proceedings. The two beautiful thoughts, mentioned to me bv JNIr. Corcoran himself, that the ashes of the poet wtM'e to find a final resting-place under a beautiful tree in his native land, and that his famous song should l>e sung over his grave, to the dear old tune which the poet loved, were both iguoi-ed by meddlesome friends. IMore than that, what should have been a beautiful commemoration, was marred by an iii- ajipropriate military parade. It is a pleasure to know, however, that when the follies of this occasion are for- gotten, the people will be glad to remenil)cr jMr. Corcoran's liberality, tne funeral oration of JMr. Leiuh l^)bins()n, and the commemorative poem written by the author of the Tunis epitaph, and from which I (piote two verses l! I 238 IIAl'IIAZAUn 1'I:H.S()NALITIE8. tliat Jirc ill every wjiy worthy of the author of " Sweet Home," lis follows : — " Here, whore Ills own loved skies o'erarch the spot, And where I'iiinillar trees tluslr bninche«> nave, Where the dear, lioiiie-born llowi-rs lie in ir^jot Shall bloom and sin d their dews upon i ■? ;;rave. Will not the wood-thnish, pausini^ In her tlight, Carol more sweetly o'er this plaee of rest? Here llnj^er longest in the fadini; light Before she seeks her solitary nest? " It was the poor and uiihaiipy Payne who wrote, " Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home'' ; and I have thought that if he could have had a voice in re<;ar(l to his fmal buritil, and had known that none were to be admitted to tJie ceremonies excepting IIk; '» who were in- vit(>(l, he would have said, " Not so ; no "^ter how poor and humble, let the common people! come ..cely, through the iron gates, to my burial." lint let his ashes rest in peace ; he is at home now, and the windows are all closed forevermore. iliiJ 'ill ' EDWAKD N. KIRK. TiTE unexpected deith, in Boston, of this distinguished and eloquent clergyman revived in my mind two or three recollections which are worth mentioning. I met him for the first time in the good old davs, when the Mercer Street Church in New York was nnder the care of Thomas II. Skinner. I was a member of that congregation, and it was there that IMr. Kirk preached a series of sei-mons which attracted immense crowds, exerted a vi'iy remark- EDWAItll N. KIUK. 239 }i])lo itifluonce, and gave liiin a position in tho front ranka of tho rr('sl)vterian cliurch as an orator. His di^nitv and learninjij, liis rare command of lanuiiajjjc and power of il- lustration, liis ]\nowli'dt^o of lunnan natnro, and l»is sinccr- itv placed liim very far in advance of tlie ";reat herd of the so-called revival preachers who have canght the puljliu ear in later days. Some of the stories coiniected with his early life are esi)ecially interesting. For example, when, in 18'2S, he was snddenly ex[)elled from a church in AU ))anv, hecause he would not submit to the dictation of certain rich men, and when he heiird that a part of tho congregation had determined to stand l»v him and huild a new church, he said, " I would go to the gates of hell with such a band of followers." At a later period, when settled over another church, his p()[)ularlty was so great that the patroon Van lJenss;daer declared that l\Ir, Kirk had doibU'd the value of his property in Albany. After he had 'irly made his mark as a revival preacher, he be- came nuj 'pular with the reprobate classes, and for that reason, and because the steeple of his church was rather queer in shape, he was called the " Pepper-box preacher." And one of the stories related of him, connected with the cause of temperance, was this : He had met a man on a country road, who was goijig home in a state of gross in- toxication. He reasoned with the poor drunkard in such earnest and pathetic terms that he became sober under tlie inlluence of his feelings, and consented to fall upon his knees, with INIr. Kirk, in tho corner of a fence, while the latter uttered an earnest prayer for restoration of the poor man to a happier condition in life. By way of illustrating the persuasive character of his ehxpience, the following incident may be related: On one occasion, Mr. Kirk made au appeal to the people iu 'I 'i if J ; 1 \ 1 ^- ^ ^ 240 nAPlIAZAUD rERSONALlTIES. ]>oluilf of some benevolent institution, the effect of which was to secure, in a few moments, a hirge amount of money. Among these who had no money at hand, l)ut who had been deeply impressed, was a charming lady whom J liad accompanied to church, and when the plate reached our pew, my astonishment knew no bounds, as I saw lier put into it all the valuables that happened to be on hei" per- son. I remonstrated with lier for her follv, bul she was obdurate. In due time, howexn-, she reconsidered the mat- ter, and on the next day permitted her father to redeem the pledges of her liberality, which he was only too glad to do. The effect of Mr. Kirk's eloquence upon my mind and feelings was probably (piite as great as upon any other person ; and ] am thankful that even the thii'd of a cen- tury has not been able to eft'ace it from my memory. My Sunday-school da3's, even at that time, were linked with a more remote period of my life, but I took a class in the Mercer Street Church, and made a desperate attempt to teach a dozen rosy little boys, i soon found, however, that I could not answer one half of their innocent but ex- ceedingly wise questions (and which I find the great divines of the world cannot answer to-day) , and so I re- signed my position as teacher and entered the Bible class. The man at whose feet I now sat as a pupil was Benjamin F. Butler, the Ex-Attorney-General of the United States, who had been one of Mr. Kirk's supporters in Albany. He wap very amiable and gentlemanly in his manners ; and when I subsequently became acquainted with his his- tory, I was filled with amazement that such a man should have been so famous a politician. Whatever became of the young people who listened to Mr. Butler's religious teachings I cannot tell ; but at the time in question there . teDWAUD N. KIRK. 241 X- •e- IB. ill y. •s; ;rc was a vounsf man in his law office who was talked about a great deiil, and who beeanie a famous general, killed a fellow-being in eold blood, and obtained the position of minister i)leni[)otentiary. The last time th:\t I had the privilege of hearuig INIr. Kirk preaeh was in lrSr)2, and at tlic little ehureh in Dux- burv, Mass. He h;id been invited to eome down from lioston for that purpose; and wl en it was ascertained that he would accept, tlie news was sent to INIarshdehl, and at the appointed time Mr. Webster, and all the friends who were there visiting him, were present in the Duxbury church. The sermon, to quote from my " Private Life of ])ani(^l AVebster," was on tlie efficacy of prayer, and was distinguished not only for its ehxpience but for its argu- ments. It dealt in nothing but pure Bible doctrines, as understood by the Orthodox church. Mr. AVebster listened with marked attention to the whole discourse, and, after the service was closed, went up and congratulated the preacher. On our return home, his conversation turned upon the sermon, and he said it was remarkable, a great effort. lie snid the arguments adduced Avei-e unanswer- able, and that if a man would only live according to the lessons of such preaching, lie would be a happy man, both in this world and the world to come. lie said, moreover, " There is not a single sentiment in that discourse with which I do not fully concur." And this remark, when appended, as it ought to be, to the sermon when hereafter published, will serve to convince the world that liis views of religion were most satisfactory. During the whole of our drive home, he conversed npon matters contained in or suggested l)y the discourse, and I deeply regret that I did not take more ample notes of what he said on the occasion. 16 >' ^ 242 IIAril AZ AllD PERSONALITIES . M^ * B A short time after Mr. Webster's death, I wrote Mr. Kirk a])out the Duxbury meethig, giving him some pir- ticuhirs, and asking for the privilege of reading the ser- mon on the death of Webster lie had just delivered in Bos- ton, and which I thought might be gratifying, and the following reply was the result : — "Is it possil)le I had the privilege of proclaiming the Gospel to that noble spirit the last time he ever heard it from the pulpit? I should like at some time to sa}' some things about it in conversation, which are not worth put- ting on paper. The situation was full of temptation to me. I never so revered any human intellect. I never felt so conscious of mv own intellectual weakness before anv human hearer. And vet I felt great delight in com- muning with such a mind aljout those lofty themes. For months had Mr. AVebster l)een the su'^jcct of my prayer, and I received from God the opportunity of preaching to him as a favor ; because I loved him, and knew some avenues to his heart, to introduce Christ's precious Gospel to it. " The little book I send you contains the sermon on Prayer, which you heard in Duxbury. It is not prepared for the press. Therefore I commit it to your friendly care and literary taste, to defend it at least from a shabby appearance before the world. The other sermon I send, as you request. But that is likewise luifinished. The closing part is from an old sermon. The other part was written after nine o'clock on Saturdav evening, and therefore nuist be crude. Webster's death was not my subject, but the occasion of its salvation ; and it made the solonn atmosphere which predisposed the audience to a very favorable rece})tioii of it, " You will see, in the close of the sermon on Prayer, ELISIIA KENT KANE. 243 L Mr. Webster's luinic. It was striking to nie to have his naiiu! on the face of my sermon, and tlie mi.ii himself l)e- fo'-e me. Of course, 1 could make, on tiiat occasion, only the most vague alhisions to him. But my scene was that of ' the ni[)\\ to Ilayne.' l*lease take care of my poor manuscripts. They are ii clergyman's stock in trade. " Boston, Oct. 29, 1852. "P. S. I confess to an enthusiasm, that lias reached the weakness of envy, when J thought of you • i)rivilege in enjoying such a friendship. Partlon the wrono." Mr. Kirk, who honored tlie title of doctor of divinity, was })orn in New York, graduated at Princeton, was the autlior of live books and a large number of sermons pub- lished in pamplilet form, iiad at heart for many years tlie cause of the Evangelical Society, was for a time a regular preaclier in the city of Paris, and died at the good old age of seventy-two. i ELISIIA KENT KANE. Elisiia Kent Kane was unquestionably one of the most remarkable men of his age. Having published a review or synopsis of his later and more important discoveries,* 1 have thought that a few particulars about the man himself, and a short account of his earlier exi)l()its, miuiit be acceptable to my readers. Wliat little I ha\e to say is uttered in a spirit of patriotic satisfaction, and yet I can- not divest myself of the thought that our Arctic hero has gone altroad (this was written while the doctor was still * See Evenings in my Library. i: 244 II A 1*1 1 AZ AKI) PERSONALITIES . i ! Ill I > living) for the restoration of Lis lieiiltb, which has been pronounced exceedingly precarious. Indeed it is thouglit by some that he may never again be permitted to see his native hmd. Such a fate would be most deeply lamented, and 1 must cherish the hope that lie will not only return, but live to spend many hapi)y and i)eaceful years in the land where his name has become a nmch-loved household word. Dr. Kane was born in Philadelphia, on the 3d of Feb- ruary, 1(S20, and graduated at the University of Pennsyl- vania, in 1843, first in the collegiate and subsequenth^ in the medical department ; and when he started upon his active career of adventure he was esteemed a good classi- cal scholar and a good chemist, mineralogist, astronomer, and surgeon. His frame, even from boyhood, was deli- cate ; and with a view of strengthening his constitution, he solicited an appointment in the navy as surgeon, and obtained it, and was attached to the first American em- ])assy to China. This position gave him op])ortunity to ex[)lore the Philipi)ine Islands, which he elfected nuiinly on foot, lie was the first man who descended into the crater of Tael, lowered more than a hundred feet by a bamboo ro[)e from the overhanging cliff, and, clambering down some seven hundred more through the scoria', lu' made a topographical sketch of the interior of this great volcano, coUei^ted a bottle of sulphurous acid from the very mouth of the crater; and, although he was drawn up almost senseless, he brought with hiin a sketch of this hideous cavern and the wonders which it contained. Re- fore returning home from this remote expedition, he had ascended the Himalayas and triangulated Greece on foot; he had visited Ceylon, the U'pper Nile, a'.d all the myth- ologic region of Kgypt ; traversing the route, and making fi *i ■■ . *lif! r ELISIIA KENT KANE. 245 the acquaintance of the loarneil Lepsius, who was tlion prosecuting his arcluvolouifal researches. He also trav- ersed Greece on foot, and returned to the United States tluouiili Europe. Soon after his arrival he was again ordered on dutv, this time to tlie western coast of Africa, lie now atteuipted to visit the shive marts of Wliychdi ; but, iiaving taken the Afriean fever, he was sent home in a preeivrious state of health. He recovered, however, and we lu'xt (iud him a vohniteer in the Mexican war. His adventures in Mexico proved liim to l)e the possessor of hon-lil\e courage, and of a most generous and nol>le heart; but he fell a victim to one of the fevers of tlie country, and was verv near dving. When, he recovered and re- turned, he was employed in the Coast Survey I)ei)aitmeut, from which Ik; was transfei'red bv the Secretarv of tiie Navy to the post of surgeon on the (irinnell Arctic expe- dition. Ills iiistory of that expedition gave him a high position as an author. Not yet satisfied, however, he scarcely gave himself time to recover from the hardships of that cruise before he set on foot the second Ciriu- nell or Kane expediiion ; the results of which have been j)ronounced by the highest European authorities as among the wonders of the presiMit century. That Dr. Kane has accomplished much for the honor of his country is acknowl- edged l)y all men of all parties ; and, at the last session of Congress, the House of Representatives passed a resolu- tion for the purchase of fifteen thousand copies of his valuable work, the Secretarv of the Navv haviuij inves- tigated the whole subject, and suggested the propriety of passing the resolution. 'I'h it resolution is now l)efore the Senate, and we are pleased to learn that, in spite of their ideas of retrenchment, manv senators think Dr. Kane's appeal a peculiar one, and it is quite probable i large ma- Ei ^ 246 HAPHAZARD PERSONALITIES. : mil joritv of thein aro in favor of the resolution.* Contrary to an oi)ini(>n that we have seen expressed, we are glad to be able to state that very much the lari^est pr()[)<)rtiun of the })rolits of the work will go into the hands of tlu exi)lorer. AVhen we renienil)er the character of his great discoveries, and tile fame he has so justly acquired, and tlien tliinlv of liim worn to a skeleton by diseases contracted wliile Iicroic- aily serving his countrv ; vesterdav, as it were, (|uittin<>- Iiis liome to find health in England, and to-dav sailing for a more genial clime in the same pursuit, — we cannot but believe that it would rejoice ):is heart, and do nnich towards re- storing his health, to leai-n that the government of his country had recognized his services in some sul)stantial manner, whereby the remainder of his life might be spent in pleasantness and peace. Numerous learned societies, says a c<)ntemi)orarv, and the whole body of savants, with Humboldt at their head, and all the commercial nations, with the Knglish admiralty in the van, have loudly de- clared their generous appi-eciation of Dr. Kane's labors, and by llattering testimonials have sought to do honor to the gallant American exi)lorer. When I i)enned the foregoing, the heroic Dr. Kane was on his way from Kngland to Cuba ; and, in the city of Havana, on the I (5th of February, 1857, he breathed his last. His mother was with him, and he died a Chris- tian. The Si)anish authorities manifested their son-ow by every suitable demonstration, and his remains were brought to his native city, through the (iulf of Mexico, up the JNlississippi and Ohio Kivers, and over the mountains; the inhabitants of every city on the route doing all in ill* * Note. — The book resolution did not pass, but another was adopted awarding a medal to the explorer. ELISnA KENT KANE. 247 their power to honor his ineinoiT. Ilis remains arrived in Phihidelphia on the 11th of JMarcli, and the obse(j[uies took phiee on the following day. The entire city was in monrniii"", and there were manvdistiniiiiished men from all pjirts of the eonntry who participated in the sad cere- mony. The funeral car was surmounted by a canopy and tlome, having the flags of England, France, Spain, and the United States at the corners. The prominent gentlemen who attended it as pall-bearers were, of course, objects of interest ; but no persons in the line excited more gen- eral attention than the surviving conu'ades of Dr. Kane, who followed immediately after the remains of their late commander, bearing among them the weatherbeaten flag of the " Advance." This party was led by William Morton, a name which will be familiar to all who have read the account of the last Arctic expedition, under the command of the lamented Kane. Mr. JNIorton was born in Ireland, but left his native land at a very earlv a2;e, and has now been in America about seventeen years. He first became ac- quainted witli Dr. Kane in California, and after one voy- age to the I'olar Seas, jcnned the Arctic ex[)edition under the doctor, and on the ill-fated " Advance." Mr. Morton was the one who volunteered with the Esquimaux boy to go north in searcli of tlie open sea ; and after a circui- tous and fatiguing route of three hundred miles, dragging their sledges over the icebergs, the great Polar Sea was discovered. He is the only living white m;in who has ever seen the great open Polar Sea, whose waters wash the icebergs of the far-distant north. He is now but thirty-five years of age, and has the appearance of one who could well undergo the fatigues of an Arctic winter. s M ■u "•"aii i; I t ( i I 248 HAPIIAZAIll) rEllSONALmES. i it L ■ i t 1^ 1 Ml The religious services took place at the Second Pres- bytei'iiui Church. Tliey were preceded ])y the singing of a hynni ; and tlie prayer was pronounced by the Kev. C'. W. Sliields, after which the remains were conveyed to Laurel Hill for interment. Sliortly after my review was i)rinted, and just l)ef()re Dr. Kane took his departure for Kuroi)!', I was lic^nored and nnicli gratified by receiving a handsomely bound auto- grapli co[)y of tlie " Explorations," accompanied by the following note : — riiiLADELriiiA, Sept. 27, ISriC). IFy dear /S/?', — I beg that you will accept these volumes simply as indications of my personal kind feeling and respect. The o])ligations under which 3'onr able pen has placed me 1 fully acknowledge ; and I sincerely hope that you will give me an opportunity of reciprocating them. Very truly and sincerely yours, E. K. Kane. On the very day that the foregoing letter was written, Mr. George AV. Cliilds wn*ote me as follows : "Dr. Kane has just returned home, and is completely broken down in health. He says, ' his book, poor as it is, has been his collln.' He is nervously awaiting your review, and will write you after he has seen it. He comes in this morning to put your name in one of Ash- mead's copies. As a last resort, to build up his health, he leaves for Europe in a week or two. He is suffering from scurvy." As the success of Dr. Kane's book was something remarkable, even for these days of remarkable events, \i r ELLSIIA KKNT KANE. 249 i' the following letter from his puhlisliers, mhlresHed to tlie writei-, limy be worth printing ns a frjigiiieiit of literary history : — PniLADKLl'IIIA, Oct. 14, 1850. Mil dear Sir, — Dr. K:nie left for Europe on Sutunhiy, and we hardly expect to see him again, as his health seems almost past recovery. Nothing has ever given him more pleasure than yonr kind review. He spoke of it feeUngly the last night he spent in this conntry ; he only tlioiiglit you had given him too much credit. Indeed, the review could not possibly be better, and will l)e of immense influence in regard to the reputation and sale of the work. It will tone the press everywhere. We ordered five hundred copies of the Jnte/Iifjencer ; and the review has gone to all the Arctic scholars of Europe, and will be read and coiiied everywhere. In great haste. Truly your oljliged friends, ClIILDS & PKTKKSOTsr. In another letter which Mr. G. W. diilds sent me, he informed me that Dr. Kane had left directions that one of the guns which he had used in the Arctic seas should be presented to me ; but I never received it, which, of course, was a great disappointment. In another letter, alluding to a notice I had pul)lished in London, Mr. Childs wrote me as follows : " The review in the Athenceum is of great moment, as it will tone a certain portion of the press here." On the 2i)th of Sep- tember he sent me the following : — "Your kind note and review were duly received. Dr. Kane has just read it, and is exceedingly gratified ; he |t I; ( i < - - N ' it : ..ti ■-'. ^^i \ ■ i 'I1 250 IIAI'IIAZAIin rKUSONAMTIEfl. I . <1 will write von on the snbiect. lie luis IimikU'cI nie a lottor. wliit'li lie wrote yon before rcsicliii}^ the review. I will send it to-morrow, t<\i2;etlier with your iintogniph copy of his work. I send two copies, and if yon want more let me know. "We feel deeply indebted for your great kindness, and hope von will let me serve vou in some way. 'J'he review is all and even more than we could possibly exi)ect. In a literary point of view it is excellent, and the doctor thinks you have given him too much ( it-dit. "Where are the live hundred copies? Wo are very mnch in want of them. " With many thanks, Truly yonr friend, " Geoiuje W. Guilds." (( V li'^ • !P > 'i i ■ ■Mi i 1 ! GEORGE W. BETIIUNE. It is with rare pleasure, indeed, that I remember the occasional sermons which I was wont to hear from the lips of this ehxiucnt divine ; but it was not my good for- tune to know him persomdly. I record the circumstjuice with thankfulness, however, that he recognized my friend- ship by presenting me with a coi)y of his published ser- mons ; and when, in 1\t Lake George. The friend who was always my eom[)aiiion theiv, the man whom I loved best, and as wliom I ean never love niiin again, is sleeping in sacred rest, till the illustrious morning l)r(':iks. lit; is associated with every nook and island of Lake Cileorge, and J can li.-h there no more. If vou go there, let me recommend you to lodge at lluliitifs on the east siiU; of the lake, just behjw the Narrows, where the bass lishing, now nowhere very go(jd, is best. I was among the Thousand Isles of the St. Lawrence last summer. When you visit that river, go l)y all means to Alexandria Ba//, and enjoy two days of fishing, one iov 'pich't'cl with the Hpoon. Conroy c:in tell you what it is, and the lishermen there (Cirillin, though a s:idly profane dog, is the best) will supply you ; only t:>ke with you a couple of strong, thick trolling liMnd-lines. For the bass, another day will hardly suP.ice. Use for them a fly on the ordinary-sized lake bass-hook, made with scarlet cloth, wings and body, fastening on a bit of forked pickerel's tongue, by passing through the hook nntil it will iiang currents, \' t(j forty If 1 and vou lijijhtlv from the bend. Play it anion" round tlie points of islands, ^ith yards of silk line, f rom a twi .u* will say that even trout lishing ;in h;* -ily excel it. You are no doubt aware that in August 1 n> bass run close to shore on rocky bottom. Perhaps such advice to y< ' is like carrying coals to Newcastle ; but I give it as n< to myself last summer. There is also a good trouting .ud \ QKoiu.i: ^y. iii;tiii:ni:. 253 ut the licjul of Siilinoii lllvcr, IJicliru'ld, Oswej^o Coimty, about tliiity iiiili's from Home, on tho rosul to ()gmit, with a few later facts, the following particulars : He was born in Gniund, Wiir- temberg, May 24, 1816 ; and, when a mere child, his parents emigrated to this country, settling in Philadelphia. During his bovhood he bore the name of P_^manuel Gott- leib, but subsequently abandoned the second name. In that city he received the rudiments of a good education, and acquired the preliminary knowledge of an art which he fancied f r "m his earliest bovhood. It was while attend- ing at tue bed of his sick father that he first began to uraw, by way of beguiling his leisure moments. In his fifteenth year he produced a portrait, which was his first effort in oil ; and his first composition piece was the figure of an Indian contemplating the setting sun, which won for him the friendship of Edward S. Carey, and eventually resulted in his illustrations of the poems of William C. Bryant, one of which, " The Catterskill Falls," is, in my opinion, unsurpassed for its exquisite beauty and senti- ment among the productions of that class. Jn 18;JG he visited AVashington, under orders from a Philadelphia pub- lisher, for the purpose of painting portraits of certain fa- mous men ; but, as the project failed, he bolted for the interior of Virginia, where, as a wandering painter of por- traits, he remained until 1841. In the early part of that year, assisted by his friend E. L. Carey, he went to Eu- m 256 HAPHAZARD rKllSONALITIES. IJ< rope, studied for a time as a i)upil of tlie famous Lessing, iu Dusseldorf, visited the most celebmted giiUeries of art between London and Constantinople, won and married a German wife, and finally settled down to hard work in Dusseldorf. Tlie kindness of the German heart to stran- gers, and espeeially to Americans, aiid the German blood in l)is veins, naturally caused him to fraternize with the artists and people of Dusseldorf, so tliat he imu ediately felt at home ; and, during his several lengthened sojourns in Europe, that city was alwa^'s his lionie. AV'ith the types of national character in Pvurope he became sutliciently well acquainted to grapple successfully with any idea that suggested itself to his mind ; and among the European subjects which lie depicted with rare skill and power may be mentioned the following : " Henry VI 11. and Anne Boleyn," "The Court of Queen Elizabeth," " The Puritan and his Daughter," "The Iconoclasts," "The Amazon and her Children," "The Image Breaker," " Columlms before the Council of Salamanca, ' "Columbus in Chains," "Columbus before Ferdinand and Isabella," "John Knox and (^ueen Mary," " Landing of the Northmen in America," "Cromwell and bis Daughter," " Knight of Syme," " Fred- erick the Great entreating his Father's Pardon," " Milton before Cromwell," " Ilaleigh in Prison," and "Venetian Maskers," together with a variety of purely imaginative illustrations of the poets. Many of the above pictures were purchased by patrons of art in this country ; but, while the artist's American friends were pleased to know that he was accomi)lishing so mau}'^ admirable things illus- trative of E'lropean history, many of them publicly ex- pressed their regret that he shoidd have so cou>pl(»tely exiled his pencil as well as his person from the land where he spent his boyhood. 1 EMANl'KL LKUTZE. 257 h1- oll ut, low IIS- 'K- lely lere . But in thus censuring tlie young artist, tliose wlio knew him not were doing liini ii wrong. The trutli was, at that very period, instead of forgetting Jiis adopted country, Leutze was studying ahnost nothing hut its liistory and cliaracteristics, aniniated l)y tlie noble and the single hope that he would yet he al)le to portray, in a worthy ni:inner, ui)on his canvas, some of the more splendid e\'ents of its liistory. After making two or three prolonged visits to this country, he fintdly settled in New York in 1851>, where he continued to reside until a few mouths before his death, Avhen he came to "Washington to carry out, in a quiet studio, certain extensive plans in regard to one or two pictures con- nected with our I'acitic possessions. Several years before he entered u[)on the execution of his American pictures, he i lentified himself, in a most credital>le manner, with the liistorv of South America, by ])roducinut a full account of Leutze's productions cannot even be catalogued in this brief letter, and of course this is not the time nor place to enter upon an nnalysis of his exalted genius. That he was an artist of very superior ability has been acknowledged by the best European and American critics; and that he was remarkably industrious is proven by the large number of his pictures extant, a majority of which are owned in this counti'v. His personal appearance and nervous manner denoted him a man of genius, and his attainments as a scholar were decidedly creditable ; bu<^, gifted as he was in intellect, he was also a man of rare physical courage and endurance, as V:2 following incidents will illustrate : He once accomplished, within the limits of a single day and unattended by a guide, the ascent of one of the highest mountains of Switzerhind ; and, although he suffered ex- v^eedinglv from fatigue and cold and thirst, he returned to his lodgings in the valley without the least injury. On another occasion, when about to j(jurney down the Rhine, ♦ .. ::!iiAULKS iii<:AVYSEfip:. 2no the little Unit in which he was to sail went off without liini ; whereupon, as tlie case was urgent, he reeldessly jumped into the water and attempted to swiin to the boat. It was in tlie month of October, the water was bitter cold, and that portion of the Eliiue was a contimial wliirlpool or r.'ipid. The result was tliat the current o])tained the mas- tery over him, and swei)t him down the stream a distance of /re miles, when he regained tlie boat, which had been detained by an accident, and was taken on board in safety. iMy present o])ject, however, is not to inchte a biography of the himented Leutzt;, l)ut simply to throw a wre^ith of "sorrowing rue "upon his grave, betokening my acbnira- tion and love for one who, as an artist, was witho.it a suix'i-ior, in many particulars, either in this or any other counti'y. ir ^ CHARLES IIEAVYSEGE. This is the name of the only well-known poet identified with Canada, and he is one whose intellect, in some par- ticulars, is not surpassed in North America. In 18G0 the writer of this paper prepared a notice of him for the New York Eceninrf Post, which was the first recognition of him published in this country, although, throuj^h Na- thaniel Hawthorne (then in England), a criticism^on liis poetry had appeared in the " North British lieview," two years before. In the "Atlantic Monthly" there suljse- quently appeared another review of the new poet, written by Bayard Taylor. The tone of this criticism was kind, manly, and appreciative, but in regard to matters of fact connected with the personal history of the poet it contains a few errors, which I think proper to correct. Eor doing this I have two reasons : the poet has honored me with |4 . \i\ IVlii •■J 200 1 1 A ril AZ ARD rKllSONALITI ES . V' liis correspoiuk'iice for several yeiirs past, and my admira- tion of his a1)ility borders on enthusiasm. He resides in Montreal. By the ])eople generally of that goodly city he is spoken of as a cal»inet-maker, l)iit until recently he has been in reality a carver of wood ; ])y men of cultivation who know him, or liave read his works, he is recognized as a true poet, lie was l)orn in the county of Yorkshire, England, in 181G ; .>as reared by a religious mother; received a limited education, and, from the age of nine years until quite recently, it has Ixien his lot to la})or at his trade, usuallv from ten to thirteen hours dailv, and with few intervals of relaxation. In 1843 he was married ; in 18;")3 he emigrated to Canada and settled in JNIontreal, and is at the present time, 1870, connected with the daily press of that city. Though always a close oTiserver of man and nature, and ever feeling the strivings of i)<)etry within, he has been deprived almost entirely of those opportunities derived from leisure and books which are deemed indis})ensable to tlic moulding or iHrnrislnnoit of tlu; intellect. What time he hnd to spare has been devoted to the study of the Bible and Shnkespeare. In a literary sense, fortune hns liitherto been to him only a stei)-m()ther ; but his skies are now briuhtening, and it nnist be that the time is at hand wlien he is to be everywhere acknowledged as a poet. In speaking of his most elaborate production, the ''North British Review "says that ""it is indul)ital»ly one of the most remarkable English poems ever written out of (Jreat Britain," and one of its characters is said to be ''de- picted with an imaginative veracity which has not been ecpialled in our language by any but the creator of Caliban and Ariel." Nor is the " Atlantic ^Monthly " less compli- mentary, for it says, in regard to his last production, T W r wasmm CIIAKLKS IIKAVYSEGE. 201 :: *' Much of it iniul.t liave l,eeii writtcMi by n contoinporMrv of Shukespoure " ; uiul, in view of his ability, that - never was so nnicli ii^enuine power so lon^jr silent.'' The first i)()em publishcKl by m. IFeavyse^re was a ju- venile effort, entitled -The Keyolt of Tartarus," wincli \ourr an-o (lisappoarcd from public view. Ilis second ap- pearance was as the author of fifty som.ets, published, hke tlie foregoing, anonymously. Tiie subjects thereof arejiigh toned and various, :n,ut inere flights of fancy are not all that we find o-ood HI these sonnets, for, after an allusion to the dawning day, we have the followinti- : — m mcyi I 2G2 lIAPILVZAin) I'KKSONALITIES. "So optMis, lovel3s liuinan life: The infiint at tlie breast The coiiutt'rpart is of that ray Now I)rc'akinijC in tlic cast. So many a i)roject opens fair; So iiiany a fair intent ; So cacli has in liis life's career One l)ri^ht occasion sent; ]}ut none can in tlic niijjht of a<^e Ketrieve a life misspent." Tt is due to the untlior, liowevcr, that wo .should _]»t" : — " Wliy shonUl I die, and leave the ethereal night, Moonlit, star-sprent; this canopy of blue ]Jlotted forever from my cancelled sight. Its lofty grandeur, and its peerless hue! AVhy should I die, and leave the glorious day, Sun-l)athed, and llannng in the boundless sky? Why shall some nun-row to the iiving say, ' His ear is stopped, and ever closed his eye'? Tell me, oh! sadness, speak, and tell me why. Ever to sleep, and hear no more the sound Of rival nations marching to their goal ; To be condemned beneath the stolid ground To rest unconscious while new eras roll: Oh! art thou mocked not? tell me, tell me, soul." ill " The stars are glittering in the frosty sky, Rank as the pebl)les on a broad sea-coast; And o'er the vault the cloud-like galaxy Has marshalled its innumeral)le host : Alive all heaven seems ! with wondrous glow Tenfold refidgent every star a[)pears; As if some wide, celestial gale did blow And thrice illume the ever-kindled spheres. l. CHARLES HEAVl'SEGE. 2G3 How awful is the u'v^ht when thus it comes! How terrible tlie ;j:raiuleiir of its fjloom, When, in one visit, recklessly it sums Glory a whole dull aye could scarce consume. Methinks in heaven there's revelry to-night, And solemn orgies of unknown deliglit." Tlio third and far more important of our poet's prodiio- tiuMs was " Saul : A Drama in tliree Parts." As the title iudieates, it is fouudeduix)!! the cart'cr of tlie great Heljrew king, oeeui)ies no less than fourteen acts, and makes a vohime of three hundred and twentv-ei'>ii't octavo i)a<>os. It was first pul)lished in jMontreal in 1857, and a seeond edition in l.S;VJ. Tiiough very long, no lover of genius can read the first act of the drama without reading to tlie last page ; and mimerous as are the scenes and characters portrayed, the unity of its purpose will be apparent, and the artistic yet simple management of the wliole cannot but elicit admiration, ^lany passages remind me of the older English dramatists, and since the appearance of "Pliilip Van Artevelde" and "Ton," I have met with nothing in modern dramatic literature which has afforded me the real enjoyment I have derived from " Saul." It is not wanting in dramatic effect, though some conven- tional critics might find fault witli certain passages on this score, and it is remarkal)ly free from the mannerism and egotism so common in similar productions. 'Die author displays a most delicate appreciation of inanimate nature, lias a strong sympathy for the ordinary feelings of hunnmity ; and there is no sameness or monotony in his delineations of human character, lie seems to have emulated the master minds of the past, and gives us les- sons of deepest import without sanctimonious pretensions on his part. 204 IIArilAZAUn PERSONA LITIKS. To a messengei' who had cxprcssi'd the liopo that Saul would not fjiil luH people in hattle, he gives utterauce to these clarion words : — "Let the morn full to l)rejik ; I will not break My word. Haste! or I 'm there ])eiV)re you. Fall I Let the morn tail tlie otist; I'll not fail you, But, swift and silent as tlie streamiiiii; wind, Unseen, approach; then, ;j;atherin,i? up my force At (lawnin;j:, sweej) on Annnon, as nifj:ht's l)last Sweeps down from Carmel on the dusky sea." Before a battle the king thus moralizes : — < *' Boy, hr'uVfi; my arms ! not now we '11 moralize, Althouiih to li^ht it needs that some must fall. When tliis day's work is done, and serious night Disposes t') rellection antl gives leisure, We will review tiie hours of the past slaughter; And, while around, to heaven ascends a dew Distilled from 1)1()0(1 now throljbiug through its veins, Sorrow for whom we nmst." , ■ , - ^ - -I ■ ■. " And wdien flushed with victory, with what a splendid thought does he conipliinent the valor of his people : — " But let us sheathe these trenchant ministers ; For, by the souls for whom they have hewn a passage Unto some far, mysterious gehenna, Or to the tronl)led s»'pulchre of the air, They have well done." Further on, after commenting upon the bravery of Jona- than, Said thus speaks : — " The vulgar, to whom courage is not native, And who have not acquired, by proud traditions, The fear of shame and dainty sense of honor, Must by religion's rites obtain the valor Which best is carried ready in the heart." I 4 % 1 i ^ « % CITAI{M:s IIKAVVSKr.K. 2«rj Tho fortuiu'H of war luivo tunicd noainst the kiiiir ; niul, in the followiiio; how like the brokeu-hearted Lear does ha bewail his fate : — . " Home, home, let us, dislionoml — home, if there Be yet for us a home, Jiiul the rhilistines Drive us not forth to iniseral)le exile. Will they allow us, like to a bre.'ithedharo Spent, to return and repossess our fonii? Will they endure us in (Jiheuh? or must we Discover some dark dtm on Jvebanon, And dwell with lions? or must we ivith foxes Burrow, and depend on cunnini; for our food? Better with lions and with foxes mating', Than be companions of the brood of Israel; Yea, better with the hill wolf famishin,i,s Than battenint? with the drove that fonns the world." I' ■: 1 i The cvoiieral scope of this drama is in keopincr with the lii))le liistory of Saul and the leadino- persona^res asso- elated with hlni ; but of course the filling up, as it might be termed, Is all original. The boldest attempt of oun>oet, ^ , -„.i. ,_ ..iv.vAii.^iiig oijpuiuuiunu enaracters ; and ill one or two of his evil spirits he has been emhumtlv successful. Indeed we fully concur with the " North lirlt- ish lievlew" wIkhi it says that '' sehlom has art so well per- formed the ofhce of handmaldeu to religion as in the extraoi-dinary character of i\[alzah, In whom we liave the disembodiment of the soul of the faithless, sophistical, brave, and generously disposed king of Israel, and a most impressive poetical exposition of the awful truth, that he who is not wiiolly for God is against Iilm." Soon after the horrible death of Agag, two demons make their a])pearance in the drama, when one of them, satis- fied with what he had witnessed, suggests to his compau- ( : u ; I B^^"^ 2or> IIArilAZAlU) rKRSONALFTIKS. ion tlijit tlioy should rotiini to hell, when tlio other replies us follows : — *• Stay ! for the road thereto is yet encumbored Witli tlu! dcscciuliiij^ spectrcM of the killed. 'T is said tliey choke hell's jjales, and stn toll from tlicncc Out like a ton^jue upon the silent gulf Wherein our spirits — even as terrestrial ships Tliat are detained l)y foul winds in an ofllng — Linj^er, perforee, and feel broad j;usts of sij^hs, That swing them on the dark and billowless waste, O'er which come somids more dismal than the boom, At midniglit, of the salt flood's foaming surf, Even dead Amalek's moan and lamentation." In kecpini>; with the :il)ove, which would l)e a fit subjeet for the pencil of Dorc, on the score of liorror, is tlie sub- joined solilo(iuy, uttered l>y vSaul when first fully possessed by his evil si)irit, ]\I:dzah : — •'What ails me? wliat impels me on until The big drops fall from olf my brow ? Whence comes This strange allliction? Oh, thus to be driven About! I will stand still: now move me aught That can. Ali. shake me thing; siioVo irjo -vgnin, Like an old thorn i' th' blast ! 'T is leaving me ; Oh, that it were forever! Oh, how long Shall this fierce malady continue tliese Dread visitations.? See, 't is here again! What's here again .' or who.? Here 's none save I ; And yet there's some one here. 'T is here, 't is here, Within my brain : no, it is in my heart — Within my soul, where rise again black thoughts And horrible conceptions, that from hell Might have come up. All blasi)hcmies that my ears Ever heard; my horridest ideas in dreams; .„... And impious conceits, that even a fiend Mcthinks could scarcely muster, swarm within Me, rank and black as summer flies on ordure. 1 4h 1 .r I CIlAliLKS IlKAVlSlCCiE. 2G7 m es 4f, ct I). Oh, wlmt ji (U'li this moment is my l)ro!iHt ! How cold I fuel, liow cruel and invitli(ms! Now let no cliild of mine api)r()iich me ; neither Do tlioii come near to m(;, Aiiinojim, The motlier and the wife I dearly love; For now the universe appears one Held On which to spend my rancor. Oh, disperse, Fit, nor return with thy o'erwhelmin;; sliadows! Oh, that it would be gone, and leave me in My sorrow ! Surely 't is enou,i,'h to live , Tn lone despair. To rei;;n is care enou.i,di, Even in rudo health; ))Ut to l)e harassed thus ]Jy an unnanuHl alfection — ami why harassed? Oh, why am I tlius harassed? I have heard Of wretcluts rajj;inuf under sharp remorse; Of cruel monarchs, in their latter days, Falliiii; a prey to an accusiui; conscience; But why sliould I, wliose faults smite but myself, ]5e thus tormented ? " A foAV pao'tis furtluM' on, and after Saul lias rocovorod from one of lii.s dreadful paroxysms, lie lias an intervii'W with Ills pliysic'iau, and a part of that dialogue is too ])athoti(.' to oniit in this coiiiiuhition ! — Time is the skilfidlest Physician, and tenderest nurse. But memory is time's detller. To know is not to sutler Always; for wronj?s, like men, jjrow weak when old-- But I'm too bold, your majesty. I have heard say That, toward the west, a people live believing There is a river that can wash the past From out the memory. I 've travelled 'mongst them : But they l)elieve 'tis only after death That those dark waters can avail the spirit; i'uysician. Saitl. PllVSICIAN. Saul. Physician. m- 1 I i; ' _■ l: I 2G8 Saul. Physician. Saul I'lIYSlCIAN. Saui.. IIAriIAZARl> PERSONALITIES. Whicli, losinji: tlie remenibnince of past evil, liesiijiis tlierewilli the riemory of past i^ood. I ask not such olylivion ! But lu'St nothing That can avail a mortal whilst he lives ! What are the dead to thee? Your majesty, Here I cannot help yon ; I have no opiate 'I'hat can assiia.ice the anguish of the spirit; Nor sul)tlo, line astrin;i;cnt, is there l\nown Can binil the wanilerini;s of a lawless fancy ; No soft, insimmting balsam that Can through the body reach the sickly soul, llast naught, the.i, in thy dispensatory.? T 've sedatives, narcotics, tonics, too — Give me a tonic for the heart. n As 1 hnve iiuMitioiuMl tlio name of Malznb, it is proper that I slioiild oive the render ;i taste of Ills qiinlities. With the followino' Avords, for example, does lie conclude one of liis iuferiitd soii^s : — " Here t:mies my royal nuuiiac in my chains, I'm here, yet ritling in his brains." Again does lie exclaim in devilish delii>lit : — " His mine ' s defences are blown down by passion." And aj»'ain : — " r never knew a devil that fared better : I feed on a king's sighs, do tlrink (piecn's tcarSj Alii clothed with half a nation's maledictions." And lion" vivid is tlilw deK3cri})tion of the poor king as he lies asleep upon a bed at midnight : — " lie js nc.v sleeping, but his fervent brow Is all meandered o'er l)y swt^llen veins, Across his temple one appears nigh bursting. He b.^^'athes, too, heavily, and a feeble moan I hear within him ; showing that his soul, , 4!, OllAKLES IIEAVYSEGE. 2G9 (Like to a child tliut's wept itself to sleep,) J veil ill slumber doth retain its trouble. I am loath again to rack him ; but I will, For I am desperate to escape from slavery. I will breathe hotly on his countenance, And when he awakes and doth cry out for water — Which I will make his servants slow in bringing — I'll enter him 'midst his vociferations, And goad him back to madness." Leaving tills (leiiiou to c:irrv on his warfare acjaiiist the monarch of Israel, we run over the pa<>-es liastily to pick out such In-ief sentences as are ])articnlarlv strlkinir and need no explanation, conehidino- with one more quotation from the hero of the drama, Read the follow i nir : — "Music Moves l)ut that portion of us which is good." " He 's great who 's happy every whcu-e." "He with his spear, which is like a weaver's beam, Would stop the dancing shuttle of thy life." •' Oh, for a woman's shriek to cut the cords That bind my woe down on my swelling heart Until I sullbcate ! Oh, let me weep ! " "Water flees From lire; so now, perforce, gush forth my tears Out of my heart tierce burning." " For we have conscience here, aiul what can we Have worse hereafter? " ♦' That last, worst state — despair combined with fear." " Yes, presently there '11 be a sleep - With thne enough to dream in." Let us listen to the poor king sioliino; for sleep, and then, after endni-inir many tronbh's more, see him sink into tha'. sleep that knows no waking ; — § « 270 ITArilAZARn rEUSONALITlES. •' There was a time when Sleep Was wont to approach nie with her soundless feet, A lid take me l)y surprise. T called her not, And yet she *d come ; but I even woo her, And court her l)y the cunning use of drugs, But still she will not turn to me her steps ; Not even to approach, and, looking down, Drop on these temples one oblivious tear. I that am called a king, whose word is law, — Awake I lie and toss, while the poor slave, AVhom I have taken prisoner in my wars, Sleeps soinidly ; and he who had sold himself to service, Ah hough, his cabin rock beneath the gale, Hears not the uproar of the night, but smiling. Dreams of the year of jubilee. I woidd that 1 Could sleep at night; for then T should not hear Ahinoam, poor grieved one, sighing near." He has been mortally wouuded in battle, and these are his last words : — " Now let me die, for I indeed was slain With my three sons. Where are ye, sons ! Oh, let me Find ye, that I may perish with you ; dying, Cover you with my form, as doth the fowl Cover her chickens ! Oh, Philistia, Thou now art compensated; now art getting Rich with this crims(m, hot, and molten tide; That waits not patient to be coined in drops, But rushes, in an ingot-forming stream. Out of tLe mine and mnitage of my heart ! Oh, n,y three poor dead sons, where are you? Ye Have gone before me into tlie hereafter Upon such innocency-rtighted steps. That 1, witli feet :uml)ered with clots of blood, Shall lose of you all glimpse, and then my soul Shall drop to the ab\ -^. Guch faster, Idood, And gallop with my soul towards Hades, That yawns obscure." t »^ i I t CH A KL i:S 1 1 K A V YSEGE . 271 The next procliictioii printed bv Mr. Ileavvsefre was a drama ill five acts, entitled " Count Filippo ; or, Tlie Uii- eqnnl Marriage." Tlie scenery and personages are Italian, though very different in character from the otlscr works of the autlioi', l)ut is nevertheless well worthy of his aifted pen, Tlic plot is ])Mii f il and somewhat overstrained, but the storv, and the manner of telling it, have a str;in press of Canada condescended to recogniz(> the poet as of sufficient capacity to furnish them with an occasional communicatio-. on the topics of the day. While filling their pa[)ers with fulsome praise of snobby lordlings from England, they have not, for the most part, had time to recognize the fact that the wood- carver of Montreal was the leading intellect of their Dominion. And as to encouragement from the Uni- ted States, 1 have never seen a single copy of his writings in any library in this country, excepting my own. After '* Filippo," Mr. Heavysege published an "Ode on Shakespeare." It is in blank verse, contains nearly eight luindred lines, but is hardly worthy of the authorof ''Saul.'' His last production, published in Montreal in 18Gr>, is a sacred idyl of fourteen hundred lines, entitled '• Jephthah's ])aughter." As in the case of " Saul," the poet here follows the narrative of the Bible. By manv this poem will be con- sidered the greatest and most perfect of his productions ; but I have read "Saul" so many times, and with so much pleasure, that I am loath as yet to yield the palm to the new-comer. If I had not already exceeded my limits, nothing would afford me more |)leasui'e than to give my readers a score or two of splendid passages from this poem ; but I must be content with submitting a single iKii 272 IIAniAZAKI) PERSONALITIES. extract, in which I find the unhappy daughter pleading ^ith her more unhappy mother : — "Let me not need now disobey you, raotlier, But give me leave to liuoclv at Deatli's pale gate, Whereat, indeed, I must l)y duty drawn. By nature sliowu the sacred way to yield. Beliold, tlie coastiug cloud obeys tlie ])reeze; The slautiug smoke, the invisil)le, sweet air; The towering tree its leafy liiubs resigns To the embraces of the wilful wiiul; Shall I, then, wrong, resist the hand of Heaven? Take me, my father! take, accept me, Heaven! Slay me, or save, even as you Avill! Liglit, light, I leave thee ! yet am I a lamp, Extinguished now to be relit forever. Life dies; but iu its stead, death lives." If the fragments here su])mitted frum the pen of Charles lleavysege do not win for him a host of friends from the intellectual circles of this country, then, indeed, shall I be surprised and disai)})ointed. After writing the above, a new edition of " Raul" was ])ublished in Boston, and, in 187(5, this most gifted iK)et died in IMoutreal. From the correspondence with which he has honored me, I submit tlu? followiuii; : — ' ii^ Montreal, Oct. 12, 1800. Dear Sir, — I must beg pardon for my delay in an- swering vour sxcnerous letter, which was six wccJis old before I got it from our i)ost-onice ; and since that time various circumstances have conspired to delay my reply. Your good opinion of what I have written gr.'itifu's me much ; and I gladly attempt to give you tlie sketch of my historv which vou require,: I was ])orn in Kuuland, as T believe you are aware; my ancestors on the paternal side CiTAnLES IIEAVYSEGE. 273 being of Yorkshire (whence Mr. Gales of the IntelU- yencer). I was wluit is usually styled relio-iouslv brou-ht "P, and, thouoh my works are dramatic, tauol^ to con- sider not only the theatre itself, but dramatic literature, even in its best examples, as forbidden thin-s. Hence when a I,oy, it was only by dint of o-rent persuasion that 1 covertly obtained from my mother some few pence weekly for a cheap edition of Shakespeare that was then being issued in parts. From the age of nine until the present time, except a short period spent at school, it uis been my lot to labor, usually from ten to thirteen Ws daily, and with few or : intervals of relaxation. iMit I was always tJioughtfr. r;d observant of man and nature, and, from chiUlhoo... felt the stirrin-s of poetry wit nn me. These were cherished in secret for many years^ and, being of a rather retired and, perhaps, solitary dis- position, I, until lately, wrote unknown to any except those of my own family. The first recognition I met with was from the "i^ortli British" and "Saturday Eeviews," and I believe some others in England that I have not yet seen. "Count Filipj)o" received a most flattering notice in the New York Albion; and Mr. S. Stephens, who is just returned from Boston, tells me that he heard me very favorably spoken of by Emerson, Longfellow, and :Mr. Fields (of\he iirm Ticknor & Fields). Still, 1 am at present unknown, and my writing, hitherto, has been under inconveniences that might surpi-ise the author who is accustomed to retire into the quiet of his study when engaged in composition. Ihat I have often repined that it should be so, I will not deny. In a literary sense, fortune has hitherto been ])ut a step-mother to me, but I trust that better days are in store when I may have that leisure to see, study, and write, 18 274 HArnAZARD PEKSONALITIES. wliicli is all that I crave. Ai»aiii thaiikiim' von for vonr kind intention toward me, believe nie, with best regards to Mrs, Lanman, Yours truly, Charles IlEAVYSECfE. P. S. Out of " Saul " T have just fmishod oondensino- an acting play for a New York manager. Jf justice be done to it in the perforinance, 1 think it will succeed ; anyhow, it is a beiilnninii', and niav lead to sonu'thini>; further. I should be happy indeed to do anything to elevate nnd refuie the stage. Sliould vou hereafter honor ine with a letter, you shall find th;it I appreciate it I»y answering promptly. Could you ])<)st me a copy of the article which you niny write, or inform me when and iu what i)aper to look for it? C. II. 11. MOXTREAL, Pol). 11, ISOl. Dear Sir, — Although so h)ng deferred, tdlow uie to perform a duty as well as a pleasure by expressing my sincere tluniks to you for your aide and judicious notice of me and mine in the New York Evenhvj Post. I cannot imagine your selections to have ])een better made, for the limited space at your command (a remark which has also been made ])y others). I fear that in the States these are scarcely times to pay attention to literary performances, but your kind notice cjimiot but have effected its i)uri)ose ; indeed, immediately upon its appearance, i received a comnmnication from one of its readers. Once more, then, permit me to thank you, and also to hope that the political tempest in which, I suppose, you nt iiresent live, move, and have vour being, mav not to vour ears entirely drown this breath of uckuowledgment, so CHARLES IIEAVYSEGE. 275 that it pass ()v you as the idle wind that voii roc-ard not. With respects to yourself und Mrs. Lanniau, and ]ioi)inr the writer calling upon me one morning for a few minutes as he states. You will not have quite forgotten my acci- dental interview with yourself at the house of IVFr, Stei)h- ens. What I have throughout my life had most to regret has been, and now is, a. want of leisure to devote to prac- tical pursuits. You will know that to be the reporter and *• T 27G ITAPIIAZAIU) PKllSONALITIES. m ife I; locjil editor of u daily newspaper does not permit of tlio seizinnj of tliose iii.si)ired moods, Avliieh come we know not how, and leave ns we know not wherefo'e. I have ])een for the hist live years engaged in the (huly press of this city, with the exception of one brief interval when I re- turned to my original callini::. It was during that short interval tlnit '' .lephthah's Daughter " was written. The Ode was composed to be delivered on the occasion of tlie Shakesj)eare tercentenary celebration, in iM(^ntreal. It was undertaken at the rcipiest of a few gentlemen, the l)rincipal one of whom was, by the by, an American resi- dent here. What the "Atlantic" says is true. Long- fellow, Kmerson, and Americans here and at hc^me have been the earliest and fullest to confess that they saw something of i)romise, and even of performance, in your present correspondent; and 1 fancy it will be on your si(U3 of the lines that I shall first obtain (if ever I do o))tain it) a dcided recognition, as being one amongst those who in the present day have written something which gives tliem a slight title to the name of poet. Canada has not a large cultivated class, and what of such there is amongst us not only misdoubts its own judgment, l)ut has generally no literary faith in sons of the soil, native or ado})ted. I often think that if fortune had guided my steps towards the States, say Boston, when I l(>ft England, tlie literary course of my life would have been iulluenced for the l)etter. But it is too late to regret. If vou should prove instrumental in some degree in introducing me to the American public during the reading season that is now about to conunence, I shall be glad. I should like- wise feel obliged if you would refrain from makinij allu- siou to any narrowness of circumstances, either of my- self or parents. Of conrse you know that I have been, LAPAYF/ITK S. FOSTKR. 277 J"Ml ;im now, one of wliat is cmIIcmI tl.o workinir dnss, a cMivuinstance of wliicli I niii nitluT proud tlmn oihvny\s,> • but my father was the heir to a patrinu.nv which, fn.n, m •• the - R(mnd Tal)le" containing what you shall t k lit lo write, it will give me another occasion of acknowledo-i,,,.- my obligation to you. AVith best respects to Mrs. Laninaiu believe me. Respectfully, Charles IIeavysege. h LAFAYETTE S. FOSTER. He was my friend, good and true ; and T only o])ey the impulse of my lieart when I speak a loving word in his memory. He was a pure, gifted, higli-toned, and noble Christian gentleman; and T am proud to record the fact that, by the ties of marriage, he was allied to my father's I I 278 II ArilAZ.MM) PKUSONALITIKS. I ■] 1 ^ kk 1 i hi fMinilv, liMviii''' iiiiiriu'il oiu' of his sistiTS. Hi' w:is Itoni in Frniikliii, New Luiidoii County, Conn., Nov. 22, isod, and died lit Norwich, Sv\)t. IJ), 1' WJ .X ^KP ///// ^W 1.0 I.I '15 l^ -' IIIIIM 40 *i IIM 2.2 1.8 1.25 r.4 1.6 ^ 6" — ► V] «« Photographic Sciences Corporation <»>-'■ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14580 (716) 872-4503 %" #J 280 HAPHAZARD PERSONALITIES . ji It;- > ia [■. 'i ^ I' ?■ the Free Academy of Norwich. He took an active part in many religious organizations ; did not tliink it beneath nis dignity to teach a Bible class in the church to whicli lie Ix'longed ; and the last of his addresses to the public was delivered on the Cth of September, 1880, at the Fort Gris- wold celebration, only thirteen days l)efore his death. The collected speeches, orations, and lectures delivered ])y this model statesman and lawyer would be a great acquisition to our national literature ; and it is to be hoped tliey will be published in due time. He was one of those who never went out of his way to gain popularity, and thougli cautious in all liis pul)lic acts and sayings, he was always honest iind independent. My ac(piaintance with IVfr. Foster began in the year 1833, when I frequently met him in Norwich, at the Sat- urday family dinners of my grandfather, James Lanmtin, one of whose daugliters, as already stated, sul)se(iuently became his wife, and under whose loving protection it was my lot, as a boy, to live for two or three years. His early career as a lawyer was most satisfactory, and he rose with rai)idity to the position of a leader at the Nor- wich bar. He was chiefly engaged in the higher clnss of cases, in the whole of Eastern Connecticut ; and his ha])it was to prosecute them with the utmost energy. As a pleader he was argumentative and serious ; and, Avliile his fees witli rich men w^re highly renunierative, he was always ready to protect or assist a poor client without rennmeration. His prolonged services as a State legislator were of such a character that his transition, without passing through the national House of liepresentatives, to the Senate of the United States was the most natural of events ; and how be conducted himself, both as a seutitor and tis X'l'esideut LAFAYETTE 3. FOSTER. 281 of the St'iiiite, is a part of oiir honorable national liistory ; and it was according to tlie fitness of tilings, that he shonld have passed from the Senate to a seat on the Lencli of his native State. It WIS while he resided in Washington, however, that I met him most freqnently, aiu iind the best opportnnities to stud}'^ his character. As a se.ic. tor lie was industrious, conscientious, and never left any of his public duties un- done, as is the almost universal and very pernicious habit of the average senator and representative of the present day. He was proud of the State which he represented, and its humblest citizens, who might visit the metropolis, were treated with the utmost consideration. His habits were those of the scholar and man of culture, but he always had a pleasant w^ord for those who occupied more humble spheres in societ}'. As a presiding ollicer he was digni- fied, quick, fully posted in regard to all parliamentary rules, and strictly impartial in his decisions. For the high-living customs of Washington, which have so fre- quently ])rought disgrace upon men in high positions, he had a perfect abhorrence. As a party man he was true to principle, and had the b(;ldness and the integrity, when necessary, to condemn what he thought wrong in the eon- duct of his own party ; and I very well rememl)er liis scathing rtbuke of a certain official of the Senate, whom he had discovered to be directly interested in a measure which Jiad passed into a law ostensibly for the j)ublic wel- fare. He never made any sanctimonious professions, but he was a practical l)eliever in the religion of the liible. Witii men of thought, on suitable occasions, he delighted to converse upon all those themes which naturally attract the true statesman. On the other hand, when in the com- pany of ladies, and the occasion was sui talkie, nothing ill ,!^f Mi • 282 IIAI'IIAZARD I'ERSONALITIES. II. ; h : I I ! li f '■ h 'i 1 •' i II 1 d('liastintries and harnik'ss wit were sure to surprise and (h'light all who happened to be present. Generally speakino-, h.is conversation was sedate, howevci', and in the seat of the Vice-President often cold and solemn ; but his enjoyment of a liood lau<»ii was some- thing almost uni(pie, convulsive in its character, and m:i<>- netic in its effects upon others. When in a frolicsome mood he did not wait fen- something ridiculous to give him a start, and a (lescri[)tion which I once heard him recite of a truly fearful railroad accidi'ut in one of the Southern States, when he came within an ace of being killed, was as good as a comedy. In all particulars, he was an exalted and well- balanced character, and his death was a national calamity. The correspondence with which Mr. Foster honored me during our long acquaintance was cpiite frequent ; but in looking over his letters, I find that thev would not interesi; the public, or throw any light upon his character, as the}' are all connected with business or family affairs. I regret this circumstance most sincerelv ; but I have no doubt that there is ample correspondence in other hands, which will be utilized in any memorial of his life whicli may be prepared hereafter, a volume for private circulation having already been prnited by his second and surviving wife. CHARLES DICKENS AND WASHINGTON IRVING. The friendship which existed between these two dis- tinguished authors was intimate and long continued, and as free from the alloy of selfishness as anything of the kind recorded in literary history. What little I happen to know concerning their kindly feelings for each other, CIIAKIKS DICKKNS AND WA8in]S(;TON lUVIN(i. 283 iiml now propose to submit to tlio pii])lle, may be con- sidered as a bappy eonebisioii to the story of tlieir inter- macy as contained in their correspondence, liitlierto pub- Hslied. The intercourse between them commenced in LSI 1 , wlien Mv. Irving was in his lifty -eighth yenr, and Mv. Dickens had attained precisely half that number of years, twenty- nine. The American took the lead and wrote a letter expressing his heartfelt delight with the writings of the En«»iishman, and his vearniiigs toward him. The reply was minute, impetuously kind, and eminently character- istic. ''There is no man in the world," said Mr. Dick- ens, "who would have given me tin; heartfelt pleasure you have. . . . There is no living writer, and there are very few among the dead, whose approbation 1 should feel so proud to earn. And with everything you have written upon my shelves, and in my thoughts and in my heart of hearts, I may honestly and truly say so. If you could know how earnestly I write this, you would be glad to read it, as I hope you will be, faintly guessing at the warmth of the hand I autohhxjraphicuUu hold out to you over the broad Atlantic. ... I have been so accustomed to asso- ciate you with my pleasantest and happiest thoughts, and with my leisure hours, that I rush at once into full confi- dence with you, and fall, as it were naturally, and by the very laws of gravity, into your open arms. ... I cannot thank you enough for your ccn'dial and generous praise, or tell you what deep and lasting gratification it has given nie ?> In the winter of 1842, and while the literary pul)lic of New York was congratulating Mr. Irving on his ap- pointment as minister to Spain, the tide of excitement suddenly turned toward Mr. Dickens, who just then i; ■-Ik' ■ ! ; : ' ■ i ' ill! ' i I I' •I 2H1 IIAl'IIAZAKD rEKSONALITIES. arrived in tlie city of B'^siton. Then it was tliat the two hons first met face to face ; and for a few weekn, at Sunnvside, and in the deliiihtfnl literary society whicli was a striking feature of New York life at that time, they saw as nuK'h of each other as circumstances would allow. Pro- fessor C. C'. Felton, in his remarks on the death of Mr. Irv- ing, before the Historical Society of Massachusetts, gave us some interesting recollections of this winter in New York. ADiong other things, he said: "I passed .mich of the time with Mv. Irving and INIr. Dickens ; and it was deliL''htful to witness the cordial intercourse of the young man, in the flush and glory of his fervid genius, and his elder compeer, then in the assured possession of immortal renown. Dickens said, in his frank, hearty manner, tliat from his childliood he had known the works of Irying ; and that before he thouuht of coming to this country, he had received a letter from him, expressing the delight he felt in reading the story of x^ittle Nell." But the crowning event of the winter in ({uestion was the great dinner given to Mr. Dickens by his admirers at the old City Hotel. I was a mere boy at the time, a Pearl Street clerk, but through the kindness of certain friends the honor was oranted to me of taking a look from a side door at the august array of gifted authors before they were summoned to the sumi)tuous table. It was only a glimpse that I enjoyed ; but while jNIr. Irving, as l)residing host, was sacrificing his sensitive nature for the gratification of his friend, and was, by breaking down in his speech of welcome, connnitting the only failure of his life, I retired to the quiet of my attic room, and spent nearly the whole of that night with " Little Nell," the " Broken Heart," and " Marco Bozzaris," and drinking iu the beauty and the comforting philosophy of " Thaua- CHARLES DICKENS AND WASHINGTON IRVING. 285 M topsis," nil of tliein the iiuitelilcss creations of autliors >vlioiii it hud just been my privilege to see. The little speech which Mr. Dickeus delivered oil that occasion was hapi)y in the extreme, proving not only that he wms , familiar with the writings of Mr. Irving, but that he placed the highest value upon them ; and before taking his seat lie submitted the following toast: " The TAtera- ture of America : She Avell knows how to honor her own literature, to do honor to that of other lands, when she chooses AVashington Irving as her representative in the country of Cervantes." Soon after the New York dinner, business called Mr. Irving to Washington, and Mr. Dickens made his arrange- ments to be there at the same time. At that place they renewed their friendly intercourse, laughed toiiether at the follies of the politicians, enjoyed the com})anionship of the great triumvers, Webster, Clay, and Calhoun, and were of course victimized at the President's receptions. On one occasion the honors were certainly divided between the two rjj thors ; and while we know that Mr. Dickens had no reason to complain of any want of attention on the part of the people, it is pleasant to read his comments upon the conduct of the assembled company toward INIr. Irving. "I sincerely believe," said he in his " American Notes." " that in all the madness of American politics, few public men would have bean so earnestly, devotedly, and affectionately caressed as this most charmini!; writer ; and I have seldom respected a public assein'oly more than I did this eager throng, when I stiw them turning with one mind from noisy oi-ators and otiicers of state, and flock- ing, with a generous and honest impulse, around the man of quiet pursuits ; proud in his promotion as reflected back upon their country, and grateful to him with their 111 u \i'' ^8() HAPHAZARD PERSONALITIES. I it ! I ■ f'li' ' Hi' \t 4- fp i:^i whole hearts for the store of graceful fancies lie had poured out among them." From Washington, jNFr. Dick- ens went upon a trip to Richmond, and on his return he made a doubtful api)()intnient to meet Mr. Irving in lialti- more, and to tliat meeting I sliall liresenlly reeur. In tlie mean time I must quote a single paragraph from a letter tliat he wrote as a reminder to Mv. Irving : " Wliat pleas- ure 1 have had in seeing and talking with vou 1 will not attemi)t to say. I shall never forget it as long as I live. What ivouhl I give if we could have but a quiet week to- gether ! Si)ain is a lazy place, and its climate an indolent one. lint if you ever have leisure under its sunny skies to think of a man who loves vou, and holds comnninic^n with 3V)ur spirit oftener, perhai)s, than any other person alive, — leisure from listlessness I mean, — and will write to me in London, you will give me an inexpressible amount of pleasure." In 1853 it was my privilege to si)end a day with Mr. Irving during his last visit to AVashington, and in an account of it whicl' I published in Once a Week, in Lon- don, occurs the f(Mlowing: ''He touched u[)on literary men generally, and a bit of criticism on Thackeray seemed to me full of meanins:. He liked the novelist as a lee- turer and a man, and his books were capital. Of his novels he liked ' Pendennis,' most ; ' Vanity Fair ' was ful of talent, but many passages hurt his feelings ; ' Esmond ' he thought a queer affair, but deeply interest- ing. Thackeray had quite as great genius as Dickens, but Dickens was genial and ivarm, and that suited Mm.'' And now comes a letter addressed to me by Mr. Dick- ens, during his last visit to this country, and as introduc- tory to which the preceding paragraphs have been written. CHARLES DICKENS AND WASHINGTON IRVING. 287 In view of the allusion to myself, I must plead the saying that ''it is sometimes almost excusable for a man to commit a little sin for the purpose of securing a greater good." Washington, Feb. o, 1868. My dear Sir, — Allow me to thank you most cordially for vour kind letter and for its accomi)anvin PETISONAT-ITIES. 111^ tlic lino of duty, and in ail his synipntliios was far riMuovccl from the crowd of connnon })artis:ins and dunia- g()<:;ui'H. The j»;ood deeds of this departed man nii«;ht ])o, counted l)V tlie lunidred, but liis negative qualities will be remem- bered to his credit, lie was too unsus[)('('tiu0, at^Ir. Webster's t;d)h', nnd I was perhaps the hist friend who shook his lanid ])rior to his sudden departure from Wnshinu^ton. The fiict that we were ])oth fond of fishing and of [);iint- ing (hi'w us together from the start, nnd l)oth of those ])ursuits we enjoyed in company during his entire sojourn in tills country. If I could pilot him to the best pools in the Potomac for Hy-fishing, he, on the other hand, h:»d the power of rewarding me in a princely manner by his con- versation on the fine arts ; 1)ut as to the sketching grounds where we studied nature, I think our discoveries were about ecpnd, for lie was a famous e\'i)l<)rer of retired and ])eantiful nooks in the local scenery. On many occa.sions, when the weather was favoral)le, we visited the Little Falls before breakfast (and once, I remember, he cap- tured not less than thirty rock-fish) ; on the afternoon of the same day we have taken a drive in his open carriage, and each produced a sketch ; and in the evening would follow an elegant dinner at the legation, and a long and, to me, very instructive conversation npon art, illustrated with his treasures in the way of. engravings, etchings, drawings, and paintings. Ills ability as an artist was re- markable, and he produced water-color drawings and oil paintings with ecpial facility, and that facility was great. He painted pictures chiefly for the pleasure the emi)loy- ment afforded, and T have seen him destroy his })roductions by the dozen ; and among the pictures which I now ;■ ; ( '. : ; i I it 1 P ; 1 . — ^ 1 ^ ; ■ |. ;|]l P" 'f-i 1 -:lv lllr 292 HAPHAZARD PERSONALITIES. ■ i Hi m t. i possess, and which I rescued from the floor of his studio, I may mention a setiside and a view of Killurney in water colors, two market-women in the rain, and a portrait of himself in oil. The only things from his own pencil which lie seemed to value were a series of etfects in color which he liad copied from the old masters in the leading galleries of Kni'ope. The state dinners which Mr. Crampton gave were grand affairs ; big men, senators and foreign diplomats, attended them, and of course they were often stupid ; but the private dinners were enjoyable. It was at one of these that 1 met voung liulwer, before he had ])lossomed into a poet as Owen Mereditli; he was at tliat time an atturhe to the legation, and when I afterwards read his lirst ])ook of poetry, I was simply astonislied, for 1 had not anti(;ipated a mind of such strengtli in such a quiet little l)ody as he hiid ai)peared to me ; and when I afterwards saw liim ga- zetti'd as the viceroy of India, ami head and front of the Afghanistan war, my amazement knew no bounds. That all the world do not thiiik him a gi'cat man is proven by the fact that the erratic i)oet, Swinburne, calls him " Prett}! little Lytton^ with his muse in mulT and mitten." The two gentlemen who acted as INIr. Crampton's chief secretaries, during his residt'uce in Washington, were John Savile Lumley and Philip) (Jrilllth, both of whom have since distinguished themselves in the diplomatic service. The first was an artist and an angler, and accompanied me in one of my fishing tours to New Brunswick. ]Mr. Grillitli was a man of high culture and distinguished for his conversational powers. Among the men of note whom I met at Mr. Crampton's table was Sir Ednuind Head, whon>. I had seen liefore at Fredcrickton, New Brunswick, and from whom I had re- JOHN F. T. CRAMPTON. 203 cc'ivcd soino favors hcariiiir upon tlie Sfilinon streams of the Province. He was fond of art, and an adept with the pencil ; and one day, after he had been lookin.' ■■ 1 * < ■■: ■ \ • V\\ ■:■ ■ 4 - ■.■5 : '' ?! > , n |:. ■-.■ !/ - . I ! * i il ■ ' 1 1^ 4" ■L - 1 r fV T 294 IIAPIIAZAllD rKUSONALITIES. m !■ ' i f #11 comforts of an old-fiishioned mtinsion ; and it stood in the midst of a grove of splendid oak-trees, eonnnandino; n snperb view of Wasliin<2;t()ii and the broad bosom of the Potomac. It was for many years the home of tl»e hite Jolm Carter. After Mr. Crampton k'ft it, it was (K'('iii)i,'d by the French ministers, Count Sartiges and M. IMeicivT, havin<>- been burned while in the possession of the hitter, and the locality became the pro[)erty of Henry D. Cooke, the governor of the District of Colum])ia. The art treasures which IVIr. Crampton delighted to gather around him consisted chiefly, as already intimated, of line engravings, etchings, and water-color drawings. His engravings were numerous, some of them exceedingly fine ; l)ut the entire collection was not ecpial to that which formerly belonged to George P. INFarsh ; his collection of etchings, however, was unsurpassed in. this country, and was especially rich in Ivembrandts ; and in the way of water-colors, his collection was very vahnible and rai'e. His favorites were David Cox and Copeley Fielding, and he owned some of their best productions. The arrival of a new picture from England, for he was constantly re- ceiving them, was (juite an important event at the lega- tion, and connected with one of them I have this anecdote. On the day it was received, ]Mr. Crami)ton wrote me, " The David Cox is arrived, and my cook has discovered a live lobster, which 1 shall be glad if you will partake of in the shape of a salad, at seven o'clock this evening." I went, and almost the flrst thiijg he told me was the storv of the uni)acking. At the moment the picture was taken out of the box at the front door, one of our stalwart Western senators made his appearance, rolling up in a splendid carriage with coachman in livery. He looked at the picture and was greatly pleased ; he thought it the ■ / n JOHN F. T. CRAMITON. 295 finest colored engraving he had ever seen, and as he pre- sumed thev could be obtained for about ten doUars each, he asked Mr. Cranipton* to order three or four of these pictures, as they would '•• look beautiful" in his wife's best parlor. Now the picture whieli had inspired this wonder- ful liberality from the ^ Yahoo," represented a lonely scene among the mountains of Wales, with two bulls about to meet in a combat ; and the sum paid for it, by Mr. Crampton, was one thousand dollars. The fear- ful ii»;noranee of that American senator would have been startlin*:: even in a flashy novel. Cj */ Mr. Cranii)ton's admiration of that English master was most intense ; the simplicity of his su])jects and Ins l)old handling were all that could be desired ; and yet his love of C'opeley Fielding w^as intense, and the second place of honor in his drawing-room was assigned to that artist, and to a magnificent coast scene with passing storm. Mr. Crampton's idea of pictures was that they should be so painted tliat they could ])e enjoyed from a distance, even from a chair in the centre of the room. He also admired the coarse brown paper upon which Cox painted, and he repeated some anmsing comments uttered by a London tradesman, who had laughed at the idea of selling his trashy paper to the great artist. The notes and letters which I received from Mr. Cramp- ton were numerous; and, whilst I would not overstep the bounds of propriety, I will venture to submit in this place a few characteristic sentences. " I have the honor to introduce a brother sportsman, inclosed." (This was in allusion to a splendid ])()ok on " Salmon Fishing in Ireland," written and pi'intcd for private cireulati(m, by a friend of his named U'Gor- man.) r n ; I t . II ■ m .1 h'i tl 206 IIArilAZARD TEllSONALITIKS. **I send 3'ou the ' Calderou Cigars' luid the rest of the books ; and wonid be oblii^ed if vou wonld kst me h)ok tit Iljirdinjy's ' Ehunentarv Art.' " "'Mr. Perlev and liis son dine with me to-dav at seven o'clock ; and I shonUl be very ghid if you would join the party, in order that we may have some ' fish talk.' " " I should be delii»:hted to 0:0 on anv fishing or sketch- ing excursion to-day. I can start at any time j^ou like." " I will be ready at four o'clock to-morrow morning." "Give me the pleasure of your com})any to dinner at six o'clock, and I shall l»e happy to sliow you some more of the etchiuirs. I caught six liandsome rock-fish, last evenin'g, with, the flv." " I have great pleasure in sending you a letter of intro- duction to Lord Elgin (the result of which is elsewhere recorded), who, I am sure, will do all he can to forward your views and i)r()ceedings, artistical and piscatorial, in Canada. I sincerelv envv vou your trip." " 1 return you the manuscript, which I would correct l)y blotting out some of the too flattering expressions of the dedication ; however, we have the authority of old Iznak Walton for tlie exaltation of anglers ; for vou recollect he says, after giving a receipt for coc^king a fish, ' This is a dish of meat fit only for kings — or anglers.' Will you help me eat an English pheasant at seven o'clock?" etc. Between Mv. Cnimi)ton and ^Mr. AVebster there existed a most cordial intimacy, and I presume it is no secret that our secretary had nnich to do Avitli the promotion of his friend to the rank of minister plenipotentiary. It was a letter which Mr. Webster wrote to Lord Palmerston tliat probal)ly did the business ; but, of course, Die British gov- ernment was quite aware of the fact that the honor was well merited. T JOHN F. T. CRAMITON. 21) 7 Duriiii^ the summer piveedini? Ills doiitli, Mr. "Webster invited jNFr. Cramptoii to visit iNIurshfield " witli as many adjuncts as lie i)leased." Tlie object of tliis meeting was to consult a])out the fishery questions which tluvatencd trouble ; and the minister and his secretary, Mr. Clrillith, were prompt in accepting the invitation. It was my good fortune to bo at jMarshlield at the time ; and, for about a fortnight, the twelfth sign of the zodiac was complete master of the situa- tion. AVitli Mr. Crampton, early on one particular morning, I caught trout in a neighboring stream. During the middle of tlie dav, all the visitors joined Mr. Webster and Seth Peterson in a stiil over the ])lue waters to the haddock or codfish grounds ; and during the evening, at dinner, or on the piazza, fish stories and serious talk about thi; threat- ened troul)les with Canada were the order of the time. AVith Mr. Everett, during liis brief service as Secretary of State, Mr. Crampton was also intimate ; l)ut between him and the next Secretary of State, Mr. IMarcy, there was no intimacy and no friendsliii). With all his ability t, 1 •, and knowledije of books, Mr. ]Marcy was reallv notliiniz: but a j)()litician ; and this was proven ])y his oflicial treat- ment of Mr. Crampton on account of the alleged enlist- ment of men in this country for the Crimean war. Tiiat j\[r. Crampton left Washington suddenly and in disgust is not to be questioned ; and the last thing that he did before his de[)arture was to present me with his whole stock of fishing tackle and much of his studio furniture. It was the opinion of JNfr. (ieorge Ticknor that the British minis- try was responsil)le for that enlistment business, not Mr. Crampton ; and he has re[)orted the following character- istic opinion, uttered by one of Mr. Crampton's particular friends: ''•Thackeray, who has a strong personal regard for him, was outrageous on the matter, and cursed the ill ■: f, it' f ;■■: ■if '.: ! 298 1JA1'1IAZAU1> I'KUSONAI.ITIKS. i „ ) : .-i t .1 ' (■■ ' ' I ,! f . ' ii'- _ iiiP liiiiiistrv, by all liis gods, for nuikiiig him, us be said, their scupegotit." liiit my recollections of JMr. Crjunptou are so intimately associated with his two ollicial friends, that I must allude to them again Mr. Grillith iirst came to AVashington as secretary of legation, had full charge for about one year, and was subsequently transferred to Brazil as chartjc cVaffaires. lie was a most genial and accomi)lished man, and very fond of riding ; and I remember that, during one of my rides in his company, he told me that if a man who was obliged to travel on horseback in the rain would care- fully keep his knees covered with a leathern pad, it would greatly add to his comfort, and keep him fn^m taking cold. A very beautiful bronze inkstand which he prescMited to me I have had in constant use for the third of a eenturv. AVith regard to Mr. Lumley, he also had charge of the Washington legation for a time, and was so rji[)idly pro- moted that he was the British envoy to Saxony, Switzer- land, l)elgium, and Spnin. Having ])een interested in some of my salmon-fisliing adventures, he proposed to accompany me on one of my expeditions to the Nepisiquit in New Brunswick. After we h:id been on the river for about a week, and domiciled in a log-(^anq) which had been built for me during a previous summer, I was obliged to leave on account of sickness, and return home ; and among the letters which he wrote to me from the wilder- ness soon afterwards were the following, preceded by one from Washiuo;ton : — Washington, Juno 22, 1853. My dear Sir^ — T have been al)sent for a few days, and on mv return found your very kind letter, which will account for my not having answered it before. Uufortu- .'V JOHN F. T. CUAlMrrON. 299 natcly, it is out of my i)ower to accept your uiost amluble invitation to pass a few days with you at Norwicli ; nothing could have given mc greater pleasure, but ]Mr. Cranipton's aKsence renders it inipossil)le for nie to leave till his re- turn. I expect him here on Sunday, and on Monday, the 2f)th, shall take my departure for New York and IJoston, •where I shall l)e on the 27th, one day before the appointed time. I have been out fishing twice since I saw vou, and the last time was unfortunate enough to break the U)[) joint of my (ieorgetown rod. I shall try and get one for it in New York or Boston. J\Iv l)ai>' and rods start to- morrow by Adams Express for Boston. I have lixed my paint box as nearly like yours as possible, only mine is lighter. Crampton, I find, is thinking of going to England, bo that it is possible I may receive a telegra[)hic message at Bathurst, before our fishing excursion is over. I sincerely hope not, how-ever. Pray present my best respects to Mrs. Lanman ; aud believe me, my dear sir, Y^ours, very sincerely, J. Savile Li^mlf.y. CAMr AT Pa PINE ATT FALLS. My clear Lanman., — I am very much obliged to you for your note and the despatch which it contained, as well for as my reel, which is capitally fixed. I greatly regret, how- ever, that you should be o])liged to leave just at tlK> moment when the sport appears likely to be good and the mosquitoes less troublesome, and still more to be deprived of the pleasure of your society. We have succeeded in circumventing our worst enemies, the mosquitoes, by light- ing an immense fire at the back of the camp and three others in front, aud cleared them out so effectually that we I' ». ' m !t 800 IlArilAZAUD PEKSONALITIKS. wi'i'e able to sleep without veils and smoke in the camp. This morning 1 went out, after a most perfect nigiit's rest, antl killed a grilse before breakfast ; the day is, however, so wet that 1 shall remain for the rest of the day under my mosquito net. Of course, as you have been obliged to quit the river so soon, I cannot allow you to pay for any portion of the pro- visions, etc. ; but I shall be nuich o))liged if you will let me know, by return of post, the exact arrangement that you made with Young, — how much a day, and whether he and his sons are engaged by the day or the month. I have paid Oliver and Joe Vino three dollars 1)et\veen them, which I suppose was your intention ; the latter does not seem to be satisfied. I should also wish to know how much you agreed to pay the cook, and what the postman is to receive each time he comes up from Bathurst. T shall remain here probably till Thursday or Friday, and then go up to the Crrand Falls with JNIr. Rogers, stopping at the Chain of Rocks or Middle Landing on the wav. 1 hear that Lilly's men — and the people who accompanied the other party up to the Falls — have fallen out and ({uar- relled, so that things are not likely to be im[)roved by the arrival of seven men more ; and I tliink Ave shall come back to the quiet enjoyment of the mos(piitoes of Papineau Falls. Mr. Rogers wants to go to the Falls of St, John, by the Restigouche and the Tobique ; and 1 shall prol)ably accom- i)anv him, if not summoned to Washini>ton. Mr. Bovd hooked two salmon, and took both ; so that, in fact, I have caught more than any one else, except yourself. "With many thanks for all the information you have so kindly furnished me with, believe me, my dear Lanman, Yours very truly, J. S. LUMLEY. fl JOHN F. T. CIIAMI^ON. 301 Lanman'.s Cami', Papineau Falls, July 10, 1855. M}i dear Lanman^ — A heavy rain has so lillod tlio river that it has put a stop to all sport at present. I remain, however, in the same ol)stinate frame of mind as when you left, and am determined to remain here until tiie river is in proper state to give me a chance of winning some piscatorial laurels. The mosquitoes, after htiving given us one day's grace, have returned to the attack with greater violence than ever ; what makes me, however, much more uncomfortable is the position in which I found mvself towards IVIr. Ixogers. Of course, after vour Iiav- ing welcomed him to the camp, the least I could do after vou \\'m\ given it, or willed it, as vou said to me, I could do no less than give him the same welcome to it, and to onr camp at the Fjilis. I now find, however, that he considers you to have made him a present of the camp ; and, after having invited him to be my guest, I find he considers me to ])e his guest. We are on perfectly amicable terms, but it has produced an awkward feeling in my mind, which I cannot get over, until I hear from you the retd state of the case. I suppose that you said he was welcome to tlu; camp in the sense of a guest, but he evidently took it in another sense ; and in such a sense that I fancy lie would not 1)e satisfied to the contrary, unless he saw, in black and white in your own writing, that you had giveii it to me, but h;id Avelcomed him to it, which T suppose was your real inten- tion. Pray pardon me for troubling you on this head, which T should not do did T not feel myself in a false posititm. Pray remember me to Mrs. Lanman, and believe me, most sincerely, 3'our very mosquito-bitten friend, J. Savile Lfmley. ill- ji !S 1-, ■i '.I \h\ s\ Urii nr^ 302 IIAPIIAZAIII) PERSONA UTIES. Vii i ■ Grand Falls, July 22, ISoS. Ml/ (loar Larihtdti, — I arrivt'd hero last niji-ht, huviug killccl one grilst; lu'Cort' leaving the I*ai)inL'au Fails in tlu; iiioniing, and one grilse, and one salmon of eleven pounds, at the Middle Landing. I ])roke my rod there, and pushed on to the chain of rocks, intending to pass the night there, but found the mosciuitoes so mimerous, so large, jind so hungry, that I was forced to beat Ji rapid retreat. I came through the rapids of the ^Middle Landing in the canoe, as I wanted to see lu^w it behaved in rough water, and was delighted with it. I met INIr. Lilly, fishing at the chain of rocks, and he told nie that they liad not had a single good day's lishing till ^Monday last ; that the i)ools had })een so full thtit there was no doing anything ; so that on the whole I was well pleased at remaining l)elow, where I killed, all together, live salmon and six grilse, besides a host of fine trout. This morning I left the camp at 7 a. m., and went straight t. the Grand Falls, which I had all to myself; and, in little more than an hour, killed three fine salnum trout, and one salmon of thirteen pounds. The fish were not rising freely, and I laid nn' rod down and made a couple of sketches on the other side of the river, and was hard at work when Kogers's canoe came to tell me that an express had arrived with an imi)ortant letter for me. Making cer- tain that it was my recall, I could not help congratulating myself on having seen and sketched the Falls ; but on ar- riving at the camp, T was most agreeably surprised at re- ceiving from Sever your letter of the 14tli inst. 1 was very sorry to hear that you are still suffering from the waters of the River of Foam ; but I hope by this time that your native air will have restored you to perfect health. 1 am very much obliged to you for your kind invitation to pay you m JOHN F. T. rUAMITON. no3 a visit on my return, and, if I am not sent for in a hurry, 1 will not fail to avail mysi'lf of it. 'V\n\ oix'U t'ani[) at tlio Grand Falls is i)eri\!t't, — fine* air, rather cold at ni^ht, however, thanks to which we have scarcely any mos(iui- toes ; so that I slept last night without mos(iuito curtain oi any otluu- protection than my shawl. The water is })cifc(!t-. and there is a stillness and rej)ose about the whole })lacc which is charmiui"': the river steals alon<»' in mvstei'ious silence at the foot of the steep bank on which our camp is placed, contrasting stronglv with the noisv rush ot the waters of Papineau, where I could almost fancy I heard the bustle of a populous city. I am not going to thu Restigouche, as Rogers starts on Tuesday ; but if the tiles are not too bad I may go up to the lakes at the head of the river, and down the Tobicpie to St. John's Falls alone. There is so nmch to di'aw, however, here, that if the flies continue as amicable as they now are, I may have a chance of painting a careful sketch of the Falls, in which case I should remain here a fortnight, and then start for the States, lielieve me, dear Lannum, Yours very truly, J. S. LUMLEY. Mr. Lumley's skill as an artist was perhaps not ecpial to that of Mr. Crampton ; but many of his sketches from nature were really excpiisite. While regretting that the trio of noble British gentlemen, just mentioned, have long been beyond my ken, the many very hapi)y days that I was privileged to spend in their society will long be treasured among my choicest memories. i t ■ It hi' i '.• 'ft' . - * 1 -' i| i ^ ' 804 HAPIIAZAIID rEUSONALITlES. SAMITKL TYLER. * TIaving bocn ivfnicHtcd l>v tlu' fitinilv of tlio hito Sainnol Tvlcr, of Maryluiul, to i)rei)sue his Mfo jukI h^ttors for l»iiI)lic'!ition, I cheerfully fonsontcd to do so; iind all the jivjuhiMe inuteriids were phieed in my lunids. As to when that labor can be aeeoniplished, it is impossible U)V me to say, l)eeause of the pressure of my ordinjiry duties. It has occurred to me, however, that I mii»ht, with propriety, give the public a foretaste of what they may hereafter expect, and hence the subjoined sketch of my friend's antecedents as a philosopher, a lawyer, and author. He was born on the 22d of October, l«Ol), in Prince Oeorij-e's County, Maryland, on the estate where his father, (Jrafton Tyler, and his ancestors resided for several gen- erations. His brother, Dr. (irafton Tyler, two years his junior, and long a distinguished physician in (ieorgetown, D. C'., and he were the only children of their parents; and, until he was twelve years of age the twain attended school near the patrimonial home ; after which the}' were sent to a school in Georgetown, 1). C.,kept by Dr. James Carnahan, who was soon afterwards elected president of Princeton College. The position vacated by Dr. Carnahan was filled by the Kev. James McVean, of the Sttite of New York. It was to this excellent man that Mr. Tyler felt himself indebted for most of the instruction he ever received from a teacher, which was of any value ; and he manifested his gratitude by joining his brother and other pupils in erecting a monument over the grave of their friend and teacher. Mr. Tyler thouifht him the best Latin and (ireek scholar he had ever known, and said of him ill'' I SAMl T.I, TVI.KU. 305 thut, with fjitluMly prldo ami Iviixliicss, bo labDrcd to iiiako hirt jjiipils sclioltirs like liiiiisclf. Diir'mn' tlic lust ciiiht months of liis Hcliooliiiu; in ( It'orj^t'tovvii, Mr. 'IVUt studird (irt'L'k jit h'jist fourtri'ii hotirs of cvcrv (hiv. Tho (Irct-k iikmU'S of thoiiiilit hcc'HiiU! Ills own ; and ho was far inoic familiar with (Jivi'k literature th:in with the Knulisli. Tlu' class to wliich he and his brother heloiiiied was called "The 'I'enth FA'gion." IJesides ('om[)osltion in Kn^lish, Latin, and (Ireek, i)nl»lie speakini:;, and some mathematics, the classi(! lanunao'es were their cliii'f stndv. lie remained in this school nntil October, 1.S27, when lie was strangely persnaded to go to IMiddlebiu'V College, in \'ermont ; l)nt he remaintid there only one qnarter, bavins'; fonnd the scholarship of the classi's in tlu^ college very far below the private school of (leorgetown. At Christmas ho went ont to Lake Cham[)lain, to anuise him- self by hnnting, lio[)ing that, after a while, he might feel like retnrnin<: to the coUciic ; bnt he was out of his element, and soon returned to his la^mo in Marvland. Though conscious of his imi)erfect education, he had formed so low an estimate of the American colleges, tliat ho determined to l)egin the study of law. His father placed him in the ollice of John Xelson, then a resident of Frederick, INFarvland. lie tlu-re began an extensive course of study to make ann'nds for his defective educa- tion ; and devoted himself to the study of law, history, political science, theology, the physical sciences, and all the branches of medicine. Ho was his own guide in all these studies, excepting tlu' law. His health having been impaired ])y overwork, he was advised to abandon his studies and devote himself to some active employment ; but his rjply was that ho would die rather than give up an intellectual life. With great 20 fr 306 HAPHAZARD PERSONALITIES. u loss of time, from nervous prostration, he contiiuied his studies, aiul was admitted to the bar in 1831. Polities he eschewed from the beuld be stated that Mr. Tyler did not think the work worthy of so much commendation. It was written when he was very young, and in his own opinion its chief interest lay in its being the production of a person untutored in i)hi- loso})hy, and, therefore, furnishing only a favorable augury of better things in the future from the same mind. In 1848, his work entitled " liurns as a Poet and a Man" was published in this country; and, in the follow- mg year, it was republished in Dubliii nnd also in London. It was written at night, during the wnnter of 1848, at the suggestion of an excellent lady, who had asked Mr. SAMUEL TYLER. 309 I'd 1)0 W'.XH ay li- irv Tyler wliv he did not write somethiiiii; about his favorite poet. Ill liis criticism on " Death and Doctor llornhook," a most hidicrous mistake occurred in rcijard to the Scotch ■word gnlb/, he havin<»' made it mean, not a knife, but a cavity in tlie earth. The proof-reader aHowed it to ])e so printed ; and, strange to say, the Kur()[)eaii editions did not correct the blunch'r. When he (Hsc()vered the mis- take, it seemed to him such a good joke, tliat he at once divulged it. It was perhaps this circumstance, T have supposed, whicli so shari)ened Mr. Tyler's critical eyesight as to discover an erior in a letter written by Daniel Web- ster. It was his letter written to Lord Cami)))ell, a])out the cliief justices of England, the original draft of which had been i)resented to me as a keei)sake ; and on showing it to j\Ir. Tyler, lie pointed out the mistake which had l)een made in one paragraph, wliere, by the use of two nega- tives, jNIr. We))ster actually said the very reverse of what he intended. In the year 1841, when the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Company was almost in bankruptcy, and by a sudden turn in politics, the old ollicers, who had been in the company from the first, were dis[)laced, and new ones put in their positions, it was found impossible for these officers to make their annual report to the Legislature. This was during the time of the construction of the canal, and while jdl the negotiation;- with the liankersof Europe, in the sale of these bonds, were unknown to the pu])lic, and the great question Avas to learn what loss had been sustained by the sale of these bonds. In this state of things, JNIr. Tyler was called upon to undertake the task of putting tlie ])usiness of the company in order. Tlie old ollicers thought none but themselves could do it. Doubtless many persons thought, ■f' II 310 HAPHAZARD PERSON ALITIES. 1 1 HI III ;l iii ': that to go to Ml*. T^^ler to do such work was like going to Parnasus, instead of Wall Street, for a financier. As he had a partner in the practice of tlie law, he undertook the task, and went before the Legislature and explained, to the saliafadion of all, the financial affairs, from fii-st to last, of the company ; and there was no further trouble. When the conA-^ention assembled in 18">0 to form a new constitution for the State of Maryland, Mr. Tyler ad- dressed a letter to tliat body on the subject of law ref(^rm. The new constitution, which was already formed, re((uired two connnissions to be appointed : one, consisting of two persons, to digest tha statutes of the State ; and the other, consisting of three persons, to simplify the procedure in all the courts of the State. Mr. Tyler was elected ])y the Legislature one of the simpliflers. Their first report, on the general subject of law, law reform, and pleading, was l)repared exclusively by Mr. Tyler. In the mean time there was no abatement in ]\Ir. Tyler's philosophical, scientific, and literary studies. Among the works that he then projected was one entitled "The Blos- soms of Science" ; but it was not published. ITp to that period his attention had been so divided between law and science, that lie really displeased two classes of his friends. Tiie lawyers said. Give up science ; the scientists said, CJive up law ; and so, as he was wont to s^"^^, he pleased neither class of friends. INIr. Tyler's work entitled "The Progress of Philosophy in the Past and the Future" was first published in 1851), and a second edition in 18GH ; in 1872 appeared "The Memoir of Roger IL Taney " ; and, two or three years afterwards, his "Theory of the Beautiful." Among his legal writings, all of which are held in high repute by the SAMUEL TYLER. 311 profession, are "A Treatise on Pleadings in the Court of Cliancerv," "A Comnientarv on the Law of Partner- ship," and " Treatise on Preliminary Procedure and Plead- ings in the Maryland Courts of Law " ; and he also edited, with copious notes, " Stephens on Pleading." lUit the crowning work of his life was '' An Introduction to States- manship as shown in the Progress of Euroi)ean Society, in Relation to Government and Constitutional Law, from the Foundation of Rome by Romulus," not published. Of all the books published by IVofessor Tyler, perhaps the most important, and the one which gives us the best characteristics of his mind, is the " Discourse on the Baconian Philosophy." But we allude, especially, to the revised edition, which is in reality a new work. "It is so changed in form and so much fuller in its scope, bringing down, as it does, all the important discoveries in the physi- cal sciences to the present time, and their application to the arts ; and also showing all the successive steps taken by the discoverers, from the first inductive suggestions, through all their experiments and reasonings, to the com- plete development of the scientific truths into established theories." The edition was prepared as an introduction to the study of the physical sciences, and as a guide to dis- coveries in the true path of induction, at the solicitation of Professor Henry, of the Smithsonian Institution, and other scientists. The '• Discourse " "• takes a theistic view of physical science ; and without making it a special and separate topic sliows, incidentally, by its reasonings in the development of strictly and purely scientific doctrines, that the theistic is the one perennial view of the inductive method from the be""innino" of true science." It shows that evolution, when considered as an all-comprehending doc- trine accounting for the origin of things, as well as sub- 312 HAPHAZARD PERSONALITIES. li ! I sequent evolution, is self-contriidictory in thought {incl absurd in expression. Tiie distinction mude in the '' Discourse" between iihil- osoplikal and rhetorical analogy, the lirst being the l)asis of inductive inference, and the last b'ng only the ])asis of illustration, and philosophical analogy itself ])eing inductive evidence, and not a species of reasoning as Aristotle and even Sir William llaniilt(jn had assuintM], is an important advance in the doctrine of inductive method. It was adopted by Professor Henry, in his lec- tures on natural philosophy delivered at Princeton College, and is retained in the syllabus of those; lectures published in the Smithsonian pu])lications. It was this "•' Discourse " which induced Sir William Hamilton to write, in 1?S48, to the author, to give up the practice of the law, and devote himself exclusively to philosophy. This the author never did, but yet continued philosophical investigtitions, until his path of thought and that of Sir William became so much one, that, on the death of Sir William, Lady Ham- ilton presented the author with a beautiful portrait of her husband, as a token of esteem of herself and her family. The work on European society was not quite linished at the time of his death ; but I am glad to mention the fact that, in his own opinion, expressed to a friend, it could be published in the condition it then was, without any great detriment ; and it is understood that, in due time, it will appear, under the editorship of ]\Ir. James C. Welling, the learned and accomplished president of the Columbian University. My personal acquaintance with Mr. Tyler commenced when he became a resident of Georgetown ; and one of the last evening visits that he mjide before his death was at mv house. He was the most brilliant and edifyin<>' talker V %/ CD ^\i SAMUEL TYLER. 313 I ever heurd ; and I doul)t whether even tlie poet CoU'ridge was more than equal to liini in tliat particular. Tiiat he had one weakness, however, cannot l)e denied ; but it waa one bv which his auditors were alwavs benefited, viz., a disposition to monopolize the conversation. His " sultject themes" wei'e well-nii>h unlimited. The ijrasp of his mind was such that he could infuse into thinL>s obsolete the spirit of the liviui^ })resent. AVhen led in the direction of the beautiful, he talked like a poet about woman and art, the charms of nature and the experiences of the human heart ; with the records of history and of jurisprudence he was as familiar as most men are with their daily avoca- tions ; the dei)tli and extent of his knowledge on all the manifold phases of philosoi)hy was simply marvellous ; iind he had the power of discoursin<>; upon the IJible in such a maimer as to make his hearers almost l)elieve that lu^ had never studied any other volumes For women who were handsome, brilliant, and good, he had a kind of passion ; and it was to one of these, JNliss Esmeralda lioyle, that he dedicated his " Theory of the IJeautiful." His love of truth in literature was such that it induced him to trv and i)rove by documents that the poem of "l>ar1)ara Frietchie," by Whittier, was founded upon a pure fiction instead of a fact. If vulnerable on the score of self-conceit, it mav l)e asserted with entire truth that verv few in anv age have ever received a larger number of higlily com])limentarv letters from fa- mous men in the various departments of learning. For [)olitical controversies he had no taste ; and while always ready to exercise an impartial judgment, his symi)athies were generally with the doctrines and the statesmen of the section of country in which he was born, l)ut he ch«n'ished no feelings of unkindness towards any portion of our com- mon country, every part of which he felt should be dear to V^' 314 IIArilAZARD rERSONAMTIES. m |: 1 ■ 1 1 the true patriot. In religion he was entirely orthodox, but made no pretensions ; and, on the fly-leaf of a little German Testament which he always kept upon his writing table, I have found written the subjoined translation of a passage from the will of M. Guizot, to whieh was appended his signature : — "I believe in God, and adore him, without attemi)ting to comprehend him. 1 see him present, and acting not onW in the permanent refjime of the universe, and in the minor life of souls, but in the history of human societies, and especially in the Old and New Testaments, monuments of the revelation and divine action through the mediation and sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ for the salvation of the lunnan race. I bow down before the mvsteries of the Bible and Gospel, and I keep myself aloof from the dis- cussions and scientific solutions by which men have tried to exphiin them. 1 have full confidence that (iod permits me to call myself a Christian, and I am convinced that in the light into which I shall shortly enter we shall see dis- tinctly the purely human origin, and the vanity, of most of our disputes here below on divine subjects." Dec. 1, 1874. In the opinion of one of his friends, the ruling thought in his mind was the Christian revelation considered as an element and factor in human history. The men of thought for whom he felt a special regard, he "grappled them to his soul with hooks of steel," having a fancy for covering his study walls with their portraits ; and I remember that one of his best pictures, occupying the place of honor, was the portrait of Sir William Hamil- ton, already mentioned, which had been presented to him by Lady Hamilton. His exploits as an advocate before the courts of Maryland are a marked feature in the legal SAMUEL TYI.ER. 315 history of the State. As hiw professor in the CoUun])iau University, he was always popular with tlie students, and held in the highest esteem by the Faculty. As an author, his chief vehicle for coninuinicating with the public, as already intimated, was the '■' Princeton Review" ; and the essays which lie published therein, l)etween the years l.s,')(; and 185o, would form a most interesting and valunl)le volume. His remarkal)le versatility is exemplified by tlie diverse character of his published and unpublished \n'o- ductions. It is true tliat they are not numerous ; l)ut they are so distinguished for their ability that his reputation as an author is even more widely recognized in Europe than iu this country. As an evidence of his influence among men of thought, it may be mentioned that he was mtule a doctor of laws in IHiJS by Columbia College of South Carolina, and by Columl)ia College of New York in ISoO, when the presi- dent, Cliarles King, wrote that the honor was conferred *'in token of admiration for his cluiracter and for his legal and literary attainments." It was in June, 1stion ; aud he li:»d a special fondness for the greiit Eni>lisli reviews. When Kendall's descrip- tion of the vv:ir with Mexico, with iar; his first visit to this conn- try I saw much of him and admired him as a poet, a lecturer, and a man. In AVashii.gton he received marked attention from our i)ublic men, and was more warmly greeted there as a lecturer than anywhere else, excepting Cincinnati, where he had an audience of two thousand ; while the city of Philadeli hiji sent less than twenty per- sons to hear him on the subject of " National, Historical, and Popular Songs." In Washington, a card was pub- lished thanking him for one of his lectures ; and among the forty persons who signed it were John J. Crittenden, Ml' CHAllLKS MAOKAY. 821 lung Lord Napier, Jefferson Davis, W. 11. Seward, and A. H. Stephens. Aniono: the many tilings tliat he told me al)ont the men with wiioni, as a journalist, he had been intimate, T re- member these : That Ilerlu'rt Ingram, who founded the Lon- don JVcR'.s', in 1842, and who was subsecpiently a meml)er of •Parhameut, commeneed his career as a news-vender ; that he knew Charles Dickens when he began to write his " Sketches of Character," for which he received two guineas each from the Chronicle^ the paper with which Mr. Mackay had been connected for about ten years ; that Sidney Smith was an occasional contributor to the Chronicle^ hav- ing himself brought his famous letter to the Pennsylva- nians to the office, and who was such a ])ad penman that what he wrote ha|l to be guessed at by the proof-readers. Mr. Mackay aiso told me that Thomas IMoore and Thomas Cami)bell were both in the habit of printing spicy scpiibs in the colunms of the Chronicle. It was from him, also, that I first heard of Thackeray's singular indifference to the works of nature ; and that he did not have the curiosity to visit Niagara, when in this country. I had always l)een amazed at my own inability to wade through the novels of this famous author, but that information settled the whole question. lie could, of course, descri))e a fashion- able and heartless woman to perfection ; but, for myself, 1 have no fancy for society follies when gone to seed. Mr. IMackay had known Samuel Kogers quite intimatt'ly, and while lie praised him liighly, I became impressed with the idea that t)ie banker-poet was as nnich a cynic as Thackeray, and the possessor of other qualities not calcu- lated to add to the pleasures of memory, on the part of those who knew him ])est. But what Mr. Mackay told me about William Wordsworth was decidedly anuising as 21 I n -'""ff iiUlii it; ■ , \^^ IB! i III ill 1 322 IIAniAZAllD PERSONALITIES. well US patlietic. Happening to ])e at Ambleside on one occasion, he improved an offered opportunity to visit Rydal Mount, and, although kindly welcomed by the great poet, Mr. Mackay received two compliments that were uni(pie. In the first place, "Woodsworth told him that he had never read one of his poems, and never intended to do so, giving as a reaHt>n that he never read anv but his own ; and, in the second place, he persisted, on several occasions, in calling Mr. jNIackay, Laman lilanchai'd (who had recently connnitted suicide), and continued to do so until they parted ; proving that the good and grand old author of the " Ode to Immortality " was simply in his dotage. Another incident narrated to me by ]\fr. IMackav was even more sad than tho one last mentioned, because it re- flected on the bad taste, if nothing more, of an American ollicial, who at the time was superintendent of the (*apitol extension in Washington, while T. AV. AValters was the architect. That gentleman had presented to Mr. INIackay, as editor of the Illustrated London News, a compU'te set c>f photographs from the original drawings of the new dome ; and when the superintendent chanced to hear of the cir- cumstance, he sent a note to IMr. JNIackay, asking that he might 1)0 permitted to examine the designs, to see if they" were all right, and for authentication. Of course the request was complied with ; and, when they were returned, it was found that the name of the architect on sacli pho- togrnph had been erased^ and in its place was substituted that of the superintendent. Wh 23, 1858. M>/ dear KSir, — l am not able to answer some iiKpiiries 'relative to the amount paid for drawings on the wood; but I think the most practised and best draughtsmen, such as Gilbert, Kead, and Foster, receive at the rate of twelve guineas per page. I am not sure, however. I was invited to meet Mr. Strother, but, unfortunately, wm 328 HAPHAZARD PERSONALITIES. I' ; "if I ;!1 I i-i had to leave Wasliingt(^n tluit very day, and could not see him. I still hope, however, to have the pleasure. The scenes of the Potoniae (sliooting, lishing, etc.) would be good, and suita])le for the paper. As regards the proofs of the forthconung work, I kIkjuRI like to see them before they are sent to England. My address will be at tlie St. Charles Hotel, New Orleans. Do not send any letter of news to the Illustrdted Lon- ; home by the steamer of the 12th; audi think you had better send me the sketches of Mr. Strotlier (and the letter-press) , that 1 may take them with me. Address, bv return mail to this city, care of the Hon. John Youuif. Believe me, Ever truly yours, Charles Mai k ay. P. S. In about two months " the const will be clearer" for your contributions, inasmuch as mine, by that time, will cease to block the way. CLAUK MILLS. 32'J CLARK MILLS. Clark Mills was Imumj in tlio Statu of Now York, Dt'c. 1, I'SlT). In (•ons4;(iui'n('o of the death of his father, ha was i)laee(.l, :it the early aiic of live years, with an nneie by inarriaht feast his etiiicr eves on the statuary there. He saw nuich to admii-e. and much which, even to his unpractised eye, ap[)eared im[)erfect. The drapery on the " Statue of Peace" seemed to sur[)ass human skill; and tlu; '"JMuse of History," recordin*!; the events of time, he thought was the u'randest and most sub- lime idea ever conceived. Of the statue of Wasjiiiin;t(m, by Greenoui!:h, he thouuht the anatomy i)erfect, thouuii he could not associate AVashine, proposed that he should give ii (h'sign for :i bronze e(]Ues *! statue of (ieneral Jjicivson. Never havinif seen Genera .lekson or mu ecpiestrian statue, he felt himself incompetent to execute a work of such m:i_i2,Mitude, and i)ositively refused. The incident, liowever, made an impression upon his mind ; and he reflected sufli- cientlv to produce a design which was the very one suhse- (luently executed, and which now adorns the i)ul»lie scjuare in front of the AViiite House. Hu eoneluded to accept JMr. Johnson's offer; and, after nine months of patient Inhor, he succeeded in l>ringing out a minijiture model, on a new principle, which was, to )>ring the hind legs of the horse exactly under the centre ' lis body, which of course pro- (hiced a perfect b;d:ince reby giving the horse more the appearance of life ; the model was adopted l)y the connnittee. A contract was ma(h' for the sum of twelve thousand dollars, the bronze to be furnished by the com- mittee. Two years' labor and hard study, and lie finished the plaster model. After waiting nearly nine months. Congress appropriated the old cannon captured by ( Jeneral Andrew Jackson ; and, under various disheartening circum- stances, the breaking of cranes, the bursting of furnaces, after six failures in the body of the horse, he tinally tri- umphcd, and on the ^Sth of January, DS;"),'}, the statue was dedicated. Soon after, Congress voted him twenty thou- sand dollars to rennnicrate him for his services. The sum of fifty thousand d(^llars was afterward voted for an eques- trian statue of General George Washington ; and that also occupies a central position in the metropolis. In the fol- lowing spring, the city of New Orleans voted thirty-five CLAHK MILLS. 833 thoiisjiiul dollars foi* a (luplicate of the JackHoii statuo. A farm was piiichascd on tlm lialtiiiiore and Wasliinj^ton 'rnnipiko, about llirco iiiiU m from Wasiiinoton, for tia; imipost! of crcctiiii;" the lu'ccssary Itiiildiii^s, studio, and foiindrv. llaviiiij; t'omplt't(Ml tho Imildiiios, ]\c was about to com- mence work when n «jjale destroyed the studio. Before it was rebuilt, the fouiidiv was destroyed by lire ; but it was rebuilt as soon as possil)le. Afli'r linishini^ tlu^ statue for New Orleans, he connnenced the statue of Wasjiin^ton, which was com[>lete(l and dedicated on the 22d of Kel)ru- ary, 1 «()(). The livin«>; horse iifter which this statue was modelled Avas captured on a i)rairie near Fort Leavenworth, and was considered a remarkably line animal. lie was subse([uently purchased of the artist by his friend James li. llannnond, of South Carolina, as an ac([uisition to his extensive stud. In June, 1e doul)ted, and he nuist ]»e remembered as one of the most eminent of Americans. AVlien engnged in c>)mi)iling my '• Dictionary of Con- gress," it became my duty to call ui)on Bishop iMcIlvaine, for some information in regard to his father, who had been a senator in Congress ; and two letters which he sent me, at the time, have a historical value, and I submit them to the public for their edification. In one of them he gives us a ver}' decided opinion of what ho thought of the Amer- ican Congress in l.S(')(); und it was perhaps a blessing to him that he died in Florence, before he could be fully in- formed as to the disgrace which fell upon the Forty- Becond Congress, when a larratifvini»'. I was introduced to him Ity N. P. Willis, and he did me various fayors which deserved and received my gratitude. One of tliem had reference to the re])ublication, in Enu'land, by Kicli- ard lientlev, of my "Tour to the River Saguenay." It came out with an error in its title, which had been changed, and witli a portrait of the author that was not satisfactory ; and in one of his letters, Mr. Tupper nuule an nllusion to those particulars, ;uinninc! poet; and in LS.')') spoke of liis popuhirity as a healthy Hvniptoni of the i)revailinh Gales & Seaton, who were anxious that 1 should consult Vv'ith him prior ta my going to the Southern States as their cor- respondent in ISbS. Among the many letters that I pub- lifihed ill the Intelligencer were two, about Tallulah and Ii ALEXANDER IIAMILTOX STKI'IIENS. 343 Dalilonftija, which coiitaiiu'd sonic t()U'r:il)lv hirm; sturiesi jihout the peoi)le of that portion of Cieorgia V>\ way of testing my integrity as a writer, INIr. Gales called upon ]Mr. Stephens and questioned him ms to tiie correctness of inv nssertions in one of niv letters, and the rei)lv, as after- ft, ft, ' 1 ft ' ward reported to me by Mr. Ciales as well as Mr. Stephens, was as follows: " That letter is true from beginning to end, and I am surprised that anv stranger could have written such faithful descriptions." It was that criticism and the letters in (piestion, I have nlways thought, which won for me, more than anything else, the long-continued friendship of Gales & Seaton and of ]Mr. Ste[)hens. During the ten years preceding the great Rebellion, I saw nuich of Mr. Stephens, and not only enjoyed his friendship, but greatly })i'o(ited by his wisdom as a scholar and statesman, and his influence as a man. Such a clear intellect, such a kind and loving heart, such gentle num- uers and unselfishness, and such rare integrity, I have seldom if ever seen combined in anv human IxMUir. AVith regard to his course wlum the war commenced, I can only say that I regretted it, as well as the inevitable necessities of his position ; and yet while the war was progressing I looked upon liim as a l»etter patriot than thousands of those who shouted for the Union, remained at home, and filled their coffers to i'ei)letion. Among those who assisted me while engaged in compiling my " Dictionary of Con- gress," Mr. Stephens was conspicuous, and he manifested his interest in my success by making a proposition in the House of Kepresentatives that I should l)e patronized by the government, while a siinilar effort was made in the Senate by AVilliam II. Seward. The return of Mr. Stephens to the United States Con- gress in December, 1873, was an event which impressed * I I I I i I ' i ■ Ir I IH; l: — t 1; ■4 111 ii . 1 \\ i 344 lIArilAZAKD PERSONALITIES. the whole comiminity, niid caused as ^reat an oxciteTuent as did the return to the same position of John C^uincy Adams after he liad served as President ; and it may he new to many persons to learn tliat one of the most graceful poems whicli tlie ex-President ever jx-nned was in honor of his friend, Mr. Stephens, as follows : — TO A. II. STEPHENS, ESQ., OF GEORGIA. Say, ])y what syiupatlictic clitirm, What mystic inajjjiR't's secret sway, Drawn by sonu! unresisted arm, Wc come from rejiions far away? From North and SouMi, from East and West, Hero in the People's Hall we meet To execute their hiijh behest lu counci and communion sweet. We meet as stran,ii:ers in this hall; lUit when our task of duty 's doiu^, We blend the connnou ijooil of all And melt the multitude in one. As strangers in this hall we met; But now with one united heart, Whate'er of life awaits us yet, In cordial friendship let us part. ' John Quinvii Adams, of Quinc]!, Mass. H. R. U. 8., 14th June, 1844. I was among tlie first to call and pay my respects to hini, at his hotel, and he welcomed me as if I had been a long-lost friend. He talked about the past in rather a pensive mood, and althougli he was too feeble in body even to rise from liis chair without help, he alluded to his bad health, but did not utter a word of complaint. During the interview, a colored man was announced, when he 'cts to tluT a l)odv to his )uring ALEXANDKU HAMILTON STKPIIKNS. ol5 asked to bo excused for a moment wliile lie attended to a little matter of business, -which was, to give the iiiau a letter whereby he might obtain a position as messengi'r in one of the departments. A few weelcs afterwards, when it was announced that Mr. Stephens would deliver a speech in tln^ House of I?epresentatives. the gnlleries were more densely packed thtin they hud been during the whole winter, and the words of the great Southern statesman had the same clarion ring which distinguished them in the old times. His subject theme was interesting, but what chielly impressed those of his audience who were familiar with his history were the leatUng facts of that history, viz., how he was the son of a farmer, and was left an orjjhan at the age of fourteen ; how he earned tiie money by hard work which enabled him to ol)tain a th"''<(igh edu- cation ; how he had suffered from ])tid health all his life, and had seldom weighed more than one hundred 1)()U1k1s ; how he had ac(piitted himself as a lawyer and a scholar, as a State legislator and a member of Congress ; how he had escaped death from the assaults of brut.-il opponents in politics as well as from railway accidents ; how lu; became vice-president of the ephemeral Confederacy, and was h)dged as a prisoner of war in a Northern fortress ; how he was elected by his restored State to the United States Senate and refused admittance ; and how he was re-(dected to the National House of Representatives, serving in all the Congresses down to the year 1.S82. After the adjournment of the Forty-third Ccjngress, Mr. Stephens's lu^alth was so ])()orth:>t his friends despaired of his reachmg Georgia, alive, but, as on numberless occasions before, his indomitable will carried him through to his home in safety. All along his route of travc^l his presence was hailed witli shouts of gladness and respect by a loving W 7T ^ H , ■■ ll.l f i i . ■ ^^BtaL ^ ^ yic. HAIMIAZAUI) riCKSONALITIKS. I'[' I i people. Not loii^ nfler his arrival at Crawfordsvillc, and iiH soon as his strenj^lli would ])ennit, lu; ^ave a ratilica- tion to me to say to you all u[)on this occasion, and espe- cially to these little boys, that the llrst awakeniuij; of such thouiihts in my mind, as well as my lirst taste for o-eniM-al readiuiJ!;, was first (juickened and brouuht into active exer cist' in a Sunday school. It was at the old Power Creek Log Meeting-House, not live; miles from this place, more tlian a half-centuiT ago, J became a }»upil in what was known as a'Tnion Sunday school.' The day I enteied it was a great e[)<)ch in my life. It was in the latter part of the sunnner the school was o})cncd, or when 1 entered it, and though but a small boy at the time, still I had to do such woi'k on the farm as I was able to do during the week. This was i)icking cotton or peas, or going to mill, or other lii>ht work of like chai-acti'r. It was only at night, and ))ya pine-knot light, that I had any opi)ortunity to study the lessons assigni'd nie ; and yet so deeply did I become interested in the cpiestions of the Union Catechism, that two o'clock often found me poring over the chapters of the Bible set apart for the next Sunday's examination. To the impressions thus made 1 am indebted in no small % "*-'■ ! il iii' 4 111 ,;i f I 1 .. i 1 ■■.J, 348 HAPHAZARD I'KKSONALITIKS, degree for my whole future course iu lif«s whetlier it has been for good or for evil. If, iu IIm^ midst of uuy evii that has marred that course, there is auythiug good to be found, or anything worthy of imitation, then it is due to that Sunday school, and to that great cause which you to- day celebrate with inspiring mottoes, l)anners< and music." He then discoursed upon modern rationalism, saying : — " Never before, perhaps, as T have said, were the great truths of the IJible, from Genesis to Revelations, more pow'crfully assailed than at present. Those who leatl the assault are tlie Rationalists refei-i-ed to. They are also known as Materialists in ])]iih)S()[)hy. They are indeed philosophers of a high order, and many of tliem have done a vast deal towards the advancement of physical science in this day and generation; but upon the sul>ject of religion, or man's relation to the Deity, they have done and are loing inlinite miscnief. These writers, among wlnnn iua}' be named Compte, Huxley, Spencer, Davwin, and many others of the same school, you may be assured are making a deep impression on the thinkers of the age. Their disciples are numerous, including men, and women, too, of minds of the highest order. This fact is n(»t to l)e ignored. The assaults of this scliool are to be met, and their sophisms answered and confuted by tlie Sunday scliool, by ui)holding and sustaining, as it is your mis.sion to do, the plain and simple and (spiritual truths of the Bible." Having exposed with great ability the sophistries of these wi'iters, he concluded liis address by saying : — " These are some of tlie i)lain and simple truths, teachers, which, 1 have thought it proper to say, you should impress u))on the minds of your pupils. By these doctrines and principles they will not only be shielded ALEXANDER HAMILTON STEPHENS. 349 t Inis V evil to be luc to oil to- USIC. ; great , more ul the 'e also indeed I have liysieal mibjeet e done among ti'win, ssnred |ie jige. omen, t to be .'t, and nnday Mission of the 3S of [truths, , vou ' these i\i elded aji^ainst tlie errors stated, but their innate moral sense will be cultivated, tlieir si)ivitual attributes of worsliip and devotion Avill 1)e developed throuii'li the mysterious agency of prayer ; an d tl leir rem' ne rati .)n that new birth — tlu'ouiih faith, so essertial to salvation spiritual will ])e consummated : and bv whicli their fallen Iniinan natures will be elevjited and sublimated to a proper fitness for tliat ]\igher life, in wliicli tliey will be in perfect and eternal connnunion with their Creator. " To vou, little children, I sav, ' let no one deceive you ' ; let no tem})ting doctrines of any philoso})her, liow- ever learned, beguile you into the belief that you have not in you something that places you high in the scale of exist- ence above the bare brute, — the horse or the dog. Ever keep it in vour memories that vou have not onlv a bodv with its various members, and an intellect to control these members, l)ut that you liave within you a soul, a spiritual ])art, which gives you immortality. Kccollect that, accord- ing to the Divine teaching, the body is the temple of God ; and should, therefore, not be neulected, or undulv cared for, but that it, as well as the intellect and the soul, should be duly cultivated and develoi)ed, so as to (It tlu'Ui in the resurrection for that life hereafter, where there will ])e no more pain nor suffering, l)ut an eternity of perfect hap- piness. " With these few precepts T must close, I can stand no longer. To the teaciiers I will add, that it will he a source of o;ratification to me if thev will l>rinii: the children of their respective schools, each in its tui-n througii the hall, wlu'u I am seated, so that I can give each of them a shaking of the hand and a ])arting farewell. To dl the rest I now give a farewell." Should the foregoing not be suflicient to cstal)lish the pi i^' tl i: \ r t m^ r 5' ■t N' 350 IIAIMIAZARD PEUSOXALTTTES. religious clmracter of Mr. Stcpliciis, tlie following very explicit deebimtiou inade in 1y way of illustrating the unwcnried industry of IMr. Stephens, it may be stated that, in addition to his arduous labors as a congressman, and while constantly suffering from ill health, he wrote a history of the Kebellion and one or two school-books, and contributed to Johnson's Cyclo- pa'dia a large numl)er of biographicnl and other articles. Indeed, he was so importimt a contributor as in reality to become one of its editors, and the compensation he received for Ills services he gave away in chaiity. Prior to the ALEXANDKIl HAMILTON STEPHENS. 351 nioetmg of the second session of the Fortv-fonrth C^ongress Ins health was so poor that he could not, for u tin.e,t'ven leave his bed; but his indomitable pluck still prevailed, nnd with great dilliculty he made another journey to Washington, and, in the early part of 1S77, had one of the most severe attacks of illness that he ever experi- enced, and was able only on a few occasions to occupy his seat in the House of Representatives. For many weeks he was so feeble that he could hardly turn in his bed without the help of his nurse ; yet he received all his visitors with a smile or kindly word, — talking with statesmen about the sad condition of the country, with men of letters about new books, and with clergymen a])out the mvsteries of life and death, and, like a true Christian, expressing his entire confidence in the promises of the Bible, and his willingness to die when the fnial hour should arrive. But from this nttack of illness, as on many occasions before, wns it his fortune to rallv ; and T saw him at his liotel in April, 1877, wl.en he was sitting In his chair, anf illness here mentioned, IMr. Stephens's n^ost constant companion was a dog which he bad raised from a puppy, and which liad recently died. For nearly four years that animal was never absent from the side of his master's bed for a single night, and, ])ecause of one peculiar trait, was known throughout the region of Crawfordsville as the "crying dog." Mr. Stephens told me that, by calling this dog to his side, and speaking of himself in a despOiuling tone, the poor creature would actually shed tears ; and, when the complaint was contiu- r: I ALEXANDER HAMILTON STEPHENS. 853 ued, would soon begin to utter a mournful howl. The infection and intelligence of the animal he considered very remarkable. In the course of his conversation on pu])lic affairs, Mr. Stephens made two remarks which filled me with surprise • lirst, that in 18G0 the State of Georgia was the wealthiest State in the Union ; and, secondly, that, at the time he was speaking, the country between Wasliington City and the Rio Grande was one vast region of dcsohition, iustead of l)eing what the Almighty intended it to l>e, the bright- est garden on the surface of the globe. Of nuinv pul.lic nien whom he had opposed in politics, he spoke in the kindest terms ; and, in commenting upon events that tran- spired a (piarter of a century before, he displayed a strength of memory which filled me with amazement. "^ In November, 1877, I saw Mr. Stephens a number of times ; and, as usual, I timed my visits so as to avoid, as fnr as possil)le, the stream of visitors which seemed always to be setting towards his hotel. During one of those inter- views, he talked much about the great authors and statesmen of the past, and hardly a word on politics. He spoke of Washington as one of the wisest of men, and went over the story of how the Farewell Address was written with the help of Hamilton and ]\[adison. He spoke of his then recent visit to New York, l)y invitation of .Air. A. .T. Johnson, as one of the brightest incidents of his life, and contrasted it with his passing through the city a prisoner of war. He had gone there for a little quiet, but his visit turned out to be a contiiiuous ovation, for which he was exceedingly grateful, as he was latterly enjoying tlie lieart- world more than ever. A visit that Mr. Haves liad re- cently inade he highly appreciated, and spoke of him in vei'y ivind and complimentary terms. 23 [' P. it. ir r: i' ' In iijij 354 ITAPIIAZAin) rEHSONAl.ITIKS. 1 1 1 f 'I' \ 5- •- L k In liis iippearanoe Jind lujinnors INIr. St('i)lions was often compared with .loliu RaiKl()li)h, l)ut in tlieir hearts the two men were very different. With all his sincere love for his fellow-men, it was sometimes possible for Mr. Stephens to make a sharp retort, and perhtips one of the best he ever nttered Avas the followinii', when the noted John 1*. Hale onee remarked to him that he mii>ht be tempted to swallow liim whole if he did not take care, the i)rompt reply was, "• Yon wonld tlien have more ])rains in your belly than you have in your head." In February, 1882, I visited Mr. Stephens with my Japanese ward, JNIiss Ume Tsuda, who expressed a wish to see the famous statesman. He treated her with the utmost kindness, asked her for her autou'raph, said many pleasant things, and on hearing that she had never visited the extreme Southern States, he graeefuUy branclied off into a description of the iMidway district, where he had once been a schoolmaster for about one yt'ar. The place, he said, was settled by Puritans from Massa- chusetts, in 101)7, but wns now called one of the dead towms of Georgia. Although these Puritans went to the South to prouK^te the cause of religion, they were in con- stant fear of being killed bv the Indians: and although they were Northern people, they owned slaves, and in the district where there were only three hundred and fifty white people, there were fifteen hundred slaves. In those days people went to church on foot or horseback, and were always armed with guns. The number of men who signed the Declaration of Independence from (leorgia was three ; and yet, strange to say, two of them were from the town of Snnl)ury, in the district of IMidway, which was one of the most enlightened ;ind purest communities thnt ever existed. During the ye.*ir 18;]2, whi'U he tiiught ii ALEXANDER HAMILTON STEPHENS. Soa .s often the two for liis lions to ho ovor W Hulo ?? Will low )\\ AVtlS, hiin you ,'ith my a wish vith tho id nitiny r visitod L'liod off lio had . Tho Massa- 10 dond t to tho |3 in cou- dthon«;li d in tho lid tifty In tiioso ick, and lion Avho rr, pcrliajjs it docs not become me to express an opinion, as I mi^lit not l)e considered a disinterested judge in (U'ciding upon tiie merits of its resemhhmee to the original. The power of seeing " ourselves as others see us " recpiires a peculiar endowment whieli few, if any, possess. Most men, how- ever, are not insensible to what may be the opinion of others in regard to them ; and hence a general inclination to know the natun; and charaett'r of tlu; impressions pro- duced ui)on the minds of others by their conduct and actions. And when such impressions are justly and truth- fully given, they form the most instructive and valuable lessons to which a man, who is anxious to know his errors, in order to correct them, can devote his attention and study. No knowledge is more important than self-knowl- edge, and no i)hih)so})hy is more essential for all men thoroughly to understand than the philosophy of them- selves. If this philosophy were more generally cultivated aud better imderstood, and more commonly put into prac- tice than it is, the world would soon ])e infinitely better otf than the most hopeful and sanguine have any reason to expect to see it in many a day to come. Every ex})res- sion of an honest opinion or the utterance of a sincere con- viction, though formed in the most egregious error, in relation to the character or conduct of any man, if lie be wise, will always be turned to a profitable and useful ac- count. And he/e. in endetivoring, as I do, to act upon this principle, witliout assuming the attribute which the [)remise would seem to imply, such matters as the "'• Por- U"uit " (^notwithstanding I feel conscious uf its iucorrect- nr)8 IIAIMIAZAKI) I'KKSONAMTII'.S. news ill iiiaiiy i):irtic'iil!irs) niv nover considered unwel- come or offensive. Hut enouiih of this. I sineorely con^nituliite you upon your niMrri:i«re, .mihI liope tliut llie ^ iioneynioon," in uliieli you :ire now, :ie- cordinii; to your letter, '• iuxuriiitinii"." witli so mueli ii-isin-e and pleasure, nuiy be the i)rehi(h' ol" :i ion^' life of pros- perity, contentment, and h.ipi)iness. 'Die d:iy on which you li:id informed \\w, it would takt; place did not p:iss ■without my thon<»hts revertiny; to a suhiect of so nnich interest to you. And I noticed in the httcUlijeuccr^ which came to liMud shortly afterwards, that you had, at the a[)[)(Mnted time, realized the full consunnnntion of your most anxious hopes ;iiid wishes. May T not ask you to present my l»est wishes as well :is congratulations to Iier, Avho. tliouii'li i>ers()nally unknown to me, yet eonu's within the range of my kindest regards as the sharer of your for- tunes tln'ougii lift', and the partnei' of your destiny whether "for weal or for woe." Yours most sincerely, ALEXAMi)Kit ir. STKI'IIKNS. Anotlier letter which has a bit of jxditics in it is as follows : — CRAWFOUDsyiLLK, Ga., Aug. 24, 1849. M]i dear aS'/?*, — Your short letter of the l")th inst. was receiyed a few days ago, and yesti'rday I received tlu; In- tclUfjeiicer you had the kindness to send me, for which })lease receiye my thanks. I was nnich taken with the article on the Protocol which it contained, and for whi(;h I suppose I was indel)ted to you for sending it. The piece is yery well and ably written. \\'ho is the author of it? I concur fully in the yiews and reasoning of the article. I cousidered the conduct of the connnissioners as highly ai:kxani>kii Hamilton stkpiikns. nno consurnblo in transcciuliiiji; their powers mikI even inKtrue- tion.s. IJiit that was iiolhiiii;' to the eontluct of I'olk in suppres.siii<4' the i)M[)er. 'I'hat was worse tiian censurable, it was infamous and criniiiial. It was, in my opinion, an iiiip('a('hal)U' offence. Still I did not think tliat tlie trciaty, as ratilied hy oiu' Senate and tlie .Mexican t>;overnment, was invalidated by it. The guarantt'cs of tlu; Protocol were made without authority, and are not binding upon this government ; but Mexico sliould have ])een informed of this inunediately, to uvoid ;dl misunderstanding and dillicultit'S on that iiccount. ]\Iy health is still feeble. 1 seldom leave the lionse. r»ut as the wi'ather l)ecomes more temperate I hope to in- crease in strength. JMy tinuMS now occupied in reading, except when 1 am scribbling letters, as I lun at this time, which I do ])arely to let my friends know that I am in esse, and cherish towards them all the good-will and good wishes Avhich it is i)ossible for one mortal to entertain for his fellows. I hope; you will let me know if anything of inter'-jst occurs at the seat of government. Yours most respectfully, Alexander II. Stephens. Passing over a numl)er of letters which are either too privjvte to print or unim])ortant, I now give one Avliich I have reason to believe was the last which ^Ir. Stephens wrote to a Northern man i)i'i()r to the Rebellion, excepting the famous one to Abraham Lincoln, on the 1 1th Decem- ber, 18G0 : — Crawfoiidsville, r.A., Sept. 17, 18G0. My dear >S'/r, — Your esteemed favor of the 9th was dul}'' received, as well as the i)apers you sent. I had seen them before. Such attacks 1 care l)ut little for. I am truly ■ :!(;() HArirAZAlCl) I'llUSONAMTIKS. f\ • ii if^: !'■ ■' 'M <; 1 ' tliMiilvfiil to voii, liowcver, for that interest vou must feel ill NvliiiteviT relates to iiie, wliiel; cjuised you to notice them, or to eall mv uttentlou to tliem. 'I'lu^ eoiKlitioii of the eouiiti'V is worse than T ever knew it to ]»e biifore. Tlie excitements of 1h In the country, either North or South, to save it. But enouiih of this. IVIy health is very poor iiKh'ed. T am exceedintijly feeble and debilitated ; liavt; l)i'i'ii for several months. I do not recollect at this time any corrections to su^orn and where edueated I do not know. He is a lawyer l»v pro- fession, and lives in Thomasville, Ga. ; lu; entered the State J legislature with me in 1H.'](>, and went to Conirress alioiit l.S'),'), I think. He cut (piite a figure, while there, as a sparring debater, and in jiU sorts of log-rolling for his IJrunswiek navy yard. His individuMlity was as deeply im- pressed on the House as that of any man in it, though lur was not held as possessing talents above mediocrity. His chara(tteristics are peculiar, and he is to-day, perhiii)s, as notorious as anv uian in Georgia ; hence, he ought not to bo omitted. You can see from the Confjren.sional Globe when he was in Congress ; and from the "Congressional Direc- tories " of the Thirty-fourth :ind 'IMiirty-fifth Congresses, %. ft, I « ' you may uet the data for a correct sketch of him. If • ft. r? not, you had l)etter writr to him at 'riiomasvilli', (J;i. The other error in tlie iirst edition, to which I Iimvc referred, occurs in the sketch of Irwin, .lared. I do not think he ever moved to Pennsylvania. He was born in Micklenburg County, N. C, in 17r)0, came to Cieorgia when a l)ov, and continued to reside in this State until his ft. ' death ; at least, this is my o[)ini()ii on the subject. He was president of the State Convention, and governor of the State, and died :is set forth in your book. He died at his residence on Union Hill. Washingtxm County, (ia., March 1, 1818 ; and the Legislature of Georgia subye- w 3(52 IIAIMIAZAIM) nCHSONALITIKS. 'Pi- J i, i P''M (i i .J- iH Uii (iui'iitlv erected ti iiionuineiit to his memory. In no sketeh of his life I hiivo ever seen, exee[)t in yours, is there any mention of liis ever liavini!; resi(h'(l in Pennsvlvunia. Indeed, I am inclined to think the ei-ror consists in con- foundinij; two distinct cliaracters. The Irwin Jured who was in Coni»:ress from Peinisvlvania, at the time von state, could not Iiave been the (J eor<»;ia Irwin Jared, whose acts and death lit the latter, in your sketch. I am, moreover, inclined to think that our Irwin Jared never was in Con- ijress at any time. I see no mention of any such position held hy him in any ])ai)<'is connected with his life, which have fallen under my observation, except as stated. Yours truly, Alkxandek II. STKniETsrs. r. S. You see the above letter is penned by ]VIr. Miller, thoui>ii at mv dictation. A. II. S. National Hotel, WAsiiixcrroN, D. C, Teh. 10,1882. Dear Mr. Lanman^ — Do, if you can conveniently, come over and see me soon. I wrote to Col. Charles C. Jones, incpiiriiiL'" for the name of the publishers of his work, enti- tled "The Dead Townis of Georgia," and told him you requested me to do so. To-dav I received a verv kind letter from him on the subject, and instead of sendini? me the name of the publishers, he sent me a copy of the book, with a request tiiat I should present it to you in his name. As I cannot jro to see you, owing to my crippled condition, do, if you please, call and see me. Yours trulv, Alexander IT. Siepiiens. ALEXANDKU HAMILTON STKl'IIENS. 3G3 Atlanta, Ga., Dec. 31, 1SS2. My dear Mr. Lanman^ — Your very k'nid jmd liiii'lilv {ippreeiated letter of CliristiiiMS cl:iy \v:is duly received, uud you will please accept my Bincere tlituiks for it. I shall look with intinvst for that sketch to which you said you had just given the linishing touches. It is indeed a long time since our acquaintance was formed ; and I c:ui truly sav, on mv part, that time has only added strength and depth to the friendship then formed. Tour letter gave me the llrst intimation I had of the severance of your ollicial connection with the Japanese deleiiation in this country, hut 1 doul)t not yoiu- new voca- tion will l)e more agreeable as well as profital)le to you. Art is your ai)[)ropri:tte realm or spliere, and I feel as- sui'ed that your forthcoming " Portt'olio " will add to your already world-wide reputation. You tisk if I have any filends to whom you miniit send a copy. To this, please allow me to say, yon have one friend wiiom you 'Mnay make happy " by sending a copy, and that is, myself. I know Paul II. Ilayne well, lie is indeed a real genius, .'iiid also a true and no])le nitin. With kindest regards and best wishes. Very truly, Alexander II. Stetiiexs. ;;'i i the Atlanta, Ga., Jan. 2n, 18S:5. My drar Mr. Lanman — Your letter of the 24th came to hand by mail this evening, and with it by express came, at the same time, your '' Portfolio" containing the ten pic- tures you mention. I had the '' Portfolio" put in the par- lor of the executive, wiiere they have been greatly admired by luimerous callers this evening. I need hardly assure 304 IIAril AZAKD PERSON ALITI i:S. you that I was greatly pleased with tlieiii, and partic- ularly the scenes in Geor«'ia, with which I am so well ae- quainted, — Tuccoa, Yonah Mountain, Naeoochee Valley, etc. The Bowlder at Bluck Island I was much pleased with, though hovv true to nature, I do not know. You have my sincere thanks for the same. I shall look with interest for your forthcoming book upon the " Leading Men of eTapan." With continued kindest regards and best wishes, I remain, Yours truly, AlEXAXDEII II. STEniENS. Atlanta, Ga., Feb. 8, 1883. My dear Mr. Lanman, — Your letter of the 2\nh idt. was duly received this morning. The pictures were duly received and greatly prized by me, as I wrote you ; they were also greatly admired by quite a number of friends who called in the same evening they came to hand. In my hasty acknowledgment of them, 1 said nothing about your drawing upon me, but was waiting ^o hear from you as to the price. No bill accompanied them, nor have I received any since. Just let me know the proper nnount, and I will myself promptly remit, without any draft on your part. I am truly glad to know that y(jur nevf enter- prise is succeeding so well. I have been very nmch pressed with pulilic otiicial duties, for the last several weeks, in getting off comrMssions to the numerous county oiUcers in the State, iind decidinu; contestiim' elections, — a duty tliat devolves upon the governor of (leorgia. I am to take my first liolida}'^ leave from the Mansion next week, Deo volente, to be present and make an ad- dress ;it the cesqui-centenni.'d of the first settlement of (Jeorgia l)y (.)gU>thorpe. This is to come off on Monday, HENRT Tl. SCTTOOLCnAFT. 3r,.T the 12th inst., at Sav.animh. I expect to leave throe or four days ])efore, and he al)seiit for alxxit a week. 1 liope to hear from yon hy the time of my return. Yours truly, Alexandkk it. Stephens. In June, 1885, the remains of INIr. Stei)hens were re- moved from Atlanta to C'rawfordsville and deposited in a vault at Liberty Hall, formerly the residenee of the emi- nent statesman, and hereafter to be utilized as an academy for boys, under the auspices of a memorial association. On the day in question, tho Hon. G. T. Jiarnes delivered an eloquent eulogy on the departed ; and, in si)eakin<»: of his eoura<>e. said that INIr. Stephens " was nfrtiid of nothino- upon earth, save to do wrong"; thereby placing him far in advance of the great mass of American politi- cians and so-called statesmen. ' I ^ t HENRY 11. SCHOOLCRAFT. My acquaintance with this noted friend of the red man was commenced under my fatlier's roof, when he was a member of the Territorial Legislature of ^lichigan, and I was a boy hunter on the river L*aisin. I knew liim aftci-- wards in New York, and for many yenrs while a resident of Washington City. Indeed, it was my [)rivilege tore- side for a time in his home, when Professor Joseph Henry and his family enjoyed the same privilege. My innate love of the Indians was greatly fostered by my intercourse, as a bov and man, with Mv. Schoolcraft: and the many long talks that T was wont to 1 lav^e with him about his life in the Avild ern(;ss, can never be forgotten. And it has always seemed to me a sinuul; tr circumstance -J s ■ I WT 3GC IIAPIIAZAIII) PERSON Al.lTIES. I tlijit tlio ])oy, whose head he patted on tlie river Ixaisin, shouhl liave been tlie means of introducinji; the author to the i)ul)hslier of his i>reat work on tlie " History of the American Indians." Such w:is the case, however, and this is Iiow it nil Imppened : I was the lil)rarian of the AVar Di'pnrtment, and one day Mr. Schoolcraft came to my desk and snid that the o-overninent had Mppropriated a iariL':e sum of money to publish his forthcomin*^ work, and he wante(l me to introduce liiiu to a suital)le publisher. IJppincott & Co., of PhihulclphiM, hnd just issued a small volunu^ fi-om my pen, and I natui'Mlly iixed upon that lirm as the most suitable one to bring out the Indian work, and so I <»ave Mr. Schoolcraft a fricindb' introduction. lie went to Philadelphia, was treated with nuirkcd nttenti(>n by the siforesaid publishers, and a satisfactory arrani»;e- ment wms made l)etween the parties, which eventuat,ed in the expenditure of several hundred thousand dollars of go\'cniment money. In view of INIr. Schoolcraft's eminent success as an autltor. the subjoined Iciulino- fncts of his life cannot ))ut be inlci'cstiuii' to the reader of tiiis notice. lie wns born in vVihany, N. V., March 2orc with rare Chr stian fortitude, he died at his residence in AVash- ington City, Dec. 10, 1804. The total number of his pub- lications, as his widow informed the writer, was thirty-one ; and as tlie historian of the Americaii Indians, he will alwavs be considered the leading authoritv. While he did not aspire to the title of poet, he nevertheless wrote verses occasionally ; and one of his poems, because of its asso- ciation with iNiichigan and the fate of its aborigines, may with propriety be appended to this notice. It is entitled '' (Jeehale, an Indian Lament." "The blackbh'd is .siny;u),iic 011 IVEichii^an's slioro, As sweetly and ^ayly as ever before; For he knows to his mate lie at pleasure can liie, And the dear little brood she is teachin.ij: to lly. The suii looks as ruddy and rises as bri;u:lit, And reflects o'er tlie luouiitaiiis as beamy a lii^ht As it ever reflected, or ever expressed, When my skies were the bluest, my dreams were Uw. ))ej?t. The fox and tlie pantluu*, both b(;asts of the night, lietire to their dens on the Mleainiiiu: of liniit; I*' t I! 3G8 IIAPIIAZAUD PERSONALITIES. And they .spring with a free and sorrowless track, For they know tliat their mates are expecting them back. Each bird and each beast it is bk^ssetl in degree; All natnre is cheerful, all happy but me. " I will go to my tent and lie down in despair; I will paint me with black, and will sever my hair; I will sit on the shore, where the hurricane blows, And reveal to the God of the tempest my woes. I will weep for a season on bitterness fed, For my kindred are gone to the hills of the dead; But they died not by hunger, or lingering decay, The steel of the white man hath swept them away. " This snake-skin, that once I so sacredly wore, I will toss with disdain on the storm-beaten shore; Its charms I no longer obey or invoke, Its spirit has left me, its spell is now broke. I will raise up ray voice to the source of the light, I will dream on the wings of the bluel)ird at night; I will speak to the spirits that whisper in leaves, And that minister balm to the spirit that grieves; And will take a new Manitou — such as shall seem To ])e kind and propitious in every dream. "Oil, then I shall banish these cankering sighs, And tears shall no longer gush salt from my eyes ! I shall wash from my face every cloud-colored stain ; Red, red shall alone on my visage remain ! I will dig up my hatchet and bend my ash bow, By night and by day I will follow the foe ; Nor lakes shall impede me, nor mountains, nor snows, His blood can alone give my spirit repose. "They came to my cabin when heaven was black, I heard not their coming, I knew not their track; But I saw by the light of their blazing fusees They were people engendered beyond the big seas. My wife and my children — Oh, spare me the talel For who is there left that is kin to Geehale?" nENKY Tl. SCIKM)F.CKAiT. 3G9 My correspondenoo with Mr. Selioolcruft was limited, but the few notes from iiis pen that I have retained are as follows : — Saturday :Mokxino, 2 Dec. 31)/ dear Sir ^ — I called at your lodgings, niglit before hist, to thank you for your very liandsome notice of nie .aid what I am about in the Indian olllce, which you have inserted in the Intelligencer, and since had copied in the Tribune. I am greatly indebted to you for the kindness. It is the first notice of tlie kind I have had from any quar- ter since I have been in the city, and cannot, so far as it is read, but tend to make my position in society here better, or more eligibly, known. Very truly yours, Henry 11. Sctioolcrattt. Having asked his advice about the title for a book, lie writes : — My dear .%•,— The Indians call America an island, and say that it grew from a turtle's back. The Iroquois call it Ilaw-ho-noo. Could you not avail yourself of this id(.ti?_ Glimpses of Hawhonoo. The ^AVest is called Ivabiyun, — say, Hambles in the Land of Kabiyun. Truly, II. II. Schoolcraft. PlITLADELPHTA, Oct. 27, 1857. My dear Sir, — I have received your letter, and have requested Mv. L. to transmit you a copy of the memoir ; and I should feel highly gratified by a notice. I regret that I had not put an index to direct you to particular su1»j('cts, as you cannot get time to read so long a story through, and it will be diilicult to form a just opinion of ^4 ■-i 4 370 IIArilAZARI) ri'.USONALITIES. its connection with tlic aljorigincs, untiquitics, natunil his- tory, und tlio settknnents of tlio i^wut ]\rississippi Viilley, etc., without pretty tln-orouiilily ix'nisino- it. Tlie Life is from facts suppHed by me, Init due to an- otlier Hand. 1 am l)usy as a hee with my second vohime of " Indian History," which will be inost splendidly illustrated by Eastman. Truly, Henry 11. Sciioolckaft. Mr. Schoolcraft was twice married, his first wife having' been a beautiful and worthy ("liippewa woman of Lake Superior, and liis second an acco:;;})lished lady of South Carolina, who greatlv assisted him in his literary pursuits in Washington, and surviyed him only a few years. k m illi GEORGE B. McCLELLAN. My feelings of admiration for General McClellan, as a man and a soldier, were enthusiastic ; and a summer after- noon that I once spent in his company can neyer be for- gotten. It was in August, 1808, after he had retired from the army, and was recruiting his health in Connecticut and enjoying the companionship of his old and attached friend, William C. Prime. It was my i)rivilege to take a drive with him along the banks of the Thames, when we yisited the fortifications on the heights of Groton and the momi- ment. On hearing of his untimely death at Orange, N. J., I ferreted out from my papers some notes that I took at the time, and the substance of which may not be uuiuter- estins: to those who considered him one of the most eminent men of his time. GKOUGE U. McCLKLLAN. 371 Wliile tukinir n view of Fort Tnmibiill, ns we i):isse(l iil)WHra iVoiii the IVqiiot Ilotul, lio expressed suri)iise that the furjiier shouhl luive been huilt where it is. II. • thouoht it would liave been })etter to phice it wliere the IVc/uot House stands, and tiiat Fort Griswold should have l)een huilt on a hill nearly opposite. For this he oave two reasons, — llrst, that an enemy would thus be kept farther off from New London ; and, secondly, that any gun fired from a ship at Fort Trumbull would be sure to hit the exposed city. Having recently visited :\rontauk Point and IJlock Island, he spoke ent^'usiastieally of ]m,i1, (,r them. He thouoht the former one of the most interesting places he had ever visited; its lonely g.-and(>nr had impressed him deeply. He went to the latter place with a f.-iend, in his admi- rable yaclit, from Stouinglon, —going i,, one hour and fifty minutes, and returning in one hour and fortv min- utes. 'J^he sea was rough, but he managed to take forty hluefish with the hand-line, mutilating his hands very severely. During his stay at the island it was whispered to a native that General McC'lellan had arrived. ^' Where is the man?" was the inquiry. '^ I should like to see him, because 1 have a son in the war, and perhaps lie knows hini. Sonie time ago, my son sent me a photograph of a may soldier that he thought everything of, and the general tell me his name." The picture was subsequently pro"- duced, and it proved to be a picture of the general himself. iry works on the heiohts of The old and abandoned niilit Groton were niinutel y examined, with all the enthusiasm of an engineer hired to do a specific work. lie spoke of the old fort and of the water ])atte ry as verv creditable to those who designed them ; i)oint('d out what lie thouoht one mistake, touchinir the approach from the ncjrtheast, 872 iTAPiiAZAiU) ti:rsonalitiks. II 11 and lujido Hovcn-al sketches of tlie plnn of the fort. As wc stood within the battery, looking up jit the fort, I was reminded of a famous French picture, representing the assault on the Redan at Sebastopol ; he said that the lied.'in was not as high as the fort before us, but th:it the IVIalakoff was, perhai)s, a little higher. As in his "Crimean l\eport" he gave nuich the greater cretlit to the French army, he incidentally mentioned this anecdote. At some place on the IJlack Sea, an Englishman was talk- ing with a French oHicer about the siege of Sebastopol, and took pains to claim nicest of the credit for his coun- trymen ; to which the Frenchman replied, in his own tongue, with a little profanity, '* I don't recollect th:\t I saw a single! Englishman in the Crimea." Having ({uestioned him in regard to the scenes in his own eventful military life which he thcnight Ix'st a(hn)ted for the pencil, lu' designated the following as those which made the deei)est iini)ression on his mind. 'J'he first was his arrival at the field of Antietam just bef(M'e the ])attle, when, as is well known, he was welcomed ])y the troojjs in a manner that has seldom been e(pialled in history. The particular moment to be selected was when the first fire of the enemy was heard, and, without siieaking a word, he involuntarily rose slightly in his stii'rups, and pointed toward the enemv ; which movement was answered ])V a shout that was loud as the roaring of the sea on a rockv shore. Another scene was that when he bade the army farewell at Warrenton, and when, as many oflicers present have testified, he might, by saying one word, have taken his armv to Washington as dictator. Another sub- ject suited for a ])icture was a view of the Pamumky Kiver, where his lieadepiarters were, upon a commanding hill ; while on the right was spread out a highly cultivated GKOIKiK II. McCLKLLAN. 378 country, perfoctly beautiful snid pi-jicoful, juid without a single object to reuiiud one of war; nnd on the left hand was massed liis wlioh; army of, I think, ei^lity thousand men. lie spoke of the whohi scene as one of 'jjreat nov- elty, and as elofiuently iUustrating the i)ast and i)resent eondition of our country, — peace and war. But of all the sad scenes that he described with ])li()to<>rap]iic accuracy, his arrival at Harrison's Landiny; was thi! most touchin<»'. Niniit was comin<^ on, and hunuiy, worn out with fatii^ue, and without anv order, his Jieroic troops were liti'rallv l\in<'- in the nnid, like cuttle mired in a swamp. Tlien it was that one of his ollicers came up to him to consult him on some .subject, but fell asleep before lie could llnish his speech, and could not be shaken out of his stui)or. lief ore twelve o'clock that night, the general had visited every one of his regiments, had hooked in the face of every man, and in all the multitude did not observe a single sullen counte- nance. Such heroism as iiis troo])s then manifested, and had always maiiitested, he fi'e(piently mentioned as wholly unsurpassed in the history of modern warfare. Spcakin*'- of the enthusiasm which his troops had always felt for him, he said it was unaccountable, unless it arose from the fact that they knew he was their friend. On entering the Groton monument, he looked over the rames of those who were killed, while ])ravelv riuhtin<'- for their country, and among them were no less than live per- sons who were his own kinsmen. The Ivebellion was discussed at some length, and he was as decided in his hatred of it as any man could be. ]f(; thought the people, both North and South, were all still lovers of the Union, and was hopeful as to the final result. Two things, however, nuist of necessit\^ be accomplished, before we could enjoy a lasting peace, — the destructioa I I I m IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) ^ / o {■/ L^/ V (/i i/.. 1.0 I.I fia iiM 12.0 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 ^ 6" — ► A ^e c^. r c^l ^a (f9' -p. d o 7 /A Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 V '^^ % V ■V ^^ y? 4 A M -^4^ % 'i;^ ri> O v r: ; M i I- m 374 IIAPHAZAllD I'KKSONALITIES. of tlio abolition purty by the conservatives of the North, and tlie political extinction of all the leadiiii^ secessionists and partisans of the South, by the conservative population of that section. When the people of the South were will- ing to lay down their arms and come back under the old flag, he would be glad to give them a warm and cordial welcome and all their rights under the Constitution. Of course the blow that had alreadv been KUS0NAL1TIES. |(>*i ! } hi lif t ( ' ;' i I Ui 'i \ki Hi not printed any unpatriotic opinions. Another remark that I made to the general was as follows : That when the husiuess of recruitino; vras at its heiglit, I Imd a dream in which I liad shouldered a musket and joined his forces in Virginia ; and that, on entering a battle, I threw down my gun and ran toward the rear like a deer ; whereupon I he- came convinced that I could never do anvthing in that line to save my countrv. llis comment on. my confession was that warriors were not made out of such material as I rep- resented myself to be. The correspondence with which General McClcUan hon- ored me during our long acquaintance was in keeping with his hiah character as a friend and gentleman ; and the three letters which I now sul)mit to my readers will not only explain themselves, but also give an insight into the working of his mind on certain important topics of the day. TnENTox, Nov. 17, ]S()2. Mil dear Sir, — Yoiu* very kiud note of the 11th is re- ceived, and I thank you most sincerel}'^ for it. I believe you are right in saying that my enemies are the ultra fanatics on both sides, — alike traitors ; at least I draw that inference from the multitude of letters which reach me from many sources. The possession of tlie es- teem of the good and honest among mv countrymen would compensate me for any real evil of magnitude, much more so under circumstances like the present, when I am really more pleasantly situated than I have been since the begin- ning of the war. Again thanking you for the kind feeling you have so often evinced for me, I am, Most sincerely your friend, Geo. B. McClellax, Major-General, I K l ' .Jli LULIUL ' J-; GEOllGE li. Mt;CLELLAN. un Oraxge, X. J., Dec. 7, 1800. 31// dear Mr. Lamnan, —Your very kind letter of the 1st duly renehed me. I am much indebted to you for the extract from Mr. Emerson Etlieridge's letter, i.nd assure you that there are very few people in this nation whose good opinion I value so much as his, — a man who lias gone through tlie most severe ordeal in the fiery trials through which we have all passed. 1 value the good opinion of such meu far more than I could the Presidency without it. I feel very unconcerned about that high but very undesirable ollice. I have. not, nor shall I, ever uiove one finger to obtain it. If it comes to me, it must be as the spontaneous, unsolicited act of the people, and not as the result of any effort or bargain on my part. A man who so little appreciates the vast responsil»iliti(>s of the next Presidency as to strive for or desire it iimst, in my judgment, be devoid of sense. If it comes to me, I shall regard it as the work of IVovidence, and trust tluit God will answer my prayers and eiuil)le me to act for the good of my poor country. If it falls to another, 1 shall be too glad to escape the inevitable tritds of such a posi- tion, lint I think tliat no one can yet foresee wlio is to be the next President. Events uiarch now with sucli great speed that new issues, unheard-of men, may, at the end of another year, be the arl)iters of our destiny. I am con- tent now, since I cannot be in the field, to sit upon the bank and wait tlie wind. So the poor Army of the Potomac has again been made a sluittleco( k of ! Will they never learn that Richmond is not to be ttdcen by tlie Chilpepper or the Ai Will piia route ? you thtink Mv. Etheridge for me for his kind o I pin- 378 IIAl'lIAZAIiU riCKSONALlTIKS. ion? AikI believe 'Me, vvitli the iiiu.st pleastiut reeollee- tioiis of the New Loudon visit, ever Your sincere friend, Geo. B. McClellan. pN i !:,■ !•; i % ■ (ti! ': I \l m Orange, ITov. 16, 1864. My dear Mr. Lanman^ — Your kind note of the 10th duly reached me. If I entertained any sentiment of personal chagrin at the result of the late election, it would have been at once dispelled l)y the many evidences of regard and friendship I Jiave since received from those whom I most respect. Fortunately, perhaps, 1 regarded the contest, from the be- ginning, as one involving the great interests of the nation, and as of too great magnitude to leave any room for per- sonal feelings or ambition ; so that when the end canie there was no person;. I mortification to be soothed; but I am none the less grateful to my friends for the warm interest they display for me, and shall never cease to en- tertain the most sincere gratitude towards them. I do not yei despair of the Republic, but believe that, after man}" trials and sufferings, we shall at last recover our old institutions and our former glory, and come out of the fiery furnace i)urified and strengthened. At all events our course is clear, and that is to stand firmly by the great principles we have advocated, and never forget that we have still a country to save, whenever God permits us to act in its behalf. I beg that you will express to INIr. Seaton and ]Mr. AVelling my high apprecia- tion of the noble course tliey have pursued, and believe me, Ever your friend, Geo. B. McClellan, JOHN TRUMBULL. 379 The fact is very sujrgestive thtit General McClelhia should huve died only u few weeks after Geneml (}rant, Jus prominent rival fov military glory and in the political world. In life they were personally divided, and were both associated with the strife of human passions ; but they are now in a happier land, where peace and love reign supreme. AVhatever may be the verdict of the presen^t generation in regard to the merits of these two men, it is ct;rtain that posterity will cherish the name of McClellan as one who had no superior as a model Ameri- can, on the score of genius, pure and elevat-'d character, and unsellish patriotism. The character of the man was oxemplilled by the fact that, when he thought that his death was approaching, he made a special request that tliere should be no more display at his funeral '^ than th:.t of a simple citizen." He had witnessed too much of the mockery of woe to desii-e a luilitary requiem over his grave, confident that he had, what he wanted, a place in the heart.: of his countrymen, whom he had tried to serve to the extent of his ability. ill eTOlIN TRUMBULL. (Writtou by request, for the work entitled '' Art and Artists ni Connecticut," by II. W. French.) When a man of mark has been dead for the third of a century, and left to the world a full and interesting autJ. biography, it must, of necessity be a dillicult task to write anything new of him ; but, in the case of John Trumbull, the time has not yet passed when a general but brief survey of his personal characteristics as an artist and a man may not be both interesting and profitable. 380 HAPHAZARD PERSONALITIES. ^ i ill'' m i|: i-^n: 4 m ^>v He wjiH tlie Bon of Joiuithau Truinbull, tlie colonial governor of Connecticut, endearingly called by Washing- ton '' Brother Jonathan." He was born in Leba*ion, Con- necticut, Juno 0, 175G ; and though, from a nialforinatioii of his head, it was thought he could not live, he manifested a love for books at an early age. He graduated at Harvard College in 1773, and having formed the acquaintance of the artist Jolni Singleton Copley in Boston, he forthwith turned his attention to painting. He however deemed it his duty to join the army in 1775, as an adjutant, and having rendered some special service by drawing plans of the English fortifications, was made aidc-de-canvp to Washington ; server 1 with Gates in the Northern Army as adjutant-general, but resigned his commission in 1777. Having resumed tlie pencil, he went to Paris in 1780 ; thence to London, where he studied art with Benjamin AVest, by whom he was highly appreciated. While there he was suspected Jis being a spy, and having been ar- rested was imprisoned for nearly eight montlis, amusing himself in prison by paintiufT. \-7])', a arrested, and ques- tioned as to his antecedents, he made this reply: '' I am an American, and my name is Trumbull. I am a son of him vou call the rebel oovernor of C*onnecticut. I have ft Cj served in the rebel army. I have had the honor of being an aide-de-Gcnnp to him you call the rebel George Wash- ington. I am entirely in your power ; treat me as you phrase ; always remembering that as I may be treated, so will your friends in America be treated by mine." On being released through the influence of West and such men as Charles James Fox and Ednnmd Burke, he re- turned to America in 1782. He again visited England, and returned in 1789. In 17i)4: he went to England as secretary to John Jay, and passed about ten years in the JOHN TIlTTMimLT.. nf.bull had few equals. Lafayette, one of liis most intimate friends, said that his works should be th > first, if not the onlv, ornaments of his dwellino;. John Jay, Alexander Hamilton, Stephen Van Rensselaer, and other men of tiiat stamp took pleasure in his companion- ship ; and with J)avid Ilosaek., DeWitt Clinton, Kobert i{. Livingston, and other noted New-Yorkers, he was inti- mately associated in promoting a taste for tlie line arts, and in conducting the affairs of the old American Acad- emy. And, so far as the estimation in which he was held ,l)y the public generally, both Jis a man and an artist is concerned, there is nothing that can speak more eloquently than the three hundred and forty-four names which were subscribed for a series of engravings from his paintings as far back as the year 1790. It is a royal list of names which would never have l)een recorded in favor of a connnmi man. Horace "VYalpole spoke of his painting of Ciibraltar as the finest he had seen nordi of the Al[)s ; and when vSir Joshua Reynolds uttered some of his petty criticisms, he did not dream that some of his own pictures would one day be ridiculed for their feebleness and fading qualities. In the autumn of 1815, Colonel Trumbull returned to America with his English wife, a lady of rare beauty and elegant manners ; but the story of her origin has alwtiys been involved in mystery. She died in 1824 ; and for nearly nineteen years her devoted husband kept her por- trait, which he had painted, closely veiled at the head of his l)ed. This portrait was bequeathed by Colonel Ti'um- buU to his niece, Miss Abby T. Lanman, of Norwich, JOHN TKUMIJl L(. 88.1 th.'in tlu' I no hiini- ncHS Cfil- iC of liis 1(1 1)0 tllJ g. Jolm ,'biLM', jiiid iiipuiuou- iobert il. was iiiti- liiie nrts, :!iii Acad- was lu'ld 1 artist is loqiunitly hit'] I were paintings of iiaiiK'S iconinioii Cii])raltai' when vSir cisnis, lie d one dav ties. turned to iauty and as alwijys ; and for t lier por- e head of lel Trnni- Norvvicli, arfoiiows' "^-sl"' '" '^;" "™" '" '"^ '''""' •- "- --..to an snuoM y wise to oonnHcl, ki„,I t„ ,.„„s„ie, 1,^, f,, t,,„ Lr;':r:i;;::!,: ?.' ■"^' -" ^^"^^' ^-"'"' w:.: :!:: The wintf- of ] 81 9, Colonol Trnmbnll spent in llartfor.1 CO onnt ,.e was not equal to St„a.t, nor ctnl. be Hval Copley .„ „,„„i„,,^ ^„^„ ^j ^^j^^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^ . •;« v. ceue 1 tlitn. both. Connecticut nui,y well bo pro.i,] tint be was bon, on her soil, that „,ost of his best pr .,h io ' mhc.,„ion, and that his ashes andLetlh:: My personal recollections of Colonel Trnmbnll were Inmted to my acquaintance with him durin. . .? years of his life. I ,.„s at that tiu,e T^^^t^^ an alliance by marrino-o Ti„ i , ">.ioic iiecn „f ^ 1 , "lainage. He always treated me with tl,o , utmost kuidness; seemed indeed to be „ ' """ y"' *« ' lover of l,l« »„„„ , "*-•-" ^° "^ a warm-hearted lover of hs race everywhere; but while he foro-,ve l,„ could not always forget that he had been the vict m of I, treatment from some of his fellow-artist ehf .no ! those he censured being Willia.n Dunlap a ul T hm " f Cummmgs. The artistic battle which w.^s wa.ed bre;n hunand the men who really f „„,„«„ „e Nationt Ac-urem; of Design was more bitter than it should have been ;£ as r,8G nAPIIAZATlD rERSONALITTES. iK'illier of the parties were immaculate, the ])itterness which was manifested, and has ])een perpetuated in print hy the two artists just named, v Ul ever remain inexcusable. Dunlap, we all know, had ability, but was crotchety ; but when we remember that Cummin<>;s was never anvthinij more than an oi'dinary miniature painter, it is refreshing to recall his statement, that the faults of Trumbull were due to his education. When he died, however, even the National Academy, through Professor S. F. B. Morse, honored itself by paying him tiie homage to which he was so justly entitled. On one occasion, I remember, while seated with him in his ])arlor, he suddenly pointed to a blank wall and saitl ; - - " Let those who think it an easy thing to paint a pic- ture, go to that wall and make it tell a story ! It is a very hard thing to do. To produce a picture or a book that is fit to live, is a power which very few men possess." Among the many engravers with whom Colonel Trum- bull had ])usiness transactions, there were none of them with whom he was on more i)leMsant terms than Mr. John F. E. Prud'homme, but their first acquaintance was not particularly edifying. When he was young and working for another engraver already established, he was requested one day to call on Colonel Trumbull, and tell him tlint the proof of an engraving was then ready to be seen, which the engraver had been making from one of the painter's portraits, and after Prud'homme had delivered the mes- sage, the painter suddenly exclaimed, "It is the business of Mr. Bhink to send that proof to me, and I shall not submit to his impudence." Sixteen years afterwards, when Mr. Prud'homme had occasion to engrave a portrait by the same painter, he went in person to submit a proof of his JOHN TRUMBULL. 387 work, when he was very kindly received by tlie colond, who, as he placed liis name upon tlie proof,''to()k occasion to compliment the eugvaxGr in hioli terms. Not only that, but, in a playful manner, he recalled tlie orioinul interview between the parties, asserting that there were always cer- tain proprieties to be observed even between men who were quite equal in all particulars. In the various conversations that I had with this erai- nent man, he touched upon so great a variety of personal incidents, that I felt myself to be in the presence of a most remarkable character. I was with him in fancy, as he struggled with his books in college ; as he talked with military men al)out the better plans for overcoming a wily enemy on the battle-field ; while struggling with Adverse circumstances in painting the pictures by which he hojied to perpetuate the honor of his country, and the personal appearance of our greatest heroes ; as he went to prison, defying the power of the British government; as he feasted with the great men of P:ngland and France, dis- coursing with them on li})erty and law, religion and art ; while battling for the best interests of art with men who could not appreciate his ability and goodness ; and T saw him, an old man, almost alone in the world which he had helped to elevate by his sword, his pen, his pencil, and the example of a brilliant and useful life. ^^■r i ■;■) ; 1 i i i i il \ !' ' 1 ! -r ,!':#. Il i 1 If 1, 1 1 I i • t ^ III Lee and Shepard's Rooks of Travel. GERMANY SEEN WITHOUT SPECTACLES- or Ran i^^^^^^^^^'Ji^^ of Various Subjects; Penned' &" Different Stand-points in the'' Empire ifyiiKNiu- \St ».uh^'!^^!'"l '''"-''^ briskly: ho chatH and «ossi,,s, HluHliimr n,,i,t ..,,,,1 ■^^^YJfe^o 4r^H OBSERVATIONS IN THE ORIENT ifvw.,^..?^f*y^^'^^^^^ ^he Countries of EuroDe .H graphic description „f theno nacrcd Icca ^ fcf r« with great aptnens to ncencH and per^onagen which l.i^;t()rv hiH i . , » natiual aud pleasant color of personality." - Convonl Monitor. fonr-nl'x!t^?u7on')I'''] -L-"' ''^''^^^'•'P''""« of manners and customs, loim a laige paitof this sinking narrative of a fourteen-monthH' voyage! VOYAGE OF THE PAPER CANOE. A (Jeogn.phical.lonr neyof Twent^;.Hve Ih.ndre.l Mile. Iron. C^.el.ec to I e , f f Hon«"^;, , ^^^' ^^^'''"^^■,^'■'•' »• '>'-"<"'. With n.nneroMs i Istr Uons and mapn specially prepared for this work. Crown Sv;. mivM!r;l!f''^'"''-f"l " ^""1 ''"''' ^'"'"^'' '^'"^ •'"« «ie«cril,ed it with a happy mixture of spirit, keen observation, and bonhomie y - London GrupDil FOUR MONTHS m A SNEAK-BOX. A I?oat-Voyaue of i wenty-six Ilnndred Miles down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers and along the (Jnlf of Mexico. l!y Nathaniel H s, p" AVith numerous maps and illustrations. $l.oO true to ! fr"'/'n'"' ■"^''""■'T "^ ',«'"»"ty-»"^"t ' 'if« on the great rivers are iL's y/'m/c/. ^""^""^^^'"''" of P^'-'^ons and places are graphic." - ^ ^AMEmrT r^l^W WALK ACROSS SOUTH AMERICA Over the Pampas and the Andes i!v Nathaniel II. Hi.„o,.. Crown .Sv";. New Kdkion^Erat'jf. "Mr. IJirihop made this journey when a boy of sixteen has ii..v,.r f.,.- t^:k ii^i^^KriiLz/vSm.;?-^' ^'-^ ^'^^ '^- -^^ --''^- ^^^VmnStW?,!^^-^^^^?^.^- ^^'"•^' t'>'' Adventures of . nnl / I>"il-H>intmg in the Wost-India Islands. I'.y Kukd \ Obeu. Crown Svo. With maps and illustrations. !ft->5u During two yciirs he visited mountains, forests, and neoole th-it few f any, ourists had ever rea.d.ed before, lie carHed Ls earner with llul^til'-^^SlS/i'r'" ""^r" ^"V^"^«« ^y wh^^h'T'iook' s iiiuFtiiaitu. — L,ouisi'ilie Voitrifr-Joitrnal. Sold by all booksellers, and sent by mail, postpaid, on receipt of price. LEE &, SHEPARD, Publishers, Boston. Lee and Shepard's Books of Travel. I ^m '11 -' * ! 1 LIFE AT PUGET SOUND. With skotchcs of travel in WuHh- ington Tciriloiy, Hiitinh Colimiliia, Ort-Koii, and C/Uliforniu. By Cakolinp; (!. I-Ki(;nT<)N. lOiiio. Clolti. i?l.f)0. " Your chiiptiMH on l'nj;ii Sound liuvc ctiiirrnt-d int'. Kiill of life, deeply iiUereHtinK, and witli jnsl Uial cIuhh ot tacts, and HUu^e^tionH of trulii, llial cannot fail to lielp the Indian and tlie (Jliinei^e." — Wkndki.i l'lllI,I,II'S. EUROPEAN BREEZEIS. 15y Mahokky Deane. Cloth. (Jill top. $1.;")(). 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"There is real satisfaction in reailing lliis book, fron* the fact that wo can so readily ' take it home ' to onrselvcis." — Portlaud Argnn. NELLY KINNARD'S KINGDOM. "The Hartford Keligious Herald " says, " 'I'his story is so fascinating, that one can handy lay it down after taking it iii)." IN TRUST; or, Dr. Bertrand's Household. "She writes in a free, f resli, and natural way; and lier characters are never overdrawn." — MKiiclicstt'r Mirror. CLAUDIA. " The plot Is very dramatic, and the i/i'iioiimott startling. Claudia, the heroine, is one of those self-sacriticing cliaracters which it is the glory of th? female sex to produce." — Boston Journal. STEPHEN DANE. " This Is one of this autlior's hap[)iest and most successful attempts at ..)vel-\vriting, for wliich a grateful public will applaud her."— //erald. HOME NOOK ; or, the Crown of Duty. " An interesting story of Ijome-life. not wanting in incident, aud written '.n forcible and attractive style." — JVi'ic- York (rriiphic. SYDNIE ADRIANCE ; or, Trying the World. " The works of Miss Douglas have stood the test of popular judgmenl, and become the fasliion. They are true, natural in delineation, i)ui'* -vid elevating in their tone." — K>]tre.ss, Edstoii, Penn. SEVEN DAUGHTERS. I'he charm of the story is the perfectly natural and home-likt- ai. «rv'.ic]b jervades it. . Sold by all bookaellers, and sent by mail, postpaid, on receipt of pric€* i J. rii T. TH()\VHR||)(;k-S novkis. NEW UNJFORVI EDITION. FARNELL'S POLLY. " Ah a Nov«'l of AriHTlcrin Sodcty, tliin l)„„k Iiuh iH.vcr been HiirimHHod nearly u, ntylc and w1m.I.;ho,„„ i„ „.,„.. lu patl.oH oav Z-iZri:, tearH, Uh humor nlwayH exciting nuTiinunt." ' CUDJO'S CAVE. Intc.reHtcdaudin.p.eHHeclmoprotoImllly. ' '"''' '*''"""« 't- ^l THE THREE SCOUTS. THE DRUMMER BOY. A Story of HiunsideV J.:x,,e,liii„„. Ilh.straled by F. O. ('. Daiu ky - WJXS.S"""' '"'' •"■ ^"" ''*""*'"• '^ -'" -" -Hhunt „nHhln«^'. MARTIN MERRIVALE: His X Mark iJ»^'fi'i£^!;';;:;^Elr;;.:::::';-';i;;!-/ i'"--^'- "• "<•..«• of the bo<.k« NEIGHBOR JACKWOOD. J^uSSaS.'"'™^^ COUPON BONDS, and other Stories. S'^tE,/::...'"''''''''*'"''?-'''': '"•»^* ••"''"'»'• of Trowbridge'fl The leadi short stories, j ne others are vi interesting or " highly amusing NEIGHBORS' WIVES 22mt.. Cloth. Pi-ice per volume, fl.50. Sold by all book,ellers and netvsdealers, and nent by mail, poatpaia, OH receipt of price. ^^ Miss Virginia F. Townsi^ind's IJooks. Uniform Edition. Cloth. $1,50 Each. u I I. ' BUT A PHILISTINE. •' Aiiollicr novel t)y tlu' aullutr of ' A W'fimairH Won!' nnd ' TiCnot Diirr,' will l)«' wiirmly \vflconii'; folks wiil want to read it, as inneh an tlie oU! folks want to read tL- l,o^,ks writ e WeM/ISZ"- '" " ''^'"""'' "''''' '" "" "«-•"- ''^«« -i'-"'- THE A3BURY TWINS. «-,•!,''.!",' ";",'"":"■'"'!;'" '>f,''i"f'ther work l,y this eiiarmini; and popular wiiler will he heartily welcomed l.y the pnl.lie. And in lliis ....sj l.l,. fasematniL' story of the twin-sisters'. • X'ie'' and • \'an/ th-y i av 1 'f ,•; hem a Kemm.e treat. Vu: writes her story in one ehapl.T, and Van . the next, and so on thronuh th.. hook. Van is frank, holiest; and p.aeti! uil. \ic wild, venturesome, and witty; and l.otli „f tliem nalnr.'il and winning. -M home or ahroa.l, they are true to their indh idiiality, and -ee tliinus Willi their own eyes. It is a frer-li, delightful volume well worthy ol Its gified author." - />V, ./,.,, Vi^uhihutor. ^'""'"i. hlII OUR HELEN. "'Olir TIelen' is Soiihie Mays latest ereatioii; and she is a brave irirl, that the yountc p-'ople will ..11 like \\\. are pleased wall some old friends in t.'ie hook. It is a yood eomj.ainon.lxx.k fvv"-'," ''•I, '■""^''"'■'■•''""' '*^'" '''" ^''<'"l'' Uo totiether. (Jneer o l' .Neil still lives, to induliie in tlie reminiseenees of the yonn.' hritclit, to meet for the Id Mrs, men of ionally en ■ is a and liic , is very 4. I' .Neil still lives, to induliie in tlie reminiseenees of the yonn.' Maehi.is; and other (^uinnel.asset people with familiar nam. "s o.-.a aiipear, alony with new ones wlio ar.' worth knowite' '<»iir Hel noble and unselli-.h triri, hut with a miixt and will of lierowir contrast lietween lier and pretty, fas.inatini,', sellisli Jittji. Sharle'v huely drawn. Lee x Shei)ar.l puhlisli it." _ lloh/ok, Tni/ncnpi QUINNEBASSET GIRLS. '^Tho story Is a very att.-a.live one, as free from the sensational and eHl'/rv :."""'' •'V'."r'-^'; "••" '" •"*' '^'"»- li"H. full of interS .ad I iV. r n nS- ^''\r;="'M' ''"^"t. <-l'"'-iy sunshine that we tind in tlie author'^ eaila. X ( ks Sli,. is to he coniiialulated .)n the suc.;ess of her essay in a m-w held ot .t.-rature, to whieh sh.. will he warmly welcomed by th^oB! Who know and admire her ' J'rudy Hooks.' " ^ Sold by all booksellers