Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1852-12-16
The late Francis Baylles.

gives the following "reminiscences touching
the late Judge BayIies, of Massachusetts,
On the 3Oth of last month, there died
at his elegant estate in Taunton, Mass,
the Hon. Francis Baylies, concerning whom
there are interesting associations with
some of the glorious dead. MIR. Baylies
may not have been greatly known in the
country at large as politician or states-.
man--lhough in his 'Old Bay State he
was veil known as one of the most culti-
waited men in the nation. He is known to
the country. chiefly as having been U. s.
NJ mister to Brazil in the first part of Gen.
| Jackson's administration, and member of
Congress for some half dozen years. In
political matters he has figured conspicu>
ously as candidate for Governor, and as a
member of the Massachusetts Legislature
for many successive years.
But it was chiefly as one of those genial
souls addicted to the pursuit Of elegant lets
tiers and refined and generous hospitality,
that Mr.. Baylies was known to the lest adj
vantage. His liberal means, and the refn-
ing influence of foreign travel, had put him
into ACQUAINTANCE with MANY GVi~e men
VI tue HEst mark, and into possession of the
materials concerning the distinguishedidea
TO degree which few protested literary
men have enjoyed TO an equal extent. So
accurate and SO large was his acquaintance
with the men of the past. as well as of his
own generation, that he would ever have
been regarded as an oracle in any matters
Of biography and history.
The family of the lamented Alexander
Hamilton had long looked to Mr.. Bayles
as the most competent biographer to whom
they would entrust the papers and the rep
utation of that great statesman for the
production of work adequate to the mer>
its of that gifted and Inflated man. But
the love for literary leisure, the besetting
fault Of Mr.. Baylies's practical life, caused
too long delay. and the papers and docu>
ments for Haml ton's life Were at length
placed in other hands. The amount of
original authorities which he also possess.
ed, rendered him, perhaps, equal to any
American writer, the proper person to
write our early colonial and heroic histo-
ny. This was partly realized in Mr.. Bay.
LESS 'History Of Plymouth a. work of
standard authority, which duly bespeaks
his capabilny in whatever else he may
have wished to turn his hand 10.
1t was the fortune Of this gentleman to
become possessed of large amount of the
personal memorials of the gallant and gifted
General James Wolfe, the conqueror of
Quebec. He could have reproduced the
life OF that accomplished young hero as
few other men could have done-- perhaps
none equally so in this country. Some of
his pictures of WOlle's life would awaken
far more vivid impressions of that remarks
able young man, than his graceful monu>
ment in Westminster Abbey, or even than
Vests immortal picture of the Victory
and the Death Of Wolfe.
Mr.. Baylies was fond OF tracing coinci-
dences of character amongst distinguished
men. Thus the poetic taste of the hero
was seen in it's more perfect realization. in
that remarkable young poet and divine,
who bore the same family name, Charles
Wolfe Of dublin. The general and the
poet both died at the early age OF thirty
three years, though the latter al compar>
atively recent date. The divine was cut
down in the high zenilh of his career, but
he elected from his contemporaries the
tribute of being one of the most gifted men
of this century, Lord Byron declared.
concerning his Ode on the death of Sir
John Moore, beginning with
mot drum was heard, nor funeral notc--"
that It was the most perfect ode in the
English language ~
But General Wolfe, though without leay-
ing any finished memorial Of his own com.
position, was In spirit and in genius the |
equal of some of those whose works the |
world cannot willingly let die. He was q |
great admirer aud friend Of Thomas GRAY, |
Macauley has somewhere said that the |
only work Of living fame produced by Engs |
lish genius in the middle hall OF the eigh.
leenth century was the two hundred lines
Of Gray's Elegy. lie considers this the
only specimen Of 6rst.rate production In
All that generation. That touching pro-
duc,ion had been bul recently published
when the gallant Wolfe was called into
the wilds OF Canada on his mission which
proved his path Of glory 10 the grave.
On the evening before the attack on
Quebec, while the boats with mullled oars
were carrying the British army down the
NJ. Lawrence, Wolfe was reclining on tho
stern Of bis barge with q circle Of officers