Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-05-15
Some New Aneodotes Of Wordsworth,

y
venerable and good man, who. in many
things, resemblcd Milton. There was the
same austerity Of life the same rigid NOR.
ality, honesty, and independence; and, de :
spite his great genius, the same narrow
mindedness. In hight he was tall. being
over six feet, aud gaunt and struggling in
his person. His clothes we're always too
large for him, and seemed as though he
had thrown them on loosely. His FORE
head was not high, his nose was large and
slightly aquiline, and his lip and chin
were dropping. He had struggling whisk-
ers, which was all the hair he wore on bic
face. His eyes we're deep set and alb
stracted, and Of brownish gray. Leigh
Hunt said they always reminded him Of
the prophet Jeremiah's, being generally
fixed in dreamy musing, as though he was
looking within himself, rather than out at
the world. His voice was deep, and sound
ed us though Il came from the chest; this
was eminently characteristic Of the mans
nature, which was most emphatic and ear
nest. Indeed, he seemed as though he
was always talking under oath, and giving
evidence in a court Of law, rather than
w u tVHfttcdtVUs ttt wac tthtit-
y destitute Of humor, and could not un-
derstand joke, unless it was logically
put, aud then proved. If any body wish
ed him TO appreciate one. he would have to
put it into mathematical shape. In fact
he saw no more fun in Joe Miller than he
Euclid In telling the commonest occur.
renee, he would be painfully precise as to
whether il happened on a Monday or a
Tuesday, aud thus often destroyed the
spirit in preserving the letter. Coleridge
once told him to his face that he loved
fact better than truth; and Wordsworth
told me. very gravely. when speaking of
Coleridge. that he could see no difference
between rhem. Let US, while we are at
this point, relate a short anecdote, which
will give better idea of Wordsworth's
want of sympathy with humor than a
labored disquisition.
lie was dining in 1910, at the table Of
that fine specimen Of Christian jurist,
Thomas Noon Talfourd, equally distin-
guished as u lawyer and a dramatist, when
one of the company. Robert Browning,
the poet, made an allusion TO Moore's wit.
Wordsworth, who was very chatty when
IN the society Of those he liked said. We'll,
| don't think that / am witty man by
any means. Indeed, do not think that
| was ever witty but once in the whole Of
my liSel" Of course there was q great
desire to hear this solitary witticism. Thus
importuned, the old bard said, "WeIl,
we'll, I'll tell you. was standing one
evening at my gate at Rydsl Mount, when
a man came up, and said, "Sir. did you,
see my wife pass by?" Whereupon re-
piled, "My good sir, l did not know till
this minute that you had a wife. !" Here
he paused. We all saw that he had told
all he had to say, and the whole company
laughed heartily at this specimen Of
Wordsworth's wit. The dear old gentle
man always took the merrment this story
provoked as a genuine tribute to his face
tiousness.
Among his prejudices, was rooted
aversion TO actors and actresses. On one
occasion, was with him at party where
Miss Ellen Tree, afterward Mrs. Charles
Kean, was present. The hostess asked
me to introduce her to the poet. Know
ing his popularity in this respect, went
to Wordsworth and asked permission to
introduce the distinguished tragedienne
to him. lie tried to avoid it, saying: My
dear friend, | would rather not Why,
never spoke TO an actress in the whole
course of my life. and 1 don't think Mrs
Wordsworth would like it," Finally. ov-
grooming his almost religious scruples,
made the two acquainted; aud he was so
much pleased with her, that they remain
ed in pleasant conversation the rest Of
the evening. Let me mention another
proof of his intense simplicity. Some
years afterward, Mr.. Mscready, also we'll
known to the American public as the hero
to use a sensational commonplace, of the
Astor Place riot, on his way to Edinburgh,
paid Wordsworth flying visit at his
Westmoreand homestead. | question il
there ever lived more arrogant, over
bearing aud conceited man, on or off the |
stage. than William Charles Macready.
When the old poet visited London, some
months after. he told me that he was very
much pleased with Mr.. Macready. Il
found him an humble minded man, with
a very modest opinion of himself; he is a
bad actor, and he knows it. Indeed"
said Wordsworth" +" "he as good as con-
fessed that to me-
Dear old simple minded philosopher
To mistake the supercillious preiense of
self negation, which the great actor as
sumes when he receives a compliment, Cor
humility and modesty
will mention another Of his personal
traits which shows how slayish rever. |
ence for rank pcrmeates through all class
es in England. IL Wordsworth received
on Monday an invitation to dine with a
baronet. and accepted it, he would con-
slider himseliperlectly absolved from keep.
ing the engagement, if he received on
Tuesday another invitation from baron,
which would be overslaughed il on Wed.
nesday he was invited by an earl, who in
turn would have to give way to marquis,
who would, in his turn, be put hors da
combat by duke. What made the whole
thing more ridiculous was Wordsworths
Inability 20 understand that he had been
guilty Of any rudeness, or that the slight.
ed party had any ground of complaint.
One more anecdote, and we viii sketch
the other members Of his family.
One morning he called, and asked me
to accompany him to an adjoining street,
where he was told a cheap tailor lived.
The address he had received from his
friend was so precise that we found II