The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-10-07
THE OOFOB Err MAGAZINES.

dom" is continued. j. ROSS Browne mas bne
FIRST paper about his ''Experienees in Lower
California" which is followed by an account
Of the Chinese Embassy. An article on George
and Robert Stephenson is illustrated with cuts
Of the first steam engines. Short stories,
essays, etc make up the balance of the maya
zine. AS usual, the easy Chair" gossip has
some Of the most interesting items, and from
this department we extract the following
about the misapplication of the principle DE
mortEis nil niSi bonum:-
The pleasant story of DR.. Franklns life has
been often told. Nj. Bigelow, our late Minister
TO France as we were recently saying, has ad-
nirably edited q new edition OF the Autobiogra-
ply. Mr.. Parten also has written delightful
life of the shrewd old gentleman--for such ne
seems always to have been, aud Mr. Sparks col
lected and edited his various works. AS con-
spicuous and influential person in our revolu-
tionary history, the Doctor Is, OF course inces;
sanity mentioned. The wisdom OF Poor Richard
decorates certain nursery fre.boards still ex-
tant, nor have its echoes wholly ceased In the
mouths of shrewd Yankees. Hogarth shoald
have painted his portrait, for he lis like one o
Hogarths saints. He is the good apprentice in
the highest stage of development; and not the
less so that in his case, as in that of all good
apprentices, there is a very strong desire TO be-
hold him when he is not, as 1t were, singing
hymns in church out of the same book with his
maser daughter. For Notwithstanding all the
stories of his life and the popular familiarity
with 1t, 1t is still questionable whether there are
not facts in 1t which are not generally known,
but knowledge of which is essential to the
full truth of history.
When you look at Vandyck's portraits of
Charles /, the romantic melancholy of the
expression with the charm of certain cavalier
ballads that 1t sends ringing through your mind,
plead very hard against Oliver Crom we'll with
his wart, and Praise God Barebones with his
snuttie. The monarchy, we feel very sure,
must, after all, have been very good thing;
and we will try not to forget morning prayers
upon the anniversary of Charles the Martyr
II that fine portrait were all; yes, a1d If it
we're even history? Do we see on it that the
royal cavalier was an unconscionable liar?
1T not, we do not see the truth. Aud 1t is
with the memoirs OF other historical per.
Bonages as with this portrait. We see q certain
conception OF the man, certain attitude,
certain costume, but we do not see the man.
There Is little supplement to the life of the
good Doctor, qua ertpua, which shows certain
facts not to be 1ound In the published memoirs,
but which are essential to an accurate estimate
OF his character.
So in the neat dining-room of the excellent
Worth House, in Hudson, there is a tull.length
portrait of q former Governor of New York.
Looking at it and speaking of the magistrate,
companion of the Easy Chair said:
'What pityl You know about his habits ?n
mo; what about his habits m
"Ob, dear me! no matter. If you don't know
ali.n ''' -'0' ~
Gracious heavensl was he cannibal? Did
ne eat young children on Saturdays? Destroy
lllusions Why, the nsinuation filed the mind
with horrible fancies. The Easy Chair rushed
to the town library and read all the memoirs.
Nothing but greatness and goodness was to be
found upon every page. Meeting his companion
again the Easy Chair besought an explanation.
There was only u sad smile, serene waving of
the hand, plying tone:-"De n1ortuis, you
know" Was the Governor, then, really can
nlDal, or did he sacrifice oxen to Jupiter in his
back parlor? The Easy Chair was not long
prey to doubt. A felow-citzen less mindful of
the duty Of throwing unpleasant truths into the
shadow said, when the question wac oslkcd:
"Habits! !! why the Goyernor used to fuddle
himself with liquor, that's ALL" That might be
all, but 1t was very important fact. If it were
true. And If It were true, why did all the biog-
raphies omit it?
The Easy Chair remembers with mingled
feelings the occasions upon which it saw Daniel
Webster. One, but not the saddest, was when
he stood in the sunset at Dunkirk, and made a
speech at the opening of the Erie Railroad. 1t
was his own sunset also; and the tragcal weari
ness OF the hollow eyes, and the air of absence,
as II, while solemnly unimportant words were
1allihg from his mouth, his mind were utterly
- unconscious of the scene and far away, were
pittul. Then there was the Cooper Gommemo-
ration, or the Grafton before the Historical
Society of New York, and the visit, later
in the evening, 10 club The rooms
were Hospitality opened so that the
company was mqch. more than the, club:
1t was really kind of public meeting. No one
who remembers that scene can recall ii without
the most mournful reflections. Mr.. Webster
attempted to make speech-out he could not
do IL. He was overcome with wine. Such
scenes were not uncommon to wards the clio. g of
his career. But when Mr.. Parton wrote an
article upon Mr.. Webster, in which he gave q
most lelcltous and sympathetic poctrature of
the man, he was bitterly assailed for aiuding
to such incidents, as if he had, in some incom-
prehensible but fragrant manner, betrayed
private confidence, or had, at least, violated the
sacred principle de nl0TtuiS.
What is the explanation of this disposition to
tamper with the truth? How hollow and
ghastly funeral oratons sound when they care
fully omit to mention what Is most prominent
In every mind! Old Grab dies, the notorious
miser. He is known Tor nothing else. His
name is a synonym of selGsh graspng of
morbid niggardliness. He went to bed at dark
to save candles. He perjured himself awfully
to save taxes. He was as squalid In his method
OF life as Digger Indian, and would not
pare his nails to avoid waste. A disgrace to
humanity and cumberer OF the ground, he
dles-and 10 we commit our deceased brother
to the earth, and the Reverend eulogist
begs US to take warning by his death,
1or In moment we may be snatched away, and
In an hour when we know not the Son of Man
cometh. Warned by his DEATH Why 1t is his
lie that Is the most portentous warning; and
not word did we hear upon that warning in
the dismal tone of the preacher. 1t is very well
II he did not choose to say over Crabs coffin
that he had set an example which all honorable
men would carefully avoid; but Why then did
he call attention to his death? To die was the
pest thlng Grab could do. And if warnings are
TO be urged at all, let them be founded upon the
example that Is to be avoided, not upon an event
common to all men.
AS for the principle de nortuis. the only criti-
cism which it is worth while to make upon it is.
that If we are not to hear the whole truth about
famous people, there is really no use IN hearing
OF them at all. II biographer may omit, in
order 10 produce an effect, he may also add. If
1t be just and proper not to state in a memoir OF
MIR. Webster that he was very fond of wine and
was often mastered by it, then it is equally lust
TO say that he was fair-haired man of angelic