New-York daily tribune., 1857-10-19
CHARLES MCKAY.

o;,v where be arrived on Saturday morning, having
et Liverpool the Sd instant in the Asia TniS sue
eessl poet and journalist not unexpected on tnio
aide of the Atlantic, for the contemplated vsit anu
its suspected purpose were vaguely hinted at severe"
months ago by some of the English literary papers
and repeated with more de6niteness oy o
Europeaa Times on whose authority We NJ" -
it that DIR. Mscksy comes among Us WIN Wv
U ~ sr,vevno the pumberess objets OF interest pre-
.a,,sd bv the western world especisly the avs ana
m,,.,;,,,ons Of the American Republic and their ln-
q, the politicsl and social development OF
ors., country" Doubtless the popular song srter
1; ,h;,;ous 10 convert what knowledge be can Obtain
in thi, respect to some great and good uses;
but we are not sangune as to the chances Oh
his success, although he means well, and VIII
honestly aim at achieving something worthy
of his trouble if it be even fer ebort OF MS
;ntey;.cn. Fer any mission having great pohnca
reforms as the end Of its effort, DIR. Macksy Is not
9th, tight man in the right place Ills pei' VI
thought-his general impulses-hls past poi'icai
associations, ard that very Poet'ca sen'iuieot
which sheds liz charm over his career-unht
,ha sweat Wrist for task requiring dis
,;.o,,r different Intellectual training and ten
dsncy But we need not be very spprehepsve on
,h;. :oors AZ Charles Macksy in his desire to see US
=. wa spoesr at all points, has wi,er and more harm
Isss design than one linking him with study of our
politics for the purpose OF enghtening Great Britain
tbereaneut He means 10 write series of letters to
Tie Illustrated hcUs, that journal says sol giving
his impressions of whatever happens to strike his at
fention in our laws in our customs, in our tastes,
in our countrys institutions, its people, and its scenery
This will interest the readers of the journal to which
he writes; and perhaps benefit all parties. DR..
Mickey aleo purposes lectring among rs on the
topic which has most Of his sympathies, Poetry. In
this or Whist appersips to it, our visitor is at home,
and our people will, think, have cause to thank
bin for treating to the views of one who is master
ofthis subject. The cotemporary which fixes the
character of mere political study to Maokays visit
declares that The Illustrated News, Of which he is
said 10 be chief editor is through the traveller, when
fully instructed TO act the enlghtenng political
medium for England! DR.. Mackay, who is not, as 1t
hsppens the chief editor Of the paper in question,
will hardly be proud of the position implied for him,
when he thinks of what msny of his acquaintances
would say they suspected he could swallow the soit
Impeachment for hiD,ef or for the Journal lie Is
sensible mau, and knows that even tho stall OF Ihe
Illustrated Ners could furnish many more suitable
men-SHIRLEY BROOKS, for ipstance-tor such
peculiar service had the proprietary contemplated
anything of the sort.
Charles Mackay or Mackie the subject of these re-
ms,ks and now for his own good pleasure and profit
our ysor was born in Perth just forty five years ago.
Before he could lisp word in the language of MS
country he was removed to London and, having that
"a the center of his residence from infancy 10 age,
may, therefore, be almost pronounced Cockney.
Belgium has the credit of giving him the most valaa
bic portion of his education; and while there IN MS
seyepteenth year, he was a witness OF the trouble
come epoch known az "the Revolution OF 1884, NO
doubt the startling events then and there enacted ie
impressions upon his warm mind which came III suoSo-
quent days. to be Of immense use IN the hre ana in
agery of the song-wrer -Four years after these rev.
oluonary struggles, Of which be was, so far as he
ssfey could be- constant spectator, he published
small volume of poems perhaps most valuable be
csuse il was TO II he owed bis introduction to the profess
siOn of Journalism, wherein he has attained no mean
,Anutat;on John Black, the then editor of The
Morning Chronicle, having taken to- the poems,
desired to know the writer, and that knowledge re-
sulted N Mackays obtaining connection with Mr..
Blacks nexspaper. In being so placed, our young
noet WAS more fortunate than most of his cotempora
RES Perry for instance TO whose genius aud energy
the modern English newspaper system owes its origin,
came I'D to London begging employment OF any sort
which bookseller could give for the young fellows
mind pstnctvely turned 10 the bookshelf as the stall
whence TO aspre. While vainly seeking any sort OF
labor at the hands of chursh bibliopoles he occu-
pied lei.ure moment in penniDg trite for The Ad-
reyfiser Of that Gay, into whose "editors box he
timidly and despsrpgly dropped the little literary
morsel. Next day, in pursuing his search for en-
ployment" he happened TO call at booksellers who
had nc work, but abundspce of sympathy. why
don't you do something like thsl" cried the vendor OF
other mems thoughts, pointing to little article IN that
days Adrerfiser. "Like. what y echoed young
Perry. "This,' emphasized the bookman, handing
the paper to the lad "Why that is NINE" cried the
elaed boy in such ecstasy to make all the sorrow
Of other oisappoinments vanish. The bookseller was
one of the propretors Of the paper and Perry thence
dated bis important existence as great journalist.
Nothing of this hard lot reserved for Charles Mac
kay. For nine years, he worked on The Chronicle,
flo which his easy in various capacities
aud with various degrees of Before the end
ing of hs connection with The Chronicle, Mackay
Issued fresh volume of Poems, in which was one of
considerable pretension-" The Hope of the World"
Soon after he Quilted The Morning Chronicle Mackay
obtained the edtorshp of The Glasgow Argus. This
paper he began to conduct in September 1914, and
continued to do 30 with extraordinary result 10 jour
nasm until lS47, when some political differences IN
the town and which uppeasanIy involved the editors
views induced him to relinqush the post. The year
following this event, Glasgow-through its university
gave very handsome expression to its good opinion OF
Macksy, by unanimously voting him the collegiate
degree of Doctor OF Laws. Since then, Dr. Mackay
has held Gmsef comparatively free of the "staf ap
pontmeuts oD the press, but has been none the less
actively proftaby engaged in many literary labors
With The illustrated Ners, his connection has been
long and permanent.
Upon the appearance of The Daily Neps, Dr.
hscsYos a constant and hr,sD hntOr In