New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-04-05
ROGRRS,H TABLErTAL.K.

REcOLLICriOss OF TIE rABLE-yALK or SAMUEL
nOsTRs To Which V added PofsoSrASi. limo ".
sA ID AYkses = Co ..,.-
The late Samuel Rogers secuS;ed more co.,
IN certain intelligent social circles
of London than DO could have claimed by any right
Of ibiellee,sal pre- Sminenee. He was intimate with
most Of the prominent literary celebrities Of his
day. HIS elegant hespitaiites have become
psoverb An inyitstion 10 bis table was one Of the
gratifying events in the experience Of foreign trav-
eler, especially of tourists from this country, ON
their visit to England Many traditions have pre-
,yrysd the fame of the breakfasts, az which the
wire, the witty, and the cultivated were wont 20
meet. But in pom: Of al The higher mental quail
iies the guests were often superior to their host
Mr.. Rogers was certainly no: mao Of genius. In
all his productions, we find traces Of original or
vigorous thought. Hlsimag nation was chaste and
refined, but not creative. He combined certain
bomely common sense with a passionate love Of
the beautiful. his taste both in literature and art
was e1 quisite but be really has added nothing 10
the intellectual wealth Of the century. The speci-
mems Of his Table Talk" now published are infe-
riOr in quality, doubtless, 70 the general tone OF
conversation among educated men in England. If
this 10 not the case, an American may well be con.
tent with the familiar talk of bis home circle 1t
need not take fifty years Of daily conversation to
produce materials for far more racy and delight
full volume than the present Still, it is not dest-
tute of certain fascination, if regarded from q
correct point Of view. Let no one expect from this
fastidious s. barite the burly humor and quaint
wisdom which have immOrtalzed the Table.
Talk" of Lutber-nOr the critical dogmatism Of
JOhnsOn-nOr The aurOral fashes Of inspiration
which gave such weird charm TO the discursive
monologues Of Coleridge-nor the pleasant bumor
~hich flowed in broken jets from the kindly lips Of
Charles Lsmb-but the reader that has love of
superficial aDecdote and personal gOsSip-and who
will not own to such weakness will here fnd
On abundant store-house Of entertainment, not
highly ipiced, not richly suggestive, not outrage
ously scandaious but usually of mild, inofIensve
type, and never sufficiently piquant to cause more
than passing irritation.
The extraordinary age of Mr.. Rogers enabled
him to draw upon bis memory for many Interesting
facts of a remote date, some Of which have been
judiciously preserved by the editor of this volume.
Here is bit Of pleasing "Reminiscences OF the Ursa
Major Of English literature:
NY friend Maltby and l. when we were very young
men, had strong desire to see Dr. johnson; and We
determined TO call upon him and introduce ourselves
We accordingly proceeded to his house in Bolt Court;
and had NY hand on the kn0cker, when our courage
failed US and we retire ated. Many years aferwaTd
me- ntioned this circumstance TO Boswell, who said,
"Wbat pity that you did not 60 boldly in-he would
hay e received you with all kindness"
nr .TOhnsOn said To ACQUAINTANCE OF mine, " NV
other works are wine and water; but my RAMBLER Is
pure wine" The world now thinks differently:
Lady Spencer recollccted johnson WELL a. she used
to see him often in her girlhood Her mother, Lady
Lucan would say, Nobody dues with us to-day;
therefore, child, we II go and get DR.. Johnson" SO
they would drive to Bot Court, and hing the doctor
home VITA them.
The photographed details which follow have
the merit of frankness and give some singular il
Illustrations of the "calamities of authors"
The first poetry published was the ode TO Super
stition in 1885, ! wrote it while was IN my teens,
and afterward touched it up. paid down TO the puo'
Usher thirty pounds to insure him from being loser
by il. At the end of four years found that he had
solo about twenty copies. However, was coneoea
by reading in a critique on the Ode that L was an
able writer" or such expr ssOn. The short copy
Of verses entitled Captvay was also composed when
was a very young man. II was tavorite WIN HOOK
ham Frere who said that II reseInbied "recA ep'-
gram. 49, o.,
laughed at were composed in consequence OF my sur
frtngs from the attacks Of that insect while hyed at
N,wington Green. My eyes used to be absolutely
swollen up with gna-btes / awoke one morning IN
that condition when was engaged to spend the DAY
al Str, athau with MIR. and Mrs. fozzi, TO meet Miss
Farren fafterward Lady Derby; and II was only by
the applcation of laudanum to my rounds that was
enabled TO keep my engagement. Nothing could ex-
coed tho elegance and refinement OF MISS fdrens
appearance and manners. 49,
PEOPLE have taken the trouble 10 write my Lac
more than once; and strange assertions they have
made both about myself and my works. In one BIO
graphical account il IL stated that submitted I've
Pleasures Of Memory In manuscript TO the critical re-
vision Of Richard Sharp. Now, when that poem was
fret published had not yet formed an acquaintance
with Sharp Cwho was introduced to me by the oldest OF
NV friends, Maltby Tie beautiful hines, " PieasaIes
of Memory oh supremacy bles,' &C., which have
inserted in note on Part Second were composed by
Mr. Soame who died in Iadia in 1908 at which time he
was a lieutenant in the dragons. believe that he
destroyed himself had heard that the hucs were IN
a certain newspaper, and went to Peels Cohee-house
70 see that paper there hrst read thcm and there
Transcribed them.
On the publication Of The Pleasures Of Memory, |
sent a copy TO Mason, who never Acknowledged Ii. L
learned However from Gilpn, and TO my great sots-
faction that Mason, in letter 10 him, had spoken wen
of il; he pronounced it to be very different IL ~
from the poetry OF the day.
During nv whole life | have borne in mind the
spcecb Of woman to Philip of Ascedon: appeal
from Philip drunk TO Philip sober" After writing any
thing in the excitement Of the moment, and beng
greatly pleased With it, have always put It ny for
Say or two and then carefully considering it in every
possible light have altered il to the best Of my judg.
nent thus appealing from u{sef drunk to myself
sober was Engaged on The Pleasures .ot Memory
fsr nine vears; on HamGH Life for nearly the same
rpace Of time; and Issly was not competed II less
than sixteen Yeas.
Mr.. Rogers's anecdotes Of his eminent contem-
poraries appear to have been related merely for
purposes Of Amusement, withousrcerence to special
traits of character in the individuals whom they