New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1845-05-03

Ike her mother LOVING me;
Which most dear know not vet,
Thee or baby, Margaret, B.
THOMAS MILLER. THE BAsHET-MAKING POET.
From Serie. OF Personal Recoecticns OF Literary Men
in the Boston AiIas.
THo:tAs Miller Looked al with no ordinary IN
terest; he had just then made sensation in Lon
don, and was among the lions Of Ihe day. His
story l. somewhat singular. shall! avail myself
Of the privilege afforded by this discurs!ve sort Of
scrbbllns, and relate The chief incidents connected
with II, as afterward heard them from his own
lips
had read. with considerable interest, work
entitled GA Day in the Woods, by Thomas Miller.
Basket-Maker. and ieit not d lttie delegated with
his vivid and graphic descriptions OF rural and or-
est scenery. Nothing natural AID fresh haG ap-
p.ared in cur literature. Even Bloomfield iailec
To convey so happy an idea al country HE as Nil
Ter. One mcrnng inquired hls address and de-
lermlned 10 call on M Miller trusting TO tie
lrdnknesS and AVAILABILITY which pervadsd every
page OF his book for his excuse OF my introducing
myself 10 hlm mad long walk down 81. Georges
road, Southwark. on dismal, drzzling November
Gry-and that Joke. any one familiar
with ioggv day, thar time OF the year, 10 Lon
don, can testify After much inquiry found out
Ellsois how. 10 which place | had been directed,
and when had asceriained the group ot houses,
IA one OF which the poet resided, had great diff
Gully IN finding ont the exact dwelling The very
people VINO VtG mex; door 10 NiiISF. uiQ rOl know
OF such psrson--alInough hall oI literary Lon
don was ringing with MS praises, and crying him up
DIS n newly-ouHd genus Sucl IS fame R the
mighty metropolis
Al length. on lnGrirrg a; 4 humble but neat look.
ing domcl!- was told by an interesting looking
IiIiIc oir that her fb.r {ibe poeil resifed thcrs
entered, asked 10 see HIM, and presently he came
down stars.
| introduced myself. told HIM had read his
works, which had delighted me by their truthful
ness and mnch desired 70 see him before left
town. He very kindly shook me by the hand, and
after some agreeable chat we made an appoint
ment TO dine with each other, IL chop house IN
the Strand, the next day. The story Of his life,
which he told me on The latter OCCASION, was 10 The
following eiircl
lie was born on the borders OF Sherwood Forest
where Robin Hood and his merry men tiourished
IN tunes OF old. From chidnood (he was then
about five or SIX and iwenty.) he had loved 10
der in the green woods and lanes, and unconscious
" his poetic senslbllItles were thus tosered. HIS
station in life was very humble, and at an early
age he learned basket-makins, by which occuPa-
ZION he earned Al bare subsistence. He married
early, and the increasing wants OF family led
hun 10 try the experiment of publishing some po
ems and sketches. bat Owing 10 want OF patronage,
no benefit resulted 10 him He at last determined
TO go 10 London-that fancied paradise oil young
authors thai great reservoir OF ta!ent-too often,
that grave of genitis. Thlrher he went, leaving,
Tor the present, his family behind, and alghune
"a stranger among thousands with Just seven
shlnes and sixpence IN ms pocket. He soon made
the melancholy discovery that a stranger IN Lon
don, however great may be his talents, stands but
a poor chance OF getting on without the assistance
of some helping hand So 10 keep body and sou
together, he SET 10 work making baskets In this
occupation he continued some time, occasionally
sending some little contlbuuon 10 the periodicals.
At length Fortune smiled on her patleut wooer-
One day, while he engaged IN bending his
osiers, he was surprised by visit from Mr. w. II.
Harrison. Editor of the Friendships Ofsnng,
an English ANIMAL. That gentleman had seen one
or two pieces OF Al!rr> and struck with Their
originality. He found him ont, after much labor,
and asked him 10 write poem Tor the orihcom-
ing volume OF the OFFERING.
Miller told me thai he was so poor then tia, he
had not pen, ink, or paper; so lie got some Whitley
brown paper, in which sugar had been wrapped,
mixed up somr SCOT with water for ms INK and
then sat down--the back Of bellows serving for a
desk aud wrote his weil-known lines on an 'Old
Fountain" These beautiful. verses being com
pietcd, he sealed his letter with some mosrened
bread for wafer, and forwarded them, with many
hOres and fears, 10 The Editor. They were mme
diately accepted, and Mir. Harrison forwarded the
poet Two guineas for them Il never had been so
rich in nv HE before said the Baskei-makeI 10
me- land tanced some one would hear OF my
good fortune and try 20 rob me of it-sc. at night,
barred the door and went to bed, but did not sleep
all night, from delight and fear. Mlersill. 10 his
honor, continued lhe certain occupation oi basket
making. but he was noticed by many-amons others
by Lady Bes-iustrn. who him, recommended
his book. and did him substantial service. Often,
SAID Miller, "haye been sitting IN Lady Blessing
tons splendid drawins-room IN the morning, talk
ing and laughing iauliary Gs II the old house :.
at home, and, on the same evening, might have
been seen standing on Westminster Bridge, be-
tween apple vender and g baked potato mer
chant. vending my baskets.
Miller now Iried his hand al novel, RoYsroN
COVER, which succeeded well. and then another,
FAIR RosANoxp-he read diligently at the British
Museum, and was perSeverInsly industrious. Jor-
dan took HIM by the hand, and he contributed
good deal 10 the Literary Gazette. BE l., at the
time write, himself publisher in Newgate street,
London. Miller Is rather below The middle height
his face IS round ana rosy looking, and he wears
profusun OF light hair. He has strong Noting
haushlr. dialect and possesses lIue OF the
awkwardness OF 4 couniTyman. Next 10 William
and Mary Hewitt, he Is The best writer on rura
matters IN England and am quite sure, that were
his later works reprinted N America, they would
hsy- an extensive sale.